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Wanted: BMW repair cost horror stories...

turboman808

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Depends on the car-Give ya 2 examples of mine.

I don't know much about older BMWs but I sure get ass raped every time I take the porsche in for service. I spent just about 7 grand having the transmission rebuilt 2 months ago.

I set aside 5 grand a year for repairs. End up spending more like 7-10 grand though because I like to tweak things and make it faster. Have a 10k suspension going in next winter. It adds up.

Keep in mind a new 911 would cost more money then that and wouldn't make me near as happy.

But this is a car I beat the **** out of.


However...

I have recently picked up an 85 jaguar XJ6. It's for trips and cruising, I have been driving it to work a bit. It doesn't cost much to maintain at all. Just need one with good paint and interior because those are the parts that get expensive to replace. The engine, transmission, suspension and brakes are all very cheap. Less then 6 grand, looks fabulous and less then 2 grand a year will keep it on the road for years to come.
 

TylerDurden

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I've got an E30 3 series'. The cars worth like $1500 on KBB

It's got a few things wrong with it, the worst part is if I had a shop do the repairs (i don't), it would be about $1500-2000 for most anything.

So to get anything done to the car, I've basically bought a 2nd BMW. Not to mention parts are getting harder to find and most things are $100-250 for basic parts.

But the car is still amazing.

I do have to say though, it was a mistake to buy this car and return to college, I can't afford the parts now, so it sits and drives with worn out components and 1/2 of the accessories don't work. I might be selling it soon if I can find a cheap replacement.

Now if I had a decent paying job right now, it might be ok.
 

impolyt_one

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E30's (as well as most of the German cars from that era) are only worth that, like $1500 on the street, but they do cost about $5000 to buy and get into good condition with repairs and upgrades, with everything working like it should. To get some of them into good aesthetic condition, maybe even double that... old 6ers (non-M6) are nice but could easily be a $20K project, if you want to have a nice one.
 

CDFS

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Originally Posted by username79
Yes, because the $400+/mo in payment when sold is usually worth significantly more than the already depreciated car that you have sunk further money in by maintaining.

Purchase price + depreciation + maintenance - trade/resale = TCO


Originally Posted by archetypal_yuppie
False. You're double counting depreciation.

Purchase - trade/resale = depreciation.


Originally Posted by impolyt_one
^ your equation is not related to his equation, which was TCO (and yes you were half right)... but your avatar scares me, while making me believe it's you speaking to me (albeit in incorrect equations regarding car TCO)

facepalm.gif


Let's say a car costs $60,000.- trade resale is 20,000.-, whicht makes the depreciation 40,000.- Maintenance is 15,000.

According to '79 and _one that would make the TCO=

60,000 + 40,000 + 15,000 - 20,000 = 95,000, which is 20k more than purchase price + maintenance...
 

gilwood

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I bought my gf an old 94 Nissan Sentra with 160k on it as a "temporary" car for $600. Old owner never did anything on the car. The car was rusting, the engine sounded funny and I thought it might last a month or two tops. I changed all the fluids and 7 months and 10k mi later, the car runs better than ever. We've already taken it on a few 100 mi trips and it's solid. Freaking Nissans last forever.

IMO for reliability: Nissan > Honda >>> BMW
 

Cavalier

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Originally Posted by gilwood
I bought my gf an old 94 Nissan Sentra with 160k on it as a "temporary" car for $600. Old owner never did anything on the car. The car was rusting, the engine sounded funny and I thought it might last a month or two tops. I changed all the fluids and 7 months and 10k mi later, the car runs better than ever. We've already taken it on a few 100 mi trips and it's solid. Freaking Nissans last forever. IMO for reliability: Nissan > Honda >>> BMW
Newer Nissans have slipped in quality, something about piston slap or trying to get too much power out of a smaller engine or some ****... (I haven't been keeping up on cars) I have an '03 BMW and a '99 Civic SI ... the SI is a dream when it comes to low cost maintenance, granted it only has 50K miles on it. The Bimmer certainly costs some money, but nothing crazy, figure $1500 a year if you drive it 10-15K miles annually (which I don't any these days thanks to the Honda, more like 5K or less)
 

greg_atlanta

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I've heard that junkyards have their own opinions about BMW's extended oil change intervals. Any car will get through the warranty period with 15-20K oil change intervals....
 

ramuman

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Originally Posted by greg_atlanta
I've heard that junkyards have their own opinions about BMW's extended oil change intervals. Any car will get through the warranty period with 15-20K oil change intervals....
I think BMW doubled the oil change intervals when they introduced free scheduled maintenance. I've heard the same as you in that sticking with a more conservative (more changes) schedule is better. Since it's pretty easy to do changes yourself, even on a BMW, I don't see how an extra 40 bucks a year can hurt. FWIW, the only "horror" story I've personally heard is a friend spending $400 for a broken power window mechanism on his 2006 330i. No high pressure fuel pumps failing at 70 mph, no subframes being torn off etc. EDIT: I hate spambots that bump archaic threads.
 

impolyt_one

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I'd be pretty pissed if my subframe did tear out, though. I once had a little 6" long hydraulic absorber-like piece fail on my 540i, and I don't even know what it was to this day, but it was related to the alternator. Alternator was fine, car just wouldn't start. Had to get to the car towed somewhere in this little college town, picked a really shady looking old VW mechanic on a crapshoot, turned out he had the exact part in stock and fixed it that day. I think the bill was about $450 for that piece plus labor. Then of course the radio got locked out with the battery reconnected, and my friend had busted my glovebox the month before and the owner's manual and radio codes were in there....
ffffuuuu.gif
 

EMY

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I'm checking out a 2007 328i coupe with manual transmission today. Is there anything in particular that I should keep an eye out for?
 

ramuman

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Originally Posted by EMY
I'm checking out a 2007 328i coupe with manual transmission today. Is there anything in particular that I should keep an eye out for?

Yeah...a 335i
tongue.gif
 

xpress

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Originally Posted by ramuman
Yeah...a 335i
tongue.gif




+1!

I've been shopping around for a 335 coupe (08'ish CPO) and the price difference between the 328 and 335 coupes is like ~2 grand...

Oh, and buy CPO.
 

phreak

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Originally Posted by ramuman
I think BMW doubled the oil change intervals when they introduced free scheduled maintenance.

I've heard the same as you in that sticking with a more conservative (more changes) schedule is better. Since it's pretty easy to do changes yourself, even on a BMW, I don't see how an extra 40 bucks a year can hurt.
FWIW, the only "horror" story I've personally heard is a friend spending $400 for a broken power window mechanism on his 2006 330i. No high pressure fuel pumps failing at 70 mph, no subframes being torn off etc.

EDIT: I hate spambots that bump archaic threads.


Yea I'm changing the oil in my 06 with 50k miles every 7500 miles. Just paid it off and I find myself babying it more and more haha

Originally Posted by EMY
I'm checking out a 2007 328i coupe with manual transmission today. Is there anything in particular that I should keep an eye out for?

mileage?
 

scb

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i have an 07 335 and my free maintenance runs out next week. extended warranty (gold package) is 3500 for 3 more years or total 70k miles.

I think i'll take my chances without a warranty
 

A Y

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If I were shopping for a 3-series, I'd get the 328 because it's significantly lighter than the 335, plenty fast, and cheaper to maintain. Also they don't make the sport wagon in anything but the 328 for the US.

--Andre
 

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