Radeon888

Hi

I have owned a lot of BMWs but my last BMW, an 2000 M5 really killed me when it came to maintenance so in frustration I made a switch and went Lexus (GS) then 2 years ago I bought a 2006 Acura TL navi. The Lexus and Acura were pretty darn trouble free that was the main reason for buying these cars but after years of these I must say that I totally miss my BMWs and have yearning to come back. I LIKE the TL but I don't love it the way I did with my bimmers.

I have a great opportunity to trade my 2006 Acura for a 2004 530ia with navigation (Even trade).

The 530i owners need something with out idrive for their son and parents who drive their car often. My TL still has tons of warranty left while the 530i has only a month left. I'm pretty unbiased about cars having owned many brands. I know each have their own qualities that make them desireable. I realize the 530 doesn't have the performance of a 545 or what I had before in the E39 but that's not what I'm looking for nowadays with my daily commute and regular family stuff.

If you were in the same boat would you trade? The 530 has full books and records and is accident free. I'm so used to rock solid reliability now and haven't owned a recent BMW after 2000. How are these cars now? The 530 has some sweet options including navi plus several options you rarely see in cars around here.

I have searched this forum about problems but it's harder to find reliable stats, I know it's first year of the E60 but in scouring the net I haven't really seen major issues. Am I missing something here?
Many thanks in advance

EuroCarFan

You know what you could do is get the 530 CPO-ed before the warranty is up so you'll have some peace of mind for a few more years.

jzcrna

Actually, a CPO 2004 warranty may expire 2010. So he would probably only get 1 more year of warranty max.

EuroCarFan

If the car still has a month left on the original warranty, and he gets the CPO, he would have 2 years to go as it'll end at the end of 2010 right?

Howitzer

What happens when My CPO is gone in 1 year? Can I get an extension?

rambaldi

I don't think you are missing something in terms of a major reliability isssue. This being said, if my top priority was a trouble free experience, I would personally not buy a car with only one month of warranty remaining (irrespective of possible warranty extensions).

Concerning iDrive, it is not a problem even if you intend to lend the car to your parents. First, it is very simple to use (do not believe what the press said about it), and second, it is perfectly possible to drive the car without using it (it's only for infotainment functions).

sy1616

Welcome, looks like no one wants to answer your question.

To me, a BMW is a good car in terms or reliability but it's certainly not Lexus. We've had two and they are so, so in terms of reliability, my Jeep blows it away as does our Volvo.....BUT.... once I drive the 545i I just fall in love all over again.....what a stellar car all around. Sure it's got a minor issue every other month or so for which it needs to go to the dealer but to us that's just part of the BMW ownership experience. Try looking up consumer reports for a ranking of car reliabilty. BMW did ok and better than other german brands I think???

Radeon888

I thank everyone for your frank opinions, BMW owners really are a cool bunch. I guess the answers though are not what I wanted to hear but the truth is the truth. I knew there was a problem when I literally knew the service guy by his first name when I owned my e39 and many bimmers before that, I really don't want to deal with that hassle again. Nevertheless I just miss BMWs too much. I will explore warranty both CPO and third party like auto one. Here in Canada we have fewer to warranty choices.

Merry Xmas !!

JSpira

You can't get a car CPO'd. You can only purchase a CPO vehicle from a BMW dealership.

JSpira

Why? They've obviously had the car for a while - iDrive doesn't require more than an hour to learn and if the "son and parents" are regular drivers of the car, what would be the big deal?