F30 328i vs. CPO E90 328i

Originally Posted by alep1985

European Delivery on a new Sport Line F30.

Looks pretty good, eh. But: Never buy in the first year of production.

No matter how bright she shines, 3rd+ year of production is a much better bet.

Stop/start problems from the git-go. Other new tech....give it time.

328i a known quantity; 2009+ has better repair record.

You choose.

Whatever you decide don't scrimp on the options you want. Keeping a car 5+ years is a long time to live with regrets.

Originally Posted by CALWATERBOY

Looks pretty good, eh. But: Never buy in the first year of production.

No matter how bright she shines, 3rd+ year of production is a much better bet.

Stop/start problems from the git-go. Other new tech....give it time.

328i a known quantity; 2009+ has better repair record.

You choose.

This.

OP - Sorry if I misread, but have you actually DRIVEN any of these cars?

Originally Posted by alep1985

Hey all,
I've been lurking around here on the forums for the last 6 months or so, hoping to get some insight from you guys on what you think is the right decision here.....

I'm making a decent living in IT, and I'm saving up to replace my old car in the next 12-18 months. Probably wanting to finance the car since I want to keep it for a while (6-8 years). My budget for a new car will probably be around $35,000 (could do $40k, but I want to leave a little extra for the repairs that I know will hit me down the road). Due to the N54/55 HPFP issues, a CPO 335i seems out of the question for me since I value not being afraid to take it on long trips.

I think it's way too early to be making such a decision. The market will be different in 12-18 months. Revisit the decision when you're close to purchase.

Go with the E90. Great steering for a great price. Can't say that about the new car. I would never steer you wrong.

Originally Posted by alep1985

It is the top, but it's a fairly comfy top. I know I could afford one in the $40k's, but (as you said) I have a house and other things that come first.

I'm not silly enough to blow all of my money on a luxury car, so I've set this budget level with that in mind

I'm just wanting to know if the F30 is worth that extra $5-8k over a CPO E90, basically. And if you would go with the F30, do you think CPO is a good idea, or is new via Euro Delivery worth the cost of buying new?

+1 A budget doesn't have to mean you can't afford more. I draw a mental line on cars, also around $35k, even though we could afford way more.

CPO's have huge markup built in. I'd ED in this case, if you can get a good deal (11% off).

Sorry I haven't responded in a while. Been busy and haven't had time to revisit this thread.

Originally Posted by Llando88

This.

OP - Sorry if I misread, but have you actually DRIVEN any of these cars?

Yes, in an earlier post, I said I've driven:
-2010 G37x Coupe (love the speed, but I don't care for the bubble design and the interior feels cheaply built to me)
-2010-2011 E90 328i/335i (I've test driven two 335i's and I rented a 328i in SFO last year)
-2010 Audi A4 (liked the interior, but it felt very front-heavy and not very nimble on its feet)

Originally Posted by Chris90

+1 A budget doesn't have to mean you can't afford more. I draw a mental line on cars, also around $35k, even though we could afford way more.

CPO's have huge markup built in. I'd ED in this case, if you can get a good deal (11% off).

THANK YOU, someone else who finally sees the value in setting a budget. I mean, we're all enthusiasts here, but I have other goals in life as well (retire at a decent age, build investment savings, etc.).

Yeah, I've been viewing the CPO market on Autotrader and realize they're at least $1200-2500 more compared to a same-year regular used E90 with similar mileage (sometimes much more expensive, depending on the dealer and location). $2000+ is a little steep just for a warranty, but I'm willing to pay $1200-1500 markup for a warranty that lasts 100,000 miles, as long as the car is under 50,000 miles.

As for avoiding buying the first model-year, I usually agree with this train of thought, too. I think the next 12-18 months will give me time to see if any consistent problems form with the 2012 F30, though.

As for the steering feel lacking on the F30, the different in 0-60 more than makes up for that for my daily use. I suppose I need to test drive an F30 in the next 12 months and see how MUCH worse it is, though.....certainly it's still better than most. But that's just my opinion. I'd miss the inline 6's sound, though!

Thanks for all of your input, guys. I'm still undecided on which choice, but I've got plenty of time to see how things shape up by then! Thanks!

I love toys as much as anyone, but if $35k were my budget, I would take a base level F30 over an E90 328i.

I had the E90 for a loaner once (drove a 335i) and it was ok, but kind of a snooze. The F30 is an entirely different animal in a better way. Yes, it doesn't have the "heavy" steering that some people like, but that's more of a 335 issue anyhow.

Get the F30 and break your budget a bit for an option or two. Or consider leasing and really breaking your budget.