Hello BMW owners/fans! Been lurking for a while now and decided to make an account to seek for opinions/views/advices from this wonderful BMW nest!
I don't know much about cars in general... just basic knowledge but I am really interested in purchasing a new BMW 2012 128i coupe ($36k) with the following configuration:
- exterior: white alpine finish
- interior: coral red boston leather, alpine white trim ($2,485)
- M package (M Aerodynamic Package, Anthracite roof Liner, Sport bucket front seats, Anthracite Roofliner, M Leather-wrapped sport steering wheel, 17'' M alloy wheels ($2,100)
- 6-speed automatic transmission with Steptronic Shift Paddles ($1,700)
This will be a 50k (CAD) bimmer including (A/C Tax, Transport & PDI, HST)
My questions are:
1) Are BMWs reliable cars? Specifically the 128i coupe. What are the major potential problems of this car? Engine problems like the N55? It is my understanding that it costs a fortune to fix BMWs.
2) Finance or lease? So many ppl nowadays lease BMWs. What's the main reason? Don't want to deal with mechanic bills after the warranty expires? Want to drive new cars every 4-5 years? If money is not the issue, will you finance or lease or even straight out pay out everything?
3) What's your main reason for choosing BMW? Looks, performance, reliability, price? Is it worth it when you have to pay higher insurance, use premium gas, spend more in maintenance fees/parts? Can you recommend a car in the same range as the 128i coupe in terms of overall quality?
Thank you very much for reading and I hope I can get some responses!
-Newtobimmers