Q: What can I expect from a Used BMW?

In my experience, most BMW’s are relatively trouble free for the first 100,000 miles. After that, literally anything can happen. I’ve seen cars go 200,000 miles with just the required maintenance, while others have worn their owners down to their last dollar in a year. The car is littered with electronic modules that are very expensive and are sensitive to voltage surges. So it you buy the car you’ll want to be sure that the battery and charging system are always in good condition and Never! jump the car off or try to jump someone else’s car off with it! In the more conventional categories, you can expect to have to replace some suspension bushings and joints. At some point the steering will begin to shake at speed, and you’ll know that it is time. The manual transmissions are pretty good, but how long the clutch lasts is going to be up to you. Some driver’s can get 200,000 miles out of a clutch with no trouble and other driver’s have to change the clutch every 50K. Wheel bearings have been known to fail, front or rear. You’ll hear the noise, it will give you plenty of warning. I’ve noticed that I replace a lot of wheel bearings after snowy weather, so if you keep the car out of the weather that could help. Overall, the cars are pretty sound mechanically, but if you start getting spooky things happening in the electrical system, instruments and other module issues, it may be a good idea to get shed of the car. When the modules start acting up, it seems like the problems just go on and on. If you’d like to get another pair of eyes on the car , contact Your Mechanic for a pre-purchase Inspection