end of an era

[BAC5.2]

wheel alignment

 

uncle's camry $45

my accord $60

my subie $70

 

 

 

friend bmw's 335xi .... $300

 

BMW customers, typically, have more money than camry/accord/subaru owners. Therefore, dealers charge more. Not because it actually costs more, but because people will pay it.

 

Go to a local shop, one that the local auto-xers go to.

 

Performance Alignment on an accord: $90

Performance Alignment on a WRX: $90

Performance Alignment on a Z06: $90

Performance Alignment on an M3: $90

[RJS5689]

BMW customers, typically, have more money than camry/accord/subaru owners. Therefore, dealers charge more. Not because it actually costs more, but because people will pay it.

 

Go to a local shop, one that the local auto-xers go to.

 

Performance Alignment on an accord: $90

Performance Alignment on a WRX: $90

Performance Alignment on a Z06: $90

Performance Alignment on an M3: $90

Exactly! The average BMW owner makes about $169,000 a year about 30% have a 4-year college education. Statistics can be found here. With new entry-level models, luxury brands are becoming more easily accessible by all. A base 3-series can be had for about $35,000 and a base 1-series for $31,000 (about the price of a new LGT). We paid Infiniti $160 for a simple oil change and tire rotation service on our G37. Never will we be going back there. Luxury brands know their customers have more money, thus they can charge more. You know Nissan doesn't charge that price for the same services, but Infiniti is the luxury division of Nissan. Luxury owners typically have money, so why not charge them more, right?

 

Why do people on here keep trying to trash BMW? Is it jealousy? Yes the cars cost money to own, sure certain parts may cost more, but why do individuals care so much that they start trash talking them and trying to point out all the negatives. BAC5.2 is correct, take the car to an INDEPENDENT shop for work, not to the dealer.

[dmanaenk]

Exactly! The average BMW owner makes about $169,000 a year about 30% have a 4-year college education.

I'm guessing those are stats of average _household_ income for people who buy those vehicles new, not 'average owner'.

[Kodax]

Exactly! The average BMW owner makes about $169,000 a year about 30% have a 4-year college education. Statistics can be found here. With new entry-level models, luxury brands are becoming more easily accessible by all. A base 3-series can be had for about $35,000 and a base 1-series for $31,000 (about the price of a new LGT). We paid Infiniti $160 for a simple oil change and tire rotation service on our G37. Never will we be going back there. Luxury brands know their customers have more money, thus they can charge more. You know Nissan doesn't charge that price for the same services, but Infiniti is the luxury division of Nissan. Luxury owners typically have money, so why not charge them more, right?

 

Why do people on here keep trying to trash BMW? Is it jealousy? Yes the cars cost money to own, sure certain parts may cost more, but why do individuals care so much that they start trash talking them and trying to point out all the negatives. BAC5.2 is correct, take the car to an INDEPENDENT shop for work, not to the dealer.

 

Wow, I am 1 year away from completing my degree. I don't see myself in a BMW yet. I am still flirting with the idea of buying a Spec.B and dropping a 3.0R engine in it. :lol:

[RJS5689]

Wow, I am 1 year away from completing my degree. I don't see myself in a BMW yet. I am still flirting with the idea of buying a Spec.B and dropping a 3.0R engine in it. :lol:

Well if you look at the average age of a BMW owner, they're 49, not one year away from a college degree.

[MrHellrais3R]

My friend has an m3 and he loves it. He bought it used for 21k with uner 50k on it. I mean yeah you can make the lgt faster pretty easily.. But one "..it's a BMW..", and two, it's awesome stock, not needing anything extra to put a smile on your face. And we all know what stock means... Reliable. Yeah sure you can build your lgt but are you always going to have that small thought in the back of your head that it'll go or will something break soon?

 

I've driven the m3 plenty of times and I like it. It's my favorite body style too. E-46.. Drule. Even though their torque curve is too linear for me, they're still impressive machines regardless.

 

OP.. good find and enjoy your new beauty!

[AZP Installs]

we shouldnt be here to make the guy feel bad. he put his time and money where he wanted.

 

maybe when/if subaru finally makes a stock legacy with over 300hp will we get some previous subaru owners back. i find it hard to justify producing their "flagship" model without the same power output of other comparably prices cars.

 

Agreed, I was ready to trade in my 05 ctsV on a new GEN legacy if it came in an sti-type package (brembos, hids, aluminum suspension bits, 300+hp, etc) since they didn't, I got the sti instead and kept my V.

 

Mike

[__raj]

I feel like I have to come here and say goodbye.

 

 

Enjoy your new ride. I drive every generation but present M3 and they are an incredible vehicle.

[okla7788]

I didn't mean to start a LGT vs BMW thread. Part of what makes this forum so great is the passion of the owner. I know very well why I like my subie, but I also know why I like the M3.

 

Thanks again for all your contribution to the forum.

 

RJS5689 - you seem to know lots about BMW engines. When it is your time for your BMW, spend some time with the M3. Power is one thing but excellent chassis is very hard to achieve by mods.

[twobit2354]

Careful with the turbo's on the BMW, although BMW's are amazing, there are MANY problems held with the 3.5i turbo's.

Saw personally through mothers 535 and it was not pretty. It's a shame because the cars are beautifully engineered and look great, ride great and there's nothing like driving a BMW. End note, got rid of it and bought a N/A BMW X5.

 

In most cases the high pressure fuel pumps go and careful for the heat shields underneath the hood. Other than that the 3.5 turbo engine is a BLAST! 300hp is fricking beautiful, especially in a smaller 3 series.

 

If you buy, good luck and hopefully you will not run into the same problems we ran into with the 535 :-\

[BAC5.2]

I wish there were more people modding the 335d. I really like those.

 

I don't think I'd be able to get a 335i over an M3 sedan. The bark of that V8 is intoxicating.

 

I'd probably even get an M3 sedan over a C63 AMG, but mostly because the M can be had with a proper transmission.

[boymk123]

BMW customers, typically, have more money than camry/accord/subaru owners. Therefore, dealers charge more. Not because it actually costs more, but because people will pay it.

 

Go to a local shop, one that the local auto-xers go to.

 

Performance Alignment on an accord: $90

Performance Alignment on a WRX: $90

Performance Alignment on a Z06: $90

Performance Alignment on an M3: $90

 

not saying my friend is dumb enough to go to the dealer... just a simple comparison of what different dealer would charge for their brand!

Buying a 60,000 car is simple... paying for maintenance isn't

 

I'm not hating the M3, I almost broke my neck everytime I saw one on the street. It deserves the title "the ultimate driving machine". I'm planning to rent one for a weekend... but owning a M3 is ridiculously expensive, you gotta pay to play.... IMO

[RJS5689]

Careful with the turbo's on the BMW, although BMW's are amazing, there are MANY problems held with the 3.5i turbo's.

Saw personally through mothers 535 and it was not pretty. It's a shame because the cars are beautifully engineered and look great, ride great and there's nothing like driving a BMW. End note, got rid of it and bought a N/A BMW X5.

 

In most cases the high pressure fuel pumps go and careful for the heat shields underneath the hood. Other than that the 3.5 turbo engine is a BLAST! 300hp is fricking beautiful, especially in a smaller 3 series.

 

If you buy, good luck and hopefully you will not run into the same problems we ran into with the 535 :-\

What problems did you run into with your 3.0L turbo engine? Was it the N54 twin-turbo or the N55 twin-scroll single turbo engine? The 3.0L turbo has proven reliable -- as both the N54 and N55. The big problem area is the high pressure pump failing, which you pointed out. In regards to the fuel pump, BMW has extended the warranty on them to 10 years/120,000 miles. What other "MANY" problems does the 3.0L turbo engine have?

RJS5689 - you seem to know lots about BMW engines. When it is your time for your BMW, spend some time with the M3. Power is one thing but excellent chassis is very hard to achieve by mods.

I've loved BMWs my whole life. I've been lucky enough to experience pretty much BMW's entire model range over many generations, and each one is impressive in its own way. It's funny you tell me to look at the M3, because it's actually my "realistic" dream car. When people ask me what vehicle I would drive if I could have anything, I always say a black on red M3 (minus some exotic, of course, but those are in a league of their own). The M3 is the ultimate car. You can put on your suit and tie and drive it to work, then you can leave work and go to the track with it, after racing it you can pick up the kids from soccer practice and drive it comfortably home. It really is the perfect all-rounder! I wish you much luck and enjoyment with yours. You've made an excellent decision. Definitely post up some pictures of it as well!

[BAC5.2]

What the dealer charges is an irrelevant metric of comparison. Dealership service departments are independent of brand. BMW does not own, nor control, the service departments at dealerships. BMW doesn't charge $300 for an alignment, the dealership does. A Subaru dealer could do the same thing, if they so chose.

[theflystyle]

I wish there were more people modding the 335d. I really like those.

 

I don't think I'd be able to get a 335i over an M3 sedan. The bark of that V8 is intoxicating.

 

I'd probably even get an M3 sedan over a C63 AMG, but mostly because the M can be had with a proper transmission.

 

the 335d was a serious thought in my head when i first saw the insane torque numbers at that low rpm. there are a few modders out there if i recall mostly doing tuning...

 

a 335d with x-drive would be drool

[mazdaslo]

I was seriously looking at the 335d, something about 40mpg, a beautiful body, and a chassis that responds very well to modification, but then the realization that I would probably be looking at close to 30K$ in depreciation for a BMW, compared to 7K$ in depreciation for the LGT, and the purchase price being 3X for the BMW, 30K$ pays for a lot of 93 octane and trips to the parts store! The other thing that pushed me away from a BMW is the terrifying complexity. A friend of a friend works for Dinan here in Campbell, and he says that the newer BMW's are not so kind to garage tinkerers like myself. Not to mention the weight, 3800+ for the 335d, and I think the LGT is a pig at 3320. However costly and time consuming it is, I like fixing my own car, and I have yet to be stranded by my own incompetence. I also hate leather and sunroofs, thus, had to get a 2005LGT-UL, wanted a spec.B, but alas, at my height, sunroofs and helmets are a bad combination. BMW's, awesome cars, but LGT, better for me.