Any BMW Owners here?…...

[Royal-T-Ltd]

Recently i have had the pleasure on working on an older E39 [2001] BMW 530i. While i was under the car i notice all the nicely made aluminum parts with their quality welding, Stainless exhaust and excellent suspension feel. Oh and this car has 200,000 miles on it. I have working on it for a friend - he is wanting everything gone through so he can give it to his daughter in college. I have gone through the coolant system, brakes - I'm waiting on parts now to work on ABS and cosmetic issues……BUT it got me thinking.

I am starting to look at cars for daily driver status…
I REALLY love the feel of these cars and am looking at an '08 535xi. Its an AWD, Twin Turbo Straight 6.
Anybody have any input? Good or bad? How do these things hold up.

The other car i am looking it is a lower mileage Turbocharged Kia Optima.

The goal is to have something nice and dependable that i don't have to work on ALL the time - then i can spend more time working on stuff i enjoy…. like my regal.


thanks

aaron

 

[TT/Ameasap]

Once you get one, lemme know what the process is turning people into idiot drivers. I swear every BMW driver gets a special license apon purchase to act like their in a F1 driver.
Sorry, I'm just not the only person that feels like this..... You will be looked at differently for sure.

 

[Royal-T-Ltd]

Once you get one, lemme know what the process is turning people into idiot drivers. I swear every BMW driver gets a special license apon purchase to act like their in a F1 driver.
Sorry, I'm just not the only person that feels like this..... You will be looked at differently for sure.

Maybe i should tint the windows real dark then…. j/k …. talking about idiot drivers - you should have seen the 40+ year old jackass that floored his white, mid 90s firebird in and out of traffic yesterday with 3 other hillbillies in it…. i dunno, i see idiot drivers in all makes and models….. even GNs

 

[dirtymax731]

Once you get one, lemme know what the process is turning people into idiot drivers. I swear every BMW driver gets a special license apon purchase to act like their in a F1 driver.
Sorry, I'm just not the only person that feels like this..... You will be looked at differently for sure.

Aka m3 drivers..... almost all jack***

Anyway I've never owned a euro but I know the parts are alot more then 'Merica or the Japanese and there seems to be a trend of them being dirt cheap after 100k miles (warranty expired). They do look nice though

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk

 

[The Radius Kid]

Don't take the valve cover off.

 

[psycho6cyl]

the gf owns a 04 3 series. i do most of maintenance on it and i really like it. theyre not the roomiest again its a 3 series and im what you can say a fatass lol. but comfortable. they are fun to drive holds the road great. ive been in a new benz ml320 and i hated it. bmw def has the ride. if i didnt love american cars i would be driving a bmw. shit id prob have an older m5... parts arent super crazy but ive done basic brakes shocks but then again the gn maintence/performance is expensive so maybe im not seeing whole picture. i order all my parts through pelicanparts.com. rockauto for germans lol

 

[turbo39151]

Visit the BMW web boards. Lots of Budget Ballers complaining that the BMW's need too much maintenance and are not very reliable. Seems to me however, that most of them can't turn their own wrenches so that might be the issue... I like the M3's but was looking at the bigger 7 series (I like the big roomy cars.).

The AMG Mercedes sites did not have as much complaining but there were still some complaints about maintenance and the associated costs.

I think being able to work on the car makes all the difference in the world. An AWD TT6 sounds like lots of fun!!

 

[groumoutis]

My brother and a friend of mine both have 07 335i's and they are pretty quick. Like said above don't take off the valve covers. They have direct injection and they recommend to have the valves walnut shell blasted every 30,000 miles. The dealerships charge $800 to do it. My friend did his himself and he gained a lot of power back. I changed out the front brake pads on my brothers and the car seemed very well constructed.

 

[Turbo6Smackdown]

ALL cars break down. Just like my BMW E36. The only difference is when they do, what does it take to get it back up. Replacement parts for BMWs are WAYYY too expensive. Sold it for a GS Regal 1998. Much nicer, and a hell of a lot quicker. Easier to fix too.

 

[Ed Valvo]

My track day car is an older M3. Like my GN, it's a money pit. I wouldn't trade either one of them because they both give me wood when I drive them.

 

[Royal-T-Ltd]

okay i think I'm done with my BMW fascination… when i found out some of the newer models don't even have oil dipsticks, oh - and electric water pumps made of plastic that cost $450-600 in an engine bay that gets hot because it has twin turbos……

i think i might just buy another beater…. save my money and enjoy my T-Limited…… to think 3-4 car payments i could buy a FAST system…. WTF was i smoking?

 

[70GS_87GN]

The water pumps on the twin 3.0s are GUARENTEED to go around 50,000 miles. I just did a water pump and t-stat and they are not fun... $720 just for the parts...

 

[psycho6cyl]

go get the hellcat

 

[Dennis Kirban]

kirban thoughts: my wife and I have owned over 20 BMWs....actually made some of the very first ram air kits for the late 1980s 3 series for the largest BMW supplier in the USA....and sold maybe 25-35 BMWs....

as you pointed out very well built just shutting the door is proof of that. key is getting one that has superior records and care.
stay clear of the later ones that went to electric steering those units when they go out are 3 grand!!!!! I had to have one replaced n my wifes 2004 Z4...

older models the digital lites in the dash can go out similar to issues with audi ones also.

finding a nice 5 speed is rare...

97-2000 540 sports are nice they were like 50 grand when new great bargain now...

tough to find one with black leather most seem to have tan leather...

make sure it has heated seat option and sport package sport package usually 3 spoke steering wheel and better seats.


again I am speaking in general terms....

unlike Buicks mistakes BMW tells you to flush the brake fluid every 1-2 years which would have saved a number of powermaster brake units had Buick people been given that info.

Kenny Duttweiler drives a BMW.....

if you locate a BMW 507.....its worth quite a few GNXs......!!!

good luck

 

[WH1]

My daily driver is a '00 323ci which gets good gas mileage with the ac on and my foot in it. Paid for is always a plus. Bought for our daughter's first car which has been replaced with a Mini that is great also.

 

[Royal-T-Ltd]

My daily driver is a '00 323ci which gets good gas mileage with the ac on and my foot in it. Paid for is always a plus. Bought for our daughter's first car which has been replaced with a Mini that is great also.

Yeah I'm still driving my buddies 2001 530i and it's fun too. Quality is great - the ABS module still needs to be replaced so I can have a speedo but all and all I do enjoy it....

I have to figure out something to get shortly though

 

[TurboTGuy]

The new BMW's have one of the best warranty packages out there. 40,000 miles, bumper to bumper.

Yes, the initial buy in is expensive, but the advantages of ownership, especially if you are a car guy that goes crazy over the little shit, make it worth the price.

Then you just go buy/lease a new one at 39K. No maintenance problems what-so-ever.

 

[GSTOY]

I have a 98 328c E36 5 speed that I bought a couple of years ago. Replaced all the front end components, rotors and fixed the convertible mechanism. It's been a solid DD and knocks down about 26~27 mpg even with spirited driving. These cars just carve out roads and beg to be driven. I think the newer BMW's are too computer controlled and are always calling the stealership to be serviced. One of the guys that works for me has a newer 5 series and is always bitching it needs service. Parts are more expensive, but you just need to know where to buy them. Don't expect to go to the local parts store. Overall, I really like mine and it's fun to drive. Servicing it is fairly straight forward.

 

[trixdout]

Alright I own a 2011 which is the twin scroll. Major differences between the pre-lci (2007-2009) and lci (2010-2011) is the lci dont hace water pump failures and hpfp failures like the pre lci. As for the engine and all. Its great. You can get easily over 500 on the stocks turbos with a tune. Id suggest the 335 from 2010 if you dont mind the size.

 

[4timesT]

The new ones with all their gadgets aren't as reliable as the older models....and not as nice looking either IMHO.

One of the sexiest Bimmers ever......