Hey Im Vlad and I need some assistance

[vkhalus]

Well here it is, I'm thinking of buying an 05 ZHP automatic next month, its a great car I've been saving up since July and I want it badly. The problem is that my dad is suggesting I should buy something else like a hyundai or a audi because he fears that i will have to pay alot for maintenance just like his 01 740il sport. I told him that 7 series and 3 series are different. Also I forgot to tell that im 17, make about $500-$600 a month, so do you all think I should get a sexy zhp or buy a crappy car and save up for college next fall? Please I want answers from people who own a 05 zhp, and can give me info about maintainance cost. One last thing is I want to get it from an online auction like copart or iaai with low miles, and only damage to the back of the car.

[Hermes]

welcome to the site. to answer your question, yes it most likely will be more expensive than a new efficient car with a warranty that will cost you about the same. Its a matter of what your priorities are. there will definitely be some issues you will have to deal with in any 6 year old car, its just that the BMW will have a larger associated cost when dealing with issues.

e.g. my serpentine belt snapped today so my car is at the shop. I dont even want to think about what my bill will be when i get it back

[nike001]

Audi maintenance is just as bad, if not worse. The older ones are electrical messes. Maintenance all depends on what it already has done to it. You can search long enough to find one that has most maintenance done to last for a while.






e.g. my serpentine belt snapped today so my car is at the shop. I dont even want to think about what my bill will be when i get it back

That's an easy fix. All you need is a new belt. That DIY can be done in under 45 minutes. Half that if you've done it before.

[Johnmadd]

Audi maintenance is just as bad, if not worse. The older ones are electrical messes. Maintenance all depends on what it already has done to it. You can search long enough to find one that has most maintenance done to last for a while.





That's an easy fix. All you need is a new belt. That DIY can be done in under 45 minutes. Half that if you've done it before.

+1 even easier with a helper

[Johnmadd]

Well here it is, I'm thinking of buying an 05 ZHP automatic next month, its a great car I've been saving up since July and I want it badly. The problem is that my dad is suggesting I should buy something else like a hyundai or a audi because he fears that i will have to pay alot for maintenance just like his 01 740il sport. I told him that 7 series and 3 series are different. Also I forgot to tell that im 17, make about $500-$600 a month, so do you all think I should get a sexy zhp or buy a crappy car and save up for college next fall? Please I want answers from people who own a 05 zhp, and can give me info about maintainance cost. One last thing is I want to get it from an online auction like copart or iaai with low miles, and only damage to the back of the car.

Maintenance records with this car?

[Hermes]

That's an easy fix. All you need is a new belt. That DIY can be done in under 45 minutes. Half that if you've done it before.

I know, was just making a point to OP about BMW vs. other, we can always talk about coolant system, subframe, etc. The belt just messed up my schedule today and I have a feeling there might be more messed up in there. My cousin works at the dealer so he will work on my car himself which is a big reason for why I decided to do that.

[kayger12]

I know, was just making a point to OP about BMW vs. other, we can always talk about coolant system, subframe, etc. The belt just messed up my schedule today and I have a feeling there might be more messed up in there. My cousin works at the dealer so he will work on my car himself which is a big reason for why I decided to do that.

Quick thread jack- Hermes, how many miles on that belt before it let go? And do you know which brand belt it was?

Interested in the data points.

Droid X. Tapatalk. Use it.

[mimalmo]

Welcome.

Are you going to fix this car yourself or bring it to a shop?

[danewilson77]

Welcome.

Are you going to fix this car yourself or bring it to a shop?

Great question.

HTC Thunderbolt+TT

[aurelius]

One last thing is I want to get it from an online auction like copart or iaai with low miles, and only damage to the back of the car.

Definitely do not do this.

The only way you'll get a good ZHP that doesn't need anything for a while is by buying from a private party who has kept up with maintenance.

Auction cars have zero in the way of proven service history and, in the case of an E46, will need every known maintenance item and or repair. And probably $700+ in tires.

That's why neglected cars end up at auction: no dealer wants to spend the money to make them viable for sale.

[nike001]

Definitely do not do this.

The only way you'll get a good ZHP that doesn't need anything for a while is by buying from a private party who has kept up with maintenance.

Auction cars have zero in the way of proven service history and, in the case of an E46, will need every known maintenance item and or repair. And probably $700+ in tires.

That's why neglected cars end up at auction: no dealer wants to spend the money to make them viable for sale.

THIS. Somehow I skipped over that last sentence. aurelius is completely right, the only reason they're at auction is because no dealer wants to spend the money to fix them, so they see if anyone else does. Not worth the time.

[Ryans323i]

There's a ton variables to this question. Will you be making the car payment, paying your car insurance, if you get into trouble are your parents willing to help cover costs, will you be paying a mechanic or doing the work yourself, do you have another vehicle to drive when you car is out of commission, ect?

If you're paying for everything here's some numbers to think about:
For an '05 ZHP you're probably looking at spending $14-18k. That translates into roughly (decent interest rate and if you're lucky 5 year loan) a $250-$350 car payment. You're a new driver so your car insurance could be anywhere from $100-$200 a month. With those numbers there's not much extra for maintenance and gas money, and forget about paying for dates or fun activities.

Honestly, there's some sweet new Kias and Hyundais hitting the market. If you can talk with your parents and show that you're making the responsible decision by getting a car with a maintenance plan, they might be willing to help pay for some of the new car cost.

If you have your heart set on a BMW, consider an E30, E36 or maybe an early model E46. They are going to be less expensive to purchase. The E30 and E36 parts should be less expensive than the ZHP. An early model E46 is probably going to incur the same expenses as a ZHP, but the overall cost would be less.

Either way, we sympathize with your want for a ZHP, but remember you're young. There's plenty of time!

[jayjay_dee]

Great advices from the family, in the end its your decision...

If you end up with the ZHP, mafia family is here to help you, with more advices...

[aurelius]

OP: if you or anyone else reading this thread may be interested, I will soon be posting what I think is a truly great 1st car and or DD/commuter.

'02 Mazda MX-5 Miata. It's been in my care for a week now. I had been looking fwd to spending some time with one of these and it does not disappoint. Crazy fun behind the wheel. 60k mis, 5MT, warranty, super easy to work on. Dark blue on black cloth, blk top.

Current ask is $8500 but seller is a bit flexible.

PM if interested or look for it in "non-ZHP cars for sale" forum within a day or 2.

[Hermes]

Quick thread jack- Hermes, how many miles on that belt before it let go? And do you know which brand belt it was?

Interested in the data points.

Droid X. Tapatalk. Use it.

not sure, i'll have to find out if it has been changed since I bought it, I never did it myself. I've had the car for about 3 years / 37k, so maybe at some point it was done but I doubt it. Hell, it could be the original belt with 67k on it

[aurelius]

Hell, it could be the original belt with 67k on it

Likely culprit is the idler pulley. Have your guy check for collateral damage, ie water pump pulley and or belt tensioner.

I changed my idler pulley at 63k and it was WAY overdue.

[Hermes]

Likely culprit is the idler pulley. Have your guy check for collateral damage, ie water pump pulley and or belt tensioner.

I changed my idler pulley at 63k and it was WAY overdue.

let's keep this thread focused, I'll get back to everybody tomorrow with what the dealer tells me. I have a feeling it was one of those plastic pulleys that caused the belt to snap, the belt looked dry but it wasn't on the brink of failure

[M3TA5IN]

There's a ton variables to this question. Will you be making the car payment, paying your car insurance, if you get into trouble are your parents willing to help cover costs, will you be paying a mechanic or doing the work yourself, do you have another vehicle to drive when you car is out of commission, ect?

If you're paying for everything here's some numbers to think about:
For an '05 ZHP you're probably looking at spending $14-18k. That translates into roughly (decent interest rate and if you're lucky 5 year loan) a $250-$350 car payment. You're a new driver so your car insurance could be anywhere from $100-$200 a month. With those numbers there's not much extra for maintenance and gas money, and forget about paying for dates or fun activities.

Honestly, there's some sweet new Kias and Hyundais hitting the market. If you can talk with your parents and show that you're making the responsible decision by getting a car with a maintenance plan, they might be willing to help pay for some of the new car cost.

If you have your heart set on a BMW, consider an E30, E36 or maybe an early model E46. They are going to be less expensive to purchase. The E30 and E36 parts should be less expensive than the ZHP. An early model E46 is probably going to incur the same expenses as a ZHP, but the overall cost would be less.

Either way, we sympathize with your want for a ZHP, but remember you're young. There's plenty of time!

I agree with Ryan as far as going to an older car, like an early e46 or e36. Also will you do your own work? That will help a lot on cost and also just be good for you to learn how to work on your own stuff. Its an invaluable lesson you can use the rest of your life.

Welcome to the site btw.

[danewilson77]

Yes...she will do her own work....or the new beau.

[johnrando]

Welcome to the site. I have an '06, which was under CPO until recently, so the maintenance costs were free. The issue is, if something hits, the chances of fixing it being costly are greater (of course), than an econo-box. So, it's kind of a roll of the dice, if you get a well maintained one, maybe you'll be OK, but you just don't know. The prudent choice might be the econo-car. Personally, I'd rather take the risk and get the BMW, but that's just me. Good luck with the choice.

[webster]

no offense meant at all to the OP, but unless you are real good working on cars, i would wait to buy a newer BMW until you make more than $500-$600 a month.

and your parents should know that. my dad is a bmw fan (used to own an E30 325) and there's no way in hell he would have gotten me into a newer BMW when i was 17. instead he bought me a 91 E32 735i with a bunch of miles for $4k that he didn't care if i abused some.

the other thing to keep in mind is that at 17, unless you have been racing, you are an extremely inexperienced driver. ZHP performance is enough to make you think you're better than you are and could get you into trouble. statistics say you are going to get into an accident in this car at some point. repair bills will be high and insurance rates will go up even more as a result.

finally, if you buy a ZHP, you undoubtedly WILL get bit by the mod bug at some point. which is even more $$$ to dump into a car with already high maintenance costs...

i don't mean to totally discourage you, trust me i felt the same way when i was 17. i drooled over BMWs, namely the E36 M3s (the E46 was still new then and $50k+) but it just wasn't gonna happen.

[RVAzhp]

i make quite a bit more than $500-$600 dollars a month and maintenance still bites me in the ass sometime. thankfully, my dad has taught me to work on cars since my first cars (hyundai tiburon, nissan xterra, modified acura integra) and i am able to do most repairs and maintenance.

my advice would be to get a car you can afford easily, learn to work on, and accumulate the tools needed for car repairs. save for college, college is super important in this day in age and the less debt you leave college with the more money you will have for a nice BMW once you get that awesome job :D

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Since Vlad only posted once (ever), I'm guessing it's because I never officially welcomed him. :biggrin

Welcome, Vlad.

[danewilson77]

Or....he ended up buying a Hyundai....like Dad wanted (In OP)