StuntmanMike
Member
- Car
- 2004 BMW 330ci
- Name
- Michal
My wife and I are German car enthusiasts, myself to a fault. I’ve owned at least 1 model of each of the well known German manufacturers but will always own and love BMW’s in particular. Our current fleet consists of my wife’s ‘06 Z4 M-Sport, my ‘04 330ci ZHP and is rounded out by my D2 Audi S8 that doesn’t get a lot of miles but is my go-to-ride during show/rally season. It no longer sees the snow, or even the rain anymore, as it’s usually kept on a lift in my family’s climate controlled 3 stall garage when it’s not being driven.
As an avid (35-40 times a season) snowboarder I’m in need of something AWD, reliable as well as suiting my tastes. I won’t buy another Audi after owning 3, dislike most Subarus and an X-Drive BMW would just be too cliche... I won’t drive a Kia, Hyundai or most other crossover type vehicles, either!
I’ve owned and still like Tahoes/Yukons but living in the Fremont area of Seattle it’s just too big. After looking at Pathfinders and Cayennes, an early-model FX45 popped up. These weren’t even on my radar! After some quick research I strongly concluded that is the vehicle I’m getting, and I’m not settling for a 35. They have great reviews from both consumer and retail sites, look great, even being +/-15 years old and are very inexpensive, both in cost of entry as well as maintenance. I’ll probably sell the E46 to finance the majority of the cost even though I don’t have to, but it makes no sense owning 4 cars and having 3 in the city.
Other than the dashboard issues, I haven’t seen a common theme in terms of a weak link to keep an eye out for. It seems if general maintenance was kept up, buying a high mileage example (+150k) in the $4k-$7k price range isn’t really a gamble. Only problem is, there aren’t many for sale! I’ve expanded my search all the way into the Midwest but still only have a dozen, if not less to choose from within my criteria.
I’m no stranger to forums and forum etiquette so I’ll definitely use the ‘search’ function, but any insider info on searching, owning and maintaining one are greatly welcomed and appreciated! I look forward to adding another car of which I’m an enthusiast, as well as giving back to the community when appropriate!
As an avid (35-40 times a season) snowboarder I’m in need of something AWD, reliable as well as suiting my tastes. I won’t buy another Audi after owning 3, dislike most Subarus and an X-Drive BMW would just be too cliche... I won’t drive a Kia, Hyundai or most other crossover type vehicles, either!
I’ve owned and still like Tahoes/Yukons but living in the Fremont area of Seattle it’s just too big. After looking at Pathfinders and Cayennes, an early-model FX45 popped up. These weren’t even on my radar! After some quick research I strongly concluded that is the vehicle I’m getting, and I’m not settling for a 35. They have great reviews from both consumer and retail sites, look great, even being +/-15 years old and are very inexpensive, both in cost of entry as well as maintenance. I’ll probably sell the E46 to finance the majority of the cost even though I don’t have to, but it makes no sense owning 4 cars and having 3 in the city.
Other than the dashboard issues, I haven’t seen a common theme in terms of a weak link to keep an eye out for. It seems if general maintenance was kept up, buying a high mileage example (+150k) in the $4k-$7k price range isn’t really a gamble. Only problem is, there aren’t many for sale! I’ve expanded my search all the way into the Midwest but still only have a dozen, if not less to choose from within my criteria.
I’m no stranger to forums and forum etiquette so I’ll definitely use the ‘search’ function, but any insider info on searching, owning and maintaining one are greatly welcomed and appreciated! I look forward to adding another car of which I’m an enthusiast, as well as giving back to the community when appropriate!