Virtually all my friends are of the opinion that BMW cars are problematic. Infact, when I mooted the idea of acquiring one, I was advised not try it as I may not be able to cope with the stress associated with BMW products.

So folks, whats your take on this? If you drive a BMW car, what has been your experience?

i dont know a thing about cars, but BMW makes some wicked cars. i'd buy one no matter the problems, even if its only for one day. Live life to the fullest bro, do what u wanna do.

If you live in Nigeria, you should also account for the money you'll burning on spare parts since they don't have many new BMW parts there.

This is first time i have ever found myself agreeing with Donzman. BMWs are magnificent cars. I even rate them above mercedes benz. However i think their construct are not design for the Nigerian road surfaces, and very quickly you'll find yourself needing parts. i have'nt a clue what labour cost are for expert work on these vehicles over in nigeria, but am sure it should be a pretty penny.

Let me hasten to say, my ideas on the road surfaces are based on what i see in the nigerian movies, and not on actual experience.

What you see in Nigerian movies are even better, roads in Nigeria are horrible. I know someone who bought a Range Rover, to replace on little part, he had to dish to 500,000 naira. My guy duly parked the car till further notice.

BMW is the ultimate driving machine,

it hardly gets engine problem, people say that BMs always consume fulel but i'm sorry to say not all BMs consume fuel,

the BMW 328 1995 has a MPG of 35, that is higher than an Honda accord 1992, with MPG of 30,

the newer ones are even more fuel efficient, funny enough its only the sporty BMW cars that consume 25 MPG, and an acceleration of 8 seconds from 0 to 100km, !!! that is crazy, believe me, the 1995 BMW 325i coupe does that, its even faster than 2004 3 series,

well its the nigerian road that causes the parts problem in a BMW especially the suspension, damn, !! those things are expensive,

but engine perfomance is the best,

The best cars in the world is only BMW,

BM 4 ever

nah! bmw cars aint reliable. they are just fancy thats all ! why not go for a toyota brand.bmw cars have engine problems and you have problems with gear box too. if you do not like toyota cars, then settle for honda. money is hard to come buy these days so do not spend your money on a car that will give you loads of headaches, only if you are a money bag, whatever decision you take, i wish you the very best !

I dont really know much about BMW's except that my dad used one from 1989 to 1994. He used it for long distance travels (sokoto to calabar, minna to aba etc) and it was still in good contition until he sold it. The car was well equiped for its period of existence[6 cylinder engine and all that] and ever since then ma pops has always been a BMW fan so i will advice u go for it.

N/B
y'all talking about bad roads. well u can adjust the suspension of the car so that it wont be too low. That way u wont have most of the "bad road" problems. That was exactly what ma pops did.

BMWs are excellent driving machines, you noticed I did not use the "car". I had one and it was on of the most pleasurable driving experiences I have ever had, maybe the Audi is a touch better on long stretches, but around corners etc, the BMWs are the bomb. However, the parts and maintenance is expensive and may need specialist attention for servicing. For Nija, I would advice the good old peejo b/c of easy access to parts amd mentainance!! funkybaby mentioned toyotas, I can attest to their near lengendary reliability, but I don't know how easy it is to get hold of parts and maintain them! That's me 2pence

Hey BMW's are fine Cars.
The acronym is Black Mans Wheels

But ya parts must be expensive, because even here in North America they are epxensive
IT is better to purchase a Puegot like someone mentioned earlier
Parts are cheap!

@r o b b y  By adjusting the height on a motorcar you are in fact increasing the stress, on the various stress points. within no time the vehicle will begin to squeak and rattle as the undercarriage and suspension weaken.

Also someone posted about Toyota. To compare Toyota and a Bimmer is sacrilegious. i owned a Honda Accord and i would never have compare that vehicle to a BMW. Toyota's are good for reliability, but they are ordinary vehicles.

BMWs are great cars and I for one have always found them to be very reliable however as is the case with any car in any country, they have to be properly maintained by experienced mechanics and you should only use genuine approved BMW spare parts. Too often in Nigeria the problem is owners don't get them serviced regularly and when they do they use cheaper "Tokunbo" parts following which they then complain about poor reliability.

The bottom line is BMWs are very reliable in my opinion but you should make sure you can afford to maintain it properly because as the saying goes, "You only get what you pay for"

If you are not very well paid, I'd suggest you don't join my club of BMW addicts.

Bimmer owners are passionate about it, 'cos once you start driving and own one, you never stop.

I owned a 3 series, then a 5 series. I am now saving for the X5.

Coscharis Autos have all the parts you need for your bimmer. (Models from 1993)
Parts are expensive, not for small boys.

As for roads, you wouldnt enjoy the bimmer in most parts of Lagos. Point of those who say roads in Nigeria are generally bad.

Come to Abuja and up North, you'd enjoy your bimmer without potholes etc.


If you've got the money, go for the bimmer and enjoy the passion.

bm products are very reliable,i have the x3 with 3.0 engine.never had any problems with it, (though the stole my rear wiper).the riding is smooth and agressive.u can get brand new bm cars and parts at coscharis motors,the can be expensive cos of the quality,but if u looking for a cost saving car maybe u can try the beetles at the end of the day ,it will get u to the same destination execpt that the prestige is different.

did i hear u say Be My Wife?

BMWs are reliable and cheap to run. on most of them, the fuel consumption and bhp is one of the best you can get compared with any other car of a similar engine size. In a recent 'what car' survey of a 100 cars, the most reliable car was the Honda (accord and civic) followed by the Lexus (IS), BMW was ranked 7th. The cost of servicing a BMW engine is no more than you'd pay for a Ford or Honda with a similar engine size. The only difference is that BMW garages tend to have high labour costs so it is wise to find an independent BMW specialist garage.

Hey all,
Its all been said in here but I love BMs too and couldnt resist dropping a line, or two.
BMWs are lovely, beautiful to drive hi-tech machines, you need to drive one for a while to appreciate that. If I lived where there were good roads, I'd consider no other car. The suspension tech is too detailed for our nigerian roads. Shame.
You need to love the car to own it despite that, or have extra cash to dispose towards car maintenance.
So,

make up your mind bro'

I have a passion for good things. I bought my little cool BMw 320i 1993 model (6 cylinder) in 2004 and as I write this, I can't even imagine a better buy. Before then, all my friends were vehemently opposed to the idea of a BM. I, being a Canaan City crooner, felt that only the best is good enough. I must tell you, I enjoy every dime spent on that piece of solid metal. For me, my wife, my children, my cat, my friends and even foes, I'd recommend a BM any day. Mine has traversed the entire length and bredth of Naija, and is still rugged and rearing to go. The little money u spend wud be on changing the oils and the general maintenance. Every piece of equipment is like any other. The better you take care of it, the longer it would last for you. The most I have ever changed in that horse has been the Cambers, bushings and the regular oil servicings. It has never failed to start at the first ignition. It has never left me starnded on the road. It has never failed to function maximally. It consumes fuel averagely in the region of 1 litre per 10 kilos within town, and less on the long haul.

I may agree that the parts are more expensive but my brother, they are cheaper on the long run, since they seldon break down.

BMW is the ultimate driving experience. No doubts about that.

No mind all these great driving experience talk. If you live in Nigeria, you'll give an arm and a leg for quality BMW parts and I believe the only place you can find them is at Coscharis.

From me, a well-known BMW freak amongst my friends, I would stop at nothing but recommend the machine to anyone. I used a 3 series 88 model as a final year undergraduate medical student, changed over to a 5 series 90 model as a house-officer and as a coorper, posted to the North, tried my hands on a honda bullet mid-way into service year, but alas, this was my worst mistake ever. the Honda no just dey perform, to light, burns fuel faster than my 5 series and with the series of expensive bushings, bearings and soft wrapable body parts, I just had to run, now i use a BMW rabbit and forget the satisfaction.
BEEHEMMMDOUBLEUUUU FOR LIFE

It has all been said b4. If you want a wonderful driving experience, get a BM. if you want a car, get a Toyota or Honda.

My first car was a Toyota, followed by a Honda Prelude.

My first BM was a 318i the old E30 and that thing was built like a bomb. I drove it once from Ikoyi to Isolo with no engine oil in it, by the time I got home, I was hearing a knocking sound from my engine. I thought the engine was gone. Two days later, I bought engine oil, put it in and it was as good as new. Try cornering at high speed in a BM, you feel safe and assured nothing could go wrong.

My second BM was also an E30, this time a 320i and it was also a glorious buy.

Fuel consumption was not too bad compared to the Honda and parts are not so hard to come buy. Ever heard of Ladipo? BM parts are awash there. Getting a very good mechanic though is not too easy, and if you get the wrong person, your car could be messed up.

Would I buy a BM again? I certainly would,without thinking twice about it.

BMW. Owned one from brand new. Trouble all the way. Looks good. Great to drive. But trouble. Cost an absolute fortune to run. Bought a new car for the cost of running the BMW in one year. My trouble was so bad I got £7000 back off BMW for the amount it cost me to maintain the car during the trouble period. Get a VW or Opel/Vauxhall. Last a long time and doesn't cost too much to run

jammin:

@r o b b y By adjusting the height on a motorcar you are in fact increasing the stress, on the various stress points. within no time the vehicle will begin to squeak and rattle as the undercarriage and suspension weaken.

Also someone posted about Toyota. To compare Toyota and a Bimmer is sacrilegious. i owned a Honda Accord and i would never have compare that vehicle to a BMW. Toyota's are good for reliability, but they are ordinary vehicles.

So do you suggest to drive it as low as it is in these nigerian roads? and besides, the spring and shocks will only squeak when you take it to any body who claims to be a car mechanic. If you find a good mechanic who specialised in BMW's the u will have no problems with all that squeaking you are talking about. Leaving it as low as the manufacturers made it is not an option cos it wont survive on naija roads.

@r_o_b_b_y, In my experience, a "Good mechanic who specialises in BMWs" would in fact refuse to raise the car precisely for the reasons that Jammin stated particularly his point about stress points on the car. It is a fact that perhaps BMWs are not suited to Nigerian roads but I can assure you that Coscharis for example would never agree to raise a car on a customer's demand as that is not approved by BMW.

The simple fact of the matter is if you want to drive a BMW in Nigeria, you have to expect very high maintenance costs.

I´ve been driving a 525 touring , but in Germany. Wouldn´t recommend such a car for bad roads.
Then u better take a x5 or x3, if u can afford it.
But only if u are a short man. These cars are too small inside for tall people.
They offer best driving fun (only the new A6 can offer u more), are reliable, but sometimes there are too much
problems with the chips and electronic parts.
One time I got stuck inside, cos the board-electronic system was not working, neither did the power windows
and the door opener.
So I had to call help with my mobile :-)

If reliability is visiting the garage on and off, replacing damaged parts, then a BMW is as reliable as any thing on four wheels in Naija. It's a given. The cost is a different matter. It will cost you a lot more to keep your high performance "Beemer" on the road, than say, a Honda or Toyota.

BlackMamba:

If reliability is visiting the garage on and off, replacing damaged parts, then a BMW is as reliable as any thing on four wheels in Naija. It's a given. The cost is a different matter. It will cost you a lot more to keep your high performance "Beemer" on the road, than say, a Honda or Toyota.

This is why everybody wants to drive a BMW:
It´ just for prestige, not for reliability.

But nevertheless it´s so niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice!

YO brothers and sisters help me out here. is it true that most nigerian girls in the UK are becoming like west indian or JAMO girls; gold diggers??

Personally, I love the No1 car in the world which is Mercedes Benz, and i heard BMW is the second best car.
I don't think itz a bad Idea acquiring one

Oracle:

Personally, I love the No1 car in the world which is Mercedes Benz, and i heard BMW is the second best car.
I don't think itz a bad Idea acquiring one

Since there is the VW PHAETON MB and BMW are only number 2 and 3 !!!!

Look here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xm2swohEtYM&mode=related&search=

it is generally believed that bmw are too expensive to maintain. they could be less to buy when u compare them with Mercedez but their parts are very expensive.
talking about bmw as problem cars will be accepted iif you are talking about old models bmw.
bmw is trying to make all functions available in their cars but mercedez with less functions will always be more expensive so there is still that belief that there are still only two cars in the world i.e mercedez and others,

did i hear someone say peugeout cars?? forget it ! peugeout is really messed up. nigerian government tried in best in promoting the brand by enforcing as the official cars for all its government parastatels but have you guys noticed that most government officials, senators, etc no longer use peugeout cars as their official cars they are all driving new model toyota cars. peugeout cars have faults with their doors and windows <the old models>. the only good thing is that the " body strong well well". as for the new peugeout cars, thats another tale. my boyfriend bought a new peugeuot 406 about 3years ago, i advised him against it  and told him to get a toyota but he went like "funky, thats the car senators are driving in naija". he regretted every buying the car. the car had problems with its brain box. he changed the brain box twice(peugeout service shop at UK refused to give him any guarantee on the brain box), the car consumes fuel like hell, to cut a long story short, he had to eventually crush the car cos he could not even get a buyer for him and he was not ready to go through the stress of shipping the car down to naija, converting it to left hand wheel, etc. So my fellow nairalanders, forget about BMW<especially in naija>. i will invest my money on a toyota any day any time, lremember their slogan "good thinking good product"

The truth is that u probably going for a second hand BMW from 1987-1996(am sure) that's why they complainin is problematic.Really look at the new models do they seem to be problematic, BMW is no joke men