2007 BMX X3 vs 2009/2010 Subaru Forester

jostage

hi all, thanks for all of the information, it has really helped. but i am still a bit unsure on my car buying decision. my wife and i were looking into a used car with a budget of 10-13k. We live in dc and street park. Mind you, dc streets are horrible many many potholes. We were looking for something a bit bigger than a car so crossover and solid to handle a bit of offorad when we go camping/skiing and snow. Initially in contention were the subaru forster, maza cx 5/7, and nissan rogue. It seemed that we could get a decent 2009 forester with ~100k miles within our budget. When I began doing more searches I began to notice that there were many BMW X3s available usually from 2007 that were slightly higher priced but with less milage. I am not one for flashier cars (and not so humble i cant drive one either) but I do value comfort/performance and general aesthetic. From what I have seen , the x3s that made the shortlist were usually nicer interior, more options, and more powerful. Moreover, I read that there were several recalls for the 2009 foresters. So now I am having an extra hard time. My wife doesn't want the BMW but its mostly on the grounds of what she thinks it represents- too flashy/posh etc. That's not a factor for me- I just want to get the better car that will not turn into a constant $ drain due to repairs. Thank you so much for any advice thoughts!

zandor

I'd be inclined to say don't do it just because your wife doesn't like it and you seem to be on the fence. I don't think BMWs are worth it unless you either love them or have lots of money. I had a BMW 5-series and now drive a Mercedes E-class. I loved them both, but they wouldn't have been worth it if I didn't love them. BMW's are not cheap to own even if they don't break. $70 oil changes (6L of synthetic Castol + filter and labor), $550 for front brakes, etc. That was at an independent BMW shop with a $90/hour labor rate. Tires are pricey too, particularly if it uses run-flats. Oh, and you get to buy premium gas.

If you want more power you might look at some domestics. Ford, GM, and Chrysler tended to offer V6s (and more recently turbo I4s) in small SUVs in recent years, while the Japanese tended to stick you with a 2.5L or so I4.