[JohnnyT]

Hi all,

I am a complete BMW novice and I am considering my first BMW. I saw a 2007 328i with premium package as a CPO vehicle at a local BMW dealership that has only 18k miles for about $25k. Beautiful car. Drove it. Loved it. So whats the problem?? (I'm a low mileage per year guy - about 10k. Was considering purchase rather than lease).

I hear....
"Oh, BMW's cost a fortune to fix",
"Oh, those run flat tires are the worst",
"Oh, BMW cost of ownership overall is very high. Just get a Honda and life will be easier and less expensive".
"You won't be able to drive the car in the winter or rain".

etc., etc., etc.

I need the help of anyone who is willing to offer it. I'd love to get this car but these thoughts are going through my head.

What am I getting into with owning a BMW?? How does the deal above sound?

Thank you in advance for any insight, thoughts, or advise you can provide.

[WWONG]

Sounds like most of your concerns are with money. If money is your concern, maybe BMW isn't the best brand to choose for a car...

[BMW Junkie]

First off, some of what you've heard is ridiculous.

For example...can't drive a BMW in the rain?!?! Seriously? Like it doesn't rain in Germany!

All BMWs have the ability to transfer power to various wheels. It's not true All-wheel drive unless you get the 'xi', but I would say these vehicles are just more than sufficient in the rain. Snow/ice can be a bit different, and if this is a true concern, I've heard the 'i' with some snow tires does just fine if you don't have an 'xi'. I can attest to the fact that the 'i' and sport tires are less than ideal in the snow lol.

Being a CPO, it's warrantied out to 6 yrs/100k miles right? Who cares what the cost of maintenance is? You won't have to pay for it! Naturally, as with any car, if you take it to the dealership to get it done right, you're going to pay extra. Plus, BMW parts do cost a bit more than a domestic, but you also get what you pay for. Along those lines, you can't even compare BMW and Honda. They serve completely different purposes/markets.

If you drove it, you like it, and can afford it, I say go for it. I've owned three since '03. Totalled my first one, and currently own two, so I may be a bit biased, but then again you did post on BMW forums.

[Wingman335]

Originally Posted by JohnnyT

Hi all,

I am a complete BMW novice and I am considering my first BMW. I saw a 2007 328i with premium package as a CPO vehicle at a local BMW dealership that has only 18k miles for about $25k. Beautiful car. Drove it. Loved it. So whats the problem?? (I'm a low mileage per year guy - about 10k. Was considering purchase rather than lease).

I hear....
"Oh, BMW's cost a fortune to fix",
"Oh, those run flat tires are the worst",
"Oh, BMW cost of ownership overall is very high. Just get a Honda and life will be easier and less expensive".
"You won't be able to drive the car in the winter or rain".

etc., etc., etc.

I need the help of anyone who is willing to offer it. I'd love to get this car but these thoughts are going through my head.

What am I getting into with owning a BMW?? How does the deal above sound?

Thank you in advance for any insight, thoughts, or advise you can provide.

1. Yes, generally, they do cost a lot more than Japanese vehicles to fix.

2. In my opinion, I don't mind RFTs. However, the condition of the road you drive in plays a massive part in the comfort level of RFTs. In NYC, they are the worst.

3. The cost of ownership generally is higher than a Honda, but not that much. Just take care of the vehicle properly, perform routine maintainance, and it shouldn't be that much expensive to take care of, especially a 328.

4. You can use the car in rain- its just like any other car. I know tons of people who have the xdrive variant of the car, and they drive it in snow all the time. Its a daily driver car, nothing to worry over.

[xxp0loxx]

Did you smile when you sat down and drove it. Would you have had that same smile sitting in that Civic? Buying a BMW is more than just buying a car. If you enjoy driving a bad ass car and being seen differently than a Honda owner....get the damn car! . the enjoyment i get outta my car well outweighs a slight higher upkeep.

WARNING, its hard to downgrade after your first BMW.

[ChasVS]

Get it, drive it, love it! Trust me!

[Trojan4evr]

whoever said it's hard to drive BMM's in the rain needs to get smacked the shit out of cause they don't know what the hell the're talking about. I mean I can say TOYOTA's are hard to stop in real life situation and we all know it sounds stupid.

[Single-t]

I just bought my first BMW this past May and I'm not sure what the opposite of "buyer's remorse" is, but I can definitely say I have "buyer's exhilaration" EVERY single time I get behind the wheel of my car (as well as the people who get in with me...and the few I allow behind the wheel).
I bought a lease turn in from a private dealer and subsequently got a MUCH better deal than if I bought a CPO car from a dealership...saved about $6K-$7K. However, the week I bought it the battery went out and I shelled out over $300 at the local dealership to get it replaced. Admittedly I got a little nervous about the car I bought and the cost it would take to maintain it, but since then I've had zero problems and everything since has been covered by warranty which is a wonderful thing. Personally, I'm fine with the fact that my future maintainance costs will be above most cars, but a BMW is above most cars and worth the cost IMO.
The issue I see with the car you mentioned is that its great because it has super low miles for an 2007, however, you don't have enough time to take advantage of the 4yr/50K mile warranty, or the 6yr/100K mile CPO warranty since you're an admitted low mileage driver. One thing to remember is that the extended warranty DOES NOT cover everything the original warranty does so be careful.
If I were you I'd look for an 08' for around the same money with around 25K-30K miles...that gives you 2 years and around 20K-25K miles of "worry free" driving.

BTW, before you buy a 328 please test drive a 335...you'll probably change your mind and make the necessary sacrifice to afford the latter.
I did.

[Syndicategt]

"Oh, BMW's cost a fortune to fix",
"Oh, those run flat tires are the worst",
"Oh, BMW cost of ownership overall is very high. Just get a Honda and life will be easier and less expensive".
"You won't be able to drive the car in the winter or rain".

1. Most European vehicles cost more to fix vs Japanese or American. BMW's 50k warranty more than makes up for this claim.

2. Yes RFTs are not the greatest for performance cars but for your average daily driver they will get the job done. If you are getting a higher performance BMW (ie M3/5/6 or 135/335) switch out the RFTs to some Pilot Sports.

3. You are not buying a Toyota/Honda what do you expect?

4. It's a RWD car, don't floor it around turns and you are fine.


* I agree with the poster above me. Test drive a 335 first, I had a few 328 loaners and they were so boring to drive.


**What is the reason you are buying a BMW, sounds to me that BMW may not be the car for you if you. If you are looking for a practical/cost effect car go with a Japanese make.

[Oulixes]

It is hard to comment on the 328i you have found and driven, since I've not seen it, but you should not be concerned about the drivebility of a RWD car. I have a 330xi (AWD) and a 335i (RWD), and can confirm that both cars drive quite well in rain and snow, once the obvious differences between the two cars are taken into account.

[GregTheStig]

OP, here's my 2 cents.

May of '09 I got pretty much the exact car you're describing with 27K miles for about the same price. CPO warranty is very good, and so far my expenses at the dealer have been exactly 0$. This is my first experience with run flats and it's saved me already. Picked up a huge bolt in a parking lot and was able to drive it (extremely slowly) to the tire shop 5 mins away. I use mine as a daily driver and in every weather condition I've experience it was brilliant. We had a big freeze last winter where we got 3-5 inches of snow and overnight it got to about 20 degrees and it all turned to ice. I took it out and if you drive properly and cautiously like you normally would you're fine, and I was on all seasons.
Depending on how cold it gets where you live I might suggest getting winter tires.

It sounds like you've got a good deal and if you love it enough I say go for it

[tony20009]

Originally Posted by JohnnyT

...I hear....
"Oh, BMW's cost a fortune to fix",
"Oh, those run flat tires are the worst",
"Oh, BMW cost of ownership overall is very high. Just get a Honda and life will be easier and less expensive".
"You won't be able to drive the car in the winter or rain".

1. They can cost a bundle to repair, but I've yet -- in having owned two BMWs, one of which I kept for 158K miles -- to have to repair anything.
2. The RFT tires are not the worst by any means. They are quite good and they work as advertised. RFTs are expensive compared to regular tires, but you can always replace your RFTs with regular tires and plan to keep a can of Fix a Flat in the car, or have some other backup plan in case you do get a flat.
3. Well, the fuel economy on some Hondas is better than that of some BMWs. Maintenance does not begin to cost a lot until after the maintenance period expires, but even then, you don't have to take the car to a dealer, which is what makes maintenance expensive. Other than that, it's really just the cost of the car that drives the cost of ownership.
4. BMWs drive fine in the rain, but the tires and driver skill have more to do with traction in the rain than does the car in general. In the snow, you will definitely want to have tires made to deal with snow; keeping summer performance tires on your car and trying to drive is the snow is like trying to get polititians to give you a straight answer to a straight forward question.

Originally Posted by JohnnyT

What am I getting into with owning a BMW?? How does the deal above sound?

Thank you in advance for any insight, thoughts, or advise you can provide.

You are getting into what is probably the best normal car one can buy for daily driving purposes. The keen handling, which is the hallmark of a BMW, makes them not only fun to drive, but also safer and easier to maneuver out of dangerous situations. If you aren't interested in or able to discern the handling, your money is likely better spent on some other kind of vehicle that will give you more of the things that do matter to you. There is little doubt that there are cars out there that have more cushiness, speed, gizmos and what not for the same or less money. There is no car within $10K that handles as well as a BMW.

Good luck. I'm sure after careful thought, you'll make the right decision.

[Lynchmob6]

I had my 335 (x drive) in the snow all last winter in Germany...never had any issues with it being anything other than a joy to drive. It was very difficult to even get the car to slide or skid, even when I was really trying (with everything on of course).

[JohnnyT]

You are on the money - I smiled BIG when I sat down and drove it!!! You hit the nail on the head.

[Brey335i]

25K seems steep for an 07 328i. I see 335i's in the high 20's...

[lastMleft]

Originally Posted by JohnnyT

Hi all,

I am a complete BMW novice and I am considering my first BMW. I saw a 2007 328i with premium package as a CPO vehicle at a local BMW dealership that has only 18k miles for about $25k. Beautiful car. Drove it. Loved it. So whats the problem?? (I'm a low mileage per year guy - about 10k. Was considering purchase rather than lease).

I hear....
"Oh, BMW's cost a fortune to fix",
"Oh, those run flat tires are the worst",
"Oh, BMW cost of ownership overall is very high. Just get a Honda and life will be easier and less expensive".
"You won't be able to drive the car in the winter or rain".

etc., etc., etc.

I need the help of anyone who is willing to offer it. I'd love to get this car but these thoughts are going through my head.

What am I getting into with owning a BMW?? How does the deal above sound?

Thank you in advance for any insight, thoughts, or advise you can provide.

The 328 is a great car, BMW's in general are good cars just take care of it, low miles on the one your looking at if you buy it and for some reason your not happy with it I'm pretty sure you could sell it...good luck