bmw Import from Singapore vs japan?

[Rellik 0]

Which is better, bmw Import from Singapore vs japan?

[BreakMyWindow 1874]

Depends on many things.

[Bigmor 4]

Japan, humidity from Singapore is terrible and have really bad failure rates. I had a friend that was a car deal and gave clear instruction to stay away from Singapore imports.

[MISS BM 712]

My Singapore import is 1000x better than any Jap import I've ever had - and that's 80% of my cars.

Goes better than most 100k cars and is now at 260k with only a new water pump needed. I do look after it though.

And then typical E46 Subframe.. But you get that with Nz New too so not an import issue.

[RobD 41]

Which is better, bmw Import from Singapore vs japan?

It is far too subjective and dependent on numerous factors to answer that question with any meaning. The same applies for UK imports, South African imports, and NZ new. People who own a car from each location will defend the provenance, including me. You can find a good car from any country, and you can find a bad car from any country. It depends on how it has been treated and stored in its past lives. Helpful? I thought so too....

[rowans17 19]

Yes very subjective but my e46 was a Singapore import and from now on ill avoid like the plague.

Hot humid climate had damaged electrics (spend thousands replacing various parts) and perished all the rubber seals around windows and doors (decided not to pay the ~$1000 to have all of them sorted and put up with wind whistle >80kph).

Japan has a similar mild climate to nz, well maintained roads and a culture that typically look after their cars. Have owned sever Jap import cars no worries.

[hotwire 352]

It is far too subjective and dependent on numerous factors to answer that question with any meaning. The same applies for UK imports, South African imports, and NZ new. People who own a car from each location will defend the provenance, including me. You can find a good car from any country, and you can find a bad car from any country. It depends on how it has been treated and stored in its past lives. Helpful? I thought so too....

This has got to be the best response. I totally agree. My Jap import E39 that I bought in myself in 04 is been a great car. Highly specced, low documented milage (24k) & service history, was 4.5 yrs old at the time. Done 140xxx kms now with only consumables having been done.

That said - have seen many horror cars from Japan through work, along with many more good ones. BMW's included in each catagory.

Equally, depending on car, it's time in Singapore, service history, I have seen good Singapore imports too.

Adding to, NZ new aint the golden egg either - there are plenty of kiwis that don't know what servicing a vehicle means...

[yng_750 247]

Regardless of whether singapore imports are worse or not they do hold a stigma with a great deal of people and that will affect the resale price. So naturally that should effect what you want to pay for it.

[Allanw 1071]

It is far too subjective and dependent on numerous factors to answer that question with any meaning. The same applies for UK imports, South African imports, and NZ new. People who own a car from each location will defend the provenance, including me. You can find a good car from any country, and you can find a bad car from any country. It depends on how it has been treated and stored in its past lives. Helpful? I thought so too....

As above : far too subjective both in what is being asked and also the replies being offered

Depends on build , use, maintenance and condition

Yep.

Buy any car on it's condition and spec etc.

The VAST majority of "stories" about Singapore cars are just that: second hand stories about someones mates uncles cousins sister who had a 7 series, or based on a sample of... one car - basically people not having a clue what they're talking about.

Window rubbers... that hapens on NZ new cars too - BMW uses a pile of recycled stuff on their cars (they have to by law in Germany) and it affects the life of stuff (like the cooling systems).

The relative humidity in Singapore averages about the same as here in Whangarei, but it's hotter - the difference is, they rarely reach their dew point, compared to here, so we actually get more CONDENSING humidity, which is more of a problem for electronics. I work on medical electronics, and the humidity isn't something the specs are very concerned about (usually up to 95% is OK), but most stuff state NON-CONDENSING, because that's when stuff gets wet.

As cars age, and get cheaper, it's the imports that are easier to get hold of, and are often the cars that miss out of being looked after properly - someone who pays $100K for a new BMW and keeps it for 8-10 years is FAR more liekly to look after it than the person who buys the same car at 10 years old for $10K.

It's not so much where the car came from, but who owned it and how much they cared.

You're often find Singapore cars are very well specced (though not all). Cars are so expensive to own there, that if you can afford a BMW, you get goodies on it... though sometimes with the smallest engine Japan can vary a lot - they tend to be bare-bones or pretty good, and NZ new are either a poverty pack low model, or all bells and whistles in the more powerful 5's and 7's. Obviously that's all generalisation too, that's why it's important to buy a car on it's own merits.

I have no qualms about buying an import, or otherwise.

[qube 3570]

the OP asked a low level question.

so ill answe a low level answer: JAPAN import bmw is 'better'.

end of discussion.

[jeffbebe 1559]

It's been discussed many times before. There is no right answer as various people have said above, and is entirely dependent on the state of each individual car, it's upkeep, etc. I've had great Singa and Jap imports and sh*t ones.

Topic closed as we don't need to discuss it all over again. Just use the search function to find more fruitless topics about the 'best' origin of imports.