Hallo I have a quastion!

 

BMW's are expensive to maintain, period. Regardless of the year/model. Parts are expensive and often only available from the dealer or licensed service department. Stupid shit breaks often, mostly mechanical stuff that is not attached to the motor. Window motors, airbag sensors, steering column motors, seat motors, antennas... etc. Something as simple as the OEM battery will run you in excess of $140. If you've always wanted a BMW and can afford to take it in the shorts on maintenance, buy one. I had an '00 3 series, had to have some stuff fixed under warranty when I owned it. I personally wouldn't reccommend buying anything out of warranty if you don't have money to burn. I would love to have an E30 M3 though-

If you do buy one, take it to Jeff @ Rennen Imports for maintenance, repairs or performance crap. He's about half the price of the dealer and has more knowledge and experience than most if not all of their techs.

 

The ODB1 cars are easier for DIY - you are going to take it in the shorts if you take either a Porsche or BMW to the dealer...

 

The engines are very well built. They are expensive cars. You can save a whole lot of money doing the work yourself. E30's and E36's are great. I personally like the E30's more. Here is a website that will answer everything for you... http://www.bimmerforums.com/main.php Ask around, there are many people on there who can answer any questions that you have.

 

I just got a 93 525i, interior and exterior is great for the age. Engine runs after like 3 seconds, dunno about that. A few eletrical problems though, like 10 of them...

edit: bought for 3,500 btw.

Oh, and fucking fantastic gas milage, you honestly wouldnt beleive it. 192hp, its quick, and can get like 30mpg cruising at 80mph.

 

The 6-cylinder bmw motors are extremely reliable from all that I have read/heard... mate that with a manual transmission and you should be in good shape. Yes parts are expensive but there are places out there to get considerably better prices than @ the dealership.

I have had a 540 6-speed for about 3 1/2 years now and have logged roughly 54k miles (currently @ 113k) and have had pretty decent luck with it. Only real problem I had with the car was when I was out on Sebring and I lost my idler pulley... this led to me blowing the radiator before I could get the car off the track and shut down (happened at the end of the back straight... tried to get into the pits and kill it... just didn't happen in time). The regular maintenance stuff can get a little pricey but for me it is worth it. I also believe in preventative maintenance so I may spend a little more than most people... I would rather replace something that still has 15k miles of life in it than risk it breaking on me. I do love driving my car, though... as I said before I have had it for 3 1/2 years and it is my daily driver... still puts a smile on my face. Not bad for a 10 year old family sedan.

I will also add that I absolutely drive the shit out of my car on a day to day basis... I am actually somewhat surprised at how it has held up.

 

$1,000 for my father's '84 528e. Paint is shot, and so is the interior, but the engine runs very strong!

 

If you really got your heart set on an "older" BMW, get an E30 M3, 88-91.. NO question, one of the best M cars ever produced.

There is something called the "Rule of 15" when purchasing a used E30 M3 though, whatever you spend on purchasing the car (assuming it hasn't been fully rebuilt recently), plan on spending about 15,000 to make it absolutely PERFECT. Edit: You can find a very good condition one for around 15-20k, that will usually be fine, just be careful. These were EXTREMELY limited run (500 total per model year, I believe) cars - But they are fabulous. I'd love to build one properly like the Euro models one day.

Parts are killer, if you can do your own work though, it's not bad at all. It's also good to know the "best" two parts suppliers in the country that give 25% discount off list price

http://www.s14.net - LOTS of E30 M3 info.

 

motor/manual tranny/drivetrain will usually be solid... will have electrical problems...electrical motors (like power window, etc) needing replaced...

as others have said... an older model is affordable because most parts are available aftermarket and your not relying on the dealer...

most of the expensive horror stories are from newer model cars that jus got out of warranty and parts must be bought through the dealer...

its no ford or honda pricewise... but should be affordable and the "drive" will make you forget the cost...