But an older one, so she's still using her noggin'.

We were actually searching for a different car altogether, but a glitch in the search function on cars.com led us to a 2003 325i... ~60K miles and right above $11K. Not bad, but I thought it seemed low so I searched specifically for the 325 and returned a plethora of cars with similar stats.

Turns out, there are tons of '03 325i Sedans on the market with anywhere between 60-80K miles for $10-$12K, depending on condition, etc.

So, this begs the question... is there anything about these cars that causes owners to un@ss them at that mileage point? Anyone on here with experience with this specific car?

She loves the stately look, the fact that it has four doors, and the fact that it's all leather, a BMW, etc etc.

If they prove to be decent cars with good reliability, we may look at picking up one by the end of the year. We don't want surprises, however, so if there's anything to look out for, let us know!

Thanks guys!

 

I think she should strike while the iron is hot and go for a new one.

 

Your wife has good taste, but you already knew that , my son bought a '04 325xi this past summer and loves it. Very nice car and a blast to drive. it is and AWD 6 speed manual and with 130,000 miles still drives and rides great. Fun to drive and room for his wife and 3 kids. He got his in June and has had no issues.
Happy car shopping

 

Boy, that didn't take long John!!! LOL! Another you may want to look at is the M3. Bullet-proof so they say. My son had this dream of getting one since he was 14, he's 22 now, and 2 weeks ago he found one in AZ, 20K on the 2002 clock, and I believe he paid 25 which was a tad overpriced but still. He went on the M3 forum and put it out there and lo and behold a couple of sellers popped up and then this one did shortly thereafter. there's some good values out there now, and I wouldn't be worried much at all if I could get one for a low price with 60-80 on them. Just research the heck out of them as I know you'll do anyway, and I'll bet you find one sweet one out there.

 

And so the high maintenance begins. lol!

 

John, I have had 2 of them, both E36s though (the style before the E46 you are courting) and I loved them both. Had an anemic 318i 4 cylinder (first car) and a 325i four door. Neither would win any races, but they treated me very well and I only had a few overpriced repairs (and mine were both over 100K). As long as you know someone who knows Bimmers, and will not take advantage, I think you would be fine, as I am sure most of the smaller stuff you would do yourself. Great cars and a good value at that price.

Rick, is it just me or does the spoiler on that 3 series look like its still in black primer?

 

Rick, is it just me or does the spoiler on that 3 series look like its still in black primer?[/quote]

Yes, it is I took that picture just after we primed it, when Adam got it the clear coat was all peeling off so we sanded it down and primed. put it back on before we painted just because he wanted to see what it looked like flat black. personally I liked it better with no spoiler at all, but he likes it...

 

Great cars unless they have been hit - pretty much like every German car. A bunch of my customers have them & don't seem to have any issues. My customers are sub-prime & for the most part treat their cars like rentals. I had 1 BMW 330i end up repoed b/c it kept blowing tires - turns out the car had been in a pretty bad wreck & was never 100% straight again. Looked good from the outside thought - until you started to feel the seams. Then it was a totally different story. I think she will be happy with a 3-series!

BTW - I think you just wanted to use "wifey" in a thread title!

 

Now that is material!

 

We love our 2007 BMW 328i Hard Top Convertible

 

Thanks for all the feedback everyone! And yes Kim, I do love her new title

She has her eyes set on the 325i. Doesn't want an M, too much $$$ and she's not interested in having a road rocket. She has a 2003 Accord that is paid for, and she plans to sell it and throw a few grand with the transaction so we'll be paying cash for it.

Her ideal setup is a white one with tan leather interior, and brushed aluminum accents. I'm not exactly objecting

And she already has a mod list in mind... the 18" 5-spoke coupe wheels, clear marker lights, LED tails... tasteful appearance mods. You can all see why we get along so well

 

Dave Ramsey would approve. You two are starting out right.

 

I was thinking the same thing...

But it sounds like the right kind of "high maintenance".

 

High maintenance cars are a lot cheaper than high maintenance women, so that's a good thing at least.

 

I can't speak from direct experience but my aunt purchased a 2004 545i series and it had a computer or module glitch in it. When cold, sometimes, the car would light up EVERY warning light, get stuck in 2 or 3 gear and only run about 35mph in limp mode until reset. It also was the first year of active steering so it wore the inside front tires very quickly. She traded it quickly!
Just things to keep in the back of your mind when looking at older used BMW's. Do your research, and read some 3 or 5 series blogs before committing. Good luck!


Cheers,
KrzyFast

 

Thank you for the sentiments... we're giving it our best go!

 

So... have you figured out what she sees in YOU?

I mean, 'cause the rest of us just don't see it.


















j/k, of course....

 

No, but I figured it would be safest not to ask her, and make her aware of her oversight

 

nice car to look at john but let me throw her a twist! 3 series wagon! i love em. classic lines and run forever. plus lots of room for the little moreheads!!
call jason at buckhead imports. he specializes in bmw and can tell you what to look for. at that mileage im going to guess cam tensioners, suspension fluid flushes and most are out of warrenty which motivates owners to dump them in favor of a new loan and warrenty
looks like a roadtrip is in order! 1 owner
http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.js...standard=false
http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.js...standard=false

 

Kim told me to tell you she doesn't like minivans

I do like them, but she's nuts over the sedan. We saw one last night exactly like what she's looking for, and that sealed the deal.