Tips on Buying Cars: BMW, pzero nero, mileage vehicle

Question
Hello

      I have come across a 323Ci that i'm interested in buying.  I'm not sure on it though because i've never owned a BMW.  The car is a 2000 I believe.  It is in excellent cosmetic shape and the car has a few upgrades.  I was wondering what kind of maintance to expect with a car like this.  Is a higher mileage car like this more likely to have a major failure such as engine or transmission?  The work that was done includs, Brembo break package, new flywheel, BMW M3 clutch and pzero nero tires.  As far as I know, nothing was modified in the engine.  

The are asking 12,000 dollars for the car or best offer.  Do you think this would be a good buy or is this a car looking for trouble?  Thanks for any info on this.  The reason i'm being so cautious is because this is a first car for a 17-year-old.  

Thanks for any info you can provide.
Nick

Answer
Hi Nick,
Great to see you seem to be doing your research. A couple of questions. Have you checked how much your insurance will be? I am in Florida, and my son is 18. His insurance is $6000.00 per year, and he drives a Mazda 6. My problem with the BMW is yes, maintenance is VERY HIGH. Especially if it is a high mileage vehicle. They are very expensive even when they have low mileage. At 17, i will assume you are in school, so your funds will be somewhat limited. If you have $12,000 to spend on a car, there are plenty to choose from. Look ans see if there is a Carmax in your area, great place to just look at different models. If not go to there website  www.carmax.com    you will have a world of information. I will not lecture you on what you should buy etc...If you want some opinions, let me know and i will be happy to offer some. Whatever you consider, if you get to the serious point, at least get a carfax on the car to see if it was in any major accidents. Hope this helped and much good luck in car shopping!!

Steve