new to BMW's

[rjr]

Most fun I have ever had on a long drive was in a 325 from New York to Ft Lauderdale.

Now, after driving a Chevy Tahoe for almost 10 years, I have decided to go for the lust. But questions abound

I drove a 2001 540i (6 sp) the other day. Can't imagine anything better. Your thoughts on maintenence costs, repairs, driving in snow, other choices would be appreciated.

My biggest concern is that a friend who had a 745 said it costs $2000.00 to drive into a dealership, even if everything is ok.

Thanks

rjr

PS I posted this in another part of the forum. Please accept my apologies if this is the second time around.

[///M Power]

BMW = cool

american car = not cool

welcome to the forums. excuse me if my post seems bland but i haven't slept in over 53 hours as of now.

handlign is always great in any BMW. The car is moderately priced to maintain so you shouldn't have to worry about that as much.

[ksz]

If you are buying a "Certified Pre-Owned" BMW, note the warranty information:

"Every Certified Pre-Owned BMW is backed by a special BMW Protection Plan which provides coverage on the car for up to two years or 50,000 miles (whichever comes first) from the date of expiration of the 4-year/50,000 mile BMW New Vehicle Limited Warranty."

Buy something with relatively low miles. The service indicator onboard the car will inform you when regular service is needed (oil change, inspection, etc.). Places like Jiffy Lube are generally unable to service BMWs because they don't have the necessary equipment to reset the service interval indicator. However, there are BMW-certified service shops other than BMW dealerships that provide more competitive rates.

If you're having body work done, always check with multiple shops, or better yet, ask your insurance company for recommendations.

BMW dealerships do charge a lot more for service than non-dealerships, but the same is probably true with many other brands.

[Torque]

i am sure you can find information on the internet on how to reset the oil/inspection lights yourself. that's what I do... takes 10 seconds on a e34. dont know about newer models though.

[Silver4evr]

Check the Consumer Reports web site or one of the more current issues for ratings of good, reliable used/pre-owned cars. They do include BMW in their ratings.

My dealer charges $110/hr labor rate. To replace 1 run flat tire (not repairable per Bridgestone) will cost about $485.

To repair a small rash on my lower front bumper will cost about $325.

Stuff not covered under warranty is very expensive at the dealer.

Maybe you can visit some local shops and inquire about their rates and their opinion of what cars are the best to own. Also, talk to other owners

I've stopped quite a few over the years and just asked them questions. They don't seem to mind talking about their cars.

Good luck.

[safetywork]

If you've found a car you like from a private party, make sure to have a PPI (Pre-Purchase Inspection) performed by a qualified party. I would also stop by your local dealer and ask the service manager if you could have the car CPOed. Perhaps you and the seller could split the difference of the cost. At least this way you have a piece of mind if anything mechanical should go wrong. Also check the CPO warrantee and what it covers. I believe it only covers the drivetrain and NOT the electricals. You could also inquire if you could pay for extending the maintenance program to 100k (I was told you can do this.... I'll know next week as I'm due for service and would very much like to have my maintenance paid for up to 100k).