Hi, I think I am going to take the plunge soon: to own a Beemer before my next Big Birthday! But hubby is not very supportive, and trying to talk me out of it by saying how expensive the maintenance cost it.
So, my belived OzBargainer, can you please tell me what is the regular maitenance cost of a Beemer here in Australia/Brisbane? I am only looking for a simple chick's car.
Thanks in advance.
Ditto: Get a Lexus!
A guide from RACQ giving running costs might give you a indication of BMW costs and comparisons RACQ
I currently own a 2008 320d. Last service was $450 for engine oil change, oil filter and brake fluid change. Service before that was $300 for engine oil change and oil filter and cabin filter. I take mine to a BMW specialist which is a bit cheaper than the dealer (labour cost is $110/hr vs $220/hr at the dealer). Hopefully this gives you an idea of the costs associated with owning a BMW.
Another fact to take into account is that most BMWs these days come with runflat tyres. When I changed mine, there were close to $300 each. They are costly to change, louder than normal tyres and have a firmer ride as well.
I don't know your personal circumstances, but I'm 26 years old and I regret buying a BMW. It was fun for a while, but the novelty wore off rather quickly (for me anyway). Potential electrical faults and mechanical faults will most likely run into the thousands to repair, not to mention small jobs like changing widescreen wipers are a rip off (was quoted $90 but I DIY'd).
My next car will be a Lexus.
Actually the parts are not costly if your hubby DIY. For example, front wheel bearing for the BMW 318 is much cheaper than a Nissan Pulsar. Of course there are other parts that cost more.
$1-2K a year is roughly the average cost for maintaining(at a independent workshop) warranty-less luxury vehicles. Some years are simple(low $$$) service such as various oil and filter change, some years more parts(high $$$) need to be changed and inspected. It's just like any other cars. If you can find an independant shop that don't burn a hole in your purse then by all means go for it. If you choose to buy new, you can always negotiate for 3 years free servicing but usually the maintenance cost increases as the car gets older. You see a lot of complain online but happy owners don't usually sing praises and hit high notes about how much they enjoy their cars. When was your last time you post a review about sometime that works?
If luxury cars are so crap why is there a market for them? Why are the prices not deflating? Are people who makes lots of money idiots? Do you think they have time to deal with cars that are expensive and junk? Why are the top students in class who turn doctors, surgeons, lawyers driving these cars, you can see them plentiful in hospital doctors parking lots. Do you trust these dumb professionals to diagnose your illness? If you argue that these owners are in for the luxury badge, then that's hell a lot of price to pay living with a junk.
It's just that 'some' people who can't afford to own these cars, they pay through their nose, and when the car breaks, they wail like a 3 year old. They fail to comprehend that these cars are also machines that runs on the same fluid any other cars run on. It's true that the Japanese built have a higher reliability but luxury vehicles should never be related to reliability. It's more about comfort and lifestyle.
And finally if you are hot enough, you can make any car a chick car. But luxury cars are no simple car. They are in fact the most complicated(a large moving computer) and time consuming to diagnose, which translate to high labour cost.
"Why are the top students in class who turn doctors, surgeons, lawyers driving these cars, you can see them plentiful in hospital doctors parking lots. Do you trust these dumb professionals to diagnose your illness? If you argue that these owners are in for the luxury badge, then that's hell a lot of price to pay living with a junk."
I work for a doctor. When his BMWs and Mercedes would break down with strange and sometimes expensive faults (example: all window motors on his BMW, one by one) he would be a bit annoyed but pay. He would get into the 3rd or 4th vehicle the family had and drive to work. After a few years he would buy another BMW or Mercedes despite the experiences. Why? Because these people would be ashamed to drive a Toyota. It simply does not go with the territory and status. Whether the car was reliable didn't matter (usually 2 other cars in the garage to choose) and the cost of maintenance was irrelevant.
OzBargain probably isn't the place for doctors and lawyers seeking to save 10% on their next online purchase.
Wife's a doctor and she loves OZB!
And yeah she drives a Toyota :)
lucky you!
The 318i isn't a luxury car though lol…
Doctors/Lawyers usually have 5/7 series. 335i's though - I'd consider them to be luxury the effortless drive and power of that engine, that's what true luxury is.
Because 'smart' proefessionals earn alot of money, they don't necesarily know what they are doing when it comes to cars. Some have so much money for them it's easier to just pay and get a new one or for someone to charge them obscene amounts, get it fixed and be on their way. There are plenty of 'professionals' in high paying jobs, are very old and can barely use technology or a computer. By that same logic due to their high paying position why can't they use a computer?
Similarly just becuase you're a top flying doctor doesn't necssarily mean you can justify a premium cars market.
There's a premium cars market because by human nature the majority want to show off and 'keep up with the joneses'. comon, there are enough people out there who would buy a branded item just becuase it's branded, assumed quality etc, than going down to the local store and picking up a sweater or a jacket that will keep them warm, and still look decent ( but ok not as great looking as your $2000 armani jacket - but when you do a dollar value basis I'm sure there are alot cheaper jackets that punch above their weight).
Unfortunately there is also a whole swag of those trying to keep up with the 'premium' market who can't afford it.
There are also alot of rich, smart people driving 'average' cars, that actually have great bang for buck. From old bangers to your everyday jap cars. Again how do you value the 'smile on your face', the look on that girl(s) faces when you rock up in a sport car. Similarly those more thrifty just think it's a stupid choice to spend 6-10x a normal car for something that gets the job done. who's right?
I miss my Datsun!! Seriously
You miss the fact that you were smoking cones and going surfing while tootling about with a pretty girl in your Datsun 120Y. The car itself, not so much. I drove one a while back, was a nice nostalgia hit but I wouldn't take it any further than that.
I've owned an e46 and an e92. Both cost a fair bit to maintain and I thought they were worth it because back then the quality of trim was well higher than the competition - Mercedes, Audi.
I've also owned 3 "jdm" cars so I speak from experience when I say that sitting in traffic every morning is much more enjoyable in a beemer.
I'd never buy another BMW from before 2012. Anything 2013 onwards on the other hand…
Why? All the good Beemers where before 2012? These days they have lost their BMWness and are just generic cars (that are pretty ugly to boot). BMWs of yesteryear used to be high revving screamers, that out handled and outperformed their competition. Then they started copying Mercedes (in terms of engine design) but did a worse job. Now they don't even handle as well as the competition. The best Beemers were the old ones like the E30 M3, the E39 M5, the E60 M5 and the E46 M3. The last of the breed was the E90 M3. The current crop are rubbish, AMGS out power and out torque them, and they often out handle them. Even the regular Mercs have more torque and power. The only advantage BMW has is their sweet 8 speed gearbox, which they don't even make.
Just remember you do not need to get it serviced at BMW. Your warranty will not be voided just because you have someone else service it. [1]
[1] http://www.abc.net.au/tv/thecheckout/episodes/ep01.htm look for "Mazda"
Former Mercedes owner here. If you or your husband are worried about the cost of maintenance then you probably shouldn't buy a BMW, or any German brand with a luxury image. That includes Volkswagen, which for some reason is sold as an upmarket brand in Australia. Europeans find that amusing.
Although it was a while ago now, my Mercedes was a bit of a heap. Poor quality trim, rattles, and the engine failed at 67,000km when the timing chain failed (not a scheduled part for replacement, unlike a belt). Mercedes was kind enough to cover all the repair costs which probably would have run into $5k+ (not kidding). Took almost a month to fix. A relative had the same model and had to pay AU$2500 for an auto transmission repair. Metal filings collected in the transmission oil and the car was stuck in limp home mode. All servicing done by the book.
Ask the dealership what the expected regular service costs are. As a general rule, because you're buying a car with a luxury image you pay a luxury price for oil changes. This may have changed slightly as even the luxury brands are becoming sensitive to service costs, but expect to pay full Australian retail (ie. price gouge) for any spare parts. And parts often have to be flown in from overseas as stock is seldom kept here (experienced that too).
As you can tell I have been a bit burnt, and have known a few other people who have too. German luxury brand cars are wonderful but be prepared for the repair costs.
Dealer $165 for 5 litres of Shell Helix Ultra that cost me $28.99 from Repco
i give up
That includes Volkswagen, which for some reason is sold as an upmarket brand in Australia. Europeans find that amusing.
I know, it cracks me up too…I think we have Top Gear to blame for this phenomenon; oh, and I'm certain they're also to blame for the douchebags that drive them! ;)
if you can own a beemer, you wou;dn't care about the maintenance……..relatively small……
if you care about maintenance, you are not meant to own a beemer……
Well said. Very accurate indeed.
Depends what you mean. A friend just bought a 99 e36 m3 for $15k and the costs to repair issues are even worse than my 99 r34 GTR which is worth $40k. They depreciate so much you'd think it were affordable, but they're not.
Edit: also we're talking about cars which sell for the same price new.
A 'simple chick car' would be a Toyota Yaris. The car itself is the price of your handbag. One year maintenance is same as 2 weeks grocery. You'll thank me 10 years later.
Me missus has one. She travels between Canberra and Sydney (600km round trip) all the time and I'm not even worried that she get stranded in the middle of nowhere.
BMW surely has the stylish look. Feel free to go for it. But get rid of it at 5 years mark and move on to their next models.
It's just hella uncomfortable compared to 600km in a BMW
The Yaris hasn't got very good seats. I suggest Corolla Ascend. It keeps it's value well.
OP - What BMW are you looking at?
x20i's are generally problematic in the long run (although the most abundant).
The x25i/x30i's straight 6's are quite reliable engine wise but electronic problems can develop further.
x35i - HPFP failures, water pump failures, coil pack failures, etc are common but I honestly wouldn't mind paying large repair bills for the thrill of driving a true BMW twin-turbo/twinscroll turbo.
I admire the BMW brand for what it is but I personally don't see the point in driving a 316/318/320i base model and calling it a "luxury" car. I don't consider these to be a luxury vehicle, I'd rather have a Corolla. They're the cars you usually see de-badged too as the owners don't want people knowing they drive a base model BMW…
Audi's aren't very reliable either - the gearbox being the main problem - S-tronic Quattro is generally the safer option, the multitronic FWD CVT is a crapbox. The only exception is the A5 - I'd sacrifice reliability for the design alone.
VW's are crap fullstop.
IMO, the most reliable of all the Germans is Mercedes - there were problems in the late 90's earlier 2000's where they outsourced their electronics and this lead to reliability issues but the modern ones after 07 (W204+) are quite good.
Yup, I can attest to the cries of pain when it comes to servicing and repairing a European vehicle. Owning one outside of warranty is fraught with reliability issues and stupidly expensive costs.
Only worth it if you think the perceived badge superiority and the relatively better driving dynamics is something that you aspire to. Nothing wrong with that as I know for certain that people will judge you for the car that you drive - even the ones that snub their noses at such ostentatiousness. They just judge you adversely. We're such shallow creatures.
Does it have to be a merc or a beemer?
From what my colleagues tell me:
SL250 - recently costed my colleague $6k for a service at the 100,000kms service…Ouch!
325 - recently costed my colleague $3k for a major service (can't remember the kms)
Why not consider a VW? That has capped price servicing. for around $60k - you could get a top of range Golf R brand new…Or a Sirocco perhaps?
If you are working for a corporate company, Audi offers 3 yrs free servicing (so I hear) for new cars.
Also, worthwhile to mention, if you are on a corporate membership with Merc, they give you 3 yrs free servicing too on new cars.
End of the day, it's a personal preference and depends on how much liquid money you can pour down the drain.
My 2 cents.
I own a BMW 318i e46. Rule of thumb I've been told is sell them after 5 years as electronics start to become an issue.
Mines 10 years old and touch wood no issues. My mates identical BMW lots of electronic issues.
NEWER CARS
If anything does go wrong with your car as everyone has stated, it'll cost you as most luxury cars do. Do not expect anything to be cheap. If its state of the art, its not mass produced yet likely which means parts are harder to come buy and more expensive to get.
THE LOGO
BMW's logo also has a price hike on parts. It might be a "BMW PART" but its made by a different company and that company can sell it to you for a whole lot less. I saved $400 on a part by buying the alternative option only to find it was exactly the same part that was installed on my car from BMW.
MAINTAINENCE!!!
Don't believe the BMW Lifetime stuff. Find a reliable mechanic or even better do regular maintainence things yourself.
Change engine oil every 5-10k (im doing regular 7500km oil changes. oil filter every other oil change.
Your car will give you little engine issues if maintained!
If you can source parts for yourself or your mechanic you'll have a cheaper time too, but a newer car may be more difficult to do/ may be locked to dealer mechanics for warranty period.
PARTS PRICE LISTINGS
Heres a great website for pricing on parts. Hopefully has the car you choose.
My experience with pricing has been that these are the BMW rrp's unless mentioned otherwise.
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/select.do
INSURANCE + OTHER ON ROAD COSTS
Don't forget the cost of insurance is insane for these cars.
Probably with be a minimum 95RON fuel engine.
i would think an e46 318 would be the cheapest bmw to maintain and run
its a 1.8 four cyl. and it dates back to around 1997-2005 so it predates the huge electric nonsense you have now
Actually, the early e46 318i are 1.9L, the latter e46 318i are 2.0L
1995CC classified as a 2Litre, I believe from 04 models onward.
Probably is and even then its not cheap, even for an entry level car, scratch that, BMW, it comes with more than your standard gadgets even by todays standards 10 years on. Having the latest greatest tech straight of the line has its disadvantage in even though they have tested it, there is a degree of reality testing. Nothings ever perfect, hence revisions to parts. There are a few things that also cost quite a bit to replace, not everythings made to last 10years+ for the car.
Cost to insure this car 3rd party fire and theft at a 10k return - 780 after multipolicy/noclaim/years of membership discounts.
Parts most Im buying in bulk from America or the UK, cause its much cheaper to pay postage and wait the month and a half it takes to get here than pay the stealership/part shops here, Im assuming that these places take most for suckers at logo face value.
Ask a trustworthy mechanic to fill you in if your ever unsure about how much itll cost you in the end. My mechanic warned me after I brought mine in, I rolled the dice, and knock wood have been, relatively alright.
:)
If the maintenance cost doesn't get you the depreciation will ;)
Big time on that one.
Try a Lexus.
Interior is much more loved than the other two long standing big badges. I've never had a problem mechanically either. I dont know where but but Lexus has the best engine for longevity I remember from somewhere (?) - meaning less time spent in the the workshop.
I can't really add anything else as everythings been said above already.
But consider the new Audi A3 sedan! Such a great looking car. Can be had for about $50k brand new. So you dont worry about parts as should be covered under warranty. Expect yearly servicing of anywhere between $500-$1000 depending on what needs to be done.
Unfortunately you should have bought just before EOFY because they had free servicing offer and other stuff. Not sure what deals are like these days.
Looking at Consumer Reports, it seems that Audi is actually producing some reliable vehicles, only slightly less reliable than Toyota. Lexus still reigns supreme:-
In order:-
Lexus
Toyota
Acura
Audi
Mazda
Infiniti
Volvo
Honda
GMC
Subaru
Scion
Buick
Mercedes-Benz
Porsche
BMW
Kia
Chevrolet
Chrysler
Ram
Volkswagen
Hyundai
Nissan
Jeep
Dodge
Cadillac
Ford
Lincoln
Mini
The Audi A6 in particular was found to be a very reliable car.
Not sure why this comment warranted negs???
Lexus - Japanese
Toyota - Japanese
Acura - Japanese
Audi - German
Mazda - Japanese
Infiniti - Japanese
Volvo - Swedish
Honda - Japanese
GMC - American
Subaru - Japanese
Scion - Japanese
Buick - American
Mercedes-Benz - German
Porsche - German
BMW - German
Kia - Korean
Chevrolet - American
Chrysler - American*
Ram - American*
Volkswagen - German
Hyundai - Korean
Nissan - Japanese
Jeep - American
Dodge - American
Cadillac - American
Ford - American
Lincoln - American
Mini - British, eh what.
*: but wholly owned by the Italians, heh heh.
Comparing a report from the USA is not really a direct match with the cars we have here in Australia.
There are too many variables to consider like fuel quality, road quality (affects suspension etc), service intervals etc.
Some of their cars are also made in a different coutry to some we receive here.
Corrections to your list.
Volvo - Chinese (Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co., Ltd)
Jeep & Dodge - Italian (also owned by FIAT)
Mini - German (Owned by BMW)
where does Peugeot rank in lists like this?>
Probably from people who are upset they bought crappy, expensive cars like range rovers and minis.
Don't let the naysayers prevent you from buying a BMW, even an older one. I am currently driving a 135i and a 335i and am very happy with both. They are 5-6 years old now but they have been reliable for me. Now that they are out of warranty, there are a few ways to save money on maintenance.
1) Go to an non-dealership for simple maintenance. Try RenCal motors (Vince Markov), Accelerate Automotive or RX Automotive (Pierz Harrex). They are all in Coopers Plains and specialise in luxury Marques (I haven been to all 3). They are $80-120ph.
2) For more difficult repairs, try going to Westside BMW. Ask for service manager Chris Trent. They are about $200ph.
I heard that new BMW has smart monitoring on your car, so you do not require to service according to mileage.
for example, you suppose to replace the brake on 60k, but if you are a careful driver that did not slam the brakes often, the replacement might be changed to 100k.
normal service might be 3 times over 3 years or less depending on how you drive……
Conditioned based servicing - intervals can be up to 25,000km before an oil change.
Right on. There are also BMW Authorised repairers who will service a car for half the price and do exactly the same job! Never have I had to spend over $2000 for the year. Servicing is around $300 unless you do the 4 or 5 year once off service which is about $900.
Nothing personal, but the simple chick sounds like she just wants a BMW badge, mounted on a Yaris, a few flashing lights, a mobile phone holder and pay $60grand for it.
I'm sure all the BMW salesmen are licking their lips waiting for this dozy chick to waddle in! lol
Hey I should do this and make a business out of it :) Changing the badges are easy. I'll buy secondhand yarises and slap the Audis and BMWs badges on, with a few flashing lights of course, and voila, doubled the value.
Sounds like a bloody good idea to me. I have a BMW Yaris that I can sell her for $20 000. Cheapest BMW you'll ever buy.
Hi All, thank you thank you so much for your generous sharing. Sorry I didnt read this earlier as there was no notification from OB.
A lot of good advice here, too many to mention. I will certainly look at them carefully. Not in a hurry, just want to know what I am in for. Whether Beemer, Merc, Lexus or Audi, dont know. As I dont have any vices, I thought I can reward myself for all these years of hard work. It's like owning a Prada handbag as opposed to Target?
It's like owning a Prada handbag
Ugh. I'm so ashamed to be female right now.
Not sure why you have been negged so much. If you worked hard (you also did say you don't have any vices), you can do whatever you like with your money to make you feel good.
Why would someone wear an expensive diamond ring when an ordinary wedding band can be had for much cheaper?
All this is in provision that you don't look down on those carrying Target handbags that is.
Cheers.
PS I would however recommend against buying such expensive items if you have to borrow money for it. Also don't forget depreciation is the biggest cost of any car ownership in the long run. As somebody already has written, the amount saved by buying a cheaper car could give you quite a nice holiday every year.
Hear, hear!
Handbag trends last nearly as long as car trends. If you're buying a pre-owned 2 year old BMW that means it will be superseded in about 1 or 2 years with a newer model.
For most owners the novelty wears off very quickly. Then you are left with a money pit. At least a Prada handbag has no ongoing costs such as maintenance, parts, labour, days off work for fixing the car.
An alternative to spending $60,000 (+ maintenance costs) every 2-3 years might be to reward yourself via a new handbag every month, shoes, outfit…
Another way to reward yourself could be to go on a holiday and rent each one of your favourite cars.
There's nothing wrong with wanting to own a prestige car but my kindest advice is same as the first commenters. If you have to ask how much then you probably can't afford it.
And the other thing is the relationship with your hubby. If you reward yourself with a new Beemer, both you and him will have to share the financial costs of owning that car. It could be a topic of argument later on. E.g "I told you so, shouldn't have bought it!"
Prada handbags are small investments, cars are long term and large investments. The prada handbag anology is probably not quite enough — owning a BMW is like owning a child. Wonderful in its early years, but then the medical, education and insurance costs add up.
Don't buy a BMW if you haven't planned out in the long term and are worried about whether you could afford the maintainance costs in the long run.
cars are long term and large investments
unless you have a collectors car like a mint condition XY Falcon cars are never an 'investment', due to ongoing costs they are more of a liability, an investment by definition is something that grows in value and gives you a return
having owned 2 audis and 3 bmws in the past, and driven a newish benz, I am definitely of the opinion that BMW is the better of the 3. The drive and end finish is just better. Audi A6 did have a nicer interior but the drive was rubbish.
with regards to the OPs question, if you can't afford it, don't get it. I haven't had any issues with bmw but did with Audi, but the cost will be higher regardless, and is markedly so compared to when I drove toyotas.
I'd still take an Audi over a BMW though, sorry.
audi's are closely linked with the nazi regime while bmw's made hot planes for cray cray kaisers. i like the crazy link more
They all have nazi associations, merc, BMW, Audi and especially VW. For a long time Volvo was the car of choice for people who wanted a Nazi free luxury vehicle.
Best of all was GM, who owned Opel, who made the Opel Blitz trucks.
So in the interests of business, an American company made vehicles which would be used to kill Allied soldiers.
If you're looking at long term ownership, get a Lexus. If you're going to trade in within 5-6 years, BMWs are fine and not too expensive to maintain.
Note that parts for BMWs are not expensive, however parts with a BMW logo are ;)
The dealer also charges like a wounded bull, once outside of warranty and/or 3 years complimentary servicing, take it to an independent workshop.
Brakes, consumables, etc are not expensive- no not much more than any other car if you know a bit about cars.
I just bought aftermarket 4 brakes pads and discs for about $400, the workshop charged $175 to fit it, so not that expensive.
You'll be looking at over double that at the dealer and braking performance was equal to genuine.
If you're dead set on an European car, colleague just bought a new Audi A4 Quattro for $50k drive away which includes 3 years complimentary servicing. This car was $70k plus when first released. You know you're getting ripped off when buying a Euro car.
However to be honest, I'd rather a Golf GTI than a base model $60k BMW.
BMW havent made a car that has been attract to me for a long time except for the always attractive 3 coupe
but i really like the looks of the BMW 4 gran coupe
but at $72k for the 4 cyl. diesel its not for everyone
wouldnt want to own one out of warranty either
Love my Golf GTI - looked at comparable BMW / Merc / Audi's at the time and the Golf won every time. Doesn't always give you the bragging rights that you get with the BMW / Merc / Audi's as not everybody realises how amazing the GTI's are.
"not everybody realises how amazing the GTI's are."
This is not true. Just drive around for 5 mins and count how many Golf GTI's you can see on the road. More people actually know than don't.
If you and your husband are questioning if you can afford it…then a BMW is clearly not for you.
No one is going to think any higher of you or look at you in envy just because of your BMW badge. On an M3 maybe, but not on a "simple chick's car" base model. People who scrape enough money just to buy a base model BMW for the badge are pretty sad IMO.
Save the money and reward yourself with something less "badge" minded such as a trip around the world.
Yup. Just typical Australian keeping up with the Joneses
Sadly, I must agree with you there…
Worst part is I highly doubt any of the posts here (from people with actual BMW ownership experience) will change her mind.
Without running into the whole "should you really be buying one if you can't afford it" debate, simply put, German cars when new often are sold with servicing packages as an option. If you're looking to spend $60k, that's easily 320i, C200 or A4 money (note new C class coming soon) and in a lot of cases you can get fixed price servicing included (or the annual service included too if you're on a corporate pack but this can sometimes cost more for BMW/Merc but not Audi- beats me why).
Buying second hand on the other hand is a different question. At $60k you could be getting something a bit more flash but you may not be entitled to the cheap or fixed price servicing. Best to ask around at a BMW dealer.
I can only speak from my Mercedes experience in Australia but they have "A" and "B" services (i.e. major vs. minor) and they have set prices which are actually surprisingly affordable. After coming from a Honda Civic 2006 and Mitsubishi Evo X MR 2008 (both bought brand new) I learnt that car servicing can be very variable even on new cars so getting fixed price is the way to go!
I would definitely recommend you to buy a Beemer … I currently own 5 series and this is my second beemer … after owning and driving one its very very hard to think of any other cars IMO … car are usually very very reliable and are built like a tank … Mercs are equally reliable as well but its just a feel of BMW which makes it special …. i personally would not consider AUDI as its not in the same league plus reliability issues …
do you work for a company?
have you considered seeing if you are eligible for corporate program BMW Advantage?
that will certainly decrease cost.
my wife works for chemist warehouse and got free 3 yr serving for her range rover sport.
otherwise all euro cars expect premium of like 3k+
The "Enter" button is located between "Shift" and "\" keys, please familiarize yourself with it.
Even with the enter key this was rambling stream of consciousness stuff.
Wow, an ozbargainer has now saved so much they can afford a BMW ? I'm impressed.
It will cost more to buy, and to service especially as it ages. You just need to work out if that cost is worth it to you.
They're not called 'Bavarian Money Wasters' for nothing.
Bring My Wallet
to be fair, this guy describes older cars doing stuff like leaking oil and whatever
this is common to ALL cars even japanese
if you own a 10yr or older car expect things to break and you have to be proactive on maintenance
this is doubly so on Euro cars
Keep in mind, where you service your car, who service your car, where you get the parts from will have an effect on the value of your car.
Yes something people tend to forget until time to sell the car. Would a potential purchaser pay more for a car serviced by BMW vs by an independent?
Of course if you are mechanically minded, this probably won't bother you but for those buying BMWs or Mercs, would most second hand buyers be orientated so?
Don't know the answer to that one.
Cheers.
I believed that the expensive European cars are in high demand due to a tax advantage? FBT? I was told to use the Salary sacrifice with the novated leasing option but I decided to stick with 5 years old Toyota due to the reliability issues, typical ozbargainer :-)
Ive had 3 Audi's 2 Mercs and zero BMW's….
From all the feedback i have had from friends I tend to steer clear of BMW, lots of little issues that cause $ problems that add up.
Not sure with Audi or BMW, but with Benz from new if you service it with the dealer and its out of warranty you can usually get away with free parts for a couple of years as a "goodwill gesture".
Theres usually A & B service and prices between dealers do vary, but you can always bring it to a euro specialist.
Recently had an issue with the Benz and MB charged $220 per hours as a diagnostic fee which is a fcuking rip off…
Friend had the last model 335i which was a lemon, issue after issue from a new car, as soon as warranty was up he got rid of it.
Some people are looking forward to buying a BMW and all I can think is "when is my damn Chromecast going to arrive"
My 2c, If your buying a second hand BMW, get an E90 325i (speaking from first hand exp, great car, drives great, relatively cheap to buy/run/maintain). 320i (budget pack! always has problems and is so damn slow…
If you shop around you'll find lots of independent workshops at much better rates then the Dealer. If you know your way around cars it's even cheaper (hint: get a scan tool or cable/software - forget about paying the workshop $150+ per "scan").
Else if your budget allows and your getting a new/near new car (tip: buy 1-2 year old - let someone take the big depreciation hit then sell in a few years) then it's fairly maintenance/repair free. Your local BMW dealer will gouge you a bit every time you visit them (once a year etc), but it's not really that bad in the grand scheme of things.
If you want a reliable BMW purchase an E34 525i.
Absolutely bullet proof, super reliable, cheap parts, look great, strong and over-engineered, plenty of features and just an all round lovely luxury car from the 90's era :)
I know, I've owned two!
I love the look of 90s BMWs (especially the 8 series!). I just don't think the girl who started this thread, who thinks owning a luxury car is the same as owning an Prada handbag, is going to go for a 90s car - regardless of how good it looks.
When I asked my friend what kind of new car she was driving and she said 'Audi' I really did reply with complete ignorance, "Oh, I didn't know Aldi sold cars now." I'm not a brand person.
yeah. Let go Aldi and buy car, and pay 20 cents to get it wrap by a big plastic bag, worth it. lol
recommended you a very good independent mechanic. He is the best and good price too. Previously i was with BMS auto in darlinghurst, they cheat on me, make my car faulty, change all my stuffs(they recommended) but my car getting worst.
Get quote from BMW, they too expensive. Then I found below. Steve he know what he is doing, explain clearly what wrong previous shop made and why it will happen this way. (He actually mean they did right things, however they split the jobs and hence it made the jobs become difficult)..anyway, there are some others things that BMS auto cheat on me(use water instead of coolant), so now i know that really need to be careful when choose a mechanic to service your car.
steve's workshop website link as below.
http://www.connorautomotive.com/
P.S. say you refer from Nicole when you contact him. might help too. :)
Anyway, BMW maintenance not expensive, if you can find a good workshop. But of course, it good if you have some basic understand about your car, it always help :)
Try this: http://www.racq.com.au/motoring/cars/car_economy/vehicle_run…
Look at the BMW 320 sedan as an example
Great minds think a like.
I posted the same list on 13/07/2014.
The BMW compares quite well to the Audi and the Mercedes.
With 60K budget for a simple chick's Bimmer, you can get a brand new one, like 1 series, 3 series, X1, or even a X3 with a few thousands dollars more over budget if you can.
ALSO, A BIG THING to check is checking either you or your husband's employer is in the BMW list for 4 years free schedule service. if lucky your employer is in their list, you can easily save at least 5000 in total in the first 4 years(cheaper car purchase + 4 free service).
For maintenance, If you buy brand new, you will hardly see much difference for the first 3 years, service will be once a year at a nearly doubled price compared to a japanese brand, but most japanese brands require 2 services a year. so end up pretty close cost for service. After 3 years, I think starting from the the 4th year service, you start to get major service about every 2 year roughly, which can cost you for easily $1000 at least. And get ready to pay much more cost for any repair to German brands if anything happened after warranty.
For buying a second hand with your budget, try to get a nearly new one (1 to 1.5 year old with low kms), also do not forget to ask the seller if the car got the 4 years free schedule services as this is also transferable.
No matter buying a brand new or a near new German brand, you will surely enjoy it from the luxury interior, driving fun, solid build. I would say after owning a German brand car your later next car will be hardly be another japanese one, it is like replacing your LED TV in your living room, either bigger, or different brand, but hard to go for a smaller one.
But for me personally, I would get a Merc, if you could wait for a few months, get a CLA200, looks perfect for a simply chick's choice. And Merc is overall better quality (reliability) compared with BMW and Audi. So later potentially cost less to maintain.
I bought a 2012 X3 in January and so far very happy with it. The change in drive and comfort is incredible after an upgrade from a lower end car (in my case i30). Like others have said, intend to only own for less than 5 years and then get another. In my case I have a 3 year loan with 40% balloon payment. There is also the option of extended warranty where I got an additional 3 years (as mine was about to expire) for about $1-1.5k more. Be wary though that you will get treated like shit from others and people will slam their doors on the side of yours without caring.
why was i negged?
It seems a lot of the people here are those door slamming type you mentioned :)
I used to own a 1989 Porsche 928 s4. When I first bought it I used to take it to a specialist Porsche mechanic and they in turn used to source all their parts from reliable Porsche factory sources. All very reliable and above board but extremely expensive. As time wore on I became smarter and found out that my local 'dial-a-mechanic' guy was a Porsche factory trained mechanic and was happy to come to my house and work for a regular hourly rate. I also found that I could buy parts on eBay and other online shops for a fraction of the Porsche price. In one example, gas struts (to hold up bonnet/hatchback) from Porsche were around $350 each, over eBay from the US they were about $75 each I think. Parts were all genuine Porsche in sealed packaging. I also bought brand new Disc Rotors from the local OEM (Brembo)and had my mechanic put them in for less than the Porsche place wanted to machine my old rotors (if I removed them and dropped them off at their shop).
I havent checked BMW but as with so many things in life, if you want the convenience of dropping the car off at the dealership and then picking it up later in the day all fixed you will pay for it. Convenience is the most expensive commodity you will buy. Depreciation wise BMW and other premium brands do hold their value better than most Japanese brands, including Toyota….oops soory Lexus. There are some aberrations, Subaru's generally seem to hold value as do some of the Toyota models.
Now I lease my cars and depreciation is my main consideration, having been through the nervous countdown to the end of lease period a few times before, being able to get rid of the thing at the end is more important than being able to get one in the first place!
I just checked carsales and a 2005 BMW 320i's start at around $12k for a car with 160k km and a 2005 Lexus IS250 is $14k for a car with 200k km or $16k if you want the same KM's as the $12k BMW's… ?
BMW: http://tiny.cc/xov0ix
Lexus: http://tiny.cc/cpv0ix
Toyotas may hold their value better than you think.
people keep saying Toyota, its LEXUS, yes its owned by toyota, maybe it shares some chassis parts but that's about it, nothing else is the same it has superior build quality and design.
It is owned by Toyota, because it is Toyota. They didn't buy it. Their marketing dept created it.
I didn't say it was'nt owned by toyota and no one said they bought it :/
its the luxury division of toyota and its called LEXUS.
funny, a good friend told me the same, no more BMW!
coming from a 'boring' but reliable Toyota Camry he decided to buy the BMW because of the 'prestige' image and reputation, lost about $40,000 just on the resale value, and not once did he stop complaining about how expensive it was costing him, i remember one phone conversation clearly, he was saying a new tyre on the previous Camry only cost about $150 but on the BMW it was well over $300!
in the end i asked him was it worth it, nope he said! maybe it depends on the person, what you perceive as value and how much you are willing to pay for a brand name/reputation, he is no tightwad but still careful of spending money, if instead of the previous reliable and cheap to maintain Camry he had an unreliable lemon maybe the BMW would have looked better?
this remind me of the following hypothetical question, which would you rather, your friends seeing you drive an old Toyota or riding in a tow truck with your broken down BMW on the back tray/your broken down BMW on the side of the road with bonnet up?