Would a 10 year old BMW be a good starter car for a 16 year old?

A 97' 328i. Would the parts/maintenance be within reason? (not over $2k a year) Would insurance be cheep because its more of a sedan than a sports car?

And I also want to make sure nothing would fall apart on the thing...thats why I want a BMW, and not some Ford or Honda that will crap out on me in 3 years.

Would a 10 year old BMW be a good starter car for a 16 year old?network

Well, the 97 325i was the last year on that chassis. So what that means is, that it was produced from 1992-1997, therfore, all the major glitches from earlier models were taken care off.

But maintenance wise, its going to be expensive.

A timing chain/belt on a 92-97 325i costs $1,265

A timing chain/belt on a 97 civic costs $185

\The bmw is going to cost twice as much for insurance then a honda, its going to be twice as much for gas, and triple the cost of routine maintenance.

The cost to insure this will be much higher then the cost to insure a honda. The reasons why:

Its considered a luxuary sports sedan.

It has an inline 6 cyl engine

It has moderate safety protection

Just because something costs more, doesnt mean its any better. Theres not even a question when it comes to honda being more reliable then a bmw. Hondas are probably the most reliable car sold in america.

I mean if this car was for me when i was 16, and i wouldnt have to worry about maintenance/fuel/insurance costs, hands down id take that bmw. But if i had to chose between a 325i and a honda civic for my child, without a doubt, id be buying that civic.