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please help! Acura 3.2CL or BMW 323ic?

2K views 3 replies 4 participants last post by  EDawg 
#1 ·
I have a few more months before I have to make a decision: Acura CL 3.2 Type S, 2001, or a 2000 BMW 323 Ci coupe. I came to the forum for reasonable advice. I am 20 years old, will purchase the car in cash, but after that, I will most likely be broke, working my way up again. The BMW is my first choice, and I love that car more than the Acura, but I really need to know if I will be able to maintain a bimmer. I hear parts are expensive, but I also hear parts for other cars from the year 2000+ are the same.
Beside from the fact that everyone loves BMW's, do you think it would be a smart move? I live in Jersey, so at least 3 months consists of driving in the snow. I may or may not have the money for snow tires, so would I be able to get away with driving extra slow? I've never driven RWD before, I have a fwd Stealth.
So can anyone please offer me advice or tips on what I can do to either make a decision or to somehow get away with purchasing the bimmer? It's what I really want, but realistically, the maintenance may drain me into debt from what I hear. Anything would be appreciated and be a big help in making my decision. Thank you.
 
#2 ·
Originally posted by I wanna own a bimmer@Jan 18 2004, 03:48 PM
I have a few more months before I have to make a decision: Acura CL 3.2 Type S, 2001, or a 2000 BMW 323 Ci coupe. I came to the forum for reasonable advice. I am 20 years old, will purchase the car in cash, but after that, I will most likely be broke, working my way up again. The BMW is my first choice, and I love that car more than the Acura, but I really need to know if I will be able to maintain a bimmer. I hear parts are expensive, but I also hear parts for other cars from the year 2000+ are the same.
Beside from the fact that everyone loves BMW's, do you think it would be a smart move? I live in Jersey, so at least 3 months consists of driving in the snow. I may or may not have the money for snow tires, so would I be able to get away with driving extra slow? I've never driven RWD before, I have a fwd Stealth.
So can anyone please offer me advice or tips on what I can do to either make a decision or to somehow get away with purchasing the bimmer? It's what I really want, but realistically, the maintenance may drain me into debt from what I hear. Anything would be appreciated and be a big help in making my decision. Thank you.
parts are expensive if you go to the dealership...but if u know where to look...u will find parts almost as cheap as other makes of cars
 
#4 ·
my advice is that you should never be a slave to your car. what that means is that if you have to drain your bank account, and possibly spend a good portion of your income just maintaining this thing, then you should either consider financing or buying a car that is less expensive all together. you never know if and when some type of emergency may happen where you will need immediate cash or there's is also the possibility that you may be unemployed for a length of time for whatever reasons. i know you can always sell you car for emergency cash, but doing so will usually mean selling the car for way less than you would like to. you are only 20, so you'll still have lots of time to own the car that you will really like, but in the mean time but whatever car that you can comfortably afford.

repair and maintenace can be pricey for a bmw. if you really love your car, you'll probably want the best for it, meaning you would or should take it to a bmw specialist for any type of required work done. these guys are no joke--they will charge you an arm and a leg and not feel bad about it. this is also probably true for acura. my advice is that you should buy a car with warranty that'll cover you at least the next 2 or 3 years.

from my experience, the bmw 3 series is a pretty easy RWD to drive. as long as you take it easy in slippery conditions, you should be okay in the snow or rain. this is probably true for all cars, including FWDs. if you live in snowy areas and are not the best driver, you might want to consider an AWD vehicle like an audi. AWDs are not idiot proof, but it'll be more capable than either of the other type of drivetrain in slippery conditions.

but ultimately, the choice is yours, for it is your money. good luck on the decision.
 
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