16 year old BMW as a first car

[xavierdog]

Literally my whole life I have been in love with Bimmers. Ive been driving my moms Audi since i became 16 and now I have $7000 to buy one and call myself a BMW owner. Ive really been looking into this 2006 325i for 6k. Has barely over 100k miles. I have a part time job and make 600-700 a month plus I mow lawns. I have a shop in my house and Im able to fix DIY problems. Do you think I could take care of it? Side note: I drive about 60-70 miles a day due to where I live. Im expecting to Put about 20k miles a year on it. Also please recommend any other models. Im not buying anything but a BMW I dont care.

[XAlt]

Read up and you'll be fine.

[skyotee]

I think an E46 with 100K is a solid choice, but I would ask to see service history on the car. Power steering and oil gasket leaks (OFH, valve cover, oil pan) are all common, so hopefully those have been done already. Check in on the E46 forum and see what the common issues are, and then check the service records. Even if you DIY, if you have to put a lot of work into it, it can get expensive. Get a car that has been well taken care of, and has the records to prove it. Whenever I end up selling me E46, the new owner will get a spreadsheet and service receipts documenting that mine is a well taken care of car.

[MIKYZZ4]

I'll list some options to keep things affordable:

• Keep initial cost of car at $5-6k,the remaining balance $1-2k,set aside for initial maintenance costs.
• Service history records.
• PPI, performed by a shop or someone specifically familiar with, the mechanical/electronic intricacies of the particular BMW series.
• Knowledge and a DIY attitude for most maintenance and minor repairs. Major repairs as your knowledge base grows.
• Research online info on your BMW model, in addition to purchasing a BENTLEY Manual, reading it cover to cover to familiarize yourself with the - "Ultimate Driving Machine!"- Enjoy your new purchase, Good Luck!

[ross1]

First car, BMW @$7 budget
1. No rose colored glasses or stars in your eyes. Don't fall for a pretty face. Get someone else, knowledgeable, to look with you. Pay for a pre-purchase inspection if you have to.
2. Don't blow your whole wad on the purchase, set aside some for repairs which it WILL need, if you've done #1 you'll know that.
3. NO modifications, fancy stuff until the basic car is right. For example; a guy who spends a bundle on fancy wheels and tires then discovers the suspension is shot and he has no money left to fix it.

[Matt Cramer]

I'll list some options to keep things affordable:

• Keep initial cost of car at $5-6k,the remaining balance $1-2k,set aside for initial maintenance costs.
• Service history records.
• PPI, performed by a shop or someone specifically familiar with, the mechanical/electronic intricacies of the particular BMW series.
• Knowledge and a DIY attitude for most maintenance and minor repairs. Major repairs as your knowledge base grows.
• Research online info on your BMW model, in addition to purchasing a BENTLEY Manual, reading it cover to cover to familiarize yourself with the - "Ultimate Driving Machine!"- Enjoy your new purchase, Good Luck!

Very good advice there. The keys to affordable BMW ownership are starting with a good example and being prepared to do much of your own labor. Some of the electronics on BMWs require specialized scan tools, but other than that, there's not any harder to work on than most cars. Just a little different.