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BMW 5-Series Sedans

12737 messages,  Last post on Feb 16, 2013 at 11:05 PM

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What is this discussion about? BMW 5 Series, Sedan

Messages Page 909 of 1274

#9079 of 12737 1999 528i by kleemitt

Jun 18, 2004 (8:17 am)

I am thinking about buying a 1999 528i with 70K miles on it. I am visiting the dealership for a test drive tomorrow morning. This is not a CPO, but it's cheaper than a CPO. I will take it to a machenic for an inspection. But, what I am worried about is its repair costs down the road. I've only owned Hondas and Acuras and they are so reliable that I never need to spend much money on repairs. Are BMW parts that expensive? And, is it really better to get repairs done at the dealership? (One more thing, it does not have a CD player on it and I am thinking about installing a CD changer. That would be a good option, right?)

#9080 of 12737 Re: 1999 528i [kleemitt #9079] by kyfdx@Edmunds HOST

Jun 18, 2004 (8:20 am)

Replying to: kleemitt (Jun 18, 2004 8:17 am)
On a car out of warranty, you should be able to find better and cheaper places than the dealer... But, it will likely be very expensive to maintain. Nothing like an Acura or Honda.. At least in my experience. It isn't so much the reliability factor as just the maintenance costs.. Then, if you do need a repair, it is expensive. But, the car can last a long time, if you put the money into it.
 
regards,
 
kyfdx

#9081 of 12737 Re: 1999 528i [kyfdx #9080] by kleemitt

Jun 18, 2004 (8:29 am)

Replying to: kyfdx@Edmunds (Jun 18, 2004 8:20 am)
Thank you so much for a quick reply. I will offer a drive-out price of $17,500 CASH... would that be a good deal? The reason why I'm interested in BMW after years with trouble-free Hondas and Acuras is that.. simply I want to drive a Beemer. Speaking of maintenance costs, how much do I need to expect to spend yearly? And, the oil changes really need to be done at dealership? or just a corner express oil change shops are ok too? Thank you!

#9082 of 12737 Re: 1999 528i [kleemitt #9081] by kyfdx@Edmunds HOST

Jun 18, 2004 (9:18 am)

Replying to: kleemitt (Jun 18, 2004 8:29 am)
You might check with Terry on the Smart Shopper board.. In: Real world trade in values. He can give you an idea of what the car might be worth. I don't really follow 5-series that close. Someone else on this board may have an idea.
 
If you are really want a BMW, I would look at '99 and '00 323i. I think you might be able to find one of those for your target price with much lower mileage. I've seen those locally with 40K to 60K miles for asking prices of under $20K. Lower miles will be your friend when it comes to repair/maintenance costs.
 
regards,
kyfdx

#9083 of 12737 Sounds Like BMW Might Not Be For You by riez

Jun 18, 2004 (12:45 pm)

kleemitt... Pay for a THOROUGH INDEPENDENT inspection. And run a CARFAX report!
 
1. Don't buy unless you can see all the repair and service invoices proving what was done when. Then only buy if all the necessary work was done on time and schedule. Brake fluid should have been changed at least once every 2 years. No more than 3 years on the coolant. Was the transmissiona and differential fluid changed? Etc.
 
2. I would NOT recommend buying a BMW out of warranty unless you know a GOOD INDEPENDENT service shop that SPECIALIZES in BMWs. Most BMW dealers don't do much repair work on big things like transmissions and differentials. They just replace. And that is hideously expensive. You'll save a ton on repair and maintenance work using an independent shop. Find one that also gives a BMW CCA discount and then join BMW CCA.
 
3. You seem worried about service, maintenance, and repairs. If so, buy CPO or don't buy a non-warrantied BMW. (Really sounds like you'd be better off with a CPO Lexus GS300.)

#9084 of 12737 Re: Sounds Like BMW Might Not Be For You [riez #9083] by kleemitt

Jun 18, 2004 (1:58 pm)

Replying to: riez (Jun 18, 2004 12:45 pm)
riez, thank you for your advice! Maybe I should take more time to think about buying a used BMW. I did run a CARFAX report and it shows the vehicle has been serviced pretty regularly.
 
And, thank you for your tip on going to an independent repair shop rather than dealership. Now, what is BMW CCA???
 
I don't think I can afford a CPO. 1999 or 2000 CPOs usually cost over 20K. However, I will check out CPO Lexus GS300s. Thanks!

#9085 of 12737 by kyfdx@Edmunds HOST

Jun 18, 2004 (2:05 pm)

BMWCCA = BMW Car Club of America

#9086 of 12737 European Car Pans 545i6 by riez

Jun 19, 2004 (12:04 pm)

Check out the August 2004 issue of European Car. Is their annual Grand Prix, "The Most Significant New Car of the Year". They tested both 545i6 and 645i SMG. They much prefered the 645i. They panned the 54i6's exterior & interior, the price (MSRP was "just under $63,000"), and iDrive.
 
Excepts:
 
"We considered the previous [E39] 5 Series to be the almost perfect car, so it's natural we might have felt a bit cold toward this new version, and we're willing to wait a while before making a final judgement. ... Will 'like' ever turn to 'love'?"
 
"Not the improved 5er I wanted."

#9087 of 12737 Many People. . . by cdnpinhead

Jun 19, 2004 (1:49 pm)

have come to believe that BMW's are only for people who lease. They would rather be skinned alive than actually own one outright past the warranty period.
 
What does this mean, long-term, for the brand? . . for this or any other vehicle that can barely live past the warranty?
 
There are those who lease. . .and those who buy. Those of us who buy look for vehicles that cost a reasonable amount to keep on the road, for a long, long time.
 
The BMW's & Audi's that can barely make it to the end of the lease may have an interesting long-term future. Someone, somewhere is expected to acquire all those off-lease vehicles, for prices that may give one pause to consider.
 
Edmunds is full of people who only care about first cost, but the long-term thing will eventually have an effect on the brand. What is happening to all the older vehicles?
 
Enquiring minds. . .

#9088 of 12737 cdpinhead by saugatak

Jun 19, 2004 (4:37 pm)

My bro is a mechanic and he fixes all types of cars so I can give you the benefit of HIS experiences with BMW.
 
In my bro's opinion:
 
1. BMW's are not worse in terms of overall reliability than other cars. They're not as reliable as Japanese cars, but they're not bad.
 
2. Lots of BMW's get abused by their owners, more so than say a Lexus. So you have to be careful with a used BMW.
 
3. BMW's do have weird electrical problems which can be difficult to diagnose, which means more mechanic time spent figuring out what to do, which translates into bigger repair bills.
 
4. BMW parts are EXPENSIVE.
 
But if you buy a used BMW which was well taken care of, and you do regular maintenance on it, they can last you a long time and be pretty reliable. Problem is, when repairs need to be done they're so expensive that you have to ask yourself, at what point do I want to stop putting money into a used car?

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