Used BMW

[RooflessVW]

Originally Posted By: Silverado12
It's easier until you rub through a wire somewhere or have a corroded connection(s).


It's still fairly easy, once you see how I make my living:



I'll admit I have an unfair advantage over your average DIYer.

 

[Scum_Frog]

Originally Posted By: Mr Nice
Only affluent folks should own and drive a BMW.


Every third car I see today is either a BMW, Mercedes or Audi.....owning a German car is not that exclusive or affluent. Maybe 20 years ago, but not today.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: rooflessVW
Originally Posted By: Silverado12
It's easier until you rub through a wire somewhere or have a corroded connection(s).


It's still fairly easy, once you see how I make my living:



I'll admit I have an unfair advantage over your average DIYer.


Heheh

 

[Dave Hess]

Its a vehicle... not an aircraft.

No need for sooo many computer systems on a vehicle.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: Mr Nice
Its a vehicle... not an aircraft.

No need for sooo many computer systems on a vehicle.


It is the way they are all going. Even my wife's '06 Charger has a huge array of individual modules all participating on the bus that drive specific features (and can subsequently be updated). I updated the Sunroof Control Module and the Amplifier Control Module on it when I first plugged the car into Witech, as there were TSB's and software updates for both modules with specific fixes for the noted issues, which were excessive bass distortion and the sunroof hanging periodically.

I actually vastly prefer it, as a single module can hang-up and not take out the works and it allows software specific to the module to be written, patched, revised....etc rather than one huge firmware image for a central system that tries to do everything.

 

[Silverado12]

Originally Posted By: rooflessVW
Originally Posted By: Silverado12
It's easier until you rub through a wire somewhere or have a corroded connection(s).


It's still fairly easy, once you see how I make my living:



I'll admit I have an unfair advantage over your average DIYer.


I was an aviation structural mechanic in the USCG. Wiring like that frightens me LOL.

 

[MCompact]

Originally Posted By: hillclimber
If you want a used BMW research that particular model for it's weak points / recalls and see that they've been addressed. Make sure you understand the time and money maintenance will require.

My 2009 128i was a maintenance queen. The AC condenser was replaced twice (step one: remove dashboard..), the lifters in the allegedly bulletproof N52 had to be replaced, the center mounted stoplight in the trunk lid fell out, the radio was replaced due to the screen fading out, and there was a lot more that I care not to remember. Oh the coils: I had one fail at about 50,000 miles, shortly after the car was out of the warranty period. They wanted at least a hundred bucks to diagnose the problem and five hundred dollars to replace ONE coil or do all six for $1100. Needless to say I bought one online for $50 and fixed it myself but I would find these problems unacceptable in a Chevy much less a premium brand like BMW.

Also I went in for an oil change, with about 60,000 miles on the car, and it was suggested that I have about $6,000 dollars in additional work done on the car: tires, bushings, oil leak from the oil pan, oil leak from the valve cover, etc. Laughable.

All this for a car that was OK but not great, IMO. Lousy seats, for example.

So, know your car and know a good independent mechanic in your area. If you are down with all the maintenance, go for it. Or just buy the Mazda!

Rant off.


$1100 to replace six coils? My dealer only charged $470 to replace all six on my wife's X3(at 169,000 miles). Another example of how a dealer can help make or break the ownership experience. If my Service Advisor detects a problem he uses common sense when he makes a recommendation. Here's an example of a diagnosis on the Club Sport: "The power steering return hose is slightly damp, but I wouldn't recommend replacing it until it actually starts to drip- and that probably won't happen for another 50,000 miles."

I guess I'm an outlier when it comes to suspension repairs as well- my Club Sport has only required LCABs(at 133,000 miles), while the X3 has 187,000 miles on it and its suspension remains untouched...

 

[jeepman3071]

BMWs certainly aren't bad cars. Like I said before, maintenance is key. Doing it yourself saves loads of money, so that should really be the deciding factor, whether or not you have the time/will to fix it yourself. If you don't, then get the Mazda.

I'd have a hard time finding a suitable BMW for my OCD brain around here, because of the people who drive them. The Certified Pre-Owned ones are usually okay, but there are many who buy a used bimmer and just "drive it" expecting it to be a Toyota and not require any maintenance. My friend's mom gets a new X5 every 2 or 3 years. She just drives it until it needs some kind of repair and then trades it in. Oil gets changed maybe once or twice. The last one she had the dash was lit up like a Christmas tree and wouldn't pass inspection so she traded it.

I wouldn't consider them hard to work on either, just different. Once you get used to the layout of everything it makes sense, sometimes things are actually easier to access than American or Japanese cars. I'd much rather do a waterpump on an e46 with its 3.0L inline 6 then on a Honda Accord.

 

[Dave Hess]

jeepman,

That woman has money to burn and gets a new BMW every few years. The average person doesn't have $$$ for repairs.

Buy a new 2016 closeout Mazda3 hatchback , Accord or Camry than a used BMW.

 

[camrydriver111]

Originally Posted By: rooflessVW
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
You're referring reliability of a newer BMW to an 80s BMW?

How about saying the new Ford Explorer is a piece of junk because you knew someone who had a 1909 Ford Model T that wasn't reliable.

I'd stay away and forget about having a status symbol and keep shopping.


You realize that there are those of us that drive these cars because we like the cars, not because we need a "status symbol," right?

When people say that it cracks me up!


People need to justify their choice of car and why they don't drive a BMW.

 

[HTSS_TR]

If you are handy and like to spend more time fixing some broken parts on most weekends then a used BMW may be for you.

My BIL loves BMW too, he had 3 fairly new BMW's at one time. He spent 2-3 weekends a month fixing one after another. After 5-6 years he sold all 3 BMW's for spending too much money and times on it.

 

[camrydriver111]

Originally Posted By: hillclimber
If you want a used BMW research that particular model for it's weak points / recalls and see that they've been addressed. Make sure you understand the time and money maintenance will require.

My 2009 128i was a maintenance queen. The AC condenser was replaced twice (step one: remove dashboard..), the lifters in the allegedly bulletproof N52 had to be replaced, the center mounted stoplight in the trunk lid fell out, the radio was replaced due to the screen fading out, and there was a lot more that I care not to remember. Oh the coils: I had one fail at about 50,000 miles, shortly after the car was out of the warranty period. They wanted at least a hundred bucks to diagnose the problem and five hundred dollars to replace ONE coil or do all six for $1100. Needless to say I bought one online for $50 and fixed it myself but I would find these problems unacceptable in a Chevy much less a premium brand like BMW.

Also I went in for an oil change, with about 60,000 miles on the car, and it was suggested that I have about $6,000 dollars in additional work done on the car: tires, bushings, oil leak from the oil pan, oil leak from the valve cover, etc. Laughable.

All this for a car that was OK but not great, IMO. Lousy seats, for example.

So, know your car and know a good independent mechanic in your area. If you are down with all the maintenance, go for it. Or just buy the Mazda!

Rant off.


Mine is 10 years old and most of the things I've done to it is routine maintenance one will expect to do at that age and no surprises. The only leaks I have is from the valve cover, and one of the PS hoses.

Am I right in thinking that the newer bimmers are less reliable than the older ones?

 

[MCompact]

Originally Posted By: camrydriver111

Mine is 10 years old and most of the things I've done to it is routine maintenance one will expect to do at that age and no surprises. The only leaks I have is from the valve cover, and one of the PS hoses.

Am I right in thinking that the newer bimmers are less reliable than the older ones?


As always it depends on the series; once you get into the 5/6/7 Series(particularly the V8s) you can expect more reliability issues based on the increased complexity. I stick with 3ers and below and haven't experienced very many problems.

 

[hillclimber]

Originally Posted By: MCompact


$1100 to replace six coils? My dealer only charged $470 to replace all six on my wife's X3(at 169,000 miles). Another example of how a dealer can help make or break the ownership experience. If my Service Advisor detects a problem he uses common sense when he makes a recommendation. Here's an example of a diagnosis on the Club Sport: "The power steering return hose is slightly damp, but I wouldn't recommend replacing it until it actually starts to drip- and that probably won't happen for another 50,000 miles."


Yes, $1,100 for six coils. Plus the diagnostic charge which I think was actually $195. So for just one coil it would have been $195 + $550 + tax = about $800. Which starts to make replacing all six look like the value choice!!!! Things like that have me thinking they should give the cars away just to get you in for service.

 

[RooflessVW]

Originally Posted By: hillclimber
Originally Posted By: MCompact


$1100 to replace six coils? My dealer only charged $470 to replace all six on my wife's X3(at 169,000 miles). Another example of how a dealer can help make or break the ownership experience. If my Service Advisor detects a problem he uses common sense when he makes a recommendation. Here's an example of a diagnosis on the Club Sport: "The power steering return hose is slightly damp, but I wouldn't recommend replacing it until it actually starts to drip- and that probably won't happen for another 50,000 miles."


Yes, $1,100 for six coils. Plus the diagnostic charge which I think was actually $195. So for just one coil it would have been $195 + $550 + tax = about $800. Which starts to make replacing all six look like the value choice!!!! Things like that have me thinking they should give the cars away just to get you in for service.



May I ask which dealer? I suspect I know the answer... If it's Alexandria, I have a friend that got a $2900 quote for rear brakes on his Z4M there. Told him to run far away and I made a special trip to drink some beer and save him money.

Scummy dealers are everywhere. Good ones are too, but you have to look a little harder. Sometimes all you need is a good service advisor and that makes all the difference.

 

[MCompact]

Originally Posted By: rooflessVW
Sometimes all you need is a good service advisor and that makes all the difference.


Exactly!!!

 

[Alfred_B]

I have a 13 year old BMW and would not exchange it for a brand new Accord or Camry or whatever the Mazda equivalent is. Yes, I've done the cooling system overhaul myself at about 110k miles but it was quite easy and cost about $700 in parts -- water pump, radiator, all the hoses and the expansion tank. Changed the alternator and AC belts while I was at it.

 

[rustypigeon]

Originally Posted By: hillclimber

Yes, $1,100 for six coils.


Hard to believe people actually pay that much for a simple coil pack replacement. You can find Bosch coils for $26 each online. That is $944 in savings for less than 30 minutes of work.

Anyone who can assemble a P&J sandwich can replace the coils on a BMW.

 

[borgward]

Yikes - You had to redo the cooling system at 110K miles? What model? $700 parts? Did you get them from the dealers parts dept? That's really poor quality if all those parts have to be replaced at 110K miles. You don't sound like the kind of guy that would not service the cooling system and let it get gunked up after 13 years. I replaced the water pump on my 17 year old Mercury Tracer (that's a re badged Escort) @180,000 as I was already near it replacing the timing belt. Why tempt fate.

 

[kschachn]

Originally Posted By: borgward
Yikes - You had to redo the cooling system at 110K miles? What model? $700 parts? Did you get them from the dealers parts dept? That's really poor quality if all those parts have to be replaced at 110K miles. You don't sound like the kind of guy that would not service the cooling system and let it get gunked up after 13 years. I replaced the water pump on my 17 year old Mercury Tracer (that's a re badged Escort) @180,000 as I was already near it replacing the timing belt. Why tempt fate.


It's not about gunk it's about water pump bearings that fail, plastic parts that get brittle and radiator tank seals that leak. All of which if they fail they take out a very expensive engine. Mostly the issue isn't miles it's calendar time. A BMW is not a Toyota. The same rules of longevity do not apply.

$700 isn't bad for a radiator, a (at least one) water pump, a pressurized coolant tank and hoses. It was likely not dealer parts directly unless it's an online dealer. A lot of OEM BMW parts can be purchased as aftermarket. The total parts cost for my old BMW was quite a bit more than that, I replaced all 11 (or was it 13) hoses, both water pumps, the water valve, radiator, pressurized coolant tank and heater core. The car is my daughter's daily driver while away at school and I couldn't risk having it fail on her.

Not defending it, just laying it out there. My Toyota cars are far more reliable.