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Entry Level Luxury Performance Sedans

16087 messages,  Last post on May 09, 2013 at 9:32 AM

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Messages Page 1374 of 1609

#13729 of 16087 Re: This & That [graphicguy] by dino001

Apr 14, 2012 (8:16 am)

Replying to: graphicguy (Apr 14, 2012 6:57 am)
BMW service.....on the one previous to my current one, I swapped out the run flats as they were horrid. The new run flats on my current 335i are much better
 
Before I got my 328i, I read about those terrible run-flats. Awful, people say, just loud and harsh. Then the delivery came and this supposedly terrible tires (I got sports pack, mind you so those are 17" performance summer), came to be quite allright. Of course, my point of reference is 2008 STI, so I may have a little skewed perception. Now almost six months and 7k miles passed and I'm still not feeling those tires being so awful. Yes, I noticed a little more noise on certain types of surface than one could expect in an entry lux car, but I'm not sure if similar performance GFTs wouldn't be the same. Those are Continentals, perhaps Bridgestones are worse, or perhaps RFTs are simply getting better. I even read that certain small punctures can even be fixed now, if one doesn't let the tire to go on zero pressure for too long (read, you get flat, you pull to the next tire store) - not sure if it's really true. People say a lot of things...

#13730 of 16087 The Great Maintenance Debate by nyccarguy

Apr 14, 2012 (8:37 am)

We all seem to agree (I think) that BMW's free maintenance is (1) built in to the price of the car and (2) has extended intervals since BMW started including it. Wherever you sit on this, there's no doubt in my mind that it adds value. I was looking through my own 328xi's vehicle computer and found that my car will require the following scheduled maintenance:
 
15,000 miles - oil change (within year 1)
25,000 miles - front brake pads (within year 2)
29,000 miles - Inspection I - major service (within year 2)
30,000 miles - rear brake pads (within year 2)
 
Now let's use that schedule and see what else I can muster up.
 
45,000 miles - oil change
 
That's it for the maintenance that is included in the cost of my BMW. 2 oil changes (at the dealership) + 1 major service + front pads + rear pads add up to something.
 
Now not everyone does the 20K miles per year that I do, so they don't get the full value of the included maintenance.
 
Here's where things get interesting. When my lease is up, my car is going to have 50,000 miles. I'm going to have a few choices & decisions to make.
 
Option 1 is obviously just to turn my car in and walk away.
 
Option 2 is to buy my car (from the dealer, not BMWFS) after the lease is up & hopefully be able to negotiate a price that's significantly cheaper than the lease end buy out of a little more than $26K. Say I can buy it for $21K it would be a nice used car. If I buy the car, I wouldn't go for the CPO warranty (on my previous X3 they wanted $3K to certify it), but I most certainly would go for the extended maintenance pkg that covers the maintenance up to 100K miles. IMO, even at the $2K MSRP (think I could maybe get it cheaper), it will get me:
 
50,000 miles - Front Brake pads (& maybe rotors)
60,000 miles - Inspection II (major service incl oil, filter, brake fluid, trans fluid, coolant)
75,000 miles - Oil Change
90,000 miles - Inspection I (semi-major service)
 
I'd also be financing the buyout.
 
Option #3 is to lease another car. There most likely won't be these crazy incentives on the F30 328xi that were on my car, so I'm sure a lease with the same parameters (20K miles per year) is going to be upwards of $650 - $675/ month which is too rich for my blood.
 
Option #4 would be to buy a similar car to mine that has literally 1/2 the miles. My only problem with that is dealers seem to have high asking prices on loaded up, off lease, CPO cream puffs.
 
I'll see what happens. For now I Love this freakin' car!

#13731 of 16087 Re: This & That [dino001] by nyccarguy

Apr 14, 2012 (8:38 am)

Replying to: dino001 (Apr 14, 2012 8:16 am)
I don't think the 17" run flats on my car are overly noisy or harsh at all.

#13732 of 16087 Re: The Great Maintenance Debate [nyccarguy] by dino001

Apr 14, 2012 (9:07 am)

Replying to: nyccarguy (Apr 14, 2012 8:37 am)
I think there are also 30K and 60K oil changes there, aren't they?

#13733 of 16087 Re: The Great Maintenance Debate [dino001] by nyccarguy

Apr 14, 2012 (9:18 am)

Replying to: dino001 (Apr 14, 2012 9:07 am)
That's part of the Inspection I & Inspection II services

#13734 of 16087 Re: This & That [nyccarguy] by dino001

Apr 14, 2012 (11:06 am)

Replying to: nyccarguy (Apr 14, 2012 8:38 am)
Glad somebody else agrees with me on that. You probably have all-seasons on yours (xi gets summer tires only with M-pack, IIRC), which should be a little more gentle anyway. One drawback on the sports/M-packs are staggered size tires, which basically means the can't be rotated (the tires are also unidirectional). This basically creates a potential for more alignment needs than in normal car. However, tires can also be replaced only 2 at the time, if one is worn more than the rest due to some misalignment issues.
Anyway, I think that alignment stuff not being part of the ALL, ALL, AND ALL (BUT TIRES) FREE is kind of baloney on part of BMW. I understand that car may never need alignment, and it is a function of road hazard, but knowing general condition of roads and overall risk, it is quite common to check it once in a while. Why can't it be a part of Inspection I, beats me. If you advertise that there is nothing, but gas and tires, than it should be just that .

#13735 of 16087 Re: The Great Maintenance Debate [nyccarguy] by stickguy

Apr 14, 2012 (10:38 am)

Replying to: nyccarguy (Apr 14, 2012 8:37 am)
I'm betting my daughters entire college fund on option #3.

#13736 of 16087 Re: This & That [dino001] by stickguy

Apr 14, 2012 (10:40 am)

Replying to: dino001 (Apr 14, 2012 11:06 am)
in the big scheme of things, an alignment is chump change. Just go to a reputable tire shop, and have it done. Heck, normally it is free to check (though they always find at least 1 # out of spec!) But it only coasts about $75 to do it. I have the 3 year plan for my van, and that was only about $125 with a coupon, and I can have it redone every 6 months for 3 years, so average it out and I am paying about $20 per alignment (and just have it done when the van is in for the free rotation and balance that came with the tires).

#13737 of 16087 Re: The Great Maintenance Debate [nyccarguy] by sweendogy

Apr 14, 2012 (10:45 am)

Replying to: nyccarguy (Apr 14, 2012 8:37 am)
Quickly - you can go to bmw own website snd see what the "free maintance" gets you vs its comp. is it backed in? Sure - but they really make you pay for
Here's what BMW owners are saying about it
 
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=428361
 
amazed your thinking about what your going to do 3 yesrs from now with a car you just picked up a few weeks ago.

#13738 of 16087 Re: This & That [stickguy] by dino001

Apr 14, 2012 (11:10 am)

Replying to: stickguy (Apr 14, 2012 10:40 am)
I agree. But my BMW store thinks it is worth $200. $200!!!! It's amazing. You know, I like the idea of doing everything at once, but no way I think $200 is a fair price for an alignment job, even if it was made by a Mechanic of the Century.

Messages Page 1374 of 1609

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