I Ignored My Own Advice for a Road Trip Car

"Ross Kraz" (ropstafer) 07/14/2016 at 08:55 • Filed to: Road Trip, BMW, WI to NC

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I made a !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! a while back asking for help choosing a car for a road trip from WI to NC. A lot of people said to just suck it up and drive a boring, reliable car. Others, including !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , suggested a Mercedes or BMW and I dismissed the idea because I didn’t want to be stranded in case something does break.

And then I ignored that advice.

Photo from the original Craigslist ad

It’s a 1997 BMW 528i 5 speed on coilovers. It has a couple minor bugaboos that are typical (rust on the trunk, 1 failed window motor and wheel speed sensor) but comes with extra 18" BMW rims and was owned by a former mechanic. He was extremely helpful and knowledgeable and has replaced many parts in the years that he owned it. Unfortunately, he was also a good negotiator.

Photo from the original Craigslist ad

I will post progress reports when we leave in a few weeks. Basically, I’m doing a real world example of the classic Top Gear tests about older cars. Wish me luck. One intention was to prove that you can buy a car, drive it, and sell it for cheaper than renting a car. But, after driving it a bit last night, I have a feeling that I won’t want to sell it at the end...

Aaron M - MasoFiST > Ross Kraz 07/14/2016 at 09:01

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It’s going to be way more reliable than a 540i, at least.

Roundbadge > Ross Kraz 07/14/2016 at 09:13

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Good luck, and have fun!

That said, I guarantee you that I couldn’t do it cheaper than what it would cost me to rent a car. Mostly, that’s because I have access to exceptionally good deals on rental cars.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Ross Kraz 07/14/2016 at 09:45

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Bruh. You bought my car. Not cool.

You won’t find a more fun car on the highway, but don’t expect much in the way of economy. The 5-speed is close ratio, fifth is 1:1 so expect to be doing almost 3k rpm at 80mph.

If I drive like my grandmother I get like 25 city/ 32 highway

Monkey B > Ross Kraz 07/14/2016 at 10:12

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generally the types of issues you’ll have with these older German cars won’t keep you stranded. Annoying little things tend to be their issue....like that window.

pjhusa > Roundbadge 07/14/2016 at 10:20

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How does one acquire these “deals”?

Roundbadge > pjhusa 07/14/2016 at 10:33

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Live with someone who’s employer has a deal with the rental company in question and provides employee discounts.

We had Corolla for a day in Vegas in order to drive out to Red Rock Canyon for like $30. We rented a Passat for 8 days for like $250 and put nearly 2500 miles on it. We put the first 600 miles on an Avalon over a weekend for $40. Not necessarily exciting cars, but were all trouble free, comfy (except the Corolla) and not ours to worry about. The Passat handled a thrashing on Mt. Washington fairly well.

adamftw > Monkey B 07/14/2016 at 10:43

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Agreed. My buddy has an 03 528i 5 speed and it has a bunch of annoying things wrong with it but otherwise it starts it goes every time.

RCMF - is hungry for V10 Touaregs and long kinja names > Aaron M - MasoFiST 07/14/2016 at 11:16

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Rub it in, why don’t you

Ross Kraz > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 07/14/2016 at 12:37

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Even 30 isn’t bad. My truck gets 19. So all I have to do to pay this off is drive instead of the truck. A lot. I’m okay with that.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Ross Kraz 07/14/2016 at 14:29

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You’ll get 30 if you drive 80

pjhusa > Roundbadge 07/14/2016 at 15:01

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Nice. We rented a 4Runner in Vegas for <$300 for one week. Also rented a Passat, also for a week, in Orlando for around the same price.