Just rolled over 100K miles...my take on BMW

On Nov 20, 6:46 pm, (Scott Dorsey) wrote:
> > wrote:
>
> >My car is a '98 3 series, okay, satisfied? Now tell me what damn
> >difference does it make? BMW put a crappy GM transmission
> >in the car that failed at 86k miles, as has happened to probably
> >thousands of their customers.
>
> Okay. NOW we are getting somewhere. So what you are saying is something
> like "Don't buy a '98 3-series with an automatic." And that's a statement
> I'd certainly agree with. That's a very different statement than saying
> all BMWs are unreliable.

Did you bother to read the site I linked to? I never said ALL BMWs
are
unreliable; there are some exceptions I guess. But I'd guess some
Ford Pintos made it to 150k miles without blowing up or falling apart.

> >Nobody said anything about anybody having to make "perfect" cars.
> >You like to make stuff up, goober. I doubt you've ever bought
> >a new BMW in your life, or ever will, but if you're ever able,
> >be my guest.
>
> I've never bought a new BMW either... I wait for them to get old enough
> that all of the major problems have become known. Currently I have one
> with 350,000 miles on it, and my record was 480,000 on an original engine.

For guys like you (and this NG always seems to have a lot of you) who
buy elderly Bummers for next to nothing, relatively speaking, I can
see why you can't relate to those of us who payed much bigger bucks
for newer models. Hell, I've had no problems whatever with the
*engine*
of my car, but there's a bit more to a car than an engine.

> >There you go again blowing **** out your ass. Come back down sonny.
> >My post is only about BMW and their ****ty cars. They can't even
> >perfect electric windows. Mine have failed several times, as have
> >many of Beamer owners'. Now please go off on a tanget about Beamer
> >instead of Bimmer. And have fun in your $3,000 Bummer.
>
> No, your post is about BMW and YOUR ****ty car. Don't judge all vehicles
> based on one.

Once more, read the link I've provided at least twice. BMW produces
over-
priced crap and a person would be a fool to buy one, especially new.
BMW also produces crappy parts/components. My car has had
more than one electrical component fail twice, which has nothing to
do with my car per se, but with their short-lived, sub-par components.
Failures are common. Don't know many owners of fairly late model
cars?
But for guys who plop down 2 or 3 grand for a beat up old model, go
for it. You don't have much to lose.

In article
>,
> wrote:
> BMW also produces crappy parts/components. My car has had
> more than one electrical component fail twice, which has nothing to
> do with my car per se, but with their short-lived, sub-par components.

BMW don't make the electrics.

--
*Remember: First you pillage, then you burn.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

> wrote:
>On Nov 20, 6:46 pm, (Scott Dorsey) wrote:
>
>Did you bother to read the site I linked to? I never said ALL BMWs
>are
>unreliable; there are some exceptions I guess. But I'd guess some
>Ford Pintos made it to 150k miles without blowing up or falling apart.

No, I didn't read the site. I don't have web access here, only Usenet
and email. But what you posted sure sounded like a blanket condemnation
of BMW products.
>
>> I've never bought a new BMW either... I wait for them to get old enough
>> that all of the major problems have become known. Currently I have one
>> with 350,000 miles on it, and my record was 480,000 on an original engine.
>
>For guys like you (and this NG always seems to have a lot of you) who
>buy elderly Bummers for next to nothing, relatively speaking, I can
>see why you can't relate to those of us who payed much bigger bucks
>for newer models. Hell, I've had no problems whatever with the
>*engine*
>of my car, but there's a bit more to a car than an engine.

When I bought them, they weren't elderly and they weren't selling for next
to nothing. But they are now, and they just keep running, and that's a
good thing.

I actually tried to buy a brand new BMW two years ago, but basically could
not get one with all the electronics crap removed. So I kept driving
the old ones. I am hoping for a stripped down Series 1 in the US, maybe?
I don't want all that electronics junk. It breaks.

You're upset that it breaks. Well, I could have told you that it would break
before you bought it. You get a complex system, then you try and build it
for a price the consumer can buy, and it's going to take some time to get
it right. Hell, it took GM thirty years to get the torque converter right.

>Once more, read the link I've provided at least twice. BMW produces
>over-
>priced crap and a person would be a fool to buy one, especially new.
>BMW also produces crappy parts/components. My car has had
>more than one electrical component fail twice, which has nothing to
>do with my car per se, but with their short-lived, sub-par components.
>Failures are common. Don't know many owners of fairly late model
>cars?

This is the case with ALL cars. All car manufacturers do extreme cost
engineering, because the customer demands the cheapest product possible.
And they all throw on all the latest gewgaws because the customer demands
it. And now we are in the middle of the whole RoHS debacle which is
going to be causing increasing electronics reliability problems. If you
think the old L-Jetronic was plagued by cold solder joints, just WAIT
a couple years and see what the lead-free stuff is going to be like.

Don't blame BMW for that. Well, okay, blame BMW for it, but you have to
blame every other manufacturer too.

>But for guys who plop down 2 or 3 grand for a beat up old model, go
>for it. You don't have much to lose.

I strongly recommend it, yes.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

In article >,
Scott Dorsey > wrote:
> I actually tried to buy a brand new BMW two years ago, but basically
> could not get one with all the electronics crap removed. So I kept
> driving the old ones. I am hoping for a stripped down Series 1 in the
> US, maybe? I don't want all that electronics junk. It breaks.

So do electrics. But it's simply not possible to get a modern car to
conform to emissions regs without the use of electronics.

--
*Remember: First you pillage, then you burn.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On 2007-11-20 07:53:17 -0800, said:

> Even though well maintained and only driven by me (and still looks
> great),
> I have to conclude the car has been.let's say, a bit of a POS....list
> of electrical
> ailments a mile long, total transmission failure at 86000 miles, and
> more electrical problems. By FAR, the most problematic pain in
> the ass car I have ever owned.
>
> My advice to anybody cruising this group thinking about buying a
> BMW: don't.

Sorry that's been your experience. My 2001(purchased 7/2000) e46 330Ci
just rolled the 100K mark. I did 37K of that 4 years ago in one year.
Problems? Drove the car some 3000 miles moving from the east coast to
the west. I think I averaged 33 mpg on the highway. No need for a
hybrid.

Problems?

1. Faulty Tail light.
2. Replaced slightly leaky water pump.

Both were within the 50k/4 year service period so no cost whatsoever.

--

thepixelfreak

On 2007-11-21 09:49:40 -0800, thepixelfreak > said:

> On 2007-11-20 07:53:17 -0800, said:
>
>> Even though well maintained and only driven by me (and still looks
>> great),
>> I have to conclude the car has been.let's say, a bit of a POS....list
>> of electrical
>> ailments a mile long, total transmission failure at 86000 miles, and
>> more electrical problems. By FAR, the most problematic pain in
>> the ass car I have ever owned.
>>
>> My advice to anybody cruising this group thinking about buying a
>> BMW: don't.
>
> Sorry that's been your experience. My 2001(purchased 7/2000) e46 330Ci
> just rolled the 100K mark. I did 37K of that 4 years ago in one year.
> Problems? Drove the car some 3000 miles moving from the east coast to
> the west. I think I averaged 33 mpg on the highway. No need for a
> hybrid.

And for those wondering, it's a 5 speed manual transmission. Who the
**** drives an automatic anyway. Automatic drivers aren't drivers,
they're passengers.

--

thepixelfreak

The tail light issue is actually very common... I have replaced one, but see
MANY other posts about error messages/defective bulb/taillights.
I had to take apart the driver window switch and clean the contact for it to
work one day... (5 minutes)
My good FAR outweighs the bad

"thepixelfreak" > wrote in message
news:2007112109494050073%not@dotcom...
> On 2007-11-20 07:53:17 -0800, said:
>
>> Even though well maintained and only driven by me (and still looks
>> great),
>> I have to conclude the car has been.let's say, a bit of a POS....list
>> of electrical
>> ailments a mile long, total transmission failure at 86000 miles, and
>> more electrical problems. By FAR, the most problematic pain in
>> the ass car I have ever owned.
>>
>> My advice to anybody cruising this group thinking about buying a
>> BMW: don't.
>
> Sorry that's been your experience. My 2001(purchased 7/2000) e46 330Ci
> just rolled the 100K mark. I did 37K of that 4 years ago in one year.
> Problems? Drove the car some 3000 miles moving from the east coast to the
> west. I think I averaged 33 mpg on the highway. No need for a hybrid.
>
> Problems?
>
> 1. Faulty Tail light.
> 2. Replaced slightly leaky water pump.
>
> Both were within the 50k/4 year service period so no cost whatsoever.
>
> --
>
> thepixelfreak
>



--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Bubbles wrote:
> This guy is a troll... he never tells us what car/tranny/specific
> issues he has.
> Every american car I have had has been a TOTAL piece of ****, from the
> interior to the rust filled body and pathetic engines that guzzle.
> The honda I had was excellent, even when neglected and driven like
> hell, lasted a LONG time.
> No one said BMW made "perfect" cars - but the "enjoyment" outweighs
> the hassles - IF you are a "driver"
> Clearly, you are not a driver, and should hurry and buy a new car
> that will fulfill you - something with no "driving pleasure" should
> suit you fine... check out the wonderful collection of USA
> machines... THOSE should please someone like you.

Actually, there are a several USA models that are pretty good cars.
Reliability is up and build quality is up as well.

Bottom line: If you want to drive a car that will ruin your driving
experience for almost any other car in existence, then you want to drive a
BMW. If you have the ability to pay for the privilidge then you will not be
dissapointed. If you can't afford the costs then you shouldn't buy the car.

>
>
> > wrote in message
> ...
>> On Nov 20, 11:13 am, "Pete" > wrote:
>>> > wrote
>>>
>>>> total transmission failure at 86000 miles,
>>>
>>> How often was the oil changed in that tranny? Or is it one of those
>>> "lifetime" fills, in which case the lifetime for this tranny was 86k
>>> miles.
>>>
>>
>> The auto trannies they put in these cars are proven pieces of crap.
>> By far, this was my biggest expense.
>>
>> Take a gander at the countless case stories at this link. My
>> experience was VERY similar. And BMW has behaved shamefully.
>>
>> http://www.consumeraffairs.com/autom...bmw_trans.html
>>
>>> Jokes aside, I do agree that while not complete show stoppers, some
>>> of the
>>> electrical gremlins on these cars can be irritating and costly to
>>> fix if you're like me and can't stand if something is not working
>>> as it should, no
>>> matter how benign. And I'm at only 40k miles right now.
>>
>> I'd say you've got a f-u-n future.

Dave Plowman (News) > wrote:
>In article >,
> Scott Dorsey > wrote:
>> I actually tried to buy a brand new BMW two years ago, but basically
>> could not get one with all the electronics crap removed. So I kept
>> driving the old ones. I am hoping for a stripped down Series 1 in the
>> US, maybe? I don't want all that electronics junk. It breaks.
>
>So do electrics. But it's simply not possible to get a modern car to
>conform to emissions regs without the use of electronics.

Absolutely. The ECU is a big deal, and makes a huge improvement both in
emissions and efficiency.

But there is NO reason to have a microprocessor to control the interior
lights. There is no reason for a data buss carrying signals from module
to module around the chassis. Don't even get me talking about iDrive.

Stuff breaks. I want a car with less stuff. Why can't I order a Series
1 with no air conditioning, crank-up windows and manual seat controls,
and a manual transmission?
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

"Jeff Mayner" wrote
> Actually, there are a several USA models that are pretty good cars.
> Reliability is up and build quality is up as well.

The new Pontiac G8 with a V8 and a manual tranny should be interesting.
It's basically the Holden Commodore that they'll be importing from
Australia.

But if someone has been convinced by BMW's marketing to own an "ultimate
driving machine", they will probably not even look at a GM product,
regardless how good it is or how much less it costs.

I personally do not think BMWs are worth their money. Sure, they're nice
cars, but other companies also make nice cars... for less.

Pete