Need help looking for a vehicle for wife

[Dr. Zaius]

The Panzerwagens (Mercedes, BMW, Audi, etc) aren't necessarily bad cars, but once they get up in mileage they can be expensive to maintain due to the cost of replacement parts.

The used car ads are chock full of 70-80k miles German cars at a good price for a reason.

My co-worker bought an X5.

Nice looking, nice driving.

Was a great vehicle until it passed 70k and routine maintenance items started cropping up.

A biggie that hit his wife while driving it out of town was the alternator went out.

No biggie, right?

Wrong.

Water cooled alternator and a $1500 repair bill since she was away from home and had to get it fixed.

2 moths later something went out in the front driveline to the tune of $2000.

He got rid of it after that.

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[Joeiconic]

I had a 2017 X5 that I drove for almost six years and 100k mile with just oil changes and tires. Best vehicle I’ve ever owned. BMW engines and tranny’s are amazingly good. Do they cost more if they break? Probably. I only traded mine because of the mad money they were giving for used vehicles at the time.

 

[JohnnyO]

I had a 2003 BMW convertible, I forget the exact model but it was the higher end, but not the M3. Best driving car I've ever driven, but warranty repairs for around $1500 every year. I sold it once the warranty ran out. Not sure if that's still the case or not, but I always heard similar stories: Great driving, but expensive to own.

I had a 2017 X5 that I drove for almost six years and 100k mile with just oil changes and tires. Best vehicle I’ve ever owned. BMW engines and tranny’s are amazingly good. Do they cost more if they break? Probably. I only traded mine because of the mad money they were giving for used vehicles at the time.

The used car ads are chock full of 70-80k miles German cars at a good price for a reason.

That was my dad's experience as well. He got a brand new 740iL in 2000, great car until the warranty ran out. Problem was he crushed the 36k warranty in less than a year and a half and every service visit to the dealer was at least $1000. Around 100k it developed a power steering leak that multiple visits to the dealer here and in Florida, my parents were snowbirds at the time, couldn't fix. He kept a bottle of power steering fluid tucked in a corner under the hood. He was literally afraid to drive it home and traded it on a new 2004 Cadillac in Florida just before they came back. Had the Caddy for ten years and almost 200,000 miles with almost no issues.
My take is that BMW stands for Bring My Wallet.

 

[CB750F]

IF you need AWD, winter driving, well, I really like Subaru, check out the Crosstrek. You need to keep an eye on the oil level, wheel bearingsseem
to go quick too, that's about it.

 

[P. A. Schilke]

The Panzerwagens (Mercedes, BMW, Audi, etc) aren't necessarily bad cars, but once they get up in mileage they can be expensive to maintain due to the cost of replacement parts.

The used car ads are chock full of 70-80k miles German cars at a good price for a reason.

My co-worker bought an X5.

Nice looking, nice driving.

Was a great vehicle until it passed 70k and routine maintenance items started cropping up.

A biggie that hit his wife while driving it out of town was the alternator went out.

No biggie, right?

Wrong.

Water cooled alternator and a $1500 repair bill since she was away from home and had to get it fixed.

2 moths later something went out in the front driveline to the tune of $2000.

He got rid of it after that.

If it says Bosch on the part...it is $$$. My Buddy with a Mercedes Class C motorhome on a sprinter (read Mercedes) need some parts....He is now trying to dump the Class C motorhome for a Ford based motorhome from the same maker...

Best,
Phil

 

[Noface]

Honda CRV hybrid.

 

[TJC]

I went and drove a cx5 (cobalt edition I think is what it's called) about a year ago and it was a hard no from the wife based on looks ? I'll try again. I looked at the cx5 based on reviews I read back then.

Possibly buying outright so limit is probably 40ish. Researching new but low mile 1 or 2 yr old is an option also.

I just picked up a new CX-5 Turbo 10 days ago. Drove it from NC to north of Syracuse, NY and back this last week. Lots of very nice features. Seats were firm, but a nice pad from Amazon fixed that. It is quiet, well appointed, and has a high quality interior. Heads up display and sound system are quite nice, as are auto wipers, headlights, and cruise control.

Handling is perfect, and it is very quiet. My father in law owns a 2016 model with 125K miles on it and it is still very solid - no rattles or squeaks anywhere.

No buyers regret at all. I actually picked mine up for less than MSRP too.
But you must please the wife. Her opinion far outweighs everyone else. Best of luck to you.

 

[Murphie]

I have had 2 escapes and an edge now. they have a hybrid option. plenty of room for a couple of carseats in the back. we always get the titanium versions so can't speak to the lower trim levels. I loved the escapes. Edge is a little bit bigger and roomier

I had a 2012 Edge and it was great - sold it when I got my Ranger. We'll be in the market for a new mid-sized SUV for my wife, and would gladly consider the Edge again. But it's being discontinued and hasn't really had any updates in a few years. We will definitely consider the Escape.

 

[Blmpkn]

Any Maybach would do nicely.

 

[Chris M]

I had a 2012 Edge and it was great - sold it when I got my Ranger. We'll be in the market for a new mid-sized SUV for my wife, and would gladly consider the Edge again. But it's being discontinued and hasn't really had any updates in a few years. We will definitely consider the Escape.

We had a 2012 Edge also and loved it many years. Solid. As you said. My wife traded it for a 2021 Honda CRV, which she loves. I find it a little stiff riding and unnecessarily loud (I think tires are partially to blame for that).
She averages near 35 mpg hwy driving, which is what she mostly does to and from work. The Edge was only about 27 or so mpg with the 6 cyl.
Have your wife drive a good handful of cars she thinks she will like. Best advice I can give because we all know....
If mama ain't happy, nobody's happy.

 

[ylwjacket]

not to threadjack too much, but the early 2000's 4.0 BMW engines, which was in 740, 540, and V8 X5, had some issues after 100k miles.

in almost all of them, at 100k, you are redoing the coolant system - hoses, thermo, water pump, reservoir tank. If you don't they'll leak.

after that, they're about like any high mileage car.

I had one X5 with 175k miles on it when it got wrecked, and another with about 280k. I sold the latter because it did get to be a maintenance PITA.

however, aftermarket parts an DIY are the key to ownership of a high mileage BMW. Probably about that way for any car with those miles.

 

[Hot Pepper Red Zeppelin]

Thanks to all for the input, it is appreciated.

I will have the wife look at the Mazda cx5 again. Check out the rear seat area, and also see if the non turbo has enough get up and go.

Will look at the Toyota rav4. I don't really like the looks but it seems like pretty solid option.

Drove to a Honda dealer to see the crv in person on the way home from work the other night (salesman tolerance is already maxed out). I was kinda shocked at the amount of room it had, i didn't realize it was as roomy as it was. Also, I liked the looks of it in the commercials they were running when it came out and looking online recently but I thought it looked really sharp in person. Need to drive it and check out the 204 hp.

 

[Chris M]

Thanks to all for the input, it is appreciated.

I will have the wife look at the Mazda cx5 again. Check out the rear seat area, and also see if the non turbo has enough get up and go.

Will look at the Toyota rav4. I don't really like the looks but it seems like pretty solid option.

Drove to a Honda dealer to see the crv in person on the way home from work the other night (salesman tolerance is already maxed out). I was kinda shocked at the amount of room it had, i didn't realize it was as roomy as it was. Also, I liked the looks of it in the commercials they were running when it came out and looking online recently but I thought it looked really sharp in person. Need to drive it and check out the 204 hp.

As I said, my wife loves hers. Better mileage than our Edge got, and she doesn't complain about power difference between the Edge's v6 and the Honda turbo 4.
Best of luck shopping!

 

[Hot Pepper Red Zeppelin]

Thanks to all for the help.

The Honda CR-V won out. We looked at the CX-5 again (wife loved the soul red color which was a little surprising as it's quite bold) but it mostly came down to interior space.

Got a 2024 Sport L which is a new trim for 2024 which is slotted below the top of the line Touring. AWD hybrid. Possibly picking it up Monday. Will post pics.

 

[Chris M]

Thanks to all for the help.

The Honda CR-V won out. We looked at the CX-5 again (wife loved the soul red color which was a little surprising as it's quite bold) but it mostly came down to interior space.

Got a 2024 Sport L which is a new trim for 2024 which is slotted below the top of the line Touring. AWD hybrid. Possibly picking it up Monday. Will post pics.

My wife had a CRV and loved it. She was rear ended by a semi early last month and she was not excited about driving it any more so she traded it for a 2024 HRV Sport.

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