Q: I've been looking at some on autotrader.com and the ones I like are a little older, 97 and 98, and they have 137k to 167k miles. I would obviously prefer to have the lower mileage one, but my question is how long before they start to break down? And I hear it's costly... Is it worth it?
A: bmw's are very reliable cars. it would take at least 200,000 miles for an e36 (92-98 3-series) to break down. and by break down i mean for the engine or transmission to go. breaks, rotors, shocks and smaller parts would wear out before 200,000 miles but that wouldn't be the car breaking down that would just be parts that needed replacing for maintenance like on every car. my dad is a mechanic and replaces my parts for free but i buy the parts and they are not expensive at all. having maintenance done at a bmw dealership is where it could get costly. it could be costly if an independent mechanic overcharged just because it was a bmw. ( my dad said changing bmw parts is actually pretty easy) its worth it because BMW's are great and you will see if you get one. if you do buy a bmw with high mileage save some extra money to replace worn parts (that any high mileage car would need)