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0 pointsspeedgoose2y ago0 comments

It’s true. Luxury cars using brand new technology are less reliable that cheap and simple cars with old fashioned technologies.

The first Tesla model S were particularly not very reliable. Lot of equipments, new vertical integration from Tesla on many parts, unreliable premium technology such as air suspension…

The model 3 and y are a bit better. The electric (not hybrid) BMW i3 from the same period has been one of the most reliable BMW, a more experienced brand with ICE cars having similar equipment.

If you wanted reliability in 2013, a base Dacia was probably a better choice.

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inferiorhuman2y ago

I've a 20 year old BMW that's never given me any grief with the air suspension. Air suspension is not new technology and it wasn't new when my car was built.

Grazester2y ago

Well, I have a relative that bought an x5 used. The vehicle was about 10 years old at the time and in good condition. In the precessing months the airbags fail(both rear I think). He lives in a country where parts are easy to come by for BMW's it's a mostly Japanese car market there. I had to ship him the airbags. He sold the thing right after installing them. I expected the airbags to be more expensive though.

inferiorhuman2y ago

Depending on the climate you'll start to see steel (coil and leaf) springs start to rust away by ten years. Meanwhile the Tesla S was introduced in 2012 which puts the majority of the problems in cars younger than your relative's X5.

The previous owner replaced the air bags (springs) on my car so I couldn't say if they actually failed or if he did as part of a refresh when he lowered the car. They're not super expensive, but the aftermarket ones are that much cheaper. Of course the X5 (especially the first generation) is one of the least reliable vehicles BMW's brought to market. It's the electronics and pump that get real pricey, but on the E39 they pretty much never fail.

speedgooseOP2y ago

No but air suspensions are a lot more unreliable. It’s a big sign that the car is more about comfort than reliability.

inferiorhuman2y ago

In twenty years the air bags (and potentially the pump side fittings) have been replaced once. That's about on par with a conventional coil spring suspension and pretty typical for an E39. Coil springs sag, rust, and break over time (especially in areas where the roads are salted). If Tesla can't make a reliable air suspension that seems more like a Tesla problem.

speedgooseOP2y ago

From your sample size of N=1, it seems that BMW cannot either.

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inferiorhuman2y ago

I've a 20 year old BMW that's never given me any grief with the air suspension. Air suspension is not new technology and it wasn't new when my car was built.

Grazester2y ago

inferiorhuman2y ago

speedgooseOP2y ago

No but air suspensions are a lot more unreliable. It’s a big sign that the car is more about comfort than reliability.

inferiorhuman2y ago

speedgooseOP2y ago

From your sample size of N=1, it seems that BMW cannot either.

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