Need some advice/perspective, thinking of getting 2019 3 series
I know there will be some bias in a bmw subreddit, but its a good place for opinions.
I got into an accident, I had a Lexus is250 which I loved, had it for 7 years, only drove it 32k km, pretty sure its gonna be a write off. Gonna need to get a new car, parents don't like used cars. They don't like owning cars with a mysterious past, and people who don't take care of their cars. I wanted some perspective from bmw owners. I hear a lot of things from people who have own, or even never owned bmws, how they're expensive to maintain, electrical failures, planned obsolescence after 3 years. I also hear the opposite, that they're amazing cars if properly maintained. But I want the truth of owning a bmw. I don't plan to lease, it'll be paid for, don't care about selling or trading in the future, going to be car I own until it dies.
I also live in Canada, I also know the electrical in Gerrman cars are made in Mexico, which contributes to my fear of electrical failing. Not really sure if I have the option of German import. My short list of brands are Audi, Lexus, Camaro, and Mustang. The reason for the luxury brand is because I've noticed when the price between a decent Toyota would cost as much a Lexus, and you get better build quality and reliability from a Lexus. I'm not a huge fan of Audi's turbos, and I might go back to Lexus for their reliability. Camaro and mustang is just because You get a lot of power for the money. I hear bmws offer a better driving experience, I don't know how true that is, I never actually drove one.
I like cars, I'm not a person to care about what brand my car is, I'm not getting a car to get women, status, or to impress anyone, its purely for my own enjoyment. So if you want to comment about how sexy a German luxury brand is, or how Japanese isn't as good as German, I don't really care honestly. I just want a car that's reliable and that I enjoy driving.
**Extra: Do BMW's still use DCT or are they going back to torque converters?
Posted Feb 27, 2019, 8:25 AM UTC
Yeah, if you don't care about cars, buy a Civic and never worry about cars again.
OTOH, if you actually do, you should probably decide what you actually want. I think a Lexus is basically a glorified Toyota and I'm not a fan of how they drive. The Camaro or Mustang is great if you're looking for a classic American muscle car, but I personally chose BMW (and I would choose another German manufacturer) due to their constant stability at high speeds and outstanding safety records and features, not to mention it's quite sharp compared to say, the grill of a Lexus.
In all honesty, if money is not an object to you, you will have no problem with a new BMW. They are only money pits to people who are not willing to put money into them to keep them in tip-top shape. If you do maintenance on schedule, you will be golden, especially given how reliable modern BMWs have become. You will probably be able to drive your BMW to 80k (for me, that's 8+ years of driving) with no major problems if you're doing regular oil changes and replacing consumables as well.
Be aware that a lot of things do need to be replaced from 80k - 120k because this is when a lot of parts naturally need replacing. Oil gasket leaks are known to happen at this mileage. But you are bound to run into an issue like this with age when we are dealing with the performance of a BMW. A Camry won't ever leak oil, but it's also not designed to go 0-60 in 5 seconds and maintain stability at 140 mph.
Honestly, I am kind of used to the German car repairs, but I honestly don't think it's THAT much maintenance, it's just that maintenance costs MORE than a Honda. But sometimes I wonder WHY people would think a BMW will be as reliable as their Honda. It's not just a status symbol difference, we're talking about a car that you can set your cruise control to 120 and you wouldn't feel it vs. a car that would fall apart at 120 mph.
You will enjoy your 2019 BMW if you go for it. Just make sure you pick the options and colors you like!
I love cars, I don't care about the status. I'm all about engine performance and driving performance. I'd be just as happy to buy a vw as I would a bmw if the engines were as nice. Its why I'm considering a mustang or Camaro, I love a big naturally aspirated V8, I'm not a huge fan of the trend towards smaller engines and turbo combination.
I enjoyed my old Lexus a lot, their engines were very good, but I tried a 2018 model when I did an oil change and it felt SUPER heavy, like even though it had more power than my car, mine was way more agile. I could feel the torque, but it just didn't want to move, and there was no turbo under the hood.
I wouldn't say money isn't an object, but I can afford to buy it and have money left over. I just want to know how much of a money sink it is, I want the reality of owning a bmw, not the fantasy. I know many people who lease their bmws and just let it go to shit because they don't care its not their car. I've also seen tons of people who bought them and don't do the regular 6 month maintenance and complain they break, so I just wanted to be sure if this was a people problem or hardware problem. What I see very rarely is people who actually buy their cars and take care of them like they're suppose to. Lexus's maintenances were 600-800 bucks I think, is that the ballpark of a bmw?
I kind of expect a bmw to be as reliable as a Honda, given that I maintain it. I don't however expect a bmw to be able to go 5 years without a single maintenance like a Honda. Is that what you mean by reliable as a Honda? I've heard I should avoid extra options I don't need because of the electrical problems with north american made ones, because they're done in Mexico. Is that true, or is it nonsense? The only option that is must have for me is the laser headlights really.
Last thing I wanted to know is the actual driving experience, is it more responsive than Japanese cars? I find even the best Japanese models seem have a very hollow and mushy. Anyways I greatly appreciate your insight, thanks for answering my questions.
Reliable as a Honda = do jack shit and still have a functioning car.
No, your BMW can’t do that. But of course, you already knew that.
Your BMW also has a bajillion more engineered parts than a Honda, so no, it will not magically just be OK with regular oil changes. Parts are bound to fail and need replaced. Hondas don’t leak oil after 80k miles; it is not uncommon for this to happen to BMWs. I would say they are fairly reliable as long as you understand there are more and different moving parts. Your engine in a BMW is highly specialized, and so you should expect the maintenance that comes with that. That being said, it will not eat through your wallet if you are treating it correctly. The main problem is that people don’t fix issues as soon as they go wrong.
This is not to scare you, just take note of that.
Maintenance is going to be more expensive as well; all parts must be imported and only a few reputable mechanics can work on Euro cars. Find one before you buy! I’m not sure what your figure is referring to. My oil changes are $99. If you want a new engine, that’s very expensive. I can promise you nothing major will break for a while, these high-cost issues just come after years and years of driving and using the part.
I would say spring for as many options as you like. All 3 & 4 Series BMWs are manufactured in Germany (besides some 3 Series which are manufactured in South Africa, although I never buy a BMW that is not made in Germany). All BMWs have complex electronics, but so does a Lexus. The difference between the two is that in the BMW, everything is engineered and tailored to that car, which makes it really unique. This also means it can be more expensive to fix than a Honda; and more expensive than a Lexus due to foreign parts and specialized mechanics. Regardless, I think you will enjoy the M Sport option, which is a more sporty design and has many other sporty features; not to mention it has better resell value.
Japanese and German driving experiences are totally different. Like you said, Japanese cars are like driving on clouds. With German cars, the throttle response is excellent, everything is engineered to make the car go fast and sustain high speeds. My BMW can cruise at 130 MPH and it honestly feels like 75 in an Acura. Can your Lexus do that?
BMW specifically is moving towards ZF 8 speed autos, which is a glorious transmission. Great for gas mileage but also is brilliant at low speeds. It will feel great to you, promise!
I must say that whilst BMW is a luxury brand, they are pushing for sporty driving. This means aggressive design features, fast 0-60, and features like Sport and Sport+ mode that allow for faster throttle response, tighter steering, etc. This makes it a practical cruiser and great track car, all in one. I never track my car but you can do some very spirited driving; it’s what it is made for.
I would suggest test driving one for yourself, I think you will love it. If what is holding you back is finances, do not worry about it. If you have had a Lexus before and can afford a new BMW, you will be fine. It will not be a Honda in terms of reliability, even if you do regular maintenance, but by no means is it a detrimental vehicle. My BMW has never left me stranded or with an empty wallet... both of them.