BMW 328?

Saytan · 7 Jan 2011 at 10:09

the ST220 is a great car for your requirements. i was considering one right up until the most boring man in the world who sits next to me and NEVER shuts up bought one.

Now i have the BMW i prefer it, but it definitely costs more than the mondeo would have - and if i'd got the mondeo i'd have been more than happy with it.

InvaderGIR · 7 Jan 2011 at 10:13

monkey_boy said:
With value servicing, servicing isn't expensive even at the dealers

My AC compressor packed up on my 318iS...£500 from the dealers, £400 for a pattern part. No, most certainly cheap.

Belts, pulleys, oil, coolant, filters are all actually vastly more expensive (with liquids due to the amount and grade) than if you're servicing a Peugeot for example.

Having run old cars (well, >12 years old) of various marques I've come across the difference in costs in them all. BMWs are not cheap, it really is that simple.

As for "well the Mondeo cost £800". And? That's much more the exception than the norm, old cars aren't inherently unreliable. What went wrong on the Mondeo? I bet if the same things went wrong on a 1999 328i it'd cost a vast amount more to fix.

volospian · 7 Jan 2011 at 12:24

Can I just ask this?

You don't want an ST220 because you are only 27, but a BMW 328 is fine?

I wouldn't exactly class the 328 as a "young mans" car...

chrisnic0 · 7 Jan 2011 at 13:06

[TW]Fox;18161960 said:
Why not just buy a car you like rather than trying to conform to pointless stereotypical norms? You dont need to be 'ready' for a car. You are 27 not 17, if you want an ST220 just buy one.

I never said I liked St220?

I don't need a saloon, but I wouldn't rule them out. Any other ideas?

monkey_boy · 7 Jan 2011 at 13:24

[TW]Fox;18163960 said:
£800 on a Mondeo that isnt a diesel (Everyone on here gives similar advice against Mondeo diesels) is definately the exception rather than the norm.

The problem with BMW's is that if your finances can take the sometimes relentless battering then why are you only spending £4k?

It is a diesel, but the problems weren't diesel related. She had an air con issue (which apparantly is common on Mondeos), a handbrake problem and needed new discs and pads all round and a service.

[devil's advocate]
In answer to your 'why only spend £4k' statement, if the deal is good and its for the right spec engine etc. then what does the OP stand to gain from spending more than £4k other than a newer plate?
[/devil's advocate]

InvaderGIR said:
My AC compressor packed up on my 318iS...£500 from the dealers, £400 for a pattern part. No, most certainly cheap.

Belts, pulleys, oil, coolant, filters are all actually vastly more expensive (with liquids due to the amount and grade) than if you're servicing a Peugeot for example.

Having run old cars (well, >12 years old) of various marques I've come across the difference in costs in them all. BMWs are not cheap, it really is that simple.

As for "well the Mondeo cost £800". And? That's much more the exception than the norm, old cars aren't inherently unreliable. What went wrong on the Mondeo? I bet if the same things went wrong on a 1999 328i it'd cost a vast amount more to fix.

I said servicing specifically rather than parts. Value servicing makes it cheap to service. So your AC compressor cost a fair bit. They do. A very quick google shows that from the same site a Mondeo compressor costs more than one for the e36. :confused:

http://www.automotive-air-condition...spx?models-for=BMW&Model=318&part=Compressors

http://www.automotive-air-condition...ls-for=FORD&Model=MONDEO MK3&part=Compressors

chrisnic0 · 7 Jan 2011 at 13:31

volospian said:
Can I just ask this?

You don't want an ST220 because you are only 27, but a BMW 328 is fine?

I wouldn't exactly class the 328 as a "young mans" car...

I DO NOT WANT A ST220, I only mentioned it earlier in the thread as I would like to have more of a structured spec 2.5 kids i.e. 5 seats largish boot.

I wouldn't class the 328 as a young mans car either?

Firestar_3x · 7 Jan 2011 at 13:32

InvaderGIR said:
Snip

Personally i can't see a 318iS costing that much to run, it uses cheap sized tyres, most of the parts are cheap enough on-line, doesn't take that much oil, loads about in the scrapyard so no issue getting secondhand parts (wings etc).

As a BMW goes it's got to be about as cheap as it gets, can't see the premium running costs over anything else with the same age / engine size.

InvaderGIR · 7 Jan 2011 at 13:42

Firestar_3x said:
Personally i can't see a 318iS costing that much to run, it uses cheap sized tyres, most of the parts are cheap enough on-line, doesn't take that much oil, loads about in the scrapyard so no issue getting secondhand parts (wings etc).

As a BMW goes it's got to be about as cheap as it gets, can't see the premium running costs over anything else with the same age / engine size.

Cheap sized tyres? £110 a corner is cheap is it? It runs the same stuff as a 328i apart from having two less cylinders.

Point is, BMWs cost more to maintain than other marques that would be just as suitable, so having spare cash and knowing that if/when something goes wrong it is likely to cost a lot is most advisable.

Firestar_3x · 7 Jan 2011 at 13:49

Tyre prices are almost exactly in line with something the same size / trim level.

So what are the service cost for a 328 and 318iS then?

monkey_boy · 7 Jan 2011 at 13:51

InvaderGIR said:
Cheap sized tyres? £110 a corner is cheap is it? It runs the same stuff as a 328i apart from having two less cylinders.

Point is, BMWs cost more to maintain than other marques that would be just as suitable, so having spare cash and knowing that if/when something goes wrong it is likely to cost a lot is most advisable.

My mondeo 2.0 has tyres at £90 per corner :confused:

New BMWs cost more to maintain at a BMW dealer. Old BMWs don't. Repairs will probably cost a bit more unless you're savvy about parts suppliers etc. What is this notion that a 10 year old BMW will blow up in 30 seconds and cost £12million pounds to fix all about?

InvaderGIR · 7 Jan 2011 at 14:03

Ok, fine, I'm wrong, and so is the ocuk motors forum every time someone asks about a cheap BMW. I give up. :rolleyes:

Firestar_3x · 7 Jan 2011 at 14:07

I'm sorry buttercup, i hope we didn't hurt your feelings.

On a more serious note, i've only asked serious questions, seems like a fairly standard car with almost run of the mill running costs, heck even a full engine is cheap enough should it blow up.

monkey_boy · 7 Jan 2011 at 14:08

It's not cheap though. It's £4k for a 12 year old car!? However, it's not a £2k 150,000 mile 525i SE with no service history. It just needs some perspective. BMW <£6k does not equal insta-mega-death every time regardless of circumstances. :rolleyes:

EDIT- I prefer firestar's response

InvaderGIR · 7 Jan 2011 at 14:09

Firestar_3x said:
I'm sorry buttercup, i hope we didn't hurt your feelings.

These here very forums constantly go on about cheap BMWs being cheap for a reason, yet a couple of you are now saying 'yeah they are cheap to maintain too' which is utter rubbish, I know this from experience...but don't take my word for it because experience means nothing it seems.

£4k for a previously £30k car is cheap? Especially considering e36 328i Sports are £2k-£5k.

Seems pointless fighting my corner though as I'm wrong. :/

Firestar_3x · 7 Jan 2011 at 14:12

I'm only questioning your experience with light to my views and work i've done on cars in the past thats all mate, also i suppose we should take into account that costs are subjective.

I think part of the issue is i'm looking at it and thinking, hmm quite simple engine, takes normal amount of oil (fair enough its fully synth) but takes less than the 328, it's got no turbo to go bang etc.

Edit, also i'm not talking about the car in the op, i'm talking about yours.

chrisnic0 · 7 Jan 2011 at 14:14

can someone spec me something else? I'm not scared of the up keep btw, I have the money. I just dont want to drop 7-8K on a car when I don't really need to. Rather get a nice holiday in summer as well

InvaderGIR · 7 Jan 2011 at 14:17

In terms of complicated things, yes, it's damn simple.

But then a 2.0 petrol Mondeo is the same, but should cost less to maintain than the BMW, which is more my point...after all, the 3 series and Mondeo are both generic repmobiles.

As I do all the work on mine myself, it's relatively cheap, was on the 328i too...but I had lots of issues with that and poured loads of money into it. I've put some cash into the 318iS and it's been fine for the most part...but then that's often just a case of luck of the draw, some cars are rotters, others aren't.

All the work I've done on both have proven to be simple (including dismantling most of the 328i), but parts have proven to be more than other similar vehicles. Thing is though, I've done it myself.

The iS was going to cost Muffin a few thousand to get it to pass the MOT because he couldn't do the work and didn't know what needed doing, other than what some cheeky mechanic said needed doing. I spent a couple hundred in parts and got it through the MOT just fine.

monkey_boy · 7 Jan 2011 at 14:19

InvaderGIR said:
These here very forums constantly go on about cheap BMWs being cheap for a reason, yet a couple of you are now saying 'yeah they are cheap to maintain too' which is utter rubbish, I know this from experience...but don't take my word for it because experience means nothing it seems.

£4k for a previously £30k car is cheap? Especially considering e36 328i Sports are £2k-£5k.

Seems pointless fighting my corner though as I'm wrong. :/

Aww, don't give up that easily, that's no fun. I'm well aware that these forums (Fox) advise against cheap BMWs that people ask about. But you can't go and generalise that all cheap BMWs are going to cost a fortune to keep. Old but looked after BMWs are rare, but if you find one then why should it cost you any more to keep than an old looked after something else? I'm genuinely asking. Just going through my head with a few general maintenence things I can't think of anything that would really make you squirm on this car. It's not an S Class with Air Suspension, and auto box and command system that throw four figure hissy fits on a regular basis.

Participant · 7 Jan 2011 at 14:19

Saytan said:
i was considering one right up until the most boring man in the world who sits next to me and NEVER shuts up bought one.

That kind of comment isn't warranted really?

InvaderGIR · 7 Jan 2011 at 14:22

monkey_boy said:
Aww, don't give up that easily, that's no fun. I'm well aware that these forums (Fox) advise against cheap BMWs that people ask about. But you can't go and generalise that all cheap BMWs are going to cost a fortune to keep. Old but looked after BMWs are rare, but if you find one then why should it cost you any more to keep than an old looked after something else? I'm genuinely asking. Just going through my head with a few general maintenence things I can't think of anything that would really make you squirm on this car. It's not an S Class with Air Suspension, and auto box and command system that throw four figure hissy fits on a regular basis.

I agree, it's not an S-Class etc. but it's not a Ford either. They are good strong vehicles if well maintained, but the vast majority of them just aren't at this age really. The one in the OP may well be the needle in the haystack but I can't see it being the case.