High Mileage e39 528 for teen?

Hey guys! I'm new to the forum, and I don't have a BMW (yet), but I was wondering what you guys thought about a couple that I have found. Also keep in mind that I've got 4,000 to spend, and I have a part-time job, and that I'm 17:

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sgv...498325680.html
1997 528i - $2,600
Quirks/Pluses: 212K Miles, Needs Tyres, Rear Window Regulators (which I understand is somewhat of a problem on these early 5 series'), and a Drivers-Side Lower Control Arm / Good: 124 Style 18" Wheels, M5 Front Bumper, Cooling System Replaced w/in 10K, New Brakes, etc.

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac...492194018.html
1998 528i - $3,950
Quirks/Pluses: 208K Miles / Engine Rebuilt 9 mo.'s ago, Trannie Rebuild 14 mo.'s ago, Looks kinda cool but ghetto lol

Thanks for any/all insight you Bimmer-Guru's have! _a_

YOu sure you want to own a high maintenance bmw as your first car? I know bmw's are cool looking, but wouldn't you rather have extra money in your pockets to go do fun things that teenagers do, like go to the movies, dances, proms? A bmw costs big bucks to maintain. From past posts, owners on here say they put aside and/or spend $1500-$2000 a year for maintenance. Sounds about right. 2-3 yrs ago I spent over $6,500 in parts alone just to bring my car back to a nice and reliable working condition. That's on average $2,200 /yr so far. In 2013, I'm looking at renewing my clutch, flywheel, pressure plate, bearing, etc...those transmission replacement parts will cost me around $1500-$2000 - just for parts. See the picture here?

Anyways, I looked at those two e39s you linked, and personally, I wouldn't take a risk on buying either of them. At those relatively cheap selling prices, they look like they're in need of serious work after you buy. I suspect that Suspension on any car that's 200k miles is worn down next to nothing, so will most likely need to do a complete suspension overhaul at the very least. Suspension parts for these bmws are NOT CHEAP. You can easily spend more money to keep the bmw running than the purchase price of them. That's why we see bmw sellers offloading these cars so cheap, b/c it costs BIG bucks to replace worn parts on bmws.

For $2500, IMO, Any '95-'02 Camry or Accord w/ 150-200k miles will make a very good 1st car. Sure, they're not as cool as a bmw, but they don't cost all that much to keep them running. As a comparison, if you were to need parts like a starter, a BMW OEM starter is $260 whereas a Toyota OEM starter for a Camry is $90. SOmething to think about....

I would not do it. It's way too much of a high maintenance vehicle, but I will suggest you get an Integra, or Honda hatch, then move on to a bimmer once you're out of HS and have a better paying job. I suggest those because they're inexpensive, easy to learn on, and are decent drivers cars. That's the path I took. The mileage on those is pretty damn crazy.

Plan on a couple of thousand to get things fixed. Then an average of $100/month to maintain. Smart money goes for a nice Japanese car until you have more money to spend.

EDIT: thats doing all your maintenance yourself :-)


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Agreed....Stay away from high mileage E39's if you have a tight budget. I would look into an E30 3 Series. They are easier to work on, less expensive and more fun.

No way ..... Not yet . To many reasons to list but trust what the posters are saying.

Best first car is simple, inexpensive and reliable . There are many , but a Toyota Corolla is bullet proof . A Jeep Wrangler is also good except gas mileage. Honda Civics are ok except more complicated then a Toyota. And a big sleeper are the basic Saturns.

If you get an auto , remember they typically fail between 140-180 k.

And stay away from an Acura with an automatic..... The old ones are junk.

Affort to buy a BMW =/= affort to own a BMW
Unless you're a car guy and can wrench on your own vehicle, with reserved fund for parts and maintenance (most teenagers don't)

I was 16 when I bought my 1997 528i for 4k and after almost 4 years of ownership I have spend about 4k between repairs and the given oil changes etc... It is said that this car will cost you ~1k a year if you're a DIY kinda guy and about double that I'm guessing if you're not. I chose to upgrade some parts when replacing them but if I didn't I would have only had spent probably 2k over the last 4 years in maintenance. I think I lucked out though as my car has been very very reliable

I'm 18 in January and Senior in high school, owned the car for one year and I've spent 4-5k and I have a 1998 bmw 528I with 206k miles auto. I used to pay for all repairs but in the last few months I've started doing Diy. I always think about selling it for a Honda or something else but I'm just to in love in it.

318i

I'm just blown away at how you 16-17 yr olds are able to afford a bmw...not just any bmw, but a midsize one...as your first car within a month or so after getting your driver's license. Who out there is giving you jobs that pay you this well?

LEt's see...it takes ~ $4k to buy a bmw.
Then it takes ~ $400 to TT&L
Then it takes ~ $1600 / yr to insure a teenager (on parent's policy) or ~$2200 / to insure a teen solo.

So, right off the bat, a 16-17 needs $4400 in his/her hands to buy a bmw.

Then, car insurance can be paid off per monthy @ ~ $140/mo.
A full tank of gas every 10 days costs ~$60, or $180/mo. $320/mo total if we add the two.

Minimum wage is ~ $7.80/hr. To be able to save up $4400, you'd have to work 564 hrs to GROSS that much. In reality, after taxes, FICA, etc...it's more like 750 hrs work. At 750 hrs, that's an average of 14 hrs / wk part time work. That's do-able, if that's all the expense there is.

But if we add in car insurance and cost of fuel per month, @ $320/mo, that's an additional 54 hrs work at min wage per month, or 13 hrs / week.

Now we begin to account for cost in maintenance @ $1k per yr. THat's an additional 170 hrs work/yr, or 3.25 hrs/ wk at prevailing min. wage.

All added together, 14+13+3.25 hrs, that's ~ 30 hrs of work / wk to keep a bmw happy and legit for the 1st yr. Is that right or am I just nuts?

I am 55 and have been wrenching on my own cars since I was your age Bimmerboy1995. I completely restored a 1966 Corvair Corsa Convertible at the age of 17 and had a rough time on that learning curve because I did not understand what I was getting into. A modern BMW is a lot more complicated than my first project and I have to agree with all the other posts that say, "Don't do it", unless you are already a decent mechanic and have the time, the space, and the money to do the maintenance these cars demand. Any $4K E39 is a money pit waiting to happen. No one selling in that price range has a well maintained car that will not need major work in the near future. Any seller who tells you they do, is either lying or not asking enough money for their car. Ask for proof of maintenance with receipts if the seller is claiming it. If they can't prove it or offer excuses, walk away.

If you have the skills, the space, the time, and the money, go for it but don't pay $4K for what will be a project car. Offer $2500-3000 and see what comes of it. Don't buy a BMW that needs paint repair. It is very expensive to match the factory finish. There are too many out there with decent paint to add this to your list of things to do. If all you have is $4K, no garage space, and no mechanical skills, a cheap E39 will be a miserable experience for you.

Run kid run.... Run Forrest. Car will bleed you. Buy a good used cheap car that will actually help you, not hurt you. Civic, Corrola, Cobalt etc. If the car cost $4k you'll need over $4k to fix it up.

These cars can be walet vampires... AT MOST an old E30 IF you work on cars yourself, if not, get another brand.

Yeah, I have a Xcel sheet on my E39. Wow. I'm a DIY, veteran used car buyer and must say.... i'm over my budget. But I do truely enjoy the car. Looking at my sheet I'd say it would be cheaper to buy a '07ish 5 series. But then I forget... I'll need to do almost 60% of the things I did to my E39 to the newer car! no way around it.

With that budget, I would consider a 4th gen Nissan Maxima, much better than Corolla or Civic, good looking, reliable, reasonably fast, easy to maintain, easy DIY and part is cheap, has one of the best V6. 98-99 Maxima with under 150K miles will cost around $2500,

BMW ====== maintenance

No & No - wouldn't want a young person to get into trouble

Originally Posted by DHoang

I'm just blown away at how you 16-17 yr olds are able to afford a bmw...not just any bmw, but a midsize one...as your first car within a month or so after getting your driver's license. Who out there is giving you jobs that pay you this well?

LEt's see...it takes ~ $4k to buy a bmw.
Then it takes ~ $400 to TT&L
Then it takes ~ $1600 / yr to insure a teenager (on parent's policy) or ~$2200 / to insure a teen solo.

So, right off the bat, a 16-17 needs $4400 in his/her hands to buy a bmw.

Then, car insurance can be paid off per monthy @ ~ $140/mo.
A full tank of gas every 10 days costs ~$60, or $180/mo. $320/mo total if we add the two.

Minimum wage is ~ $7.80/hr. To be able to save up $4400, you'd have to work 564 hrs to GROSS that much. In reality, after taxes, FICA, etc...it's more like 750 hrs work. At 750 hrs, that's an average of 14 hrs / wk part time work. That's do-able, if that's all the expense there is.

But if we add in car insurance and cost of fuel per month, @ $320/mo, that's an additional 54 hrs work at min wage per month, or 13 hrs / week.

Now we begin to account for cost in maintenance @ $1k per yr. THat's an additional 170 hrs work/yr, or 3.25 hrs/ wk at prevailing min. wage.

All added together, 14+13+3.25 hrs, that's ~ 30 hrs of work / wk to keep a bmw happy and legit for the 1st yr. Is that right or am I just nuts?

I don't know if thats right, but you need to consider the opportunity cost, not just the cost.

That means (Cost of owning a toyota for example)-(cost of owning BMW). The difference is the true "cost", because you're getting a car either way.

The I-6 M5X engines are pretty damn reliable too IF you keep up with maintenance and don't neglect them. It was BMW's cream crop for like 2 decades. When the last M54's came out in the E46's (like 2006?), they were probably bullet proof.

If the kid doesn't abuse it, it may very well be good daily-er.

Go for it man! I had 525i as my first car with 250k miles. It was my dads. If you're responsible teen whos willing to get down and dirty when the car breaks down it won't be too expensive. I would much rather go for a cheap 540i you'd be amazed how much 4.5k will buy you. I wouldn't buy a car that runs and drives under 3k and not have enough money for fixes. I would rather buy a $1000 540i that needs timming chain guides.

Good luck keep us informed

they are reliable cars.. but as everyone has stated it will cost whenever the time comes.. cheap maintenance doesnt exist is bmw world... also consider who your buying the car from anytime you buy a used car.. is the person professional well maintained cars, home, neat etc... from a perspective of making a sound decision that builds a profile of a persons character.. doesn't totally absolve them from deceit that possibility lingers but understanding who the person is and asking the right questions is key.. you may come away with a very good car with little or minor issues.. rule of thumb though.. Check engine light on verify what codes are being read if possible.. if you cant and that light is on your definitely rolling the dice if you purchase it.. dont wanna crap out.. AS IS rule applies when buying from private seller.. be careful and mindful.. don't let young desires and ambition ruin logic...

Originally Posted by DHoang

I'm just blown away at how you 16-17 yr olds are able to afford a bmw...not just any bmw, but a midsize one...as your first car within a month or so after getting your driver's license. Who out there is giving you jobs that pay you this well?

LEt's see...it takes ~ $4k to buy a bmw.
Then it takes ~ $400 to TT&L
Then it takes ~ $1600 / yr to insure a teenager (on parent's policy) or ~$2200 / to insure a teen solo.

So, right off the bat, a 16-17 needs $4400 in his/her hands to buy a bmw.

Then, car insurance can be paid off per monthy @ ~ $140/mo.
A full tank of gas every 10 days costs ~$60, or $180/mo. $320/mo total if we add the two.

Minimum wage is ~ $7.80/hr. To be able to save up $4400, you'd have to work 564 hrs to GROSS that much. In reality, after taxes, FICA, etc...it's more like 750 hrs work. At 750 hrs, that's an average of 14 hrs / wk part time work. That's do-able, if that's all the expense there is.

But if we add in car insurance and cost of fuel per month, @ $320/mo, that's an additional 54 hrs work at min wage per month, or 13 hrs / week.

Now we begin to account for cost in maintenance @ $1k per yr. THat's an additional 170 hrs work/yr, or 3.25 hrs/ wk at prevailing min. wage.

All added together, 14+13+3.25 hrs, that's ~ 30 hrs of work / wk to keep a bmw happy and legit for the 1st yr. Is that right or am I just nuts?

You really broke it down here...makes me feel bad about owning mine lol

OP Like most of the other sa.id I wouldnt recommend it. Honda, Toyota, Nissan low cost low maintenance

hey im 16 and have a 98 528i and it is killing me not having enough money to fix all the things wrong with it although i enjoy to the point of constant smiling if you want it go for it but acknowledge the amount of time and money you will have to spend i do most of the work myself and i even go to the junkyard to get parts and its still not cheap but if you want it go for it and have fun

Originally Posted by Rgol

Agreed....Stay away from high mileage E39's if you have a tight budget. I would look into an E30 3 Series. They are easier to work on, less expensive and more fun.

+1

1990 325i was my first car and I still have it. Unfortunately I let it sit for too long and now the amount of money it would take to get it back in daily driving condition might be worth more than the car itself ($1,500 ish). The e30 loves to be driven all the time. The more you drive it the better its condition. I have a lot of bad rubber, seals, and trim on my e30, plus the paint is sun faded on the hood, roof, and trunk. The tires are also dry rotted to death. However the engine, trans, suspension, and brakes are all in good working order. If I wanted to, it would run and drive right now, even after about 4 years of no/limited use. Hopefully I can find some space to store it and restore it to near original condition when I have a garage.

Buy a simple car and have fun. Nobody cares about what you drive, and if they do, you do not need them in your life. Invest in yourself and experiences, not cars.