opinions please...the car shuffle...

[lucydad]

All,

You guys are smart and I am trying to make a vehicle decision.  Here are the parameters:
-- youngest daughter (Princess #2) is working an internship until mid-September in NYC, so she left her 2008 Mazda 3 here, with 100K miles, nice commuter, great shape, no satellite radio, high mileage and extremely reliable--been driving it the past week
--we have a lack of space for 3 cars with our 2 car garage, and neighborhood covenants require off street parking most of the time, have to move a car every 24 hours, and they prefer all cars parked in drive way, and ours is a two into one exit--and MS Lucydad (THE Queen) requires easy entrance and exit for her Lexus
-- My 2002 BMW 330I has 133K miles, good condition, running well, has satellite radio (love it for my commutes) and MPH has it running quite nicely (thanks Mike and crew)--but it has proven to be a high maintenance car, and expensive to keep going
-- youngest daughter is severely attached to the M 3-- and says she demands it back if she does not take full time job in NYC
--I plan to retire next May or so, and think I want a Mazda CX-5 or equivalent:  small SUV, good mileage, all the gizmos--reliable for long drives, and also able to trailer a motorcycle...might buy used if I can find a good one, but leaning towards new 2015 model with revised radio/nav/etc ($$$$).

Options:
1)  lowest cost is do nothing for now, deal with the car shuffling (getting motorcycles out of back of garage a pain), wait a few months to flush out what youngest daughter decides (I am rooting for full time job in NYC, and she stays there for a while to launch career)-- if she ditches NYC she gets M3 back, and I keep BMW until ready to change cars next year
2) Sell the BMW, Carmax just appraised it at $2500, not surprised given high mileage and reputation of these cars being expensive to keep running--I feel...the BMW is worth more than that--it is a fine car and has been stable since MPH got it fixed
3) Sell the M3 and incur wrath of daughter and by default their Mother (the Queen always looks out for the Princesses), and keep the BMW and hope it does not grenade on me
4)  Trade both M3 and BMW in on a Mazda CX-5--most expensive option, and promise equivalent or better car for youngest Princess if she decides to not live in NYC with the subways.

What do you guys think? 

Need to talk it over with the Queen Mother over dinner and adult beverages. 

I am leaning towards the do nothing, and just wrestling with the car moving puzzle pieces--but unsure right now.  No rush is good though.

[kevdog3019]

Keep the plan you have. Mistakes are costly here. Don't shake up the women in your life. Seems pretty straight forward to me.

[RinkRat II]

 Easy Peasy, IF you have a high enough ceiling in the garage get a four post lift for parking the Princesses' car above yours. Good ones tend to run 1500-2000 bucks and you can take it with you when you build the new place! Plus you can claim Fathers Day Gift. http://www.bestbuyautoequipment.com/Car-Storage-Lifts-s/389.htm

    Paul

[cruzziguzzi]

Sorry to say it but I see your situation only one way...
Beemer's gotta go.

I've been through a couple-three 3 Series Beemers and love 'em to pieces but they reach a point where the expense of keeping them falls into hobby-car territory - especially the factory breathed over versions.

If I'm gonna have a hobby Beemer it'd be a 1602-2002 or early raw 3 series. Later techno dependent versions get worse to own by the year and eventually one begins to haunt wrecking websites like some sort of techno-goul hoping to feed off of other's automotive carrion.

Don't become that guy... The beemer zombie. Let it go!


Todd.

[fotoguzzi]

I would ditch that BMW now before the next $1k repair.. use the Mazda till you can get the new one for yourself.

[cruzziguzzi]

I would ditch that BMW now before the next $1k repair.. use the Mazda till you can get the new one for yourself.

That's the issue...

Then the next bill has to be paid 'cause you just recently sunk a grand into it... then the next bill...

Hobby? Maybe. Transportation? No way!

[kevdog3019]

I agree on ditching the BMW, but that doesn't mean spending a fortune to replace it. Look for a used car for replacement. You're retiring, and there's less commuting to work and less wages. Don't sell the Mazda!!!!!!!
K

[Sheepdog]

Sell the BMW and put a nice Sirius/XM-capable Alpine radio in the Mazda. The new ones are affordable and they even have an auxiliary Jack and a USB port right on the face. You'll love it and so will your daughter if she takes the car back. Later, you'll have first option on a new ride. Look at the Crutchfield site for radios and install kits...

[not-fishing]

lucydad, take advantage of your senior years and do nothing.  some might say procrastinate

You could let the daughter deal with it.  citing the big girl-pants position of adulthood

Or

Find a place to store the Mazda for free.  and curse the neighborhood witches' covenants - it's the crotchety old guy's duty

Actually nobody follows the covenants where I live but they are more than 10 years old......

Your choice -- your beating to take.  because you always get the Monkey's Paw

[Two Checks]

Dump the Bimmer. Yes, I said Bimmer. Bimmers have 4 wheels, Beemers have two.
If you sell the Mazda you know what will happen. 

[toma nova]

Whatever you do, stay away from Carmax.  They'll kill you on a trade / sell to them.  If you sell the BMW, see if MPH wants it - Mike knows the car and would value it fairly.  Aggressively priced on CL is way better than Carmax.

[CalVin2007]

 Quote: "4)  Trade both M3 and BMW in on a Mazda CX-5--most expensive option, and promise equivalent or better car for youngest Princess if she decides to not live in NYC with the subways."

       Any time you trade two cars for one at a dealership you will be giving one car away to them. Just the way it works....so I say don't do it. This choice is a loser all the way around. I say dump the Bimmer while it's running well, drive the Mazda after upgrading the radio a la' Crutchfield aftermarket route as Sheepdog suggested, and buy a car when/if you need to.

[Kev m]

I kinda agree, sell the BMW.

BUT, as for covenants, are the streets public or private?

Do the covenants actually have any teeth to prevent you from parking on the street?

My last neighborhood association preferred you didn't, but the streets were public and they had no legal standing to prevent it.

[boatdetective]

Sell the BMW, drive the Mazda. When the time comes, buy a new smaller SUV. This class of vehicle offers an awful lot. I have a 2012 Rav4 with a V6. Mileage is not that good, but the vehicle is great. It can tow a 20' boat, corners well, small turning circle, cruises easily on the slab.   I rented a Hyundai in this class and it was quite sporty as well.   

[mach1mustang351]

I'm going to go against the grain and cast a vote for keeping the BMW and offing the Mazda. Mazda has a decent reliability record and a fiercely loyal customer base, but i believe European cars are of superior quality and drive and operate way better than Japanese or American cars. It comes down to whats important to you and what you value more. We have two volvos in the family and we accept that at some point there will be a spendy  repair, but on a vehicle with a known service history that we know we like, that is more valuable than buying a cheaper used car that who knows if it was serviced or taken care of. Generally Euro cars are safer too.

[Kev m]

<snip> 

but i believe European cars are of superior quality

<snip>

Generally Euro cars are safer too.

I know we generally like to believe these things about what we prefer, but:

Best Safety Rated SUVs of 2015

http://www.kbb.com/best-safety-rated-cars/suv/2015/1/

Top 25 - 14 Asian (including top 2), 9 US, 2 Euro

Best Safety Rated Sedans of 2016

Top 15 - 5 Asian (including top 2, same brand as SUVs - Acura), 4 US, 6 Euro (all Audi)

http://www.kbb.com/best-safety-rated-cars/sedan/2016/1/

Safest Vehicles of 2015

http://www.thecarconnection.com/news/1096195_the-safest-vehicles-of-2015/page-9

5 Asian, 2 Euro, 1 US

Most Reliable Used Cars

http://www.cbsnews.com/media/seven-of-the-most-reliable-cars-you-can-buy/

5 Asian, 2 US, 1 EU (why there are 8 and article link/title says 7 I dunno)


JD Powers New Car Reliability, determined by number of reported problems by brand

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2015/02/25/jd-power-vds-reliability/23982237/

Top 20 - 10 Asian, 6 US, 4 EU

The 100 Most Reliable Cars of the Last Decade (EU source)

http://www.gizmag.com/the-100-most-reliable-cars-of-the-last-decade-in-order/5657/

Top 10 all Asian, though the majority of the cars on the list are EU I will note, but I'll also note most aren't available here.


That said, I think generally speaking, NEW vehicles (and vehicles say sub 100k miles) are more reliable today than ever before and even the "worst" brands can be fun to own.

[Dilliw]

We have a 2007 3 series and since it's been out of warranty we've had two ABS failures.  First one cost me $1k and I'm in the process of fixing the second one.  We were quoted $3400 for a new ABS pump and I had them pulled it then sent it to Idaho to a guy who says he can re build them.  $250 if he can means that I as long as I don't mind being without the car for three weeks I can keep this repair under $1k too.  But that will be $2k worth of repairs in one year on a car that only has 64k on it.

The BMW is going.

I also have a 2012 Mazda 3 with 84k on it.  It has had nothing but oil changes, filters and tires.  It's going to go to one of the kids and I will probably replace it with another 3 come model close out time. 

So my vote is to keep the Mazda and get another one.

[lucydad]

All,

Wow lots of great advice and wisdom here.  For a few months we (Queen and Princesses mainly--after my considered with a scotch recommendation) have decided to do nothing for now.

A decision switch will flip near mid-September, maybe earlier --as youngest Princess decides on career location.  NYC seems to be working pretty well, but we are only a week into that adventure and job.

BMWs, particularly high mileage --are correctly valued (low) in my opinion.  I have paid for the car twice in repairs.  Given that, it is beautiful, drives with precision, has great power and handling, and is probably safer on my commute than the M3. 

Good point on trading two cars at once:  dealer screw job likely. 

Carmax has been professional, we have bought the BMW there and sold our old beat up Dodge Grand Caravan.  Interestingly, the GC Carmax bid was about $3800, even with bashed in rear end and it was totalled by our insurance company.  CarMax said they auction to Mexican buyers that love to take them south and fix them up.  We see car tows to Mexico all the time, they fix and recycle certain vehicles:  love the American vans, trucks and anything Japanese.  Forget a BMW.  Resale is dismal, that is a fact, the Bavarian reputation is miserable. 

Good idea on talking to Mike at MPH.  I will do that.  He knows the car.  I remember about 2 years ago it was Todd that said:  hey we can fix your car.  And they did.  And Todd mentioned that sometimes they might buy a BMW, or know a buyer. 

Never will I buy another German car.  I said that after my 1977 VW Scirocco---and went against my judgement and bought the BMW on looks and power.  Japanese all the way from now on, and a small SUV to combine practicality and fun in my retirement. 

Thanks again, I really appreciate your thoughts and experience!

cheers,

[mach1mustang351]

Crash data is an interesting subject. There are many ways vehicles are tested to determine safety. Some of the tests used compare the vehicles to vehicles in its own class.  I read an example about the smart car (no I dont have the link, sorry) but basically the car had a good crash rating.... versus other smart cars. When the rests involved "interactions" with other vehicles on the road, the results got worse.  So it is important to see what tests are used for these rankings. I agree that new vehicles are safer than old vehicles and when buying new there really isn't a terrible option.