BMW 3-Series Maintenance and Repair

socalsabo · October 2007

CONGRATULATIONS!!! This was a long time coming!!! Right is right!!!! Guess that will be my next step! Thanks for update and if you have any "tips" please let me know! Again, Congratulations !!!!

ftroha · October 2007

Thanks. I appreciate your message. If I can do this, anybody who persists can. At this point, there's enough credible feedback online from hundreds of customers who have been similarly burned by BMW, enabling them to present a convincing case before a judge. The wheels of justice grind slowly, but patience, persistance and being right (as you say) will see you through. Good luck with your case.

roadburner · October 2007

What was the legal basis for the judge's decision? Considering the fact that your vehicle is seven years old and out of warranty(Are you even the original owner?) I am interested in his/her reasoning.

ftroha · October 2007

The judge didn't really present his reasoning. But I can tell you that he appeared most interested in the fact that I provided copies of hundreds of customer complaints about the same exact problem with the transmission in the 2000 BMW 323i, i.e., failure to engage in reverse. In addition, I described the many times and ways in which I tried to resolve the issue directly with BMW. I also described the means by which I was stonewalled at every turn. Though the car is 6 years old and I'm not the original owner, I did pay a premium for a Certifed BMW pre-owned car whose transmission failed at around 64,000 miles and shortly after the manufacturer's warranty had expired (within two months). It's worth mentioning that the transmission in this make/model/year is sealed and the "lifetime" transmission fluid requires no changing, according to the owner's manual, which is misleading and erroneous. (The mechanic who fixed my transmission told me the fluid was burnt and a drum-shaped component associated with reverse gear was much too thin to last and cheaply made.) Bottom line: apparently the judge figured I was ripped off -- which I was. At www.noreverse.org you can see photos illustrating how this particular transmision breaks down with normal usage. I didn't get around to showing the judge the photos, since he rendered his decision before I could get to them.

kyfdx · October 2007

Did the other side show up to dispute your claim? Didn't they blow off the first hearing?

socalsabo · October 2007

Thank you - I'll let you know!

lsamson · October 2007

I'm considering buying a new BMW 335i convertible in the near future; however, a friend of mine said they are having lots of problems with the hardtop breaking. I saw one other post about that...person only had 380 miles when it broke.

Does anyone have any problems with the hardtop on these cars? Anyone else heard of this problem? Also, I've never owned a BMW, always Japanese cars that have pretty good reliability...how are the BMWs?

ftroha · October 2007

No, the local BMW dealership failed to send a representative to small claims court. Though I thought that would mean I'd automatically win the case and get full reimbursement, it wasn't quite that easy. I still had to take the stand, swear to tell the truth, explain my case in detail and answer questions posed by the judge. I believe that if my case lacked merit, I would not have been awarded anything, despite the defendant's failure to appear twice.

kyfdx · October 2007

I assume you represented yourself? Do you have plans on how to collect the judgement?

Just wondering, because I think it will be difficult. Very interesting, though..

regards,
kyfdx

ftroha · October 2007

I did represent myself. Other plaintiffs involved in other small claims cases in this particular courthouse told me that though this court gives the defendant two chances to show up, the court is pretty aggressive when it comes to helping the plaintiff collect. I hope so, but if not, I'm committed to seeing this through and will take whatever remedies are available to me.

davidd3 · October 2007

Also, I've never owned a BMW, always Japanese cars that have pretty good reliability...how are the BMWs?

I can respond to this part of your post from my own personal experience with Japanese cars (had many, have 2 currently) and one BMW (a 2006 330i with 33,000 miles). Never had any trouble with a Japanese car. Had the original G35 before the 330i. At that time I asked the same question in this forum as you did. I was leery about getting a German car. Well, based on the responses, I decided to chance it. After 2+ years, my BMW has been at the service center for a total of several weeks (not days). For a variety of issues, one serious (and a potential bank breaker if the problem materialized after the warranty period). I know I can't remember them all and I do not have the patience to review my records. But here's what I do recall:

1. Engine problem. Noise would come and go. Lifters had to be replaced. Other contributors to this forum have reported this particular problem as well.
2. Starter problem. Car would sometimes take a few presses of the starter button before starting. Starter had to be replaced.
3. Headlight problem. Adaptive feature of xenon headlights stopped working. Turned out to be a loose connection, but it took them a week to realize it.
4. Rear cupholder problem. Got stuck in retracted position. Had to be replaced.
5. Rear glass modling problem. Rubber molding was loose. Had to be replaced.
6. Another starting problem. Trouble starting car sometimes due to steering wheel locking. Have yet to have this problem diagnosed and remedied.
7. Door trim quality problem. Driver's door has layer (of plastic?) which is starting to peel. Have yet to have this problem checked and remedied.

Love the car though. Like the way it drives better than Japanese sports sedans I have driven. BMW gives me a BMW loaner car every time, though a lesser BMW than mine and without sat radio, which are annoyances (as is having to drop my car off and pick my car up from problem-related visits to the service center). And, there was no charge for anything. Repairs AND ROUTINE MAINTENANCE (even wipers!) were fully covered under the warranty and included maintenance plan. Although my monthly payment is high, I really like knowing that I will not have to pay anything for repairs and maintenace during the entire term of my 3-year lease. Replacement tires may be the only thing that is not included (I haven't had to replace mine, despite the mileage, because I am doing the snow tire changeover thing).

When my lease expires in Aug 08, I would at least consider getting another BMW but it's not a no-brainer for me. The problems I have had will not ultimately deter me. The car is that good (when everything is working properly, which is the case most of the time). One thing I like about leasing is that I can get something new and fresh every 3 years. To get the same car again, albeit in a different color (already have my first choice, so it would be my second choice) and maybe a twin turbo under the hood (if I'm willing to pay even more for that), would be much less exciting than when I got my first BMW. The 1-Series (coming out soon) seems too small for me, and the 5-Series seems too expensive for me. Don't like a SUV for a daily driver. Covertible or coupe would be nice, but impractical for a father of 3. So it would have to be another same generation 3-Series sedan for me. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but . . .

roadburner · October 2007

Also, I've never owned a BMW, always Japanese cars that have pretty good reliability...how are the BMWs?

Well, I've owned four Japanese cars, including a Mazdaspeed 3 that I currently drive as my daily commuter. As for BMWs, I've owned eight since 1983. That number includes a 56K mile X3 2.5 that my wife currently drives and a 110K mile 318ti track rat that I've owned since new. In my experience BMWs are no trouble-prone than any other car. Ditto for maintenance and repair costs; My 318ti has averaged about $400-$500 a year to run, and that figure includes ALL maintenance and repair expenses as well as three sets of 16" Z-rated rubber. I've replaced one set of pads/rotors, the serpentine belts and idlers, the timing chain tensioner(DIY $55 and 10 minutes) and a brake light switch. That's it.
The X3 has had one non-scheduled repair- a defective SRS seat sensor that was replaced under warranty. At around 48K I replaced the OEM Bridgestones with Pirelli P Zero Nero M+S tires for less than $400. I do change the oil at 7.5K rather than 15K, but it's a dead simple DIY procedure that takes all of 30 minutes and @$45.
My wife had an 528iA prior to the X3 and she drove it to over 130K before we sold it(I wish we'd kept it instead of my Jeep, but that's another story). Maintenance/repair costs averaged around $800-$900 a year. Non-scheduled repair items included a couple of idler pullies, a water pump, two tie rod ends, and front struts.
I'd advise you to buy what you like.
And as for what we'll buy next? Well, my wife will probably end up with a Mini Clubman while I'm leaning toward a new M3 sedan.

broiler1 · October 2007

This might seem like a silly question but what is the little square box for on the right side of the back bumper? It looks like it is supposed to open but does not. Looks like a smaller version of the gas door.

I have an '07 335 but see these on all BMW's.

rhody_88 · October 2007

Tow hook?

cotmc · October 2007

... and one BMW (a 2006 330i with 33,000 miles).

After 2+ years, my BMW has been at the service center for a total of several weeks (not days).

Sorry that your BMW hasn't been reliable, but in all honesty, I typically recommend avoiding the purchase of any vehicle during its initial model year introduction. 2006 was the first model year for the E90 platform.

Even the Japanese manufacturers who typically have exceptional reliability will produce some problematic vehicles during their first model year. As an example, I read somewhere that Consumer Reports is not recommending the 2007 Camry V6 due to reliability concerns. I think Lexus also had some issues when it redesigned the GS.

By the way, just to provide a different unique perspective to the original question, I usually don't like to lease my cars. Therefore, our past 3 BMW purchases have all been CPO (Certified Pre-Owned) cars from a BMW dealership. My experience with all three purchases is that you can find a very good deal if you are patient, and if you are willing to shop more than just one dealership. Of course, it also helps if you are flexible with the specific options and color choices!

Thus far, out of 5 BMWs we have owned, we've never had a problematic car. In fact, we had more problems with our 2001 Acura MDX and our 2004 Lexus RX330 than with any BMW we've owned. Note both this MDX and RX330 were purchased during their first model year -- providing further ammunition for that recommendation I provided in my first paragraph above!

davidd3 · October 2007

Sorry that your BMW hasn't been reliable, but in all honesty, I typically recommend avoiding the purchase of any vehicle during its initial model year introduction. 2006 was the first model year for the E90 platform.

Fair point. That's a risk I took. I couldn't resist. Impulse was too strong. And I couldn't wait. My lease was expiring.

Even the Japanese manufacturers who typically have exceptional reliability will produce some problematic vehicles during their first model year.

True. However, I was also one of the first people to have the G35 when it first came out and that was a problem free car. As for my BMW, it's going back to the service center in 3 weeks to troubleshoot its latest problems. Not an ideal first experience with BMW. Makes me less eager to have a second experience. But testimonials like yours and other contributors to these forums do help to give me courage and think that perhaps I was just unlucky.

kyfdx · October 2007

I sold our '03 325i about two years ago... to friends of ours.. At the time, it had around 38K miles on it.. It was a great car.. only sold it to take advantage of a great lease deal on a convertible.

So.. last April, the warranty was about to run out, and my friend called me.. said they had a few weeks and about 900 miles left on the warranty, and wanted to know what they should do.. Following Shifty's advice, I told them to call and make a service appointment, and ask them to check the front end. Shifty suggested saying, "It feels funny.. I hear a clunk". They followed my/Shifty's advice and, sure enough... "It is really lucky you brought it in.. It needs control arms, bushings, yada, yada, yada.." The total bill would have been around $1000, but was all covered by the maintenance plan. Nice! (thanks, Shifty).

Last night, at our local eatery/watering hole, I ran into them. (Not unusual..

). They are having a problem with the A/C.. Mechanically, everything works, but no cold air.. It still defogs (and it's chilly here), but no cold. Typically, you could hang meat in the car with the A/C on.

The car now has about 54K miles, and the warranty expired about six months ago.. Even though they love our local dealer's service department, they wondered if they should take it to an independent BMW shop. This is the first car they haven't paid cash for, and they are having a hard time reconciling payments+repairs.

I suggested they call the service department, and tell them their problem, and stress how disappointed they are, that a major component like the A/C should fail, just a few months out of warranty. Then, I finished my beer, and I left..

kyfdx · October 2007

So.. back to our friends..

Now.. I give advice like this all the time.. Mostly, because members here on CarSpace.com post messages about doing this.. and say it works! Personally, it never works for me, and I have to pull out the checkbook.

Anyway, today, I get an e-mail from our friends, and they did just what I suggested.. and the service advisor said, "Bring it in, and we'll take care of whatever the problem is, no charge."

To quote my friend's e-mail, "I love this company!".

They also love the car.. '03 325i in Steel Blue with Sport package and xenons.. With a nice set of style 42 wheels for summer.. I'm jealous, every time I see it.

regards,
kyfdx

roadburner · October 2007

Aren't you ashamed of yourself? Your friends would be much happier in a nice, reliable, and -achingly boring- Accord or Camry...

megrdh1 · October 2007

Hi,
Does anyone know any reliable and reasonable independent garage in SF-BayArea, specifically East Bay, can fix and maintain BMW instead of going to the dealer? Greatly appreciate your post. Thx. Meg

rovin1 · October 2007

hi, from what you explain i suggest you have the transmission fluid level checked. if for some reason there were a electronic or hydraulic system failure in the transmission a transmission failure would display on cluster warning information. the technician who have scan the vehicle could de term the fault depending on the transmission service code display.if no malfunction service codes were display when scan and the fluid is on the level you may need to have the transmission fluid filter checked.

rovin1 · October 2007

hi where is sf-bay area located reply i will try and locate someone who may be on my group i am in the ny area.

davidd3 · October 2007

Your friends would be much happier in a nice, reliable, and -achingly boring- Accord or Camry...

I must come to the defense of the Accord. My family has one - a 2006 LE V6. There is some, dare I say it, fun to drive factor there. V6 + pretty good handling. Although Accord and Camry are often lumped together as the being the two most popular reliable mainstream family sedans, they have remarkably different personalities. Accord is nimble and fun to drive. Camry is quiet but not fun to drive. The Accord is certainly not a 3-Series, but it's far from "achingly boring." Maybe that description fits the Camry though.

Mr_Shiftright · October 2007

megrdh1, "BMW 3-Series Maintenance and Repair" #3510, 25 Oct 2007 10:10 pm

Not in the East Bay, although I am sure there is one (East Bay has the best mechanics IMO) but there's Bill Arnold Automotive in San Rafael (just a hop over the Richmond Bridge from Berkeley) at 68 Woodland Ave. 415 459 2697. Great shop if you have a job you can wait around for, otherwise you're stranded in Marin with regards to public transport. If it were a 1938 BMW I could help you!

megrdh1 · October 2007

Hi,
I am in San Leandro, CA. There is one on Washington Ave. but I have no knowledge about their work. Talking to a friend, he advises that if i want to go independent garage I need to know well because, he said, there were cases that the machanics don't know how to, they opened up the engine and made a mess.
Many thanks.

sunilb · October 2007

"Berkeley Motor Works" is a shop I've heard recommended to a few folks.

Also, there's a place in Danville but the name escapes me right now. Maybe try googling...?

Or, check bimrs.org which lists independent shops that are certified for bmw's.

megrdh1 · October 2007

Thanks a bunch. I will look them up.

sunilb · October 2007

any thoughts on what could be causing low oil? i've had the yellow oil light come on twice in the past two weeks (the first time, I checked the dipstick and added half a quart; the second time was this morning when i pulled into the office... I will check the dipstick and top off tonight if needed).

there are no oil spots on the floor of my garage, and the mechanic took a look under the car last time I had it in the shop and didn't notice anything.

i just changed the oil at the end of August (it took 5.5 quarts).

it's a 2001 330i m/t with 82K miles.

roadburner · October 2007

i just changed the oil at the end of August (it took 5.5 quarts).

That could be your problem. Your engine takes 6.9 quarts.

sunilb · October 2007

hmmm... yes, that could be the problem; though, I used a mityvac and just poured the same amount in that came out.

plus, when I checked the level on the dipstick two weeks ago it looked fine (right in the middle of the high and low).

shipo · October 2007

Did you change the filter too?

sunilb · October 2007

yep, oil and filter.

shipo · October 2007

Then you should never go by what comes out in your Mighty Vac. As roadburner correctly stated, your engine calls for 6.9 (although I always used 7) quarts of oil. I'm surprised your oil light didn't illuminate immediately after your oil change.

Best Regards,
Shipo

sunilb · October 2007

shipo-- as always, thanks for your continued contribution to these boards. I will top up and make sure to use 6.9-7.0 quarts of oil going forward!

just a quick follow-on question though... if i checked the dipstick and it showed the level to be in the middle, what would happen over two weeks that would cause it drop?

I also checked the dipstick when after changing the oil, and it looked okay then as well.

shipo · October 2007

Given the architecture of the oil filter canister, it can take a few miles to purge all of the air from the filter, especially if you didn't pre-fill the canister after installing the filter cartridge.

Best Regards,
Shipo

roadburner · October 2007

if i checked the dipstick and it showed the level to be in the middle, what would happen over two weeks that would cause it drop?

Are you parking in the same place every time you check your oil? The floor of my basement garage is sloped toward the door. If I back my 3er into its space the oil level reads @.25" below the "Full" mark. If I pull the car in it reads @.25" above "Full".

sunilb · October 2007

Thanks for the insights... I topped up last night and will continue to monitor the oil level.

roadburner-- yep, i check the level in my garage (level floor).

megrdh1 · October 2007

I am a gal so I don't know much about car, but i had similar problem. Anyway, my 2001 325 sedan had the yellow oil light on for 15 second after the car was turned on. I got it check because I just had 60K maintenance few months before that then turned out to a faulty sensor that needed to be replaced.

kominsky · October 2007

My 2001 330Ci (~127,000 miles) started doing the same thing... light comes on soon after start-up and goes back off within 15-30 seconds. The oil level is fine. If I'm not being too nosy, roughly how much did the sensor replacement cost you?

megrdh1 · October 2007

I did not fix it right away. So it cost me 180 for diagnosis and more than $500 to have it replaced. Now the mileage is close to 70000 and "Service Engine Soon" yellow light is on. I don't know what is going on, don't have time to go to have it fixed yet, but thinking of going to an independent shop. Do you know any in the SF Bay Area, I was recommended from this forum a few but have not check them out yet. Is there anybody know about "One Track BMW" shop in San Leandro, CA? Thanks in advance.

megrdh1 · October 2007

Hi,
It is me again. I also have the feeling that when my car is more than 4 years old, the service at the dealer is not great anymore. They were slow to serve me, it took longer time after I paid the bill to get my car back, one time they lost the key, had to look for it more than 30 min, one time they park my car at the front and gave me the key to go look for it. I wonder how stupid they are because they now cut my arm and leg for repair and maintenance.

roadburner · November 2007

Check: http://www.bimrs.org/

roadburner · November 2007

I also have the feeling that when my car is more than 4 years old, the service at the dealer is not great anymore.

It all depends on the individual dealer. In my case the local dealer(Swope BMW) provides excellent service on my 1995 3er as well as my wife's 2004 X3. I've even found Swope to be cheaper than my indie BMW shop for some maintenance and repairs.

Mr_Shiftright · November 2007

Edmunds' is starting up a Dealer Referral Database. Maybe you'd like to comment on the dealer you like?

Here's the link:

http://www.edmunds.com/dealerships/drr/jump.html

MrShiftright
Visiting Host

davidd3 · November 2007

2006 330i with 33,000 miles.

The other day I heard that engine ticking noise again, the same noise which led to a lifters replacement and 3 weeks at the service center over the summer. First time I heard that noise since the "fix." Now I'm worried it may be a recurring and unfixable problem. It happens that I have a service appointment next week for several other issues (been waiting almost a month - that's how long it took to get an appointment with a loaner car). I'll mention this to them and ask them to check it out. I never felt so sick just from a sound before. I never want to hear that sound again!

dhanley · November 2007

"The other day I heard that engine ticking noise again, the same noise which led to a lifters replacement and 3 weeks at the service center over the summer. First time I heard that noise since the "fix." "

I've asked you this before, but isn't this a leased car? So why are you making youself so upset over these issues?

davidd3 · November 2007

I'm missing your point. Yes, it's a leased car. But it bothers me no less as a lessee than it would bother me as an owner when my ultimate driving machine sounds like a time bomb. It's annoying, embarrassing and concerning. So it upsets me and I want to have it fixed (again). I just want everything to be right with the car during my time with it for my own satisfaction and enjoyment. What different mentality did you expect I would have as a lessee?

sunilb · November 2007

shipo/roadburner... quick question-- when should I measure the oil level? i noticed that the longer i wait (after shutting off the car), the higher the oil level (I'm guessing that the oil is still circulating when the car is cooling off and the longer i wait, the more time it has to collect...?).

i looked in the manual, and it says to wait 5 minutes. i've checked at (roughly) that interval and also at about an hour afterwards. The oil level was noticeably higher after an hour.

Also, I'm at ~ 82K miles... should I be planning to replace my radiator? (I've already done the water pump [proactive] and expansion tank [reactive])

Thanks!

cdnpinhead · November 2007

The best time to check the oil is the next morning, assuming you have a dipstick.

Pull it, look at it, push it back in. You don't even need a rag to wipe it off, which you would if the car were recently run.

shipo · November 2007

I'm going to defer to roadburner for that one. ;-)

Best Regards,
Shipo

BMW 3-Series Maintenance and Repair

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