CarGuy89

I must agree on the BMW post! I have had a 95 530i and an 07 328i. Both were very reliable (though I only had each for a year). The dealer always treated me with respect despite my age and addressed the issues. I had maintenance free warranty on my 3 which was really awesome and just as advertised: they take your car in whatever the problem and fix it free of charge. They do have some odd electronics though, as my brake sensor kept going off and they kept the car for nearly a week to diagnose/reprogram it (which would be $$$$ outside of warranty). Also noticed my engine ran excessively rough (even normally it was no 430) occasionally due to the gas around here...according to the dealer...I think it's just another way of saying we can't fix it lol.

If you are looking for something different, I would suggest looking at a CPO'ed BMW since I have had a very positive overall experience with them. The E60 5 series was pretty awesome. I'm not in love with the styling, but I was definitely impressed when I drove one. I had one for almost a week while my car was in the shop and that thing glided over bumps as well as the 430 does, but handles better. I did notice some minor rattles though, so build quality is likely not as good as the Lexus. I am a huge fan of the later 7 series (E66 model). I think they are one of the nicest looking luxo cars there is and the interior is probably one of the coolest and most high tech one I've ever been in. The 7 usually goes for mid-high 30s - 50s with CPO and the 5s low 30s - 40s with CPO.

warminwisc

Dude you will just get flamed cause of inaccuracys in your statements. I was told by Audi North Shore in MKE the t belt ot whatever needed to be done at 75000k on the 06 A8 4.2 liter engine(German). Only 2300 dollars at his dealer.

I have been told by a BMW salesman his 540 was always in the garage and he sold it.
Past VW's I know have some of the worst ratings at consumer reports. Check out the Cheyenne, poor.
The 328's are solid as a LS I have read but never owned and are superb to drive for a midsize ride

I do not love this car for what it is it has not fallen apart at 112,000 and is one of the best cars for going from point a to b with ease and comfort (with the right wind effortless). A8 sounds like worth a try for something different. JMO

warminwisc

Separate note I did drive the 2010 535xi and would have liked that car if i had 50g's. The body and mechanicals have not changed much in 4 years or so. If you looked you could get one for mid 20's on an 06. I have to drive an 06 A8 though as the test driving reviews are pretty darn good.

aypues

im totally into my '04 CPO UL. I love having the driver adjustable air suspension, PCS, great rear seat options for my clients (i'm a realtor) and it's under warranty til 100k miles. Just get one CPOd unless you're looking for a totally different driving experience.

My next car will probably be a '10 or newer LS460L. I want to skip the first gen altogether, and I need bluetooth streaming audio in my life. I actually like the 5 passenger configuration of the LS600HL that has the Rear Seat Entertainment System (RSES). I'm really into watching DVDs from the rear and following along with the GPS. I wish they had that option on the 460L, but they don't, yet.

LXurious

BMWs are actually notriously unreliable after 100k. at least 04 and under. But even with that being said with that budget id look for a nice BMW 745i/li because hands down those are the nicest luxury sedans from 02-04. And they fit your budget. Just research the car you get because the 745 we had had a fair amount of issues as it reached 100k (as any car would of course) but dont think they are any more bullet proof than mercedes or lexus.

TEXASMAJOR

iTrader: (2)

This made me LOL pretty hard.

dan812

Thanks for all the feedback.....Seems like a lot of you like the BMW's. I am going this weekend to check out the car and will report back. I am still torn since I know repairs will be high, but the car only has 49k right now on a 2006. If it checks out well and I buy it right ($25k) it may be a car to hold onto for a year or two and sell.

warminwisc

Just remember as you start to reach 100 k the resale value really plummets for luxury cars of this nature, but not as bad as buying em new. Over 100 k you might as well drive em til dead

elite7

David,

The japanese do use timing chains too. Older Lexus such as my 2005 LS 430 that i sold still had a timing belt. The Lexus SC was always using timing belts but they dont make it anymore.

My 2008 LS 460 has a timing chain. In the manual it was stating the ES, GS, IS, and LS have a timing chain:

CarGuy89

I beg to differ with you on that point. I had a 1995 BMW 530i in 2008 and the car was very reliable. It was my sophomore year of college and I wanted to learn stick so I picked up one in 5 speed man. I left it in a parking lot outside for the entire year (only got garaged when I went home) and it worked fine everytime. The car had 118k miles when I got it, probably 125+k once we got rid of it. The car felt quite solid overall with minimal electronics. Don't think I babied it either, learning stick on a car is very hard on it (stalling over and over lol) and then teaching myself advanced techniques such as rev matching and heel-toe downshifting. I got the hang of it all by the end of the year but I knew the car took a beating at the start.

GS3Tek

iTrader: (8)

For a 745, it's best to stay with an 05 and up. Well an 06 will be a 750.

02's are dirt cheap, cheaper than a corolla. My brother in law's friend is having a hard time selling his 03 (?)

Stu

I am not a fan of German made cars. However if they are a great car, isn't it strange no one wants to buy them when they are 7 years old .....

And you have to pay MORE for a 7 year old Corolla.


Something is very wrong with that scenario.
Maybe it not really a great car, but a good ( very good ? ) car that does NOT age well ?

GS3Tek

iTrader: (8)

I'm not a german car fan either, just trying to shed some light for those who are interested in the 7 series.
I love how they drive, but not willing to put up the time and money to maintain them

Correct, people who are familiar with these type of cars are familiar with the repair bill. They ditch them when they are fed up with it.

A lot of people think that when they buy these heavily depreciated car, they think the repair bill is proportional to the value of the car.
Repair bill is still going to be same as what it was at $100k

but back to the A8 (particularly the current and past models), I love them too, but again, not willing to put with up the headache

Playdrv4me

I don't understand why there are still people out there who believe "100k" in this modern age is anything more than a mental marker of when one assumes a car is getting old, from ages old thinking. I've driven cars with 60k that were falling apart, and 200k that were as solid as they were at 75.

Really, its all about maintenance, and to an extent it is a little bit of luck as to how you will do with a given vehicle. None of the FULL size luxury cars accumulate miles quite as well as the smaller cars from the same manufacturer generally do, just because as you increase complexity, you increase the likelihood for things to fail. My 2003 745i was a major disaster and it had no where near 100k. By contrast, my 2003 Range Rover (which is pretty much universally panned as the least reliable vehicle on the planet) was rock solid at 95000 miles and counting when I stupidly traded it in on an M3.

Its all perception.

Stu

Old is old. And as true with people as it is with cars .... it's all about maintenance.

Some 85 year olds are healthy and active, while others never make it to 85 years old.

and just like cars, there is some doubt about the best way to care for a human, vitamins, organic foods, immunizations, levels of diet and exercise, what is a deathly blood pressure, etc .....