Hi Scotty, I'm a 16 year old from Canada looking to get my first car. I found a 1998 323i convertible very similar to the red one you reviewed. Car has 160k miles, auto tranny, made in Germany. Guy said it runs good. He's asking $2,700. Would do all repairs and maintenance myself. Would you recommend something like this? Thanks.
FWIW, I drove a 2007 BMW X5 for 5 years from 2016-2021. It cost more to maintain and repair that thing in those 5 years, than in 20+ years of owning my 1999 Honda Accord.
BMW parts alone are expensive
If you are looking for a project car to learn how to fix and maintain cars, it may be a good fit. But if you need a daily driver, that you need working 100% of the time, pass.
If you really are considering buying it, go to a site like FCPEuro. And check out the prices for parts. That might help yiu make your decision.
Formally, I would say that's probably not the smartest move since you're only 16, repairs on BMWs can cost a fortune and your parents probably won't like paying for it, even just for parts. You can't really substitute cheap Chinese parts for OEM BMW parts, either. BMWs are quite finicky with things like that, even the older cars.
From my own experience, I had a '94 BMW 540i as my first car when I was 22, but I knew what I was getting into when I bought it. I maintained it using OEM BMW parts from my local dealer using their 50% off discount for old vehicle parts, and did all of my own work. The 540i had a stupid steering box and power steering design that couldn't be serviced without pulling out the engine. I got rid of the car after 2 years because I hated spending $70 every 2 months on BMW power steering fluid. The hose that was bad was only $70 from the dealer with that discount, but I didn't have the hardware to do the job.
The 2.3L engine in that car is much simpler than the 4.0 V8 I had. Get it checked out by a good BMW mechanic, paying particular attention to the transmission. They tend to go out around that mileage. Check around if you can get the same dealer discounts I got. There are a lot of BMW repair groups out there on the internet when you need to fix something. Find a standard transmission of that age and you will have slightly fewer issues.
Hi,
If you're buying a car to get from point A to point B - NO.
If you're buying a toy to work on with no expectation of using it as a method of transportation - MAYBE.
Make sure you have at least another $2.7K - do it only if that's something you can easily afford cause you will probably spend double that over a year of ownership.
Also, being almost a 25 year old car with so many miles - don't expect that this'll be a car that you'll be able to ""race"", it is almost certainly on its last legs.
Auto in bmw is trash especially if it's older than you. Also the 323 is a "sportier" model arguably. As a buyer I would never trust the seller. He could be selling you a can of worms, does he got a Carfax or something to prove that it's "good"? While it does have one of the best built bmw engines (imo) of all time, I betcha maintenance on such a car is more than it's bargain for especially if you ain't got mechanical experience. BMW's are not just changing oil every once in a while cars. They require a lot more care typically. Price is a bargain in this market though. If you are enthusiastic about it just don't regret your decision is all I can say.
No.
You mention “first car”, so that implies it will be your primary means of transportation or daily driver. Definitely in that context, pass on it. Don’t be fooled by the initial price. Overtime you will most likely regret it and end up getting rid of it.
