Im in college and I really want a cheap used 3 series because I love those cars. I found one thats perfect for me and in my budget (4.5k), its a 98 and has 80k miles in great condition. I already had my mechanic scope it out.
Im just concerned with reliability and cost of maintenance. Insurance will rise by a bit but mostly I’m talking wear and tear repairs, like oil changes and parts/labor on anything else. Most people have been telling me to get a Japanese car because it would be cheaper and more reliable.
Will the BMW really cost that much more to maintain and will it not be reliable? Some have told me that 80k miles is too much but I’ve seen BMW’s on sale with 150k+ miles. I used to get oil changes on my Mazda for 20-30 bucks, is that not possible with a 98 3 series?
Should I buy Japanese or get the BMW I want?
BMW all the way !!!
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BMW’s are very reliable, the problem with ‘cost of ownership’ comes in when they are NOT maintained properly. They ARE very reliable cars, just very expensive to repair when something DOES break.
Frankly though, Japanese cars are pretty much the same, very reliable, but expensive to fix when something does break.
I’d say buy the BMW and maintain it meticulously. The few extra dollars in maintenance will save you money in the long run.
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Get an American car and be patriotic!
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BMW all the way !!!
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BMW is going to cost more to maintain. The oil change is only required once every 12 to 15,000 miles and costs about $110. Brake pads, for example, cost around $250.
Japanese cars are thought to be reliable but the repair cost on them is not cheap either.
In terms of driving though, nothing comes close to a BMW 3 series. Handling, precision, and overall driving dynamics are a top notch. Plus, it’s also a status car. You’ll definitely get more satisfaction from driving a BMW as well as more attention.
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Owner of a 2005 BMW 3 series.
If you really like the Beamer, go for it. The insurance and maintenance may cost a little more, but if that’s okay for you, go on ahead. The problem with Japanese cars is they hold their values longer than BMWs (which depreciate rather fast) and are harder to buy on a budget. Hope this helps.
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BMW enthusiast
Essentially what the fine line between a working BMW and a non-working BMW is the driver. If the owner has treated their car like crap, it’s going to run like crap. ‘Nuff said. If all checks out with regards to the state of the 3-series you’re looking at go for it. Just look after it cause these sorts of cars need more TLC than your regular Japanese hatchback. Just a quick question: What sort of 3-series is it (318i, 325i, 330i, 320d)? Basically the bigger the number, the bigger the engine (1.8L, 2.5L, 3.0L and 2.0L Diesel respectively) and the more power you have (and depending on how you drive, the more fuel you use). The "d" on the 320d means it runs on diesel unlike the i’s which run on normal petrol. There’s nothing wrong with a diesel, in fact it can get you more mpg, but it does cost more per gallon than regular petrol.
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