BMW 740 iL $$$

[JaKaAch]

Has anyone thought of buying a car that you can afford to buy, but been afraid you might not afford to own it?
I found a good deal on a BMW 740, but I have no idea how expensive they are to own. Any help and advice appreciated.
I've always owned GM products and done a lot of the work and maintenance myself.
I've always wanted a BMW but never thought I would ever seriously shop for one..

[ResIpsa]

I've never had a BMW specifically, but have had Saabs and other higher end Euro autos.

Euro auto repairs and maintenance equals $$$$$$

just be prepared for that and keep it in mind when deciding what to buy.

[RPB67]

Originally Posted by ResIpsa

I've never had a BMW specifically, but have had Saabs and other higher end Euro autos.

Euro auto repairs and maintenance equals $$$$$$

just be prepared for that and keep it in mind when deciding what to buy.

They aren't cheap. Parts are more money and labor is longer to replace them. Just be careful, if you get a bad one you could be in for a long expensive haul.

If you get a good one. You will have one great ride.

[stormin]

I need to get wifey a new set of wheels. I like the BMW but am also scared of the high maintenance costs. I'm looking at a Lexus or an Acura. I think they are more reliable. Just my . not necessarily based on hard facts. BMW is an awesome vehicle, though. "The Ultimate Driving Machine", right?

[JaKaAch]

Originally Posted by RPB67

They aren't cheap. Parts are more money and labor is longer to replace them. Just be careful, if you get a bad one you could be in for a long expensive haul.

If you get a good one. You will have one great ride.

Parts and labor=more$$...The owner said the BMW dealer charges $140.00 for a oil change. I wonder if that includes a glass of German wine while you wait.

[stormin]

Originally Posted by JaKaAch

Parts and labor=more$$...The owner said the BMW dealer charges $140.00 for a oil change. I wonder if that includes a glass of German wine while you wait.

Never mind the German wine. A couple of german beers and a schnitzel, all served by a fraulein and I'm in.

[RPB67]

Originally Posted by JaKaAch

Parts and labor=more$$...The owner said the BMW dealer charges $140.00 for a oil change. I wonder if that includes a glass of German wine while you wait.

Probably some cheap domestic brand .....

[stormin]

Originally Posted by RPB67

Probably some cheap domestic brand .....

Domestic frauleins aren't all that bad.

[poker]

If possible, I would consider the option of buying a CPO (Certified Pre Owned). They normally come with a 100K mi warranty.

BMW parts, if paying out of pocket, will cost you more than any domestic or japanese car part.

A good web reference for BMW part numbers & relative cost is www.realoem.com

BMW after all, stands for Break My Wallet

[portny33]

Originally Posted by stormin

Domestic frauleins aren't all that bad.

Stay FAR FAR away from any domestic car. My personal preference is IMPORTS; Audi,BMW,Acura,Honda,Subaru and others. I went from owning a Ford POS to an AUDI A4. I LOVE MY CAR. Yes the maintenance cost can be $$$$, BUT if you do your homework on the car you can avoid the ugly side. Watch for high mileage, regular maintenance and the overall condition of the car. Ask as many questions as your can think of. Ask for a CARFAX report and maintenance sheets. You can check a value of a car at kbb.com or nada.com. I did a ton of research on any car I was thinking of purchasing. It took me about 6 months before I found a car I liked and was in great shape. If you have any more questions let me know (PM). BMW can be amazing vehicles.

[Gaels22]

I have owned a 2001 BMW 325ia. Repairs on it are expensive if you don't do them yourself...ie Brake job on all 4 was quoted for 1200 by BMW dealership. I did it myself, with better rotors (Brembo Slotted) and better brake pads (Pagid Racing Ceramic Pads) for $464 taxes in. Labour took me 4 hours.

I have driven Lexus, Audi, BMW, Porsche, Infiniti, Nissan and Honda and the best family/sport car is by far the BMW.

[bhudson57]

BMW = High maintenance costs. Period.

Even if you do it yourself, parts are expensive. proceed with caution. Although, if it's a good deal, go for it! Great riding car!

[jkim05]

Originally Posted by bhudson57

BMW = High maintenance costs. Period.

Even if you do it yourself, parts are expensive. proceed with caution. Although, if it's a good deal, go for it! Great riding car!

yeah, all european imports have high maintenance costs, my friend works for bmw as a certified technician and he makes real good money b/c they charge so much for repairs. Even my volkswagen dealer charges an arm and a leg for repairs and parts, so i refuse to take it to the dealer. anyways, i really like the 1999 bmw 745li, so i'd say get it, but you do have to consider the future costs. japanese imports have significantly lower maintenance costs. look into consumer reports, they have good reviews on cars and they have reliability ratings too. you can buy it or they have it free at the library.

[(909)]

Originally Posted by jkim05

yeah, all european imports have high maintenance costs, my friend works for bmw as a certified technician and he makes real good money b/c they charge so much for repairs. Even my volkswagen dealer charges an arm and a leg for repairs and parts, so i refuse to take it to the dealer. anyways, i really like the 1999 bmw 745li, so i'd say get it, but you do have to consider the future costs. japanese imports have significantly lower maintenance costs. look into consumer reports, they have good reviews on cars and they have reliability ratings too. you can buy it or they have it free at the library.

Just like the case with your VW, I've found that private garages run by factory trained mechanics are your best bet for European cars. I've had Volvos, BMW's and Porsches and the maintenance at the dealer is substantially higher than an independant.

European cars aren't the only ones with higher dealer service costs, my Toyota Sequioa needed brakes, I took it to the dealer, he quotes $500.00 for front and rear brakes, I took it to my independant and he replaced the rotors with drilled and slotted and put on high performance pads and it came in at $360.00.

I've found that the work done by an independant is 20-30% cheaper and equal or better in quality.

I would HIGHLY recommend that you take the car to an independant mechanic, pay him $50 or $100.00 and have him go through the car looking for trouble. Afew bucks spent today could save you from THOUSANDS in repairs later on.

[trogdor | the burninator]

the bmw 750il protection series was my unicorn for a while. (trogdor | the burninator's unicorn = elusive, meant only for dreams). lost its luster once i found it for sale, i have no idea why i do that...long for a car until i can actually afford/find it. anyhow, who wouldn't want a bulletproof car? that's just bad ass...

personally, i'd pass on the bmw until you've got money to burn. i, too, am on the japanese import bandwagon. the cost to maintain a lexus or acura will be noticeably cheaper and are damn sexy, as well. sure, you won't find a japanese M3 or RS4 killer, but you'll save in gas!

i heard an interesting fact, the other day, which i will now proceed to butcher. most luxury cars are sold to younger, middle-class citizens rather than to the CEOs and millionaires....i know you can spin that several different ways, but it seemed interesting to me.