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BMW Driving Experience

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  • circlewcirclew Member Posts: 8,666
    Most of my cars up until 2008 were UAW built. They had their chance with me.

    The World is much larger than sorry GM and Chrysler....with all of their UAW disease.

    Can't bring back 1969 with all the Camaros in the world....change hurts.

    Regards,
    OW
  • dieselonedieselone Member Posts: 5,729
    I am not aware of any BMW of that era having a rep for a high rate of failure at that mileage.

    BMW did have issues with the M3 3.2 I6 around 02-03 IIRC. I don't remember how wide spread, but low mileage catastrophic engine failures were reported and I believe BMW extended the warrantys on those engines.

    from wikipedia

    Despite its great success and critical acclaim, the S54 was plagued with rod bearing failures in early production. BMW attempted to blame vehicle owners for the failures early on but eventually started replacing rod bearings, oil pumps, and whole engines under warranty. This fault was attributed to a problem with the connecting rod bottom-end bearing shells that were supplied to BMW by a third party that did not meet BMW's specifications. This problem was fully corrected by BMW on engines produced after 06/2003. A recall was issued to retrofit all M3 cars with affected engines to swap to the proper bearing shells.
  • dieselonedieselone Member Posts: 5,729
    edited September 2011
    The wife and I both think our metallic black Malibu is as handsome as a CTS...gets repeated just about every time we pass one.

    Seriously, if you were prepared to spend $50k on a CTS you'd likely end up buying a $25k Malibu? If everyone thought that way Cadillac wouldn't exist.

    There are several sub $30k cars I find good looking, but that certainly doesn't mean I'd rather them over a CTS or 3 series.
  • uplanderguyuplanderguy Member Posts: 16,106
    Can't bring back 1969 with all the Camaros in the world....change hurts.

    It sure does. That's why I think cars are so freaking boring today. And I'm not even a fan of '69 Camaros.
    2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS
  • roadburnerroadburner Member Posts: 17,358
    edited September 2011
    BMW did have issues with the M3 3.2 I6 around 02-03 IIRC. I don't remember how wide spread, but low mileage catastrophic engine failures were reported and I believe BMW extended the warrantys on those engines.

    Right. Although there are still some techs and mechanics who believe that the redline of the S54 was initially set excessively high and that exacerbated the problem.

    There's only one other chronic BMW engine problem that I know of. Back in the 90's BMW decided to use Nikasil engine blocks in their M60B30 and M60B40 V8 engines. The high sulfur content of US(as well as UK and Brazilian) gasoline caused erosion of the upper cylinder walls. To BMW's credit it replaced the affected engines with new engines using Alusil blocks and extended the engine warranty to six years/100,000 miles.

    As for owner abuse, I've told this story before: Back when Erik Wensberg was BMW NA's M Brand manager he told me about a guy who had his new E36 M3 towed to his dealer- with a seriously blown engine. The guy claimed his new Bimmer "just died" while he was cruising down the interstate(his prior car was an Oldsmobile, BTW). It turns out that the E36 M3's ECU records the highest rpm reached by the engine. When they interrogated the ECU it showed 9000 rpm(!). Guess whose warranty claim was denied?

    Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive

  • uplanderguyuplanderguy Member Posts: 16,106
    There's only one other chronic BMW engine problem that I know of. Back in the 90's BMW decided to use Nikasil engine blocks in their M60B30 and M60B40 V8 engines.

    Our friends lived in the same town we did when they had the BMW--which would be mid'90's. Theirs was a 5-series V8, I do know that. The numbers prefacing "V8" above don't mean anything to me.
    2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,167
    Yes, but this was a 90s car.

    If it was a nikasil car with extended warranty, sounds like the dealer should have handled it better then. Oh well.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Lots of these posts were moved over from the UAW discussion (the BMW is union made, after all - at least the ones manufactured in Germany).

    Carry on. :)
  • andres3andres3 Member Posts: 13,729
    I was lucky enough to drive a late 80's and early 90's 3 series BMW's. They were a friends dad's car. By the time my friend got to drive them, each was old, especially the 80's one.

    I have to say, neither impressed me at all.

    They were probably the lowest basest model available. Underpowered, underwhelming. The handling didn't jump out at me, but then again, I didn't drive them the way I would now to take advantage and really test the handling. I just remember the underpowered nature bothered me as a teenage driver. The interior's were nice though. I might have not had the same appreciation for RWD back then as I might now.
    '15 Audi Misano Red Pearl S4, '16 Audi TTS Daytona Gray Pearl, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
  • robr2robr2 Member Posts: 8,805
    Don't forget - it's more fun to drive a slow car in a spirited manner than a fast car the same way.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Maybe that's why my in-laws got rid of theirs ten years ago when they moved to the UP from Nevada and got a Buick instead. Even though he was a (too) spirited driver. She's calmer all the way around.

    They said they'd never find a mechanic up here to keep it running and I can't say I see much of anything but Buicks around..
  • andres3andres3 Member Posts: 13,729
    I think that's true to a certain point. I really didn't become a driving enthusiast until I got my A3. The Audi inspired me to want to drive for the sake of driving alone. Before that, I used to hate driving and dealing with "traffic" and CA drivers.

    I even had a 2003 Accord LX V6 Coupe, which was pretty fast and handled "above average." That being said, I never took the Honda out onto the back roads of San Diego county unless I had a destination to go to for another reason, because it just didn't inspire me to. Once I got the 2006 A3 that all changed. I started to study maps and seek out the best twisty roads. I autocrossed for the first time, I visited a track for the first time, all thanks to Audi. I would drive without a reason to drive other than enjoying the drive itself.

    When gas went north of $4/gallon, I saw the bright side of things; less slow drivers on the road.
    '15 Audi Misano Red Pearl S4, '16 Audi TTS Daytona Gray Pearl, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
  • andres3andres3 Member Posts: 13,729
    Don't forget - it's more fun to drive a slow car in a spirited manner than a fast car the same way.

    Also, if that were completely 100% true then there would be more enthusiast drivers in enthusiast clubs for slow cars like double decker buses, food trucks, and Camry's than for fast BMW's and Audi's, and Porsche.
    '15 Audi Misano Red Pearl S4, '16 Audi TTS Daytona Gray Pearl, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
  • roadburnerroadburner Member Posts: 17,358
    Don't forget - it's more fun to drive a slow car in a spirited manner than a fast car the same way.

    Exactly. My Club Sport goes from 0-60 in @7.8 seconds, while my MS3 only takes 5.4 seconds. Both are fun to drive on the road and on the track, but you can thrash the Club Sport on the street without the fear of attracting unwanted attention.

    Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive

  • anandksanandks Member Posts: 26
    hi all,
    i live in Minnesota (dont ask me why), has bad road conditions during snow. i love sports cars but cant afford summer and winter cars. so if i get this car, i will end up using this the entire year. how is the performance of this car in snow... can this be used all-year around. the dealer tells me that i can change to snow tires...

    comments???
  • roadburnerroadburner Member Posts: 17,358
    Just get a set of good winter tires- or better yet get a set of winter tires with wheels to simplify the changeover. Tire Rack has several good options. With the proper rubber a Z4 will handle everything but really deep snow.

    Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive

  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 237,123
    Minnesota? Your biggest problem will be ground clearance.. The winter tires will be fine on a slick road, but you won't be able to get around in heavy snow..

    As much as I am an advocate for driving RWD cars year-round (with proper tires), I'd think a Z4 would be poor choice for an only car in Minnesota..

    Look at this way... would you buy a Miata to be your only car? If not, then write off the Z4..

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  • rayainswrayainsw Member Posts: 3,192
    I was not really even aware of BMW [ as a brand or individual models ] until I met a guy in my college dorm that had one.
    [[ I was quite smitten with the then current E-Type Jaguars. ]]

    Sometime in my freshman year, he took me for a ride in the 1964 or 1965 BMW sedan he was driving at the time. [ The car would probably have been 3 or 4 years old at the time – an 1800 TI, I think. ]

    Given my driving experience to that time, the driving dynamics [ even from the passenger seat ] were quite a revelation. I had driven only a few cars at that point – primarily my Mom’s big station wagon, my Dad’s VW Beetle – and the sense of refinement and responsiveness I noted at the time in that BMW was very, very different than anything I had been in before.

    Though it was ‘For Sale’, I was not in the market.

    Fast Forward to 1975. We were leaving the military and looking for a good sized sedan, a few years old, for the trip back across country, from Arizona to New Hampshire. BMW had introduced a larger and much more sophisticated sedan that had evolved into the Bavaria – 6 cylinders. That was what I wanted. I ‘settled for’ a 1972 Volvo sedan. It served us well, was generally reliable – but uninspiring – for several years and many, many miles.
    [ sigh ]

    But I really did want a BMW.

    In the late 1970s, a friend bought one almost exactly as I would have selected. I rode in it several times and drove it once. It was sooo much better in every way than the Volvo.

    Now [ over 35 years later ] I have one.
    I picked it up in Munuch, with my Daughter, in September.
    I have now driven 3,333 trouble-free miles and very enjoyable miles – 1,000+ in Germany, Austria, Italy and Switzerland – 2,000+ in Georgia and Florida.

    - Ray
    No regrets . . .
    2022 X3 M40i
  • cannon3cannon3 Member Posts: 296
    Sorry, no, I'm not sorry. In fact I feel sorry for those who get roped into the "BMW experience". Frankly, I have driven them and I just cannot justify paying the premium just to drive a status symbol. In fact, I don't. I could afford one, but prefer to spend my money on other investments that MAKE money. I don't need a car to tell people I make money...
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,167
    To each his own. Some feel sorry for those who work and save and never indulge their passions. You can't take it with you :shades:
  • busirisbusiris Member Posts: 3,490
    Understood and accepted.

    If we all agreed on what a car should be, we'd probably still all be riding around in black Ford Model Ts.

    I personally like the feel of a BMW 3 Series, but I would never expect everyone else to like it just because I do.

    Other manufacturers need customers, too!
  • anythngbutgmanythngbutgm Member Posts: 4,277
    +1
  • roadburnerroadburner Member Posts: 17,358
    edited December 2011
    In fact I feel sorry for those who get roped into the "BMW experience".

    Yes, I've been "roped in" for 28 years. Pity me...

    Frankly, I have driven them and I just cannot justify paying the premium just to drive a status symbol.

    If you don't appreciate the handling and performance characteristics then you shouldn't buy a BMW. When I help friends buy and install home theater systems I don't push them toward higher end products if they think a HTIB from Insignia or Samsung sounds fine.

    I could afford one, but prefer to spend my money on other investments that MAKE money.

    So, you are telling everyone here you're rich while at the same time telling them you won't buy a car that makes people think you are rich. OK... In my case I paid off my new 1995 3 Series(which cost less than the MSRP of a 1995 Taurus) and my CPO 2004 X3(which cost less than a new fully-optioned 2004 Escape AWD) within two years after purchasing them- I suppose the smarter thing to do would have been to buy a couple of new domestic vehicles and make payments for 60-72 months, huh?

    Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive

  • mhayatmhayat Member Posts: 1
    I have owned a 530i 2004 automatic. It has 115000 k .It drives like a charm. very nice car.

    The car is the best car in handling period. Yes the car needs preventive maintenance. I would add instead not to have the attitude to fix a part only when it breaks.

    I.e the water pump and the thermostate on this version is a very common problem.BMW decided to use a water pump with plastic impellers. Those with time will break. If the pump fails the car will overheat and to prevent that is to change the water pump and thermo at 70,000 miles interval. It will save you lots of money parts, and labour. :)

    Transmission oil needs to be replaced at regular intervals. There is no such thing as a lifetime tranny oil.

    In the last year i have spent $600 + in parts and $ 400 in labor.

    It is a good car for the value, provided you do preventive maintenance. Bimmerforum is good place to look too.

    2004
    530i
    grey amethesit
  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    Those who work and save and never indulge their passions usually end up making their widows very happy!
  • busirisbusiris Member Posts: 3,490
    Those who work and save and never indulge their passions usually end up making their widows very happy!

    What's the old saying...

    You never see the caption on a tombstone that says "I wish I had spent more time at the office..."
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited July 2013
    "BMW has done a remarkable job of reducing its warranty costs over the past decade."

    The way to reduce warranty costs is to make the cars more reliable. Good for BMW and good for owners.

    Warranty Accruals per Vehicle (warrantyweek.com)
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