Some of you might have seen the thread on the BMW 3 series. I have a '98 323iC that I bought used earlier this year, and after a few months I have been hit with a few minor annoyances (brake light burned out, control panel) followed by a major repair (needs new catalytic converter).
This was kind of a pre-mid-life crisis impulse purchase, not particularly well-thought out, but I wanted a convertible sports car. The car had a spotty history (no service records, had been in an accident) but I got it cheap.
It's clear to me I made a bad decision, financially and practically speaking, by selling my previous car. Although it had been in an accident, it ran fine, was economical and was rather problem-free. It wasn't a sexy BMW convertible but it got me from point A to B.
Also, I simply cannot afford to miss work to attend to car repairs. I'm starting a new job soon.
Someone has suggested I cut my losses, unload this potential money pit and buy something more reliable. I've thought about economy cars like the Aveo, Focus, Yaris, Honda Fit, Hyundai Accent etc. If I could get something with a little style that would be cool, but ultimately, I think I would like to save $ and time.
Here are my options, I think:
1. Buy something more reliable while trying to sell the BMW to a private party.
2. Buy econo car for commuting to work, keep the BMW as a weekend/date car. This could naturally evolve from option #1 and failing to find a buyer at the price I seek. My insurance premiums go up, plus I have to pay to garage the second vehicle.
3. Trade in the BMW at a dealer, taking the bath right now.
4. Keep the BMW. I'm getting the 60k mile maintenance (Inspection II) next week, so maybe it should run solidly for awhile.
Getting rid of the BMW could entail losing several thousand $, but could potentially save on repair bills, insurance, gas, etc.
Just wondering if anyone's been in this situation before, and what I should do. Although I enjoy driving the car, I really don't care about what kind of image I convey when I am driving, and I just don't want to have to worry about unexpected repair bills. Plus, I think my clutch leg is getting some kind of repetitive motion syndrome (numbness, tight hamstring).
This was kind of a pre-mid-life crisis impulse purchase, not particularly well-thought out, but I wanted a convertible sports car. The car had a spotty history (no service records, had been in an accident) but I got it cheap.
It's clear to me I made a bad decision, financially and practically speaking, by selling my previous car. Although it had been in an accident, it ran fine, was economical and was rather problem-free. It wasn't a sexy BMW convertible but it got me from point A to B.
Also, I simply cannot afford to miss work to attend to car repairs. I'm starting a new job soon.
Someone has suggested I cut my losses, unload this potential money pit and buy something more reliable. I've thought about economy cars like the Aveo, Focus, Yaris, Honda Fit, Hyundai Accent etc. If I could get something with a little style that would be cool, but ultimately, I think I would like to save $ and time.
Here are my options, I think:
1. Buy something more reliable while trying to sell the BMW to a private party.
2. Buy econo car for commuting to work, keep the BMW as a weekend/date car. This could naturally evolve from option #1 and failing to find a buyer at the price I seek. My insurance premiums go up, plus I have to pay to garage the second vehicle.
3. Trade in the BMW at a dealer, taking the bath right now.
4. Keep the BMW. I'm getting the 60k mile maintenance (Inspection II) next week, so maybe it should run solidly for awhile.
Getting rid of the BMW could entail losing several thousand $, but could potentially save on repair bills, insurance, gas, etc.
Just wondering if anyone's been in this situation before, and what I should do. Although I enjoy driving the car, I really don't care about what kind of image I convey when I am driving, and I just don't want to have to worry about unexpected repair bills. Plus, I think my clutch leg is getting some kind of repetitive motion syndrome (numbness, tight hamstring).
