Buying my first car! Needing advices! (Thinking about a BMW)

[Smooth-Op]

Hey guys!

I just graduated from University and now it's time for me to buy my very first car! =)
I'm 22, and the only car I've been using for the past 3 years is my parents SunFire 2005... An automatic.
Now that I’m finally out of school and working. I'm looking to get something a little more exciting and funnier to drive than a ******* SunFire... However, I’ve never really been too much into cars… so that’s why I need advices from you guys ;P
Here’s my situation/profile:
I live in Canada (Quebec) so there’s quite a bit of snow during most of the year where I live… so I was thinking about getting an AWD vehicle.
Also, I’ve really always liked BMWs so I was thinking about getting an used BMW 325XI, 328XI or 330XI between 2000-2004. I’d like to put under 20 000$ if possible for the car.

So now here are my questions :

What do you guys think of BMW?

I’ve red a bit about BMW and some ppl on forums say that BMW owners are mainly douchebags and assholes… is it a very spread conception?

Are those good years (2000-2004) for this model (3xxXI)?

How’s the consumption on those cars?

How much should I expect to pay per year for repairs ‘n shit?


If you have another car to suggest, feel free to do so but for now I’m really leaning toward a BMW.


Thanks!!

[hks]

i think you'll be hard pressed to find an AWD BMW newer than 2002 for under 20k. plus, they're not the cheapest cars to maintain.

the car itself is decent, but it might not be worth it in the long run.

[Smooth-Op]

Doesn't really have to be a 330. I believe the 325 will have all the HP I need.

Plus it looks identical, right? And consume less?

[realazy]

The 325xi isn't gonna be very fun to drive. It's much slower than the 330xi and even slower than a regular 325i.

The above poster is right about it being hard to find an xi model under $20gs. Seeing you are in Quebec however, that would mean cheaper cars. Bmw's will cost a bit more to maintain and since the years you are looking for a probably out of warrenty, I would save up a couple grand for repairs.

Look for 2002+ for the facelift version, I personally think that looks a lot better than the pre-facelift sedans.

I don't know what else to recommend, but as with all used cars, make sure everything checks out with a mechanic and accident histories, etc.

[MMAfighter]

under $20,000? Dude, go get yourself a Honda S2000. I don't know how much it costs in Canada, but in the states, you can get an ap1 for about $14,500 under 30K miles.

I've seen ap2 selling for $16,000-$18,000 (depending on the miles) and that is one hell of a deal. The only problem is, you're probably going to have to ship it, or drive down here, and drive it back up. I'll give you the links if you're interested.

Also, personally I wouldn't get any of the older BMW's because 1. Maintenance 2. Chances of it breaking down and you being disappointed. Like someone mentioned above, it might look good price wise, but wouldn't be good in the long run.

Your best bet would be a S2000, or heck, even an Impreza WRX (which sell here $15,000 gutted) since these are both fun cars to drive and would be much better than driving a BMW which has half the stats of these two cars. Personally, the 2000-2004 BMW 3 series have lifeless steering. However, the new 328i, 335i twin turbos are completely difference stories!

[CLiVE]

I have a 2002 325XIT. Great car, enough power, great on the highways. Gas mileage is great ~600kms/tank, handles amazing in the winter. Best all-round car I have ever owned. It has been very reliable, I bought the vehicle just out of warranty and have put over 30,000kms on it now with no problems whatsoever. You should be able to find an 02/03 for around the $20K mark if you keep an eye out. If you have any specific questions, shoot me a PM.

All depends what you are looking for in a car. Great all-round car IMO and my favorite of all the cars I have owned.
(celica, stealth, land rover, mini, lancer)

[FiveFreshFish]

If you're getting AWD, consider a 2002+ Audi A4 quattro.

[rage2]

S2K? In Quebec? Do u know how much it snows in Quebec? .

[300zxfairlday]

I vote for an audi also

[AE92_TreunoSC]

I'd say the E46 awd is far from perfect, but actually far more reliable then an A4. (trying not to be biased, but I work on audis and bmw's for a living)

The modern Audi's with the 2.0T are the only ones I'd consider. But they are above the price range you set.

[mark4091]

Good to see other people saying Audi on here before I even got in. You can get a 2002 Audi 2.6l AWD for about 8-10k if you're lucky.

[gpomp]

Originally posted by mark4091
Good to see other people saying Audi on here before I even got in. You can get a 2002 Audi 2.6l AWD for about 8-10k if you're lucky.

plus $8-10k in repairs every year!

[TorqueDog]

Smooth-Op, yeah, you've heard the BMW = BMDouchery stereotype... seems to be largely a Beyond thing, I wouldn't worry about it ... if you're thinking of buying a BMW just so you can tell everyone you drive a BMW, please don't buy one. And if you're afraid of buying a car because of the possibility that it'll cause people to automatically label you a 'douche', you should keep better company.

If you're thinking of buying a BMW because they are, genuinely, very nice well built cars, go for it. And if there's one car that never ceases to impress me in its driving dynamics generation after generation, it's the 3-Series BMW. I drive a 5-series, but I still think the 3-Series epitomizes the "Ultimate Driving Machine" motto that BMW once slapped all over its marketing materials. The biggest complaints I've ever had with BMW are a) Chris Bangle, and b) their useless cupholders. But a) of the cars Bangle has bungled, the 3-Series fared probably the best of the range (and a Bangle is out of your price range), and b) you should be paying attention to the road instead of trying to drink coffee.

Alternatively, you could also swing an Audi. You'll probably find the Audi for cheaper, but having friends who are Euro owners, they do tend to experience more repair bills than those with the BMWs. So weigh your options accordingly; low buying price, more frequent repairs or higher buying price, less frequent repairs. Of course, anyone who has been an owner of a car off warranty knows that it doesn't matter what sort of car you buy, you could end up with a lemon, or the most reliable car you've ever owned. (Don't know if I'd trust an '02 A4 for $8k-10k, though.)

No matter which you choose, do a Pre Purchase Inspection. The ~$150 you spend only to 'walk away' from a car with potential problems is a drop in the bucket compared to what repairs you could incur had you bought the thing.

The other option is also buying a Certified Pre-Owned vehicle through BMW. Despite my car being an '02, it did in fact come with a CPO warranty. Not a bad deal. The dealer will have more info on this.

Originally posted by MMAfighter
under $20,000? Dude, go get yourself a Honda S2000. I don't know how much it costs in Canada, but in the states, you can get an ap1 for about $14,500 under 30K miles.

WTF? Are you on crack? The guy wants an AWD daily driver and you're suggesting an S2000?

... fuck.

[Smooth-Op]

lol @ TorqueDog.

Yeah I've got some friends that are S2000 owners but they can only drive it during summer (bout 4 months/year).

I'm really looking for a car I'll be driving all year long.



Still gotta think this through a lot... thanks for the advices so far and please keep them comin'.


Oh... also, do you think a bimmer's a good car to pick up girls?



I mean, between a '03 BMW 330XI and a 2008 Toyo Matrix, which car's more likely to get me some??



Don't laugh... a guy gotta think about those things. Might help making up my mind you know!

[signature7]

probably the bimmer will get more attention from the ladies but if you're good you could pull it off in a rust bucket.

If you have your heart set on a bmw just make sure you get it inspected. An Awd matrix wouldn't be a bad idea though. It has the requirements you're looking for, you could even put a large down payment and pay monthly. It won't be a bmw, but it'll have warranty and it's brand new.

[Casa]

i'd personally get a 04+ Subaru WRX. Hell you can afford an WRX STI (04-05) from the States for twenty grand! they're awd, not too too heavy on maintainence IF YOU FIND ONE THAT HAS BEEN MAINTAINED (which may be tough to do), they're very quick, they look sharp, and they're a good car for Quebec winter. Good resale value too in Canada.

[ShiDave]

So someone who doesn't know anything about cars wants to buy a BMW? Sounds about right.

[Smooth-Op]

Originally posted by ShiDave
So someone who doesn't know anything about cars wants to buy a BMW? Sounds about right.

Instead of trolling my thread, how about you sugest a car dude...

[Krytical]

If your suggesting advice from us to pick a car to get you laid when you cannot do it without a car, use the 20'gs on your face.

[Quiet10]

^ stupid '08

Anyway, I'm with the people saying 02-04 subarus especially if it snows as much as I hear in Quebec.