I need help deciding. The Honda gets much better fuel economy and has more power. The BMW is much more fun to drive and feels much better inside the cabin. Thoughts, my people?
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Coupes: 2015 Honda Accord V6 or 2012 BMW 328i
- Thread starter duffman9000
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I'm biased towards Honda because i own a 15yr old Accord that has never once given me a single problem. Also you get more for your money. Anytime i get in and start the ignition, it starts and is ready to go. Have only replaced wear and tear stuff like bulbs and tires.
That said, if you don't plan to keep your car for that long, get the Beamer. There's something about driving a beamer. Also more fashionable i suppose.
That said, if you don't plan to keep your car for that long, get the Beamer. There's something about driving a beamer. Also more fashionable i suppose.
I have had a string of BMW 3-series, and they have been very reliable. But that said, if things go badly with that BMW it won't be cheap to repair.
Where are you buying the BMW from? If you buy a CPO (certified pre-owned) from the dealer, those have a pretty good warranty so repairs would not be an issue.
I have not driven the Accord Coupe, but I really like the look of them.
two completely different cars. the 328 is a turbo charged rear wheel drive 4 cylinder 50/50 balanced and the accord is a front wheel drive v6 that's 10% heavier on the front end.
you'll have to weigh out the pleasure of driving vs the piece of mind of honda reliability. i own a 135i and a acura tl. both are great cars for different reasons. the acura (honda) is reliable and inexpensive to maintain and offers a nice ride. the bmw is expensive to maintain but is the "drivers" car.
if you find yourself to be a driving enthusiast above all else, the bmw is the car to have, if you find yourself to be practical minded, the honda makes more sense.
just my opinion since i've owned 3 honda accords, and currently own an acura tl and a bmw 135i.
you'll have to weigh out the pleasure of driving vs the piece of mind of honda reliability. i own a 135i and a acura tl. both are great cars for different reasons. the acura (honda) is reliable and inexpensive to maintain and offers a nice ride. the bmw is expensive to maintain but is the "drivers" car.
if you find yourself to be a driving enthusiast above all else, the bmw is the car to have, if you find yourself to be practical minded, the honda makes more sense.
just my opinion since i've owned 3 honda accords, and currently own an acura tl and a bmw 135i.
OP is looking at the 328i coupe, and that is still the older E46 platform with the inline 6. You are thinking of the new 428i that is the coupe version of the F30 platform 328i with the turbo 4.
Have you seen the new M235i? If you like your 135i, you will really like the M325i.
OP is looking at the 328i coupe, and that is still the older E46 platform with the inline 6. You are thinking of the new 428i that is the coupe version of the F30 platform 328i with the turbo 4.
Have you seen the new M235i? If you like your 135i, you will really like the M325i.
that's incorrect. e46 platform stopped in 2006 to be replaced by the e92.
2012 328 is in fact a 4 cyl. it replaced the 2011 n55 inline 6 twin scroll turbo.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_3_Series
yes, the m235i is sweet!
If you you can get the 328i as a CPO, you'd have about 1 year original warranty, plus 2 years of extended warranty on it.
That's probably not a bad deal, as you will have 3 years to decide if you'd wanna keep the car, and potentially enter phase of more expensive maintenance & repairs, or sell it for something else.
In terms of gas mileage, yes, the old inline 6 are quite thirsty, nothing compared to the new 4 cylinder turbos on the latest 3 series platform.
Definitely, the BMW will be more fun to drive.
-t
That's probably not a bad deal, as you will have 3 years to decide if you'd wanna keep the car, and potentially enter phase of more expensive maintenance & repairs, or sell it for something else.
In terms of gas mileage, yes, the old inline 6 are quite thirsty, nothing compared to the new 4 cylinder turbos on the latest 3 series platform.
Definitely, the BMW will be more fun to drive.
-t
Depends on how long you want to keep it.
Let's start with the 2012 BMW 328i. If you want to keep a car for only 2 or 3 years, try to find an 328i with CPO. That gives you at least SOME peace of mind. That way, if you have problems during the CPO, get them fixed and plan on losing the car as its CPO ends. I agree with you 100% the RWD platform is more fun to drive and if it is a BMW straight six you're in for a treat.
That being said, the Honda Accord offers a handful of benefits the BMW won't. First, if you intend on keep the car longer, the standard warranty on a new Honda is longer (I believe) and you can go the extended warranty route. That being said, the Accord coupe J series V6 is quite a reliable engine and is definitely less likely to have problems than an older BMW model.
Bottom line. Long term? Accord. Short term with the chance of longer ownership? 328i.
I, personally, would take the 335i over either if you can afford it.
Let's start with the 2012 BMW 328i. If you want to keep a car for only 2 or 3 years, try to find an 328i with CPO. That gives you at least SOME peace of mind. That way, if you have problems during the CPO, get them fixed and plan on losing the car as its CPO ends. I agree with you 100% the RWD platform is more fun to drive and if it is a BMW straight six you're in for a treat.
That being said, the Honda Accord offers a handful of benefits the BMW won't. First, if you intend on keep the car longer, the standard warranty on a new Honda is longer (I believe) and you can go the extended warranty route. That being said, the Accord coupe J series V6 is quite a reliable engine and is definitely less likely to have problems than an older BMW model.
Bottom line. Long term? Accord. Short term with the chance of longer ownership? 328i.
I, personally, would take the 335i over either if you can afford it.
Doh! Yeah... I meant E90 platform of course. I should have remembered because I owned two.
But no... in the US the 2012 328i coupe is still the E90 platform (E92) with inline 6. The turbo 4 did not hit the coupe until the 2014 model year 428i F30 platform (F32).
You are thinking of the 2012 328i sedan (F30) that is the 4 cylinder N20 turbo.
Incorrect. The N20 replaced the N52 naturally aspirated I6. The N55 replaced the N54.
N52 engine is bulletproof. The only thing you have to worry about is if something does fail, can you pay to have it fixed? Most of my family drives BMW's and none of them had any serious problems, just wear/tear items like the waterpump/thermostat being the worse.
While the latest Accord coupe is a great total package, there is no better feeling in this price range to rev out BMW's legendary naturally aspirated straight-six engine.
While the latest Accord coupe is a great total package, there is no better feeling in this price range to rev out BMW's legendary naturally aspirated straight-six engine.
BMW is not for those with squeamishness when it comes to maintenance. My 328xi is a blast to drive and is all around awesome, but the repairs and maintenance costs are digusting.
Even simple things like changing the battery are difficult.
It's my last German car for sure.
Even simple things like changing the battery are difficult.
It's my last German car for sure.
I wouldn't say changing the battery in a BMW is anymore difficult than changing a battery on a Toyota or a Honda. Sure it might require a bit more time/work since it's hidden away in the trunk but that's just removing a few plastic pins/screws to get to it, after that it's like changing a battery on any other car.
The only thing different is having to register the battery and that goes back to whether or not you're ok with paying to have it done if you don't have tool/software to do it yourself, as I would imagine most BMW owners don't.
I'm not belittling you in anyway but I think the mass majority, both BMW and non-BMW owners, have the wrong idea of German cars like they're these special cars that can't be worked on unless you have special tools. Even something as simple as changing a lightbulb scares people. There's nothing different about the bulbs BMW uses or how they're connected, it's more/less the same with every car.
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I'd definitely go with a CPO car if I was buying a used BMW. A 2012 is just coming out of warranty, but still new enough that it's still not cheap - the last thing you want is a pricey purchase without any piece of mind as to [near] future expense.
Yeah, but the reality of the situation is the 328i isn't a huge difference on the street, and in fact, probably feels a good bit slower than the new Accord (the new 3.5L V6 is supposed to be pretty stellar), plus the potential for more costly repairs (assuming no CPO), possibly less electronics (I'm assuming a '15 model has some slick device integration options[?]).
An N54/55 car (335/135), with the M Sport package, DCT (or even better, a manual) no contest in favor of the BMW.
I do about 25% of my own maintenance on my 328. I do this to keep costs down.
BMW's are a pain in the ass. Reliability isn't all that stellar either.
I'll probably be dumping it in early 2016. I love the driving dynamics, the look and driver's experience, but the cost of ownership when repairs and maintenance and fuel are factored in, it's not worth it to me. I can think of better things to do with my money.
I agree, it's definitely not for everyone and in my opinion, that is the number one factor when purchasing a car - can you afford the maintenance? Everything else is secondary. If you can't afford or don't want to buy parts to do maintenance yourself (they are typically a bit more expensive than parts found in other cars) then there's no discussion, don't buy a German car.
I personally wouldn't evaluate a BMW in that way. A 2.0T Sonata smokes my E90 328Xi in stoplight wars, but it's not a "driver's car" in comparison.
Neither is the accord really.
I canyon carve with a group of friends almost every weekend, and these FWD asian cars are laughable when it comes to driving dynamics.
Mazda does alright as a driver's car, as does the VW GTI, but FWD is wrong wheel drive for those that derive pleasure from driving much of the time. The Asians just don't spring their cars or balance them in a way to get the dynamics dialed in. Unless one wants a suped up econo-box like a WRX or Evo. Other compromises to consider there though.
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Let's be realistic, the battery is a prime example. My old Grand Cherokee I could replace the battery by opening the hood, disconnecting the leads, pulling out the battery, and dropping in a new one.
I now drive a 2009 e60 535 xdrive that belonged to my father. I just had to replace the battery- it cost nearly $500 (this was on Friday). Although the battery is harder to access, the real problem is the battery requires "programming" from the dealer. I have read this may or may not always be necessary, but personally I don't want to screw with the electrical system here. The final breakdown was roughly $250 for the battery, $150 for installation, and $80 for programming. $500!!!
In most other cars the owner can just drop in a new battery for $130 (usually with a free install from the auto parts store). So in the BMW not only are parts (and labor) more expensive, repairs more complicated due to design, and reliability generally worse, there are an increasing number of circumstances where special software is needed to work on the car. These programs usually cost thousands so it's not in the budget for a typical owner.
If your looking for a sportier car to get from point a to b I'd go with the Honda. If you are driving a lot of miles is go with the Honda. If youre looking for something more luxurious and a real drivers car, or like me get the car for free, go with the BMW. If you don't mind spending money on your car because you like cars, go with the BMW. Not everybody feels comfortable dropping heaps of cash into their car- which is depreciating liability as it is.
As with the headlight example if argue I've seen some very complicated methods required for replacing headlights in Audis and VWs compared to most mainstream cars. I don't think anyone should ever have to take out the air intake to replace a bulb! Then again I've heard of some crazy GM designs where you have to remove the bumper or quarter panel to change the battery.
All true.
But, it must be said...you get what you pay for and BMW's are an addiction for a reason. Easy to get hooked once you get behind the wheel, but just have the stomach for higher costs of ownership. It's no Honda in the shop, but a Honda is no BMW on the road.
For me, I'm done with Germany...
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I've been road racing, AX'ing (including instruction) for a long time, run the Dragon several times, Roebling (see avatar ...
), Sebring, Road ATL, etc , so I totally get driving dynamics, I've owned some pretty outstanding performance vehicles, done quite a bit of tuning.My point was on_the_street at 5[to maybe 6]/10ths, for most people, that the difference in something like a 328 is probably less valuable than a little more light-to-light grunt. The OP said the liked the 328 "feel", so maybe he's a good candidate to trade a few model years, an older chassis for that slight difference, but he is cross shopping an Accord so there must be some appeal.
The 328 is a slug. Beautiful, but a slug, and really dry without the same old tired Msport package every BMW needs to be halfways fun. Too bad that's now a requirement to get something decent and has been for many years now. What's on the lot is rarely Msport as most larks walk on the lot and buy the same black no line halogen headlight turd and floss the badge. Make no mistake, a BMW can be fun, but it has to be optioned right, otherwise it's just a soft, boring car.
The real question is why are you looking at a new Honda or a 3 year old BMW? Is the '12 BMW maxing out your budget? If so, don't buy a bimmer. Go with the new car. The other question is if you keep it a while, are you planning on a five year loan? If so you'll still be making payments on the car when it's 8 years old and well out of CPO warranty, and probably getting way too expensive to maintain. $1000-$1500 repairs on the regular gets real old, REAL fast. In four years I dumped $8k into a well cared for out of warranty one with service records, and when I got so fed up and unloaded it it STILL needed over $5k in work acording to the dealer. I haven't looked back since.
I suspect if you are comparing this to a Honda, you aren't really a car guy and may be looking at the BMW for the badge, which is the worst reason to buy one.
I've had two with inline sixes, they were very mediocre and nothing to write home about IMO. Not worth the money, especially with how low rent the interiors are compared to the competitors.And I wouldn't be interested - whatsoever - in owning a turbo BMW out of warranty, 135i guys were looking at $7,000 turbo replacements a few years back.
The real question is why are you looking at a new Honda or a 3 year old BMW? Is the '12 BMW maxing out your budget? If so, don't buy a bimmer. Go with the new car. The other question is if you keep it a while, are you planning on a five year loan? If so you'll still be making payments on the car when it's 8 years old and well out of CPO warranty, and probably getting way too expensive to maintain. $1000-$1500 repairs on the regular gets real old, REAL fast. In four years I dumped $8k into a well cared for out of warranty one with service records, and when I got so fed up and unloaded it it STILL needed over $5k in work acording to the dealer. I haven't looked back since.
I suspect if you are comparing this to a Honda, you aren't really a car guy and may be looking at the BMW for the badge, which is the worst reason to buy one.
I've had two with inline sixes, they were very mediocre and nothing to write home about IMO. Not worth the money, especially with how low rent the interiors are compared to the competitors.And I wouldn't be interested - whatsoever - in owning a turbo BMW out of warranty, 135i guys were looking at $7,000 turbo replacements a few years back.
Yeah, that's what did me in with our last (as in final) BMW, X5 4.4i, real street hotrod, not a _bad_ SUV[-esque] car platform vehicle, even a decent tow capacity.
It got close to needing brakes - just pads (even though the dealer suggested a full rotor replacement**) - and when I researched the OEM pads I was a little surprised by the price, found some aftermarket that were a bit better (some of my "go to" brands for other vehicles) - *but* I found out that the ABS sensor required a reset/recal after disconnect (which was required to rotate the caliper to be able to install the pads), and that required a BMW specific tool.
At any rate, we traded it before I actually resolved the brakes
** all four corners, rotors, pads, labor, use of the magic BMW tool would've been over $1000 ...
I agree with you about the Sport or MSport package ordinarily, but this is less an issue on the E92 coupe OP is looking at. Even the "no line" E92 comes with sport suspension, so other than wheel/tire options E92s all drive the same.
A few things here. I work at bmw. But I have 3 Hondas all over 10 years old. So I am biased. I would say honda for sure you will be better off in the long run with repair cost and reliability. and the accord is just as fun to drive I will guarantee you that. I see all kinds of issues with bmws that you just don't see on the average car. Though I would say the 2012 328 isn't too bad as far as that is concerned. Those engines are pretty good. They are 2 different cars though in the same aspect. My answer would be Honda all the way.