Yes, but your usable years figure changes too.. its no longer 10 years, but 13 years in the first case (+30%) and 12 years in the second case (+20%). Which then also alters the long term cost by the reciprocal.(1/1.3, 1/1.2)
After calculating it for 12 and 13 years respectively, you get price per month of $97/month and $102/month respectively. My point still stand that over the long term, if you don’t plan to change your car often, the monthly price difference is quite small. The “latte factor” can compensate for that.
In terms of better safety, power, gas mileage, that is not always true. What changes these items are changes in technology. ABS, Sequential Port Fuel Injection, individual ignition, variable valve timing.. look for those changes.. not model year. In fact, some changes in newer models have been considered a step backward (I-drive) by a few people.
If you compare between cars from 7-10 years apart, a lot of newer technologies have changed. Example is car now vs the 1997-1999 entry level luxury, i.e. BMW. The newer 40k car have 300HP vs the 215 of the used one. The interior is much better designed. Not only that, you have much more option than just BMW, Benz, and Audi. Now you have Infiniti, Lexus, and Acura which are cheaper, more standard features, and more reliable.
As you’ve mentioned of those technologies, you’ve noticed that a lot of those tech are in the newer cars, such as direct injection, variable time on exhaust and intake, new turbo technologies are in the newer cars, not the older ones. Those technologies are what yield you either higher gas mileage if the HP stays the same or higher HP for the same gas mileage. I’ve never seen a car that has more technologies 10 years ago compare to the car now. I-drive is debatable and I’ll just leave it as that, because something it’s nice some don’t. That’s BMW’s decision.
Then there’s intangible things like having newer leather that you can maintain to keep newer longer. You don’t know how the previous owner used it, which really determine how long it can last. More sound deadening to make your ride quieter & smoother.
As for when trouble occurs (in particular with BMWs), you have to look at models. The V8s and V12s use an aluminum block, non-sleaved with nikasil plating on the inside of the bore. nikasil is a very hard material (nickel-silicon), but the early BMW applications suffered pitting and deterioration from sulfer in some gasoline(low quality). The straight 6(s) are fairly bulletproof to 200k miles, but expect brake rotor, strut replacement as well as a trans overhaul.
I can not speak to the newer V8s etc.. I have heard that the technique has been abandoned on BMW’s commercial line now.
The actual block might be bullet proof but the rest of the car is not. The costly maintenance I’m referring to are timing belts, tranny, clutch if you drive manual, electrical, suspension, braking system, cooling system. God forbid, if your cooling system fail and you didn’t notice it for 5-10 minute, then you’re talking about damage to your head, or even warped block. Those things can add up to 5-10k in repair easily if you have to do all those repair. Those expenses, I did not add to the price comparison. Even w/out it, the difference is around $60-$70/month. That’s a dinner at a nice restaurant for 2. You’re arguing about semantics but you’re missing the big picture.
