Quote:
Originally Posted by 97 SL320
My question to those that say to run would what specifically breaks? Being able to fix the car yourself and having a stash of parts on hand goes a long way to keeping it going.
For example, an alternator failure would be a major event for a non car repair person but for someone that has some spare parts and a bit of skill it is an opportunity to save a few $ and have a look at the cars general health.
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Agreed. I also think that a lot of the folks that advise ditching a BMW right out of warranty aren't the types that are prepared to spend money on preventive maintenance in general, and specifically don't view things like control arms, etc. as replaceable wear items. They also don't get the simple math that even spending a few thousand dollars on maintenance and repair of a used luxury or performance car that you already own is far cheaper than buying a new one every 4-5 years.
Personally, I've had great luck with my 128i, which I've owned for almost 7 years, since new. The only repairs I've had done were replacement of a cracked third brake light lens and replacement of a bit of wood trim that had come loose, both under warranty. There is now a bit of peeling around the cupholders, so I will probably replace the transmission tunnel trim piece myself for <$100. Absolutely no mechanical failures, though, but the N52 is the last in a long-line of naturally-aspirated straight sixes, a formula BMW has spent a lot of time perfecting. I wouldn't necessarily trust the direct-injected turbo cars as much.