German car? no thanks (was Re: is250 vs. 325i)

In article <ebq4g4$v23$1@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>,
 richard@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
 (Richard ***ton) wrote:

> >I don't know why people say that BMWs are expensive to maintain.
> 
> This is the way my father in law explained it to me 30 years ago: "the
> Germans are quite up front about maintenance costs. The Japanese want
you
> to believe their cars are cheaspre cheap to maintain but in reality they
cost
> about the same".

I wouldn't buy a German car with YOUR money. (Been there, done that.)

And yes, I "get" German cars. German cars are the expensive, pouty, and 
high-maintenance mistresses of the road. Damn, they are a fine, fine 
ride...

.....but then the maintenance and pouting kicks in.

At some point, without unlimited funds, you are at a decision point: 
continue the high-priced, high-maintenance fun, or go back home and 
enjoy your reliable Lexus wife of a car, patiently sitting there waiting 
for you to get over the midlife crisis.

Oh sure, she's not as ***y as the German car, and she doesn't handle at 
the edge like the German car. She's also not as fickle and high 
maintenance and pouty, and she agrees with you much more of the time. 
She's always there and never complains, and you come to realize there's 
more to life than a high-maintenance relation****p with a pouty, 
high-maintenance woman--no matter how ***y she is or how fun the nights 
out with her can be. Because when she lets you down and demands more of 
you than you have to give, and treats you like dirt, you're standing 
there all alone outside the club, looking and feeling like an idiot.

Your Lexus wife would never, ever do that to you.

And the occasional fun night out isn't worth what you end up paying for 
it, both financially and in time wasted while you wait for the German 
car mistress to be in the mood to play.

Do this: start paying attention to cars with tail light and headlight 
problems. What brands of cars are you seeing? That's right--VW, M-B, and 
BMW. And pay attention to how old, or rather how new, those problem cars 
are.

The reality of electrical issues with German cars make Lucas electrics 
look reliable.

Now *try* to find a Honda or Toyota, either low brand or high brand, no 
matter how old, with non-working tail lights. Good luck.

It's a small thing, but it represents the reality of the situation. You 
want to buy a German car? Just buy a GM car. At least the money you're 
throwing away stays more inside the country--and you get just as 
reliable a car.