BMW 3-Series Maintenance and Repair

dwilso39

Thanks for the advice guys (ccotenj,lokki,div2) I’m now armed with better knowledge.

I did have a chance to talk to the service manager at BMW of Fairfax –(Washington, D.C. metro area) and you were right-on with what is/isn’t covered. These things are covered:

1. The OBC temp Button
2. The piston arms that hold up the hood

But, these are the thing that aren’t covered and why (according to the Service Manager)

1.Top: If the motor that runs the top starts to a malfunction that is covered. But the interior lining of the top is no cover because it is consider trim. He also informed me that the lacing problem is common on BMW convertibles because over time the canvas top begins to loosen and when the back boot begins to open, it gets stuck. This cause the interior lacing to get trapped and if its not caught, it could snap. The BMW fix for this is to replace the lining at a cost of $900.00 – but he said he had a “cheaper” fix that works just as well; so I going to try his first.

2.No radio parts are cover i.e.; speakers, CD player etc. – I might have to replace the radio. If so, I’m looking at about $500.00 (ouch)!!

BTW, the guy who sold me the car is no longer there so I’m trying to build my relationship with the service manager – you know cookies, booze – so I can hopefully, get my car fixed at a reasonable price.

(Lokki I have a 1998 328ic w/62,000 mile)

ccotenj

1) you should be able to get the top repaired (the lacing problem) for a lot less than replacing it. do a search on "convertible top repair" on the net (use your state in the search too)...

2) go hunt down a used radio if you need it replaced. try here first, you can get a head unit A LOT cheaper than new... make sure it's the radio and not the amp...

good luck.

-Chris

lanas

My new 330Ci has just arrived and it is damaged on the roof (a dent and some scratches). The damage was incurred during the transportation to the dealership. It is currently in a body shop. I can't decide whether to accept it after it's been repainted or to refuse the car. The dealer has offered $100 in car accessories as a compensation. Is this reasonable? What would you do in my shoes?

jccai

Hi! The right front end of my 2002 330Ci was scratched in a mall parking lot when I was away. So now I'm looking for a body shop that will do a good job of fixing it.

There's a deep scratch on the right fender above the wheel well along with scrub marks on the bumper cover. I took it to a couple of body shops and got estimates around $700 to repaint the fender and the bumper. The dealer shop's estimate is $1200, but I suspect in the end they will have to accept what the insurance pays.

Is it necessary to let the dealer body shop do the job? They claim to use the BMW paint, but I don't know if that's really true. Can anyone on the board suggest a good body shop in the Dallas area? Thanks for the help!

bluez

Checkout the Falken brand. They are reputable.

woody02

Re 2001 325i--I'm trying to get BMW to authorize a steering retrofit to address the overboosting problem on this model. I'm hitting a brick wall with BMW NA although my dealer says they'll do it if authorized. Has anyone had a 325i steering retrofit? Any help would be much appreciated.

wcoyote

I just blew out the right rear tire, tread separted from the sidwall, a la Firestone. I am down to the wear indicator on all four (50K on the original Bridgestone Tourenza's). Upon inspection, both rear tires have a groove worn where the inside sidewall binds to the tread. This seems highly unusual. Anyone else have this happen?

dl7265

James i think Classic has their own body shop, might not be any better than service king,but depending on your color i had trouble once getting a independent dealer to get a good color match.

wcoyote :not sure about your tire seperating, but i can say 50k is the most ive ever heard anyone getting from those Turanzas with a wear rating of only 120 as i recall.

DL

lokki

You can take them to a Bridgestone dealer and find out how to make a claim (generally tires are warranted by their manufacturer rather than by the Car maker) but another factor that will enter in is that most tire warranties pro-rate for the number of miles on the tires - a depreciation for the wear factor.

I wonder if you would be entitled anything at 50,000 - still - can't win if you don't play. Only one way to find out...

bmw323is

I had my passemger front power window stop about half way up yesterday. I tried putting it down and then back up and it made a grinding noise and stopped at about the half way point again. With the rain clouds hovering, I had to just pull the window up to within an inch of the top and the switch brought it up the rest of the way. I told my frind about it (2001 3 series) and she said she had the exact same thing happen to both front windows about a month apart. Any one else? I'm wondering if this is a common problem and whether I can expect it to eventually occur on a four windows, or at least the front two.

bogdan61

I have BMW 323i 2000, and I was called 2 times for recalls: one - fro termostat, second - for some hose, but I haven't seen any of those recalls on any website. Even the site http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/recalls/Index.cfm doesn't have any information on those recalls for 2000 models. How can I find out about correct recall on my model?

bogdan61

I have BMW 323i 2000, and I was called 2 times for recalls: one - fro termostat, second - for some hose, but I haven't seen any of those recalls on any website. Even the site http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/recalls/Index.cfm doesn't have any information on those recalls for 2000 models. How can I find out about correct recall on my model?

skobola

I had 3 window motors replaced on my ex 99 323i, and they went one after another in about 3 months after I had that car for 2 yrs and 3 months ... It was just about to start raining for two of these times, which may just prove the Murphy's law, but then again, it may be somehow connected to the malfunctioning. However, the third time it was sunny 100 degrees in Miami. BMW service replaced each of these motors (and whatever else was causing the windows getting wedged) without hassle, and without much testing and questioning, so it seemed to me that it was a pretty usual thing for my model and year, i.e., 1999 323i.

jlmedina

Does anyone have anymore info on the gas pedal sticking, or just not going down smoothly. I read a posted message on this site about five months ago but can't remember if there was a fix. I have a 2001 330i. Any solutions????

mishman

I've had my 2002 325 xi for four months now and can't seem to get used to the clutch. The release point is high and is very difficult. I've driven lots of standards over the years but after four months, I still have the occasional problem with this clutch. Is it me or are BMW clutches hard to get to know?

wcoyote

I know what you mean, my 328 has a high release point and the pedal geometry makes smooth starts without excessive clutch slip tricky. I don't think it's all BMW's though, because my Z3 is very easy to drive.

I found that on the 328 I tend to bring the RPM up a bit to high, because the gas pedal is sensitive and the engine LOVES to rev. This makes spirited driving fun, but makes slow smooth starts more difficult.

At high RPM you have to shift very fast or heal toe a bit to keep the RPM up enough to make smooth shifts because of the close gear ratios.

The best advise I can give is practice quick shifts, with quick deliberate clutch strokes (don't ride or slip much or it will only last about 25K miles).

dantlo

jlmedina

I had mine replaced last month.Call your dealer there is a bulletin out on this already, your dealer will know what to do.
Dan

1johann

Bought a 323i CPO and love the car. However, after a week of driving I noticed two problems:

i) Rattle from the front driver side when going over uneven pavement or bumps in the road. It is still under bumper-to-bumper warranty - but can general rattles (sounds like under dash) be fixed or is it futile - and should I just expect it from a BMW. This is my first BMW.

ii) Small 'clicking' sound from time-to-time in the drivers left ear - sounds like it is from the seatbelt retractor mechanism. Very slight and barely noticeable.

I guess after driving Acuras in the past, any rattle or noise is very apparent to me. Acura was SOLID and squeek and rattle free for 7+ years.

Advice............?

1johann

I read this in the very first message - and I notice it in our 323i as well. Low speeds (first gear) and when the clutch is depressed there is vague clunk from the rear end.

Did the group ever get a definitive answer for this?

I noted at least three or four others reporting this problem.

palladon

You will need to take it in to the dealer and have the car and key programmed. When I took my car in the dealer just programmed the car only. When I use my key the seat, mirror, and a/c adjust to my last setting. When my wife use her key these same items adjust her last setting. As far as I know there is nothing that you can program; you must take it to the dealer, this should take about 15 - 30 minutes to program.

Palladon

lokki

The way rattles work under CPO is that you'll be asked to pay the inspection fee (usually 1 Hr's labor) but if the problem is caused by something covered by warranty, then you won't pay anything.
So, it's possible that it'll cost you, but I think that, since you just bought the car, they may work with you on it. My service advisor has been really good about things like that.

I have 2 328i's and they've stayed very solid, even with Dallas' rough roads.

I'm also a former Acura owner, and I have to say, on the same roads, the BMW are more solid. On the quality of materials side, I was starting to observe signs of wear( seats, mats, etc.) at 30k miles that I haven't seen on the BMW at 50k. And for what it's worth, the Acura had a sunroof rattle that Acura never managed to fix. To give them credit they kept trying things. I do think their service is friendlier than BMW's - but that didn't fix the rattle.

Hope they can find the noise in your car.

rshaw11

I was letting my 2002 325i roll out of the garage this weekend and notice that the brakes worked very well, even with the motor shut off. I hadn't used the car for a couple of days and expected to have to really press hard to stop. But I was suprised at how well they felt, almost as good as when the motor is running. This isn't the way my Toyota van works, or other American cars I have owned. Anyone know why the BMW seems to retain its braking feel, even with the power off?

Andy98

Hi guys. This is probably a dumb question but here it goes anyway. I have a 2002 330xi with about 11.5 k miles. At around 5k miles, the oil warning lamp went off which prompted me to bring it in to the dealership. They simply add oil. The lamp went off again today. Is this normal? I've never had a car that needed its first oil chnage at 15k, hence I've never had to deal with this issue before. Should I just top it off or it this symptomatic of a bigger problem. Again, sorry if this is a dumb quesiton but a mechanic, I'm not.

div2

I strongly suggest checking the oil level yourself. Use the dipstick. Check it once a week. Period. It would appear that your 3er is consuming a quart of oil every 5000 miles or so. That is completely normal. BMWs are solidly built, but they will not tolerate benign neglect...

Andy98

Thank you for your reply. Of course, I should be checking it more regularly. I will from now on. Andre.

div2

I'm sorry I came on a bit strong, but I don't want to see you ruin an engine due to oil starvation. Say your engine is almost a quart low-not enough to trigger the oil level light-and you really hammer through a tight corner. There might not be enough oil in the sump to keep the oil pump pickup submerged. Presto! a spun bearing. My point is, use the warning lights for a backup-but don't depend on them to keep you out of trouble.

dlc95035

I need some general advice. I just bought my 1st BMW about 6 weeks ago.... but at less than 1200mi, it has been brought into the dealership 4 times for the same repair of the car going into "fail-safe" mode where the car slows down in the middle of the freeway! Anyway, BMW NA claims to be now deciding if my car qualifies for a buy-back.
The service manager swore up & down the last 2 times that the problem was fixed & had the BMW NA tech advise him on what to do.

It's not offically a lemon by CA standards - but I think it must be by BMW standards. So... my questions are many:

1. Any experience with this?
Should I be writing letters to BMW in addition to the verbal escalation?

2. Should I stay with BMW?
The other option is the MB C-class. Numerous people have told me their BMW starts to have nagging little problems after a few years - how bad is this on the 3 series?

3. What are your opinions of moving to a 330i?
I'll still go with auto for city driving & no sports package for more comfort, but I like the extra power.
- will a 330i handle mountain curves any better?
I got spoiled with a Z3 3.0l loaner.

4. Any opinions on moving to a MB C240 or C320?

THANKS! I appreciate any advice

lokki

BMW has generally been pretty good in working with customers, and I think that you are aware that this is not a general problem with the cars - just, unfortunately, the one that you purchased.

Assuming that they decide your car is unfixable and give you a buyback ( and after 4 tries, it seems like they might) the question is whether or not you will be happy with another BMW. Will you always worry about having problems? If you're not going to enjoy the car, you should consider something else. Enjoying what you drive is the whole point of the exercise when buying an expensive car.

If you enjoy the experience of owning the car enough to put this behind you however it's resolved then you should consider keeping it.

The decision has to be yours, not ours.

The small niggling problems that you mention showed up on my BMWs at least, during the 4 year 50 K mile warranty period. (A door lock activator, brake light switch, and a/c problem).
Nothing since then, and nothing major.

I don't know that you can avoid such problems by moving to Mercedes - I think that you'll have to consider a Japanese car to avoid them.

Still, if you think that the Mercedes would meet all your driving requirements and would give you more peace of mind than another BMW, then you should consider one. Which model depends on which suits you and your needs better.

jrct9454

...I am a longtime member of the German ownership club - 13 MBs and 4 BMWs since 1967 - and have owned everything Japanese multiple times over since 1962.

Right now, you can slip a piece of very thin paper between the differences in reliability and ownership hassles between MB and BMW. If you want to escape, try Lexus or Infiniti or Acura, but don't ever go into an ownership experience with the Germans expecting a bump-free ride.

If you like the car, and they do indeed suggest a buy-back without a big fight, I would stick with BMW. I generally prefer the C because my prejudices and needs right now favor a pure touring car over a "sports sedan" [C has a softer ride, is marginally quieter, and has a bigger trunk], but if you still like the reasons you got the 3er in the first place, I'd give them another chance...or try a G35...

scaredmb

If you are are considering an MB C class...... reconsider. I purchased my 2001 C320 in December 2000 - admittedly one of the first on the road. The car drives great and looks better BUT in my 20 months and 22k miles it has been in the shop 28 times. While none of the problems have left me stranded - they are a tremendous nuisance. And for a $40k car are unacceptable. Keys failing, just about every exterior bulb burning out (headlights, running lights, brake lights, turn signals) over and over again, power seats failing, memory mirrors and seats having a mind of their own, wind leaks, etc. Further to add insult to injury MB customer service has been worthless and rude. I am at the point of having to hire an attorney to help me - and to put on a new set of tires to replace the soft Continentals the car came with - and waiting. So instead of sinking $1k in tires and more in attorney's fees I see myself better off to just jump ship. That's why I am here..... hoping that a 3 series will be better.

brettdespain

I recently bought a used 1999 328i. Great car. However, the fan clutch in this car seems to be very hyperactive. The service center says that my car is normal, but I have doubts. After the car warms up to normal engine temperature, the fan clutch seems to engage during acceleration after almost every stop. I had several chevrolet cars that would do this, but only on very hot days, with the AC on. This BMW doesn't care if it is 50F outside, the fan clutch still engages during acceleration from stops and slow speeds. The fan eventually reverts to normal speeds once the car is up to speed, but it is becoming very annoying. I'm glad that it is trying to protect the engine, but I'm not driving it agressively and with the fan clutch engaged acceleration is quite slow. I recently drove a 2001 330i for about 3 weeks during hot and cold weather and with regards to the fan clutch, it didn't behave like my car at all. Has anybody else had this problem or heard of it?

Mr_Shiftright

How do you know exactly that the fan clutch is engaging? I missed something here.

r0n1

A month ago I purchased a half year old BMW 330Ci executive car with 8K miles on it. The oil service lamp went on today and I had to add one quart of oil myself because the service department is closed. Probably the car would need more than that. The first scheduled oil service is at 15K miles, so does that mean that the engine has a leakage? the first owner drove it hard? I'm surprised the dealership didn't check the oil level before they sold it to me.
Does any one know if that's normal?
Thanks

erickpl

it is very common on newer cars (less than 15,000) to need up to a quart of oil during this first period. I had to do it too to my 325xi. If it comes on again around 15,000, go ahead and schedule your 15,000 service and have it done.

-Paul

jodar96

The tilt function of my 92 325i sunroof quit working the other night. It felt like something snapped inside the headliner. The slide part works fine. The tilt part does all the right things, but the sunroof does not tilt. I can push the sunroof upward, and it tilts up, but does not stay up.

I am disppointed that the tilt part fell apart. After proping the rear part of the sunroof with a piece of styrofoam, I could see with flashlight that two hooks at rear two corners of the sunroof that seat into sunroof rear rails were snapped.

I tell you BMW has great engine, transmission, and suspension. BUT the fit and finish of interior pieces, feel of opening and shutting the doors of at least E-36 models don't come close to my 96 Camry XLE V-6.

I continue to like both cars for their own reasons.

Does anyone know how to go about taking the sunroof apart?

ccotenj

gee, something that was 10 years old and has undergone repetitive continuous use broke... i feel your pain...

-Chris

div2

When my wife's 3er was in the body shop we had the good fortune(sarcasm on) to end up with a 1999 Camry LE for a rental. My wife is anything but a gearhead or status maven, but she hated the car. I believe "uncomfortable and boring" was her evaluation of the driving experience. She only drove it to and from work, the rest of the time it sat in the driveway. I think we might have put 100 miles on it in two weeks. Wow, all that and benign/numb FWD handling as an added bonus. Yeah, I really covet one...

tt1067

Pearl2000, since u had 320i which i driving rite now, just want to ask that the windnoise level above 100km/h how bad? and other thing do u hear any spring release noise from steering wheel, the BMW tech cannt fix it, he blaming that just temp. iam not really happy with my car.

Thanks.

postoak

Hey, I've got a 325i with 4500 miles on it and I'm having the same clutch problem that other's have reported -- sort of a quick resistance and release during the travel. It started maybe 1000 miles ago. I notice there is a thread on this same problem over on bimmerfest. I kind of get the feeling that this is something right at the pedal, rather than being down in the clutch assembly -- but what do I know?

zor

Over 260,000 miles I've replaced tires, struts, wiper blades, filters, plugs, brake pads, fluids, battery, bulbs and stereo on my '84 Camry 5sp sedan. I never needed to leave my car at the dealer, as the performance parts were after-market and I put dealer parts on myself. Some of these replacements I made rounded out its agility, slowing my transition to a BMW. I do feel the pain of those who spend their scarce free time at the dealership and also those who have a disappointing ride from their cars. I wish I could get the best of the Toyota of years past combined with the best aspects of BMW of today. In any event, my father bought a 2001 325 late last year and has never had so many problems with a car before. The sunroof is but one of his woes. I may still take the plunge for a 3-series, but I am very wary of what I'm getting into and I'll hold onto the Camry as I see if my BMW relationship works out to be high maintenance.

1johann

The car is under warranty (factory). Notice a musty smell from the vent in the car when the aircon is not activated. Is this easy to fix or should I take it to the dealer?

When the aircon is on - there is no smell.

HELP

Mr_Shiftright

Sunroofs are a bit of a pain to work on, and you may wish to farm this job out.

But I agree, with a ten year old car and a complex mechanism like a tilt sunroof, you have no complaints against the car. It did what it was built to do, which is last about ten years (roughly the average age of all cars on the road today in America).

OIL CONSUMPTION -- the oil service light is for oil changes. It doesn't mean you shouldn't CHECK the oil level at least every 3-4 fillups. Not checking the oil for 8K miles is actually negligent in my own personal book of rules, and I think most techs would agree with me on this.

A little oil consumption is not only normal, it can be beneficial.

alcan

"I was just driving along and all of a sudden.........."

Uh huh.

Mr_Shiftright

Hear that ALL the time. Nobody's poking their heads under the hood anymore. Cars are dying horrible deaths unnecessarily because of it.

wlyp

Hi, my 330xi was scratched and dented by another car at the parking lot. Could anybody recommend a body shop in Hampton Roads, VA area? Since the car is only several months old, I want to reduce any potential permanent damage to the car. Any suggestion is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

jdg1970

I have 2000 323I w/32k that has been in the shop at least 15X. Sunroof broke, AC broke, Fan belt racing, 6 headlights burnt out, 5 door regulators replaced and front and rear rotors replaced at 18k. The latest visit at the dealer proved to be worthless and instead I got the mechanic's grease on my leather doors. I will never purchase another BMW and I suggest that anyone who is thinking about purchasing one, reconsider. Nothing but problems, stress and poor customer service.

div2

My fan belt races, but I usually win... Do I smell a troll???

erickpl

Realize that you may have gotten a bad car. This is NOT unique to BMW. I have had similar problems with other brands, like Honda, Toyota, and GM.

To say that somebody should not buy a car because of one isolated incident is not really fair. If that was the case, nobody would be driving a car at all because ALL manufacturers will occasionally have a bad car on their hands.

-Paul

Guess I'll sell my BMW, Honda, and Jeep, and get a Schwinn.

jdg1970

I realize I got a bad car but BMW's practices towards dealing with their mechanical flaws is poor. My only other car was a Honda Prelude and that car had 120k and didn't need one piece of servicing other than scheduled maintenances. My family has had Toyota, Jeep, VW, Lincoln and Chevy- no problems ever. And I have met numerous BMW owners who have had similar experiences. Very poor customer service.

erickpl

I hear you on that. Customer service unfortunately varies from dealer to dealer. I happen to have a good service department where I live and bought my car (though I have to remind them before I come in of what exactly I expect them to do - but I do that for all my cars ).

It would be nice if all dealers (not just BMW) demanded certain things from their service departments.