My BMW fandom has ended.

I refuse to own any modern BMW without a warranty.  It's sad, but they've become cars that should be leased only, then turned in after 3 years. 

If it makes you feel any better, I spent $5k (and that's with me spinning almost all the wrenches myself) on my GX470 in 1 year and 14k miles.  How's that for vaunted Toyota reliability?

docwyte said:

I refuse to own any modern BMW without a warranty.  It's sad, but they've become cars that should be leased only, then turned in after 3 years. 

If it makes you feel any better, I spent $5k (and that's with me spinning almost all the wrenches myself) on my GX470 in 1 year and 14k miles.  How's that for vaunted Toyota reliability?

Yeah, but your GX had a lot more miles right? 

I already had the OFHG fixed, the valve cover was starting to weep, that's completely ridiculous a car with so few miles needed all this stuff. 

The better half loves the 3, so I'll be cool for a bit, pay off the debt from the layoffs, divorce, multiple moves, and buying this house. Then she will likely get the 3 then I'll get something fun again. It won't be German.

If that is the result after babying what exactly be the outcome if it was tracked occasionally or good grief hooned every day from the get go?

Maybe that kind of treatment would tear a hole in the space-time continuum thingy and it'd last to a million miles without oil changes. 

nutherjrfan said:

If that is the result after babying what exactly be the outcome if it was tracked occasionally or good grief hooned every day from the get go?

Maybe that kind of treatment would tear a hole in the space-time continuum thingy and it'd last to a million miles without oil changes. 

My experience is an outlier, by all accounts, it happens, but still isn't "normal"

I'll enjoy not worrying about expensive repairs and the like for awhile.

I really wanted to just buy an ND with the Recaros. But decided to be responsible for a bit.

Good idea since I noticed this morning that toilet in the 2nd bathroom cracked (no idea how) so now I have to deal with that.

When it rains it pours, right?

I've mostly moved on from BMW to Jaguar...

Did you disclose it to the dealer when trading, or are they going to pass it on to the next sucker?

In reply to z31maniac :

I drove my neighbor's 128 yesterday... Seemed just about perfect for city/suburban driving! Aren't they more reliable than the 135s?

nutherjrfan said:

If that is the result after babying what exactly be the outcome if it was tracked occasionally or good grief hooned every day from the get go?

Maybe that kind of treatment would tear a hole in the space-time continuum thingy and it'd last to a million miles without oil changes. 

Crazy as it sounds, I've heard from more than one BMW tech that the cars that are driven hard (along with being maintained, obviously) tend to have the fewest problems.

Wonder who the sucker.... I mean owner of this 135 will be next ... 

BMW still hasn't figured out rod bearings.  You need to change them in the E90/92's plus the E46's, the M5's, etc, etc...

Yeah, the GX had 113k miles on it when it started and 125k when I sold it.  I was pretty unhappy about how everything was wearing out in quick succession.

Robbie said:

I've mostly moved on from BMW to Jaguar...

This is EXACTLY what has happened to me too.  I'm going to remain 100% British for fun cars.

docwyte said:

BMW still hasn't figured out rod bearings,  Or Cooling Systems, or Vanos, or Window Regulators, or Auto Transmissions, or Interior trim etc, etc, etc.

Finished that for ya

This is sad.

I've wanted a 3 series for years, never had the money and now I don't have the nerve to pull the trigger on one.

Indy-Guy said:

Robbie said:

I've mostly moved on from BMW to Jaguar...

This is EXACTLY what has happened to me too.  I'm going to remain 100% British for fun cars.

 

I had a bmw built by the british. Still the most fun I've ever had in a car with my pants on. I still shudder at the thought of owning another one. 

BMWs have problems that shouldn’t happen in a modern car. The stuff I see in the shop makes me go wow. It’s great for the techs and the shop owner but how can the customer afford it? Buying a used BMW is like playing russian  roulette.

In reply to sergio :

Yeah, I'm convinced. Maybe a G35...

sergio said:

BMWs have problems that shouldn’t happen in a modern car. The stuff I see in the shop makes me go wow. It’s great for the techs and the shop owner but how can the customer afford it? Buying a used BMW is like playing russian  roulette.

Yep, I knew there were potential issues, but that's why I drove 800 miles away for low mileage, one owner car.

I lost this particular gamble, and between the maintenance and the bath I took on trade in, I could have taken me and the better half to Europe for two weeks.

sergio said:

BMWs have problems that shouldn’t happen in a modern car. The stuff I see in the shop makes me go wow. It’s great for the techs and the shop owner but how can the customer afford it? Buying a used BMW is like playing russian  roulette.

Exactly what I hear everywhere.

makes me wonder what happened to the “german engineering,” I have been reading about since I was a kid? 

So no to the f10 550i? Twin turbo v8 sedan with a 3rd pedal? Damn

What's funny is that back when I got the e21, a LOT of guys had 250/300k 320i's that ran great, and there was a guy I worked with (engineering manager) had an 18yr old, 200k plus e30 sedan, but wanted a new car.

"I'm sure you could buy whatever you want, what's stopping you?"

"There's literally nothing wrong with this car, everything works and runs exactly the same as the day I bought it."

We sold our e30 with 275k, and though my beautiful talented daughter did her best to kill it, it ran fantastic. 

I think there's been an adverse change in company philosophy and management since then....

I've owned one. It was a pain from the day it came home until I sold it. 

The Ford that replaced it still runs great though.

I bought a new 2011 Accord LX 5-speed manual and put 155,000 trouble free miles on it.

When I bought it I told the salesman it was sort of a Japanese BMW - he had the classic "you're an idiot" look most people give me quite often.  

I drove my neighbor's 128 yesterday... Seemed just about perfect for city/suburban driving! Aren't they more reliable than the 135s?

I think those are the sweet spot of 1 series (and 2 series, tbh).  Smallest of the modern bmws but not smaller than the old favorites, relatively reliable, still fairly fast, and priced right. I'm not a huge fan of the 1 and 2 series overall but i think the 128 is the only one devoid of multiple dealbreakers.  The 1M is probably the worst unless you're just trying to buy something that won't lose it's value. 

Sort of like the Z8. You spent 120k in 2003 or whatever and now it's worth... 120k. Too bad about inflation though. 

z31maniac said:

The better half loves the 3, so I'll be cool for a bit, pay off the debt from the layoffs, divorce, multiple moves, and buying this house. Then she will likely get the 3 then I'll get something fun again. It won't be German.

Something fun, not German... hey, how about that new Supra!