How many miles can a bmw go without having alot of problems?

Question

My Dad is looking into a used 2000 bmw sedan, its got 98,000 miles and its in really good condition, also its fairly reasonable

its not off a lot, its our neighbors

Answer 1

It's not exactly new, but a newer model, your dad shouldn't have problems with it, the technology is gotten so much better since that year, the milage is awfully high though, does it still have the warranty, I'd tell your dad to buy an extended warranty, though BMW's are one of the best and most reliable & safe cars, things happen, if the previous owner took good care of it & he should've because the dealer won't service it if you bring it in with the red light when during scheduled maintenance, they are quite reliable though, they perform incredibly, keep in mind most owners are very responsible & do take care of their cars, for the price, I know I do, your dad will be okay, I have a much newer model a 525 and already have almost 87,000 miles, and I've never had a problem, I'm very consistent with how I take care of it.
Just keep in mind your dad will have to have the proper reserves for repairs in case anything goes wrong if warranty has expired, be prepared to pay high cost for repairs, tires alone cost about
$ 1000.00 just did that, and you don't mention series, on the 500 is even higher, larger car, tires & parts are different. Hope it works out, he should still be able to get good usage out of it, ask owner lots of questions regarding maintenence & you'll be able to see a lot just by looking at the exterior, as well as the interior, did this owner take good care of his vehicle? Just ask all the questions and go to http://www.kbb.com/kbb/default.aspx?trid=3&gclid=CMaogtGIvIoCFSQkGAodrW-Gug
Ask all the right questions
Best Wishes,

Answer 2

The 3-series is the most reliable of the bunch, but they definitely have issues, mostly related to electronics. Check out Consumer Reports and you'll find that BMW's rate consistently lower for reliability than virtually all of the Japanese makes and even many of the American makes.

After working on them professionally as a mechanic, I learned to love how they drive and perform, but hate the constant service bulletins and electronic problems, especially with the climate control, instruments, mirrors, windows, etc...

In terms of miles, we had some problems within the first 12,000. We had an entire batch of new 3-series where the power windows would roll down by themselves overnight at random. Others had problems with the mirror heaters staying on all night causing the mirror glass to turn blue.

Mechanically we had very few problems with the engines, transmissions, brakes, etc... and the chassis were very solid. Instrument clusters (Kombi) would also wig out from time to time.

At 98,000 miles - I'd walk away from this one. If it hasn't already started having issues - it will shortly. There are plenty of other great cars out there that are less likely to leave your dad stranded.

Answer 3

BMW's do require more maintenance than other vehicles. If you treat the car well it will do the same for you (most cases). For example, I bought my car at 93k. Now I am on my seventh year and at 210k. My car has never left me stranded once in seven years and I just drove it 14 hours straight each way for vacation. I have done a lot of general maintenance over the years but nothing unusual. It's on it's 3rd water pump. Normal for a bimmer. Just replaced the radiator. That's 200k on a radiator. Power steering hose. But all these repairs are normal. I average about $500 - $1000 a year for maintenance. The drivetrain does not have one leak and it's all original. If I see a drip I fix it before it causes other problems. Most people ignore these things. It's your car talking to you. Listen to it. Find a good mechanic and always ask for him. They will begin to know your car. Even at the dealer. If you don't like maintenance then buy a honda and drive it till it dies.

Answer 4

I drive a 1998 323Ci and It has 130K on it. I have never driven a more reliable, dependeble machine. Maintenance is not as much as you would think and it retains its value nicely. I bought it new in 1997 and it has never had a major repair. The most I have had to spend is $1700 at one point but I had a lot of little things done to it. all at once. Total out of pocket in ten years including tires approx. $8000

Answer 5

Considering my mother has gone thru 3, I would say around the 50K mark they start having problems. They are expensive to service and repair, and luxury cars WILL have luxury car part prices. An A/C system replacement on a GM for example will be $800-1200, on a BMW it was $3200 (for my mothers 740iL).

Just because it has a luxury price tag, it doesn't mean the reliability will be any better than a regular market vehicle. Just means like everything else, there's a price to pay.

But then again, according to my mother, ..."If you have to ask, you cant afford it"...

Answer 6

fuel filter, dirty fuel system, exhaust plugged. you can get a diagnosis scan at autozone for free wasnt much of a Mechanic so next step would be finding a better shop does sound like a fuel thing so coul dstart by adding a fuel treatment or replacing fuel filter id go to another shop a good Mechanic would have known what to look for just by what you said here

Answer 7

i have a '93 525i with 233,000 miles on it.,
it's still in perfect shape. Just don't forget to change your belts every 60,000 miles.

they don't cost any more to fix than any other car, just don't ***FOR ANY REASON** take your car to a dealership. find a local mechanic. They're no more complicated than any other car is to work on. I get my brake jobs for $50, belt changes for $65, and the parts are way cheaper than my old '97 dodge stratus.

for a 2000 model, you can expect somewhere from 250,000 to 500,000 as long as you follow the maintenance schedule religiously.

hope that helps
--ryan

Answer 8

I have a 1994 318 with 249,000 miles on it all origanal, except for oil, battery, tires, belts, and brakes.

Answer 9

Maintenain it well and it goes up to 250,000 miles easily.

Answer 10

We had one that was still running great at 330K and others with up to 160K -- they run long and well if well cared for.