bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

that's CDN $.

GS isn't AWD, so maybe that's part of the reason. plus not all tires are equal in any way shape or form. perhaps the GS runflats are more cruising tires and the BMW's are more performance, and thus don't last long. FYI, the tires on my GS400 from the factory lasted about 15,000 miles also.

i don't see performance tires wearing out as a 'maintenance issue'.

SLegacy99

When they are rated for 30,000 miles, I do.

mmarshall

A little off-topic, maybe, but we need to clear up some points:

15K for dry-weather summer-only performance tires, driven fairly hard, is about par for the course. That is because they tend to have soft, flexible rubber compounds that grip the road well, but wear away quickly. Some manufacturers have a disclaimer in the Owners' Manual or eleswhere in the literature telling people not to expect more than about 15-20K miles with this type of tire. They also are not recomended for wet/snowy roads because their wide, low profiles spread the vehicle's weight out more, don't place as much weight on each square inch of tire contact patch for traction, and their tread patterns don't sweep much water out of the way, as they are designed for dry pavement.

AWD does not necessarily shorten tire life. In fact, it often ADDS to tire life, and requires less tire rotation, because of three things (though most AWD manufacturers, however, still recommend 7500 mile rotations. First, with the AWD hardware, the weight of the car is spread out more evenly out over all four wheels. Second, all four wheels carry more of an equal share of the engine's torque (depending on how the engineers set up the front/rear torque distribution and power-shifting characteristics through the center differential). Third, because the vehicles's weight is spread out more evenly ovr all four wheels, all four tires carry more of an equal share of the braking loads, though, of course, there is always some forward weight transfer with braking (this is one reason why AWD mid and rear-engine Porsches have such short braking distances, as the weight of the drivetrain in the rear places the center of gravity right in the middle of the car on hard braking).

The only real issues with AWD and tires is that you MUST keep the tire PSIs at or very close to recommended levels, and you can't use a combination of new and worn tires. That's because the PSI and tread depth from worn tires affects their outside diameter and rolling speed. With AWD, if the four tires don't all roll at or very close to the exact same speed, it places an extra load on the center differential, causing heat buildup and a shortened life. AWD vehicles are designed for occasional differences in rotation speeds, like when the road is slippery and you spin your tires once in a while, but not continuously.* And when you get a flat with AWD, you sometimes have to go through special tire-changing procedures, which could mean disabling the AWD with a special fuse-puller provided, if the vehicle has a temporary or donut spare tire. That's just one of a number of reasons why, in auto reviews, I often b**ch when vehicles don't have a real spare tire, especially in the upmarket-price class.

*The above comments apply to most car-based AWD systems with center differentials; but not necessarily to some Lexus Hybrid AWD systems with their three electric motors.

Faymester

I see where the article was going, but I don't see the GSh being a direct competiter to the 3 regardless of price point. I just don't think it's the same buyer.

OC 335d

My point was, I don't understand the insurance issues since they are not that much IMO and when considering maintenance expenses, you have to consider the first 3 years are free and the 4th and 5th are not too bad when you buy the extended maintenance.

DustinV

My problem with his comment was that this perception that "all German automobiles are unreliable" is getting real old fast. The way he stated it makes it sound like a fact. Fact is, these are quality cars just like products from the Japanese. The Japanese lead in reliability, that is no secret, but the notion that European products are "very unreliable" in my experience seems to be a myth that has sprung from a few years of bad luck when these brands were suffering from quality issues. Prior to this, for example, brands like Mercedes made some of the most reliable cars on the road. They literally have a 100 year history of making very reliable cars and maybe 10 years of making cars with some problems in this regard. Yet, what do I see on other forums?

German cars have always been unreliable.


Seems like the Consumer Report and JD Power results from a few years ago have misguided an entire generation...


Also, not all Japanese brands are known for top reliability. Mitsubishi, Subaru, Suzuki or even Nissan I believe generally achieve average ratings in this regard. The Japanese powerhouses of reliability have generally always been Toyota and Honda in my experience.

Another thing that is a fact is that spare parts for German or European products in general have always been pricey. I seriously doubt someone with the appropriate finances really cares much about this fact. If they did then they would consider something else like a Lexus perhaps.

nthach

Then how come Toyota and Honda are having all sorts of issues with run-flat tires on the Sienna AWD and the Odyssey Touring, respectively? Although I will say Honda's having marginally better luck with the Michelin PAX system than Toyota is with Dunlop or Bridgestone run-flats...

I8ABMR

That much for a 3 series ????????????????? Someone is totally high. I wish BMW's customers would stop blowing so much smoke up the *** of BMW

geko29

Simple solution...don't shop at wal-mart for your auto maintenance, regardless of what marque you drive Amsoil 5w40 European Blend meets BMW's LL-5 requirements for engine oil, and Redline's ATF and gear lube are acceptable replacements for the "lifetime" fluids (don't get me started) in the tranny and diff. OE brake fluid (ATE) is a bit more expensive than your basic Penzoil, but not too bad. And you can get all of this stuff delivered--you don't even have to leave your house thanks to the wonders of the Interwebz.

The only thing I haven't found a suitable aftermarket replacement for is the Antifreeze/coolant, so you pretty much have to bend over on that one. But it's $50 every 3-4 years, I can live with that. Oh, and the oil filter, but an OE one (Mann) is only like $6 and is again available online.

So an oil change (for example, since it's the most common service) costs $52, vs the $49 it costs me to do it in the Lexus. but you only have to do them every 15k (mine is more like 17k), so the comparable cost to a 5k change on the Lexus is a whopping $17. I've spent substantially less changing the oil in my BMW over 9 years than I have doing it in the RX over the past 28 months. That gap will only continue to widen.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

and someone is totally blind. that's (for the umpteenth time), CANADIAN dollars.