I own a 2001 BMW E53 X5 4.4.i with over 209,000 miles on it. Great engine with a lot of low end torque. People that usually hate BMW's are the same people who don't perform basic maintenance, then they take it to a dealership or a shady mechanic and get ripped off. A word of advice. Buy your own parts online and have a trusted mechanic install them for you. See, problem solved.
Have owned 5 BMW'S before and currently still have a 2015 E89 Z4(45 000km), a 2012 F30 320i(49 000km) and a 2012 1200GS(89 000km) I have never had any oil leaks or engine problems with any of my BMW'S. Maybe I was just lucky but they were all serviced regularly and I am a very PROUD and HAPPY BMW owner! 👍❤️🇿🇦
Even in a Toyota, if you don’t take care of your car’s liquids, it will become an unreliable piece of metal (or plastic). My dad and brother have owned 5 BMWs between the two of them, and besides a 335i my brother modded a bit too much, every other has been an amazing purchase by keeping those oil changes every 6-8K miles and every 6-12 months do a check up with their independent mechanics. They’re amazing cars. Don’t be scared of the maintenance price, just be careful of how you treat the car/SUV.
I like the pace of your informative videos man. I'm proud I knew all these BMW mistakes. In the 20 years of owning BMWs and avoiding the mistakes mentioned I can say they are shockingly reliable!
Good work! As a BMW owner with an N55 engine, I have to say that the advice is insanely accurate. Don't think of saving your maintenance money because BMW and cheap maintenance don't go together! Do your maintenance PROPERLY and ON TIME
All great and accurate advice! “ Been there Done that” if you want to drive a nice car don’t skimp on the maintenance it’ll come back to bite you....HARD!
I couldn't agree more with everything you said, Mark. I also personally know a number of people who tend to ignore signs of potential issues, fail to give their cars even regular (let alone preventative) maintenance and other stuff like that, as they believe they are saving money. But nothing can be further from the truth. Because the money they may have "saved" today will come to cost them several times as much tomorrow.
Great advice Mark. I know people will think I’m nuts, but my BMW 650i with the N63 goes to my BMW dealer every 7,000 miles for service. It has had no problems in 85,000 miles. My BMW dealer has prevented issues from occurring ahead of time. He also tells me what can be safely put off if desired.
I did that,they claimed they replaced valve seals and 3 years after valve seals bad again. No warranty by them ,no help Just trying to tell me find 8k and come pay
I have had over 7 BMWs, 5 and 7 series with M package. No major problems ever detected. I bought them at the dealer and sold them after 290k miles. I did keep up with maintenance. I had minor issues mostly due with wear and tear. Overall, I highly recommend beamers because they are reliable if taken care of.
Coolant way before 100k in my opinion. Best to test the coolant using a test strip , they will tell you condition of cooling properties as well as anti-corrosive properties. When I change my water pump I change the thermostat , expansion tank and every hose at that time. If you spend the money on preventive maintenance it leads to an extremely pleasurable ownership and reliable car.
LOL at the check engine light being a loose gas cap because I got home the other day and my gas cap was dangling in the wind. No check engine light on, but it made me chuckle.
I have a 320d e90. Change my oil every year. Also changed my transmission oil. It costs alot but if I wanna run the car for more than 500k km I need to treat it well :)
Absolutely, had 3 BMW'S, all 3 series, all of them used and with all of them i did 200 +k miles, easily. Always changing the oil on time with all the filters, did some preventive maintenance on 150 k, didn't had to, and always taking car easy when starting in the morning, when engine is cold, always careful about that.
@alpha actually every time almost precisely on 7000 miles, with all the filters. Also i always, religiously, take the engine easy in the morning or whenever it's the first start.
I have a n62 750i, these engines runs hot 103c, changed all the hoses, water pump, valley pan. The standard thermostat opens at 105c. There is a thermostat that opens at 90c, which a lot of people install to make it run cooler, extending the life of hoses, valve cover etc
You really do need a proper scan tool for these types of cars. I’ve learned that the ISTA (there are other programs also to download to your computer) program is a key cpu scan tool for diagnosing BMWs. A cheap scan tool that would work for your Ford, Chevy, Honda, etc, wouldn’t work on a BMW. It won’t read all the codes. Diagnosing it yourself will save you thousands overtime. Another thing is staying on top of maintenance. So another key factor in owning any premium car is having the TIME to service yourself or by mechanic/dealer.
Thank you! you're awesome. Just bought a 2012 X5 xdrive35d 120k miles and it's running well but I will check on the coolant and the tubes under the hood.
I change my oil every 6 months. I do put many miles on it, especially since there was no traveling the last year or so. I also drain/flush my anti freeze more often. I change my own air filter and a few others once a year because, again, I don't drive this vehicle much. I also have maintenance done on little things that any people don't know about and/or never think about. But I tend to keep my cars "forever", and so far, it's worked out. Had a 1999 Chevy Lumina for 20 years with over 105,000 miles. Not a lot sure. Only got rid of it because the Check Engine light came on and it wasn't really worth getting it fixed, plus, I was tired of driving it anyway, even though it was just to/from work, so I donated it to The Veterans Charity.
For everyone saying about temperature gauge. YES THEY ALL HAVE ONE. My 2018 1 series has one: you have to click the button on the end of the indicator stalk. It then changes from Miles, to mpg, then to temperature gauge, then to speed and average speed etc! So yes they still have a temperature gauge. Yes no dipstick either but go into I drive and select the settings on a flat service and allow it to read your oil levels.
Informative video. I own 2 bmws, 2015 1series and 2018 x2 model, so the long standing issue is real as work from home 80% of time. Will get some carpet for the garage for the next winter
2015 -528i I change the oil every 5000 miles and do the Radiator flush every 2-3 yrs. Only thing I did was the drive belt at 60.000. f10 4/ turbo. And plugs.
Thanks for the tips...How can we ensure that the dealer is really changing the oil and coolant and not just saying they are when going in before the scheduled time?
I would add one. Consider all season tires for areas with mild winters and also if you're more a normal driver who doesnt need professional summer tires with ultra high performance. You´ll save a lot on tire changes and storage
Enjoy - I just wish I k new all these things BEFORE I bought mine B38 engine - would have taken so much better care of it instead of relying on the service center. 8 years and going strong.
I have a 1998 e39 528i. With fluild maintenance. It has required very little parts replacement. 95% of the parts are factory including the exhaust. Has never be towed anywhere. A very reliable model year. Pity they don't make them like that now.
Thank you from Carlos . As I always thought if you do the extra maintenance. So many say BMW to avoid it. I’ve always done frequent oil changes and even early during break in. Second and third oil change early.
I would add couple things such warm up your oil before driving, and throw away your 10w60 from daily drivers, instead 0w40, it would prevent rod bearing surprises
As a Licensed mechanic for more years then I care to count, and family with bmws new and old. I can say that even family won't listen to me when the vehicles were within warranty and within the free maintenance. Now that they are in the 100,000km+ multiple oil leaks coolant leaks, I believe if better maintenance occurred these issues with seals may have been avoided.
You bet, bad oil, bad coolant and neglect catches up with these cars. They are pricey to fix and that’s why many people put repairs off but all cars fail, I see a Toyota Corolla bear my house that has a huge oil stain beneath it. Every car fails , it’s just with junk like the Corolla, the expectation is low and owners are generally far less particular.
@@ECPP Exactly, and that's how Toyota myth lives on. I mean come on, let's be realistic, are we saying that BMW's and Toyota are driven the same? The amount of beating BMW gets is in the special league.
@@stevem2323 @exoticcar playplace I just fixed multiple leaks on a toyota lol power steering lines, valve cover, gm they all leak lol. 100% expectation of vehicle means more then we think. my toyota and gm people don't care i almost have to point out theres leaks. lol
@@ismailkhan9698 I have heard of issues with the newer honda products. But when i was at Honda up to 2016 Only the 4cylinder accord had oil burning issues( front bad factory ring gapping ). Other then that the interverals were between 5000-8000kms. i just worked on my buddies 2005 BMW 330xi . interval resets to 25,000kms lol. like what the hell is going on.
Z4 E89 23i N52 engine build 2009.. Runs silky smooth. 5k oil changes Mobil 1. Now at 91k miles. First owner, first service at 21k, i hope that wasn't the first oil change. I'm 2nd owner. I do biannual coolant change, simple on this engine.
you have to buy the "basic" models and ot the M or other fancy. I drive a 540d for 300 000 km without any repair of any issue on the longlife intervall where you have to go to service every 60 000 km only.
I own a BMW 328xi 2007 whit 283,000 miles and running, it’s my daily, good and very reliable car for me but I’m very careful whit maintenance so don’t be afraid of BMW, just be careful whit maintenance
Over 30 years s with kids and wife weve Have owned 14 different BMWs. 6 cyl X5s & X7s a v12 850 coupe and many 750i sedans wirh V8s, 650 convertible and NEVER had any major issues. Certainly not any engine issues mostly electronic in nature or software need updates.
The oil service reset on my F15 X5 is every 15000km which is still too long. Every 10000km is standard in my bold opinion. Started replacing some critical plastic parts for aluminium parts, like the oil filter cap & charged air pipe to name a few.
I have a 2008 328xi n51 with 230 on the dash😂😂❤. Just replaced the water pump and thermostat. Only one check engine for the ozone sensor on the radiator that just came on. Other then that idles fine just has that good ol tick sound that goes an comes.
About runflat tires, few times I had nails screws in my runflat tires, and I repaired my self it right on the street with repair kit, and was using this repaired tires without problems. The stealeships making scared people ,telling them ohh it's dangerous you can't repair them blablabla. But here in Quebec roads with horrible potholes no one tells that it's dangerous, the other day I saw car in front of me, the guy tried to avoid huge pothole and he hit the guy on bicycle. And no body care, that pothole still there and became even bigger.
A BMW is like any other car it needs to be maintained, i have a 08 e90 and I use full synthetic oil and change it every 5 months depending on how much i drive and my friend changes it and it is very easy
When I get a used vehicle, I change all of the fluids , dirty fluid is hard on the seals. Some say old coolant will carry an electrical charge. Toyota puts a silicon lubricant in the coolant. Shocks and tires take most of the shock of the vehicle. My check engine has been on for 40k miles , O2 sensor. Inspect the wear pattern on your tires.
I've been changing oil in my 2005 530 I Every 15,000 miles.I'm at 395,000 miles Everything is fun. But I do drive a lot of interstate, So my point is You're driving a lot of interstate it's ok to go the extended intervals
I new nothing about BMW, I bought a 02 325ci in 04 5speed manuel. Its now 2024/5 and I've replaced Everything, I got rid of that damn plastic resivior tank, I found an all aluminium one. When the radiator blew because on the plastic connectors I replaced it with an aluminum one. Rebuilt engine, replaced clutch and flywheel. This car runs great but its become a hobby, so I've learned to do some of the work myself
Thanks for posting these incredibly helpful videos. Not sure if you still have your E60 M5, but if so are you still using a lighter oil such as 0W40-and if that’s the case I guess it means it’s having no impact on the VANOS system? My E60 M5 is at 70k/km and I recently changed to Mobil 1 (0W40)… Have noticed no issues, and no way do I drive the car anywhere near hard enough to encounter the shearing issue. Grateful for any comment you might make. BTW, I am about to swap out the rod bearings….probably prematurely, but better safe than sorry! Thanks again.
@@ECPP That’s great to know! Regarding the oil, I know there are two schools of thought here (maybe 0W40 is better re the rod bearings whilst 10W60 might be better for the VANOS system) so not asking for advice as such! Just wanting to know what you’ve settled on for your machine. Many thanks once more, Paul
I use 5w40w Rotella T6 full synthetic oil which made car run smoother Before you say it's not recommended It is rated for the V8 diesel trucks pulling 10000 plus lbs with HOT turbos that cook most oils so it is rated higher than a BMW oil and MANY are using it
I get what you're saying & I do more frequent servicing on some stuff myself (like engine oil) but it's more out of my U.S. upbringing / cheap cost to do so than out of necessity. I lived in Germany for a # of years & still have Germany friends that I communicate with on the regular. They don't service their cars like we do here in N America, they follow the manufacturer guidelines & don't think twice about it. The fact with something like engine oil is that unless you're paying for oil analysis you don't know whether or not the oil is spent or not. I've done it with a number of diesel pickups I've owned over the years & never found that running to the listed oil change interval was dangerous in regard to the scientifically analyzed oil samples that came outta my specific vehicles. Not saying it can't happen but I believe it would be very rare that any of us would be killing our oil before the recommended change out interval. But, if we're not sending our engine oil off to the lab for analysis then it's just speculation. I lol at people that say they know their oil needs changing b/c it's black. The oil in my 35d is black within a few miles of being poured into the motor. Still good for many thousands of miles. I recommend anyone that's into cars like we're talking here do oil analysis, it's easy & pretty cheap to do. Best part, you end up with cool scientific data pertinent to your specific car.
You are absolutely right and an oil analysis through a company like Blackstone would be great especially if a person was concerned with extended oil services and wanted to be sure. The infamous e60 m5 or the e90 m3 are classic examples of following up with a lab. Either way, I know my favourite mechanic Ed who builds many engines especially Porsche’s never runs over 5 or 6000 kms and has seen deterioration.from the inside with engines that have been marginally or extremely neglected. While many engines may not fail catastrophically, the wear you see on Rod bearings, piston rings, and cam lobes can cause other issue down the road. Thanks a lot for watching and great comment.
@@ECPP I used Blackstone for a # of years when I was messing around with Oil Analysis... good vendor. Prior to that the Cummins / Onan dealership I worked close to offered a OA service for a while that was a good as Blackstone but for some reason the dealership stopped offering the service. Point being people have choices on how to get their oil analyzed for next to nothing cost wise.
Another one is the automatic transmission fluid. It kills me when an auto manufacturer states that their transmissions have “lifetime fluid” in it. Does automakers purposely make cars disposable nowadays? Another item that is inline with your opinion regarding frequent oil changes, is Mercedes’s FSS, or Flexible Service System. I heard that the FSS monitors your driving patterns, oil condition, running parameters of the engine, etc etc and adjusts your service interval dynamically (ie if you drive hard, it will lessen the mileage interval to your next service) to schedule A or B or whatever is the next service interval. I don’t trust that thing worth a damn. Every 5K miles she gets an oil change. She also loooves to throw on the check engine light for the lols. German engineers in general make everything so damn precise. No wiggle room whatsoever. 0.000001 nanosecond delay in the updates from the camshaft phaser? Limp home mode! Geez
I can’t relate to this unreliable talk - my 2014 bmw f30 328 x drive , purchase new now has 230,000 km and it runs like a Toyota Corolla and yes - I have to agree with you - I always insisted that they change the oil every 10,000 km . Perhaps this is the reason why the car behaves like a Toyota Corolla . I really am sold on the reliability of BMW - however I may be in the minority here. I also never drove like a madman , spooling up the turbo and maybe overheating them - perhaps this is another reason why I am ‘ lucky ‘ . I used to be a BMW hater but I am hooked on the 3 series.
All my friends with BMW (including me) we all had some problems. But we push hard, and I mean HARD; no car would have zero issue when driven to the limit. We joke about the fact that we bought BMW to drive like BMW, not like Toyota XD
@@PierSilver and now my 3 series has 259,000 km and still no problems - I am now even more convinced that changing the oil before it needs to be changed and not driving like a crazy person has made my beloved 3 series behave like a Corolla when it comes to reliability . I am also now the owner of a 2021 z4 with the 6 cylinder M40i and I also expect very few problems because of my experience with the beautiful 2014 3 series.
Hi there , it's been a while,how r things with u hope all s well, good to see ya still on top of things and I always find you tips helpful, u said something about the coolant colour being Blue, I have e a 19 y.o. x5 nd I'm using the red stuff as coolant fluid, now the country I live in is mostly hot year round, am I making a mistake nd switch to blue or is it same thing, thanx again for the fun vida Yours Ayman Kuwait
You've made some of these "keen mistakes"? Well that's a lot better than the common, run-of-the-mill mistakes. Always better to make high-quality ones. So kudos to you!
I just bought a 328i and love it so far but I wish it had a temperature gauge on it. It may be the first car I have ever had that didn’t have one. At the risk of asking a dumb question…how do I know if my car is running hot?
@@ECPP thanks for responding. I just subscribed. Quick question about AC care (I didn’t see a video of AC Maintenance). Is it better on the engine to turn off the AC before shutting the car down? Is it bad for the AC to turn it on and off that much?
Recommended oil changes for BMWs are not based on "saving service costs" for BMW. They are based on the design and materials quality used. I have owned BMWs for 30 years and never had one fail because I followed the recommended oil change interval. Of course, I used high quality oil and filter also. The same goes for their motorcycles which I have had for over 20 years. So please do not assume that BMW or MB are in the same league as Chrisler, Ford or GM, of which I have also owned, and indeed needed frequent oil change, and if using a magnetic oil plug, you knew why. I fully agree with changing the coolant at required intervals, especially in very cold and then very hot climates, such as in northern regions of North America. Proper cooling of the turbo is essential and I learned that in my 1993 SAAB. It is important to let the turbo cool before shutting off the engine, otherwise it will cook the seal, bearings and oil. That is user education. absolutely correct about prepping the car for storage. Our z3 has sat out every winter for 19 years and is still in spanking new condition, because we prep it every fall, as we do the motorcycles. Knowing the sounds (or lack of) are critical to understand when something is going on. Getting to know your vehicle is important. It is called being a good driver. Like any other machine, cars of any brand need attention and care. Great video. Love your enthusiasm.
I usually change my oil below 10k miles (15k kilometers). Usually at around 12k kilometers I'm starting to think about oil change, then, once I buy the oil, I change it out the moment I have spare time to do the maintenance on the car. Never went over 15k kilometers on one oil since I got to be the unofficial owner of that car which is on my relatives name so I'd have to pay less for insurance etc.
The worse issue with oil is fuel contamination. It causes a significant issue in lubrication with oil. This is really the main reason oil needs to be changed.
The main reason for no maintenance is to sell more cars and to have the most resent cars on the road as a financial status symbol. A prestine 30 years old 3 or 5 series not only has no financial status but can make the newer cars look bad. It is also not making the company any money. This lack of dipsticks no spare tires and hidden systems is just pure capitalism and greed.
full syn oil only and a good filter made in germany if can get online. The 15k interval works fine up to 198k on my last e46, I currently own an e90 and e30. Just do what manufactures says, no magic or misleading . Dont ever by a car with plastic water pump. (M20, and M52 2.5L pretty solid)
I own a 2001 BMW E53 X5 4.4.i with over 209,000 miles on it. Great engine with a lot of low end torque. People that usually hate BMW's are the same people who don't perform basic maintenance, then they take it to a dealership or a shady mechanic and get ripped off. A word of advice. Buy your own parts online and have a trusted mechanic install them for you. See, problem solved.
Yeah. And you can do it easyly yourself. I own 1990 E34 2.5 and 1996 E38 2.8. Best engines ever.
❤️
My 2012 X5 just hit 200,000 and she’s still running strong! I just had some new rear brakes slapped on her, and next will be an oil change!
Very wise
Word of advice buy your own parts and install them yourself
Have owned 5 BMW'S before and currently still have a 2015 E89 Z4(45 000km), a 2012 F30 320i(49 000km) and a 2012 1200GS(89 000km)
I have never had any oil leaks or engine problems with any of my BMW'S. Maybe I was just lucky but they were all serviced regularly and I am a very PROUD and HAPPY BMW owner! 👍❤️🇿🇦
Even in a Toyota, if you don’t take care of your car’s liquids, it will become an unreliable piece of metal (or plastic). My dad and brother have owned 5 BMWs between the two of them, and besides a 335i my brother modded a bit too much, every other has been an amazing purchase by keeping those oil changes every 6-8K miles and every 6-12 months do a check up with their independent mechanics. They’re amazing cars. Don’t be scared of the maintenance price, just be careful of how you treat the car/SUV.
I guess it's pretty off topic but do anybody know a good site to stream new tv shows online?
@Alejandro Xzavier Thank you, I signed up and it seems like a nice service :) Appreciate it!!
@Gary Guillermo glad I could help xD
THATS TRUE
I like the pace of your informative videos man.
I'm proud I knew all these BMW mistakes. In the 20 years of owning BMWs and avoiding the mistakes mentioned I can say they are shockingly reliable!
Don't be surprised if some bmw Hater comments back to you with you just must be super lucky because they are so notoriously unreliable!😄
Good work! As a BMW owner with an N55 engine, I have to say that the advice is insanely accurate. Don't think of saving your maintenance money because BMW and cheap maintenance don't go together! Do your maintenance PROPERLY and ON TIME
Thanks for the tips!
All great and accurate advice! “ Been there Done that” if you want to drive a nice car don’t skimp on the maintenance it’ll come back to bite you....HARD!
I couldn't agree more with everything you said, Mark. I also personally know a number of people who tend to ignore signs of potential issues, fail to give their cars even regular (let alone preventative) maintenance and other stuff like that, as they believe they are saving money. But nothing can be further from the truth. Because the money they may have "saved" today will come to cost them several times as much tomorrow.
Thanks and you are absolutely correct. Short cuts today get paid back later whether by the current owner or the next buyer or owner of the car.
Yup deferred maintenance always comes back to bite you hard🏖
Great advice Mark. I know people will think I’m nuts, but my BMW 650i with the N63 goes to my BMW dealer every 7,000 miles for service. It has had no problems in 85,000 miles. My BMW dealer has prevented issues from occurring ahead of time. He also tells me what can be safely put off if desired.
Good to hear you have had a great machine, after all they are fun to drive
I did that,they claimed they replaced valve seals and 3 years after valve seals bad again. No warranty by them ,no help
Just trying to tell me find 8k and come pay
Well of curse it doesn't have any problems it has 85,000 miles
Thanks!
You are welcome
I have had over 7 BMWs, 5 and 7 series with M package. No major problems ever detected. I bought them at the dealer and sold them after 290k miles. I did keep up with maintenance. I had minor issues mostly due with wear and tear. Overall, I highly recommend beamers because they are reliable if taken care of.
Coolant way before 100k in my opinion. Best to test the coolant using a test strip , they will tell you condition of cooling properties as well as anti-corrosive properties. When I change my water pump I change the thermostat , expansion tank and every hose at that time. If you spend the money on preventive maintenance it leads to an extremely pleasurable ownership and reliable car.
My friend has a 2005 5series with close to half a million mileage....he made me a bmw fan.
LOL at the check engine light being a loose gas cap because I got home the other day and my gas cap was dangling in the wind. No check engine light on, but it made me chuckle.
Cheers
I have a 320d e90. Change my oil every year. Also changed my transmission oil. It costs alot but if I wanna run the car for more than 500k km I need to treat it well :)
You truly are a BMW guru! Thanks for the content.
Thanks for revieving your experience and knowledge, I have a good feeling of owning an early 2000s bmw
Absolutely, had 3 BMW'S, all 3 series, all of them used and with all of them i did 200 +k miles, easily. Always changing the oil on time with all the filters, did some preventive maintenance on 150 k, didn't had to, and always taking car easy when starting in the morning, when engine is cold, always careful about that.
@alpha actually every time almost precisely on 7000 miles, with all the filters.
Also i always, religiously, take the engine easy in the morning or whenever it's the first start.
Best practice
First thing I did with my Mini JCW with the BMW B48 engine was install a bigger intercooler. Also, oil changes every 4000 miles
Have you seen any performance changes after the intercooler upgrade?
@@ifran77 after tune yes. Before, just cooler turbo temps
Thank you for info, I changed my blower motor fan on BMW X5 E70 2012 because of your video you are life saver thank you very much You are Legend
My 2019 BMW 440 has been running like an absolute dream since day 1. b58 FOREVER
I have a n62 750i, these engines runs hot 103c, changed all the hoses, water pump, valley pan. The standard thermostat opens at 105c. There is a thermostat that opens at 90c, which a lot of people install to make it run cooler, extending the life of hoses, valve cover etc
You really do need a proper scan tool for these types of cars. I’ve learned that the ISTA (there are other programs also to download to your computer) program is a key cpu scan tool for diagnosing BMWs. A cheap scan tool that would work for your Ford, Chevy, Honda, etc, wouldn’t work on a BMW. It won’t read all the codes. Diagnosing it yourself will save you thousands overtime.
Another thing is staying on top of maintenance. So another key factor in owning any premium car is having the TIME to service yourself or by mechanic/dealer.
Thank you! you're awesome. Just bought a 2012 X5 xdrive35d 120k miles and it's running well but I will check on the coolant and the tubes under the hood.
Great to hear!
I change my oil every 6 months. I do put many miles on it, especially since there was no traveling the last year or so. I also drain/flush my anti freeze more often. I change my own air filter and a few others once a year because, again, I don't drive this vehicle much.
I also have maintenance done on little things that any people don't know about and/or never think about. But I tend to keep my cars "forever", and so far, it's worked out. Had a 1999 Chevy Lumina for 20 years with over 105,000 miles. Not a lot sure. Only got rid of it because the Check Engine light came on and it wasn't really worth getting it fixed, plus, I was tired of driving it anyway, even though it was just to/from work, so I donated it to The Veterans Charity.
For everyone saying about temperature gauge. YES THEY ALL HAVE ONE. My 2018 1 series has one: you have to click the button on the end of the indicator stalk. It then changes from Miles, to mpg, then to temperature gauge, then to speed and average speed etc! So yes they still have a temperature gauge. Yes no dipstick either but go into I drive and select the settings on a flat service and allow it to read your oil levels.
Excellent video!
Thank you
Informative video. I own 2 bmws, 2015 1series and 2018 x2 model, so the long standing issue is real as work from home 80% of time. Will get some carpet for the garage for the next winter
Thanks for sharing
Very good video. If you love your car, you should take all these advices with gratitude.
2015 -528i I change the oil every 5000 miles and do the Radiator flush every 2-3 yrs. Only thing I did was the drive belt at 60.000. f10 4/ turbo. And plugs.
Thanks for the tips...How can we ensure that the dealer is really changing the oil and coolant and not just saying they are when going in before the scheduled time?
That’s a tough one and sadly there will always be scam artists but it’s important to use a trustworthy shop.
I would add one. Consider all season tires for areas with mild winters and also if you're more a normal driver who doesnt need professional summer tires with ultra high performance. You´ll save a lot on tire changes and storage
Some great points
Superb video, about to buy my first bmw. Really appreciate this sir and totally agree, life is too short to drive boring cars. Hah, cheers good sir!
Enjoy - I just wish I k new all these things BEFORE I bought mine B38 engine - would have taken so much better care of it instead of relying on the service center. 8 years and going strong.
For tip number 4: if you can, raise the car onto axle stands to protect the tyres
I have a 1998 e39 528i. With fluild maintenance. It has required very little parts replacement. 95% of the parts are factory including the exhaust. Has never be towed anywhere. A very reliable model year. Pity they don't make them like that now.
Thank you from Carlos . As I always thought if you do the extra maintenance. So many say BMW to avoid it. I’ve always done frequent oil changes and even early during break in. Second and third oil change early.
I would add couple things such warm up your oil before driving, and throw away your 10w60 from daily drivers, instead 0w40, it would prevent rod bearing surprises
I have had a 2013 BMW 328i for 2 years. The best car I have had so far. Reliable and no issues.
Excellent videos! I got a E46 330ci convertible amazing car but b smart about maintenance...
As a Licensed mechanic for more years then I care to count, and family with bmws new and old. I can say that even family won't listen to me when the vehicles were within warranty and within the free maintenance. Now that they are in the 100,000km+ multiple oil leaks coolant leaks, I believe if better maintenance occurred these issues with seals may have been avoided.
You bet, bad oil, bad coolant and neglect catches up with these cars. They are pricey to fix and that’s why many people put repairs off but all cars fail, I see a Toyota Corolla bear my house that has a huge oil stain beneath it. Every car fails , it’s just with junk like the Corolla, the expectation is low and owners are generally far less particular.
@@ECPP Exactly, and that's how Toyota myth lives on. I mean come on, let's be realistic, are we saying that BMW's and Toyota are driven the same? The amount of beating BMW gets is in the special league.
@@stevem2323 @exoticcar playplace I just fixed multiple leaks on a toyota lol power steering lines, valve cover, gm they all leak lol. 100% expectation of vehicle means more then we think. my toyota and gm people don't care i almost have to point out theres leaks. lol
I think this goes with every car. Honda has a similar maintenance interval. If you follow the interval there will be significant oil burning issues.
@@ismailkhan9698 I have heard of issues with the newer honda products. But when i was at Honda up to 2016 Only the 4cylinder accord had oil burning issues( front bad factory ring gapping ). Other then that the interverals were between 5000-8000kms. i just worked on my buddies 2005 BMW 330xi . interval resets to 25,000kms lol. like what the hell is going on.
Very reliable vehicles, I've had six of them over the years, from M's to 5 series, just do your maintenance and enjoy.
Nice. some can be decent to own for sure.
Excellent video , i like the point of the service intervals with the engine oil
Super informative! Great video.
Thank you very much, glad it helped
Z4 E89 23i N52 engine build 2009.. Runs silky smooth. 5k oil changes Mobil 1. Now at 91k miles.
First owner, first service at 21k, i hope that wasn't the first oil change. I'm 2nd owner.
I do biannual coolant change, simple on this engine.
Thx for your advice!
You are very welcome
I love maintaining my 1997 E36 Z3 with the 1.9L M44 Austrian 4 cylinder engine with the 5 speed manual and it still runs like a clock.
Great video!! All great points! :)
Thanks for the great advice Mark !! I’ve learned a few things already
you have to buy the "basic" models and ot the M or other fancy. I drive a 540d for 300 000 km without any repair of any issue on the longlife intervall where you have to go to service every 60 000 km only.
Regarding storage......don't forget about the battery! Use a battery tender.
Absolutely right. Great point.
Thanks for everything. It is appreciate! Keep 'em coming
Thank you very mich
I own a BMW 328xi 2007 whit 283,000 miles and running, it’s my daily, good and very reliable car for me but I’m very careful whit maintenance so don’t be afraid of BMW, just be careful whit maintenance
I got a E60 with the m54 at 199k with all major maintenance done and she runs like a dream, vanos seals r the biggest one
Over 30 years s with kids and wife weve Have owned 14 different BMWs.
6 cyl X5s & X7s a v12 850 coupe and many 750i sedans wirh V8s, 650 convertible and NEVER had any major issues. Certainly not any engine issues mostly electronic in nature or software need updates.
Great information Mark!
Thank you very much. How is the Murci doing?
Great videos Mark. I have enjoyed watching from beginning to the end and have just subscribed to your channel.
Thank you very much. That is greatly appreciated. Welcome aboard. Have an awesome day.
The oil service reset on my F15 X5 is every 15000km which is still too long. Every 10000km is standard in my bold opinion. Started replacing some critical plastic parts for aluminium parts, like the oil filter cap & charged air pipe to name a few.
Where can I get aluminum parts for a BMW X5?
@@lydellleopold5884 depend which parts you want to replace.
I have a 2008 328xi n51 with 230 on the dash😂😂❤. Just replaced the water pump and thermostat. Only one check engine for the ozone sensor on the radiator that just came on. Other then that idles fine just has that good ol tick sound that goes an comes.
Thank you its very informative I'll apply this on my 95 Vw Jetta 3
Thanks for watching
You’re on point, period.
Cheers
Best car I have ever had!!!!
The info you pass on is so valuable
Thanks a lot for watching
About runflat tires, few times I had nails screws in my runflat tires, and I repaired my self it right on the street with repair kit, and was using this repaired tires without problems. The stealeships making scared people ,telling them ohh it's dangerous you can't repair them blablabla. But here in Quebec roads with horrible potholes no one tells that it's dangerous, the other day I saw car in front of me, the guy tried to avoid huge pothole and he hit the guy on bicycle. And no body care, that pothole still there and became even bigger.
Change the run flats out with the regular run flats or crack your rim,
A BMW is like any other car it needs to be maintained, i have a 08 e90 and I use full synthetic oil and change it every 5 months depending on how much i drive and my friend changes it and it is very easy
Great advice, a lot of this was new for me. Thanks!
You are very welcome
1st buy an amg 😁
When I get a used vehicle, I change all of the fluids , dirty fluid is hard on the seals. Some say old coolant will carry an electrical charge. Toyota puts a silicon lubricant in the coolant. Shocks and tires take most of the shock of the vehicle. My check engine has been on for 40k miles , O2 sensor. Inspect the wear pattern on your tires.
May God bless you and your family and I pray may God give good health and happy life to u and your family Amin.
I've been changing oil in my 2005 530 I Every 15,000 miles.I'm at 395,000 miles Everything is fun. But I do drive a lot of interstate, So my point is You're driving a lot of interstate it's ok to go the extended intervals
I new nothing about BMW, I bought a 02 325ci in 04 5speed manuel. Its now 2024/5 and I've replaced Everything, I got rid of that damn plastic resivior tank, I found an all aluminium one. When the radiator blew because on the plastic connectors I replaced it with an aluminum one. Rebuilt engine, replaced clutch and flywheel. This car runs great but its become a hobby, so I've learned to do some of the work myself
Thanks for posting these incredibly helpful videos. Not sure if you still have your E60 M5, but if so are you still using a lighter oil such as 0W40-and if that’s the case I guess it means it’s having no impact on the VANOS system? My E60 M5 is at 70k/km and I recently changed to Mobil 1 (0W40)… Have noticed no issues, and no way do I drive the car anywhere near hard enough to encounter the shearing issue. Grateful for any comment you might make. BTW, I am about to swap out the rod bearings….probably prematurely, but better safe than sorry! Thanks again.
Thanks Paul for watching and yes, I still own the e60 m5. That car is still a beast to drive.
@@ECPP That’s great to know! Regarding the oil, I know there are two schools of thought here (maybe 0W40 is better re the rod bearings whilst 10W60 might be better for the VANOS system) so not asking for advice as such! Just wanting to know what you’ve settled on for your machine. Many thanks once more, Paul
I use 5w40w Rotella T6 full synthetic oil which made car run smoother
Before you say it's not recommended
It is rated for the V8 diesel trucks pulling 10000 plus lbs with HOT turbos that cook most oils so it is rated higher than a BMW oil and MANY are using it
I change every 3k miles, my friend changes every 5k miles. He own a 2009 328i with 194k miles and still running okay.
I get what you're saying & I do more frequent servicing on some stuff myself (like engine oil) but it's more out of my U.S. upbringing / cheap cost to do so than out of necessity. I lived in Germany for a # of years & still have Germany friends that I communicate with on the regular. They don't service their cars like we do here in N America, they follow the manufacturer guidelines & don't think twice about it. The fact with something like engine oil is that unless you're paying for oil analysis you don't know whether or not the oil is spent or not. I've done it with a number of diesel pickups I've owned over the years & never found that running to the listed oil change interval was dangerous in regard to the scientifically analyzed oil samples that came outta my specific vehicles. Not saying it can't happen but I believe it would be very rare that any of us would be killing our oil before the recommended change out interval. But, if we're not sending our engine oil off to the lab for analysis then it's just speculation. I lol at people that say they know their oil needs changing b/c it's black. The oil in my 35d is black within a few miles of being poured into the motor. Still good for many thousands of miles.
I recommend anyone that's into cars like we're talking here do oil analysis, it's easy & pretty cheap to do. Best part, you end up with cool scientific data pertinent to your specific car.
You are absolutely right and an oil analysis through a company like Blackstone would be great especially if a person was concerned with extended oil services and wanted to be sure. The infamous e60 m5 or the e90 m3 are classic examples of following up with a lab. Either way, I know my favourite mechanic Ed who builds many engines especially Porsche’s never runs over 5 or 6000 kms and has seen deterioration.from the inside with engines that have been marginally or extremely neglected. While many engines may not fail catastrophically, the wear you see on Rod bearings, piston rings, and cam lobes can cause other issue down the road. Thanks a lot for watching and great comment.
@@ECPP I used Blackstone for a # of years when I was messing around with Oil Analysis... good vendor. Prior to that the Cummins / Onan dealership I worked close to offered a OA service for a while that was a good as Blackstone but for some reason the dealership stopped offering the service. Point being people have choices on how to get their oil analyzed for next to nothing cost wise.
Another one is the automatic transmission fluid. It kills me when an auto manufacturer states that their transmissions have “lifetime fluid” in it. Does automakers purposely make cars disposable nowadays?
Another item that is inline with your opinion regarding frequent oil changes, is Mercedes’s FSS, or Flexible Service System. I heard that the FSS monitors your driving patterns, oil condition, running parameters of the engine, etc etc and adjusts your service interval dynamically (ie if you drive hard, it will lessen the mileage interval to your next service) to schedule A or B or whatever is the next service interval. I don’t trust that thing worth a damn. Every 5K miles she gets an oil change.
She also loooves to throw on the check engine light for the lols. German engineers in general make everything so damn precise. No wiggle room whatsoever. 0.000001 nanosecond delay in the updates from the camshaft phaser? Limp home mode! Geez
This is all great advice, thanks!
Thanks
Thanks for this informative Video
How often would you recommend changing the coolant?
I can’t relate to this unreliable talk - my 2014 bmw f30 328 x drive , purchase new now has 230,000 km and it runs like a Toyota Corolla and yes - I have to agree with you - I always insisted that they change the oil every 10,000 km . Perhaps this is the reason why the car behaves like a Toyota Corolla . I really am sold on the reliability of BMW - however I may be in the minority here. I also never drove like a madman , spooling up the turbo and maybe overheating them - perhaps this is another reason why I am ‘ lucky ‘ . I used to be a BMW hater but I am hooked on the 3 series.
All my friends with BMW (including me) we all had some problems. But we push hard, and I mean HARD; no car would have zero issue when driven to the limit. We joke about the fact that we bought BMW to drive like BMW, not like Toyota XD
@@PierSilver and now my 3 series has 259,000 km and still no problems - I am now even more convinced that changing the oil before it needs to be changed and not driving like a crazy person has made my beloved 3 series behave like a Corolla when it comes to reliability . I am also now the owner of a 2021 z4 with the 6 cylinder M40i and I also expect very few problems because of my experience with the beautiful 2014 3 series.
Unfortunately, just about any gasoline you buy in the USA has Ethanol..
here in the uk the service is every 6000 miles or every 12 months which ever comes 1st
Nice
Hi there , it's been a while,how r things with u hope all s well, good to see ya still on top of things and I always find you tips helpful, u said something about the coolant colour being Blue, I have e a 19 y.o. x5 nd I'm using the red stuff as coolant fluid, now the country I live in is mostly hot year round, am I making a mistake nd switch to blue or is it same thing, thanx again for the fun vida
Yours
Ayman
Kuwait
Welcome back!
Great video and really helpful. I was unawared of some of the mistakes I actually did. Thanks 👍
You are very welcome
You've made some of these "keen mistakes"? Well that's a lot better than the common, run-of-the-mill mistakes. Always better to make high-quality ones. So kudos to you!
Thanks again. We all make mistakes, lol
Great video with advices that make sense!
I Love BMW
BMW FOR LIFE
Thank you for all the advise.
I just bought a 328i and love it so far but I wish it had a temperature gauge on it. It may be the first car I have ever had that didn’t have one. At the risk of asking a dumb question…how do I know if my car is running hot?
It’s odd indeed
@@ECPP thanks for responding. I just subscribed. Quick question about AC care (I didn’t see a video of AC Maintenance). Is it better on the engine to turn off the AC before shutting the car down? Is it bad for the AC to turn it on and off that much?
Thanks again ✔️ for another great video . And amazing tips .
Thanks so much for your comments and have an awesome day
Very helpful, thank you!
really good advice
Recommended oil changes for BMWs are not based on "saving service costs" for BMW. They are based on the design and materials quality used. I have owned BMWs for 30 years and never had one fail because I followed the recommended oil change interval. Of course, I used high quality oil and filter also. The same goes for their motorcycles which I have had for over 20 years. So please do not assume that BMW or MB are in the same league as Chrisler, Ford or GM, of which I have also owned, and indeed needed frequent oil change, and if using a magnetic oil plug, you knew why. I fully agree with changing the coolant at required intervals, especially in very cold and then very hot climates, such as in northern regions of North America. Proper cooling of the turbo is essential and I learned that in my 1993 SAAB. It is important to let the turbo cool before shutting off the engine, otherwise it will cook the seal, bearings and oil. That is user education. absolutely correct about prepping the car for storage. Our z3 has sat out every winter for 19 years and is still in spanking new condition, because we prep it every fall, as we do the motorcycles. Knowing the sounds (or lack of) are critical to understand when something is going on. Getting to know your vehicle is important. It is called being a good driver. Like any other machine, cars of any brand need attention and care. Great video. Love your enthusiasm.
I just purchased a 2022 X5 40i drive, and I was told that all BMWs now have run flat tires which can’t be patched, they must be replaced.
I usually change my oil below 10k miles (15k kilometers). Usually at around 12k kilometers I'm starting to think about oil change, then, once I buy the oil, I change it out the moment I have spare time to do the maintenance on the car. Never went over 15k kilometers on one oil since I got to be the unofficial owner of that car which is on my relatives name so I'd have to pay less for insurance etc.
That’s the best way
@@ECPP Ayy, thanks for response 🙌 Have a great Easter time!
Thank you for the info really helps👍
The worse issue with oil is fuel contamination. It causes a significant issue in lubrication with oil. This is really the main reason oil needs to be changed.
Thanks
The main reason for no maintenance is to sell more cars and to have the most resent cars on the road as a financial status symbol. A prestine 30 years old 3 or 5 series not only has no financial status but can make the newer cars look bad. It is also not making the company any money. This lack of dipsticks no spare tires and hidden systems is just pure capitalism and greed.
full syn oil only and a good filter made in germany if can get online. The 15k interval works fine up to 198k on my last e46, I currently own an e90 and e30. Just do what manufactures says, no magic or misleading . Dont ever by a car with plastic water pump. (M20, and M52 2.5L pretty solid)
What do you think the best quality temperature gauge is? One that can withstand the weather and maintain it's accuracy?
He sure likes the word vortex in all his video's
nice advice, I am just going to get a Lexus then
Just bought a 35k miles E90 2 months ago. All were good when inspected. Sure is handy to have infos like theese. Liked and subscribed ! 👍🏻
If you don't mind , how much did it cost you?
Now the STRESS starts.... As to WHEN IS IT GOING TO FAIL??????.......get a Life buy a Lexus!