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

[an]

[quote=evolusd]On the topic of cars, what do you guys think of the trend of more diesels in USA? Seems like you get the gas mileage benefit of a hybrid, but don’t sacrifice the driving pleasure as they tend to have tons of low end torque.

Audi A3 TDI sedan looks pretty cool.[/quote]I’m loving the fact that there are more diesels in the US now. Although, all of them have been gearing toward MPG instead of performance. I’d love to see one that gear more toward performance.

[jimmyle]

German cars are not as reliable as their reputation suggests. That’s according to one warranty provider, which has studied its database to reveal the makes of cars most and least likely to have engine problems.

Warranty Direct, which with 50,000 policies on its books is the UK’s leading supplier of direct consumer warranties, claims that Audis, BMWs and Volkswagens have some of the least reliable engines available.

Indeed, among the cars owned by its policy holders, the only engines to have failed more than Audis were those from the now defunct MG Group. In total 1 in 13 of MG Rover motors failed in the past year, and problems presented themselves in 1 in every 27 Audi engines. Mini was the third least reliable with a failure rate of 1 in 40, while BMW finished seventh (1 in 45) and Volkswagen ninth (1 in 52).

The most reliable engines came from Honda, with a failure rate of just 1 in 344, with Toyota in second (1 in 171) and, maintaining some honour for the German brands, Mercedes in third (1 in 119).

The company also pointed out the high cost of repair that can be associated with engine problems. In its highest claim, which was for a Range Rover Vogue, an engine failure cost £12,998.46.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/news/9815860/German-cars-lose-out-in-reliability-survey.html

[jimmyle]

Why the diesel version of any car costs so much more than the gasoline. The diesel premium is even more than the hybrid premium. You can understand the hybrid premium with the massive battery and additional electric motor.

2014 Volkswagen Passat Sedan–MSRP from $20,845
2014 Volkswagen Passat Diesel–MSRP from $26,295

I wonder if the out of the door differnce is much smaller than the MSRPs suggest.

[quote=AN][quote=evolusd]On the topic of cars, what do you guys think of the trend of more diesels in USA? Seems like you get the gas mileage benefit of a hybrid, but don’t sacrifice the driving pleasure as they tend to have tons of low end torque.

Audi A3 TDI sedan looks pretty cool.[/quote]I’m loving the fact that there are more diesels in the US now. Although, all of them have been gearing toward MPG instead of performance. I’d love to see one that gear more toward performance.[/quote]

[an]

[quote=jimmyle]Why the diesel version of any car costs so much more than the gasoline. The diesel premium is even more than the hybrid premium. You can understand the hybrid premium with the massive battery and additional electric motor.

2014 Volkswagen Passat Sedan–MSRP from $20,845
2014 Volkswagen Passat Diesel–MSRP from $26,295

I wonder if the out of the door differnce is much smaller than the MSRPs suggest. [/quote]I don’t know the answer to that. Maybe it’s because they’re trying to milk the MPG advantage. In term of technology and parts, I don’t think it’s anymore complicated than turbo gasoline engines.

[paramount]

[quote]German cars are not as reliable as their reputation suggests.

Indeed, among the cars owned by its policy holders, the only engines to have failed more than Audis were those from the now defunct MG Group. In total 1 in 13 of MG Rover motors failed in the past year, and problems presented themselves in 1 in every 27 Audi engines. Mini was the third least reliable with a failure rate of 1 in 40, while BMW finished seventh (1 in 45) and Volkswagen ninth (1 in 52).

The most reliable engines came from Honda, with a failure rate of just 1 in 344, with Toyota in second (1 in 171) and, maintaining some honour for the German brands, Mercedes in third (1 in 119).

[/quote]

This article doesn’t mention it directly, but many would consider the BMW I-6 one of the greatest 6 cylinders ever made.

[an]

[quote=paramount][quote]German cars are not as reliable as their reputation suggests.

Indeed, among the cars owned by its policy holders, the only engines to have failed more than Audis were those from the now defunct MG Group. In total 1 in 13 of MG Rover motors failed in the past year, and problems presented themselves in 1 in every 27 Audi engines. Mini was the third least reliable with a failure rate of 1 in 40, while BMW finished seventh (1 in 45) and Volkswagen ninth (1 in 52).

The most reliable engines came from Honda, with a failure rate of just 1 in 344, with Toyota in second (1 in 171) and, maintaining some honour for the German brands, Mercedes in third (1 in 119).

[/quote]

This article doesn’t mention it directly, but many would consider the BMW I-6 one of the greatest 6 cylinders ever made.[/quote]Just because it’s considered to be a great engine does not mean it’s reliable.

[FlyerInHi]

I’ve been reading about cars on and off for years.

There are the enthusiasts who want cheap, fun to drive sporty cars. Cars that are light, with limited bloat and cheap to maintain, that will last for decades.

The more I think about it, the less those cars make business sense. Car makers don’t have the financial incentives to make such car. Instead they want high margin cars, either on bloat ware or maintenance.

I think BMW has no maintenance sales pitch for the fist so many miles. That’s fine when the car is new. but you’re asking for trouble as the car gets older . Not a problem if you trade in your car every few years. But if you’re cheap or poor, then the car is not for you.

A lot of buyers yearn so much for a luxury car that they often bite off more than they can chew.

[spdrun]

Translation: the average car buyer wants overly complicated crap, and is so fucking technically stupid as to deserve a punch in the n@ds.

[paramount]

[quote=FlyerInHi]

A lot of buyers yearn so much for a luxury car that they often bite off more than they can chew.[/quote]

I guess I have to admit I can’t afford to own it. Do I have the money to get it fixed? Yes

Would I rather use that same money in other ways? Most definitely…

Translation: I can’t afford a BMW.

I never yearned for a luxury car or even a status car – I just thought I was getting a great deal.

I remember bragging: I got a BMW for the price of a Corolla!

[The-Shoveler]

[quote=FlyerInHi]I’ve been reading about cars on and off for years.

There are the enthusiasts who want cheap, fun to drive sporty cars. Cars that are light, with limited bloat and cheap to maintain, that will last for decades.

The more I think about it, the less those cars make business sense. Car makers don’t have the financial incentives to make such car. Instead they want high margin cars, either on bloat ware or maintenance.

I[/quote]

Bingo !!!

It’s kind of like home builders, they mostly either want to sell you a condo, or a Mc-Mansion, or possibly a small SFH with almost zero lot.

(unless it’s in a low land cost area of course).

I think stealerships as we know them now, their days are numbered.

Tesla cannot be undone.

[Coronita]

Well, especially these days, a good portion of the cars aren’t actually owned, but leased….. Aside from some folks who do so because they can write it off and it makes sense, the majority of the leasee I suspect do so, because they really can’t afford it, but want status rights..

4 years of included maintenance, on a 3 year lease. Translation.. Abuse the heck of out the car, turn the car in at the end of the lease. Internal damage can’t really be inspected out anyway…

I think only in SD I see more Mercedes, BMWs, and Audi’s then I do see Honda Accords or Toyota Camry’s…

[joec]

[quote=flu]Well, especially these days, a good portion of the cars aren’t actually owned, but leased….. Aside from some folks who do so because they can write it off and it makes sense, the majority of the leasee I suspect do so, because they really can’t afford it, but want status rights..

4 years of included maintenance, on a 3 year lease. Translation.. Abuse the heck of out the car, turn the car in at the end of the lease. Internal damage can’t really be inspected out anyway…

I think only in SD I see more Mercedes, BMWs, and Audi’s then I do see Honda Accords or Toyota Camry’s…[/quote]

Hah, maybe that’s just in CV 🙂
I see tons of mini-vans myself.

In LA on the west side, almost every other car is a MB SL I’ve noticed.

[Coronita]

Here you go paramount..

http://www.scion.com/cars/FR-S2014/?siteid=DIS_LAFY14_AOD_BHV_300x250_All_SustainmentAug2013_FR-S

You’ll like it…

[paramount]

[quote=flu]Here you go paramount..

http://www.scion.com/cars/FR-S2014/?siteid=DIS_LAFY14_AOD_BHV_300x250_All_SustainmentAug2013_FR-S

You’ll like it…[/quote]

I do like the FR-S, I also like the new Ford Focus ST:

[img_assist|nid=17670|title=Ford Focus ST|desc=Ford Focus ST|link=node|align=left|width=200|height=134]

[mike92104]

[quote=paramount]@flu: When I bought my 328 it had about 2 days of factory warranty left. I did have the full history, it was a lease return. I remember that the heads had been replaced, which was a known issue with the 328.

The code was something like: engine (or coolant) did not reach operating temp.[/quote]

Sounds like a thermostat. I’m not sure how difficult it might be on a bmw, but it’s a pretty easy/cheap fix on most other cars. Spend a few bucks and get a Chilton manual at an auto parts store and look it up, or search for your car make + thermostat on google.

On the electrical gremlins, I would check that the negative battery cable is tight on the battery. I’ve seen several cars with strange electrical issue that were fixed by proper grounding. I work on all my own cars, and the difference in cost vs going to a mechanic or even worse a dealer are staggering.

[Author]

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