edyvw
$50 site donor 2025
Originally Posted by ecotourist
If I can extend the discussion a little I'd be interested in comments regarding which of the more recent BMWs (say past 5 years) seem to be the most reliable. I would only consider a manual transmission and would prefer rear wheel drive. I don't expect they're very common. Aside from that I'd be open to considering a 2, 3, 4 or 5 series.
When I bought my 528i, 3 year old car 5 series cars were priced very similar to 3 series cars of the same age and were better equipped in general. So for me, a used 5 series offered better value. And as I keep my cars almost forever the final residual value doesn't matter very much.
BMW 235i and 335i. 335i is not as engaging as previous 335i E90, but it seems that generally, while engagement of post 2012 BMW's dropped, reliability increased a lot.
Avoid N20 4cyl as early models had issues with timing chain. B48 (4cyl) in later 330i is an ANIMAL! and B58 is rocket ship in 340i. Those are post 2016 engines.
If I can extend the discussion a little I'd be interested in comments regarding which of the more recent BMWs (say past 5 years) seem to be the most reliable. I would only consider a manual transmission and would prefer rear wheel drive. I don't expect they're very common. Aside from that I'd be open to considering a 2, 3, 4 or 5 series.
When I bought my 528i, 3 year old car 5 series cars were priced very similar to 3 series cars of the same age and were better equipped in general. So for me, a used 5 series offered better value. And as I keep my cars almost forever the final residual value doesn't matter very much.
BMW 235i and 335i. 335i is not as engaging as previous 335i E90, but it seems that generally, while engagement of post 2012 BMW's dropped, reliability increased a lot.
Avoid N20 4cyl as early models had issues with timing chain. B48 (4cyl) in later 330i is an ANIMAL! and B58 is rocket ship in 340i. Those are post 2016 engines.