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Thought I would pose a question that can only be answered by opinion, often incomplete research, or individual ownership experience!

I am taking the "reverse logic" view that the FIRST YEAR a new model is introduced should be an equal or better repair record year than subsequent model years.

How could this be?? Because maybe a new design has indeed been tested long enough in the design studio and test tracks before its release. And maybe because the assembly line personel are under an even closer scrutiny to not assemble a "recall disaster" the first MY. And then if there's flaws or assessory upgrades that are supposed to be corrections or additions in subsequent MY's, whose to say their realiability will be any better? Whose to say cars won't be assembled more carelessly in later MY's? (complacency)

I have owned three new or used automobiles from the first MY and cannot see problems greater than cars owned from later MY reports......but this is obviously a narrow and biased analysis.

I guess the Consumer Reports data on "reliability of used vehicles" would also tend to refute my thesis. Anyone have an opinion on this?

Bimmer32

It is not probably the assembly quality but more of an engineering test. When you have hundreds of major parts working together, the engineering is not quite perfected in the first year. Additionally, the materials used may not be the right one for the right application.

DrLev99

I know first model 545's had more issues than in subsequent years, and from my personal experience of owning "first-year" models, I will never do it again. My mom and I both had the same year Maxima. Both cars had the same exact problems, from shimmy to warped rotors and more....exact same issues.

When the next year's model came out, all issues from the prior year had been resolved by Nissan.

This is just one example of many experiences with this. I will be waiting for year 2 of the F10 as a result and planned my lease to time out right (if I last till then! ).

Dr Dave

very interesting.
the replys you get here are dependant on which model year car owners have.
i think bias is going to rear its ugly head
but i do think you have a point, in my experance with all things new or first manufactured, they do seem to be better made (not refering to upgrades etc) just to the original product.

what say you lot?

ENstig8or

You are always going to be the guinea pig when you buy a first year model. It doesn't matter what car manufacturer it is. They can't possibly test for every possible scenario until "Joe the plumber" gets his car out on the road for a beating. I always like to give it a year or 2.

wantmye90

I think first year models will have more problems due to engineering issues being revealed with parts provided by 3rd party vendors where those parts were not adequately tested before going into production.

Take for example Bridgestone's new runflat tires that came out on the 06 330 and 328. Once people started getting 10K plus miles on those tires, the engineers realized they used a bad rubber compound. Bosch was contracted to build the turbos on the first year model 335 and 535, and in that first year there were many failures. Also problems with oil coolers, etc.

So the problems may not just come from the BMW engineer's designs, but also from the 3rd party vendors who the BMW engineers hired to produce parts. I think the vendors are not as heavily tested as the in-house BMW designs, and that's where the problems are likely to come from.

C5driver

They test them, sure, but how many mules are tested? 3? 7?

Well, in the first year of production, we're talking thousands of mules being tested. Buy a first year car? Not unless they 're handing me cash. :thumbsdown:

JeffNNJ

As someone who bought a 1984 Corvette the moment it came out, I would say absolutely not. Of course, that car is considered to be the biggest piece of crap put out by a company who has put out tons of pieces of crap.

Heloha

In this discussion there is a lot of gray area in what a First Year Model is. The only recent true NEW first year models from BMW are the 1 series and X6. Obviously the e60 was all new too but some so called first year models are simply evolutions of the previous model where many components carry over specially with such items as drive train or electronics from it's predicessor or even another model. The people who buy First Year Drive Train items are the once who in my opinion take the leap of faith like the recent first 335 buyers, the first X6 w/TTV8, and of course back in the day, us first 550 buyers! I think by the time the new F01 and F10 hit the streets...if speculation is correct the drive trains will already be tried and true...but then again, maybe I'm dreaming!

Heloha

...but remember the 84 Corvette was technically light years ahead of the 82 Corvette