Very instructive, that thread at http://forums.roadfly.com/bmw/forums/e46m3/forum.php?postid=191636&page=10 (scroll down, everybody, after reading the top write-up and follow some of the threads).

The point is: bad customer service is everywhere, and the best cars can still have major engineering problems and design flaws. I have a friend who has sworn off Honda AND Toyota because of his experiences over the past few years. There's no perfect car, not for $20K, not for $70K.)

Perhaps 98 for the SVC70 was a bad model year (why?) but to date I've had no major problems - knock on wood - other than those addressed in the lighting recalls. (With the help of my indy tech, I rigged my own solution on the first blowout and got the permanent fix when the recall was issued).

Disclosure: I buy my cars late-model used so the cost of depreciation and the inconveniences of break-in and warranty issues are borne by others. Bought my '98 in 2000 with 45K miles; now at 93K.

Guess I'd rather blow a headlight in a $29K car than an engine in a $45K car.
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(98 S70 T5SE misc mods, mostly lighting) (92 940GLE)