Any fellow BMW DIYers

Concrete Helmet

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Yeah you really gotta want to own a used BMW - and enjoy working on them. If you want a high milage low maintenance car buy a Honda. I think BMW builds their cars to last as long as the lease. Not that it's poor quality but they are very difficult to service. So labor (time) is expensive, Then parts are expensive if you buy from BMW - a $500 brake vacuum pump from BMW costs $200 from the OEM. Then there's the whole thing about having to have proprietary diagnostic tools to do just about anything. But most things are DIYable just time consuming.
And BMW did things like giving free oil changes under warranty but then require a 15,000 mile oil. And claim the tranny fluid is lifetime (which really means until warranty expires). And then everything talks to a computer, even light bulbs, so everything is "special".

Fortunately the DIY community is all over what are common failures and when they happen and what to do to as PM. Valve stem seals are common over 120,000 miles and an expensive or difficult DIY job however switching to a lower temp thermostat and using a product from liqui-moly called motor saver seems to mitigate the problem if you do it soon enough. Oil burning is a common complaint but again using liqui-molly's Ceratec cleans that up pretty fast. You have to use a high grade, good detergent, premium gas like Shell or Chevron. Or put Techron in before each oil change to clean injectors. You have to do regular fluid flushes but if your idea of fun on a Saturday is working on the car then you've got plenty to do.

Why do it? Driving my M-sport is almost as good as sex. I had a Lexus, Infiniti and a 300ZX and this is better than the best of all three. 0-60 in 4.7 secs is crazy in a 4-door sedan. High end torque so I can mash the pedal from 70-90 in a split second. Four driving modes: Economy (LOL I get 15MPG), Sport (stiffens suspension, changes shift points), Sport Automatic (even more aggressive shift points), and Manual (bat **** crazy). The cool thing about Manual mode is that it down shifts for you. Maybe they all do that now but my Infiniti didn't.
As far as handling it blew me away. It straightens out clover leafs. Zero sway or lean thanks to the DSC that actually adjusts suspension not just brakes like other so called systems. I don't know what speed it would take to get it lose and I'm afraid to find out. Low profile 275's on the rear and 245's on the front. Adaptive steering that adjusts steering angle based on speed, accelerometer input etc. so no drifting LOL. Adaptive headlights (Hudson was ahead of his time). The frickin side bolsters even inflate in turns to hold you in place.

I'll do some mods in the future. I've already done some cosmetic things. I'l add a quad exhaust with a cutout so I can hear the V8. It has a nice low rumble now but it's so damn quiet in the car that you can't hear it.

Bottom line is don't buy a used BMW unless your hobby is working on it. And it helps to have access to a 2nd car ;)
Nice ride. Post some pics when you get a chance. I've heard some pretty aggressive exhaust on the V8 BMW's before and it is definitely different.
 

78

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Yeah you really gotta want to own a used BMW - and enjoy working on them. If you want a high milage low maintenance car buy a Honda. I think BMW builds their cars to last as long as the lease. Not that it's poor quality but they are very difficult to service. So labor (time) is expensive, Then parts are expensive if you buy from BMW - a $500 brake vacuum pump from BMW costs $200 from the OEM. Then there's the whole thing about having to have proprietary diagnostic tools to do just about anything. But most things are DIYable just time consuming.
And BMW did things like giving free oil changes under warranty but then require a 15,000 mile oil. And claim the tranny fluid is lifetime (which really means until warranty expires). And then everything talks to a computer, even light bulbs, so everything is "special".

Fortunately the DIY community is all over what are common failures and when they happen and what to do to as PM. Valve stem seals are common over 120,000 miles and an expensive or difficult DIY job however switching to a lower temp thermostat and using a product from liqui-moly called motor saver seems to mitigate the problem if you do it soon enough. Oil burning is a common complaint but again using liqui-molly's Ceratec cleans that up pretty fast. You have to use a high grade, good detergent, premium gas like Shell or Chevron. Or put Techron in before each oil change to clean injectors. You have to do regular fluid flushes but if your idea of fun on a Saturday is working on the car then you've got plenty to do.

Why do it? Driving my M-sport is almost as good as sex. I had a Lexus, Infiniti and a 300ZX and this is better than the best of all three. 0-60 in 4.7 secs is crazy in a 4-door sedan. High end torque so I can mash the pedal from 70-90 in a split second. Four driving modes: Economy (LOL I get 15MPG), Sport (stiffens suspension, changes shift points), Sport Automatic (even more aggressive shift points), and Manual (bat **** crazy). The cool thing about Manual mode is that it down shifts for you. Maybe they all do that now but my Infiniti didn't.
As far as handling it blew me away. It straightens out clover leafs. Zero sway or lean thanks to the DSC that actually adjusts suspension not just brakes like other so called systems. I don't know what speed it would take to get it lose and I'm afraid to find out. Low profile 275's on the rear and 245's on the front. Adaptive steering that adjusts steering angle based on speed, accelerometer input etc. so no drifting LOL. Adaptive headlights (Hudson was ahead of his time). The frickin side bolsters even inflate in turns to hold you in place.

I'll do some mods in the future. I've already done some cosmetic things. I'l add a quad exhaust with a cutout so I can hear the V8. It has a nice low rumble now but it's so damn quiet in the car that you can't hear it.

Bottom line is don't buy a used BMW unless your hobby is working on it. And it helps to have access to a 2nd car ;)
It's really no different with other high-end brands. The cars are cheaper off the factory warranty but lots more expensive ro repair. Take your pick. I chose an exclusionary after-market service plan with the R8. Everything's covered except those items named.

I've already had the hood latch go bad. $1,100 repair naked. Zero cost to me after the $100 deductible.
 

oxrageous

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No disrespect intended but you're a Chevy guy, aren't you?
Only Chevy’s I’ve ever owned are Corvettes. I like almost all the makes, not married to any of them. I just wouldn’t touch one of those newer Bimmers with a ten foot pole.
 

ThreatMatrix

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Only Chevy’s I’ve ever owned are Corvettes. I like almost all the makes, not married to any of them. I just wouldn’t touch one of those newer Bimmers with a ten foot pole.

I suspect that’s a bank account issue not a pole issue.
 

oxrageous

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If I’m going to buy a German car, it’s going to be a Porsche. Those first-gen Boxsters are dirt cheap and I’m considering picking one up.
 

78

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If I’m going to buy a German car, it’s going to be a Porsche. Those first-gen Boxsters are dirt cheap and I’m considering picking one up.
Great car. Your chief concern with the early Boxsters is going to be IMS failure, although it afflicts less than 10% of all cars made.
 

Bernardo de la Paz

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Great car. Your chief concern with the early Boxsters is going to be IMS failure, although it afflicts less than 10% of all cars made.
When the IMS issue first surfaced (2012?), you could get a 3 year old cayman s with 20k miles for less than $30k. Once they figured out that it is only an issue if you spend a lot of time at the track the prices returned to normal. Something to do with the engine getting oil starved after running it to its limit for extended periods iirc.
 

oxrageous

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I can get one for like 6K. It's ridiculous.
 

78

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I went to Bert Smith Porsche in St. Pete shortly after the Boxster was introduced in '96. I wanted one bad and we were expecting, which pretty much ruled it out. Nonetheless, I wanted to drive one.

I can't remember how large that flat six was, maybe 2.5 or 2.7L. It was so incredibly smooth and elastic. Combined with the 50/50 weight distribution, it was an entirely different driving experience.

It has to be one of the more practical roadsters out there. Trunks in the front and back.
 

Detroitgator

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It's really no different with other high-end brands. The cars are cheaper off the factory warranty but lots more expensive ro repair. Take your pick. I chose an exclusionary after-market service plan with the R8. Everything's covered except those items named.

I've already had the hood latch go bad. $1,100 repair naked. Zero cost to me after the $100 deductible.
who'd you get your after market plan througjh?
 

ThreatMatrix

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I was a Porsche man until I went to buy one. Only a 944 but still $750/mo - 7 years. and that was 1985. I've toyed with getting an old 911ish type but I kind of like luxury too and the insides of Porshes are very VW like. But you damn sure are gonna have a hard time beating the performance.
My buddy owns an 20 yo Ferrari but since the body styles are timeless only an aficionado would know it's age. He drives it at most 500 miles a year cus he's afraid to take it anywhere.
 

78

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who'd you get your after market plan througjh?
Carchex. Essentially the same plan as offered through Fidelity. They both underwrite through Royal. I did I helluva lot of due diligence before I bought it.
 

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