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Question Regarding Reliabilty/Milage
Hi guys,
I'm new to this forum but I wanted to ask all of you some questions regarding BMW's in general. I am thinking about buying a used or new BMW but I wasn't sure how reliable they are in terms of total milage I can get out of one. I like to drive my cars into the ground and was wondering is it common to see a Beamer with over 400 k kilometers? Is a BMW with over 200 k something to avoid? See I benchmark everything against my father's old Honda Accord which got 470k on it before it was taken off the road. If I pay a premium for luxury with a BMW will I have peace of mind knowing I can get 350-400k out of it? Also, is there a certain model or series I should avoid? I have been considering a used 3 or 5 series. Any input would be appreciated!
Cheers
| | Reply » Question Regarding Reliabilty/Milage |
Well you're as likely to get 400K from a BMW as you are from anything else.
With that sort of mileage you're obviously going to have a few bills along the way...some bigger than others. But if you're asking whether the engines are up to it..then yes. There are guys who use old BMWs as cabs... with 800K on 'em, and they're still rolling.
| | Reply » Question Regarding Reliabilty/Milage |
I appreciate your prompt response. Actually I know no honda compares to BMW in terms of luxury and performance for the most part (exception NSX and S2000) but how would you compare drive train and engine durability between a Honda and a BMW?
| | Reply » Question Regarding Reliabilty/Milage |
I'll say up front I am not an expert on BMW durability, but a couple of comments...
Honda has built their business around, and is well known for, having the highest build quality/most durable internal combustion engines in the world, bar none. So almost by definition, a BMW (or a Toyota, or anything else) is not as durable.
Having said that, if you're willing to spend the money on maintenance -- and it will cost you -- you can make any car durable. As a recovering Mercedes owner, I personally feel this phenomenon of pouring in high maintenance dollars is largely responsible for Mercedes' reputation for durability.
| | Reply » Question Regarding Reliabilty/Milage |
Many BMWs can be seen with over 200-300k miles, especially in Europe. We know that the E30 is capable of it but the jury is still out on the e46 and the e36 to some extent.
The engines are very durable and last very long with a rebuild. As far as repair costs, if you keep up on the maintenence the bimmer should last a very long time, but you still have to pay for stupid crap that breaks occasionally like window regulators, etc. From what I have seen, the GM automatic transmissions that came on E36s and early E46s (and all xi's), conk out at about 125k-150k or so. THe new ZF units appear to be better. Of course if you geta manual it is not really an issue.
Basically, the car needs to be checked out very well by a 3rd party before the purchase and hopefully you can do some of the maintenence yourself. If you keep up on it, the car will run very well for a long time and will always be a joy to drive.
IMO, you have to be ready for some extra costs here and there and be willing to do some work yourself. Purely financially, it is not worth spending more for a BMW to get 'more' mileage out of it than a honda, (even though all of these 'reliable' japanese cars have very expensive service and parts now).
just my two cents, hope it helped
| | Reply » Question Regarding Reliabilty/Milage |
Quote: Hi guys,
I'm new to this forum but I wanted to ask all of you some questions regarding BMW's in general. I am thinking about buying a used or new BMW but I wasn't sure how reliable they are in terms of total milage I can get out of one. I ...I have been considering a used 3 or 5 series. Any input would be appreciated!
Cheers | Depends which car, really.
My 1990 535i has about 377,000 km on it. I've been told the design life for an e34 is 300,000 miles or 500,000 km. Mine still has the original engine, transmission (ZF automatic), starter, alternator and most other major moving parts. The car is on its second set of struts and shock absorbers. In the last 5 years I've spent less than $1000 a year for maintaince and repairs. In the last year, the car is finally starting to show some wear. Performance isn't what it was last year. The interior is starting to wear out. The very complex electrical system is starting to have minor problems.
We recently sold our daughter's '96 318ti. Still a good car but less durable than our e34. There are many plastic parts in the cooling system that get brittle and break. I'd guess that an e36/5 is good for about 200,000 miles. Ours had about 140,000 when we sold it. The older e30 3 series is simpler, and more durable. Downside is that the cars are older.
Our 2004 e46 325i only has 12,000 miles on it. From the way things look, the interior will be more durable than the 318ti, but much less durable than the 535i. It is really too early to tell how the mechanical parts will do in the long run. As I guess, around the 8-year mark car will be too expensive to keep, but that the basic car will last far longer than that.
The engines in the M cars don't last nearly as long. BMW traded performance for long life. The six cylinder engine in the older M5 and M6 is very expensive to rebuild. So I'd put M5 and M6 at the top of your used cars to avoid list. (Not that they aren't gread cars).
I'd avoid any of the early V12 engined cars -- anything before 1994 or so.
318i and 318ti 1995 or earlier, make sure the 'profile gasket' has been replaced.
1995 530i and 540i (V8 engines) make sure the short block has been replaced. Most have.
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Question Regarding Reliabilty/Milage