If BMW is such a pain to own and maintain (based on some comments), would Lexus, Acura, and Infiniti be a better choice?

Japanese luxury < Euro/German luxury.
Japanese long term dependability/reliability > Euro/German long term dependability/reliability.
Cost of ownership: Japanese = Euro/German.

It is just a matter of personal preference. If you like BMW then don't hold yourself back. Me, I will pick a jap brand anytime. Just my 2 cents.