hpfiend Posted June 6, 2016 Report Share Posted June 6, 2016 hey all- I know some of you have these cars. I guess they are E60s? What are you experiences as far as turbo rattle, injector failure, some sort of booster, water pump and serpentine belt failure all under 60K miles? I am very anti-used-german car but the "value" on these cars currently makes it very hard to turn my back on them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geeto67 Posted June 6, 2016 Report Share Posted June 6, 2016 (edited) 3 Series 2006-2011 is E9x (90 = sedan, 91 = wagon, 92 = coupe, 93 = vert). 2012 and newer is the F3X body series (with the coupe moving to the 4 series). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_3_Series_%28E90%29 5 series from 2003-2010 is the E60 body designation (think of it like Chevy calls the camaro an F-body). 2011 and newer is the F10 body style. I can't speak to the boosted cars but I can tell you about the 2006 E90 325xi 6mt I currently own. My mother bought the car CPO through a friend who was a tech at Rallye BMW on Long Island when it was a lease trade in with 10K miles. at the time 6MT cars of any configuration were difficult to find. Here are the major issues she had with the car from 10K miles an 1 year old to Feb of this year when I bought the car off her: - Pulleys: For some reason these wore out about 50K miles. She had both the tensioner pulley problem and the alternator pulley problem and drove on it for a while which contributed to all the pulleys on the car being trashed. I think the tensioner pulley seizure happens to all bmw inlines and not just the 2.5L NA inline 6. - Flywheel: 60K miles. Apparently there is a defect that affects about 5% of all manual trans bmws running the dual mass flywheel that causes them to crack and shatter at low mileage. Be advised that a dual mass flywheel is a "wear" item and depending on abuse after a certain amount of mileage is just done and needs replacement. This is usually after something like 150K miles. Replacing an E90 DMF was a fortune - the part alone is something stupid like $2K. Most people when confronted with having to do a clutch in their DMF bmw usually just convert to a single mass soild performance flywheel. - Battery: Ok this one is going to seem kind of stupid but....if you don't drive your bmw long enough for often enough the car is going to kill the battery. in 10 years my mother racked up 70K miles or roughly 7K miles per year, and she went through 3 batteries. Why? as my BMW tech friend explained it to me - after you shut the car off the car continues to do things in the electrics cycle that may drain the battery a little. If you drive the car for 15 minutes continuously it usually charges up enough to offset this, but when you live in a town where everything is 5 minutes drive away, you may not be in the car long enough for the battery to recharge fully. and then the car sits for 2 weeks because you go on vacation and it's cold outside and bam - another frozen battery that won't hold a charge. Also because it isn't in the engine bay it's a pain to access and replace, oh and the computer needs to be reset by the dealer when a new one is installed. Cue bmw techs to either confirm or call me a liar or tell me I'm stupid. - Control arms: actually this is one of the joys of owning a bmw - control arm bushings. Every BMW I have ever owned has needed them, my 2002, my E30, both my E34s, and this E90. BMW can do a lot of amazing tech, but for some reason they can't build a control arm bushing that can survive NYC or Ohio potholes for 100K miles. The problem in my E90 though has been unique because the bushing is fluid filled. When my folks were driving out here to deliver the car, dad hit a pothole just inside the ohio border and it popped the 80K mile 10 year control arm bushing like a zit. The fluid even sprayed on the wheel. the solution for RWD cars is to replace with M3 solid bushings, but I haven't researched if there is a solid bushing replacement for the Xi cars. I can tell you that Xi cars in general have a much more "firm" ride than their RWD counterparts and a solid bushing would only enhance that jarring experience. - Water pump: She did it when she did the serpentine belt and pulleys as a precaution. BMW cooling systems are another weak spot across the board and her water pump was showing signs of leaking even though it hadn't gone yet. Radiator is fine despite them being an issue on my E34s. I can tell you from having a bmw tech for a friend when I lived in NY that when the 335xis first came out and all the little rich kids bought them they were doing a lot of blown flywheel/clutch/diff/transfer case service from guys that would treat them like RWD cars and sidestep the clutch at redline. It's a pretty robust drivetrain but it ain't that robust - I think the joke at the time was put $200 away every time you dump it and you'll be able to pay for your first catastrophic failure. I get why people are very anti-used german car, modern german cars are very complex and the more complex they are, they more nickel and dime issues there seem to be. What is particularly frustrating is that when you compare it to japanese stuff small issues can sideline the car that in a comparable japanese car would not be an issue. Steering slop in a bmw? yeah your wheels are about to fall off, where as steering slop in a honda civic is one of the "features" of 100K+ miles. None of my BMWs have ever had iDrive, remote start, or anything remotely "complex" in the interior, and as such they have been reliability champs. Working on the car yourself goes a lot further value wise than having a dealer or specialist shop do it because of the labor rates charged - case in point the control arm bushings I just had replaced: the parts if I had bought from ECS, Pelican, or BavAuto would have run me roughly $200 for new control arms with bushings already pressed in - but I paid a dealer $800 to do the job because I didn't have the time, space, and tools to handle it at the moment. TL;DR version: if you want a BMW be ready to deal with the universal BMW problems of water pumps, control arm bushings, and pulley tensioners. Edited June 6, 2016 by Geeto67 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supplicium Posted June 6, 2016 Report Share Posted June 6, 2016 my dad had a 2008 535xi, he put 200k on it in 5-6 years driving columbus>louisville>indianapolis>columbus he never had any major failures or expenses. im sure maintenance and replacement parts are expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lauren Posted June 6, 2016 Report Share Posted June 6, 2016 In 2009 I had a new 335i convertible. Dailyed it for two years. My hard top would squeak and went into service a few times to repair it. Had the hpfp failure once but replaced and never had an issue again. Rock solid and awesome daily. Mine was an auto and it shifted crisp and was enjoyable. My brother in law bought a 535ix 2008 a few months ago per my recommendation. He is in love with the car. Hasn't had any issues besides normal wear and tear like brake pads. Make sure you have a PPP done on the car before you buy, call a BMW service department and run the vin and see what history it's had. I wouldn't hesitate to pick one up. I'm looking for a 535 wagon but I want a certain color and options and won't settle on anything but what I want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hpfiend Posted June 7, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2016 Thanks for the great replies! What is hpfp? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geeto67 Posted June 7, 2016 Report Share Posted June 7, 2016 Hpfp= high pressure fuel pump. There is a run of defective ones in the turbo cars. I think BMW extended the warranty on them to 120k miles. It's another part that is like $150 but several hundred in labor to replace if you are out of pocket. I think there was a recall on it too so do some digging. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lauren Posted June 7, 2016 Report Share Posted June 7, 2016 10 year 120k mile warranty on the pump. If it's been replaced you are probably not going to run into the issue again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lauren Posted June 7, 2016 Report Share Posted June 7, 2016 I should also say when I was purchasing the 335i I went to the dealer with every intention of picking up an 05 E46 M3. I drove an SMG M3 and couldn't stand that god awful transmission. Drove the manual version and it was ok but the 335i was so much more enjoyable even in auto form. The interior is nicely updated, the sport seats were awesome, I drive was great altering learning how to use it. The seating position felt like you were in a cockpit. 335i coupe gets my vote unless you need 4 doors then 535 is a no brainer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geeto67 Posted June 7, 2016 Report Share Posted June 7, 2016 FWIW: http://dayton.craigslist.org/cto/5615296578.html manual 5-series cars are thin on the ground, I am surprised there was even one on CL semi-locally. From a size perspective, the 5 is a large car. Nothing wrong with a large car, but my E90 body is almost the same size as my old E34 5 series (actually the wheelbase is longer at 109 inches vs 108.7 inches for the E34 5 series). they aren't nearly as small as the older BMWs (E30 - 101in wheel base, E36 - 106in, E46 - 107in). If you have young kids the back seat is fine but get a sedan to make loading easier, if you are over 6' tall and want to carry another 6' tall adult directly behind you then you want the E60 or F10 5 series (113-116in wheelbase). To me the perfect bmw GT car is in the sweet spot of 108-110 wheelbase (the E39 is just a tick over at 111 but still great). It's still a lithe chuckable car, but it isn't a small feeling car either. It just feels sporty without feeling adolescent. I drove an E60 M5 V10 once and it felt like a fast sofa. Basically imagine if you took a Lincoln Town car and jammed a whole bunch of hp into it (and increased the build quality 10 fold). Don't get me wrong I am not against fast luxury yachts it's just what I prefer. Take some test drives see what you like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coltboostin Posted June 7, 2016 Report Share Posted June 7, 2016 Im sure you have seen my thread. About 3k Miles with the car basically set on kit. No issues, just a lot of smiles. I would do your research on the car, maintenance history and consider a PPI with a BMW tech before buying because there seems to be a big gap between well taken care of, and zero scheduled maintenance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbospec29 Posted June 7, 2016 Report Share Posted June 7, 2016 If anyone sees an auto 535 wagon under 20k please post it. Prefer awd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Versluis Posted June 7, 2016 Report Share Posted June 7, 2016 Hpfp= high pressure fuel pump. There is a run of defective ones in the turbo cars. I think BMW extended the warranty on them to 120k miles. It's another part that is like $150 but several hundred in labor to replace if you are out of pocket. I think there was a recall on it too so do some digging. If I remember correctly from my days at BMW, this HPFP issue was mostly with the N54 motors. Some had the HPFP replaced once, some had to have them done multiple times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lauren Posted June 7, 2016 Report Share Posted June 7, 2016 If anyone sees an auto 535 wagon under 20k please post it. Prefer awd. All wagons were awd and most of them were auto's. I'm holding out for a manual. There are a ton of auto wagons. Mileage an issue or location? There is a really clean one on eBay 96k miles, dark gun metal grey with black Dakota leather asking 14,9. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbospec29 Posted June 8, 2016 Report Share Posted June 8, 2016 All wagons were awd and most of them were auto's. I'm holding out for a manual. There are a ton of auto wagons. Mileage an issue or location? There is a really clean one on eBay 96k miles' date=' dark gun metal grey with black Dakota leather asking 14,9.[/quote'] I'd prefer to start local. I did not know all were awd, thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darkside Posted June 8, 2016 Report Share Posted June 8, 2016 I've had two 335xi's, an 07' and 08'. I didn't have any major issues with either one. I had one sit outside for a month without driving it and it caused brake issues from the rust. Dealership pissed me off on that one. At first they were going to fix it under warranty by turning the rotors. Then stated that BMW doesn't cover corrosion so it became a non warranty fix. Then they wanted $1200 to change the front brakes and said that they were unable to turn the rotors, 'since it was unsafe'. Other than that they were great cars and I've considered getting another one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbospec29 Posted June 8, 2016 Report Share Posted June 8, 2016 535XI[]535IGTXD[]][]]&modelCode1=535IXD&makeCode2=BMW&modelCode2=535XI&startYear=1981&makeCode1=BMW&modelCode3=535IGTXD&showcaseOwnerId=66537&firstRecord=75&searchRadius=100&makeCode3=BMW&listingId=420809203&Log=0"]http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?endYear=2014&zip=43213&showcaseListingId=427520210&mmt=[bMW[535IXD[]535XI[]535IGTXD[]][]]&modelCode1=535IXD&makeCode2=BMW&modelCode2=535XI&startYear=1981&makeCode1=BMW&modelCode3=535IGTXD&showcaseOwnerId=66537&firstRecord=75&searchRadius=100&makeCode3=BMW&listingId=420809203&Log=0 It's a theft recovery, but if it runs and drives this could be a sweet deal. http://cleveland.craigslist.org/cto/5597427713.html This looks like a Grandmas car but I'm kinda liking the gold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lauren Posted June 8, 2016 Report Share Posted June 8, 2016 535XI[]535IGTXD[]][]]&modelCode1=535IXD&makeCode2=BMW&modelCode2=535XI&startYear=1981&makeCode1=BMW&modelCode3=535IGTXD&showcaseOwnerId=66537&firstRecord=75&searchRadius=100&makeCode3=BMW&listingId=420809203&Log=0"]http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?endYear=2014&zip=43213&showcaseListingId=427520210&mmt=[bMW[535IXD[]535XI[]535IGTXD[]][]]&modelCode1=535IXD&makeCode2=BMW&modelCode2=535XI&startYear=1981&makeCode1=BMW&modelCode3=535IGTXD&showcaseOwnerId=66537&firstRecord=75&searchRadius=100&makeCode3=BMW&listingId=420809203&Log=0 It's a theft recovery, but if it runs and drives this could be a sweet deal. http://cleveland.craigslist.org/cto/5597427713.html This looks like a Grandmas car but I'm kinda liking the gold. That theft recovery is to cheap to pass up. I just called and made an offer having my bank work up the financing now. If it checks out in person I'll own it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbospec29 Posted June 8, 2016 Report Share Posted June 8, 2016 That theft recovery is to cheap to pass up. I just called and made an offer having my bank work up the financing now. If it checks out in person I'll own it. Lol. Go get it and let me know how it is in person. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokinHawk1647545499 Posted June 8, 2016 Report Share Posted June 8, 2016 i have 147k on my 2008 335xi awd 4 door. I have put on over 110k of that myself. fuel system will have lots of problems, issues pop up every year or so for me, currently have some issue with an injector or fuel system pressure sensor, but to broke from last set of repairs to get it fixed. I just cant get on it or it studders and throws codes, puts it in low power mode. when the clutch goes out, its horribly expensive to fix/replace. very hard to do yourself to. water pump goes out, takes a day to replace because of the way the orient the hose clamps. have issues with my power locks before, one door stays locked, my driverside door once wouldnt lock, but it fixed its self somehow. struts and mounts wear out pretty fast. costly to replace. driveshafts wear out fast, costly. im having issues now were i am loosing 1/2 gallon of coolant each week, probably cause the tech at mag didnt tighten a clamp after another issue I had with my coolant system I took it in for. Think i am forgetting other issues ive had. basically I wont buy another BMW again, and would advise against it car is paid off now but im still paying $7k of my last 2 repairs, should have just burned it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hpfiend Posted June 8, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2016 thanks for the further replies! I think I am going to stick with the CTS-V plan and outback I have for winter duty or maybe a slightly newer outback. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coltboostin Posted June 8, 2016 Report Share Posted June 8, 2016 thanks for the further replies! I think I am going to stick with the CTS-V plan and outback I have for winter duty or maybe a slightly newer outback. What happened with your offer on the wagon? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lauren Posted June 8, 2016 Report Share Posted June 8, 2016 What happened with your offer on the wagon? I think his was directed to me. No time to go down today. Dealer has an approved app on it for me waiting to hear if my credit union can beat the terms. Hopefully tomorrow I'll have time to go down and get it if not it will be Friday morning. If I can't make it tomorrow I'll put a deposit via phone so it's held til I can get down there. Plan on driving it and taking to a BMW dealer to have a full PPI done before signing papers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coltboostin Posted June 9, 2016 Report Share Posted June 9, 2016 I think his was directed to me. No time to go down today. Dealer has an approved app on it for me waiting to hear if my credit union can beat the terms. Hopefully tomorrow I'll have time to go down and get it if not it will be Friday morning. If I can't make it tomorrow I'll put a deposit via phone so it's held til I can get down there. Plan on driving it and taking to a BMW dealer to have a full PPI done before signing papers. Savage deal. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lauren Posted June 10, 2016 Report Share Posted June 10, 2016 En route to cincy. If all goes well I'll be bringing it home today. Had a good talk with BMW service adviser at MAG and he pulled all the records on the car. It has been extensively maintained through BMW. All major maintence has been done. HPFP has been done on it. Looking forward to getting it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbospec29 Posted June 10, 2016 Report Share Posted June 10, 2016 En route to cincy. If all goes well I'll be bringing it home today. Had a good talk with BMW service adviser at MAG and he pulled all the records on the car. It has been extensively maintained through BMW. All major maintence has been done. HPFP has been done on it. Looking forward to getting it. I went down and picked it up yesterday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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