Bleg: people mover
Need an occasional driver that, at most, will haul four people and a few bags. Want something sporty, good performance and prefer a manual. Leaning toward a convertible. Priced at less than $13k. Will only drive like 3 times a week around town.
Been considering a 2001 BMW M3.
What say you?
August 15th, 2013 at 12:55 pm
http://www.wallsofthecity.net/2013/08/still-for-sale-2008-pre-production-mustang-bullitt.html
August 15th, 2013 at 1:06 pm
If you can afford the (unavoidable) maintenance of a BMW of that vintage, go for it. Great driving experience, and less electronic bullshit to annoy you.
But avoid VW and Audi at all costs!
August 15th, 2013 at 1:24 pm
I’d recommend a Subaru Outback. Comes in a Manual, hauls 4+, good mileage. lasts for years.
Yeah, it’s not “sporty”, but it does get the job done in all weather at 29-30 mpg.
August 15th, 2013 at 1:31 pm
Or the Subaru Forester with the 2.5 Turbo engine.
August 15th, 2013 at 1:32 pm
Lol, better hope that BMW doesn’t need service…. ever. Otherwise that 13k budget isn’t going to get you far.
August 15th, 2013 at 1:32 pm
If you’re considering BMW, I’d say skip the M3 and get a more pedestrian model with a stick. You’re not going to miss the performance on the street and it’ll be more economical to maintain.
August 15th, 2013 at 1:43 pm
I’ve got an e36 BMW 318i that just turned over 275,000 miles.
Dollar-for-dollar, that car has been cheaper to operate than any other vehicle I’ve owned. Right now, it’s cheaper on a mile-by-mile basis than taking the bus.
If you’re a DIYer, BMW maintenance is very easy, and not any more expensive than Honda or Toyota.
That said, if you’re hauling 4 people, I’d recommend having a look at the M5 rather than the M3. Or, ditch the M series (with their weird oil requirements) and get something like a 323i or 335i with a stick.
August 15th, 2013 at 1:58 pm
Even with a good independent mechanic, the BMW 3 series is not expensive to maintain. The myth of their high maintenance costs are based on dealership prices, which are exorbitant.
August 15th, 2013 at 2:08 pm
I bought a car from National Auto Warehouse a couple years back. Got it online through eBay Motors. Their reserve price was about $1K lower than the asking price. They have this VW Beetle which might fit your needs:http://www.nationalautowarehouse.com/web/vehicle/8892412
On eBay, http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Warranty-2004-VW-Beetle-GLS-Turbo-5-Speed-Manual-Alloy-Convertible-31-mpg-04-/171101642905?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item27d673e099#ht_11365wt_1010
Plus they’re in your back yard, instead of several hours away for me.
August 15th, 2013 at 2:14 pm
A ’97 328i (sedan, 5sp), saved my life once in a head on, and was a hoot to drive, at 28-30mpg.
When I think “sporty” and BMW, I think E39 540, w/6spd. It would need to see the Interstate from time-to-time, cause you just don’t leave them horses in the paddock all the time.
The E36 is not hard to DIY regular maintenance, etc. “M” trim, not so much. And most of it is just expensive “trim”.
August 15th, 2013 at 2:19 pm
Unless you just gotta have the M, 335 is most of the fun with a lot less of the hassle. If you don’t have to have the convertible then an E39 540i/6 would be a better people/stuff mover with still a lot of performance.
August 15th, 2013 at 2:31 pm
I love me some ‘M’ cars, but I would ‘upgrade’ to a first gen Caddy CTS-V 400hp and only came with a stick, never made in an auto. It’s GM’s 350, which everyone and their brother can fix and has lots of AfterMarket support.
To Quote Ferris:
If you can afford it, I highly recommend it, it is so choice.
August 15th, 2013 at 3:17 pm
BS on BMW being cheap to maintain. It’s no different than Mercedes, VW, Audi… All of which I’ve worked on. You’re going to pay about 2x to 3x for the parts and no matter who you order from it’s going to come from one or two places online or a dealership. Oh, and then you’re going to LOVE the “special tools” required for this or that job.
Oh you need new brushes on your alternator and your local place does just that? Cool! Oh, I hope they have the special spline drive tool, and if they do, I hope they can find the unique brushes to that specific alternator. Turns out it would be about the same cost to just replace the part, oh, and that’s not stocked anywhere but LA, so would you like overnight shipping on that? !BEEN THERE!
That’s great if it doesn’t need maintenance ever. But when it does, don’t be surprised that everything will cost more. Not bad cars, far from it, but you should be aware of what you’re getting into. Everyone has lemons.
August 15th, 2013 at 4:03 pm
BMW= great car but high ownership cost.
Get a Miata and drive the crap out of it. Cheap to buy, maintain, modify and reliable as an AK.
August 15th, 2013 at 4:04 pm
Saabs are cheap now. Had one for a while until totaled in an accident. It was a fun drive. Even the standard 2.0 turbo is surprisingly fast and handles well.
Damn shame GM screwed them up so badly.
August 15th, 2013 at 4:24 pm
V6 Mustang convertible. Fun to drive, reasonably priced on the used market. Not bad fuel economy.
August 15th, 2013 at 4:42 pm
Subaru Impreza, 2.5L H4, w/ 5sp manual. Subaru’s legendary safety, reliability and ease of maintenance coupled with sporty style, good gas mileage, and all-wheel drive. If you can find one, maybe the WRX version – although that would probably be above your price cap.
August 15th, 2013 at 5:53 pm
Can’t find a WRX for that price, JT. I been lookin! 😀
August 15th, 2013 at 6:16 pm
What are you putting in the bags? I hope it is not money. Oh no, this is a get away car.
August 15th, 2013 at 7:33 pm
If you can be talked out of the manual trashmission thing, the world really opens up: Camry, Accord, older Lexus, Avalon, Infinity, Elantra, et al. Reliable, cheap, parts everywhere, did I mention cheap and reliable? Yeah, they’re UJM-pattern cars (Universal Japanese Motorcars) but they work. Every time. And trust me, having participated in more than a few automotive major surgeries, the BMW/Audi/Mercedes laments above are just foreplay in the vehicular hemorrhoid department (for real fun, buy something British or French). When you’re single and 19 a Real Neat Ride you’re constantly spinning wrenches on is fun. Then you reach 22 and discover Girls and Life. Think you’re busy and poor now? Buy a 12 to 15-year-old Beemer and call us back.
August 15th, 2013 at 7:39 pm
I loved my infiniti but really wished i’d gotten the manual version.
I’m looking for a fun car, not wanting to spend a lot since it won’t be driven much. It’s not that I’m poor and busy. I’m just busy.
August 15th, 2013 at 9:20 pm
What about a 8th generation Civic Si? Great transmission, 200 HP, and dead nuts reliable. My 08 has 100k miles with zero issues.
August 16th, 2013 at 2:07 am
Mercedes C Class. Manual and they last forever. Available for “Oh Sh*% is that all my car’s worth?”.
August 16th, 2013 at 2:09 am
Or a low end volvo. they rocked.
August 16th, 2013 at 11:07 am
Before you buy a new brand of car, check online and find a good independent shop. Check the brand forums, use the mechanic finder at cartalk.com, ask around. This is for anything, not just a BMW…but it’s more important for a German car because a dealer will soak you.
Go to look at the car and tell the owner you want to have it checked out by your mechanic, a pre-purchase inspection. If he refuses, walk away. Don’t even ask why.
You have to assume that any ‘M’ model has been thrashed, and budget for the replacement of the parts that suffer as a result. The inspection will let you know how much to expect. If you have the report, you can use it to bargain with the owner to have some or all of the repair costs taken out of the asking price. Know what the car is worth, and what it’s worth to *you*.
You’ll also get bit on the insurance for an ‘M’ model. You can probably get 80% of the real-world performance, for the same money and less mileage, with a newer car of the same model.
If you’re in love with the idea of owning a BMW, go for it, but know what you’re getting into – with any brand, in fact.
If you can accept a two-seater, take a look at the Honda S2000. Within your budget, awesome performance, Honda reliability.
Good luck!
August 16th, 2013 at 11:54 am
Since everyone else is recommending cars that don’t fit your project scope, how about a Volvo WG64? They look like crap and the mpg is awful and They only seat two and it doesn’t have a convertible option and the maintenance costs are high, but come on, it has four tires* so it must be what you want, right?
*ok technically it has ten tires, but who is counting?
I’ve been eyeing a four seat BMW convertible for a while, would be fun for taking the wife and kids places on the weekend. Do it now before you regret not. It’s only money. You buy one and I’ll buckle down and do it too.
August 16th, 2013 at 12:14 pm
Lots of good choices upthread. I like me some sports sedans, though…my own ride is a 2004 Acura TL with a high-compression V6 rated at 258 hp, with a 6-speed manual and limited-slip differential. It’s not a convertible, but it has a large moonroof, leather interior, Alpine sound/nav, and 4-piston Brembos up front. The car magazines say it does 0-60 around 6 flat and the quarter in the low 14’s, and that the top speed is governed at 150. It is FWD, if that is a deal-breaker for you, but it can certainly dance. Mileage is EPA rated at 18/28 (premium fuel only), but those numbers are a bit conservative; I’ve gotten 32mpg on a 2-hour road trip, and my overall mpg for the last 16,000 miles of commuting and mixed driving is 25 and change.
I paid $12,700 plus tax/fees for it, a little over a year ago. The 6-speeds command a premium over the regular TL’s (only about 2% of 3rd-gen’s were manuals) but buying the 6-speed gets you the Brembos, sport suspension, the limited-slip differential, wider tires, and a slightly lower final drive ratio. The nice thing is that since it’s a Honda (and made in Ohio), replacement parts are easy to come by, since it shares a lot of parts commonality with the Accord. Be aware that Acura specifies a big service (water pump and timing belt replacement, valve adjustment) at 105,000 miles, so shop accordingly (mine had 120K so I’m good till 210K).
Some other practical options would be the Acura TSX and the small Lexus (Toyota based) sport sedans, a Mazdaspeed 3 or 6 (or the plain Mazda version of same), or even a Volvo S40/S60 T5 (parts are a little more pricey than Honda/Toyota but probably less than BMW). Some of the small Audis are also appealing.
August 16th, 2013 at 12:28 pm
You may be able to find a used Infinity G37 somewhere, I’m sure. 🙂
August 16th, 2013 at 1:54 pm
If 2001-2005 vintage is in your scope, and you aren’t dealing with dealer financing, then you can get Audi A4 convertibles in that range. I’ve got an 06 A4 sedan and it’s plenty of fun to drive.
August 16th, 2013 at 3:55 pm
Is this your mid-life crisis car?
August 16th, 2013 at 11:04 pm
Can’t help ya. All of my car plans revolve around moving five people, which involves three rows of seats if you don’t want the kids to bloody each other.
August 18th, 2013 at 1:40 am
Well lah-de fuckin-da. gots ta have ya self a beemer eh? apretty friggin uptown for a fuggin confedrate doan ya think? Fucking yuppies.