hello, i'm currently looking for a first car. one that has caught my eye is a 1999 bmw 528i. it uses a 2.8l inline 6 and has a 4 speed automatic transmission. it's clocked in at 92000 miles and is in pretty fantastic condition. would it be worth it to purchase? i'm a relatively new driver, and am wondering if maintenance prices would kill me or if it would break down as soon as i drive it off the lot. it's currently priced at 6900 dollars (can't find much better in this market) and i would be buying it from a dealership.
wondering if maintenance prices would kill me
YES.
would break down as soon as i drive it off the lot
Probably.
I dont doubt its in great condition, but a 24 year old BMW, man the maintenance on that will be rough. Even when something little goes, it'll be expensive bc its a BMW, and its old so expect a fair amount of little stuff to happen. For a first car I'd steer clear of BMW's.
I love the BMW’s. I think it is one of the best performance and most comfortable mid-sized SUV’s on the market. For the most part, I consider them reliable. BUT, they do cost an arm, leg, and torso to maintain, especially as they age.
I owned one for four years, from 160K miles to 200K miles, and spent more maintaining it in those four years, than 20+ years of my Honda Accord.
Plan on spending the cost of the car, on maintenance in the next few years.
If you take good care of the car, I think you'll barely have any problems with it. Just be glad it's not a later model! Those cars are completely worthless! Not the one you're wanting to buy.
They were built a lot better back then but age means it's going to need a lot of attention. European cars in general need a lot of maintenance and will fall apart quickly if neglected - who knows how that car has been treated over the last 24 years? The fact that it's being sold at a dealership is a big red flag. Most are bad enough, those selling cars over 20 years old tend to be the worst. (Is it a BHPH used car joint?) I'd stay away especially if you can't work on it yourself. BMW mechanics are $$$$!
