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      01-17-2013, 11:49 AM   #14
Finnegan
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Drives: Z4M/. Z3M, E36/46 M3
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Teaching the dog to slalom

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Quote:
Originally Posted by kennyfrc View Post
BMW ranks poor in reliabilty ratings. You have to dump them sooner than other brands because of the high cost/frequency of repairs and that repairs.
"BMW" may rank poor in reliability ratings, but which years are we talking about and which models? Saying "BMW" ranks poor is painting with mile wide brush and very thick paint. It doesn't address Baege's question, which is specific to a MY and model.

Here are some examples...
  • The E9x M3 has great reliability ratings.
  • The E9x 335 has terrible reliability ratings. (The notorious wastegate, turbo, and especially high pressure fuel pump failures).
  • Both are from the same MY periods. Both are essentially 3 series cars, but with a different suspension, drivetrain, and engine.
  • The crappy 135, 335, and 535 rankings were a huge drag on the brand for the years with the N54 engine. I'd also add that these issues were eventually fixed, covered with a BMW provided extended warranty, etc. Was a PITA if you owned one out of the box, but for someone looking for a 50K 335, the rankings may not tell a the whole story.

The E85/E86 has very good to good reliability ratings. Actually better than competing brands. But it depends on the MY, and the drivetrain. And even for the "good" (not great) 2006 year, a quick look at the type of repairs, shows things like cupholders, firewall strut bar, rear suspension loosening. Very few large ticket items, and most have an easy DIY fix, or are well known as "maintenance" (firewall struts, etc.) items for those on this forum. Very few folks here are going to take the car in for a loose firewall brace.

Bottom line, reliability is a lot more complex than a broad brush statement can convey.

Actual data can be found here. It's not a bad idea to join (which I did long ago) as it's a 1 min set of questions every 6 months that helps increase the number of data points. Plus you get to search a larger set of data. There are also comparisons to similar car in class. Good stuff, no matter which car you own or which you might consider owning.

As for repairs, elwesso nailed it. While Baege wouldn't be making monthly payments, he would be "paying" in terms of depreciation. Either way, putting 400-500 month (or even a bit less) into your his own "warranty fund" would be better way to plan for the future IMO. That way he would get interest, and if the repair never comes, he'd have a nice chunk of change that he could use the next time around to pass on the extended warranty and etc. Money in one's pocket and not some insurance company's pocket (that's all a warranty is, an insurance policy) is always a good deal.

Last edited by Finnegan; 01-17-2013 at 11:57 AM..
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