Skip to main content
  • Home
  • Tips, Tricks & Trends

BMWs are some of the coolest, most powerful, and just well-made cars on the market. Not only are they stylish, but many BMWs are also good cars for everyday driving. That said, before you or anyone else buys a BMW, there’s one big mistake you may have already made. 

Research is key to buying a BMW

As with making any major financial decision, research is key. Research isn’t just important for the particular specs or trim that you’re looking at, but you should also look at the hidden costs that dealerships probably don’t want you to know about before you sign on the dotted line. Unless you’re so rich that a brand-new BMW is worth pocket change to you, a car’s price is probably one of the biggest factors that you’ll be looking at. 

In terms of a car’s hidden price tag, many people may already be familiar with things such as how its fuel economy can affect your wallet in the long run, but there are other costs as well. Depreciation is another hidden cost, and many cars will lose their value really quickly. This may ultimately hurt how much you can sell your car if you ever go down that route. 

By far, the most relevant reason why every BMW fan needs to do more research on their potential new Beemer is repair costs. If you do not do this research, then you’ve made the biggest mistake you could make. 

BMWs cost a lot to maintain

According to Your Mechanic, BMWs are easily the most expensive car brand to maintain. It’s not even a close contest. BMW is in first place, with an average maintenance cost over 10 years of $17,800. In second place is Mercedes-Benz, which had an average 10-year maintenance cost of $12,900. For comparison, Toyotas are well-known for not needing much maintenance, and as such, the average Toyota only cost $5,500 to maintain over 10 years. 

This massive maintenance fee is not uncommon in German luxury cars, according to Your Mechanic. Audi is in fifth place with an average 10-year maintenance cost of $12,400. This is mostly because these luxury cars use expensive, high-end parts. When those parts break or need repairs, naturally, they’ll cost a lot of money to repair. 

That said, despite being luxury cars, they also suffer from chronic issues as well. For example, Your Mechanic said that the average BMW is four times more likely to not start than the average car. This put it in seventh place overall. Additionally, for some reason, BMW’s window regulator needs a replacement 18 times more often than the average car needs one. 

Be wary of buying a used BMW too

Related

The Safest BMWs of 2019 Will Keep You Safe in Style

While buying a used BMW may be a great way to get a cool and powerful car cheaply, those old Beemers may end up costing you more in the long run. An old and used BMW isn’t too different than an old and used car from any other automaker. It’s still probably going to have a lot of issues, but the difference is that you’re probably going to have to pay a lot more to fix them. 

Obviously, each used car is a roll of the dice, and there’s no guarantee that your used BMW will require massive repairs. But, if it does, then it will probably cost you a lot of money, and in some cases, it may cost you as much as you spent on the car.

This is ultimately the risk of buying a BMW, as its repair costs are so high that the car may cost you a lot more than the sticker price said it would. That’s why research is key when you’re considering buying a BMW, new or used. 

Best in Tips, Tricks & Trends