YACT: Are mid 90's BMWs any good as a used car?

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No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
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I see a slew of 94-95 325s and some low end 5 series cars with 100k miles for about $8k. There are a lot of pathetic 318s, but nobody needs that. How are the 525i and 325i and is models in terms of reliabilty and issues and all that? I can't remember who but somebody here has a 94 325 and hates the damn thing for some reason.
 
J

jteef

Golden Member
Feb 20, 2001
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they're only expensive if you use the dealer.

get a bmwcca membership for parts discounts & order online. i dont know about the 325's but my m3 isn't really expensive to maintain. ( other than the rear tires that last <10k miles & $60 oil changes)
 
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BornStar

Diamond Member
Oct 30, 2001
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My brother just bought a 95 325i. He loves it and the maintenance hasn't been too much yet. He's only had it for about 4 months though.
 
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Shockwave

Banned
Sep 16, 2000
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Originally posted by: Skoorb
There are a lot of pathetic 318s, but nobody needs that.
Click to expand...


Now I must beat your face in with a flat bladed shovel.
The 95 318i is the car I WANT!
 
Ozoned

Ozoned

Diamond Member
Mar 22, 2004
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Originally posted by: Skoorb
I see a slew of 94-95 325s and some low end 5 series cars with 100k miles for about $8k. There are a lot of pathetic 318s, but nobody needs that. How are the 525i and 325i and is models in terms of reliabilty and issues and all that? I can't remember who but somebody here has a 94 325 and hates the damn thing for some reason.
Click to expand...


The nice thing about the ones you buy today for
$8k is that can be sold a year from now for $8k if you take care of them.

They are very cheap transportation if you look at them this way.

 
V

Vette73

Lifer
Jul 5, 2000
21,503
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Parts and labor will cost more. Even oil filters cost more.

Some I worked on had a computer like that of Chryslers where the ignition module is part of the main computer. So one part goes bad you are buying a full computer. Oil leaks are alos more common as people go farther between oil changes on these cars, which in the short run saves money but cost more for the next owner.

If you do get one, try and get a 96 or newer so you will at least have OBD2 computer system.
 
M

Mister T

Diamond Member
Feb 25, 2000
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I am in the process of buying a '93 325is with 67K miles. Getting it from a buddy for $4,900.
 
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No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
0
Originally posted by: Shockwave
Originally posted by: Skoorb
There are a lot of pathetic 318s, but nobody needs that.
Click to expand...


Now I must beat your face in with a flat bladed shovel.
The 95 318i is the car I WANT!
Click to expand...
You must be planning to significanly upgrade its performance?

 
iamwiz82

iamwiz82

Lifer
Jan 10, 2001
30,772
13
81
Prices are not that bad. My buddy had a 93 525i and not an M3 and he doesnt pay an obscene price, as long as you do the common stuff yourself. The filter for my MINI is $9 from the dealer. Thats not a big price difference.
 
S

Shockwave

Banned
Sep 16, 2000
9,059
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Originally posted by: Skoorb
Originally posted by: Shockwave
Originally posted by: Skoorb
There are a lot of pathetic 318s, but nobody needs that.
Click to expand...


Now I must beat your face in with a flat bladed shovel.
The 95 318i is the car I WANT!
Click to expand...
You must be planning to significanly upgrade its performance?
Click to expand...

You missed my thread on that I take it eh? Yeah, you could say I want to signifigantly upgrade the performance ;)
 
J

jteef

Golden Member
Feb 20, 2001
1,355
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Originally posted by: Marlin1975
Parts and labor will cost more. Even oil filters cost more.
Click to expand...

an oem bmw oil filter from pacific or circle bmw is like $4.50

my car is expensive because i use 8 quarts of mobil1 0w40. The non-m cars use significanly less.
 
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bozack

Diamond Member
Jan 14, 2000
7,913
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Originally posted by: Chadder007
Originally posted by: minendo
Extremely expensive to maintain.
Click to expand...

Myth # 1
Click to expand...

agreed, any car is extremely expensive to maintain if you take it to the dealer for every little thing, especially when they are out of warranty...

as long as the car was taken care of then it should be very good, and they hold their resale well so as long as you take care of it you might actually get something back for it when you sell/trade it...

good luck.
 
C

Chadder007

Diamond Member
Oct 10, 1999
7,560
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Originally posted by: Shockwave
Originally posted by: Skoorb
There are a lot of pathetic 318s, but nobody needs that.
Click to expand...


Now I must beat your face in with a flat bladed shovel.
The 95 318i is the car I WANT!
Click to expand...

I have a 95 318ti myself here. I still love it. Ive had it since I graduated HS. I only have 80,000 miles on it. Nothing major done at all. My cousin spends more repairing his 97 model Chevy Z71 truck than I ever have my car.
 
The Stigenator

The Stigenator

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
15,216
3
81
my brother has a 94 318IS with 130K+ and still running strong..

mainatance at the dealer is expensive.. but they do a good job (pacific bmw) and so far i havent seen any problems on things tehy fixed.

The car has had its fair share of maintanance.. but if sold in its condition it will still run past 150K maybe even 200.
 
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No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
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Originally posted by: Chadder007
http://home.comcast.net/~chadder007/car1.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~chadder007/car2.jpg

My dad's 87' 325 has over 270,000 miles on it with no major work done on except two water pump replacements and regular maintanence.
Click to expand...
Your car looks nice. Part of the attraction of an older bmw is that their appearance is semi-timeless. I know that recently they have undergone big changes, but a mid 90's bmw doesn't look as old as, say, a mid 90's econobox.

 
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B00ne

Platinum Member
May 21, 2001
2,168
1
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wow 8k for a 94-95 325 is alot. Since the new cars are so much cheaper in the US, I reckon they should cheaper used too (compared to here)

You should get one for 4-6K around 8K is all convertables here.
 
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