Any and All BMW Owners...

CDot

CDot

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How has it been owning one? Not the driving experience--more so the cost of ownership? As they get past that 50k mile mark, do you find they have a lot of issues?

Just curious...
 
I've had zero issues other than normal maintenance (which is by default a bit pricey if you take it to a dealer - fortunately there is a specialty shop near me that does a fantastic job) with my '07 335i.

80k miles and going strong.....now that I've typed this, something will probably break on the way home...:rolleyes:
 
Mechanically, they don't tend to be any less reliable than other cars. Often times it's tech related things that go bad, like soft closing doors, navigation controls, etc which makes people think they are unreliable.

You'll want to keep in mind though that parts are more expensive. You have to pay to play, so to speak. 50,000 mile plus repairs can get expensive if you don't do the work yourself.

Treat it right and do the proper maintenance, and it will treat you right.

Might want to check out "Mike Miller's Old School Maintenance Schedule;" it's what I follow.
 
I bought one...station wagon with 130K ... it's more money than honda...or anything else...as matter of fact...some parts are less expensive...it really depends who took care of this car before...you need to do maintance no matter what car ... bmw is no different...and that's how you need to look at it...find a good car and you'll be fine...leased car...most likely you get the car that hasn't been taken care of...lease is rental and noone cares about rental cars... it does come down to who owned it before...you need to take care of your cars...read on forums what the weak points are and you know it before you get into it...I knew what I was looking for and got lucky with good owner...people with ex pensive cars have money to pay for maintenance...and they have free maintenance programs...it's not how expensive it is to own the car...it is how you or previous owner cared for it
 
I've owned 3 BMWs - all of them has been rock solid. In fact, I've never had to ever pay for a dealer repair or diagnosis. My last BMW was traded in at 127k. My M has yet to have a single issue, not even a bulb out.

If your a DIY car guy, BMW maintenance is easy - but a bit costlier than non-Euro cars for parts. But, you can do almost everything yourself. If your paying a mechanic to do it - your going to PAY $$$.

The more electronic gizmos - the more likely you are to have an issue.
 
I owned a 2003 330i ZHP from 100k miles to 168k miles and it was not bad maintenance wise. Had to do a few bushings, CCV and vanos but other than that, just normal things.

I now have a 2007 BMW 335i and haven't had any issues and had it from 30k miles and now it's at 50k
 
Totally depends on the model, age, and previous owner's(if any) maintenance.

Generally the 5 and 7 series require more maintenance(especially true of the '90s-early'00s 540s and 740s), often this is because they have far more standard features, factory options, and weigh more. The 3 series can be a very cost effective, and reliable daily driver or a very fun weekend driver/autocross car provided it's been maintained properly. Without proper maintenance they will deteriorate to scrap value very quickly. I picked up an '03 e46 3 series for under $300 when my wife needed a new car. It needed a new engine, brakes, and suspension(not to mention paint correction:buffing:); all due to lack of maintenance.
 
Thanks all; I own a '01 Altima that shows her age almost every time she has the opportunity. I own a Haynes Manual and do maybe 1/2 the maintenance on the car. I'm entertaining the thought of getting a used 3 series next year.
 
CDot said:
I'm entertaining the thought of getting a used 3 series next year.
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Go for it! The less tech the better in my opinion. Just more to go wrong I think. Then again, I'm a purist. :cruisin:
 
I owned a '99 E46 3 series for nearly 8 years and put over 100K miles on it (130K if memory serves). Even after all that time it looked good and ran perfectly.

The first 3~4 years I had a few expensive issues but they were all covered under warranty. Once over that hurdle it was pretty smooth sailing.

I kept up with the maintenance so it wasn't too bad. You will pay more than many other cars. One thing to look for is reputable independent BMW garages so you can avoid going to the dealership. I saved quite a bit of money this way. I also learned to change my own oil, so there was a nice savings there as well.
 
jayshut11 said:
Go for it! The less tech the better in my opinion. Just more to go wrong I think. Then again, I'm a purist. :cruisin:
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I hear this often when it comes to luxury cars, too much tech can be more of a curse than a gift.

Hokie335i said:
What year/generation 3 series are you looking at? E46, e9x, f3x?
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An e90 (2011); I hear the driving dynamics were great in that generation. Trying not to get my hopes up too much though, the finances have to be right and we just had a baby last month. :-)
 
e90 is not as a good as e46...I see this in the shop...e46 is simple and e90 has more stuff on it...go to edmunds and read reviews...all bmw's have similar problems...but it all comes down to who takes care of this car...just like any other car...driving abilities...there is nothing like BMW...I have raced gocarts since 8 years old...as far as driving nothing comes close to BMW...if you have snow...then don't get it...rear wheel drive is not for snow daily.
 
CDot said:
I hear this often when it comes to luxury cars, too much tech can be more of a curse than a gift.







An e90 (2011); I hear the driving dynamics were great in that generation. Trying not to get my hopes up too much though, the finances have to be right and we just had a baby last month. :-)
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Having owned both of these I'll give you my honest opinion. I loved my e46 ZHP. It was the most sporty e46 besides the M3. Phenomenal chassis and drivers car. However my e92 is light years more comfortable and nicer to live with on a daily basis. Highway driving is better and quieter even though it doesn't handle as well. For a daily driver, I prefer the e92. Also, the newer features are nice to have.

The e92 has hydraulic steering compared to the old school steering in the e46. The hydraulic isn't terrible, I drive it daily and don't mind it, even during autocross driving. The f30 electric driving I do not like. It varies the weight depending on how fast you're going.

Reliability wise they're about the same. The e46 has cooling system issues, Ccv and Vanos issues. The e92 has HPFP, injector, turbo issues. Difference is the e92 have all these covered by extended warranties. If possible, look for an 08 or newer car. 07's have K-Line coding which make it slightly more difficult to tune up and less compatible with certain things. Also some 07 cars have ABS pump issues which are very expensive. Ask me how I know, I'm dealing with it now. Possible $2400 repair....

If you have specific questions on either the e46 or e92, feel free to message me. I do all my own work on both cars and know quite a bit about both. Happy to help!

Just saw you're from NC, where in NC? I'm from Chapel Hill but am at school now, but I'm home over the summer pretty often.
 
antti@561detailing said:
...if you have snow...then don't get it...rear wheel drive is not for snow daily.
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I may be the only person on Earth who feels this way, but I totally disagree.

I find RWD much easier to drive in slick conditions. The fact my front wheels are able to work to point the vehicle in the right direction without having to propel it as well makes it far easier to control. I also appreciate the fact I could keep the rear of the car where I want it with throttle inputs. Add the fact the BMW E46 had nearly perfect weight distribution and I found it a dream to drive on slick roads. Today, I find piloting a FWD car in slick conditions very frustrating.

I drove mine on summer tires year round for at least 4~5 years of the 8 I owned it. Despite driving it in snow, slush, and ice I never found it all that difficult. Had I known better and slapped on a set of snows I would have been golden.

Maybe it's because I learned to drive during the winter in a RWD car with a manual transmission. :dunno:
 
I have had great luck now with both of my BMW's. The first, an 04 330Ci and now an 07 335i coupe. I do my own wrenching except for the really heavy or technical stuff and i've stayed on top of the preventative maint schedules. Take care of it and it most likely won't give you any problems.

If you are looking at a 335i (twin turbo) look for one that had the wastegate and HPFP issues taken care of. Toss in an ABS pump replacement if under about 50k miles. Don't know if the 328's had any issues specifically. I do know the 328's had that great motor i had in my old 330...3.0 liter straight 6...but i drove both and the turbo was much better IMO.

I will buy another one when my 07 3 series gives out. They handle so well and seem to gain even more handling poise at faster speeds! Almost like it wants to go fast.
 
I have a 2004 E46. I love the car. I've owned it since it was new. At 170k I've had some issues to attend to but nothing out of the ordinary for a 10 year old car with 170k. The drive train is excellent as is the body. Suspension on these need refreshing of some components every 100k or so. I agree with other posters. The quality of vehicle depends on who has owned it and how it was maintained.
 
^^

Ditto with the last two & similar posts. I have an 04 530i. Lucky to have the very reliable M54 engine on an E60 which I'm well familiar with and I DIY. Now at 96k mi and runs like a champ. Overhauled the entire cooling system minus the radiator at 78k mi and I keep up with other preventative maintenance.
 
Just sold my 2008 (e90) 328 with 93K on the clock and did nothing other than regular maintenance and a few recalls. Well..., I put in new springs, suspension (lower), ceramic brakes, BMW performance exhaust, etc... I digress... Pretty solid car and easy to work on if you're good with a wrench.

As someone else pointed out, the 335 is faster, but they have more known issues over the 328, such as the HPFP, turbos, waste gate rattle and carbon build (lots of posts about walnut blasting). Float over to e90post.com and scan the boards. Educate yourself before buying, but the 2011 is the last year of the E90 and the E90 is better than the new f30s IMO. I looked at buying one of the new models and didn't like the build quality compared to Audi and Merc.

If I were going to look at the older model, I'd go for the e46 M3 with a manual trans and have some fun.

Good luck in your search!
 
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