That's right, Nissan over BMW. I sold my 96 maxima to a friend and brought a 97 M3. In my year of driving the M i've had more problems than I can remember, sooo much so that I did not enjoy the car. Not to mention it was an auto and slower than my maxima.

While I had the money to put into the M, it was very unreliable. So I parked the M3 which will now be sold and brought back my maxima from my friend(some of you may remember my thread for sale).

While the BMW driving experience was interesting, it was drown out by the constant unreliability of the car. The maxima is a hell of a lot more reliable and just as fun to drive in my honest opinion. BMWs are not all they are said to be.

I will be Nissan forever and my next car will be the G35 or G37.

 

But if you get a new one, thats different.

 

Used to hang out with a kid who bought an E36 M3. He got it in July, nice car, quick, and he tended to bash on my Maxima quite a bit (bear in mind I know these two cars aren't comparable, at all)

His M3 blew its head gasket and is leaking oil. His other E36 is infested with electrical bugs. My Maxima runs fine.

I like BMWs but I agree with your reports about inconsistent annoyances and reliability (or lack thereof)

I love the new G37S coupe . And the VQ37VHRs are awesome for mods. Close to 300whp with intakes and high flow cats have been reported on 370Zs on my350z.com.

 

Yea, easy choice. A temperamental expensive German car, or a reliable affordable Japanese car that runs like a clock with a single A battery!

 

I have to jump into this thread.

I had a sweet 330i, what a great car to drive. It was by far superior in suspension, tracking, handling, engine power ect to my 4th gen. Both car were purchased brand spanking new. My 4th gen currently has just over 160,000 miles on it and it's still going strong. No major mech. issues so far, just oil changes, brakes, tires 3 tune up's and suspension maint.

The 330 was a completely different story. Great car right up to the 100K mark. That's when the car takes a turn on your wallet. Coolant tank just exploded, thermostat housing started leaking, cam/crank sensors, a small intake leak which threw a lean code and took myself and a shop 2 months to track down. A $12 part fixed it, but the time it took to figure it out was outragous. Then came the icing on the cake, start the car one morning and it doesn't go into reverse. 4 grand later and I have a new tranny. (there is a class action law suit out for this, google "bmw no reverse") Then came the leaking valve cover gasket, both front window regulators failed. The problems were one after another. The inner door moisture barrier failed and caused the rear floors to get soaking wet with every rain storm. Totally nuts.

The car went up for sale last year - I cut my losses and baught Ford Explorer.

My .02 is lease a German car and give it back! They are great machines, but cost of ownership as the miles go up is completely unacceptable.

 

+1

LOL I had every problem you just mentioned and then some, especially because it was an M.

Well at least I know what BMW M3 stands for now- Break your Mother F***ing Wallet on Maintenance 3.........

 

How come everyone except MoncefA33 misspells 'bought'?

It's not baught or brought.

 

I tell people all the time that BMWs are super overated. I love their cars and the M3 at least E46 and up are some of the best cars on earth, but I do know about how expensive they get and how they can have a lot of reliably issues. (Look at the massive bearing failure in the S54 engines for like 3 years) I wanna buy a 330ci someday but the parts prices and maintenance scares me away. They may be nicer and drive better then maximas but really. The cost to own one is so much more it becomes to be not worth it sometimes. My dad used to have a Mercedes and it was rittled with issues after the first 6months. It pains me to say that because I really like them a lot, but the people that over rate them never OWNED them. And that is why they always say German engineering nothing better(btw, I am German and italian)

 

Well maybe as in looks and performance but the 2010 328CI has fake leather and Manuel seat adjusters. Are u sure about this? lol

 

Apples & oranges.

 

AE owners...superior genes...

 

you know it!

 

I've had two cars in my life a 1992 Bmw coupe and a 2000 Maxima. By far the Maxima is the best car I've had. I'm gonna get me a 2003 5sp max real soon.

 

Well, thats the base one, it'll be hard finding any like that at the dealer.

 

02-03 are 6spd, 00-01 are 5spd.

 

i would soo agree bmw's are overated. fine tuned german engineering can suck my @$$ ive been in and drove many of times the 3 and 5 series bemers and im not impressed.also ive driven the m3 and an e46 and there def are real fast but the owners tried selling me them several times due to there horrible quality.the 325i was no better than my 00se not by any means id rather a nissan anyday

 

^325 is super slow, but take a e92 335i, you'll change your mind, but price wise, Nissan is better.

 

Man this thread just confirmed my wonderings. I love the styling of the 3 series and the 5 series like from 02 on but I always feared they were maintenance wallet breakers. You guys just confirmed it even though I never researched repair pricing. I guess it really is Nissan all the way. After I drive the wheels off the 4th gen I think a 7th gen will be next.

 

Moral of the story, think before you purchase. I coulda got an m36 seen a few pre 00 M3s for the price of the max, but knew I couldn't afford the up keep so I didn't buy it. Their not overrated if you know what to expect, BMWs look great, perform great, cost a left nut to maintain; done.

 

It comes down to if you take car of the car or not, if you don't then you will have problems. I have put 20k miles on my car in a year and have never had a problem, I started leaking coolant, but its just a hose I need to get replaced. The hose I can replace myself for $40. And no offense but a Nissan and BMW do not compare. I would agree overall that Nissan are more reliable but no where near as fun to drive, depending on what you are comparing.

 

Think the 2006 and up 330i/530i are any better in reliability? My i30 is 10 years old now at 164k, it still runs strong, but I'm interested in picking something else up. From my research, it appears every BMW needs a cooling system overhaul right around the 100k mark. If I'm going to be plagued for strange issues past 100k, I may be considering the new TL/G35 instead.

While we're talking about new cars, what do you think of the trannies in the new G35s? Wondering if they're just as susceptible to overheating issues like the maxima/i30 autos when driven enthusiastically.

 

In this case there is a difference between affording to maintain a car and just pissing your money away.....

Hence the M3 watches the maxima, as she starts up and goes everyday I drive it to work. It's hilarious really, it looks great just sitting there.

I might still fix it, I just have many plans for the maxima......
I could make either or strictly a track car
Don't mind my bitc**in' lol

I almost brought a 00' M5 a couple of weeks before the major issues in the e36.

I give credit where it is due, the M performed but not to my expectations (the times it wasn't in the shop or I worked on it anyway). I used to be a mechanic so I know how to take car of my cars, and it did save me money. Still though, both cars have lot of potential like anything else. Just gotta have the $$$.

GM is going bankrupt maybe ill trade it in for a corvette or the new camaro

 

When I was in school full time I drove a tow truck on the weekends for extra cash....I was constantly picking up BMW's of all years and models. I would hear the owners ***** about their cars and how erratic they were. One car, I think it was a M5 actually locked it's self w/a women's new born baby inside and would not open no matter what she did....the police had to use a center punch on the drivers front window to get in, thank god it was winter. I picked up (2) accidents where the owners said their BMW just started accelerating on it's own. These cars are not only unreliable, they are dangerous. All the while My Max and My wife's Altima (2000, 1999 respectively) run perfectly everyday without fail. The other note I wanted to add was that all the people I towed had one thing in common, they all said that this was their last BMW....PS. they are a PITA to tow....Nissans are extremely easy, go figure

 

this thread is

you dont and cant compare Nissan with BMW.

 

While in theory this is true, I am and can because I own both. And not to change the subject but how did you manage the set-up you are running on your maxima in your pic? That's a sweet set-up and I'm looking to get a new set of rims soon.

 

i guess it depends on the yr BMW and yr Maxima. But its your car at the end of the day ,. as long as your happy

 

E36 M3s are notorious for being a pain in the *** if they aren't meticulously taken care of. And they are very over rated in my opinion.

 

The safety advances over the past 10 years would prevent me from buying an older car to be used as daily driver... Safety over reliability.
Dr J

 

I couldn't have said it better myself. Althought there are still times where I day dream about driving an acura nsx or a 300ZX with a targa roof.

 

Again, those are great cars for fun, weekend, or project. Nothing wrong w/the cars, just not for daily driver safety. Simple question is, which car would you want your kids driving when they're learning? Older M3? Exotic NSX? Older ZX? Or newer, more reliable Maxima?
Dr J

 

I had a heavily modified turbo E36. Indeed, it was a pain in the ***. However, to this day I have never driven anything that could hang with it, and nothing was more joy to run down a twisty mountain road in comfort at full speed.

I once hit a random strip of water on a highway at 120, rear end came out, and I was able to do a complete 360 in bring it straight again. Try that in a Maxima.

Mind you, I drove in I30 as my daily I can count on it car.