Which Bmw for a first time?

I think a good one. Under 3k
1 owner, my brother's friend. Rest of car is very good.
A SUV backed up into him and hit the hood and grille.
He could not get it thru Inspection and bought a new Toyota.
Got a hood and grille on e-bay ( before I found out about this site )
Having fun w/it.

Originally Posted by spmx43

I think a good one. Under 3k
1 owner, my brother's friend. Rest of car is very good.
A SUV backed up into him and hit the hood and grille.
He could not get it thru Inspection and bought a new Toyota.
Got a hood and grille on e-bay ( before I found out about this site )
Having fun w/it.

Damn that's a good price. I would have bought it too.

Yeah, wow what a diffrence from my nissan altima.
......
I learned alot from this site.
Great find.http://forum.e46fanatics.com/attachm...1&d=1267812238

I have an 01' 330 and it is doing me just fine. I like the HP and of course the look of the car, so you will definitely be a step up from the Accord. Also, make sure you look at the carfax report to see how well the car has been maintained. As a couple of people have already said, parts can get expensive so I'd hate for you to buy a ride and then turn around and spend money to fix it. Good luck in your search and I hope you find what you're looking for.

Thnx guys for replying...
here are few things so far
1) I love manual cars myself.... because you never feel much thrill with automatics
2) Accord is not that bad car to be called compromise it costs more than 20k
3) it will take some maintaining to do with Bmw

I want a car that looks good , is quick from zero , great handling , great sound...
so i think bmw is that car... or are there any more alternatives? although i love Bmw.. i would love to have one and get to know this car before i can upgrade to M series and other excellent bimmers


Where can i find best deals on used Bmw?

You have to look everywhere. Google it, go to autotrader.com, try craigslist bmw 330, Kijiji, turner motorsports, roundel, this site, bimmerforums, ebay, etc. You are now in hunting mode. Go search for dinner.

craigslist ftw and dont forget to get a PPI ( Pre Purchase Inspection) from a BMW dealer...it will run you about $75 but well worth it if it shows some major problems on the car

This thread screams of "OMG I WANT A BADGE THE B1TCHEZ BE CRAZY SON"

If you cannot afford it, don't go buying a beat up BMW just to have a "BMW".

Originally Posted by snowcatxx87

This thread screams of "OMG I WANT A BADGE THE B1TCHEZ BE CRAZY SON"

If you cannot afford it, don't go buying a beat up BMW just to have a "BMW".

I am sure the OP does not want a badge. Learn to read you ignorant retard

OP, buy a bimmer and you'll be glad you did!!

Originally Posted by aretardedorange

I am sure the OP does not want a badge. Learn to read you ignorant retard

Good one. Why don't you read what I said.

"This thread screams of"

Originally Posted by xp0z3d

Hi
i currently own a Honda Accord..now planning to buy a BMW..
Im currently looking for a used BMW...my budget is around 10-12k...so far i have found out that i can afford either 2001-02 325ci or 330.
im intersted in buying a coupe... Although i know best way is to go and buy a brand new car... but i can not afford that... so i thought i should get a used bimmer.

I can see most of the replies tell you to go for the 330. I happen to agree with them but since you stated that your budget is in the 10-12k range you also need to be aware of cost of maintenance for these cars. Just because you can afford to buy them at this price range you also need to be prepared to be able to afford cost of maintenance for these cars.

You can get these cars at a much lower price range but you are buying a 30k+ quality car so the maintenance will be much more expensive than let's say a Honda accord. You will see this and you don't want to skimp on quality of maintenance for this type of car. Yes, there's plenty of DIY's here on this site and you will get tons of knowledge if you take the time to here.

You will find that mods will cost much more depending on what type of mods you choose to do to your "new" car but this is a BMW that you will be getting so you will want to keep things appropriate to this type of car. Seeing on how you want to get a BMW this is a good choice as I have two...

The first thing I cannot emphasize to you enough is pay for a PPI! A pre-purchase inspection. Doing this will help you identify any maintenance issues that your potential new car will have. Just because you can get a BMW cheaper now does not mean that it requires tons of $$$$$ just to get it maintained right. You don't want to buy a car then find out you will have to shell out much more $$$$ just so you can have a reliable car. Invest in peace of mind by paying for a PPI first.

Next, if you haven't done so already you need to do some research on what maintenance issues will develop with higher mileage BMWs so you can prepare yourself for additional maintenance to keep your car in peak running condition.

Some things to think about regarding these cars will be:
- rear subframe issues
- coolant system issues
- FCABS/RTABS
- GUIBO replacement
- Springs/shocks (typical with any higher mileage car)
- VANOS

Just some things to think about when you do your research. If you have any questions please feel free to PM me. GL on your decision, I'm sure once you drive a BMW (assuming you have not done so) you will be very happy

1st BMW,get a M6. I dont have one so let me know how u like it

too many 325 haters in here, the 325 5-speed is just as quick as a 330 slushbox. With the adaptive tranny and throttle, if you drive a 330 or a 325 like a granny it will resond in kind. So keep in mind you need to reset the adaptive technology in each to make up your mind.

325 mileage is superior.
330's have that awefull silver headlight surround.
325's have black headlight surrounds like the M3's.

Originally Posted by xp0z3d

what should i keep in mind as i dun wanna buy something which costs me a load to maintain.

guys....only two posts have acknowledged this aspect what he's looking for in a car. we all know BMW maintenance isn't cheap, especially if its the dealer/indie mechanic doing work.


OP, do you have the tools/capability do DIY work on vehicles? if not...

Originally Posted by eurodurance

Buy another Accord!

Unless you are a big do-it-yourselfer then buying one of these for only 10-12k will result in your spending probably close to $2000 in repairs for the next year. That's just a guess, but a lot of people buy E46s sub $10k and come back to this forum complaining what a piece of crap BMWs are. With the value of our cars even still, a $10-12k BMW is either old or in need of some repairs in the near future.

look through the threads and do a lot of research that way. 325's will have more torque than your accord along with almost 200 hp. all around, it will be a nicer car for sure. be sure to get the sport package or you'll regret it. stay in your budget and have a few thousand left for your insurance hike and a bit of maintenance along with some just in case money on the side. always be ready to shell out some cash for parts. get it PPI'd at the dealer once youve found a good one and make sure you know what is about to be problematic. add it all up and make a decision based on your left over money. good luck. if you have any other questions, do some thorough searches for immediate results

If your budget is $10-12k, you should be able to get an '02 330ci maybe. I recently got an '01 325 Ci with 90K miles for $9k. I would suggest that you emphasize low mileage cars in your search.

If you find a car with less than 100K miles, you can add a good aftermarket warrant for $1500 or so.

I would be prepared to do maintenance...coming from a Raleigh person myself...

It WILL BE MORE EXPENSIVE THAN AN ACCORD...I can assure you of that...

I came from a saturn where an alternator new was $85, a thermostat was $10....

BMW alternators new are $250-400, thermostat's are $60-100...

Just be prepared that maintaining a BMW is harder...it's better in the long run and will last a long time, but changing the tires and oil won't "cut it" for even 100k miles, let alone 200k...

Originally Posted by xp0z3d

Im currently looking for a used BMW...my budget is around 10-12k...so far i have found out that i can afford either 2001-02 325ci or 330 .

You may be able to afford the purchase of a 2001-2002 325/330, but keep in mind that BMW maintenance may be more expensive than you're used to.

Think about where you will have your car serviced. Will you do it yourself? Will you take it to the dealer? Are there any reputable independent BMW service centers in your area?

If you are a mechanic, then go for it. You can buy the Bentley service manual for your car and save yourself a lot of money.

If you take it to the dealer, be prepared to clean out your wallet. An oil change will probably cost you around $120. This is because a BMW 330 uses 7 liters of synthetic oil, whereas a Honda Accord uses 5 liters of conventional oil. If you service your car at the dealership, you're probably used to paying $30 for an oil change.

If you look at replacement tires for your Honda Accord, it's most likely that tires cost around $100-120 per tire. If you go to TireRack and search for tires for a BMW 330, you will notice that they cost about 2x as much. These are huge discrepancies in cost, but you need to be aware that they exist.

Originally Posted by xp0z3d

im intersted in buying a coupe... Although i know best way is to go and buy a brand new car... but i can not afford that... so i thought i should get a used bimmer.

Did you purchase your Honda Accord brand new?

Another thing to consider is that most cars do not need anything other than scheduled maintenance until after the first 4-5 years of ownership. By purchasing an 8-9 year old car, it is quite likely that the original parts are worn and need to be replaced (if they have not yet been replaced). If the car has been well maintained, once the worn parts are replaced, you will most likely be able to enjoy the car for many more years before the same parts will need to be replaced. However, unless you replace EVERYTHING, there is no guarantee that you will have the same "maintenance-free" experience that you would have when buying a new car, since a new car consists of entirely new parts, such as suspension bushings, brake discs, etc that have never been used before.

Most people think that you should only purchase new cars. I don't think this is true, but for some people, it makes sense to purchase a new car. If you don't want the hassle of replacing worn/broken parts and accessories, you should buy a new car. You're paying more up front, but that comes with the guarantee that you will not have much in maintenance costs.

However, the cost of replacing parts on a used car can be much lower than paying for the depreciation on a new car. Remember that a brand new car is worth 20% less the minute you sign the paperwork. The difference is much greater when you start looking at luxury cars.

Originally Posted by xp0z3d

so guys is it good ideea to get a second hand bimmer? and which should i get.. i want around 200 hp because i already have accord wid 160 hp
and what should i keep in mind as i dun wanna buy something which costs me a load to maintain.

If you can afford the maintenance, then yes. In my opinion, a second-hand BMW is no less reliable than a second-hand Honda or Toyota. Just make sure that you're purchasing a well-maintained car with a good service history. Trying to save a few thousand dollars up-front may mean that you will have to pay a lot more in replacement parts within the first few years of ownership.

If I were you, I would read this FAQ very thoroughly before making my purchase decision:
http://www.bimmerfest.com/wiki/index...ook_out_for.3F

If you're trying to stretch to afford a BMW, I am highly against it. For your own sake, it's much less stressful (and therefore more pleasurable) to own a vehicle that you can actually afford. The true cost of ownership isn't determined by your car payment, but the sum of the car's purchase price, auto insurance rates, and maintenance.

... and I may be biased, but I think you should get a BMW 330ci, especially if you're looking to get ~200HP.