[TheTailoredSuit]

Hey guys, I'm currently in the search for my first car and I have a budget of about ~20k USD. These are my options -

2007-08 328i E92 with around 50-60k miles
2010 A4 2.0t with around 50k miles
2008 C300 with around 50k miles
2010 GTI with around 30k miles

Which car would you prefer to own, out of warranty? Which is the most reliable while also being fun to drive?

[Game]

Don't want to look into E90 335i's? That would get my vote.

Otherwise E92 or GTI.

[psmith95]

Out of that list i'd do GTI as most fun and reliable since you could have one for relatively low mileage

[Titanium3er]

GTI

[xxxjecxxx]

Without considering which car has the options that would be more useful to know ...nav. bluetooth, etc..

e92 is pure sexy.

[TheTailoredSuit]

I don't want an E90 because I don't like the looks of it. And I hear that 335is are quite unreliable compared to NA 328is.

As far as looks go, I love the A4 and the E92. As far as comfort goes, I think the C300 wins and the GTI takes the crown in reliability. Have I got it right?

[BavarianFanatic]

Go for the BMW. Even with the mileage, it'll be a better car over the long haul. Assuming you're looking to have it for a while. Do some research about repair costs for the GTI. VW builds pretty inexpensive cars, but they can get pricey to have serviced. Especially with automatic trans.

[BavarianFanatic]

Originally Posted by TheTailoredSuit

I don't want an E90 because I don't like the looks of it. And I hear that 335is are quite unreliable compared to NA 328is.

As far as looks go, I love the A4 and the E92. As far as comfort goes, I think the C300 wins and the GTI takes the crown in reliability. Have I got it right?

This is 100% incorrect. They HAD issues, but have been resolved for years.

[TheTailoredSuit]

Originally Posted by BavarianFanatic

This is 100% incorrect. They HAD issues, but have been resolved for years.

were they resolved with newer models or with recalls? A 2010 is 335i is way out of my range.

also do you know how costly Audis are to maintain and repair? I really like the way the A4 looks

[Titanium3er]

Originally Posted by TheTailoredSuit

I don't want an E90 because I don't like the looks of it. And I hear that 335is are quite unreliable compared to NA 328is.

As far as looks go, I love the A4 and the E92. As far as comfort goes, I think the C300 wins and the GTI takes the crown in reliability. Have I got it right?

I have to disagree that any of those options is that much more reliable than a 335. German cars in general are not known for their reliability. It's really a crap shoot and you'd need to know the maintenance and repair history of the specific car to get an idea of your odds. Best bet is to get one that comes with a warranty that way you don't have to worry about it for awhile.

It really depends on what your top priority is. I think you have their strengths right for the most part. As mentioned above, it'd also help to know the options they are equipped with.

[CarEnthused]

The 328 should in theory be more reliable but you might kick yourself for not getting a 335i.

I knew that when I test drove a 328 that it was going to be slower than my e36 M3 but I didn't know how much slower it would feel, so that's when I decided to go for the 335i and I don't regret it for a second.

So far I haven't had any real issues with my car and I bought it with 82k in November.

If a 335i is really not on the table then go with the GTI. I love those cars and the DSG in them is really fun too (if a manual isn't a requirement)

[norsairius]

Former GTI owner here. The GTI is a ton of fun and very practical. The front wheel drive got old for me though when I wanted to push the car just a bit harder. It was otherwise an excellent car for long-distance drives and got excellent gas mileage. The GTI also has tons of character.

If you get the automatic, be aware of the DSG transmission fluid flush that needs to be done every 40k miles. The costs I've seen quoted for that alone have been anywhere between 500-800 dollars. Not to mention, there's the general service that needs to be done every 40k that involves things like checking various bits, etc. You can save money there though if you know how to do some of it yourself. The DSG flush though requires special tools, if I'm not mistaken. It really depends on how handy you are with cars.

All that basically means that service every 40 miles may cost you around $1000. It's not that bad if you don't put miles on your cars too quickly, but it may make a difference. Also, like any direct-injected engine, the VW's intake valves will get carbon build ups that you may want to have cleaned out from time to time. This won't be an issue on the 328.

VW/Audi 2.0T engines have had failures on rare occurences where the timing chain tensioner goes out and the engine basically ends up becoming scrap. I haven't looked in to it since I traded in my CC, but I don't think the issue ever actually got fixed. Every car has their issues though, as the water pumps in these BMWs have been known to go out.

In general, online forums will exaggerate the issues because people are going to come online to complain or seek advice. People whose cars are running fine generally won't make posts about it (and I believe these people are the majority).

All that said, I love my 328. Great car so far and I hope to keep it for a long time!

[CruzS4e92]

i honestly don't think you can beat the sport seats in an e9x. or at least they don't get edged out by a C class. plus C class are lame looks like you're trying too hard and overextending for the badge imho

[Snow King]

Originally Posted by Titanium3er

I have to disagree that any of those options is that much more reliable than a 335. German cars in general are not know for their reliability. It's really a crap shoot and you'd need to know the maintenance and repair history of the specific car to get an idea of your odds. Best bet is to get one that comes with a warranty that way you don't have to worry about it for awhile.

It really depends on what your top priority is. I think you have their strengths right for the most part. As mentioned above, it'd also help to know the options they are equipped with.

Exactly my thoughts. If reliability is a big concern then i'm going to assume you don't have a lot of extra $$ laying around for constant maintenance and repairs. With the options OP listed, I would say get the GTI. Granted the bumper to bumper warranty and free maintenance expires at 3yr/36k miles but the drive train has a 5yr/60k warranty. If you drive average miles you will get 2-3 years of "insurance coverage" since that's what a warranty is anyway. You'll still have to pay for the normal maintenance but if something major goes wrong (except for the electronics) you'll likely be covered. And it is still a very fun car to drive.

But...have you considered Korean/Japanese? At a 20k price point with no much extra $$ something like a genesis coupe with a 5yr/60k bumper to bumper and 10yr/100k drivetrain warranty is something to consider. Don't judge it without driving it, you can even get one with a stock LSD. Something like that may be a better option for now, and then you can move into a German variety when you have the means to both own AND maintain it without going on a Ramen only diet. Don't stretch yourself into debt.

[Mardio]

My two cents... go for the newest with the lowest miles (GTI). I test drove one, fun ride.

[idrift4wd]

e92 335i 07-08

/thread

[NemesisX]

How about a V6 accord coupe? Miles will be lower and it'll be quite reliable. And this way, you have something to look forward to when you get your second car. Getting a luxury car as a first car kind of ruins the mystique.

I personally wouldn't look at luxury brands with a $20k budget.

[roadkillrob]

GTI then A4, warranties are good, other 2 are too old and will get expensive!

[TheTailoredSuit]

Originally Posted by NemesisX

How about a V6 accord coupe? Miles will be lower and it'll be quite reliable. And this way, you have something to look forward to when you get your second car. Getting a luxury car as a first car kind of ruins the mystique.

I personally wouldn't look at luxury brands with a $20k budget.

I was actually looking at a real nice G37 before but it's a bit thirsty and frankly,.... big. I think the V6 accord also has a 3.5L v6 thats not very economical..doesn't it? otherwise I like the car though, it looks pretty cool.

[Bingobimmer]

I would go with V6 accord as others have mentioned. Out of your list I would say gti

[bahasad]

None of those cars are going to be comparable to your Accord for repair costs or reliability. Keeping that in mind, I would take the E92 or GTI (E92 for me since I prefer BMW and RWD). In general I find BMWs to be more reliable than MB/Audi and with lower ownership costs, especially the 328I, which is arguably the most reliable BMW in recent memory.

[BavarianFanatic]

If you're young/in school the best thing you could possibly do is buy a new Civic or Corolla. Buying an older car that's on the higher end of the spectrum will not be cheap to maintain. Get yourself well established THEN get yourself a nice BMW.