[BeAmW335i]

My cousin is looking for a BMW under $25K. He is interested in either a 330i or a 530i, automatic. There are several 2004+ models to choose from, and some of them have close to 100K miles on them. Should he stay away from high mileage 330 or 530's? Is there a major service at 100K miles that he should be aware of?

Thanks for your advice

[reinaldo335]

no

[ages944]

all depends on how well the car was maintained. German cars like their maintenance, and they like it in a timely manner. Apropos.

[ianbiz]

2.5

[bubbletea 4 me]

you can get a 545i for dirt cheap now. i've seen the recent 5 series resale tank like crazy.. a buddy of mine actually got one for low 20k.. imagine that.

just have to look man.. no need to go for high mileage, old bimmer when you can find one much newer for the same price.

[TheSpungos]

Originally Posted by bubbletea 4 me

just have to look man.. no need to go for high mileage, old bimmer when you can find one much newer for the same price.

+1 I've seen many 2004+ used 330i's with less than 70k miles for under $25k.

[BeAmW335i]

Yes, not every car we're looking at has near 100K miles. There are some with 45-60K miles, and they are on the upper side of the price range. Obviously the ones with more miles were on the lower range.

Anyhoo, I just wanted to get an idea about reliability on high mileage Bimmers, which I think i've got.

Thanks.

[chuck92103]

When considering a used premium car it comes down to two things.

1. How well the car was maintained.
2. How well your finances are maintained.

For example many folks, monthly cash flow is an issue and they are comfortable with a fixed lease payment. Even though they are paying $25k-$40k over the life of the lease. This makes sense as you have a fixed cost and no the outcome.

When buying a used car, even though you will pay less over the long haul, some folks are not into a position to do repairs that may cost $2-$5k all at one time.

So as long as you can tolerate a maintenance/repair bill every 12-24 months that could be upwards to $3k or so you will be fine provided you are the type of person to set the $100-$300per month aside for a rainy maintenance/repair bill day.

I think the issue for many that have bought the used bimmer is they failed to save the cash on hand to maintain the car.

All cars new or used have a monthly cost associated with them averaged out over the life of the vehicle. Even if the car is paid off, this is still true and should be included in the budget.

[yazz]

go cpo