[metallicpea]

Well, from your line of questioning it sounds like you are not too comfortable with car repair. If that is true, you might not want to keep it as long as you could.

I have owned BMWs as long as 12 years and as short as 4 years from new. With mileage ranging from 160k to 17k during ownership. I plan on keeping this one possibly as long as 12 years and 150k

I had only one major issue through 6 BMWs and that was a known weakness on a V8. Otherwise, I could have driven all of them much longer than I did with nothing but regular repairs. On the 160k mile E46, I only had window regulator and cooling system work done that wasn't what I would consider routine maintenance.

But, based on your questions I would suggest you can likely hit 7 or 8 years and 100k before I would expect any surprises. Is it heavily optioned? It is garage kept? Do you drive it in any extreme weather?

It's value will drop a little after 60k and again after 100k.

In short, you are a long ways away from a point where you should worry.