For maintenance (especially if you turn your cars over every 3 years) I agree with you... it is all covered under warranty. I'm talking more about the cost of repair to a vehicle (i.e. - if you've been in an accident) I'd be curious to see the "cost of ownership" surveys that you're referring to... I've seen some of these surveys myself, and BMW consistently comes up lower in terms of customer satisfaction (customers are surprised that their vehicle breaks down) Not to mention, more importantly, as a auto maker employee myself, I consistently hear that the packaging that BMW uses, though elegant, makes their cars very difficult to service (too much stuff in too small of a space) Add to that the cost of importing parts from Germany for a repair, and you're looking at a fairly hefty bill.
<< HKS,
The high cost of BMW repair is actually something of a myth. In all of those "cost of ownership" surveys which look at how much it costs to operate a vehicle over a 75,000 mile run the BMW 3 and 5 series don't cost more to own than upscale domestic marquees (Lincoln, Cadillac, etc).
BMW also includes full included maintenance for the first 3 years or 36,000 miles... after that it's up to you if you want to continue to use the dealer for things like oil changes.
I haven't driven the newest model M3, but I have driven the predecesser and it's an absolutely amazing car. Since most of us aren't buying cars like this to race on the track, the fact that a Vette might lap the track 2/10 of a second faster is really not a concern to me.
A car that can give you blistering performance, AND a completely higher level of refinement is probably worth the nod. I guess many car reviewers agree with that asessment. >>
<< HKS,
The high cost of BMW repair is actually something of a myth. In all of those "cost of ownership" surveys which look at how much it costs to operate a vehicle over a 75,000 mile run the BMW 3 and 5 series don't cost more to own than upscale domestic marquees (Lincoln, Cadillac, etc).
BMW also includes full included maintenance for the first 3 years or 36,000 miles... after that it's up to you if you want to continue to use the dealer for things like oil changes.
I haven't driven the newest model M3, but I have driven the predecesser and it's an absolutely amazing car. Since most of us aren't buying cars like this to race on the track, the fact that a Vette might lap the track 2/10 of a second faster is really not a concern to me.
A car that can give you blistering performance, AND a completely higher level of refinement is probably worth the nod. I guess many car reviewers agree with that asessment. >>