newer BMW's suck

[Brinkley]

I would really love to come in and bash this thread as I have an e46. But honestly the e30 has a better build quality. I do enjoy my e46 very much but yes I have spent many a day cursing it and running around town finding parts i need to fix it.
My fav is the central locking system with an attitude ( my date showed up in a new infiniti and my car refused to let her in ). I can't roll down my windows w/o a slight nervousness (is this the end of my regulator...again??) Still I love my vanos and I think the e46 handles great despite the extra weight.
Of course the flip side is BMW makes money on performing maintenance to these cars. Also my own automotive skill set has dramatically increased from owning the e46. lol. Bit of a shock going from 98 camry to 99 328.

[iwillhunt]

I haven't read any of this thread yet, but i agree wholeheartedly with the title. '80s and older BMWs were over engineered to the nth degree, the new ones break left and right.

[gearheadE30]

I wouldn't mind driving a TSX; they are a blast. They really don't have a whole lot of power, though. Maybe a TL type s or something, with the 286 hp V6.

I drive new BMWs all the time and they are good cars, just not what I expect from a company like BMW. E46 ZHPs were great cars; probably my favorite newish BMW.

[cferb]

Good to hear all the Toyota owners here. I have a love/hate relationship with mine.

I own a 01 Camery with 140k, its a tough little car. Change the oil every 3k miles, drop a set of plugs in every 30-40k, auto filter and fluid about the same time, timing belt at 90k, nothing has needed any repair (except brakes and tires, duh). Nothing fancy or sporty about it, just plain reliable, economical transportation.

That being said, the car is mind-numbingly boring and drives like an American car. I almost hate the dang thing, but can't because its so reliable and gets 32 mpg. I wish it would die so we can go buy a TSX or something.

Yea, those things are boring, but they're like tanks. My friend has had an 03(different body?) for 3 years or so now, and it gets beat on, and neglected. The ABS went out, but that's probably because he has this nasty habit of slamming on the brakes all the time. And the relay that makes the heater blow at 4 speeds went out. That's all I can think of that went wrong, and I know he isn't fixing things without me telling him too.

[PhillyG]

The e34 is a tank too I'd say. I dunno how long that m50 will last but my buddies has over 200k on it (broken meter) but that thing runs like a champ he just did some new hoses water pump and thermostat and it runs pretty damn nice.

Thats the only other BMW I'd buy and maybe a 2002.

[SpecM]

Good to hear all the Toyota owners here. I have a love/hate relationship with mine.

I own a 01 Camery with 140k, its a tough little car. Change the oil every 3k miles, drop a set of plugs in every 30-40k, auto filter and fluid about the same time, timing belt at 90k, nothing has needed any repair (except brakes and tires, duh). Nothing fancy or sporty about it, just plain reliable, economical transportation.

That being said, the car is mind-numbingly boring and drives like an American car. I almost hate the dang thing, but can't because its so reliable and gets 32 mpg. I wish it would die so we can go buy a TSX or something.

[einstein57]

My professional opinion as a total loss claims adjuster and having people send me all their receipts for the prior 5 years is to get an Acura TL.

[CleanAzzE30z]

Kansas!!! WHats up Kyle!! I havent heard from you in a long time!!!! Great to see youre still around. Oh and come back to L.A.!! Just this morning I was thinking about the "imagineers" and their extreme creatve powers.


Mariano

[bimmer8604]

Are you selling the e39? Let me know via PM please.

I Like the new cars, too each their own!

Kyle

[CleanAzzE30z]

Globalization, and the fact that car companies dont really over-engineer their cars like they used to. Theyre made to last through warranty. 100,000 miles. I love the whole maintenance (or lack thereof) BMW provides. The "lifetime fill" fluids and such. The 15,000 mile first oil change. If you think about it, in a business sense, if you make a car that lasts 300,000 miles, the people wont be needing a car anytime soon and wont need to buy another one. Shameful. But that pretty much goes for all manufacturers. And, in actuality, BMW defines "lifetime" of a car as 100,000 miles. I completely agree with you. My family bought a 1999 328 and that car after 50-60K was falling apart. My family didnt want to believe me that I completely expected it and wasnt surprised. It started having all these stupid fucking problems that, in an E30, wouldnt show until MUCH later. A 60K mile E30 is a fucking baby. It like new. Be thankful that we know this and own the tank-build-quality Bimmers, and other people dont know this and fall for the adage that anything newer is better. Lets not even talk about all the problems these cars will have with all the electronics and useless automatic functions that were perfectly fine when they were operated manually. These cars are going to be NIGHTMARES at 150K onward. I always comment to people if they can imagine a 200K mile E46, they usually cant. Now a 200K E30 is absolutely common, to be expected. And thats with basic maintenance.


Mariano

[etxxz]

i just think they are waaaaAAAAY too big and and heavy

[DCColegrove]

i said "newer" because ill never own a new one. im talking about my wifes e39 540 sport. its funny how you dont think about what a piece of shit a car is till you look back at receipts.
2 radiators
1 pixel display cluster
some fucking switch in the tranny for like 300 plus tow
all kinds of control arms and wheel bearings etc at 50k miles
intake seals (warranty)
2 water pumps (OE)
2 speed sensors for the dsc/abs
seat heaters are junk and passenger seat needs to be replaced at 700 bucks because the fucking element is sewn into the seat cover wtf?
they told me the valve cover gaskets are leaking at its 850.00 to change them,.. yeah, ill get on that.also i have some code for the thermostat heater. i dont even know what the fuck that is but i aint fixing it unless it throws a code. im just glad peter is my tech because i can trust him. besides he has really soft lips. i dont work on new cars. i just cut a check unless its brakes or something like that

i think ill buy her a suburu wagon or some shit and call it a day.

Sad to say...

I must concur the e39 chassis if a clunk and the e60s & e90s are giving me severe brain damage.

get rid of your wife.

You know what they say...

If it has tits or wheels...

[Money$hit]

get rid of your wife.

[cferb]

My dad had an e39 528i sport(6 speed of course), and it was great, had very few problems, and drove like a much smaller car. 540s are known to have a lot of problems and be expensive to maintain though.

[blunttech]

bimmer.info is down WTF

they are supposedly between a civic and an accord. But seems roomy to me and easy to get into because of the 4 doors. Feels bigger than my aunt's 03 accord coupe. I drove the first gen and my dad who is 6'4" sat in the back fine and the newer ones look bigger.

thanks, ill have a look. im honestly not in a position to buy a new car now anyway. but maybe the spring. id like to get a new truck too but i cant think of anything less exciting than buying a new truck.