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Car Forum / BMW Cars / April 2004Is the car failing?
Thanks again for your help with my last question. My same friend with the BMW says that, even though she doesn't really have the money, she thinks she has to get a new car. Her current one, a '94 model 325, has about 130,000 miles on it, and in the last 4 months has needed a new transmission, a new water pump, a new battery, a new transmission oil radiator, and maybe one other thing, I forget. She says she went through this with the previous bmw and the only way out is to buy a new (used) car, I think she means a 2002 or by next fall maybe a 2003. My general view is that, unless the upholstery is wearing out or it has been in a wreck, it is always worth it to pay for the repairs, because it will always be much cheaper for basically the same result. That she can keep it for another 5 years and 100,000 miles, and then buy a 2007 and lay out in the intevening time maybe 2 2 or 3000 dollars in repairs instead of 18,000 for the 2002 now and then still another 18000 in today's dollars for the 2007. (My numbers might be wrong, but I hope you get my point.) I also think there tends to be a period when a lot of things break (and 130,000 is about it) but once one spends through that time period, there will be a long period with not many repairs. Do you agree? How many of you have had your cars past the 130,000 mile boundary? *Is* there a 130,000 mile boundary? What else can she expect to break before 180,000 miles? Meirman If emailing, please let me know whether or not you are posting the same letter. Change domain to erols.com, if necessary. > Thanks again for your help with my last question. <snip> > How many of you have had your cars past the 130,000 mile boundary? My E34 520i M50 has now got just over 330,000miles on it. sounds and runs just like a new one. I got it with about 266,000 on it <2 years ago. No real expenses so far. New pads all round & Fr discs, new top rad hose, O/S handbrake cable and that's it apart from oil and filters. > *Is* there a 130,000 mile boundary? Maybe. If some monkey has bee at it for the first 100,000 miles. It's normally the 3rd or 4th owner at over 100k that does the damage: crap oil & long service intervals etc... My old E23 728i went to over 480,000 without any major head work even. It pays to look after your motors. JB > My E34 520i M50 has now got just over 330,000miles on it. sounds and runs > just like a new one. > I got it with about 266,000 on it <2 years ago. No real expenses so far. New > pads all round & Fr discs, new top rad hose, O/S handbrake cable and that's > it apart from oil and filters. > JB How has the water pump held up? Did you replace it, or know if previous owners did? Frank > > My E34 520i M50 has now got just over 330,000miles on it. sounds and runs > > just like a new one. [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > How has the water pump held up? Did you replace it, or know if previous owners > did? Fine so far. I can only assume that the previous owner had it done, as the car had full Sytner history to 258,000miles. JB > Thanks again for your help with my last question. > [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > out is to buy a new (used) car, I think she means a 2002 or by next > fall maybe a 2003. Sounds like your friend needs to find a new mechanic rather than a new car. There is no reason to get rid of a BMW at 130k miles. -Fred W >Sounds like your friend needs to find a new mechanic rather than a new car. I'm very puzzled by this comment. How does finding a new mechanic change her situation, and more importantly, what exactly did the current mechanic do to deserve to be fired? Did I miss some other post? > >Sounds like your friend needs to find a new mechanic rather than a new car. > > I'm very puzzled by this comment. How does finding a new mechanic > change her situation, and more importantly, what exactly did the > current mechanic do to deserve to be fired? Did I miss some other > post? She is inferring her maintenance costs are too high. I don't see anything that was done that should have been alkl that expensive, therefore she must be paying too much what little repairs she is doing in order to justify the extreme expense of replacing the whole car. I could be wrong. -Fred W >> >Sounds like your friend needs to find a new mechanic rather than a new >car. [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > >I could be wrong. Well, a new transmission can't be cheap... dizzy <dizzy@nospam.invalid> wrote in message > > Well, a new transmission can't be cheap... Mine (used) was 150 UK pounds (US$250?) plus fitting, which was "free" 'cos I did it myself. Used spares (where appropriate) are relatively easy & cheap to find that it shouldn't cost $$$ to keep one. I agree, when you look at depreciation it's usually always cheaper to keep what you've got. Stuff falls off my 2001 M3 more than it did my 10 year old 325i and it's damned more expensive to put right. In alt.autos.bmw on Mon, 12 Apr 2004 17:56:00 -0400 "Fred W." <Fred.Wills@allspam myrealbox.com> posted: >> >Sounds like your friend needs to find a new mechanic rather than a new >car. [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] >be paying too much what little repairs she is doing in order to justify the >extreme expense of replacing the whole car. I don't remember, but I can find out (??), what she paid for the other repairs, but the transmision oil cooler was about 180 for the part and 170 for the labor, at the dealer. The transmission was around xxxx maybe. (??) I forget, so I exxed it out.. She's concerned not just about the engine failing, but about every other part that can go bad, other than maintenance items like brake pads. I believe she thinks the steering, suspension, water radiator, AC, brake booster, radio or tape player, fuel pump, distributor, oil pump, engine computer, differential, all the wheel bearings, power windows, locks, dashboard gizmos, paint job, etc, any could fail and many of them will fail in the next 50 thousand miles, and that's why she thinks it will be too expensive to maintain. I think only two or three will fail for a total cost of 1 or 2 thousand dollars, and no more than 3000.. But I told her that two repairs ago, and my credibility is probably low now. BTW, I didn't say it because it was a bmw. I'd say it about any car (allowing for the relative price of repairs, and bmw repairs are expensive. She shops around, and didn't go to the dealer for the transmission, but sometimes he's not much more money than anyone.) >I could be wrong. > >-Fred W Dizzy said: Well, a new transmission can't be cheap... Meirman If emailing, please let me know whether or not you are posting the same letter. Change domain to erols.com, if necessary. >She's concerned not just about the engine failing, but about every >other part that can go bad, other than maintenance items like brake [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >many of them will fail in the next 50 thousand miles, and that's why >she thinks it will be too expensive to maintain. That's what I thought, but Fred's response threw me off. >I think only two or >three will fail for a total cost of 1 or 2 thousand dollars, and no >more than 3000.. But I told her that two repairs ago, and my >credibility is probably low now. And your credibility would probably be even lower because chances are you would be wrong. Chances are high that she will have more than 3 of those fail. By 180K miles, chances are very high that wheel bearings, radiator, one or more suspension components (rear shock mounts, front control arms), and one or more window regulators might need to be replaced. AC might also need repairs. The engine and body will last way past 300K+ miles with proper care. Strictly financially speaking, keeping the old car is going to be a lot cheaper than buying a new one, but that's not always the reason why one wants to buy a new car. -- marcio at compudimensions.com Sounds to me like she's either being taken for a ride by the mechanic or paying for not taking care of the care over the last ten years. I'm driving an 89 325i and the only thing I've had to replace that isn't commonly replaced is the torque converter. Water pumps and belts are regular maintenance items every few years. BTW - pushing hard at 200k miles... >> Thanks again for your help with my last question. >> [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > >-Fred W >She says she went through this with the previous bmw and the only way >out is to buy a new (used) car, I think she means a 2002 or by next >fall maybe a 2003. My general view is that, unless the upholstery is >wearing out or it has been in a wreck, it is always worth it to pay >for the repairs, because it will always be much cheaper for basically >the same result. I went through this exact same situation with my wife last year. I did buy a new car. The reality is that, even though it is cheaper to pay for the repairs, I don't agree with the "basically the same result" part. The new car is a lot quieter, safer, more comfortable, and arguably drive better than the previous 92 325i. All those factors have a monetary value, i.e. one is willing to pay a certain extra to have them. And especially for a woman, there is the peace of mind of driving a new car and not worrying that the car will leave her stranded one day, whether or not the concern is unfounded. That also has a monetary value. >That she can keep it for another 5 years and 100,000 >miles, and then buy a 2007 and lay out in the intevening time maybe 2 >2 or 3000 dollars in repairs instead of 18,000 for the 2002 now and >then still another 18000 in today's dollars for the 2007. (My numbers >might be wrong, but I hope you get my point.) Why does she need to buy another car in 5 years if she buys one now? >I also think there tends to be a period when a lot of things break >(and 130,000 is about it) but once one spends through that time >period, there will be a long period with not many repairs. Do you >agree? I don't think I agree. And it depends a lot on how things are repaired and what is replaced. >*Is* there a 130,000 mile boundary? No. These cars can easily be driven 200K+ miles. >What else can she expect to break before 180,000 miles? See my other post. -- marcio at compudimensions.com In alt.autos.bmw on Tue, 13 Apr 2004 12:19:52 GMT Marcio Watanabe <Marcio@nospam.com> posted: Thank you all for your answers. >>She says she went through this with the previous bmw and the only way >>out is to buy a new (used) car, I think she means a 2002 or by next [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] >result" part. The new car is a lot quieter, safer, more comfortable, >and arguably drive better than the previous 92 325i. All those She think the current car isn't quiet (anymore?) but it is comfortable. Not sure about the other two. >factors have a monetary value, i.e. one is willing to pay a certain >extra to have them. One has pay extra to to get them, but she often talks as if money is tight in general, and if so she maybe can't afford to have a quieter car. It's not *that* noisy. >And especially for a woman, there is the peace of >mind of driving a new car and not worrying that the car will leave her >stranded one day, whether or not the concern is unfounded. That also >has a monetary value. Well, she doesn't want to be stranded either, but she's not worried about danger, only about not getting where she's going. That's one of the things I like about her, but in other ways, we're not compatible. >>That she can keep it for another 5 years and 100,000 >>miles, and then buy a 2007 and lay out in the intevening time maybe 2 [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > >Why does she need to buy another car in 5 years if she buys one now? I meant because she will buy a used car that in 5 years will be as old as this one is now. But I just talked to her and she has had this car for 7 or 8 years (She told me 5 minutes ago and I've already forgotten.) I read her all the replies that have come in since I mailed her the early replies. She was looking in the classified ads when I called, and although she is not "officially" looking, if she finds a good one she will buy. I think soon she will be looking officially. She thinks that now she can get 5000 for the old one and if she waits more years it will only be 1000. I still think losing 4000 dollars in value the next few years is part of the game and no worse than losing 10,000 dollars in the last 7 or 8 years (she probably paid about 15K or more for the last one too.) But, to give her credit, she's about the only girl I know who buys used cars, and she has had this for 7 or 8 years, so I've said my piece and she will of course do what she wants. I have to listen to her complain a bit about how little money she has, but it's not like we're married and I have to listen a lot. >>I also think there tends to be a period when a lot of things break >>(and 130,000 is about it) but once one spends through that time [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > >See my other post. Meirman If emailing, please let me know whether or not you are posting the same letter. Change domain to erols.com, if necessary. |
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