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Re: e36: How long should I keep my car?



Dare Sun, 20 May 2001
From: Tom Schmidt <gdearle@domain.elided>
subject; e36: How long should I keep my car?

I have a pretty good tool set and I enjoy working on (good) cars so I tend to keep
them to the bitter end.
With BMWs that end has been farther down the road than my other vehicles..
My '84 318i was destroyed (rear ended at a stop light)  with 176,000 on it.
No major repair - a fuel pump and an alternator where the biggest items.

My friend Helen traded her '85 325I last year for an M3 coupe, her third BMW since
1981.
The 325 had 227,00 miles with no major repair.

My friend Fred still drives his '83 320i with 340,000 (!!) miles.
Its engine has been overhauled.
These are not atypical experiences with BMWs and I am sure that you will encounter
other owners with similar stories.
Of course they are not all like that. Some owners suffer major repairs at lesser
mileage's -- but that is not the expectation.

My expectation of Honda Accords is different - my '77 blew its engine at 138,000
(swallowed a valve). I rebuilt it and ran
another 30,000 when it failed again.  I patched it up again and sold it to a friend
who drove it to 230,000.
My friend Gina's '79 Honda Accord quit running at 152,000.  I rebuilt it and it
lasted until 175,000 when the valves failed - and it "passed on" to the "automotive
recycling center."
Our '93 Nissan Altima SE has had its starter motor  ($400) and the mass flow sensor
($700 -- $488 for the part alone) replaced.
This car has 72,000 miles on it.

I agree with the comments offered by Tony Canike, but I do not think you need to
become an owner-mechanic to have a
long pleasant experience with your BMW.

Tom
84 318i
89 325i

Date: Sat, 19 May 2001 07:31:23 -0400

> From: Tony Canike <canike@domain.elided>
> Subject: e36: How long should I keep my car?
>
> Good question.  Your car is at the point where maintenance starts to become
> more then filters, oil, tires, and brakes.    You can sell now while it has
> market value and get a new one, or you can decide to keep it going for a
> while.     The maintenance usually isn't overbearing, as these are
> well-made cars, but your first $1400 repair bill can be a shocker!     Of
> course, what's $1-3K a year on non-wear items when you have no car payments?
>
> What are your goals and desires?   Do you want a no-brainer monthly loan
> payment, or do you like to dig in and tinker?
>
> I suspect since you are asking the question you aren't a DIY
> mechanic....but maybe you want to become one?   Or perhaps you want the
> satisfaction of finding an excellent indie BMW specialist repair shop and
> building a relationship that may last for decades?     Make a new bunch of
> friends having a cup of coffee while getting parts at the local specialist
> import (non-dealer) parts store?      Or spend an occasional weekend with
> people who race 20 year old BMWs and can swap in a new tranny in their sleep.
>
> It's a great car.   You can get decades of transportation and satisfaction
> out of it, and keep the total lifecycle cost of ownership very low, with a
> little smarts, patience, and effort.   You can learn to do the work
> yourself, or just learn what needs to be done and have a good shop do
> it.   There will be good times and there will be bad times, but it will be
> a fun ride.
>
> If you want a turn-key experience with no worries, and have other things to
> take care of, just buy a new car every three or five years and don't think
> about it.
>
> Tony.      (9 years with no car loan payments)
>
> Date: Fri, 18 May 2001 11:38:55 -0400
> From: "Serge Maillet" <serge.maillet@domain.elided>
> Subject: e36: How long should I keep my car?
>
> G'day folks!
> I'm deperately looking for suggestions from 'experienced' BMW owners on how
> long I should be keeping my car. Here's a quick description: I have a 1997 BMW
> 328i with 65,000 miles. It both runs and works great. I'm still making monthly
> payments on this car. I have a powertrain warranty until 100,000 miles or
> another 2 years, whichever comes first.
>
> Now my question: How long should I keep this car? Should I keep it until the
> junkyard has to come pick it up or should I not push my luck and trade it in
> for something new with factory warranty.
>
> Thanks in advance for any input!!
>
> Serge

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