I'd like to know what BMW's anyone was driving that thinks they were ever 'reliable.'
The first?
A 1987 E24.
What happens (to all of them?) At ab ~75k miles or 6 years or so, the rubber suspension components dry rot or otherwise fail. Symptom? Braking at over 75mph feels like the car might fall apart.
Mine?
1975 2002.
If anyone ever drove one of these things, then you know: Metric Mechanic made a mint off of the failing 2nd gear synchros. 1-2 gear shift? CRUNCH. New tranny. How bad was it? BOTH the 1975 AND the 1976 (both of which I still am the second owner and still own) had the trouble. The '76 had less than 60K miles.
Oh, and I replaced the 'rock solid' M10 with a new one in 1987.
Oh, and by the way: Window regulators. Count 'em: 6 in 10 years. On only 2 doors.
1991 E34 (i6 only)?
The body fell apart around the engine and transmission. Bullet proof running gear. WIndows switches and regulators that failed if you closed the door with a window down.
Don't get me started on the rear suspensions of E36's. Freakin disaster. Ripping in two. Yep. Even (and especially) the E36 M3.
1995 E38 740.
Nikasil. We actually got lucky. This car is still in service with 175K on the original nikasil motor. Stranger things.
That having been said, the radio comes in and out. Electric seats work when they want. Plastics are all over the place, and the leather is stained with GA red clay. Damn thing runs though. Most pleasant highway hauler I've been in for awhile.
I really think that people think (in error) that all things including cars used to be more reliable. It's true, maybe of washers and dryers and dishwashers, but cars? Ya gotta remember that Detroit was struggling against the replace it at 50K miles mindset. Honda killed that. Even my wife's 1986 Honda Accord had a service plan where they replaced the timing belt at 100K. If they didn't: BOOM! Dead motor.
If a 1972 BMW got to 125K miles by 1982, it was a freaking miracle of engineering- or more importantly- Maintenance. Which is what it all comes back to:
- If it breaks, fix it.
- If it might break, fix it before it does.
It doesn't matter if its a 13 yr old BMW or a 23 yr old Honda. People don't want to be bothered with their own responsibility these days. nearly 30 years driving and maintaining BMWs. What you get is what you put in. BMW or not.