Stereorob

ive had HORRIBLE luck with BMWs

ive always had toy cars along with my Lexus LS's, im not rich so i buy high mile older cars to play with, very cheap and either dump them before they blow up or dump them before anything bad happens.

for a brief, very dark and terrible time in my life, i got a 1988 750IL, which well was, everything terrible and bad that everyone says they are. then again a few years later, then a 1996 750iL (just like the one Tupac died in) thinking it would maybe be better than the 88, besides i only paid $1000 for it that car i swear wanted to kill me, all kinds of issues with the steering, and i eventually got in a horrible accident, hitting a tree and was ejected thru a closed moonroof. (i hot the glass so hard and fast it didn't break my neck) besides a concusion and picking glass out of my scalp for a year after, i wasn't too badly hurt (very very lucky i should be dead), well, i decided i wasn't through punishing and abusing myself and got a 2002 bangle butt 745Li, ive had 59 cars, and used to buy high mile hoopties cheap all the time to play with. both BMW 7-series were spectacular and total failures. the 745Li was so bad that after spending a stupid amount of $ trying to keep it running (actually broke down on me and left me stranded on the side of the road the day i bought it) the final straw was when the entire electrical system failed and caught on fire under the dashboard. i pulled it to the side of the road, quickly snatched the tag off of it, and just walked away and let it burn. only BMW i had that was worth a GOD DAMN was my 1983 635CSi, and even it didn't last very long. i really really like the feel of old bmws, but they just don't work out for me and ill never buy another one.

ive always had a Lexus as my main car, and always some germen POS as a toy car. seems like they never end well. ive had BMWs, Audis, Jaguars, Mercs, and a VW, they all failed spectacularly and never lasted very long, especially the Audis and BMWs. dear god i have some horror stories but me and BMW just don't mix at all

stay tuned for Merc, Audi, and Jaguars.. how bout you guys?

Crusher103

Well i can tell you one problem. You are buying BMWs for prices that are way to low, you were not getting a good car to start with. $1000 for a 7 series and you expect it to be a good car? Cmon man lmao. Just like if you buy any car that is abused you are going to have issues.

My mom has a 2004 BMW 545i, paid 12k, full records down to oil and tire changes for it with the same engine transmission and running gear as your 745Li. Only one breakdown that has happened in the 4 years of ownership. And the car has 190K on it. It does have its typical BMW quarks but generally a solidly reliable car, i would get in it right now and drive it anywhere in the country.

The biggest thing with BMW, merc, jag, audi, VW etc, is they are maintenance cars, you have to maintain them. The way most people afford the cars my family included is do the maintenance yourself, the parts are actually quite cheap its the labor thats the killer. In fact the 545i outside of tire cost is one of the cheapest cars we have owned as far as minor to moderate maintenance items are concerned. Unlike most japanese cars your hondas, toyotas, nissans, etc, where you can beat the absolute **** out of them and they keep on going. But when they do finally break they break down in a fashion where its cheaper to buy another one vs fixing the one you have.

Would i buy another new BMW probably not as there are some quality issues and customer service.....lets just say BMW KNOWS people will buy their cars.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

yeah i'm sure a $1000 '96 750iL isn't going to have problems.

mikez

haha same, I'm sure if i buy a camry for 80 bucks its gonna break down before I get it home.

Toys4RJill

I don't get the point of the thread other than to **** on the Germans. My sister had bad luck with her 10' IS250awd, it left her stranded and then 6 months later another $2500 in repairs. This was with just 51k on it and just outside of warranty. Total repairs were $4500.

Any car that costs $1000 and is a 90s vehicle is likely going to have some issues.

Aron9000

Bought a 1993 Toyota pickup for $600 with 150k miles on it. Body was rough(lots of dents, hit in the front, no rust being from the south), but it ran great. Needed a clutch when I bought it, hence the cheap price, but it did have new tires. So far I'm into it for a clutch, radiator, new front brake calipers and pads, a hood latch, and a muffler. But still runs great and is reliable, passes emissions, no weird electrical problems like an old $100,000 Benz or BMW. Granted its a Flinstones-mobile compared to a 7 series BMW, but if you're buying dirt cheap beater cars, simpler is always better. If you want another "dirt cheap" luxury car, go look at a Town Car or RWD(not FWD) Cadillac Fleetwood or Brougham. They're pretty unkillable if they haven't been driven through 20 New England winters, the frames on both cars like to rust.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

these two statements say it all...

horrible luck? no, you've just bought VERY old high mileage cars that happen to be german cars, which isn't bad luck, it's your conscious decision.

i'm sure if you had a new 'german' car, and bought high mileage 20 year old cars from any country you'd have 'bad luck' with those too.

MattyG

You're a brave soul Stereorob. I've been tempted many a time but never succumbed. I had three 80's era Volkwagens and back then they were pretty good.

There's a very good saying about off warranty German cars: "if you can't afford to buy it new, you can't afford own it used."

Mr Bond

This thread reminds me of the Top Gear UK "Budget supercar challenge " or " £ 1500 Porsche Challenge " and so on.

gveng

Brave? I don't think I would be calling a person buying old 7 series BMW's for next to nothing brave... other words come to mind.

ARISTOh

iTrader: (3)

I have a 2011 740i and that car has given me absolutely no issues with 88k miles on it currently and quite frankly pulled me away from my modded 2013 GS350. BMW makes great machine's, some of which are haunted with problems like their N63 V8 twin turbo motors are plagued with burning oil, failing injectors and a plethora of other issues but this was all eventually resolved. I love my 7 series and I wouldn't take anything in the current Lexus lineup over it. In the same breath I can tell you I wouldn't trade my GS for anything in its class apart from MAYBE a M5 or M6GC. Germans have a bad reputation for reliability yes especially when you are talking about old and cheap cars. Lexus makes great and reliable cars but that's the whole point of getting a vanilla car.. Reliability. This thread isn't fair because all cars have issues, some more then others that's why forums like this one are so great.. You can reach a vast array of owners with the car like us and find problems before they become problems and have more time to enjoy your car. OP or anyone else: if you don't want your old BMW anymore PM me I'll take it off your hands and make it my new hobby.

MattyG

In case you missed it, and you have; I was being polite. The pile-on and general critics-corner bit was already going on.

Yeah $1000 BMW beaters don't do well. Everybody gets it. He merely started a thread about what someone has already said - the idea of old European cars going for cheap ala Top Gear etc.

MattyG

Maybe the thread is redundant but you're right about owning both brands. If you look at Clublexus members, many in fact own German cars alongside their Lexus. There are people who routinely go back and forth depending on their tastes.

dseag2

Yep, I'm one of them. I traded a '13 GS F Sport for my '15 S5. I've gone back and forth between Infinitis, Lexuses and Audis for the past 6 years. I've had no issues with any of the brands, although I don't keep my cars very long. IMHO anyone who buys a German car out of warranty is rolling the dice.

MattyG

Exactly. The internet is one thing, owner experience is another, and of course CR, JD Power are yet another. But there is no reason to get tribal about some sort of online ideas about what is a good car or not. The German cars do have soul and passion. Anybody who has driven one knows that instinctively.

Lexus just carved out it's own place. If you have the money, you drive one or the other.