[SyL3nTFoRcE]

so recently my 07 328xi has been just horrible i got multiple things happening at once such as:
oil lifters ticking
all o2 sensors are bad
camshaft sensors
crankshaft sensor
egs transmission code
transfercase malfunction
retarded timing most likely because of camshaft sensors
some valvetronic module on the left side of the engine went bad

now here is my problem, after talking to one of my good friend who works at bmw as a mechanic he was surprised all this and more was goin on and how it may not be worth it to fix which i agree but i still owe 16k on it and it has 107k miles on it with a salvage title and replaced transmission(previous owner)

i was saving up for an M3 since i found some for good prices but since all these problems came up pretty quick i dont know what to do

i like my 328 but maybe i should park it up and pay it off till i can get rid of it, if the dealer takes it as a trade in

i was even thinking about buying an e46 again and driving that and maybe fix the 328xi but is it worth it?

anyone been in this sutuation? if so how did you end up dealing with it

thanks in advance

[thisisluiss]

107k with salvage title and all those issues? Youll be lucky to get 10k for the car. Id let it go since you owe more than the car is worth

[Thrakos]

How long have you owned it and how much did you pay for it to begin with... clearly you were taken for a ride. Do you know it has a salvaged title?

Unfortunately I think you're in a difficult place - no matter how you shake it, you are looking at a significant financial loss - with the issues you are having, coupled with it being a salvaged title, a dealer will not give you anything close to what you need to get out of it.

Since you have a friend that's a BMW mechanic, get him to give you an idea of what it would cost to fix the issues - that will give you a better idea as to what to do next.

[dip]

Originally Posted by thisisluiss

107k with salvage title and all those issues? Youll be lucky to get 10k for the car. Id let it go since you owe more than the car is worth

wow, how did you pay so much for this car?

[Kolyan2k]

Originally Posted by SyL3nTFoRcE

i was saving up for an M3 since i found some for good prices but since all these problems came up pretty quick i dont know what to do

I suggest saving up for a Civic, you will be in exactly the same situation down the road with M3 as you are now......with financed, broken, salvage title 328 that worth less then you own to bank

[Dark_Knight_335]

I guess the bigger question is how the hell are you still paying for a car that's nearly 6 years old?

When did you actually buy it- you mentioned a previous owner- was it a CPO? Private sale?

I wouldn't even be thinking of that M3 until you plonk that money down on paying that albatross off and dumping it.

[BavarianFanatic]

I don't see how all of those issues popped up simultaneously. There's something else going on. Have it properly diagnosed before you do anything.

[thenewrick]

Sounds like someone needs to sell their crazy overpriced bmw and buy a used honda fit and start saving some dough

[Chriztofor]

1) still owe 16k
2) has 107k miles
3) salvage title
4) multiple problems popping up

Screwed.

[Bender]

I see another BM in your future, unfortunately it might end in X not W

[fazman]

OP, you are probably going to be better off with leasing a Euro Delivery bimmer that you configure to order rather than buying branded titled/used cars. No offense... but it just seems like u are not that much of a gearhead yet and make some expensive/costly financial choices which hurt more than help you sorry bro.

[CivicKilla]

Fire Is The Cleanser!! You Can Get Out From Under Your Loan And Stick It To The Man!

[bahasad]

If you got spare cash lying around, park this car, get the cheapest and best condition Civic or Corolla you can find. Pay this one off until you aren't upside down and sell it. ... or just sell it and stomach the loss because you made a mistake buying this one bro.

I can't think of a worse situation to be in. Good luck to you OP.

[tony20009]

I should start by saying the scenario you present is both bleak and unfortunate. I think you know that, but just in case....I'm sure by now, however, you've realized the error you made in buying that particular car in the first place. It's a lesson, hopefully a few lessons, learned and that's that. I'm sorry to hear you had to learn the hard way.

IMO, you don't really have much of a choice. You will only get market value for the car and the car's market value is less than what you owe on it. You pretty much have to keep the car. The upside is that once you spend the money to fix the car, as long as the chassis and body are in good order, you'll have a nice car worth keeping.

If your priority is to spend the least amount possible and have transportation, and you have no other car, as I said, you have to keep the car. Put the money into the car to elevate it's durability and reliability, as well as it's general state. Then, keep the car for a long time, say 7-10 years. By then you'll have gotten your money's worth out of it and ameliorated some of the pain you are feeling now. You'll also have saved enough to buy a higher quality car next time.

I don't know when you bought the car, but as you owe $16K on it and it has a salvage title, I'm guessing it couldn't have been that long ago. Assuming the car's status was disclosed to you at the time of the sale, you don't really have any recourse against the seller. (Not that you were thinking you do, I'm just saying....)

If your issue is really that you have enough money to make a down payment on a different car, but not enough to effect all the repairs that are needed, I would say you have even fewer options than I initially thought. In that case, you should buy something else and if possible have the cost of the current car (less whatever value you get for it in trade) rolled into the new car's loan. If you go this route, you absolutely should keep the new car for long time, at least 10 years. Accordingly, I would suggest that to minimize the financial impact, you buy something that's got a lower TCO than any BMW will, and that also has a very good track record for reliability and durability. To me, that basically means you'll be driving a very mainstream Honda, Toyota or Nissan. I'd say Hyundai too, but I don't know enough about them to actually say so. Another option may be a Crown Vic. I know they aren't beautiful, fun or anything else, but there's a reason why taxi cab drivers use them: they are cheap to buy, cheap to won, cheap to repair and they last and last and last and last.

First, you need to decide whether you want reliable transportation at a cost that will allow you to save some money so you won't have to be in the same position later, or whether you want to have "cute" transportation at the expense of your financial position. I would undertake the former approach were it my decision to make, and assuming, as I said, I couldn't afford to make all the needed repairs.

BTW, you mentioned several sensors. Is it really just the sensors that have gone South, or is it the things they are sensing that need attention? You may be able to get buy with faulty camshaft sensors, for example, but you probably can't go for long with faulty camshafts.

All the best and good luck.

[miringrains]

OP I suggest you purchase the M3 and have the dealership boomerang your 328. You will waste WAYY too much money if you pay it off and fix it..

[tony20009]

Originally Posted by miringrains

OP I suggest you purchase the M3 and have the dealership boomerang your 328. You will waste WAYY too much money if you pay it off and fix it..

How will he waste money fixing it and paying it off? I don't see the financial merit to your assertion.

• Cost to pay for his current car + repairs my be something 26K in total. I'd even go so far as to say $30K. Regardless, once he fixes it, he's got a fine car, and since he's fixed everything, what else will there be to do, besides drive the car and pay the regular cost of maintenance.
• Cost to buy an M3 > $30K. (if it's going to be an M3 in excellent mechanical condition and in good physical condition) And the fixes it will surely sooner or later need will cost more than the equivalent fix on a 328. And the M3 has a higher TCO in general as it is.

The OP doesn't need an M3. The OP does need to find the most effective and efficient way to make the best of a bad financial state of affairs to the extent of his financial position related to his purchase of the 328i, and if possible turn the situation round to his favor. Buying the most expensive other 3er he could possibly choose is hardly going to be a good way to accomplish that. Another potential "money pit" car is the last thing the OP needs right on the heels of the one he's currently got.

[wilbur_the_goose]

It may be time to cut your losses. Sell the car for as much as you can (be honest with buyers) and pick up something reliable, fun, and inexpensive. I have a Civic Coupe, and I once almost sold an E46 for a Civic Si (best shifter I've ever driven).

Alternatively, you might be better off donating the car to charity and taking the tax deduction, pay off your loan out of savings, and start over. No shame in that - the last 5 years have killed a lot of us economically (My college-educated wife has been unemployed for 4+ years now)

[SyL3nTFoRcE]

ok i missed some parts bought the car for 15k but total came out to 22k with taxes registration and extended warranty that ended since i hit 100k

i was thinking bout buying a e46 because i know those cars well since i had 4 and did all the work on it with friends as well

i didnt know the car had a salvage title on it i was shown the wrong car fax on autotrader and when i went to the dealer i didnt ask for one because i thought i saw the right one

i didnt know about the salvage title or transmission change sadly

the only reason i wanted to buy an M3 is because i was saving up money for it but since this issue came up it may be 4k plus to fix so insteas of fixing i might trade the car in pay off what i have left and wait a while for the M3 but i will buy an e46 to use as a DD

i know im shyt out of luck and i will be takin a huge financial loss just didnt know what other options i had if any though…………

[Yvette]

bought rebuilt title car w/o knowing it?
i say sell it or trade it whatever
dont waste your time and money fixing it

[turanuk]

The dealer didn't disclose that it was a salvage title car? I didn't know that was legal...I feel for you man, sorry

[Cscat]

Sorry to hear of your misfortune. Sounds like that car is a headache. Good luck

[tony20009]

Originally Posted by turanuk

The dealer didn't disclose that it was a salvage title car? I didn't know that was legal...I feel for you man, sorry

If it's so that the dealer didn't disclose, the OP may have legal recourse in the matter.

http://www.nasdaq.com/article/car-se...t-now-cm130027