Funny thing is not every BMW/MBZ is bad and not every Toyota/Honda is good despite the overall reliability image. Certain makes might be more or less prone to problems, but I think the gap is closing. Almost every manufacturer knows here in present day that quality control is important. You look at American, Korean, Japanese, and German makes and they've all made strides in reliability (IMO since 2006). At least this pertains to today.

As for the topic, a decade old car is always a gamble as it could be a lemon or it could be a sweetheart. Its hard to know

 

I would steer clear of any used German luxury brand/car especially if you don't have much money and will be having a difficult time just finding a decent paying job.

I wanted a 2000-2002 5 series before I bought my GS, the more research I did on them though the more it seemed like it was going to be a reliability nightmare and a money pit if I kept it for a long time, I knew they were generally not going to be more reliable then a Lexus, Acura, or Infiniti but I did not think it would be that much of a difference. I finally talked to a couple guys who were 5 series enthusiasts and they even told me not to get one out of warranty unless you are prepared to shell out a lot of money in maintenance and repairs and deal with some issues that may leave the car undrivable for some time until you get an expensive repair done. They and most of the people they know all had expensive issues with their 5 series but they still loved them and were okay with paying for the repairs and dealing with all issues as they had another car. Some do get lucky and get a reliable out of warranty BMW or Audi but it is generally pretty rare. I loved driving their cars, much more so then my GS but I can't stand dealing with a unreliable car and shelling out big bucks in fixes and maintenance. My experiences with BMWs(and Mercedes, Audi's) and what I read and hear from them has not changed since I have owned my GS, most are pretty to really unreliable and expensive to maintain out of warranty but there are some that turn out pretty reliable but that is not the norm.

 

he sold it to get 4 wedding rings

 

Nothing is wrong with it except the power steering. It keeps leaking fluid from somewhere, and a mechanic estimated the cost to fix it would be over $1k, and I just don't think it's worth it for a car this old. So for the past 6 months or so, my forearms have been getting a bit stronger from just turning the wheel when entering/exiting a parking spot, lol.

Other than this, it's a huge gas guzzler due to it's v8, and I've been listening to music from my headphones for almost a year now (hate the radio, got no tapes, and the cd player isn't working).

Just figured it would've been nice to get something that offered great mileage, has an auxiliary, and is under warranty (thought of the prius c for the longest time too).

 

I have a '90 LS, why would I want something older?

No bank will loan a car more than 6 years old, eh?

So I gotta find an affordable car from 2006 and higher? I think I can do that..

 

For your price range you shouldn't be looking at bmw, lexus, mercedes, ect. anything. Just because the car is cheap now, doesn't mean repairs will be.

 

Power steering leaks on a 90 LS400 doesn't cost 1000. $300 most if the pump needs a rebuild and new lines. Fix the car, and put in a $150 Stereo and you are set.

 

+1 repairs on a cheap car can add up to more than the car is worth easily.

 

Over here car enthusiasts not under the spell of the Munich machines say that generally BMW's have a useful half life of 9 years. M's even less.
Judging by the amount of problems that come to bear around that point I'd personally say 9 years is being charitable.

I've had a few BMW's in my time, I lived in Munich for a while, I've been in the the BMW museum out near the old Olympic stadium a few times, but still for the last 15 years or so l put my money down on a Lexus every time....

 

Really? $300? I'll look into it. I'm not sure what the actual part is called that needs to be fixed, I'll find out and let you know.

Yeah, a stereo costs $150, but all of my speakers are blown except for the front driver side. Replacing the speakers and subwoofer will run me another $300-$500.

Btw, I heard that there is a chip that I can put in my LS to improve gas mileage, have you heard of anything like this?

 

so you put a grand in it, which is 1/10th of what you want to spend on an old bmw that could cost a fortune in maintenance, plus insurance, registration, etc.

are your math skills really this bad?

you also post about buying new phones, computers, umpteen new careers, etc. it would be laughable if it weren't so sad.

just stop. please.

 

God damn, man, you REALLY don't know how to manage your own life, do you?

 

Could someone be pulling our leg???

 

Public transportation & a bicycle come to mind.

I have a family friend staying here for a few weeks until he can get back on his feet. He lost his design job in the auto industry and became a rough carpenter with infrequent work hours in the past year. His wife divorced him and he lost his house and car. One day he saw his ex-wife's scumbag boyfriend driving his old truck and he tied one on really good. He was picked up for a taillight out (driving was fine) and blew super-drunk. Despite it being his first offense, he was sent to jail for 3 mos and lost his apartment & replacement car. He got out last week with no place to live, no car to drive, no money, and big bills for fines and jail. His boss has work for him starting next Monday and will pick him up every day. He has faith in the Lord and is determined to rebuild his life and be a good provider for one of my daughters and her kids. I think he'll make it. The OP is another story...

 

Don't see this thread heading anywhere constructive folks...