Hello everyone, I am new to this forum as well as a hopefully first time BMW owner.  I have been getting conflicting opinions about BMWs by various people, so I thought a forum of enthusiasts/experts would be the best way to get straight forward answers.  I have read several old post, but still have a few questions although there may be some overlap.

1)    I am hopefully looking at a 07 or newer 5 series (one of the 6 cylinder models) with 60,000 miles or so.  I am also trying to keep the price at or under $25,000.  Is this a reasonable expectation? I see prices at dealerships anywhere from the 20s up, but being my first time purchasing I am not sure how much “wiggle room” there may be in those prices.

2)    Also is getting a CPO a must, and if not is purchasing an extended warranty a good idea?  Also would you trust a mechanic other than at the dealership do any work/maintenance?

3)    Finally and also related, what kind of actual maintenance/ repair cost should I expect?  I realize you have to maintain all cars and used ones wear out, however I have heard horror stories about maintenance cost associated with owning a BMW, and I am trying to decide if going without a warranty is a poor decision or not.  I intend to drive the car hopefully 5+ years.

Thank you for your time and responses; I really like what I have seen thus far, I am just trying to do my due diligence before I make a final decision.  With any luck I can be posting about how much I love my new (to me) BMW on this forum for years to come!