Buy or Not Buy?---> 2006 BMW 525I

[Russell]

Electronics on the newer cars scare me as they control most systems. Most indy service shops will not have the equipment or access to updates. You must go to the dealer to update or repair anything relating to electronics

That said, you may be able to purchase additional warrenty/service contract to extend coverage beyond cpo.

Older BMWs like the the e34 generally cost $1,000 to $2,000 a year for all maintenance. Of course the people on this board usually take better care of their car than the average.

I would suspect the newer cars should be similar in cost when they are at least 5 years old and perhaps even more as they "mature" because of complex tecnology. Just a guess.

[sundawgno1]

Hello,

I'm in the market for a new car and have an opportunity to buy a 2006 525I with about 17K miles on it. I know I'm on the right forum for asking advice from all you BMW owners and fans out there regarding some questions I have.

I've read a lot of message forums and so far the concensus I've gotten is that BMWs are expensive to maintain and can become extremely costly after the CPO warranty runs out.

I normally keep my cars for a minimum of 10 years. I do about 10K miles a year on average, with an even split between highway and local road driving.

Can anybody advise me particularly on this model and also if there are any red flags and or things I need to know beforehand? How expensive is it in general to maintain a BMW on average a year? I typically get servicings done at the dealership.

Thanks!

SunDawgNo1

[sundawgno1]

Ok, thanks. That makes sense. The original warranty with maintenance is good till summer 09 and then the CPO kicks in automatically until summer 2011. CPO just doesn't cover the servicings. I checked out the car again today at the dealership and was very impressed. I also checked out a 2007 Lexus ES 350 with 13K miles on it. The Lexus has a much more poweful engine (280ish I think) and a lot more accessories than the bimmer, however I felt the interior quality to be poor compared to the bimmer. Looks wise, the bimmer kicks butt, no doubt.

I'm just stuck on the reliability factor between the bimmer vs. the lexus now. The price is the same. From an options perspective, the Lexus out does the Bimmer. From a overall style and design quality perspective, I'm thinking the Bimmer outdoes the Lexus. And then there's the I-Drive thing in the Bimmer I'm not sure how I feel about right now.

I plan on keeping my cars for at least 10 years or more. This is going to be an interesting decision to make. I'll keep you posted!

[repenttokyo]

Isn't the ES front wheel drive? To me, that eliminates it off the bat.

The lexus will most likely be more reliable than the bimmer, but it will also be incredibly boring to drive. On the other hand, the Bimmer is one of the ugliest cars EVER BUILT. So I would not recommend either of these vehicles.

[sundawgno1]

Thanks. I do like the style of the Bimmer so that's not an issue to me. What would you recommend actually? Also, I wonder how it does in the snow being a rear wheel drive.

Regards,

S

[BMWDriver]

I found propulsion to be good in the winter. It's not better than traction, just different in the approach needed. I have yet to get totally stuck in the snow. The day I spun my rear wheels was the same day people spun their front wheels. You just need to be careful with the back swinging a bit when you start. A slight correction, ease off gas a bit or shift up gears and you're on your way.

You won't spin out of control unless you really step on it and give your steering a good swing. That's a fun way of doing 180 degrees.

The tires will make a difference before the type of drivetrain.

[repenttokyo]

Thanks. I do like the style of the Bimmer so that's not an issue to me. What would you recommend actually? Also, I wonder how it does in the snow being a rear wheel drive.

Regards,

S


all of my winter vehicles have been rwd. i enjoy being able to steer with either the throttle or the steering wheel. to me, that is an advantage when it comes to control.

[Morgenster]

That and you could try the old 'extra sandbags in the trunk' trick to keep the rear frimly planted.

[Barney Paull-Edwards]

Its a simple fact of life that the newer cars are less spanner friendly and more electronic, bear that in mind and all should be the same as older cars like ours. Make GOOD friends with a local man who knows about the electronics set-up and it should last you well.

[sundawgno1]

Understood! Many thanks for all your comments. It sounds like the car will be fine in the winter, provided I go slow! :) Also, at this point I think finding a local mechanic well versed with today's latest and greatest BMW electronics would be a challenge. But you never know!

[Scott C]

Thanks everybody. I put a deposit down today and if all goes well with financing details, I'll be driving my new baby in a week's time! I'll give an update in a few days.

Regards,

S

Buy snow tires if you need to go in the snow... I have them on my E34 and I get great pleasure at the thought of a snow storm - seriously, it is no challenge. I use Blizzaks.

Regarding the maint cost - don't get too shocked if it is at $1-2K per year, assuming you want to keep it in top shape (but after 4 or so years). Electrical problems are difficult for the mechanics to fix. This car will be a complicated one and likely to have even more problems than the E34.

Scott

[nirvana19]

Understood! Many thanks for all your comments. It sounds like the car will be fine in the winter, provided I go slow! :) Also, at this point I think finding a local mechanic well versed with today's latest and greatest BMW electronics would be a challenge. But you never know!

Some shops certainly have most of the capabilities of the dealership (there are certain programmings and various other things that MUST be done at the dealership), but they also tend to charge nearly as much as the dealership anyway. The best shops will do much better work than dealerships (at least the dealerships where I live) too.

[sundawgno1]

Thanks everybody. I put a deposit down today and if all goes well with financing details, I'll be driving my new baby in a week's time! I'll give an update in a few days.

Regards,

S