BMW 3-Series Maintenance and Repair

roadburner

While you were teaching heel-toe downshifts, I was teaching my 14 y.o. son, who was helping out, some new cuss words.

I tell students to practice heel toe on the street. Trying to learn it on the track frequently results in information overload- not to mention gray hairs for the instructor... :P
Here's a shot of my MS3 with two Minis.



The black one has the John Cooper Works Package while the gray one is fitted with a power pulley for the S/C as well as an upgraded suspension and big brakes. We tended to run together on the track as we were pretty evenly matched.

kominsky

My question was a little vague... I'm wondering what the right way to release tension is for the hydraulic tensioners. Unlike the mechanical ones, there is no cast in hex head that you simply rotate to swing the whole unit. Thanks!

I occassionally "play around" with heel-toe... usually I end up feeling like a heel.
Every now and then, though, I nail one just right. When that happens, I go home and wait for Ferrari to call looking for me to replace Massa. :shades:

Nice little grouping of cars. It's probably not too often you park your MS3 between two other cars and feel like you drive a big car.

praz

I currently own ES350 and plan to buy 3 series in few months. I need to ask you gurus for some help regarding maintenance costs after 48 months. I plan to keep the vehicle for at least 10 years and don't want to spend huge $$$ on maintenance. Is the maintenance cost on 3 series high? Is it worth to buy 3-series if I am sensitive regarding maintenance costs? Please advise me on my concerns. Thanks in advance.

roadburner

Find a good independent BMW tech and out of warranty maintenance and repair costs shouldn't average over $80-$90 per month. My 1995 3 Series has averaged @$50 per month(including the cost of three sets of tires) since I bought it new in October 1995, and at that time BMW did not provide free maintenance for 4 years/50K miles. My wife's 2004 X3 costs about $75 per month to run, but that figure should drop sigificantly over the next two years, as no major services will be required.

Mr_Shiftright

It makes a big difference on a BMW if you buy the car new and then avearage out your repair costs per month.

If you buy used, 9 times out of 10, if you are fastidious as I can be at times, I have to play 6 months of "catch up" on all the deferred maintenance from a previous owner who was either not so fastidious or perhaps innocently unaware or unconcerned about defects in the car.

On used BMWs, it's cost me a bit more per month than roadburner, because of this "catch up". Unless you score a real beauty of a used car with ZERO defects, you should plan on $125+ a month for a while.

I was shopping for a used BMW a while back, and even with the really nice cars, I spotted items needing attention that weren't going to be cheap. Some people can live, for instance, with a rear window that doesn't go down, or crackling radio speakers, or screeching sunroof, or burned out dashboard light or radio display, or loose arm rest, or a 5 series radiator that hasn't been replaced for 80,000 miles. Me, I can't live with that stuff and even that list of seemingly insignificant items can add up fast.

praz

Thank you Roadburner and Mr_Shiftright. I would definitely buy it new and would have the car serviced at recommended intervals and I am very fastidious. As per your comments, after 48 months I should expect to spend somewhere between $80 to $125 per month. Is that a correct statement? Thanks in advance.

cdnpinhead

". . .have the car serviced at recommended intervals. . ."

Well, that's a start, but not nearly adequate if you're planning to keep the car like I do, for 7-10 years. You may not be aware of what happened to the "recommended service" list when BMW began including it in the cost of the car ("free" maintenance for 50K miles or 4 years), but it isn't comforting to the likes of people who keep cars well in excess of 100K miles.

Roadburner provided a helpful summary of the servicing intervals for those who don't lease & actually want to keep the car, back at post 3675. In addition, you should join BMWCCA. You'll get the best car magazine on the planet & get real information from people who actually love to drive & work on the cars, as opposed to wearing them. There's a very comprehensive servicing schedule (the old one, before "free" maintenance) outlined in there from time to time.

These cars will last forever if they're properly taken care of, and you need to start the moment you buy it, or so I've heard.

Enjoy.

etomori

Plan to spend more $$$ for maintenance and repairs on a BMW. That is the nature of the vehicle. I am assuming that you are buying a 3 Series new with the 4yr/50,000 mile warranty/maintenance agreement. Can extend the warranty and maintenance coverage to 6 yrs/100,000 miles via BMW through one of its dealers. Suggest twinkidneygrill.com, a Georgia BMW dealer, for such policies at the best prices possible.

If you are buying a twin-turbo 335, really plan on getting the extended maintenance and original owner protection policies. There is a strong feeling that the turbos will have a life about 75,000 miles and repairs/replacement are costly.

Also, the BMW 15,000 mile oil/filter change intervals are suspect. Many owners are changing their oil and filter at 7500 mile intervals. Preventative maintenance will give you the longevity. Another thing, the water pump should be replaced at around 60,000 miles. Waiting for it to fail could cause a warped head/block, a lot of $$$.

Not very encouraging, right? I just had my engine replaced under warranty on my 2003 330i ZHP. Bought it used at 34,000 and it had factory warranty remaining. Had continuous and documented problems necessitating warrantied repairs under BMW supervision. Should check around to see which BMW dealers treat their customers well. Niello BMW of Sacramento, CA, has provided me with excellent service on a used car that was purchased from a small non-BMW used carl dealer. This dealership really backs up their product!!!

But, I am keeping it because it is a great car with character (!!!) with a great dealer providing terrific service.

pounds

I recently purchased a 2008 328i and came out to my car one morning to discover the windows were all the way down and the sunroof was partially open. I hypothesized that somehow I accidentally pressed the unlock button on the key remote. I went to the dealership to have this feature disabled and was told that it cannot be disabled on the E90, however, they have done it on the older E46 :confuse: . But then again, they said this was the first time they have tried to disable the feature on the E90 and it does not come up as an option on the computer. Has anyone had this successfully done on a recent model BMW? If not, does anyone know of a hard shell case that will hold my key remote so buttons cannot be accidentally pressed?

jodan

My service engine light(yellow) has been on and off the last 4-5 months. I suspected the bad gas as a culprit , but now I'm a little confused. I check my gas cap and it's close. I still put in 93 grade and I just had my major service done over at my dealership for 60,000+ miles four months ago. Any advice will be great!

JD

nyccarguy

I'm just curious about what lead up to having the engine replaced on your '03 ZHP?

jaxs1

If the turbos were *likely* to only last 75,000 miles, it would be priced into the warranty and you would be paying for it anyway. They are not in the business to lose money and if you think you are outsmarting them buy buying the extended service contract so you can get turbos replaced for free before the extended warranty expires, you are probably wrong.
It is alot of money to tack on 2 years of service contract coverage after the end of the 4 year factory warranty. I would probably just buy a new car after 4 years instead if I was really concerned about the next 2 years of reliability.

At year 6 the extended coverage is gone and the car is more likely to have problems at that later age when they are no longer willing to take the risk of providing extended coverage.

Anything could go wrong with any car and the warranty will pay for itself for *some* people, but they will be in the minority. The odds are in their favor or they would not be so eager to sell the contracts.

Mr_Shiftright

Correct. These "extended warranties" are really not warranties. They are insurance policies, and the companies issuing them have got the actuarial tables all figured out.

They are betting your car does NOT break, and you are betting that it does.

jaxs1

The other thing is that it is such a narrow window of coverage for so much money. The first 4 years are covered by the factory warranty,and year 6 on is not covered by anything.

On a Honda sedan, you can get an 8-year, 120,000 mile factory backed $0 deductible contract for around $1000. Even then, you will probably not come out ahead, but it's much more tempting to extend the 3 year warranty for 5 additional years and extend the very short 36,000 mile basic warranty to 120,000 miles for that price than to extend a 4 year warranty for only 2 more years for 2-3 times that price.
For many people buying the Hondas, $1000 is worth it for 5 extra years of peace of mind even if they don't have enough problems with the car to get a full financial payback on this "investment."

Mr_Shiftright

Extended warranties are all about EXCLUSIONS. Most people don't read the exclusions, which are many, various and tricky.

If it was fairly priced, I'd get an extended warranty on a BMW, but I wouldn't pay for those fat-profit ones.

hal56

my 08 335i had the light come on within a couple of days of delivery. Turns out thre was a bad wire over the rear wheel--took a day for the dealer to trace it down and about 5 minutes to actually fix.

dujox

Hi everyone. I really need your input. This is first experience with BMW and I considering getting a second opinion about some diagnostic issues.

Anybody out there know an affordable and honest tech on around zip code 01845? :confuse: Thanks

hoodoomusic

I called my local dealership for an oil change appointment (E46) and was advised that the price has increased by $35. I assume this is to due with oil prices and all that stuff... I was wondering if I could go to a "Time It Lube" or "Minute Oil Change" for a synthetic oil change and be okay??? Any comments will be greatly appreciated.

jaxs1

You could change it yourself, so of course you could go to another mechanic or an oil change place, but you might need to bring your own BMW oil filter.
Oil prices haven't increased to the point that a few quarts of motor oil would cost $35 more than last year or even 5 years ago. They just decided to change their pricing because the market will bear it. Why not get more money if they can?

roadburner

Find a good independent BMW tech or do it yourself. I've heard of(and seen) far too many cars that were damaged by the Kwicky Lube type of shops. Are you a BMW CCA member? Many indies and dealers offer 10%-25% discounts to CCA members.

joestyles

Have got problems with the fuse blowing all the time for my instrument display.
Every time i switch my lights on the fuse blows,not only that i've noticed that i dont have any brake lights neither.All the bulbs have been checked & changed,& it's now doing my head in.lol.Am new to Beemers so don't know much about them really.Is this a common fault??? Could do with some help solving the problem.

skobola

Note that the car's notification system shall be reset to reflect the oil change that was done. There are such devices on the market for you to buy them, or you can look for an oil shop that alread has it. The mismatch of oil changes vs. the car's computer would likely woid your warranty on the car, if you still have it. My opinion is that probably your best option would be to find a reputable BMW repair shop, and let them do it, which should be for less money that your dealer's service shop. Good luck.

samina

I need to take my BMW 325 for the 50k miles service maintenance. Are there any mechanics in Houston who will charge less than the dealer for this work and do a good honest job?

roadburner

First off, a bit of advice: DON'T post the same question in three different threads; it's annoying and it wastes everyone's time.
As for your question. Have you actually received a price quote from a dealer? My local BMW dealer charged less than $500 for the Inspection II service on my wife's X3 truck. If you are a BMW Car Club member most dealers and shops will give you a 10%-20% discount on parts and/or labor- and local members could give you referrals.. Failing that, you can find a good independent BMW tech at BIMRS.org. Finally, an Inspection II on an E46 or E90 essentially consists of an oil change, and replacement of the engine air and cabin filters- and possibly spark plugs. You might consider doing it yourself if you have the time and aptitude.

pdude1

How much was the dealer charging for the 50K? They get you right afte the warranty eh???

fomentar

I have an '03 330xi with 140K miles...long commute. I recently noticed what I thought was a significant buildup of brake dust on the left front wheel. As I started the cleaning process I noticed it was not just brake dust, but what appeared to be something like grease. This is new and I am concerned. Any thoughts or similar experience?

circlew

I notice this sometime on my '06 330xi also. I assume it is brake dust mixed with other dirt that forms a thick past-like substance. This occurs if I wait over a week between cleanings.

Regards,
OW

roadburner

Any thoughts or similar experience?

If only the left front wheel is affected, then it's possible that your LF outer CV boot is split and a bit of grease is leaking out. The part in question can be seen here.

ponytrekker

How has the car otherwise held up for that long mileage?

midtowneast

I will second roadburner, I had the same problem on my 01 330xi. Like you while cleaning the wheels I found the black grease on the drivers side rim. I ended up changing the drive axle on the drivers side and the boot on the other side. A good way to check the boots for cracks in the folds is to jack up the front end turn the wheel left or right the spin the wheel by hand and you can see the travel of the boot.

fomentar

Thanks for the informative replies.

Circlew - I usually clean the wheels weekly though it has been abnormally rainy here in the Northeast...I agree with the 'pastiness' consistency. In this case the left front wheel was just so much more filthy and had a discernibly different type of goo on it.

Roadburner/Midtowneast - thanks...I'm inclined to agree with that theory of CV boot since it certainly appears to have grease like consistency.

Ponytrekker - the car has held up very well. I'm now past the extended 100K maintenance period and coupled with the mileage I will have to expect some maintenance costs due to wear and tear. Still averaging 24/25 mpg, which for a car of this stature is quite acceptable.

teeeye

It looks like you're in the Andover, MA area. My wife has had her '95 318ti serviced for 5 years in Natick, MA in the 01760 code. She has 140,000 miles on that one. The shop is Autobahn Automotive near the corner of Rt 135 & Speen St. I've had my 335xi there as well. They seem to be pretty honest and reasonably priced, and they have worked at BMW dealerships as well. The best news for you is that they also have a larger newer location in Lexington, MA, on Marrett Rd (Rt 2A) not far from Rt 128.

I hope you haven't had a bad experience with them seeing as how close they are to you. Ask for Chip.

Good luck. Let me know how it turns out.

xeye

teeeye

Want another '95 318ti? I seem to remember when I posted a shot of my '07 335xi with the black/black 318ti in the background, you expressed interest. This was last autumn some time. Let me know. I'm just west of Boston, MA.

The car still has plenty of zoom left. It was California driven from '95 to '03 and has been maintained by Black Forest BMW in Newport Beach, CA and Autobahn Automotive in Natick, MA.

xeye

andynn002

Hi,

I leased a 328i 2008 and now its done abt 7k miles. Everythings running smooth and fine(touch wood !!!!) but i noticed the front seat leather is wearing out.like i can see some small threads coming out and its been spreading out...
What can I do about it? Can I call my dealer and ask for a repair under warranty.my first service comes in another 8k miles only.
Should I wait till then?
Thanks a lot...
Andy

brislance1

I had the same experience in 2000 with a 323i that began to show wear on the drivers seat at about 5,000 miles. I went to my dealership and asked what could be done about the problem. The service manager said that a BMW rep must take a look at the seat and that only he could authorize a new cover.
I did meet with two reps who told me I should purchase seat covers for the front seats! I couldn't believe what I was hearing and told them that this was absurd, after paying a premium price for leather when I ordered the car. Anyway, they had the damaged area re-dyed and I sold the car quite soon after the dye process, so I have no idea how long it lasted. Not long, I suspect.

I am sure they will do something for you, but don't expect a new leather cover.

I now have an03 330i with sport seats and had the drivers seat re-dyed at 7,000 miles. I am not a fan of BMW leather, but the car is beautiful!

nyccarguy

My wife's '07 X3 has black leatherette. While only a little more than a year old, the seats still lokk brand new. If I were to ever get a BMW for myself, I would get leatherette 100%.

MY '90 E30 325i has black Vinyl seats. The seats DO NOT look anywhere near their 18 years of age.

roadburner

My wife's '07 X3 has black leatherette. While only a little more than a year old, the seats still look brand new. If I were to ever get a BMW for myself, I would get leatherette 100%.

I agree, my wife's 1998 318ti had leatherette seats and most people thought that they were leather. And they are much easier to care for as well.

dujox

Thank xeye. I am new to BMW. The car did not started today. I had to jump it. Then the ABS brake yellow light is on as well as the exclamation sign on the dashboard. After turn the car off I still can heard of something running coming form the front, on the right car area. The DSC button is not working. The car has 136K on it. Any idea what might be happen. Thanks. :sick:

roadburner

Want another '95 318ti? I seem to remember when I posted a shot of my '07 335xi with the black/black 318ti in the background, you expressed interest. This was last autumn some time. Let me know. I'm just west of Boston, MA.

Thanks for the offer, but right now I have 18 wheels on the ground(four cars and one motorcycle) and that's the maximum number my wife allows. Right now I'm deciding whether to replace my Mazdaspeed 3 track rat with a pristine E46 M3...

Mr_Shiftright

You might check all your fuses.

If that doesn't turn up anything, you'll have to have the computer scanned to see what trouble codes have been thrown. ABS scanning might have to be done at a specialized shop.

kominsky

I believe my battery is about shot... not surprising considering I've had the car for 7.5 years. This morning when I tried to start the car, it tried turning over slowly then started clicking... pretty standard stuff. However, each time it clicked, the headlights flashed. I've never seen that on any other vehicle I've owned. Does anyone know if that's standard behavior for a BMW? The headlights were off and I don't have DRLs. Any thoughts? Thanks!

roadburner

Any thoughts? Thanks!

Low battery voltage can make a late-model Bimmer do all sorts of screwy things.

irishmyst

I had the same problem with the driver seat left side leather where the seam completely split. The dealer replaced it with no questions asked. I also had the problem on a 1989 325 convertible.

irishmyst

I took my '06 325 I to Autozone after my Service Engine Soon light went on. I was told it was P0456, small emissions leak. The tech couldn't reset the light, it said there was some kind of error with it. Can anyone tell me what the problem is? Thanks

hoodoomusic

I want to thank all the folks that has offered advice and opinions whenever I post!!! All of you are awesome!!!

My E46 sometimes has a slight hesitation on take-off. I've noticed that this happens mostly when I have on the a/c and sometimes without. I've recently discovered that I may have to replace my valve cover gasket due to an oil leak. Are any of these problems related? :sick:

Thanks in advance for the comments!!!

davidd3

Had an engine problem with my 2006 330i sedan. A loud ticking sound. Let to a lifters replacement job.

Replaced it with a 2008 328i coupe just last month. This morning I heard that familiar sound again. Unbelievable! I would have thought they'd of worked out the kinks in the engines for the "new 3" long before now.

andynn002

Hi all,

I got a bmw 328i jet black 2008.
To my terrible disappointment i found that i have scratched my front bumper quite handsomely
it seems like i scratched it against a curb while parking and it around 4 inches of length..now if i wanna paint this do i have to do the whole bumper of jus this part.
also how much will it cost?
do i have to bother abt it rt now or I can do it anytime.i have my first service coming up in another 7k miles.can i do it from the bmw dealor then?
Also I need to travel outside US on official purpose so it seems like I wont be around for abt a month(40 days). Will leaving my dear car unattended cause any issues like battery drain out/any exterior issues cause of winter?
Please do help me with your answers.
Thanks a lot...
Andy

carnaught

Check locally to see if you have a bumper repair service. They come to your house and color match and paint all or part of your bumper. I've seen work done on late model car bumpers that were not only scraped but dented and the repair was unrecognizable. It usually runs under $200. Good luck.

xeye

Some may think I'm nuts for having this done at my dealer's body shop, but his hourly rate is $40, plus parts, etc, ETC.

I was dinged by the highway roads department by a rock flung by a weed-whacker. They accepted complete responsibility, and it was actually a pleasure dealing with them. A half-inch scratch on the RR door of my '07 335xi. Estimate: $922.32 plus 1 week of rental vehicle (a Lexus IS 250 *sigh*). Prior to that, I received a tiny but very noticeable wedge-shaped ding just ahead of the passenger mirror along the beltline crease, apparently someone flinging their door open without any regard.

I also have a couple of scratches along the left corner of the front bumper from some inconsiderate boob, probably trying to make a 39' turning circle turn in 38' of space. The gouges are fairly deep, right through the plastic coating.

The work is being done at the body shop owned by the same dealer where I bought my car. They have an excellent reputation, so it seems.

The work on the front passenger door and the bumper is a tad over $1,200 plus the rear passenger door ding of $922. They are going to R&I (Remove & Install) bumpers, quarter panels, rear bumper, roof trim, and so on to "blend" the paint. Color: Sparkling Graphite Metallic. Does "blend" mean "perfectly match"?

I can't believe that a $200 in-my-driveway never-see-you-again job would be as professional. Call me a skeptic/cynic.

I want my car back in showroom condition. I just wish there weren't so many inconsiderate blithering idiots in the Metrowest region of MA (hopefully, present company excepted).

You may think that ~$1,200 for the wedge ding and the bumper is too much. My feeling is that if it comes back in the condition that it had with 3 miles on the odo when I gleefully drove it off the lot , it's money well spent.

Now, the $64,000 question: My wife has a brand-spanking new '08 328xi. Today, a bottle of McGuire's spray-mist One-Minute Detail emptied in the trunk. It is fairly soaked into the floor panel. When I opened the trunk tonight, it wasn't bad until the sickly sweet aroma rose to inundate my nostrils. Any suggestions as to how to rid the car of the moisture and smell (other than sawing the car off at the rear window)? My wife is heart-broken. The bottle was intact when I put it in there. It had been in my car for a year with no issue. Please help! I'm going to have the car detailed soon, but I'm searching for a "permanent" solution.

Other than this stuff, everything is cool. I know this isn't the right forum, but did anyone go to Watkins Glen?

xeye

P.S. Roadburner, for my wife's 318ti, your wife would have made an exception!

brislance1

andynn002

Go to your dealer and purchase a BMW battery tender. You can go for your forty days and come back with a battery on full charge. If you leave the car without a tender for this long, your battery will be dead! Ask your parts person for hook up directions as some plug in your lighter and some under the hood. I have used a tender for much longer than a forty day period and it works perfectly.
Good luck.