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Sedans BMW 3-Series Buying a Used 3-Series
455 messages, Last post on Oct 16, 2009 at 6:36 PM
You are in the BMW 3-Series Forum. Your Hosts are pat & karens
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Replying to: cardude_2009 (Jan 11, 2009 5:23 pm) Look for a used Civic or Corolla, though those tend to be a bit pricey. Something used from Detroit would probably be more in your price range, but I don't really have a good recommendation there. I did good with a used '94 Merc Tracer I bought for my son 8 years ago (120,000 miles on it, paid something like $2000 for it). Guy my wife worked with was moving out of the country. Any retirement communities near you? Lots of times you can find some really good deals there from someone giving up their license and vehicle. |
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Test drove the two (among others) and am leaning towards the BMW. BMW '07 328i (20K Miles &  $21.5K) vs Acura '06 TL (19K Miles $21.5K). There are factory warranty's available- 4yr/50K miles.. essentially 2 years on the BMW vs a year on the Acura. What other factor should I consider prior to purchasing? Moving to SF Bay area- and possibly drive 120 miles/day. This is the first time I am going to this car segment after driving a reliable Honda Civic. Appreciate advise and cautions Best, Ad-ag
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Replying to: adag (Jan 13, 2009 8:50 am) One other thing to factor in... No charge for service on the BMW until the warranty expires... 600 miles per week? Shewwwwww.. get a new girlfriend...lol. |
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Replying to: adag (Jan 13, 2009 8:50 am) IMO (I have an '87 BMW and my son has a TL type S), the BMW is sportier and more fun to drive, while, over the long run, the Acura will be cheaper for maintenance and repairs. If it were me, I would go for the BMW, particularly given that they're the same price and the BMW is a year newer. How are they equiped?
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Replying to: srs_49 (Jan 13, 2009 4:28 pm) BMW: Pwr Seat, Pwr Sunroof, Pwr Windows, Pwr Locks, A/C, Cruise, CD, Leather, Heated Seats, Security System, Alloys, Traction Control Should I be taking an extended warranty? I am buying the car in minneapolis and moving to SF Bay Area in another month or so. Alternatively, I can buy the car in SF, but the location difference makes up the difference in price for similar cars in the two cities.
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Replying to: adag (Jan 14, 2009 8:27 am) For one, anything that makes a lot money for the company has to be a bad deal for the consumer. Second, the extended warranties I've looked at tend to have lots of caveats and exceptions, such as: 1. Vehicle must be serviced by the dealer (pricey). 2. Normal wear-and-tear items (brakes) are excluded". 3. There's usually a deductible (per visit?, or per incident?). That said, there are people who have made out with such a policy. Friend of mine saved several thousand dollars when the tranny in his GMC Yukon had to be replaced at the 60,000 mile mark. But, that's a GMC Yukon - not an Acura. IMO, just put the money you would spend on the extended warranty aside (maybe buy some GM stock with it  ), ready for use should the need arise.
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Replying to: srs_49 (Jan 14, 2009 10:01 am) |
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Replying to: srs_49 (Jan 14, 2009 10:01 am) Look at it this way... some folks here have said they budget $100-150 a month for repairs. Over, say, eight years that's $10-14,000. An extended warranty for that period costs how much? I just got one on a used Jetta for $1900 (8 years bumper-to-bumper). On a BMW it would likely be more. Added a few bucks to my monthly payment. I'd rather have predictable costs for repairs over the lifetime of a car than unpredictable and possible very large costs. Not for everyone, but it works for me.
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Replying to: backy (Jan 14, 2009 11:28 am) On my '87 BMW that I bought used back in 1999, I've spent $~5,400 in repairs and maintenance (tires included). That's $45/month, with me doing a lot of the work myself. I look at insurance (which is what an extended warranty is) to protect me against a catastrophic financial loss - house burning down, I total someone's big Mercedes; loss of life, that sort of thing. I don't need it to cover replacing wiper blades or brake pads on my vehicle. Even a clutch or tranny repair I can cover, if it comes up. But, like you said, what works for some doesn't for others.
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Replying to: srs_49 (Jan 14, 2009 12:38 pm)
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