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New job, high miles are adding up...what to do?

2K views 15 replies 15 participants last post by  Vanos4:12PM 
#1 ·
Looking to tap into the ever so enjoyable opinions of board members regarding a new dilemma I'm facing with my E91.

For the last year, I was doing great on keeping down the miles down on my 2010 E91. This is my dream car, did the whole ED deal in Dec 2009, its been awesome. The car is spotless.

I've changed jobs, and will be going from adding 800 miles a month to almost 1,600 per month. The company gives me back the .50 / mile, so I'm banking $800 in soft money.

Choices:

- Bank the $800 and in two years use the $ towards a new ED and trade in the 2010 wagon?
- Get comfortable with trying to get 200,000 miles out of this car and just run it into the ground?
- Lease something else, maybe a Mini and use the E91 on weekends? Even with the lease fee + overage in annual miles on the Mini, I would still bank $350 profit. But then all I get is a 2010 Wagon with low miles in 2013 and a Mini that goes back to the dealer.

Thoughts on what some of you would do?
 
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#2 ·
Tell me what you find.

I did ED on my E92 in June, 2009. I'm going to cross 41,000 miles this month (+/- 2400 miles/month).

I love this car, love driving it, and don't want to kill it, but, damn, I'm rolling the miles onto it!
 
#3 · (Edited)
I've changed jobs, and will be going from adding 800 miles a month to almost 1,600 per month. The company gives me back the .50 / mile, so I'm banking $800 in soft money.

Thoughts on what some of you would do?
In NH? Get yourself a new long wheelbase Yukon 4x4 w/all the trimmings for your daily driver.

Driving a Dino has is privileges. Few argue with you on the road; comfy, comfy comfy.

Your 3 will live blissfully unused in your garage, until called upon. Plus, room for friends & relatives when you need it. Road trip? Space for a week's provisions for 4.

Need I mention Winter weather? Yukon'll goosh through anything with oodles of dry, climate controlled room inside. When nature turns on you, your Yukon is excellent compensation. :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:


.
 
#4 ·
I would go with lease something else too, It's a car I love I will not abuse my BMW like that.
 
#5 ·
I feel your pain. I worked for years 7 miles from my home, kept mileage to less than 10K a year. Then got new job 35 miles from home (long story). I bought a new '08 335i in April '08 and was upset with the prospect of having a high mileage car. Oh, side note, I usually sell my car after 3-4 years in pristine, low miles condition, getting a premium price on a private sale. That's how I fund a big down payment on my next car purchase. Fast forward to summer '10. I was coming up on 42K miles and "had to" sell before 45K to give a buyer some incentive and cushion of warranty to 50K. Took a hit on that car. Now I have a new 535i and I'm not going to let that happen again.

Luckily, we have our Metro subway system here in the MD/VA/DC area. I had told myself I would use it when I got the 330i but never went through with it. For the past 3 months, since I got the 535i, I've taken Metro twice a week saving 140 miles a week, almost 7000 miles a year. This should keep me down to 12K a year. I don't know if you have convenient subway or other public mode of transportation where you are, but that's another idea.
 
#9 ·
It's nice to hold milage down for improved resale. For me, I like driving and I'm willing to pay the price to drive. Great maint. is the key to long term enjoyment of the BMW.
 
#6 ·
i dive over 2k miles a month, thats the whole reason i moved from a VW with a turbo and HPFP to the 328, with my all highway drive, i have no doubts that i will be able to push this car past 250k.

when you drive a lot, you should be in a nice car, i did the japanese econo-box thing for a while as a commuter car, and decided that it wasnt worth it for something i was spending so many hours of my life in. i wasnt clear if you had a 328 or 335, but with the 328, i wouldnt hesitate to pile the miles on, thats what its made for...
 
#8 · (Edited)
i dive over 2k miles a month, thats the whole reason i moved from a VW with a turbo and HPFP to the 328, with my all highway drive, i have no doubts that i will be able to push this car past 250k.

when you drive a lot, you should be in a nice car, i did the japanese econo-box thing for a while as a commuter car, and decided that it wasnt worth it for something i was spending so many hours of my life in. i wasnt clear if you had a 328 or 335, but with the 328, i wouldnt hesitate to pile the miles on, thats what its made for...
Its an E91 - so he must have the N52.

You buy a car to enjoy it and drive it. Its not a investment like a house. Its a consumable. Drive it, enjoy it, and then when you've put so many miles on that it is no longer a reliable ride, get something new.

Life is short. Enjoy what you have now.

I'm in a somewhat similar situation. I bought an E91 because I love to camp, cycle, and hike. The wagon has been great for hauling my gear. But, despite the fact that I work from home most days, I'm piling on the miles and will burn through the warranty in less than 3 years.

Screw it though. I bought the car to suit my lifestyle. What would be the sense of struggling to keep the miles off?
 
#7 ·
You should just keep your car. No need go get a mini. You won't enjoy it as much. 6 cylinder for the win.


Sent from my iPhone4 using BimmerApp
 
#10 ·
Awesome input everyone. As usual.

I have all these comments floating around in my head, and then hearing them on the forums somehow helps sort them out.

Fact is my ass is in that car more hours than I'd like to admit. Life is indeed short, way too short to drive anything less. Its crazy, but this is why I got the auto in the first place.

I'm going to go the two years, take the hit on the miles and plunk down the cash for another Euro trip. If times are tight, then I'll go CPO on a 5 series.

Maybe I can tape over the miles on the dash so I stop looking at them? Kind of like not wearing a watch.
 
#12 · (Edited)
Mostly highway miles? Don't worry about the car then, it'll run healthily for a long time. Sure your resale might drop, but if I were being paid $800/month to drive my car, resale would be irrelevant (I drive about 2000 miles per month fwiw). Pocket the money, and buy yourself a nice fun car (E85 Z4M?) for weekends. That car is really something else... if you truly feel life is too short to not enjoy your car, definitely get yourself a Z4M or M3.
 
#13 ·
I have to echo what everyone else has pretty much said - drive it and enjoy it, that's why you bought it. :) I bought a 2011 e91 in October, knowing full well that I put high mileage on my cars. I talked with my indy mechanic before I bought it and his thought was it was a great car for a high mileage driver. He also pretty much echo'd what dalekressin wrote - the key to high mileage is proper maintenance.

FWIW, my previous car, '05 MINI Cooper S, was out of warranty in 2.5 years - I expect my wagon will be out about the same. It had over 100,000 miles on the MINI when I finally decided I needed more space and bought the wagon.
 
#14 ·
I would drive your car into the ground. Why spend money on a nice car if you don't enjoy every minute of it. I drive one hour every day in my car to work, bought the 6yr/100k mile extended warranty, and never pay attention to the mileage. A car is an expense and no matter what it will depreciate. Think of it as a luxury expense like a vacation, will it be your last vacation? Probably not, so enjoy the time you have with it and don't worry about the resale value.
 
#15 ·
Thoughts on what some of you would do?
If you buy nice stuff and don't use it, you're paying money to store someone else's stuff. That someone eventually gets to enjoy it for much less than you paid for it in the first place.

My advice: buy the extended warranty, and have an indy BMW shop go over the car right before the warranty expires.

It's not a fully restored BMW 507 that was once owned by Elvis. It's a station wagon.
 

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#16 ·
Use that $800 a month driving expense from your company to purchase the extended 6yr/100K. You are basically driving your car for free from a payment perspective!!! Don't worry about resale value.

I understand exactly your thoughts in keeping the miles down - but as others responded, you bought the car to enjoy it - don't worry about the resale value down the road. You never know what's going to happen down the road. Especially with highway miles and a possible 100K warranty - there is nothing to worry about for at least 5 years.
 
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