What is the best BMW you recommend if my budget was $25,000?

Question

I'm finally 16, and my dad is giving me a budget of $25,000, I love Bmw. Plz tell me the best one to buy and which year it was made.

Answer 1

First of all...thank your father profusely for trusting you with that much money for your first car...and letting you consider a BMW. Most kids your age are not anywhere near that fortunate...so be humble to him and make him proud of your investment.

I agree with all others that you will want to look at getting an M...you'll probably want an M3 as it is a good car with lots of potential.

HOWEVER, I would suggest asking your dad to let you buy something for less than $25K and putting whatever is left into a savings account for you to mod the car with as you grow as a driver. That way you can buy mods that fit what you want to do with the car such as power mods if you're into drag racing or suspension mods for track days.

How about this...buy a 99 or so M3...take the $8K or so you just saved...spend half of it on performance driving school...learn to REALLY drive your car. Trust me on this...knowing how to control your car is such a huge skill not just for the track but for everyday driving too. My racing experience has saved my butt at least 4 times on public roads (avoiding collisions, recovering from a spin). Which in turn has easily saved me thousands and thousands of dollars in injuries and damages. BTW - knowing how to truly drive a car will make up for almost any performance you are losing by buying a slightly older model...by far.

Then take the extra $4-5K you have left and invest it in the mods i mentioned above when you know what you want (read the BMW Forums to find out exactly what the best/most effective mods are for BMWs).

Answer 2

I would go to e-bay and check one out. Make sure that they offer a warranty or that you can purchase one. Bimmers are well know for breaking (especially something with iDrive). I love the body of the Bimmers, but since you are going to buy it used. I would go with a lexus or acura, both are way more reliable. BMW is sexier though. You may want to wait a year or two so the price on the 2006 3-series goes down. Because I do not think you want to spend 25k and get an old body. THe 5 and 7 have been on the market for a long time, and I am sure it will be soon before BMW changes the body on them. So again I would rather wait 1-2 years and get a 3. Hope this helps. Consider the LExus or Acura though.

Answer 3

you guys are idiots, why would you suggest an M car for a new driver. and this kid doesnt even know what model he wants so having a motorsports badge is going to make him think he is invincible. and to whoever suggested an 8 series. an 8 series!! would this kid be able to afford two of everything when he needs maintainence on his 850? what about a new engine if the nikalsil block on his 840 goes out? there is a reason their resale prices are so low.

if i was this kid i would get an e36, a 92 325. i wont have to worry about vanos issues. buy a bentley manual for the car and spend another couple thousand to get new brakes, and all the suspension bits. probably flush all the fluids and if he wants add some 17-18 inch wheels and maybe some mtechnic aerodynamics. you will learn about the car, respect it because of the work you put into it and save the money for something else if you decide you want a newer car or wreck; whatever comes first.

or you can be really cool and get something like a 72-74 2002 tii or an e30.

Answer 4

An M series will be expensive to put gas in and maintain. At 16, I recommend a simple car that will get through the inevitable damage that will come from a 16 year old driver. In a couple of years, you can get a BMW if you still want one. I have no idea why your parents would spend that kind of money on a 16 year old. Buy a Honda Civic. Good mileage, cheap to run, cheap to buy or a Mazda Miata - same story as the Civic and also very reliable.

Answer 5

I personally do not know your preferences in a car but if I was in your position these are the cars I would consider in order of preference:
1995 BMW 8-Series (50-60,000 miles).
1998-1999 BMW M3 (50-60,000 miles).
2003-2004 BMW Z4 (20-30,000).
2000-2001 BMW 7-Series (60-80,000).
Now I'm a big fan of BMW and wouldn't mind having any BMW but these are just my top picks for the money. They should all hover around $25K, if not less.
P.S. Man I wish I had $25K to spend on a car when I was 16, instead I had to drive a 2000 Toyota Sienna LE. But it's all good and I'm not complaining. Lol.

Answer 6

A BMW is the best automaker there is but when ur father father is givin u 25k buy a good car but then trick it out. Yes u can buy a used 3 or M3 or X5.
YET u can have a brand new car n personalize it at the same time. A turbo upgrade will boost ur horse power so u can beat the BMW next to u

Answer 7

If you really want a BMW, I would go for a 2002 530i if I were you. You'll love the car and that was a reliable edition, so you won't spend time in the shop. Otherwise, you can always get a new Acura TL at around 30k, but will cost less in maintenance over the years. After all, you have to like it, no matter the make...

Answer 8

Don't get an M series; being a new driver, you're much more likely to crash the car than the average driver on the road. M series cars are faster, and will tempt you to try things that you wouldn't otherwise do.

I hear stories in the news all the time about teen drivers getting killed in their M cars or Porsches.

Get a 2-year old car with 20K miles on it, and pick the best one you can find. For $25K, there are probably plenty of 2004-2006 3 series cars available. When buying used, you're buying the unused miles.

If you can get a CPO (Certified Pre-Owned) warranty, it'll cover the car to 100K miles.

Answer 9

I am on my third 3 series in seven years. I would go for this car with low miles and a couple years left on the maintenance free warranty (which is for four years.) You pay no money for maintenance no matter what goes wrong. There is a new model style out as of 2006, so you should be able to get a good deal on a 2002-2004 in your price range. I will never drive anything different. Good luck.

Answer 10

Get an M those are the best. If you can find any BMW with less than 50,000 miles then it will still be under warranty which is nice. Whatever you do DO NOT get a Z, even if it is an MZ. Those things are crap! I bet you could get a 2002 or so! Good luck they are great cars and well worth the the money