Bimmer owners - Any decent used model?

[ecotourist]

I would qualify this with the M5. It was way, way, way, overbuilt. I have a former friend who had the 530, 540, and M5. The 540 was a handful, but the other two reliable. My cousin has the M5, purchased in 2008 4 years old, 3rd party, $29k. He still drives it today. What a bargain that was. It was $80k new in 2004.

Agreed. The 528/530i and M5 were better than the 540i. Compared to the 528/530i, the 540i seemed to have more problems.

I had a 528i M-Sport with a 5 speed manual. I understand the 530i got a bit better mileage and had a bit better performance too. The 528i wasn't a barn stormer but it had plenty of go. I never hesitated to give it full throttle when in gear. I figured that BMW made tough cars.

 

[John105]

Oddly enough, I had a dream the other night that somehow I was the owner of a BMW and I was clicking through the gears in a rainstorm. Which is weird as I don't aspire to own one, and I've only ever been in one once, and certainly not driving (an M3 of some sort).

I know they are not exotic overseas but over here they seem like it.

I think BMWs are like the Grateful Dead. A person doesn't go looking for them, the other way around.

For me, I liked BMWs and I collected brochures starting with the 320i.

In 1996, my cousin let me drive his 1995 M3 by myself, and I, being a defeatist, said I'll never be able to own one. Poor me.

But 12/06 I took delivery of a 335i coupe. Probably nobody here would believe me, other than a fellow E92 owner circa 2007. The car turned heads. People stopped and waved and gave me a thumbs up. I don't think that happens anymore except with supercars.

Anyway, I have the same desire for a Tahoe High Country today. It will be a thrill someday to take delivery. May be 2 years from now, but worth the wait.

 

[wavinwayne]

I plan to keep my 535d until it has around 120k miles on it, which should be 2 years from now. Then I plan to sell it. I absolutely love the car, but I don't want to deal with high mileage BMW issues.

 

[gman2304]

Latest reports have them exceeding MB, VW and Volvo.

A very low bar!

 

[wpod]

At one time BMWs were some of the best made cars on the planet.

 

[edyvw]

Funny you mention it…my 335i has a trap hinged door for the drain plug. Also, one can confidently lift the entire front from a front jack point.

The LS430 simply bends the plastic underbelly back by design, in order to get to the drain plug, weakening it over time. Truly different styles of engineering.

All of them have trap door. Jack point is part of subframe. Support it, detach subframe, slowly lower it 2”, and engine mounts are out in 10min on xDrive, 5 on RWD. However, I found out that on 328 that although it is stick and I track it, mounts were in perfect condition at 135,000.
On Lexus, probability of ending up with jack through the floor equals probability of needing water pump on BMW 335 at 100k.

 

[edyvw]

A very low bar!

Which of those vehicles you owned?

 

[John105]

At one time BMWs were some of the best made cars on the planet.

Near 50/50 weight distribution was an obsession. Similar to Lexus and their obsession to coefficients of drag (it was 1/4 original tenets). My LS430 has a .26 cd, lower than my 335. Of course the 335 has a lower overall drag as frontal area is part of the equation. But achieving .26 cd takes effort. It’s why I’m not loyal to any make nor country, I like to own German, Japanese, and American.

 

[Chris142]

Oddly enough, I had a dream the other night that somehow I was the owner of a BMW and I was clicking through the gears in a rainstorm. Which is weird as I don't aspire to own one, and I've only ever been in one once, and certainly not driving (an M3 of some sort).

I know they are not exotic overseas but over here they seem like it.

sounds more like a nightmare!

 

[drtyler]

sounds more like a nightmare!

So no consideration given to swapping your FJ and Wrangler for a pair of Land Rovers?

 

[Chris142]

So no consideration given to swapping your FJ and Wrangler for a pair of Land Rovers?

I dont hate myself that much

 

[MCompact]

But 12/06 I took delivery of a 335i coupe. Probably nobody here would believe me, other than a fellow E92 owner circa 2007. The car turned heads. People stopped and waved and gave me a thumbs up. I don't think that happens anymore except with supercars.

Anyway, I have the same desire for a Tahoe High Country today. It will be a thrill someday to take delivery. May be 2 years from now, but worth the wait.

In 2007 I covered the US launch of the E93 (in Miami) for Roundel magazine. Back then you could do a "drive away" where you took a car home and BMW NA sent someone to pick it up 10-14 days later. While driving it back to Kentucky at least two drivers almost caused accidents trying to get a better look at the car.

 

[John105]

BMW is a lifestyle not an automobile. Sell your Snap-on tools and stock your toolbox with Hazet and Stahlwille wrenches, sockets, and a slew of specialty "project specific" instruments.

And remember to kiss French, dress Italian, and drive German! Oh, and learn how to pronounce nockenwellensteuerung.

I’m not a professional and I replaced the ABS/DSC hydro myself because the $4,200 dealer job was not even an option. Timing was good—takata airbag scandal and free loaners. So I took my time. If I can do a job like that, there are many here among us, who feel that life is but a joke.

J/k many others could easily do the job and others on BMWs. I was out just under $500 and 8 years later it’s still good.

 

[John105]

In 2007 I covered the US launch of the E93 (in Miami) for Roundel magazine. Back then you could do a "drive away" where you took a car home and BMW NA sent someone to pick it up 10-14 days later. While driving it back to Kentucky at least two drivers almost caused accidents trying to get a better look at the car.

My story is my heart was set on the G35S manual. This would be a 2nd car and I was single.

Sept 2006 we had a business trip to Ft Lauderdale. I saw the E93 parked on the A1A and my jaw dropped.

Got home test drove a 335 manual (dealers had a stick and an auto for test drives).

Saleswoman called Monday to follow up. List. Nope, $500 off list (forum said work off list but I didn’t know why at the time). No thanks, how about $1800 off (the best posted deal on the internet in September 2006). Of course not, no worries. She calls back, allocation opened up, we can do it, but please don’t tell your friends I can’t do that right now on another car.

We could track production on the BMW website and it was terrible. My car showed black sapphire when I ordered space gray (a new color unique to the coupe).

Now I found out why list. 1 week later dealer calls and said she forgot training and MACO and you have to resign at $1700? More. I didn’t. Wasn’t gonna be taken advantage of.

At any rate, I lost sleep. The BMW was $44+ out the door and $8,100 more than the Infiniti.
No asked myself wth are you doing?

Taking delivery Dec 2006, it was 60 F plus. My g/f came with me and thought it very strange all the thumbs ups and waves for the next 3 mos. It really happened hahahahaha

 

[jeepman3071]

I think BMWs are like the Grateful Dead. A person doesn't go looking for them, the other way around.

For me, I liked BMWs and I collected brochures starting with the 320i.

In 1996, my cousin let me drive his 1995 M3 by myself, and I, being a defeatist, said I'll never be able to own one. Poor me.

But 12/06 I took delivery of a 335i coupe. Probably nobody here would believe me, other than a fellow E92 owner circa 2007. The car turned heads. People stopped and waved and gave me a thumbs up. I don't think that happens anymore except with supercars.

Anyway, I have the same desire for a Tahoe High Country today. It will be a thrill someday to take delivery. May be 2 years from now, but worth the wait.

So true.

I never really thought much about cars or BMWs. I worked on a farm in HS, and my first vehicle was a Jeep Cherokee XJ. I was more into old farm trucks, Jeeps, hauling stuff and going off road. Non-AWD cars in my friend circle were kind of thought of as useless for where we lived. I had a few friends with Subarus, but that was it. Fast forward to my first real job after college, and met a guy with a 2005 BMW E46 330i ZHP in Imola Red, with the 6 speed manual. We had a group that would go out after work, and took a ride in that car. It felt so solid, and he let me take it for a drive and I was sold. We are still good friends to this day, and he still owns the car.

 

[John105]

So true.

I never really thought much about cars or BMWs. I worked on a farm in HS, and my first vehicle was a Jeep Cherokee XJ. I was more into old farm trucks, Jeeps, hauling stuff and going off road. Non-AWD cars in my friend circle were kind of thought of as useless for where we lived. I had a few friends with Subarus, but that was it. Fast forward to my first real job after college, and met a guy with a 2005 BMW E46 330i ZHP in Imola Red, with the 6 speed manual. We had a group that would go out after work, and took a ride in that car. It felt so solid, and he let me take it for a drive and I was sold. We are still good friends to this day, and he still owns the car.

Only those who are in the club, know what a
ZHP is. Mine has the ZSP.

My buddy still has his ‘05 in Imola Red. Not sure how many colors it was even available in? I saw one maybe 2 years ago at a gas station. The rims are distinctive. It might be collectible.

I always wondered although I love space gray and it was new at the time and only coupes got it, imagine having an E92 in crimson red which I think is rare. I have seen it, a flat red…

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

So true.

I never really thought much about cars or BMWs. I worked on a farm in HS, and my first vehicle was a Jeep Cherokee XJ. I was more into old farm trucks, Jeeps, hauling stuff and going off road. Non-AWD cars in my friend circle were kind of thought of as useless for where we lived. I had a few friends with Subarus, but that was it. Fast forward to my first real job after college, and met a guy with a 2005 BMW E46 330i ZHP in Imola Red, with the 6 speed manual. We had a group that would go out after work, and took a ride in that car. It felt so solid, and he let me take it for a drive and I was sold. We are still good friends to this day, and he still owns the car.

The ZHP was special. I had a 2003 saph black on black leather. At the time the ZHP could only be had in the 6 speed. Being equipped with 18" rims, shorter rear diff, hotter cams, M3 lower control arms, revised suspension, alcantara steering wheel and head liner it was fairly special compared to the sports pkg equipped E46 330 avail at the time. However, I did find 6th gear a bit too tall for my liking.

Edit: With all the tricks BMW only managed to get an extra 10 hp and 10 ft/lbs of tq out of the M54 ZHP but the drive was a lot different. It was so confidence inspiring especially with those "fancy" Michelin Pilot Sports.

 

[John105]

The ZHP was special. I had a 2003 saph black on black leather. At the time the ZHP could only be had in the 6 speed. Being equipped with 18" rims, shorter rear diff, hotter cams, M3 lower control arms, revised suspension, alcantara steering wheel and head liner it was fairly special compared to the sports pkg equipped E46 330 avail at the time. However, I did find 6th gear a bit too tall for my liking.

Edit: With all the tricks BMW only managed to get an extra 10 hp and 10 ft/lbs of tq out of the M54 ZHP but the drive was a lot different. It was so confidence inspiring especially with those "fancy" Michelin Pilot Sports.

Here’s a funny tidbit. I remember there was some BMW 3 marketing material that I saw online. In 2002 the typical 3 buyer was male, 38 years old, with an income of $140k.

How much does one want to bet that today, in 2024, the avg income of a 3 buyer is much less?

I remember when the E46 coupe came out a CCIE at work got one. I drooled over it.

The steering was too light and BMW retrofitted racks, for anyone who wanted it. It was a special car company.

 

[chris719]

And the E90 is the last 3 series worth buying

Eh, quite debatable. I’d rather have an F8x M3/M4 than any non-M E9x for sure.

 

[jeepman3071]

Eh, quite debatable. I’d rather have an F8x M3/M4 than any non-M E9x for sure.

Depends what you are after. If you want tuning potential and tech features, a new BMW definitely has the older ones beat. For driving dynamics and less gimmicky features, the E9x is where it's at. I've test driven some newer ones, and the same friend who owns the E46 ZHP bought a 2015 335xi sport package and tuned it. He sold the F30 but still owns the E46. The newer cars are incredibly quick, but they lack the same feel and character the older cars have. Each time I drove an F30 or F80 I was impressed with the power, but driving home in my E90 felt like putting on your old favorite glove.