I have a 1994 BMW convertible. Yes, parts are expensive, yes they are hard 
to work on, yes some people won't work on them... but there is nothing like 
it. They pay attention to all the little details. Have you ever taken a 
failed component out of a car/bike and wondered 'why the heck did they rely 
on this little piece of crap part to do the job?'  You won't find those 
kinds of things. Everything is way over-designed and top notch.
 
For example, I had to take out the catalytic converter this weekend. Its a 
screwed up shape, so I couldnt just weld-in an aftermarket. No, I have to 
buy a whole section of pipe, and at $500 its still probably not going to be 
nearly as good as OEM. So no hope for a $100 fix. But in taking out the 
exhaust system, every mount is on a rubber hanger, then the hanger itself 
is on another rubber mount. the whole system is as isolated as possible to 
keep noise/vibration from affecting the rest of the car. There's a cross 
brace / engine mount that had to be removed to get the pipes out - turns 
out this thing is a tertiary brace, not necessarily 'needed' but its there 
to reduce engine vibration and increase chassis stiffness. All on huge 
rubber mounts, of course. (and note... none of the rubber was 
deteriorating. after 18 years.)
 
Anyway. Its those little things that make them different vehicles. 
Most manufacturers seem to have the attitude of 'lets put a rubber band on 
the thing and be done with it.'
 
Although I will say, some of the things that have broken were as a direct 
result of over-engineering. The HVAC system, for instance. I had to tear 
the whole damn thing apart because of one piece that got stuck. This piece 
served so that you could have air out of the main vents be a different temp 
than air coming out of the other vents. (Who cares?!?!) If it were any 
other car, that feature would not be there in the first place, therefore it 
wouldn't have broke. 
 
Indeed, they're not for everybody.

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