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newbie looking for advice please help

2K views 12 replies 10 participants last post by  n1knightmare 
#1 ·
hi i am new to bmw's all together. well my grandfather has a 91 733i and my uncle has a 84 320i and my other uncle has a 04 545i. But all i have done is ridden in my grandfathers car which is in mint condition.He takes care of it a lot.

Ok i am looking for my first car.I am 20 years old and I am college student in the day and I work at night. I make like $ 1150 dollars a month. I want a 318i or a 318is because gas prices are high.My question is can I afford to maintain and service a 93-97 bmw 318i or 318is without going broke with my current income? I would service it a specialized bmw independent mechanic, cheaper than the dealer. ???

My whole family has told me that I am a idiot and hard headed and that I will not be able to maintain and service a bmw and it will probably end up as a lawn adornment.Are they right?

I am hell bent on getting a bmw but dont know if financially i can do it.
I would be glad if you guys could tell me on average how much do you need monthly to maintain these type of cars.


If i can afford to maintain these cars, then I could ask you for your advice on these cars i was looking at and wondering which is better.

car #1 : 1994 325i mileage:164,000 5 speed $4,400
car# 2 : 1993 318is mileage 99,000 5 speed $4,995

What should the price range be for a decent well maintained 93-95 bmw 3 series in good condition with no work needed with normal mileage?


I am new, thanks and have a great day
 
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#2 ·
For the price range, go to kbb.com or some other simliar site, it will give you a good idea for what to look for. I would look for a 1995 318i or 318is. The lower the milegae the better for you as far as maintiance. If you do your homework and get a good clean, well maintianed car, you should be able to keep up with the maintiace needs. Just make sure you have 1k that you can keep around just in case.
 
#3 ·
thank you for helping me i feel like the black sheep of the family for going againgst them. but my concern is that if I buy a nice model with low miles and everything goes okay for awhile without nothing breaking , i can tell them i told you so. But i get a bad model and the car doesn't perform well and needs much repair they will be like you are so hardheaded you didn't listen so look what happened.


Thats good.
 
#4 ·
I make about $50-70 a week and I can afford a 318is there cheaper in terms of quick upgrades and repair.

DIY or Do It Yourself I will post a learn to DIY soon you may spend money on tools buts and 1/100th of the price to take it to the dealer or a mechanic for every little problem you have.
 
#5 ·
Find a clean 1995. Learn to do stuff yourself. Stay on this forum cause it saves you loads of time and MONEY. The guys here have helped me many times. Don't wait for things to break before replacing them and it won't cost much to maintain. AND DON'T ABUSE THE CAR... I've had my 325is for five months and maintenance has cost me $250.00 CD$... I won't tell you what my self-inflicted stupid idiot driving has cost me the last few days.

Good luck.
 
#6 ·
The iron monk: Thank you for the the info, that makes me feel a lot better. Diy, I must learn it. With a Diy manual and tools we can assess the problem and find a solution, time saving and money saving. I appreciate it.

e36surge: Thanks for the info, much needed. Just curious, why look for a 95 model? These have less problems than other model years? 95 is the most reliable model year? If not which is? and How muchdoes a clean 95 cost?
WOW! ONly 250 cdn in 5 months, it is true then that if you diy you will save mad money. Thanks appreciate it alot.
 
#7 ·
95s are OBD-1, easier to mod. I said 95 cause you have a budget. It depends on what you want to do. If you just want a BMW 3 series to drive and not modify then get the newest BMW you can for the money you're budgeting. It took me three months to find my 325 and I got lucky cause the previous owner really took care of the car. Take your time and don't rush into buying the first one you see.
 
#10 · (Edited)
Lisen bud, I'm 16 years old, No job, and I go to school everyday. I obviously make no $$ per month and I can afford to service my '94 318is. Maybe I'm just lucky, but I dont have problems. knock on wood. I've had the car for 1 year in october and only problems to date were recharging the a.c. and a flat tire. Thank god. Good luck ,and don;t listen to ur family. lol
 
#11 ·
That's a tough one. It's hard to say no if you've got the bug. If I were in your shoes i'd wait till i found a really nice 318 for a good price. It can be tricky, because if you get a problem child, kiss your time and money goodbye. I'd wait for something with low mileage though, nothing above 100-110k. I spent a couple of months shopping and reading this forum before I got my 92 325i with 80K miles. It had a few minor bugs, but i'm working them out. Read online here for buying tips on what to look for and things to check (like what kind of condition the shocks are in, the sunroof, interior, whatever).

Other than that, best of luck.

Cheers - Nate
 
#13 ·
I have a 1995 318i conv. and i paid 8000.00 for it. It had a sports package and it was perfect in and out. The only problem i had is it has 125,000 miles on it. To me the 318 sounds like a better choice for the price. Also if you are looking to build a 318 up dont count on it. The only thing i can really do is put a supercharger. 325 have more options like headers and exhaust. Good luck in your purchase!!
 
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