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So I guess those 1989 BMW M3's with 190K miles and super clean interior/exteriors that I've been looking at are a figment of my imagination?
I just got rid of my 2002 BMW M3 not to long ago and except for some swirl marks in the clear coat (nothing a good buffing couldn't fix) the car was showroom new, new car smell and all. Drove like a champ and I had zero problems with it.
I also had a 2002 Audi B5 S4 2.7TT. Aside from replacing the clutch and the throttle body boot the car was bullet proof.
Admittedly the cars both had less than 70K on the clock when I got rid of them, but I can't imagine that they would have fallen apart in another 15K miles, especially since I personally know people that have 200K mile M3's that drive like they are pretty new.
Here is a thread about just how solid those 2001 Camry's are:
It is very possible but I am POSITIVE THOUSANDS of dollars were spent on maintenance to maintain the cars you claim are perfect.
Its common knowledge you keep your German car under warrenty and get rid of it after the warrenty.
You know, I don't think I would want to buy ANY make that hadn't involved thousands of dollars worth of maintenance by the time it had 70K miles on it. Because if the previous owner hasn't done thousands of dollars worth of maintenance, that means there's an excellent chance that I will be doing thousands of dollars of maintenance on it, and real soon.
Cars cost money to maintain properly, no matter what make. Otherwise you're just running it into the ground.
Being an alignment technician I deal with many different makes/models of cars/light trucks on a daily basis.
A 2001 BMW/Mercedes with much over 85K miles tends to be a rolling 'piece of junk'; read that worn interiors, suspension repairs, etc. whereas a same year Toyota Camry/Honda Accord with over 100K still looks/feels 'new'
I live here in Arizona so rust is not an issue
I agree there. A relative of mine has a 2000 BMW 3-series with 105,000 miles, and I am currently driving a 2001 Honda Accord with 110,000 miles. That BMW, while a beautiful car and really fun to drive when it was newer, is now a headache...problems with the power steering making noises, the AC isn't working right, the check engine light is always coming on, etc. The car makes so many noises you'd swear you were driving an '82 Citation. Although it still looks good. I have had zero problems with my Accord other than a bad wheel bearing. Anything else has been regular maintenance, and it still runs and looks like new.
Well for my parents, the perception of Japanese cars being superior to American cars was from experience. My dad had a 1982 Dodge Ram van that had so many problems during 10 years of ownership. Apparently, the A/C malfunctioned 2 years after he bought it in '82. However, his old Mazda (never found out what year or model) had no problems in his words. Same story with my mother. Her 1982 Toyota Celica lasted for 12 years before the engine gave way in 1994. However her old Chevy that she drove in Indianapolis in the 70s was a paint to maintain.
Same deal with European cars - we haven't had that much luck with them either. My mom's 1995 Volvo 960 had tons of A/C and electrical issues (mind you, we bought this car brand new) and my dad's second-hand Mercedes-Benz 1999 E320 only lasted us 2 years after giving way to electrical problems in 2002.
Today, our cars are still Japanese. My mom bought me a 2006 MAZDA3s Grand Touring for my 17th birthday. Unlike the American competition in the compact class, this car had heated leather seats, LED gauges and taillights, HID headlights, sunroof, Bose audio, navigation, and more compared to the competition. My mom recently traded in her 2004 Acura MDX for a new 2008 Infiniti G35. Not only is it cheaper than the BMW 335i and Cadillac CTS, but it offers the same features and more! You won't find LED taillights, a hard drive based navigation system, a backup camera, power tilt/telescoping steering wheel, and pre-collision system on the BMW and you won't find active cruise control, pre-collision system, a backup camera, and Bluetooth on the Cadillac. Pretty much, we've got everything on the G35 for only $40K.
It is very possible but I am POSITIVE THOUSANDS of dollars were spent on maintenance to maintain the cars you claim are perfect.
Its common knowledge you keep your German car under warrenty and get rid of it after the warrenty.
I have heard that said as well--------a shop near me that specializes in BMW repairs loves 'em------they are costly to repair and tend to fall to pieces @ about 85K miles.
If anything; it seems that the older Bimmers do seem to hold up better (mid 1990's on down).
Today, our cars are still Japanese. My mom bought me a 2006 MAZDA3s Grand Touring for my 17th birthday.
I wish my parents bought me a new $25k car for my 17th birthday!! We used to make do with $500 Ford Mavericks. Must be nice. Just don't spend your inheritance all in one place.
I had a Nissan that turned into a major headache after I put 100,000 miles on it. I always did regular maintenance and yet it suddenly turned into a piece of junk. Generally these cars last a lot longer than 100,000. I now drive a Dodge and am much happier.
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