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      06-20-2019, 05:07 PM   #25
MontyP
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Drives: 2018 530e
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Canada

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Good question 530iDriver.

I owned two 5 Series (a 1989 525i and then a 1998 540i) both of which I had purchased as Certified Series vehicles. When I decided to get the rid of the 540 (I loved it but the six speed manual became a hassle in mostly rush hour city driving), a local dealer offered a very attractive deal on a certified series 2002 745i. As you may recall, the 2002s had a lot of software issues related to the then new iDrive but BMW had upgraded the software and, as an incentive, the Certified Series program offered included maintenance for 3 years. So that got me into my first 7 Series. After that I always bought used ones - 3 years old, coming off lease with the Certified Series warranty for at least 6 years (i.e. 3 years remaining when I acquired the car). The 7s seem to depreciate far faster than the 5s so I always ended up with a loaded 7 for less than half the cost of a new one and always covered under warranty for at least 3 years. I owned four 7 series over a 12 year period - the 2002 745i, a 2006 750i , a 2008 750Li (the 2006 was stolen hence the earlier replacement) and a 2011 750Li. The 2011 was acquired in 2014 and had a 7 year BMW Certified Series warranty (I paid $1200 to add the 7th year). Although I loved the 2011 I had a lot of problems with it. I acquired it in October, 2014 and in June of 2015 it had to have the top end rebuilt (under warranty but the car was in the dealership for 6 weeks as parts were on back-order, etc.). In February of 2016 it went back in for the same problem (revealed through excessive oil consumption). In January, 2017 it was leaking oil again and the dealership, with BMW Canada's blessing, decided to replace the engine. Total repair bills over 3 years of ownership according to the dealer (fortunately all covered under warranty) were approximately $90,000. Needless to say, I did not plan on keeping the car after the warranty expired in January, 2018 so I started looking for another Certified Series 7. Alas, since buying the 2011, BMW Canada changed the Certified Series warranty program on the 7 Series. The Certified Series warranty was only one extra year (5 in total) and the cost to add a sixth year was almost $10,000 with taxes (compared to the $1200 that I paid for a 7th year previously). Based on my experience with the 2011 I had zero interest in owning a 7 Series for any period of time not under warranty so this made the certified 7 series unattractive from my perspective. I looked at leasing a new one however the incentives at the time were not great with the result being that the monthly cost, even for a lease, was more than I was prepared to pay. The salesperson mentioned the new hybrid 5 Series and that piqued my curiosity. When he mentioned the generous rebate and the fact that I would get Green Plates the car looked quite attractive. I test drove one, really liked it and ended up leasing one.

I don't really miss the extra power of the 7 and the 530 is almost as comfortable inside (unless you're sitting in the back). I am fine with the performance, the fuel savings were a pleasant surprise and one of these days I may actually work up the courage to try the self-parking feature in traffic .

Sorry for the very verbose response to a simple question.
Appreciate 2