Newer Honda or Older BMW?

[funky_monkey]

What would you get? For the same amount of cash, you can get a '96 BMW or 01 Vtec. What would you buy?

Lets put in a wild card 1991 BMW 520i

[orly_andico]

the cost of maintaining the BMW would be much higher. you have to factor that in. considering that you're buying a used car in both cases, cost must be a factor, right? maintaining the BMW is gonna be a problem. and a '96 would have probably 70k or so kilometers on it.. time for the bloody expensive PMS.

for the same price you can get a brand-new Getz.

[scarab]

....search mo bro yung mga bimmer threads dito. maraming posts dun tungkol sa cost of maintaining and replacing some parts.

...with your comparo, im assuming the bimmer is the 316 right? civic na lang siguro.

[seonadancing]

I went with the BMW, no regrets at all. Cost of Maintenance is dependent on the condition of the car you're getting and how you drive it.

[mfo]

We use to own A bmw 323, ayos naman no troubles at all, pero we knew mahirapan kami ibenta, so noong may nagalok sell kaagad. Maganda Quality

[GlennSter]

maintaining bmw's are NOT as expensive as it used to be sa pinas.marami naring pagawaan which caters to european cars.you just have to research. may mga parts nga ang 320 na sobrang mas mura kesa sa galant gti,eh.

i will always go sa older model na mas prestigious.

older bmw vs honda..BMW (no offense to honda owners..but a honda is a honda is a honda..ang layo naman sa bmw)

124 benz vs souped up SIR...benz.

[funky_monkey]

yes, assume 316 or 318. versus 01 vtec3. lets put in a wild card 520 1991.

[BlueBimmer]

yep prestige is still prestige no matter how old your benz or bmw is. a civic or souped up SIR would just wow the racerboys/honda fanboys, but even with an older BMW/Merc, you'll wow the chicks..and thats where it really matters diba?

[mfo]

yep prestige is still prestige no matter how old your benz or bmw is. a civic or souped up SIR would just wow the racerboys/honda fanboys, but even with an older BMW/Merc, you'll wow the chicks..and thats where it really matters diba?

[orly_andico]

well.....

if you look at it as an "investment," mas OK yung Bimmer assuming all other things are equal. why? BMW's retain their value better than Hondas.

but a 3-series BMW will still be more expensive to maintain than a Civic. Maybe less than an Accord though.. the 1988-92 E34 5-series is also an interesting suggestion. Costs less than an E36. But the parts probably cost an arm, a leg, and a left nut -- the reason an Accord would cost more than a 316 to maintain is because it's mid-sized. The E34 is mid-sized as well.

[niky]

***double post***

[niky]

If it's a 316, forget it, not worth the investment. And while Bimmers retain their value, so do Civics... I'd take a bone stock SiR... who cares what people think? It still feels good to drive, maintains its resale value VERY well, and is easy to maintain. If you want an old Bimmer, get a 6 cylinder and budget up for maintenance.

[blinker]

I'll go with the BMW also just because its a BMW...

[Bry]

I'd get the BMW.

[basti08]

you are considering a BMW even if its used because of prestige, right? on the otherhand its a Civic for practicality(?)... for me id take the BMW even if its just E36 316i... less electronics, less gadget = less problem, maintenance as the Civic but still has prestige... if within the bidget i can afford a 320i, then that would be a nice consolation.

[orly_andico]

a friend of a friend sold his altis to buy a BMW (presumably an E36, kasi nasa almost-1M pa rin ang E46). now he thoroughly regrets the maintenance costs and wants to sell it, but can't.

[mazdamazda]

i'd go with a early 90s 525... the going price is around 400K... pretty cheap for something that feels luxurious and handles pretty well...

[OTEP]

Ang layo ng driving feel ng BMW sa Honda. I've driven Bimmers back to back with Hondas. Yeah, 316i's are slow. Pero maganda manakbo. Ibang-iba kung tumapak sa lubak, alam mong naka-Euro car ka. The ways the door close with a sold thud, the rattle free bodies, etc.

Same with our '97 Volvo 850. It's cheaper than the cheapest Kia Picanto, but still feels like a million bucks. Mahal ba maintenance? I dunno. We just take it to the gas station. Repairs are few and far between naman.

I'd take the higher end anytime (unless sobrang laspag nung older car). Right now, mahal na gasolina. Rather than buy an econocar, we just built a classic Benz with a small diesel engine. Mas mura pa lumalabas.

[niky]

Still, the only question is: how much time and money are you willing to put into the car?

Maintaining a newer BMW can be affordable and easy... but probably not at the same time... the easy way (the casa) is expensive, and the affordable way (outside) will take more of your time.

Maintaining a Honda is relatively easy in comparison. Shops are plentiful, and odds are everyone and his brother in your neighborhood knows how to fix one.

Yes, a BMW is a really nice car, prestigious, etcetera, etcetera, with all the amenities that even a loaded Honda lacks... but you have to be willing to pay for that prestige... even if it's not the huge sum it used to be, it's still considerable when compared to owning a Japanese car.

Nothing against BMWs, it's just a reality check... of sorts.

If all your budget stretches to are cars in this price range, think long and hard about how you're going to budget maintenance. I've always maintained that you need a 50k peso buffer for unforseen problems when you buy a secondhand japanese car... with the BMW, you'll need quite a bit more in case of emergencies.

That said, hey, yeah... a BMW 525 is a nice choice... swell car, that.

[OTEP]

I guess it would depend on the thread starter. Im my case, whether it's Euro, Jap, American, etc. it will still get mostly third-party maintenance so no difference in time and effort spent.

Btw, the last mint condition '96 316i I checked was being sold for Php430k OBO. Complete service records, owned by knowledgeable BMW owner. Drove great. Being sold to make way for SUV.