It's shocking to me that a car that cost $60,000+ new could be as poorly engineered as these BMWs are. I've owned 3 (E46, E53, E70), and all of them have been mechanical nightmares that would have broken me if I wasn't a semi-competent mechanic. After owning two Ford Focuses (Foci?), one of which was purchased new for $15,000, and the other that was used for $6,000, I never had to do major work on them. Just brake jobs, shock and strut replacement, and replace a thermostat and other maintenance items. These BMWs, however, for all of their sticker price and crazy over-engineered German-ness, they can't manage to make a cooling system that has any sort of integrity? It's only mildly pressurized hot liquid, and cars have been liquid cooled for the bulk of their history. But no, these things require constant attention and love, as if they were a woman.

Maybe that's the ticket. A BMW, like a woman, will periodically have a melt down and leave you scratching your head and spending hundreds (if not thousands of dollars) to fix it. A Ford is more like a man. Turn him on and touch the stick once in a while and he'll be happy.

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2007 BMW X5 4.8i - Sport Package, Wife's Car

2001 BMW 325i - My Car.

2005 Ford Excursion Limited 4x4, 6.0 Powerstroke Diesel. My first "grown up" car.