is250 vs. 325i

In article <ALOdnf8qJpDlTnzZnZ2dnUVZ_tqdnZ2d.RemoveThis@adelphia.com>,
Fred W <Malt_Hound@*spam-me-not*yahoo.com> wrote:
> >>Now *try* to find a Honda or Toyota, either low brand or high brand, no
> >>matter how old, with non-working tail lights. Good luck.
> >
> >
> > You're saying the bulbs never blow on Japanese cars? They must be
> > different Hondas and Toyotas we get in London...
> >

> well, actually, now-a-days they don't use bulbs at all. L.E.D.s

All cars? They may look like LEDs but often aren't. And are usually
restricted to top of range models.

--
*Who are these kids and why are they calling me Mom?

Dave Plowman dave.RemoveThis@davenoise.co.uk London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.
 >> Stay informed about: is250 vs. 325i 

This message is not archived
 >> Stay informed about: is250 vs. 325i 

"E Brown" <three1983s DeleteThis @att.net> wrote in message
news:jeo1e2hcp1ih8e1un4es3n6ltt083irmu7@4ax.com...

> According to Edmunds.com, the cost per mile for the 2003 Lexus IS
> 300 is .60 cents, while a 2003 330i is .63 cents, averaged over 5
> years of ownership while driving 15,000 miles/year.
> epbrown

I suspect that this statistic only includes regularly scheduled
maintenance. In other words, it probably assumes no repairs.

It would be interesting to see cost of ownership statistics that factor
in the well-known difference in repair history between Lexus and BMW
and/or MB.

But dollar cost isn't the only measure. I put a significant value on
the time I spend in the repair shop and the stress that time adds to my
life.

You guys talk about the "driving experience." My "driving experience"
is greatly diminished when my car is in the repair shop. Also, when
both cars are operating properly I *prefer* the Lexus ride.
 >> Stay informed about: is250 vs. 325i 

On Tue, 15 Aug 2006 22:20:52 -0400, "David Z" <me.TakeThisOut@privacy.net> wrote:

>"E Brown" <three1983s.TakeThisOut@att.net> wrote in message
>news:jeo1e2hcp1ih8e1un4es3n6ltt083irmu7@4ax.com...
>
>> According to Edmunds.com, the cost per mile for the 2003 Lexus IS
>> 300 is .60 cents, while a 2003 330i is .63 cents, averaged over 5
>> years of ownership while driving 15,000 miles/year.
>> epbrown
>
>I suspect that this statistic only includes regularly scheduled
>maintenance. In other words, it probably assumes no repairs.

Actually, I was a little surprised that the figures, which are
broken out on the web site, included both maintenance and repairs. I
don't know about Toyota's warranty, but for the 2003 330i there
shouldn't be expenses for either for another couple of years -
maintenance and repairs are covered by the respective warranties. I
went to the dealership recently to get a bulb for my left headlight,
and everyone kept trying to convince me to bring it around to the
service department to fix it.
>
>It would be interesting to see cost of ownership statistics that factor
>in the well-known difference in repair history between Lexus and BMW
>and/or MB.
>
I'd be interested as well. I currently keep Excel spreadsheets for
both my BMWs, but there's not much there yet - the only expenses have
been fuel, insurance, and 4 light bulbs (one turn signal on the 325i,
the Z4 driver's side headlight mentioned above, and two Philips bulbs
when I decided to go with brighter headlights on the Z4).
Oh, I also added the Auxiliary Audio Kit to both cars to play my
mp3 player through the stereo, which was ~$100 for the kits - I
installed them myself.
epbrown
--
"Everybody wants a normal life and a cool car;
most people will settle for the car." Chris Titus
2003 BMW 325i Black/Black, 2003 BMW Z4 Black/Black
 >> Stay informed about: is250 vs. 325i 

This message is not archived
 >> Stay informed about: is250 vs. 325i 

In article <1155667672.356131.92890 RemoveThis @p79g2000cwp.googlegroups.com>,
<clifffreeling RemoveThis @yahoo.com> wrote:
> As far as parts prices, BMW parts are really no more expensive than
> for any other make, as far as my observations are concerned.
> The problem with BMW is reliability. Except for the engines
> (which may be the best in the world), BMW owners can expect
> failures in other systems, and often.

Can they? I'm on my third in about 15 years - all bought secondhand - and
I've not had 'failure in other systems, and often' - even if I knew what
that was.
All makes need replacements from time to time. The difference is how
frequently this occurs which may be where the reliability surveys come
from. But they don't mean *every* car in that range will be the same.

--
*I'll try being nicer if you'll try being smarter

Dave Plowman dave RemoveThis @davenoise.co.uk London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.
 >> Stay informed about: is250 vs. 325i 

In article <1155686820.558219.117970 RemoveThis @m73g2000cwd.googlegroups.com>,
Brett <bretton RemoveThis @gmail.com> wrote:
>There's no bias towards German cars at all in that post . . . from
>someone that sells Mercedes parts. I am also biased, as I have an
>IS350.

I don't sell parts and don't make a cent off any parts sold. I've been
answering the question "where can I get parts" for so long I simply
include it ina sigfile so I don't have to answer it any more.

>When thinking of long term costs, it is possible that German cars are
>cheaper. Remember how mechanics/dealers get cheaper parts, other cars
>that break. With more German cars breaking in the long term, there
>will be more available parts, increasing the supply, and dropping the
>price

Fantasy. 90% of the parts for a 50's 190SL are still available from the
factory. Try getting a door handle for a 240Z and lemme now how that works
out.

German cars age well. They're meant to be repaired. There's lots of old
ones about. Japanese cars don't age they're recycled into cans.

In the short term, say after the warrenty expires to about 10 yrs perhaps
Japanese cars are cheaper to maintain (although this wasn't my experience with
a half dozen of them) but longer term? Fuggetaboutit.

While the warrenty is in effect it's all the same.

Keep in mind my newset car is 23 years old. Maybe it's me but I don't
see a lot of 23 year old Japaense cars running around.

You no doubt like your car(s) and I like mine and I'm happy for that
but I spent a lifetime finding out my dad was wrong about the cost
of fun cars. And I'd hate to think anybody made a decision to buy a Japanese
car over one that was more fun because of something stupid somebody said on
usenet.


--
Need Mercedes parts? http://parts.mbz.org
Richard Sexton | Mercedes stuff: http://mbz.org
1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Home pages: http://rs79.vrx.net
633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | http://aquaria.net http://killi.net
 >> Stay informed about: is250 vs. 325i 

"Richard Sexton" <richard RemoveThis @news.vrx.net> wrote in message
news:ebud0v$9sv$1@news.datemas.de...

> Fantasy. 90% of the parts for a 50's 190SL are still available from
the
> factory. Try getting a door handle for a 240Z and lemme now how that
works
> out.
>
> German cars age well. They're meant to be repaired. There's lots of
old
> ones about. Japanese cars don't age they're recycled into cans.
>
> In the short term, say after the warrenty expires to about 10 yrs
perhaps
> Japanese cars are cheaper to maintain (although this wasn't my
experience with
> a half dozen of them) but longer term? Fuggetaboutit.
>
> While the warrenty is in effect it's all the same.
>
> Keep in mind my newset car is 23 years old. Maybe it's me but I don't
> see a lot of 23 year old Japaense cars running around.

Well, if you're talking about cars built in the 1970s and 1980s, you've
got a good point.

But if you're talking about cars built in this century, it's a very
different story.
 >> Stay informed about: is250 vs. 325i 

This message is not archived
 >> Stay informed about: is250 vs. 325i 

On Wed, 16 Aug 2006, Elmo P. Shagnasty wrote:

> In article <GLCdnUEVirYGv37ZnZ2dnUVZ_vmdnZ2d RemoveThis @adelphia.com>,
> Fred W <Malt_Hound@*spam-me-not*yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>> Life is too short to drive *boring* cars, even if they cost less to
>> operate (but they probably don't, you just want to think they do)
>
> Thanks for admitting that they probably do cost more to operate.
>
> Life is full of choices. I'd rather choose the "boring" car that puts a
> smile on my face every day, knowing that the money I'm saving allows me
> to do other, MUCH more fun things in life than driving.
>
> And let's face it: how much time does the average American spend in his
> car every day? How much of that is stop-and-go vs freeway or open road
> driving? There isn't much open road time in people's lives. The German
> car costs quite a bit of money for what it ultimately offers.
>
>
I know I shouldn't be sucked into this pissing match, but can't resist.
Strikes me that each individual situation is different; it doesn't really
matter what the "average American" does. What counts if what I do.

What do I do? I ride a bicycle to work each day. I have an old Jeep
Cherokee for going to the store, drives up logging roads to hike to alpine
lakes for flyfishing. I use my BMW for what it's built for. And no, for
me at least, there aren't "MUCH" more fun things than driving. Driving is
one of the most fun things I do. But that's just me. If others want other
vehicles, I could care.

- Jon
 >> Stay informed about: is250 vs. 325i 

Elmo P. Shagnasty wrote:
> In article <ebud0v$9sv$1@news.datemas.de>,
> richard DeleteThis @news.vrx.net (Richard Sexton) wrote:
>
>
>>And I'd hate to think anybody made a decision to buy a Japanese
>>car over one that was more fun because of something stupid somebody said on
>>usenet.
>
>
> And I'd hate to think anybody made a decision to buy a "fun" car over
> one that made much more sense because of something stupid somebody said
> on usenet.
>

Life is too short to drive *boring* cars, even if they cost less to
operate (but they probably don't, you just want to think they do)

--
-Fred W
 >> Stay informed about: is250 vs. 325i 

David Z wrote:
> <clifffreeling RemoveThis @yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:1155741385.944013.250710@p79g2000cwp.googlegroups.com...
>
> > "Don't worry about American pressure on Israel. We,
> > the Jewish people, control America, and the Americans know it."
> > ---Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, 2001
> > --
> > Cliff
>
> Your sig is a fabricated lie promulgated by hate groups.

The claim that Israel kills so many Arab children because they
use them as shields, that Isreal is just defending itself, that
Israel's interests are the same as American interests are the
big lies being told today.

Have you read the Mearsheimer/ Walt Report? Or do you
believe the Zionist lie that they got their infomation from hate
sites?

> See:
> http://www.camera.org/index.asp?x_context=7&x_issue=373&x_article=373

Zionist site.... apparently the favorite for people like you.

-----
Kill ratio of Palestinian children to Israeli children 5.7-to-1,
Israel's favor.
Kill ratio of all Palestinians to Israelis: over 3-to-1.
---------
http://www.lrb.co.uk/v28/n06/print/mear01_.html
----------
"Don't worry about American pressure on Israel. We,
the Jewish people, control America, and the Americans know it."
---Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, 2001
--
Cliff
 >> Stay informed about: is250 vs. 325i 

This message is not archived
 >> Stay informed about: is250 vs. 325i