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BMW 3-Series Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • dhanleydhanley Member Posts: 1,531
    there's a prices paid topic just for this sort of thing
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,188

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  • rvtrvt Member Posts: 1
    Hello. I too have a 2000 BMW 323i, only 43000 miles on it. My reverse gear stopped working just recently. It happened overnight. Right now I have it at the dealer and I was just informed that I will need a new transmission. Very expensive. What was the outcome of your experience?

    Thanks.
  • hellskitchenhellskitchen Member Posts: 6
    My neighbor has agreed to sell me his wife's 1993 BMW 325is with auto and approximately 18,000 miles at the end of 2005 when he retires. I see the NADA, BlueBook, etc. values, yet on e-bay the selling price is always so much higher! What is a fair price, and considering that he probably did bring it in for standard maintenance, does anyone see a pitfall in purchasing an older car? The inside and outside seem perfectly clean, but i am not a mechanic!
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,188
    18,000 miles, or 180,000 miles?

    E-bay really isn't a good barometer of a used car price, especially for something that is 12-years-old...

    How much is your neighbor asking for the car?

    Any car of that age will need much more maintenance than a newer car.. nothing wrong with that, but you should be aware of it...

    Really... only 18K miles?

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  • sirdarby1sirdarby1 Member Posts: 36
    My service advisor at the dealer here in Atlanta keeps telling me not to worry about changing the oil in my trans? I have a 98 328ica w/103k that the dealer has done all service on.

    I noticed in an earlier post dhanley states we should. Have I missed the boat?

    Anyone know good BMW garage in Atl. Now that mine is getting up in age, I want to keep it but don't want to pay the high prices now that 100K warranty is up. I only drive it 2 days a week.
  • dhanleydhanley Member Posts: 1,531
    Well--bmw says there is no need to change the trans fluid. One might speculate this is because with the free service, they don't want the responsibility of paying for it?

    According to BMW-CCA there have been quite a few trans failures, and they suggest doing a change at inspection 2. Other uses of the trans also suggest fluid change.

    However, after 100K miles a change could theoretically be a bad thing(tm).

    I'm personally highly suspicious of "lifetime" fluids.

    dave
  • div2div2 Member Posts: 2,580
    BMW now calls for an ATF change at 100,000 miles. We had the service performed on my wife's 1997 5er at 101,000 miles and have had no problems over the subsequent 15,000 miles.
  • hellskitchenhellskitchen Member Posts: 6
    thank you for replying. Yes, the car presently has 17,480 miles and when they retire and move, by summer's end, I estimate it should hover around 18,000. He is a retired professor of medicine and bought this car for his wife to go grocery shopping! I believe it was always garage kept and no doubt had regular oil changes and the like, but I have no idea whether a non-mechanical person lioke me should purchase such an old vehicle, the low mileage not withstanding. As to the price, he has made no offer, but I gave him a copy of NADA, Consumers Reports, and BlueBook as a guideline, so hopefully it will be in the $5000-7000 range. If the car is good, I in effect get a slightly used bimmer for apporximately 1/5 of the cost of a new one! Do you think that the car should sell for more than the Nada, etc. prices, and if so, by how much? Thank you again. Alan
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,188
    Wow.. well if that car had a manual shift, I'd snap it up in a minute...

    I have a few points..

    1) You'll have to find a good independent BMW garage to do work on the car... It is imperative that your mechanic specializes in BMWs.

    2) If you plan on putting 15K/year on this car, it will be expensive to maintain.. I'm not sure this car would be a good substitute for a newer car, if it is to be used as a commuter... Any advantage you receive from buying a low-mileage car will go away fast, if you rack up the miles on it.

    3) The fact that you are not mechanically inclined shouldn't make a big difference.. I never turn a wrench, and I've bought 20-year-old BMWs and Porsches.. You'll pay more for repairs, but you won't enjoy driving it any less..

    4) $5K-$7K? That would be a great price.. The car should be worth more with the low miles.. but, I wouldn't pay a lot more.. It is still 12 years old, even if it does have low miles..

    Maybe div2 can chime in here.. He has a '95 318ti, so he is intimately familiar with the E36 BMWs...

    18K.. unreal..

    regards,
    kyfdx

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  • sirdarby1sirdarby1 Member Posts: 36
    dhanley

    What do you mean by this?

    "However, after 100K miles a change could theoretically be a bad thing(tm."
  • hellskitchenhellskitchen Member Posts: 6
    Thanks again for the informative and fast reply. Its funny, but I never learned how to drive a stick! I am born and raised in Times Square, hence the moniker "hellskithcen". In any case, I presently have a 1999 Subaru with 44,000 miles on it, and will give this to my brother who has a 1996 Saturn with 40,000. As you can see, we barely but on 4000 a year! There is a fellow who advertises in the NY Times that he is independent and worked on BMW racers. A new Impreza wagon runs betweeen 17 and 24,ooo depending on the model, and of course, has 4 wheel drive. But if the price is right, the panache of owning a BMW, which admittedly I've never driven, is hard to overcome. What type of expenses would be out of the ordinary as compared with a different make or a newer car? I'm 52 so the insurance shouldn't be too bad. Thanks again.
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,188
    I've never owned an E46 BMW ('92-'99).. but, they don't have a reputation as being the most trouble-free model... But, if you are driving only 6K/year, then you'll just need to see your mechanic for regular maintenance semi-annually..

    You should be able to keep the car pretty nice for a long time...

    I'll wait for some other owners to chime in.. I just don't have enough experience with this model.. I wouldn't mind having one, though...

    regards,
    kyfdx

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  • dhanleydhanley Member Posts: 1,531
    What i mean is that sometimes, with AT's if they are really old, gunk/crud can be clogging up the seals, making the thing still work. Sometimes, new detergent fluid can cause it to fail faster.

    However, if BMW is now saying to change the fluid at 100K, i'd feel a lot safer. Plus, it's not me potentially giving you advice that may damage your car. ;) (Probably not, of course. Assumedly they know how to not destroy their own cars. ).
  • div2div2 Member Posts: 2,580
    As kyfdx noted, I have a 95,000 mile 1995 318ti Club Sport which I have owned since new. Non scheduled maintenance has consisted of:
    1 Set of front pads
    1 Set of new belts(replaced as a precaution)
    1 Timing chain tensioner(ditto)
    2 Idler pulleys
    3 Sets of Z Rated tires(average life 31,000 miles)
    As previously mentioned, find a good indie shop and follow the BMW service recommendations to the letter. If it were me, I'd use Mobil 1 0w-40, ATF, and gear oil, Castrol LMA Brake Fluid, and BMW Coolant. That car should make it to 150,000 miles with no problems. I'd take that '93 over any sub $25K new car.
  • bimbalasbimbalas Member Posts: 5
    Hi,
    I'm thinking of purchasing a 1998 BMW 328iS coupe,6cyl,4speed automatic overdrive and with 150000 miles ..for 6000-6500$(Kelly Blue Book value 8200$)...is it a normal deal considering high milage of the car..what things I should look at before buying it?What major problems this car can have because of it's high milage?What are the weaknesses of this model?
  • div2div2 Member Posts: 2,580
    The key to the successful purchase of any high mileage BMW is to have it thoroughly checked out by a QUALIFIED BMW technician. I'd also want to take a look at the vehicle service history. Was the oil changed regularly? Was the DOT 4 brake fluid changed every two years? Coolant every three(using only BMW Coolant)? Was the ATF changed at least once? What does the compression test look like? Do you have a good BMW indie shop lined up to handle any repairs and maintenance? The M52 motor should easily go over 200K miles with regular maintenance, but I would expect the slushbox to go belly-up within the next 50K-75K miles. Therefore, I would adjust the price accordingly. If the car does check out I wouldn't hesitate to buy it-for around $4500. That said, I enjoy performing the maintenance and minor repairs myself. If you are going to have go to the dealer for every little glitch then I'd advise that you give the car a pass.
  • sirdarby1sirdarby1 Member Posts: 36
    Thanks again dhanley:

    I guess I'm still a bit nervous now that my 100k
    warranty is over. That thing really covered a lot and I had my mechanic check the car over thoroughly when I had a few miles left. I was
    blessed to get a new AC compressor.

    I'm gonna rest easy but I do agree that an indie mechanic would be best because the dealer is very expensive.
  • jntownesjntownes Member Posts: 1
    I am also having trouble adjusting to the driver's seat in this vehicle. The seat appears in a crooked position so that I end up on one side of the seat instead of directly in the center. Also, there is a support bar in the middle of the seat that exacerbates the uncomfortableness. While the lumbar support can be moved up and down and increased and decreased in intensity, this support bar is permanent and rather intense at its designated position. Combined with crooked position of the seat, I find that the middle, right portion of my back is constantly pressured while I drive. I have found that significantly reclining the seat aleviates this pressure, but this removes almost all the upper support for the seat to the point that it is unsafe.
  • gansettgansett Member Posts: 2
    I have read many concerns about 330 engines stalling and related matters. I want to share my experiences.

    My 04 330 convertible would rough idle and stall even when the engine was warm. Two dealers tried in vein for over a year to resolve the matter. Finally, the car was "bought back" by BMWNA through my dealer (who is wonderful!) South Bay BMW, Hermosa Bch, CA, and I was given a new 05 330 convertible ZHP.
    Unfortunately, this car rough idles a bit more than it should but fortunately it does not stall.

    My understand is that to make the engine performance strong and fuel economy high as possible the car runs extremely lean thus opening the door for stalling and rough idling.
  • gansettgansett Member Posts: 2
    On occasion my driver's side window does not drop properly when existing the car on my 330 convertible and when you close the door it nearly breaks the window which is now slightly above the roof.

    I have had this problem on both a 04 and 05 convertible, but despite repair it continues to malfunction. Anyone else with this problem? (The problem is most accute when using the all-up botton after raising the convertible top. More than 50% of the time the window malfunctions when exiting the car.
  • dhanleydhanley Member Posts: 1,531
    I understand completely--i was nervous when i passed the end of my 100K warranty. That was a year ago and everything has been ok ( knock on wood ).

    I have an indie mechanic who I trust, and it may be awhile until i succumb to the allure of a new euro delivered 330.

    Remember, it us unlikely car repairs will ever be close to car payments.

    dave
  • dhanleydhanley Member Posts: 1,531
    The BMW engine is a smooth idler and should nevet stall.

    I have to blip the throttle on mine once in awhile to be sure it's running at idle--it's smooth but has never stalled.

    Maybe the zhp has a lumpy cam?

    dave
  • bmaxwbmaxw Member Posts: 2
    I have a 92 325i and the other day,while checking the coolant,I didn't screw the coolant reservoir tank cap on right. I took my car for a ride and notice to late,most of the coolant was coming out. I poured the wrong color coolant in the reserve tank later that day before taking her out for a spin, in about 20 minutes or so she started overheating. Could this problem be because of wrong coolant? Could having the wrong coolant for just a few minutes cause radiator or headgasket damage?
  • treepushertreepusher Member Posts: 16
    Hi, folks. Brought a brand-spanking new 330i with the Steptronic automatic transmission home this afternoon, some fifteen highway miles from the dealer. Ran fine, loved the drive. Parked the car five minutes, went to restart and drive off, transmission would not shift out of first gear, tranny warning light came on. Shut down and called roadside assistance, car now being towed back to the dealer. Not happy.

    Anyone else run into this? Obviously under warranty, but should I suffer thru, or just let the dealer keep the car and cancel the purchase?
    Thanks for your input.
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,188
    Most BMW transmission problems can be cured with a software update... I wouldn't sweat it..

    On another note, I'm not sure how you plan to "cancel the purchase". Once it goes over the curb, it is yours..

    regards,
    kyfdx

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  • lilybitlilybit Member Posts: 1
    i have a 2002 325xi wagon. in a little over a year i've had 4 flat tires and 4 bent rims. after the first 2 i changed to a higher profile tire. i've now had 2 more since then. i'm now hearing that this is a common problem with bmw's because of the low profile. i drove a Chrysler and an MB on the same roads for years and never had this problem. i'm considering getting rid of the car. someone is suggesting that i replace the rims with steel rims. anyone want to weigh in? Btw, i live in the northeast. avoiding potholes is not an option.
  • treepushertreepusher Member Posts: 16
    Thanks for the response. By the time the tow truck arrived (and I'll give the BMW assist folks high marks for courteous) the transmission worked perfectly, shifting normally, warning light off again. No clue what happened, dealer/service said they'd never seen the problem before. Running fine today thru heavy rain and melting snow. Great car.

    Not an auspicious start, however...

    The particular car was shipped in from a dealer in another state. Never test drove it, and I'm sure my dealer and I could have come to an arrangement, had it come to that.

    Thanks again for your help!
    Treepusher
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,188
    I bought our '03, used.. with 7600 miles on a Saturday.. My wife drove it to work for the first time on a Monday... Went to lunch, and it wouldn't start, then went into limp mode, and flashed the SES light..

    We also had a great experience with the flatbed (responded in 30 minutes).. They replaced the camshaft position sensor, and it was ready the next day... Over a year later, no further problems..

    So, here is hoping it was just a glitch..

    Good luck,
    kyfdx

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  • mjday1972mjday1972 Member Posts: 77
    My wife and I picked up a brand new 325i tonight. My wife drove it off the lot and went out to meet some friends for dinner. As she is pulling away, the car will not accelerate even though she had the pedal pushed all the way down. She also stated that the EML light was on.

    She returned to the dealership and they told her that a sensor behind the gas pedal for 1st and 2nd gear were not working properly. The dealership was extremely apologetic, and they gave her a loaner and told her they would fix it right away and drive the car to her if need be.

    Has anyone experienced this before? Should I be concerned with the long term reliability here?

    Thanks,

    Mike
  • dl7265dl7265 Member Posts: 1,381
    Spring 1999 my 323i at a red light began spewing out steam and smoke. Quite traumatic with 900 miles on the clock. I immediately called my salesperson. It was flat bed to the Dealer and they determined the AC compressor clutch was faulty.Anways my salesperson felt so bad he gave me his 528i to drive for a month while the part was being delivered from Germany. After that 39,000 trouble free miles. Maybe early problems on a E46 can be a good sign :)

    Don't panic yet.
    DL
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,188
    Depends on what you mean by long-term... ;-)

    Seriously, BMWs have more problems with the sensors that are supposed to detect the problems, than with the actual problems themselves.. When the sensor goes bad, it shuts down the system it is designed to protect..

    I certainly wouldn't extrapolate a long-term problem off something that happens right after delivery..

    I consider those minor problems.. I guess, because they are in warranty. I do worry about what replacing a sensor will cost out of warranty..

    regards,
    kyfdx

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  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,188
    My wife took a rock in the windshield last night.. It has to be replaced..

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  • mjday1972mjday1972 Member Posts: 77
    Sorry about the windshield, that's not fun to deal with.

    I just picked up my car, they said it was a bad accelerator pedal and that the problem originated from the factory. Car drives great now, which is what I expected. I'm sure the rest of my experience will be great.

    Mike
  • algebraalgebra Member Posts: 7
    Sorry guys. This is not exactly responsive to this message, but it's the only way I know how to post a message at this point.

    My question concerns Zenons; whether to get or not to get. I'm getting totally mixed messages on this question. I don't live in the ;country where they might be more useful, but i'M AN older gentleman, and the extra visibility of the zenons would b e useful. On the other hand I'm getting some reactions that the Zenons are easily and expensively stolen even during day=time hours. On the other hand, some people are telling me that the Zenons on the BMW are not easily taken, in particular the 3 series, and I do park in a grage at night. I spend a lot of time in Manhattan's commcercial district during the day, etc. Anyway, I think you get the "message." Any contribution to my resolution of this dilema will be greatly appreciated. I am considering two cars, one with, and one without the zenons. Thanks.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    I cannot say that I've ever heard of any BMW having its Xenon headlights stolen. That's not to say it cannot happen, I've just never heard of it. Both of my BMWs have had Xenons, and both have spent a considerable amount of time in Midtown (usually parked at 56th and 7th), and I have never had any indication that there might be a problem.

    Regarding their usefulness, while my eyes are starting to finally succumb to age (I'm nearing 50 and I'm just starting to use reading glasses for REALLY tiny things), I have always had excellent night vision and even I can appreciate the difference in the lighting provided by Xenon headlights. The only thing that I might caution you about is their abrupt cut-off (ie. if your car is pointed at a wall or some trees or a snow bank, there is a very sharp delineation between what is lit up and what is not). Said abrupt cut-off takes a little getting used to as there will be times when tooling around your neighborhood when you will see a torso-less pair of human legs walking down the side of the road or when you are too close to a road sign at night and just the bottom is visible.

    For my part, get the Xenons, and if the extremely rare event of having them get stolen occurs, let your insurance company worry about it. ;-)

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • michael4435michael4435 Member Posts: 13
    I just bought an '05 convertible and the dealer was trying to sell me the wind guard for $445. Is this worth it? Does it really work? I'd appreciate if anyone who has experience with this thing can offer some advice. Thanks in advance!
  • sirdarby1sirdarby1 Member Posts: 36
    Don't just let any windshield repair do it for you. My ins. company recommended one for me a few mos. ago and they did a super sloppy job. I should have paid the xtra $ beyond my comprehensive and let BMW dealer do the work.

    This company did the work in my wife's parking lot at work and it looks like he did it with his eyes closed. How can you get putty on the door?
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,188
    Thanks.. My dealer doesn't do glass.. I'm going to their recommended shop, and they are using factory parts.... They seemed pretty knowledgeable about BMWS when I called..

    Also, had the car in for another problem yesterday, and my service advisor assured me that this glass shop does great work, and they recommend them for all of their glass work..

    I blame it on my wife.... lol

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  • 03bmw33003bmw330 Member Posts: 2
    I recently purchased a 2003 CPO 330i and the BMW propeller applique came off the hood medallion. Is this a common problem? Can it be easily replaced?
  • algebraalgebra Member Posts: 7
    So this is what life with a bmw is like. Have had a 330xi for 2 days. Love the car, but. tonight I was backing into a parking space, when the engine suddenly started racing and the car started going back faster than was safe, and than I intended. I had ifficulty controlling the car. Depressed brake pedal, but that did not seem to stop it. Immediately shiifted into park and the car immediately stopped; thank god, since there were several people nearby. Took a while to regain my composure. Of course I'm going to the dealer on Monday. Today is Saturday. Besides describing the occurence, is there anything else I should discuss with him, like getting a different, new car. This one has 150 miles on it. Any responses from savy BMW people will be sincerely appreciated. Thanks.

    Algebra
  • algebraalgebra Member Posts: 7
    Hi Mchen 39084, and all interested parties.

    Read my post of 3/13, #1636, entitled "unintended reverse acceleration". Sounds similar to your problem. Did they eventually discover the cause of your problem, and what was the cure.? Hope to hear from you or anyone else on this extremely important matter. Thanks.
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,188
    Yes.. easily... if not, then the whole medallion just pops out.. And, not that expensive..

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  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,188
    I'll just make one comment, and then I'll be done on this subject... and, please.. don't take it personally..

    If you stepped on the brake, and the car didn't slow down, but afterwards the brake seemed to operating properly...
    Then you probably weren't pressing on the brake the first time..

    The chances of simultaneous unintended acceleration and brake failure would have to be ten million to one..

    My supposition is that you have a new car that you are unfamiliar with, and pressed the wrong pedal..

    regards,
    kyfdx

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  • div2div2 Member Posts: 2,580
    If you drive a BMW full throttle at 70 mph and fully apply the brakes (while keeping the accelerator floored) the car WILL-repeat-WILL stop. Simple as that.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    To take it a step further, it will take just a few extra feet to stop as compared to an unpowered stop.

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • 03bmw33003bmw330 Member Posts: 2
    thanks, after just a few weeks of owning, I was ticed off. Must have been the ice storm that I drove thru a week ago and iced up the entire front of the car on the Garden State Parkway.
  • brislance1brislance1 Member Posts: 87
    Shipo,

    I am sick of cleaning brake dust off my 330i wheels. The car only has 13,000 miles, but am seriously thinking of putting new axxis pads on the car. What happens to my warranty and maint. agreement when I need new rotors and the BMW dealer finds non-bmw pads? Thanks.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    Hmmm, to be honest I don't really care so I haven't researched it. To my way of thinking, since new rotors are between $50 and $60 each depending upon where you shop, that comes out to an extra $200 and change if they decide to not honor the brake rotor warranty. To me at least, I'd gladly pay the extra $200 and say goodbye to the dirty wheels.

    The flip side of this is that if you change your pads to an Axxis/PBR set, wear them out, and then go to BMW to have them replaced, they are going to put the OEM pads back on (assuming that they honor the warranty), requiring you to do another pad swap anyway. So, in the end, that is a part of the BMW "Free Maintenance" that I will gladly do without. ;-)

    Best Regards,
    Shipo

    P.S.

    Thinking about this further, I don't think that they will be able to tell the difference between the pads. The Axxis pads for my 530i looked virtually identical to the OEM pads I took off.
  • div2div2 Member Posts: 2,580
    What Shipo said. Worst case scenario-Were the rotors to warp(VERY unlikely) BMW would probably deny coverage on the rotors. Other than that I wouldn't worry about it. A lot depends on the dealer; some are real jerks while others will go the extra mile. Slap the Deluxe Plus pads on and relax...
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