I have two options to buy a car
- 07 bmw 328i @61k with sport pkg
- 07 bmw 335i @73k with sport pkg, nav
Both are more of less same price. Now I am in a dilemma of which one to go for. Any advice is much appreciated.
Unless you have a pretty healthy repair budget, neither. They’re both going to be. . Shall we say, maintenance intensive.
@shadowfax : so you dont suggest BMW’s at all??
Any of the premium German cars are really for new-car-buyers who will get rid of them before the warranty expires, unless you have a lot of disposable income and really like the body style of an older one. BMW, Audi, Mercedes, doesn’t really matter - they’re all expensive to own once they’re out of warranty.
If you want a comparable car that won’t cost as much to run, take a look at the Infiniti G3x series. I’ll put their appointments up against BMW any day of the week, and they have Nissan reliability behind them.
“Unless you have a pretty healthy repair budget, neither. They’re both going to be. . Shall we say, maintenance intensive.”
Especially if they were formerly leased vehicles. Leased Bimmers are usually run into the ground. If you know the former owners, that might be a different story.
If you want a comparable car that won’t cost as much to run, take a look at the Infiniti G3x series
I totally agree with you on the low maintenance of infiniti compared to bmw but I wouldn’t compare a BMW ride quality to infinity. Thats a whole different argument anyways. Thanks for your input
Lets say I have decided to go with an used BMW no matter what. Which of the above two options is lesser evil
Drive both of them and see if you still like the 328 after driving the 335. If so, the turbo-less 328 will be less expensive to repair if the turbo goes up. I suggest that you have an independent (from the sale) garage give the one you choose first a prepurchase inspection. If it has little to nothing wrong, buy it. If there are issues, you can always have the other one inspected. Be prepared to pay the shop to inspect both of them. And based on the prepurchase inspections, you may decide not to buy either of them.
Of the luxury sedans, BMW seems to have lower warranty costs than similar cars (MB, Jaguar). That should translate into lower costs as the car ages, too. As a luxury car, it will always be expensive to repair when repairs are needed. If that doesn’t bother you, then take your time and find one that will last.
The 328 is rated very high. The 335 had some issues with the high pressure fuel pump. I have a 328 and I love it and I know a lot of people who got a lot of trouble free miles out of them. Good luck!
Thanks guys for your inputs.
Isn’t the HPFP(High Pressure Fuel Pump) issue resolved yet. BMW has already raised the warranty on that part to 10 years I think
I think they resolved that problem. I think you need to look at how well these cars were maintained. Don’t buy a BMW that was abused.
There are a lot of people at work with BMWs and none of them complains about reliability. Their cars are there every day, too.
Take them both to a qualified mechanic for a pre purchase inspection. Sure it may cost a couple or 300 dollars, but in viewing the reports it may help save you thousands and get the best choice.
Factory nav is nice to have, but do you REALLY need it?
Keep in mind both are 5 years old and might have some maintenance, or even some age related problems, coming up soon. See if you can look through the owner’s manual and see what’s coming due and get a cost estimate for it.