OT: Advice needed on how to get rid of a BMW

[paramount]

Such a sad, sad story for me personally…

After years of wanting a BMW, I finally bought a 328i 2 years ago.

It was a cream-puff; oh sure it was a base model with very few options – but I thought that was a good thing given BMW’s reputation (less stuff to break).

It only had 36k miles, for only $20k!

2 years later and I can’t wait to get rid of this German POS!!!

This car has so many problems I can’t even renew my annual registration. I’d like to trade it in, but I’m concerned about the massive (in my world) loss I’m going to take.

It seems like every possible warning/service light known to human kind is flashing on my dash.

The car needs thousands of dollars of work – and it only has 50k miles!! WTF?

[bearishgurl]

Of course, Pigg flu is the expert on this subject but I think you should start off by having all your codes read by an impartial (NOT smog shop) OBD II reader. Some of your codes may be nothing or just indicate a cheap sensor needs replacing. Also, if you have been taking it to a regular garage, THEY should be able to honestly and properly diagnose it, fix what needs fixing as cheap as possible, clear the codes from it and take it to THEIR smog shop to get a certificate.

Under NO CIRCUMSTANCES should you take it to a “Test and Repair” smog station. They are generally ripoffs and can and will fvck with your car just to show you a report that it didn’t pass so they can “repair” it for X hundreds/thousands of dollars and pass you. If your vehicle has been flagged by the DMV for a Star Station smog test, there are Star Stations which are “Test Only.” You should have your regular German auto mechanic take it to one of those stations, NOT you. They do biz with them on a regular basis and likely WILL get it passed after adjusting/fixing whatever is necessary.

Having had several older cars in my life, I understand how the “system” works. My current vehicle is nearly 20 years old, runs like a champ and the CA DMV has been trying to get vehicles the age of mine off the road for a few years now.

[paramount]

Thanks BG…

I have a fairly advanced OBD II reader, and a really good idea what the problems are…

1. The cooling system is shot (water pump/thermostat)
2. Electrical problems related to the battery

Not to mention all (4) brakes are history ($1500 + on a BMW) – I could do this myself…

I should have bought the Avalon.

Well, at least I got it out of my system.

[scaredyclassic]

according to godwin’s law, this thread really should end witha nazi reference.

as a jew, I would never buy a german car. that’s not a universally held position. but I would not. i don’t trust them.

[bearishgurl]

[quote=paramount]Thanks BG…

I have a fairly advanced OBD II reader, and a really good idea what the problems are…

1. The cooling system is shot (water pump/thermostat)
2. Electrical problems related to the battery

Not to mention all (4) brakes are history ($1500 + on a BMW) – I could do this myself…

I should have bought the Avalon.

Well, at least I got it out of my system.[/quote]

Although you might have gotten more “bells and whistles” with the Avalon for the same money, I don’t think the problems you mention here are that great or are insurmountable. Avalons periodically need brakes, too and they run $700 to $900 all around.

If you can install the brakes yourself and none of your rotors need machining, then do the job and then take it into a reputable German auto mechanic. Let them check your newly-installed brakes and water pump and install a water pump and thermostat (if needed) and do a flush and fill of the radiator and lines (if needed) and then test it with OBD II again. (It seems kind of young to me to need a water pump.) Then have THEM take it the THEIR preferred “Test only” station to get you a certificate.

This is all well worth it. Your car is just a toddler. It should run another $200K miles without needing major work (exc timing belt, brakes, etc and all the usual maintenance stuff). I don’t know why you would want to dump it at a loss. All vehicles cost money to keep running properly.

The CA DMV has been cracking down Big Time on older vehicles for a few years now (except those vehicles legally considered “Antiques”) and have stepped up their “inspection criteria” of what constitutes a biennial “smog check.” The state is obviously attempting to make it really hard for Joe and Suzy 6pack to keep driving their $2-$6K vehicles to work and back.

[bearishgurl]

[quote=6packscaredy]according to godwin’s law, this thread really should end witha nazi reference.

as a jew, I would never buy a german car. that’s not a universally held position. but I would not. i don’t trust them.[/quote]

How’s your *new* Honda running, scaredy??

[bearishgurl]

And paramount, you must know that if your car actually really needs a new battery to clear that electrical code, this is only a $75 – $100 problem and the connectors are $6-$12 each.

[spdrun]

Lemon law the dern thing?! Leave it in East Palo Alto and let someone steal it?

And as an American, I should be loath to buy Japanese cars. Remember the Bataan Death March!

(And German cars, since my non-American grandfather died fighting the Nazis in the resistance.)

It’s been almost 70 years at this time. Let the best product win.

[Hatfield]

The brakes are expensive on a BMW because the rotors are consumed as well as the pads. So you need pads and rotors all around, hence the high cost. My MINI was that way too, and when one of the front brake calipers stuck – for the second time – taking the rotor with it, BMW refused to cover it under warranty. This was with 20k miles on it. That car was such a godawful POS that I couldn’t bring myself to sell it to a private party. I didn’t want the buyer phoning me up 3 weeks later when the next thing to break finally broke. I traded it in on a new 911 which I’ve been very happy with.

[Hatfield]

I think your best bet is going to trade it in on something. You’re not going to get close to blue book, but they’re probably not going to look at it either and make deductions for repairs needed. They’ll probably just wholesale it back out anyway. When I traded in the MINI they didn’t even take a look at it.

[paramount]

[quote=bearishgurl]And paramount, you must know that if your car actually really needs a new battery to clear that electrical code, this is only a $75 – $100 problem and the connectors are $6-$12 each.[/quote]

Replacing a battery in a newer BMW is around $500.

[paramount]

[quote=bearishgurl] The state is obviously attempting to make it really hard for Joe and Suzy 6pack to keep driving their $2-$6K vehicles to work and back.[/quote]

That’s called tyranny.

A couple of weeks ago the state was running a smog checkpoint in RB.

[spdrun]

Googled smog checkpoints, and apparently they’re voluntary?

http://pleasanton.patch.com/groups/michael-austins-blog/p/bp–california-highway-patrol-setup-with-random-smog-1423fe34d3

Assuming you politely refused while informing the cops running the thing that they’re being recorded(*), can they do much to you?

Is CA really worse than many East Coast states? I’ve heard that CA doesn’t have safety inspection, only smog, and you can tell from some of the hunks of junk running around SD. CA isn’t a major auto producing state, so I don’t see why there would be any grand conspiracy — though there should be an interest in keeping the air clean.

(*)- recorded and uploaded to the cloud, of course, so confiscation of cell phone would just add to evidence, not destroy it.

[scaredyclassic]

[quote=spdrun]Lemon law the dern thing?! Leave it in East Palo Alto and let someone steal it?

And as an American, I should be loath to buy Japanese cars. Remember the Bataan Death March!

(And German cars, since my non-American grandfather died fighting the Nazis in the resistance.)

It’s been almost 70 years at this time. Let the best product win.[/quote]

sorry. this is my one nonnegotaible article of faith.

no german cars.

[scaredyclassic]

[quote=bearishgurl][quote=6packscaredy]according to godwin’s law, this thread really should end witha nazi reference.

as a jew, I would never buy a german car. that’s not a universally held position. but I would not. i don’t trust them.[/quote]

How’s your *new* Honda running, scaredy??[/quote]

smugly flawless.

it’s ok, but i miss the 1989 civic.

it is much less adventurous, riding in it.

the a/c was nice this summer tho.

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