Slamnasty

So true. I cannot stress how much this reality would enter into my luxo-car buying decision.

Lexi and Acuras are most certainly the most characterless luxo-cars around, though I'd take an Acura over a Lexus when nitpicking. European cars are huge on character, but like all torrid relationships, very expensive.

It's unfortunate that European engines are so faulty. There are certainly shining examples of high mileage BMWs and MBs and so on, but no betting man would honestly take an MB over an Acura when the chips are down.

Porsches I would say are the most reliable supercars, without a doubt. But supercar reliability and everyday driver reliability are two completely different things. To me it looks like Infiniti, Lexus and Acura will continue to sap European luxury sales until BMW et al can put together a car that'll stay as such for at least 120,000 miles. And I'm absolutely certain Infiniti has put a noticeable dent in 3-Series sales. I see G35s all the damn time.

I think even Cadillac could be claimed as a much more reliable car than their Euro foes. The Northstar is an incredibly solid design, and runs forever.

BPUKiller

After having a C32 and S4 I can tell you I will never go German again. My cousin has had 2 BMW's, X5 4.4i and 323 wagon, and they were nothing but problems.

Sam

steve c

One more for the friend, uncle, neighbor, great aunt camp of German car owners who have had nothing but problems ....

DVDoughboy

This thread is useless.

There are problems with every car out there.
Some get good customer service, some bad.
There are horror stories about every car manufacturer's service.
Nobody goes around telling the good stories...only the bad ones.


There...I summed it up.

And by the way, unless you have first hand knowledge of what goes on, I don't think it's fair for you to make generalizations about certain cars and what kind of loaners people get.

gemusan

oh well, such is life. What I said is that my car didn't have any major problem so far. The service advisory is to prevent my car from having problems in the future.

Hey, I have friends w/ Toyotas who had recalls on their car too. But does that mean his car's reliability is crap? Nah

gemusan

Let's see here. Your friend's M3 goes in for repair 3 times a month. I'll guess he's had the car for 1 year. So he's had his car in the shop 36 times... Yet he doesn't file a claim under the lemon law and get a new car...

Seems like his car's pretty fixed up. Maybe his car's reliability sucks because he put a bunch of aftermarket parts on it? Hmmm, maybe that's why he can't claim lemon...

Problem solved. Your friend is either too dumb to know he has a lemon, or he's messing up the car himself and complaining about BMW reliability.

Ckcrigger

Yeah, but the point was specifically about M3s.
I don't know how this degenerated into a Euro vs Jap argument.

Your car DOES have a major problem.
It just hasn't become critical yet.

20,000 M3s have a built-in flaw that until weeks ago was denied by BMW.

Yet they kept making more with crappy bearings.
The poor 2001 owners that had their engines blow up... had the bearings replaced by the same crap bearings. Now they have to get the engine replaced again.

The point was: Sitting on time bombs.

If owners didn't b!tch about the engines blowing up, there would be no service advisory. It's not like BMW came up with this on their own.

Aren't you mad? They built you a car that "wasn't up to BMWs rigorous standards" and wouldn't have told you otherwise if it hadn't been for dozens of poor stranded M3 owners.

So when you are irked by all the "sisters-brothers-barbers" comments, just think... it's those guys who are forcing BMW to own up to their mistakes and preventing you from being stuck by the side of the road... because with those bearings it was just a matter of time... (did you see the carnage on the picture? His car "didn't have a problem," either).

Who knows, maybe after this second rebuild... all the bugs will be worked out. If that happens, I'd pick up an M3 in a heart beat.

KaiWang

typical m3 forum posting of the ultimate driving machine. poor SOB

" Is there any Recourse for us Leasers?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I ask this question in fear of a possible engine failure or recall. I only have 3000 miles on the 04 and it was been in the shop at least 4 times and is going back for a 5th time soon. Nothing serious just annoying problems, windows not working properly, squeaks and rattles, HK speakers. Things like that...I guess the "normal" things right? So what if this new Engine recall falls ont he 04's too. What can us Leaser's do? Are we stuck with the car and just have to suffer it being in the shop or is it up to our Leasing company what happens? Any ideas?

Man I'm glad I am leasing though. I'd hate to own this car right now."

NFRs2000NYC

Well....I spoke to the BMW manager this morning..... (from the dealership)

I dont know about the west, or you guys are Bsing....

He said, this is the BMW North America dealer rule for loaners...

3 series, or M3 ---->3 series, ONLY, special exception X5 3.0 or 525/530
5 series or M5----->525/530, if not available, 3 series or x5 3.0
7 series or z8------>525/530 if not, 3 series, or X53.0

They do NOT loan M cars, nor do they loan ANY V8 vehicles.
I will take their word for it, not yours. My friends first m3 which was from BMW of manhattan, didnt even get BMW loaners. They had a contract with Enterprise rent a car, where he would get Aleros, Galants, and the occasion Grand Prix. The new dealership in Long Island, he only got 325, 330, or X5 3.0 NOthing else, ever.

Oh yea, lemon laws are for the same problem 3 times. Lucky for him, some problems only happened twice.

derryck

Then he was talking out of his ass or you're lying. Loaner programs aren't mandated by BMWNA they are at the discretion of the individual dealerships. At least do some more research next time before you make up some outlandish shit.