Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks. I didn't think about the premium gas. I think the repairs really scare me.

Maybe leaning towards a Lexus as a second option.

You will have a much more reliable car with a Lexus. You give up some performance compared to a BMW, but do you really care about a few nanoseconds when you are going from 0 to 60? How hard do intend to drive the car? And if you have to ask about maintenance and repair costs for a used BMW, you can't afford it. All the German cars get to know their mechanics real well.

Lol. Ok. Does it make you feel big to say that?

People throw that around all the time here. I guess none of you have any understanding of how there are many, many people who can very easily afford a BMW, but are still interested in considering the costs. And the repairs don't just cost money, they cost time and hassle.

Anonymous wrote:BMW AWD SUVs are supposed to be very good snow vehicles. My BIL and his wife both drive them for this reason.

Yeah but so are Subarus without the $8500 cost to repair a headlight...

Mom had a Mercedes station wagon/sedan car.

We got it because it was easy for her to get in and out of.

Every time we had a routine oil change maintenance visit scheduled the visit cost $500 - $600. I never had a routine maintenance visit under $500.

Anonymous wrote:Thanks. I didn't think about the premium gas. I think the repairs really scare me.

Maybe leaning towards a Lexus as a second option.

You will have a much more reliable car with a Lexus. You give up some performance compared to a BMW, but do you really care about a few nanoseconds when you are going from 0 to 60? How hard do intend to drive the car? And if you have to ask about maintenance and repair costs for a used BMW, you can't afford it. All the German cars get to know their mechanics real well.

BMW AWD SUVs are supposed to be very good snow vehicles. My BIL and his wife both drive them for this reason.

Anonymous wrote:I enjoy BMWs and currently drive a 2021. When I bout out the lease I made sure to get an extended warranty - just replacing one headlight unit costs about $8500 from the dealer (its all one piece). You will absolutely pay quite a bit for maintenance, just like with any German car. A lexus should be more reliable and (slightly) cheaper to maintain. Still premium gas. Also, they drive differently.

OMG

Anonymous wrote:Thanks. I didn't think about the premium gas. I think the repairs really scare me.

Maybe leaning towards a Lexus as a second option.

Thanks for posting about this OP. I'm in the market for a new car and wonder about similar things, and am leaning toward Lexus.

If driving experience is a main goal there are much cheaper Japanese alternatives to bmw. With those you won’t need to worry about repairs or expensive maintenance

I’m a Mercedes owner and would never buy another German car. My Toyotas are much more reliable and cheaper to repair.

I enjoy BMWs and currently drive a 2021. When I bout out the lease I made sure to get an extended warranty - just replacing one headlight unit costs about $8500 from the dealer (its all one piece). You will absolutely pay quite a bit for maintenance, just like with any German car. A lexus should be more reliable and (slightly) cheaper to maintain. Still premium gas. Also, they drive differently.

I love BMWs but the repairs are really expensive. Like another poster mentioned every repair was $1k+. I kept that car for 8 years. I start having repairs around the 5 year mark.

Thanks. I didn't think about the premium gas. I think the repairs really scare me.

Maybe leaning towards a Lexus as a second option.

I had an X3 a while back. The extra wasn’t so much in the regular maintenance as it was in the repairs. When something went wrong, it always seemed to be a multi-thousand or at minimum $1k fix. I had it for about five years and gave it up when some $3k repair came up.

That said, money was tighter then. It might not be as much of a concern now that we have a bit more leeway in our budget. Up to you if that’s worth it for you.

Don’t forget about premium gas + higher insurance.

I am in the market for either a used 340 or 440 BMW from 2020+. I enjoy the German performance and live farther out in the suburbs with winding roads and mountain climbs where I can enjoy the driving experience. I have found several with lower mileage (30-40K) online that are in my price range. I am worried about the cost of normal maintenance thought. Are there any owners out there that can attest to whether or not it really is that much more money and if it is more frequent than just your normal oil/fluid changes?