Maintenance Costs on 525i

I am looking at possibly buying my first BMW, a 1993 525i. The car has 120K miles on it but sounds great and test drives good. Everything appears to be working.

Everyone keeps saying how expensive they are to maintain. Is it really that bad? What is the reliability of the BMW like? Any idea what the yearly maintenance cost on a car like this would be?

Ive had mine,'91 525ia, since new. Has 180,000 miles. So far nothing major( i.e. engine, transmission, rear etc.) has failed. Parts can be very expensive. If you do your own work it might not be so bad. Good luck!

Thanks Will. I have always wanted a BMW, but can't afford a new one. Everyone says how expensive they are to maintain so that worried me a little. I am glad to hear yours has worked out so well.

The particular model you're considering buying is reputed to be very reliable. I haven't yet owned an E34 (the generation you're buying), but I have owned a BMW (an '86 528e, of the E28 generation). That car had around 255,000 miles on it when I bought it, and I drove it another 40,000 before selling it. I gave all my records to the new owner, but over 2 yrs./40K miles, the car cost maybe $2,000 in repairs and maintenance--that's less than $100/month, or $50 every 1,000 miles). I'd guess an E34 5-Series with much lower miles would be significantly cheaper to maintain than my E28 was. PARTS are expensive, but most BMW's, esp. 3/5-Series are rather easy to work on, and the 2.5L engine in the '93 525i is shared with all 6-cylinder 3-Series of the same era, so parts ought to be really common and mechanical knowledge plentiful. Although you're going to have to use premium, fuel efficiency is another benefit of the 2.5L 5-Series--figure 22-23 mpg. avg.

After I sold my BMW, I bought a '90 Acura Legend w/150K, anticipating a reputedly reliable Japanese car. It's never left me stranded, but parts are MORE EXPENSIVE than BMW's, and overall the car has cost me a lot more than my 528e did. As a matter of fact, I'm selling it this spring and will probably get the exact same type of car you're considering--a 525i or 535i newer than 1992 with less than 125K miles.

I'd HIGHLY recommend getting a used BMW--they are incredibly well-engineered, distinctively-styled, safe even by today's standards, and more fun to drive than anything this side of a sports car. The 525i should be relatively economical to own too, and with 120K miles, you'll be able to enjoy a lot of trouble-free driving.