E39 for my dad?

[s14pwd]

A BMW only starts acting up if you don't do preventative maintanence;


Honestly, Japanese cars are only good in the respect that they're fuel mules that last forever. Looking to buy a Honda and expect anything more is just bad news..

Are you kidding me?

First:
I do all the preventative maintenance on my car, no matter what. I love driving it, and bought if for just that reason. It has never left me stranded but it does have some odd quarks every once in a while. Most likely because of its age. If I wake up in the morning and it makes some god awful noise, I dont know what you would do but I sure as hell wont risk my car. Still gotta get to work tho. The solution get in the Honda that starts no matter what.

Right there is why these cars should not be DD. If you need that part right away, to lets say go to work, its gonna cost you a kidney. If you have a Civic, it will be peanuts.

Second:
Some Japanese cars are amazing to drive. S2000, WRX, 370z, 240sx, sport IS, the list goes on. Not sure what cars you have been driving.

I am not saying dont DD an e30, like I said I do when I can. But from what it seems the OP's dad wants, its not an older BMW.

[JinormusJ]

Dailying a car for 3 months hardly qualifies you to talk about the reliability of it. I'm sorry your dad made you buy boring econoboxes but there are plenty of Japanese cars out there that are every bit as enjoyable as a BMW. A lot of offerings from Acura, Infiniti, and Lexus would make a reasonable alternative to an e39(personally I would still go for the e39 but I am after all a BMW guy), of course they do have their trade-offs, but not everything in Japan is like a Camry.

How is it not...? I think hours of engine work, and spending time rebuilding/refreshing everything would give me enough information about the car I'm driving to make a safe assumption about its reliability. I don't know about you, but I for sure am not just some idiot with a wrench (Well actually.. I am most of the time lol But I DIY everything and learn for the next time). When I fix something, I FIX something. I pay attention to every little detail to make sure it's tip-top and it's done right the first time.

I've even met a few guys on here on the forums that have owned e30s for 15+ years and could tell you straight up if it's reliable. Shoot... I even know a guy that's got an original m20 in his 325is ands its got 450k miles. I've also cruised with him and know that when he drives it, he DRIVES it. Has never had anything major, just the basic maintainence routine. Coolant, Oil, Timing Belt, Water-Pump, Valve adjustment. Every car has basic maintainence..

Now, to the second point you made. It's trumped by the very fact of which sounds nicer: "I'm gonna drive my BMW to work today" vs "I'm gonna drive my Acura to work today"
It's the same argument used to depict why no one in their right mind is buying a Lexus LFA. It's looks gorgeous and drives quick.. But it's $300k. "But its a super car/looks exotic/drives quick," which are all co pelling arguments except for one fact: its only still a Lexus. For that money you could buy a Lamborghini, Ferrari.. Heck even 2 Aston Martins. BMW is better value for the money, and really, that's the bottom line. No one is gonna want to spend $300k just to get a Lexus; when they spend their money, they want to feel like they're getting something elusive; no one is going to spend $10k on a car if they were informed that if they bought a BMW, they would be getting a better value for their hard earned dollar unless they're total clots

Are you kidding me?

First:
I do all the preventative maintenance on my car, no matter what. I love driving it, and bought if for just that reason. It has never left me stranded but it does have some odd quarks every once in a while. Most likely because of its age. If I wake up in the morning and it makes some god awful noise, I dont know what you would do but I sure as hell wont risk my car. Still gotta get to work tho. The solution get in the Honda that starts no matter what.

Right there is why these cars should not be DD. If you need that part right away, to lets say go to work, its gonna cost you a kidney. If you have a Civic, it will be peanuts.

Second:
Some Japanese cars are amazing to drive. S2000, WRX, 370z, 240sx, sport IS, the list goes on. Not sure what cars you have been driving.

I am not saying dont DD an e30, like I said I do when I can. But from what it seems the OP's dad wants, its not an older BMW.

Are YOU kidding me..?
None of the cars you listed have any relevance for the situation at hand. Second.. When did I EVER mention having the OP's dad daily an e30..? Your statement shows it is obvious you have no clue how easy/cheap it is to repair an e30. Junkyard, Forum Sponsors, Other Members; good quality parts are available cheap, quick, and abundant.. I highly doubt civics are much more "peanut" than e30s are. But, I'll let you go on that one cause you've provided for me a great feast of teh lulz :giggle:

Now to tackle the rest of your misinformed nonsense.
Let's look at what the OP's dad could get for the price range of $10k looking at his search criteria (not yours) and provide relevant examples. Being a reputable middle-aged man he is with a wife and kids, I'm sure OP's Dad is going to be looking for a car decently loaded with extras and something that has a luxury feel to it for that special night out with the Missis. Here's a list I compiled to make OP's job easier

2002 BMW 530i
2007 Honda Civic
2007 Ford Fusion
2003 Acura TL
2004 Lexus IS300
2003 Infiniti G35 Sedan

Let's start with the golden-child:
---
$9k will get you a decent 530i, $10k will get you a pretty good one. Comes with loaded withinterior extras, heated seats, good power, great efficiency, maintanence price isnt that expensive because the car is older, RWD, and.. It's a BMW. Need I say more?
---
You can instantly rule out the Lexus from his search criteria because it's horribly inefficient, with averages in the mid-teens/low-20s, and out of the price range at $12k for a okay one. An IS200 would solve that price (dropping to ~$10k) and efficiency (4-banger mule) but with what you get (Less extras, less power) the actual value of your dollar really starts to diminish when you compare it with what you could be getting with the 530i.
---
An Acura TL wouldn't be too bad except for the fact that when Honda designed them, they were made for old people who really could care less about what they drove as long as it would get them from point A to B; horrible styling and interior just adds to the "boring econobox" theme. (No stock CD player for a 2003 car=LOL)
---
A 2007 Honda Civic comes dead stock at $10k, no extras, not gadgets. Great fuel efficiency, but no power, which means no fun. Plus, on top of that, if something breaks, repairs will cost an arm and a leg because it is a newer car and so will labor because of more complicated modern technologies and engines. Same old boring econobox.. Out of the OP's search criteria :tsk:
---
A Ford Fusion was a close second to the BMW, and probably your best bet if you don't go with the 530i. It's got plenty of power, plenty of extras, great room. It's a great car, and I would definitely recommend it if, like stated above, being the fact that it's a newer car, maintenance/labor/repairs will be much more expensive.
---
The Infiniti G35 would be a great choice if you could get over the rediculous styling cues. It's got a decent amount of extras, and has some decent power, but this, like the IS300, is pretty inefficient, with averages in the low 20s. Price would start at ~$9.5k. If you could get over those two flaws, you might have some more options besides the BMW.

For your last point, you have to look at what your comparing to. An S2000 is in the same league as a 370z. I find it really only appealyounger reckless impulsive young people in their late-teens/early-20s who don't care to think about the future and live their life one stoplight at a time. It's a 2door-2seater that costs $15k. No red flags yet..? Not to mention because of its "sport-car-ness", insurance is through the roof, attracts more cop action, etc. Its a great sports car, but value for money factor, it's horrible, and it's not practical in every respect when you compare what you could be driving for the money. A 370z is much larger, but still impractical for the same reason the s2000 is; 2door-2seater and being a new car, you might as well sign over the digits to your bank account when you go in for insurance. I won't even bother with the rest of you comment, because I think I've made my point. This isn't a thread about e30 vs Civics (but this is r3v and anti-rice central, so I think we all would know who would win lol); it's about what car would be best for OP's Father. Get back on topic...


I'm gonna stop there now, because I think I've provided more than enough evidence to prove my point and have given more than enough research for the OP and his father to make a well informed decision.

Cheers,
Hope your pops loves his new BMW-.. erm.. I mean.. Car

[jeffnhiscars]

I drove Japanese cars almost exclusively until 1998 when I traded in my ES300 for the 84 318i that I still have & have been strictly German since (ok the Tacoma was NOT German). Some cars I loved, some I hated from each country. I had a 74 Corolla w 43k (Japanese e30 equivalent), as well as an 81 Cressida that ran on propane. The 99 A4 had a great ride but still ties as my most hated car due to outrageous turbo lag and an ever hunting auto trans. The tie is with an old Toyota Crown (who even remembers those) that earned my Golden POS Award.

Of all of those German & Japanese cars, the only time I can recall one EVER "failing to proceed" (as RR likes to say), is when I ruptured a fuel line on the 318i. Cant blame anyone for that and since it happened near an auto row, I had a replacement hose installed in 30 minutes and was back on my way.

The 2 most bulletproof vehicles were there Tacoma and the 911.

It's all about what you want to get behind the wheel of every day and whether you are ok with the cost of admission and the attention they demand (gee..kinda like spouses).

[tjts1]

Get an early iron block (97-98 ) single vanos 528i. Theres a reason Alpina stuck with the old iron block M52 well into the 00s even on the E46.

[Cliche Guevara]

I tentatively recommended either a 530 or 528 to him. He added it to his list of cars that he's considering and will make up his mind after test driving all of them. He said if he likes it better than the others by enough of a margin then he'd be fine putting in some extra work on the car if it means having something that he'll really enjoy owning. Thanks for all the advice, guys, it'll still be a few months before he's ready to buy a car, but if he does end up with an E39 I'll make sure to post some pics here.

[cferb]

How is it not...? I think hours of engine work, and spending time rebuilding/refreshing everything would give me enough information about the car I'm driving to make a safe assumption about its reliability. I don't know about you, but I for sure am not just some idiot with a wrench (Well actually.. I am most of the time lol But I DIY everything and learn for the next time). When I fix something, I FIX something. I pay attention to every little detail to make sure it's tip-top and it's done right the first time.

I've even met a few guys on here on the forums that have owned e30s for 15+ years and could tell you straight up if it's reliable. Shoot... I even know a guy that's got an original m20 in his 325is ands its got 450k miles. I've also cruised with him and know that when he drives it, he DRIVES it. Has never had anything major, just the basic maintainence routine. Coolant, Oil, Timing Belt, Water-Pump, Valve adjustment. Every car has basic maintainence..

Now, to the second point you made. It's trumped by the very fact of which sounds nicer: "I'm gonna drive my BMW to work today" vs "I'm gonna drive my Acura to work today"
It's the same argument used to depict why no one in their right mind is buying a Lexus LFA. It's looks gorgeous and drives quick.. But it's $300k. "But its a super car/looks exotic/drives quick," which are all co pelling arguments except for one fact: its only still a Lexus. For that money you could buy a Lamborghini, Ferrari.. Heck even 2 Aston Martins. BMW is better value for the money, and really, that's the bottom line. No one is gonna want to spend $300k just to get a Lexus; when they spend their money, they want to feel like they're getting something elusive; no one is going to spend $10k on a car if they were informed that if they bought a BMW, they would be getting a better value for their hard earned dollar unless they're total clots

Hours Wow, impressive.

Lemme guess, you're 16 right? I'm tired of arguing with you, and I would suggest if you want to keep this conversation going with willing others then you should start another thread.

[JinormusJ]

I love the blatant disregard for everything I just wrote :up:
Think of me what you want, but that doesn't hide the facts or twist the research I just posted


Cheers OP's dad :)

[cferb]

I didn't rebut anything you posted because everything you said is so ridiculous and I'm tired of cluttering the thread. This is my last post in this thread.

[Cyrix2k]

I've had a few parts that I needed to have overnighted, but really you're looking at one day lead time at most. Pelican or the dealer can get almost anything to you in one day and the dealer or local stores may have it in stock. MOST cars require a similar lead time.

[gp.plus]

I DD a 99 528i 5mt with m-sport suspension and style 5's. I have 160k on the clock and the car runs and drives beautifully. It was maintained well by the po which is the number one thing you should look for. I average 25 mpg city. I was hesitant to buy the 5er as I have always liked smaller cars but I have no complaints about this car, it handles awesome yet provides a soft ride when cruising, and doesn't feel like a "big" car when driving yet I have plenty of room to stretch out, and 4 adults ride very comfortably. The v8 cars have different suspension and steering components and do not handle as effortlessly as the i6, particularly the steering rack is much nicer in the i6 cars. The headlight lens' are prone to oxidation however any DIY guy can make them look like new in a few hours. Also I know from experience that the abs control unit is prone to failure do to its position on the hot side of the engine bay, but there are a few reasonably priced options to fix this. In conclusion, I love mine and would recommend it to anyone who can handle their own maintenance. Also worth mentioning, while a bit unconventional, an s52 swap is a simple plug an play affair.

[Cyrix2k]

I DD a 99 528i 5mt with m-sport suspension and style 5's. I have 160k on the clock and the car runs and drives beautifully. It was maintained well by the po which is the number one thing you should look for. I average 25 mpg city. I was hesitant to buy the 5er as I have always liked smaller cars but I have no complaints about this car, it handles awesome yet provides a soft ride when cruising, and doesn't feel like a "big" car when driving yet I have plenty of room to stretch out, and 4 adults ride very comfortably. The v8 cars have different suspension and steering components and do not handle as effortlessly as the i6, particularly the steering rack is much nicer in the i6 cars. The headlight lens' are prone to oxidation however any DIY guy can make them look like new in a few hours. Also I know from experience that the abs control unit is prone to failure do to its position on the hot side of the engine bay, but there are a few reasonably priced options to fix this. In conclusion, I love mine and would recommend it to anyone who can handle their own maintenance. Also worth mentioning, while a bit unconventional, an s52 swap is a simple plug an play affair.

yes, but it's easier just to get a 530i which is 90% there.

[tjts1]

Also worth mentioning, while a bit unconventional, an s52 swap is a simple plug an play affair.

Not with your dual vanos M52TU. Only works on 97 an 98 iron block M52.

yes, but it's easier just to get a 530i which is 90% there.

Only until the head gasket blows and you need to replace the alloy block.

[stamar]

In general the main thing going for used bmws of this era are they come in manual.

while lexus gobbled up the auto market in the us, bmw cornered the manual market.

So for me there usually is no choice when I look at 90s cars. Theres sport cars and bmws.

For your dad I think I would list lexus a bit higher.

[nadocaster]

Too bad Cliche's dad doesn't like GM products. I have to +1 the Aurora recommendation because as far as "reliable and comfy DDs for an older gentleman" that car is pretty near the top of my list. I think the 2nd-gen one, especially, is a seriously good-looking automobile.

[stamar]

An accord manual v6 is a super car. One of the most sought after used cars out there.

A acura equivlent even better.