BMW high maintenance costs article: Priceonomics

[Seaice]

interesting, but not unexpected article:

http://priceonomics.com/the-lemon-in...e-the-highest/

A lot has to do with owner's driving and maintenance habits. You can spend $50 for a no-name front strut, or $250 for a Koni.

The BMW owner will generally spend far more for routine replacement parts that a Toyota Camry owner.

Even within BMW, I'd hazard to guess owners of the M-cars/performance versions drive their cars harder, resulting in more breakage and wear, and spend more on higher-quality parts, than owners of the more mundane BMWs.

Out of curiosity, does anyone know if N54s in the bigger cars like the 740i have been more reliable than those in the 1 and 3 series? I'm thinking they probably are.

[383backinblack]

Originally Posted by Seaice

interesting, but not unexpected article:

http://priceonomics.com/the-lemon-in...e-the-highest/

A lot has to do with owner's driving and maintenance habits. You can spend $50 for a no-name front strut, or $250 for a Koni.

The BMW owner will generally spend far more for routine replacement parts that a Toyota Camry owner.

Even within BMW, I'd hazard to guess owners of the M-cars/performance versions drive their cars harder, resulting in more breakage and wear, and spend more on higher-quality parts, than owners of the more mundane BMWs.

Out of curiosity, does anyone know if N54s in the bigger cars like the 740i have been more reliable than those in the 1 and 3 series? I'm thinking they probably are.

There is a cultural element to this, too. For example, I was reading over threads where people were paying $400 for a "BMW specific" line lock (to lock the front brakes to do burnouts). It is literally the exact same hardware, with different fittings you'd use on anything from a Model T, all the way to the newest cars. All the parts can be had for less than $200, and less than $100 if you're not using braided stainless steel flex lines. Simply slap the BMW label on it, and mark it up 200% or more.

Of course, there are some things that do and should cost more ... but there is a lot of brand/culture inflation that goes on as well.

[Hops128i]

If you go to the data source of the chart (there's a link below it), they list a 328i as the second most expensive car to maintain, just below a Chrysler Sebring. I really don't trust the data they're using, or it's very very sparse.

[markslc1]

There is some truth in there somewhere. Given my water pump for the 128i was $400 and the one for the scion xb was $39 (and in stock locally). And nothing ever goes wrong with my honda. So I definitely see maintenance costs vary by brand.

[383backinblack]

I would also venture a guess that brands like BMW, Mercedes, etc, cater almost exclusively to new car buyers in higher-end markets where all service is covered for a period of time. Even outside that time period though, the people buying those cars are less likely to take the car to someplace other than a dealer for service, or do the work themselves. There isn't as much incentive for aftermarket companies to produce lower cost replacement parts.

[Hops128i]

Originally Posted by markslc1

There is some truth in there somewhere. Given my water pump for the 128i was $400 and the one for the scion xb was $39 (and in stock locally). And nothing ever goes wrong with my honda. So I definitely see maintenance costs vary by brand.

I don't doubt the common knowledge conclusion here, that German cars are more expensive to maintain. I'm questioning how much data they have. I just really doubt a 328i would cost more to maintain than a 7 series over a decade of ownership. I also don't understand the Chrysler Sebring, I looked up repair costs, and they're not bad.

[TheCaptain]

I think some of you guys are mixing up "maintenance" cost with "repair" cost.

[Hops128i]

Originally Posted by TheCaptain

I think some of you guys are mixing up "maintenance" cost with "repair" cost.

like the people that wrote the article:
"The 20 priciest car models in term of maintenance cost all require, at a minimum, a staggering $11,000 to maintain over 10 years. These estimates include expensive one-off costs, like a transmission rebuild, that skew the mean higher."

[383backinblack]

Originally Posted by Hops128i

like the people that wrote the article:
"The 20 priciest car models in term of maintenance cost all require, at a minimum, a staggering $11,000 to maintain over 10 years. These estimates include expensive one-off costs, like a transmission rebuild, that skew the mean higher."

If I wasn't so terrified of the results, I'd figure out what it's cost to maintain my '91 Camaro (which probably has 500 passes at the drag strip on it) over the last 10yrs. That would include two racing transmissions, 2 rear axles, 1 gear set, 2 transmission rebuilds, 2 full engine rebuilds, including one block, crankshaft, connecting rods, pistons, etc. Plus thousands of smaller things.

It would be staggering, and I did all the work myself. Imagine that billed out at ~$100 hour?

It kinds of depends on what you do with it. It also has a lot to do with the typical customer. Most owners of expensive cars, are somewhat wealthy, and on the rare occasion they own an out-of-warranty car, they'll still only take it to the dealer, which will typically cost 2-3x more for a given repair.

Always take these things with a grain of salt. It's a really hard thing to put a number on. The warranty situation would be a good equalizer, as cost isn't directly involved. It would be interesting to see the time-in-service of cars in warranty. How many hours it spends in warranty service per mile of driving. That would be a more unbiased and telling metric.

[Hops128i]

Originally Posted by 383backinblack

It kinds of depends on what you do with it. It also has a lot to do with the typical customer. Most owners of expensive cars, are somewhat wealthy, and on the rare occasion they own an out-of-warranty car, they'll still only take it to the dealer, which will typically cost 2-3x more for a given repair.

Yeah, i think you're right... the dealer prices are just crazy. And i think what plays into the high prices are people want to think their bmw is 'special' or almost exotic.. and simple things like changing rotors and pads is different on a bmw.