[StayClassy7]

I was recently in the market for a 428i, but then the last minute I decided to hold off for 12 months. The vehicle I have now is a 2009 328i e90 with 75,000 miles. The CPO runs out at 100,000 miles. Would you consider that a lot? And do you think I'll have any issues with my car in the next 12 months?

[StevenY.]

It's hard to say, has your car been a problem throughout your ownership? At that mileage one of the worst things I can think of off the top of my head would probably be the water pump.

[StayClassy7]

So far it's been perfect.

Originally Posted by StevenY.

It's hard to say, has your car been a problem throughout your ownership? At that mileage one of the worst things I can think of off the top of my head would probably be the water pump.

[PINeely]

The N52 is an extremely durable motor. If you keep it long-term you will probably need to replace the water pump and thermostat, maybe the belt too, and of course regular maintenance stuff like plugs and oil. But if you're worried that your car may grenade in a few hundred miles or that you have a multi-thousand dollar repair in the near future, chances are very, very, very good that you have nothing to worry about. No need to be afraid of driving a car just because it has over 50k on it.

[PINeely]

By the way, if the CPO runs out at 100k I would AT LEAST keep the car until then, being that you have already payed for the warranty and it'll fix your issues.

[Otruba_843]

Its a decent amount but not too much. The N52 is a pretty tough motor. The only thing I can think of that would drive you to get a new car is maybe it's looking a little worn on the exterior/interior. the new 4 series sports seats are AMAZING!

[d1saster]

1. Keep it while in warranty.

2. Keep it after the warranty expires if you are technically savvy for DIYs. And have about $2K spare for parts and tools.

I have 330i e90 and the dealer replaced radiator, transmission sleeve, camshaft sensor (or something like that) under warranty. After the warranty expired I did some major maintenance that cost me about $1500 for parts and $500 for tools (exaggerating a lil bit but not bad in my opinion). I still have to replace some mounts and suspension parts. The funny thing is while it was covered under the warranty I had to take it in almost every three months for maintenance or repairs. After that zero issues!?

[techietaichi]

Waiting for those gremlins to ambush you huh? lol. Look, if you've been good to that car and kept up with the maintenance schedule and took care of any mechanical issues under that hood, you're good man. 25K more on your CPO? Bah, no worries!

[ezmaass]

There are a number of things to consider.

Is the car paid off? If it's paid off, or you're well above water on any remaining loan, you need to consider your equity. The car will continue to drop in value. Each car usually has a "sweet spot" where you'll get the most bang for your buck - i.e. it's still current enough to draw large numbers of buyers, but you've also gotten your money's worth. At 75k miles you're still in a very solid range for the car to be bought at decent money. Once you cross 100k miles, and roughly 7 years old, car prices tend to fall off a cliff more often.

That's not to say 100k miles is "dead." I drove my 2001 E46 for 125k miles. It still fetched $9k - $10k on dealer trade back in 2007 - car was roughly $33k new. That wasn't a bad return. That said, many dealers (depends on the specific dealer and location) may send cars with 100k+ miles directly to auction, which means they'll offer even less than what a normal dealer trade would be. However, 3 series are very sellable, even at auction. There's a huge market for them.

My '01 325i went for 125k pretty flawlessly, and I didn't mind maintaining it outside of warranty. If you don't mind the possibility of being hit with a $500 - $1k bill on the odd occasion, I think you should be fine. And if you're under CPO until 100k, even more reason to hold onto the car.

The 4-series is also new. I'd wait for the first model year to pass. That's just me. I just picked up a 2014 550 - waited for the LCI - which always helps vet some of the issues. I'm sure the 4 will be no different than all others in that regard.

So, I think what I'm saying here is that holding onto the car for at least another 20k miles seems both safe and financially sound.

[StayClassy7]

Thanks for the great replies guys. You are all correct, keeping it a little longer wouldn't hurt that much. A few of you asked if it was paid off, the answer is no, I still have a few years left on the loan. I've only owned the car for 1 year, and I've kept up with regular maintenance, and anything that have a warning was swiftly taken care of. There was one instance where the car didn't want to start due to a sensor in the fuel pump. But the CPO covered that 7 months ago. A few of you also mentioned, holding off until the second year In production, which also makes plenty of sense, that way I won't be wasting my time on first gen recalls. Right now, I'm $9000 upside down on my car loan, so within 12 months, I planned on saving a very big down payment for a 428i. Or should I pay extra per month on my current payment? Which is better for catching up? I went to purchase the 428i last week, but that's the main reason I stopped myself was because of negative equity. Any advice on bringing that negative equity down?

Please excuse any typos, I'm using my iPhone.

[StayClassy7]

Originally Posted by ezmaass

There are a number of things to consider.

Is the car paid off? If it's paid off, or you're well above water on any remaining loan, you need to consider your equity. The car will continue to drop in value. Each car usually has a "sweet spot" where you'll get the most bang for your buck - i.e. it's still current enough to draw large numbers of buyers, but you've also gotten your money's worth. At 75k miles you're still in a very solid range for the car to be bought at decent money. Once you cross 100k miles, and roughly 7 years old, car prices tend to fall off a cliff more often.

That's not to say 100k miles is "dead." I drove my 2001 E46 for 125k miles. It still fetched $9k - $10k on dealer trade back in 2007 - car was roughly $33k new. That wasn't a bad return. That said, many dealers (depends on the specific dealer and location) may send cars with 100k+ miles directly to auction, which means they'll offer even less than what a normal dealer trade would be. However, 3 series are very sellable, even at auction. There's a huge market for them.

My '01 325i went for 125k pretty flawlessly, and I didn't mind maintaining it outside of warranty. If you don't mind the possibility of being hit with a $500 - $1k bill on the odd occasion, I think you should be fine. And if you're under CPO until 100k, even more reason to hold onto the car.

The 4-series is also new. I'd wait for the first model year to pass. That's just me. I just picked up a 2014 550 - waited for the LCI - which always helps vet some of the issues. I'm sure the 4 will be no different than all others in that regard.

So, I think what I'm saying here is that holding onto the car for at least another 20k miles seems both safe and financially sound.

Congrats on the 550i btw. Those are great looking cars.

[StayClassy7]

Originally Posted by techietaichi

Waiting for those gremlins to ambush you huh? lol. Look, if you've been good to that car and kept up with the maintenance schedule and took care of any mechanical issues under that hood, you're good man. 25K more on your CPO? Bah, no worries!

I've been keeping up with maintenance this whole time. How long do you think it will take the average joe to drive 25k miles?

[StayClassy7]

Originally Posted by d1saster

1. Keep it while in warranty.

2. Keep it after the warranty expires if you are technically savvy for DIYs. And have about $2K spare for parts and tools.

I have 330i e90 and the dealer replaced radiator, transmission sleeve, camshaft sensor (or something like that) under warranty. After the warranty expired I did some major maintenance that cost me about $1500 for parts and $500 for tools (exaggerating a lil bit but not bad in my opinion). I still have to replace some mounts and suspension parts. The funny thing is while it was covered under the warranty I had to take it in almost every three months for maintenance or repairs. After that zero issues!?

I'm probably thee worst person to ever be seen working on a car. lol. And my job isn't flexible enough to give me chances during a breakdown, so it's very important that I make it to the office and not miss any days. So I won't have time to drop my car off at the mechanics. Thanks for the advice.

[StayClassy7]

Originally Posted by Otruba_843

Its a decent amount but not too much. The N52 is a pretty tough motor. The only thing I can think of that would drive you to get a new car is maybe it's looking a little worn on the exterior/interior. the new 4 series sports seats are AMAZING!

I have noticed that it is starting to look a little outdated, the look on the 4 series has grown on me.

[StayClassy7]

Originally Posted by PINeely

By the way, if the CPO runs out at 100k I would AT LEAST keep the car until then, being that you have already payed for the warranty and it'll fix your issues.

That's true, should I have BMW inspect the car before the warrantee expires?

[StayClassy7]

Originally Posted by PINeely

The N52 is an extremely durable motor. If you keep it long-term you will probably need to replace the water pump and thermostat, maybe the belt too, and of course regular maintenance stuff like plugs and oil. But if you're worried that your car may grenade in a few hundred miles or that you have a multi-thousand dollar repair in the near future, chances are very, very, very good that you have nothing to worry about. No need to be afraid of driving a car just because it has over 50k on it.

How much do water pumps and thermostats usually cost? You're the second person to say those two things would most likely fail. Is there a reason? Faulty parts maybe?

[Dark_Knight_335]

75k is a lot for any car- but since you have no HPFP, turbos, or waste gate to worry about you should be a-okay!

[StayClassy7]

Originally Posted by Dark_Knight_335

75k is a lot for any car- but since you have no HPFP, turbos, or waste gate to worry about you should be a-okay!

When would you personally trade up if your car had 75k miles?

[2M]

You've only had the car for a year and you still owe 9k. If you love the car just keep it. A year is nothing. I've had my car for 5 years and I have the same miles as you and It doesn't feel old at all. Im not even bored of it, and the only reason I would get rid of it would be for an N54, but most likely I'l keep it for as long as it drives. I still love it after 5 years. Oh, and im outta warranty. At least keep it till warranty expires so you get your money worth.

[PINeely]

Originally Posted by StayClassy7

How much do water pumps and thermostats usually cost? You're the second person to say those two things would most likely fail. Is there a reason? Faulty parts maybe?

The main reason I say that is that BMWs have never had really strong cooling systems. The e9X platform seems to be especially susceptible since its water pump is electric.

Water pump is about 400 dollars and the t-stat a further 80 or so.

[BRD1234]

My 2007 335i has 101k miles. 75 sounds orgasmic to me.

[matraks]

Do you guys sell/trade your fridge or stove when theirs warranty expires? Don't be a fool and keep your almost new car. Dealerships whants you to think that a car over 50k miles is a piece of junk. This way you buy from them brand new car. You will need spend more then $20k just to get warranty with a new car. It will never happend to spend $20k in repairs in next 5 years. So keep your nice car and enjoy of driving it