BMW 3-Series Maintenance and Repair

dan12 · January 2011

What years were your X3 and 3 Series? I get the feeling that it's better to buy a BMW later in the model cycle after they figure out all the various problems. I love my '07 335i, but I have had a few problems here and there outside of the HPFP. It hasn't cost me anything since it was all covered under warranty, but it got me worried enough to extend my warranty to 100K miles.

busiris · January 2011

I get the feeling that it's better to buy a BMW later in the model cycle after they figure out all the various problems.

That statement holds true for any make, not just BMW...

rfl · January 2011

How about Spartensburg?

rfl · January 2011

Rule # 1 NEVER BUY A CAR WITH A TURBOCHARGED ENGINE!

Rule # 2: Never buy or keep a BMW after the warranty (or extended warranty) runs out. They are WONDERFUL automobiles....until yu have to fix one. I have owned 11 of them...never one after the warranty period (or it's extension) as in a CPO car or two tht were part of my collection. My total cost to repair has been $0 for all eleven cars (not including tires, state inspections and oil). I have never had one longer than the warranty period and (before you think I am a total nut case) the cost to replace the car (depreciation) is generally less than the anticipated overall repair costs. And the new car smell just can't be beat.

I went through 3 HPFPs on my 2008 335XI which caused lots of angst but NO MONEY. BMW ate the costs and, finally, the Car itself.

shipo · January 2011

Hmmm, I love cars with turbocharged engines; I've already had two and am hoping my next one will have the turbo treatment as well.

jimbres · January 2011

NEVER BUY A CAR WITH A TURBOCHARGED ENGINE!

Pretty much agree.

Never buy or keep a BMW after the warranty (or extended warranty) runs out.

Don't agree. I have an '01 330i purchased new in June of that year, which means that the factory warranty ran out in June, 2005. Never bought an extended warranty - EWs are for people who can't manage their finances, which has never been my problem.

IOW, my car has been out of warranty for 5 1/2 years. During that time, I've had one major repair - a control arm had to be replaced at a cost of $1200. This was my fault; I wasn't paying attention & drove into the biggest pothole on the East Coast. I doubt that an EW would have paid for this in any case.

Figure it out. The cost of keeping my 330i after the warranty ran out amounts to $18.18 per month. I spend more than that in a week at Starbucks.

I've done the math. In the long haul, it's cheaper to buy what you like, take good care of it & drive it until the wheels come off. If you're not a DIY guy - I'm not, unfortunately - don't go back to the dealer after the factory warranty expires. Find a good independent mechanic instead.

If you follow your own rule #1, you'll find that rule #2 doesn't apply. A 328i equipped, as God intends, with a stick will do 0 to 60 in a hair over 6 seconds. That's plenty fast enough for a good time. You'll save a few thousand up front & you'll also save on repair costs in later years. That's win-win, if you ask me.

roadburner · January 2011

I'm with you jimbres. My 1995 3er and 2004 X3 have proven to be extremely reliable and not all that expensive to run. Aside from tires and scheduled maintenance I've spent a total of $1344 on repairs over the 15 years and 127,000 miles I've owned my 3er. You can check post #4920 for the details on the X3; in short it needed a passenger seat SRS sensor under warranty and other than that it's only needed one set of brakes and two sets of tires in 107,000 miles...

qbrozen · January 2011

Rule # 1 NEVER BUY A CAR WITH A TURBOCHARGED ENGINE!

Why??

I bought my first turbo car 10 years ago. It was the best car I've ever owned. I've now had 5 and never a problem with any of them related to the turbo.

Mr_Shiftright · January 2011

This prejudice rightly comes from early turbos in the 1980s, which exhibited lag, were very peaky, coked-up, and failed early. But turbos and supes have come a long long way since then.

On the other hand, not everyone (me, for instance) likes the way a turbo car responds---some prefer supercharging. And that's a legit concern IMO, although a subjective one.

kyfdx · January 2011

When you have an engine like the inline-6 of a BMW, and you know they can get 330 horsepower out of 3.2 litres without turbo-charging ('01-'06 M3), then you have to wonder.... WHY?

I'll take a sweet BMW inline-6, normally aspirated... any day..

Turbos have their place... I just see better options...

Mr_Shiftright · January 2011

Well they do it because they want it to be faster than a Mustang V-6 I guess

Turbos, in my humble opinion, work best on V-type engines, in pairs, and on higher displacement engines. For smaller displacement, I prefer a supercharger, because it gives a better low end power to relatively torque-less engines. If you ain't got displacement, you ain't got torque...they go hand in hand.

BMW was one of the "turbo pioneers" for passenger car use, so I think they know what they're doing.

But yeah, BMW is also known for their engines---that's what they do better than just about anybody--it is their forte.

qbrozen · January 2011

I've never had a supercharged engine, but I must say that VW and Volvo have both done great jobs getting low-end torque out of small engines with turbos. Granted, both my T5s with the automatic had a lag off the line, but at near 250 lb-ft at just 1800 rpms, it was a very brief lag. The VW with the stick is far better. Just 2 liters and a real-world 220 or so lb-ft available pretty much immediately.

I also don't know about the general statement that it is better suited to V-type engines. I think any Toyota 2JZ owner would have to disagree.

srs_49 · January 2011

Well, my '87 325 that I acquired in 1999 with 127,000 miles on the odometer has cost me $5300 in routine maintenance and repairs over 11.5 years. That included a couple a sets of ties, brake pads/rotors, the usual water pump & timing belt changeout shortly after I got the car, control arm(s) and/or bushings, exhaust, headlights, wiper blades - everything.

larry175 · January 2011

what is hpfp's. I have a 09 335ix and to tell the truth I would hate to have paid for all the things that have failed with this car at 26000 miles. For me this will probably be my last BMW. I want reliability, performance, style and no wind noise.

Mr_Shiftright · January 2011

YOu know, I didn't really state that clearly. What I meant was that a turbo setup on a V-type engine is the *ideal* setup because you can use smaller turbos and get them out of the way. The plumbing is neater, I guess is what I meant.

Maybe I just like the *whine* of a supercharger, and that it's not so peaky. On a FWD car with gobs of power, turbos can get a bit ornery to drive skillfully.

shipo · January 2011

When you have an engine like the inline-6 of a BMW, and you know they can get 330 horsepower out of 3.2 litres without turbo-charging ('01-'06 M3), then you have to wonder.... WHY?

Hmmm, all else being equal, I'd much rather have a 300 HP twin turbo 3.0 liter over a 330 HP normally aspirated 3.2 liter engine. Why? Because the 3.0 liter turbo will suck the doors off the larger engine unless both happen to already be at full boil.

sjkbmw · January 2011

MyI BMW service departmenttold me that it is normal for my car to burn oil. I have a 2008 328xi with 32k miles. First oil change done at around 18k (This is the time the car indicated for me to have the oil change based on the way that I drive.) Just this past November 2010 , with about 29k mile the oil light came on for the first time, and the dealer put some oil in the car and said that this is normal for this type of engine to burns a little oil. Is this an accurate statement?? The oil indicator light came on again in January 2011 with 32k miles. Is it normal for me to put a quart of oil every 10k miles?

Mr_Shiftright · January 2011

Yep, quite normal and in small amounts like that, even beneficial perhaps.

roadburner · January 2011

I love E30 3ers. I'll have to nab one someday.

roadburner · January 2011

What Mr. Shiftright said; one quart every 10,000 miles is nothing. My 127,000 mile 1995 318ti has consistently consumed one quart of Mobil 1 every 2500 miles since I bought it new in November 1995. I never even mentioned it to my dealer while it was under warranty; it's simply no big deal...

kyfdx · January 2011

Not me... I don't need to be the fastest.. I like the linear power delivery of a NA engine...

If I really need to be that fast, I can just get a Z06 (NA, there.. too)

Mr_Shiftright · January 2011

I would guess that not too many people cross-shop BMW 3 Series and Corvettes. :P

shipo · January 2011

Based upon the relatively flat torque curve of the turbo motor, I would think that, if anything, the throttle response would be better than the normally aspirated engine.

dan12 · January 2011

Rule # 1 NEVER BUY A CAR WITH A TURBOCHARGED ENGINE!

The BMW mechanic I go to for my wife's X5 told me the same thing. If I want to save money on long term maintenance, I should get the 328i.

My '07 335i has almost 49K miles. I have been told that the turbos can start having problems before 100K miles. I'm not sure how true that is. So far I have had the HPFP replaced, the rear brakes replaced because they were making a noise when turning left, the A/C blower fan replaced because it was making a noise when turning right, and 3-4 other things that were broken or leaking. Not exactly a stellar example of reliability for less than 50K miles. All of this was covered under warranty so I'm not complaining too much, but I had a much better experience with the Acura I owned years ago.... and a worse experience with my Jeep GC.

I guess the HPFP problem is related to the turbos and maybe the brakes too since they are bigger/different from those of the 328i. The bigger factor might be that '07 was the year that BMW first introduced the twin turbo engine and the HPFP and squeaky brakes are the initial gremlins. I hope a 2011 335i doesn't have these problems. As for the other things that were broken or leaking, well, I guess I should expect that with a non-turbo bmw as well.

My personal impression at this point is that if I want a reliable BMW my best bet is to get a non-turbo version late in the model cycle. A 2011 328i is probably a good bet. And I am sorry to say this, but I think a better bet for reliability is to buy an Acura, Lexus, etc.

Mr_Shiftright · January 2011

I think you are getting decades old information there. There may be other reasons for not having a turbo (more expensive to buy, more expensive to do repairs because of the plumbing in the way, probably a need for higher octane fuel) but you don't hear much about turbo failures on modern cars these days.

busiris · January 2011

Sounds like you should change your rule #1 to Never buy a car with a HPFP.

You didn't mention any turbo's needing replacement...

yellowz51 · January 2011

Please give me some guidance, I have found a 1999 323i coupe, 5 speed with 153,000 miles. I need a reliable, economic car for $5,000 to use on my daily commute of 56 miles roundtrip. It being a fun car to drive is a huge bonus! I will have it checked by a mechanic, but, overall, would the car meet my needs.

roadburner · January 2011

The powertrain should be good for at least 250,000 miles. It's the ancillaries that could prove troublesome- radiator, HVAC fan, suspension bits, window regulators, etc. If you can't handle minor repairs and maintenance yourself I'd set aside @$100/month for repairs and maintenance. A BMW must be maintained by the book- to fail to do so will prove very costly.
Finally, don't have it checked out by just "a mechanic"; find someone who KNOWS BMWs.

nay5 · January 2011

i just purchased a a used 2001 325i a new transmission was put in. the car has 165k mile did i make a mistake of buying this car

roadburner · January 2011

An automatic I assume, correct? Who rebuilt the replacement? It's only a mistake if you paid too much or the car has been neglected. I hope you had an experienced BMW tech inspect it prior to purchase.

rnahouraii · January 2011

In the last 2 days, our 2007 328i sedan makes a scraping noise when going over a speed bump, but not if one front wheel only goes over. It doesn't do this for potholes.
52k miles. Dealer suggested sway bar bushings but said it wasn't necessary?

28firefighter · January 2011

So I bought my '04 330xi back in August with 79,000 miles on it, and around 2 months later was without a car for almost 2 weeks because of a failed CCV and DISA - caused misfirings, insane oil consumption and a host of other issues. I think the time it was out was a result of not taking it to the right mechanic from the get-go.

With the exception of my expansion tank blowing out when the temperature here in Pittsburgh dropped to 4 degrees in December, I have had no problems - my mechanic was able to swap out the expansion tank, add coolant and bleed the system within 15 minutes of me bringing my car in.

Plans for March when he takes my snow tires off? Engine Mounts, checking the intake boot for any tears, inspecting the driveline for any damage thanks to potholes, and either an Auto Trans Fluid change or a new radiator (preventatively).

roadburner - At 84,000 miles have I missed the window for doing a trans fluid change? I would hate to cause the failure of my transmission for having it changed at a point later than I should.

srs_49 · January 2011

Doesn't sound like bushings to me.

Do you get the noise when the front end goes over the bumps, or the back end?

roadburner · January 2011

roadburner - At 84,000 miles have I missed the window for doing a trans fluid change? I would hate to cause the failure of my transmission for having it changed at a point later than I should.

There are a lot of different opinions on that. I had a drain and fill(no filter change) performed on my wife's 528iA at 100,000 miles and the lady we sold it to now has close to 200,000 miles on it with no issues. That said, more than a few techs say leave it alone if it if the ATF wasn't changed prior to 60,000 miles. I'd probably roll the dice and change it- but with the understanding that I'd be chancing a premature failure.

carchick67 · January 2011

Hi Mr Shiftright, I purchased a new Acura RSX in 2006. As a middleaged female, I babied it, handwashed it, oil change every 4k-5k miles, etc etc. With 4 payments left and 70k miles on the car, the engine blew out of no where. Acura treated me like dirt. They talked to me like trash, offered no assistance and the customer service center in California was terrible. I got assigned to the same rude lady that said over and over again "Ma'am, we will not even consider assisting you unless you come up with every oil change receipt every 3k miles." period.... Needless to say, a friend of mine heard about how I was treated and put in a engine from a junk yard ($2k) and I traded it in to the dealer next door to the Acura dealership (also owned by the same) and got a Misti Eclipse SE. Dealer wanted $6k just to rebuild top half of original engine.... crazy. So the morale of my story is I guess you never know what your gonna get.. I see Escorts on the road still running 12 years later.... just never know.

carchick67 · January 2011

Anyone have any comments about the relilability of a 2008 335xi (twin turbo)?? or, maybe I just answered my own question. (my grandpa used to say, if you have to ask, you can't afford..lol). I can afford the car, just the mainenance scares me. It does come with the balance of warranty (car has 36k miles on it) and the warranty that comes with a certified used. But, as a female, a single female, that lives week to week,,, I just cannot afford big ticket items (turbo/transmission/etc). And, I agree with a comment previous about Motor Trend magazine constantly praising the 3 series,,, then I look at the reviews and they seem average. (???). Thanks!!

Mr_Shiftright · January 2011

Yep, once the warranty runs out, all bets are off on a car. You simply cannot count on what a complex piece of machinery will do over time. A certain small percentage of new cars will self-destruct "before their time" and I don't know why some get stuck and some don't. Life is not fair.

mylesr · January 2011

I got this reading #0411 on my 325i w/72K miles...service engine soon light is on as well. I have a K&M lifetime airfilter installed and just cleaned it. I was told the secondary air system is usually just for CA emissions...anyone have experience w/this? I am using regular gas and gety 22mpg.

roadburner · January 2011

If you are that worried buy a 328i with a manual transmission. That's a great package and you eliminate three potentially expensive components- the turbos, AWD system, and the automatic. That said, I'm taking a hard look at a 335i manual at my local dealer- but then I'm looking for a car that can double as a daily driver as well as a track toy.

bridgetlei · January 2011

I had an accident yesterday with my 2011 BMW. The damage to the car was the bottom panel under the passenger side door as well as the door and area above right side front wheel. My question is I'm wondering how the car will drive after the repairs. My concern is that the airbags never deployed during the accident ? Any information regarding the repair and or air bag deployment would be great. I'm pretty concerned about the car after the repair is complete?

shipo · January 2011

From the sound of things the accident was very minor and caused only damage to some of the exterior sheet-metal. What that means is:

1) The accident wasn't even remotely severe enough to cause air-bag deployment, and
2) once the skins of your car have been replaced and repainted, there will be zero change in how the car rides and handles.

Firebird_EOU · January 2011

Did you put additional oil in the filter or has the filter been in there for a long time? I got the check engine light AFTER I put in K&M filter and needed to replace the Mass Air Flow Sensor.

carchick67 · February 2011

I am thinking about buying the above car at a local dealer for $29k, with 36k miles. Does anyone have any comment?? Should the maintenance on this type of engine scare me?? Even though it does come with a 3 year warranty. THanks!! ANy comments would be appreciated.

roadburner · February 2011

The price is a bit high in my opinion; check out the CPO section of the BMW NA web site to get some comps. The main problem on the N54 motor is the failure of the high pressure fuel pump(HPFP). BMW recently issued a recall and the fix seems to have solved the problem- in any case the HPFP is warranted for 10 tears or 100,000 miles. Depending on how long you want to keep the car, I would have the ATF, transfer case fluid, and differential oil changed at around 50,000 miles, which should cost $500-$750. Other than that you are basically looking at oil changes, filter replacements, as well as brake fluid flushes every two years(less than $200) and coolant flushes every four years(ditto). Dealer service on my wife's 2004 X3 costs @$500 year, although that number can vary based on location.
As I mentioned in my previous post, I would buy a RWD stick to maximize my driving pleasure and remove two potential expensive repairs in the bargain- although I would be extremely surprised if the automatic or the transfer case died before 150,000 miles.

busiris · February 2011

The main problem on the N54 motor is the failure of the high pressure fuel pump(HPFP). BMW recently issued a recall and the fix seems to have solved the problem- in any case the HPFP is warranted for 10 tears or 100,000 miles.

Maybe, but I would say the jury is still out on the HPFP "fix". Many owners will tell you they have heard the issue was fixed many times, only to have it resurface. There have been many generations of "fixed" HPFP's to date...

roadburner · February 2011

Maybe, but I would say the jury is still out on the HPFP "fix".

Note that I said "seems"- in any event, my comment was based on information from inside BMW NA, BMW SAs, and tech people outside of BMW. As you know, the recall also includes testing the injectors as well as software revisions. It's also well known that the majority of cars have never suffered HPFP failure while others are on their fourth or fifth HPFP. So yes, There have been prior "fixes"- but the latest fix seems to have worked.

rfl · February 2011

3 strikes and you're out. I had 3 HPFP failures (2 of them dangerous one's at high speed) on my 2008 335XI. Let's just say that BMW stepped up to the plate in a big way. The N54 is a DOG ! What's unfortunate is that BMW knows it, knew it and it took them years to offer a recall which DOES NOT NECESSARILY FIX THE PROBLEM. It just replaces the HPFP with another one that doesn't have a great reliability factor. Why do you think it's now the N55 with a single Turbo charger. From a 40 year- 12 BMW owner....get rid of the car. The fix is undependable. Down right a possible lethal hazard. I still own 2 new BMWs and am thrilled with both of them. Good old 240-260 HP naturally aspirated tried and true engines. Besides...I'm getting too old for a turbo...even one that works. :lemon:

busiris · February 2011

3 strikes and you're out. I had 3 HPFP failures (2 of them dangerous one's at high speed) on my 2008 335XI.

The problem has been continuing for over 4 years now. Now, immediately after a network news expose' showing the issue over national network TV, an immediate fix/recall was announced.

That might be good enough for some, but before I dropped 50+ Large on a new 335, I would want a little more evidence showing the fix is indeed a "fix".

This is not the small, insignificant issue that some would like to believe.

BTW, I own 3 BMW products... A MINI convertible, Z4 Coupe and a 328I convertible, so I am definitely not anti-BMW...

busiris · February 2011

Note that I said "seems"- in any event, my comment was based on information from inside BMW NA, BMW SAs, and tech people outside of BMW. As you know, the recall also includes testing the injectors as well as software revisions. It's also well known that the majority of cars have never suffered HPFP failure while others are on their fourth or fifth HPFP. So yes, There have been prior "fixes"- but the latest fix seems to have worked.

I disagree with your conclusion, simply because the fix hasn't seen enough real-time & real-world testing.

It may indeed be the permanent fix, but for a company that has denied the issue for 4+ years to then state its been fixed simply isn't good enough for me personally.

And, yes, while the majority of owners may not have experienced the problems, what would you say would be an acceptable number?

1 out of 100? 2,3, 5 or 10 out of 100? That's still not a majority.

Do you know how many different versions of HPFP's have been involved?

If YOU have one of the 1,2,3, 5 or 10, then you would most likely feel its a much larger issue.

I would...

roadburner · February 2011

If YOU have one of the 1,2,3, 5 or 10, then you would most likely feel its a much larger issue.

I would...

Well, I'm currently considering the purchase of a 335i, so I guess you could say I'm willing to back up my words with action.

BMW 3-Series Maintenance and Repair

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