CaliBoy

iTrader: (4)

2004 325CIC...got it in early 2003...has 60k miles on it now, has not been to the shop one time. only been there to change the oil which was FREE

my friend as an 06 M3 CP, never been to the shop ( only time was when his GF drove it over a divider )

my mom has had a 740i 2001 which she got back in 2002 ...has 90k miles on it. one time it had an o2 sensor go bad other then that just oil, brakes and tires.

johns350

I had a '99 540 - got it new - in the shop for various items such as: oil canister (that holds the filter) seperated while the engine was running - made a big splash onto a hot engine; several replacements of drivers seat due to defective design; instrument panel replaced due to display (MID) intermittently disappearing; window regulators replaced; trans replaced under recall; climate control repaired due to fan speed going wild; fuel pump relaced 2x; there was more...

Then I got a new '01 X5 4.4 - partial list: binding accelerator pedal (that was VERY scary); instrument panel replaced; same climate control problems; same seat problems; various other issues...

My then boss had a 2000 740i - the list was similar. Then he BOUGHT one off lease. Holy crap that car fell apart around him: window regulators, instrument panel, various sensors, drivetrain, body integrity, interior pieces, etc, etc, etc.

Check any rating agency's reliability listings - see where BMW compares w/Nissan.

Trust me - I do enjoy the way BMW's drive, sound, handle, etc. But recent ones have grown worse from a reliability standpoint. The complexity of the power hardtop scares me (from them). Another example: who is the genious who came up with the 'no dipstick' idea? Then - a batch of sensors goes bad. The ONLY way someone can check the oil level is to: go to dealer - have dealer empty the oil to measure - if OK, put THAT OIL back into crankcase. WTF? Friends newer 5 series went through 2 bad sensors. This was to...to...what? Save a dipstick? They should FIRE THAT GUY immediately - or sooner. Don't even get me started on the i-drive...

Anyway - good luck. I haven't been a fan of thier newer designs - but looking at the newest 7 gives me hope that they will produce some decent 'post-Bangle' designs. And they have to get SMALLER. I'm betting the current 3 series is of similar size/weight of my '99 540 - maybe not - just my perception.

johns350

Not to beat a dead horse - but please make sure that '01 740 had the engine cooling fan recall taken care of. They had a habit of catching fire and burning down peoples homes (happens after car was parked, etc). You can get info about it from the nhtsa site (http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/index.cfm). That one was a beauty - the replaced a bunch with defective units - and they failed - so another recall.

Also - that 325ci - the master cylinder recall. And auto trans investigation.

M3 - I won't even begin...

Anyway - hope you have a happy new year. Be safe..

joshuaadude

iTrader: (4)

from what i've seen on the road, not a lot of people drive ht miatas, and everyone opts for the ht s2k. i remember seeing a ht one time and it looked so bizarre to me!

honestly, im pretty curious about how the hardtop is going to work for the 350z. since the 370z is already designed, i highly doubt 350z owners will ever see a ht option. the G37 has a ht option so meh, who knows?

personally though, installing the conversion unit onto a Z is what i think will be the greatest design challenge for nissan. the 370 has that rounded back and the 350z was given a gigantic bubble butt with the roadster treatment. so i suspect we'll either see an elongated rear, or the ht will sacrifice the trunk space completely when in use.

Smasher

iTrader: (2)

Looks like a ZR with a hard top no?

joshuaadude

iTrader: (4)

haha maybe its painted over?