Choosing a used BMW...

[shinsakuto]

Hey folks, glad I found this site. I've used other forums for my various interests and hobbies and have made lots of great friends and the information I have gotten has been invaluable. I'm sure I'll be able to say the same about this site too.

A bit of background before my questions... My last BMW was a 1989 535i 5-speed. It was a great car and I do miss it, maintenance was modest - though I did have to replace the clutch assembly at about 160k miles (can you believe there was NO wear on the disc, only a failed release bearing which damaged the diaphragm of the pressure plate). I bought the car used in 1996 and drove it daily for five years before trading it in. I am in the market again for another used BMW which is cause for my questions. I will be driving the car daily with an approximate 40 mile round trip commute and numerous trips to the airport where the car will sit for 10-14 days at a time. FWIW I am single and 35, my budget for this buy is $8-$9k cash and I am trying to find the newest/lowest mileage in that price range. I am pretty much isolating my search to 97 and newer models...

328i - I like these but would prefer something a bit bigger, I did find that with my 535i the rear seat legroom was fairly limited - my suspicion is that the 3-series is even more cramped for rear seat passengers... on the plus side, those available in my price range have a bit lower mileage than the 5-series.

528i - I think I would be happy with another 5, these are great cars as you all well know.

740i/iL - I've always loved the 7-series, but wonder if I am too young for this car to be a good fit for me? There is certainly more room for passengers, but wonder if the fuel consumption might make it a bad daily driver? Are the maintenance needs/costs significantly greater than a 5-series? How is the handling/fun-to-drive factor compared to a 5-series?

Thanks for any input.

Shinsakuto

 

[shinsakuto]

Anybody?

 

[bmw046series]

Hi welcome aboard, the thing you always have to look at is maintenance, unless you can do it yourself.

You could easily find all three of these models in your price range; varying in quality, obviously the more money it was when it was new the more it will cost to maintain. I was at my dealer a few weeks ago and they have a '97 740li with about 145,000 miles and they wanted about 10 Grand. Great car, however expensive to maintain but they were pretty reliable, all depends on what you want. With BMW you kind of know what you're getting from the 3 5 to 7 Series, fuel efficent to a powerhouse. I'd take a 7er but I do like big sedans.

 

[selavia]

For your requirements and price range, I would look for a 1997/98 528i 5spd. You could get one of these in your price range with around 100k miles which isn't a whole lot for these cars. Over 3 years ago, my parents bought a 1998 528i, with 60k miles for 9.5k. That was a steal. If you are vigilant and can inspect the car yourself and know what you are doing, you could get a really nice 528i for well within your price range.

I feel you on the cramped-ness of the 3 Series. I have already avowed that my next car will most likely be a 4-door either 5 series or 7 Series. I love the nimbleness of the 3, but I think once I'm outa my 20s, I'm going to get fed up with the cramp back seats. ...There is no room back there for anything.

As far as maintanence, if the car you bought has excellent records and was well taken care of, if you keep it up, you won't have any issues. Inspection I and II can get pricey on the V8s, but like was already said, if you can do it yourself, it's no sweat.

Good luck with your decision.

Sean