 I owned the car for 3.5 years and truly wanted to love the car and the brand.  I learned a lot as I repaired the vehicle.  I did go six months once, only once, without it needing repairs!  The ride, engine performance and mpg are excellent, but I couldn't trust it to go on any trip.  the cooling system, radiator, expansion tank, and other cooling system parts are all plastic.  My car finally bit the dust and blew the head gasket, forcing pressure into the cooling system, which caused various leaks.  I will buy a Lexus IS or an Acura tl for my ride from now on.  I'm sold that I don't want to spend the rest of my life troubleshooting the woes of the BMW!!