Justin I think you hit the nail on the head about not buying one before you are financially stable. I mean I guess if you are 16 and dad is making 300 thousand a year and paying all the bills it’s ok. But for most people that is not real life.
Or if you're a father and want to teach your kid a lesson (being stuck by the side of the road or as an introduction to 4 figure repair bills). I bought a 2015 228i for my son but when we discovered how involved timing chain guides were to replace we returned it. I'm in that category that could "afford" it but wanted a less expensive "project" for my son and I to wrench on.
@@Scotty_in_Ohio I have heard about that timing chain guide issue on that era of the bmw 4 cylinder. I think they did address the issue and it’s no longer a thing with the newest engines. I suspect that these engines will become bulletproof as they are no longer going to design new ice engines and only improve the current engines until they go full electric(assuming we are headed that way in the near future). But given current reports they are walking back time lines(I thought that would happen because we are no where near being ready for full electric- I am 53 and I don’t think I will see a full electric across the board from all car makers.)
Nah it’s really bc of you you can afford an e36 like me and be 24 still figuring it out. If you want a higher end model again that is YOUR choice you can afford a bmw even tho it’s not your dream car atm.
@@JoRocket77 Thank you. The other guy made way more of this than what I was asking. LOL. I like the 2.8L though. Wasn't as many issues compared to I think the 330 versions
I am an Audi, fanatic myself. I’ve had five Audis, but I have never been able to explain to anyone why they should buy one. I was so dismayed by peoples questions to me of why should I buy an Audi that I went on Twitter and sent the CEO a message telling him Audi has no brand identity. Their PR department tried to counter with oh but we sell a lot of cars. I don’t care how many cars they sell when someone asks you why should I buy an Audi you should be able to rattle off a bunch of reasons right off the bat if not then that’s a problem for them. I was always puzzled by BMW fanaticism. People who love BMWs always say the same thing I love them I refuse to drive anything else, but they are so expensive to own. Over the years, I have played around with the idea of buying one but my father who is a mechanic and a Mercedes fanatic says that BMWs are garbage. I don’t really listen to him because he hates Audis and I’m a 50 year old man and I make my own choices. Since I was always a DIYer I decided to take the plunge and buy a BMW E 39. There was a kid who had one listed on Facebook marketplace, who seemed desperate to get rid of it, and I bought it from him. I live in the Philadelphia area and I have never seen a car stay on there for more than a week no matter how many problems the car had. Somehow this car had been on there for three weeks and so I was curious so I wanted to take a look. Before I wasted my time, I straight up, asked him what was wrong with the car. He literally ran down a list of problems that would have made the average Joe run away screaming, nooooooooo! Instead of doing that, I went on RUclips and typed in BMW DIY and tons of videos, came up about how to fix all the problems that he named. He only wanted $850 for it so I figured why not? After about six months of wrenching on the car myself and $2500 worth of parts I took my first drive in the car and I see why people love BMWs now. I asked an actual mechanic how much work i did and he said about $8000. I wanted to put some racing brake pads and rotors on the car and while he had it up in the air, I asked him to do an inspection and he said that I did a good job. I hope me and my E39 have many years of trouble free driving.🎉😊
Glad you start to love bmw and the knowledge of diy.. i believe any car enthusiast no matter what brand, they should diy so that they can learn in and out about it.....try alfa romeo and see, if you can diy they are not bad either, they have some identity as well. Enjoy you drive
Thats impressive, well done! How much you reckon was the cost of the instruments needed for all the repairs you've done? And also how do you lift up the car?
@@spartacus2954 I already had the tools to work on the BMW. If you mean the parts, I spent about $2500 on parts. If I stupidly, went to the dealer, they would’ve cost me about $6000. As far as lifting the car up, I have ramps that I bought years ago. When the car was in bad shape, it was still drivable, but when I would take something apart it was fine because I just rolled it on top of the ramps because my driveway is on a downhill slope. When I was finished doing what I wanted to do, I would just start it and back it up.
Sadly, it doesnt. VAG is the only brand that doesn t transmit anything, like at all. I drove a second gen A8. Great car, but it s so forgetful, its like they are cursed or something. Good luck with your E39, a true legend.
I have a 2024 m4 with 4k miles on it. I've never had one problem with it. All I have ever done is put gas in it. No oil changes,no tune ups, nothing, and it still runs great....
Got my first E90 335i at age 20. Working as a barista during University. The moment I took possesion of that car, the High pressure fuel pump went. Over the years, I maintained it thoroughly and changed all fluids on time. It got more and more reliable over time. These are great cars, but I was put in a generous situation in when it broke, I could drive my parents car. If you are young on your own, Justin's advice holds true. These cars are amazing to drive and I had so much fun working on them and driving them however, and when you factor in enjoyment these cars are worth every penny.
Agreed. First thing I noticed when I got my first German car was like "whoa, I can improve this thing by doing work on it." I never got that same feeling with a Honda or American car. Also bmw community reminds me of the vw TDI community where there was a lot of passion and people working on things and posting DIY guides.
Great video! I bought a 1999 E46 with 125k miles in 2007 just after graduating from college. I spent a lot (like, a LOT) of money early on, before I started going the DIY repair route. It was stressful being at the mercy of a shop and never knowing what that bill was going to be. I drove and maintained the car for 15 years and put 325,000 miles on it, and learned an incredible amount in the process. The car is in need of a transmission, but other than that runs very well. RUclips channels and forums were my saviors for DIY work. I recently bought a 2014 335i and have had it almost 2 years. I am much further along in my career and financially stable at this point in my life. That, along with the knowledge and skills to do my own work makes this a (mostly) affordable car to own. Most importantly it is an absolute joy to drive. Cheers!
@@ma-scalia8629I am super happy with the car and the N55 engine. If I can make a recommendation, try to get a 2016 340i with the B58 engine. They made a ton of improvements with that engine and it’s supposed to be quite a bit more reliable.
@@-Plube- You know up to the early 2000s I would actually believe him. Heck I can actually believe him now, there's nothing in it for me. But I feel like the same time BMW started letting go of the N/A i6s lots of other things happened at the same time and quality started to dwindle.
I'm a big fan of your channel and love the content you create. You share a very good perspective on owning a BMW. I was a huge Chevy fan since I was kid and now in my forties bought my first BMW last year. I am fixing a lot of issues, but It's an awesome adventure and the community is one of the best I have ever experienced.
For the average DIYer, a bmw is by far the most satisfying car to own. I have had my good share of frustration in the beginning, but after a year I feel super comfortable and satisfied with my purchase.
Very valuable information indeed Justin! UK viewer here. I'm 47 and I've owned a year 2000 BMW 740 E38 for the past 11 years. I don't know enough about cars to do my own maintenence, so I rely on garages to maintain the car and fix things. It's not cheap, but worth it. I was aware that it would be expensive to maintain the car when I bought it with only 23K miles back in 2013. It's just done over 67K miles now. In my experience, I've learnt that one of the factors that make car maintenance expensive is mechanics who simply throw parts at your car when it's having issues and hope that one of those parts will eventually fix it. In short, mechanics who don't have a clue what they are doing have made owning my BMW more expensive than it has to be lately. My E38 started going into limp home mode randomly at the end of 2022. The garage changed a few parts, including the camshaft and crankshaft position sensors. That did not fix the issue. I spent sleepless nights trying to understand what was wrong because the car was throwing so many confusing codes when being scanned. I eventually found Tim Meek's page where he talks about coolant leaking from the thermostat housing into the DME. I told my mechanic and it was then that he opened the computer box and found the DME soaked with coolant. Unfortunately, he was still adamant that it was rain water and it had got in because someone had not shut the box properly. Unfortunately, it turned out the DME had been damaged and needed replacing. I have breakdown insurance with the AA. They refused to pay towards the DME because the mechanic had claimed it was water damage. Also, the mechanic did not change the thermostat housing to fix the leak but we replaced the DME with a used one from Europe. I decided to check the thermostat connection myself because I was worried that the leak was still there and the new DME would be fried again. I found the connection full of coolant. I now use a BMW specialist garage and they have fixed the leak and replaced the thermostat and rewired the sensor cable to the DME. And then then water pump also gave way and the AA still refused to pay because they claimed the issue was still related to the coolant leak which went on unfixed for months since the mechanic had misdiagnosed my car. So as you can see mechanics who haven't got a clue make car maintenance expensive for customers. Just imagine if doctors would blindly try different medications on us when we are unwell, hoping that one of those medications will eventually cure our illness!!
I love my Beamer. I think the 3 series is the most stable one of all the models. I also am a big believer that wear and tear will come quicker if you are always pushing your car to the limit non stop. There are people who buy a Beamer, continuously launch the car at every red light, every single day. Then 8 months later complain about parts breaking. Drive your vehicle nicely, and it will last longer. Of course have fun with it in a safe manner, but schedule these speed runs rather than impulsively doing it everyday.
You know Justin, I've been following you when I bought my 2014 550i and I can honestly say that I haven't had many problems nor high maintenance cost ,the warranty paid for my camera, door handle, gas line system, so I can't really complain much about mine, and it's 10yrs old with 130k miles
Realoem is the goat’d website and “find” a Bentley repair manual online or buy a used one, will go a long way. I bought a 95 S52 swapped M3 in my early 20s with a blown head gasket and leaned how to rebuild a car and what a machine shop does lol. 95 M3, 94 325is, 98 328is, 03 M3, 97 M3. Next vehicle I buy will be a Tacoma then a Porsche. Think I’m good on BMWs for now.
BMWs are weekend toys driving them daily cost a lot. They are really fun to drive but you have to be able to work on them other wise they are cost prohibitive to own, unless you have a ton of disposable income. My local BMW dealership service writer told me that the BMWs in general are 90% leased because they tend to fall apart after 5 years, they need a lot of maintenance to keep on the road. The pros of the brand is the community support is large and the resources are available to fix any problem. The motors are capable of high horsepower numbers with the right modifications and the chassis are excellent in the corners fun cars if you like getting oily they leak its just part of the ownership experience. I would not advise a younger person with no mechanical skills to buy a beamer stick with a car from Japan they don't leak as much and they get better gas mileage, the con is they are not as fun to drive.
Great video. Honest, good perspective. You're correct, German cars are not for everyone. My BMW experience started as 59 year old looking forward to retirement. I bought a pristine, low mileage 15 year old 135i. The same year I bought the first of 5 Porsches of various vintages and models. (I'm down to one currently and hoping to keep it that way.) I had never been a car guy previously. I always appreciated nice cars, but from a distance. I had never even changed my own oil. I knew that having these cars was going to require me to learn and take on some of my own maintenance and repair work. Its been almost 3 years and I've learned a lot. I've done things I would never have imagined. The car community has been really helpful. RUclips and videos like yours are a gamechanger. I've found it challenging and rewarding to learn. I'm not a broke 18 year old so my risk has been pretty limited and yet, I've had to spend some money for parts and tools, etc. It would have been cheaper to continue driving Acuras and Toyotas, but I would have missed out on driving some really fun cars, learning a lot, and even making some new friends. I'd even dare to say I've become an enthusiast.
This is my 6th BMW. My 2017 M2 I picked up was $17,000 and you must be thinking that's crazy cheap and sure, it is, but there were a number of things that needed doing and I knew that going in. That included the entire cooling and brake system! $5000 later and it's basically completely refreshed but if it wasn't for my mechanical knowledge where I did all of the work and the fact I understand the OE and OEM markets for parts, that number would easily have been $10,000 or more in parts and labor.
Being a broke college student with an 08 328i for 6yrs now, can confirm it is possible to own THAT model on a budget. Other than crucial drivetrain/suspension/electrical parts, everything I got was from 1) the junkyard 2) amazon/ebay and 3) fb/offerup. A LOT of sleepless nights too. But it's worth the drive the following weekend. Love my e90 so I'll keep her 'til she dies
Across all my BMW ownership, my most expensive repair has been either AC or thermostat/waterpump/hoses on my E90. Everything else hasn''t been too bad, and I've done all maintenance except AC myself. Tires were my arch nemesis, and that wasn't any fault of BMW but our roads and sheer amount of driving. 2015 X1 xdrive35i - New to 55k (totaled) 2014 X1 xdrive35i - 35k-104k (current) 2009 328i - 115k-190k (sold running in great condition, also the most economical car I've had in a long time) 2016 550i - 33k-60k (current) 2021 X3 M40i - 24k-26k (current)
A very useful Video, Justin! I made the bad experience with my first car, a Saab 9-3. Which was cheap to buy, expensive to run, incredibly expensive to keep maintained. The BMWs (2 e60d's) got my finances back on track, actually, as they prooved reliable and long-lasting. But again: By then I had my experiences made and my network set up to get parts cheap and repairs reasonably done. I was still surprised by the low service-bill of a friends yaris... that's just another league which I will never reach... but which i maybe don't want to reach, because I love driving a car that rewards you with a driving experience. It's important to know that that "sporty experience" needs sophisticated tech, which comes at a price.
The most expensive shop trip cost me ~$1500 for a boost/vacuum leak, and some small things (it was a few years ago) and the boost leak came back after I got the car back. I was able to fix it by modifying the intake manifold with a $2 brass fitting and a tube of sealant for another ~$3... no more boost leaks after that.
I have been a BMW owner for over ten years. My first was an e46 M3. I was warned but didnt shy away. I owned and maintened it my self. I loved that car until it burnred. Even after ten years it burned and when i researched to figure out why, apparently it was a common issue. This was after years of my own research, right out of left field. I still sold the car for a great price and replaced it with a 2022 m550i knowing that i would need to diy alot, being aware of the power plant short comings, i bought it any way. I currently own a 21 X7 and owned a 535GT. All have been great cars. My point being in all my years and models of bmw ownership this is one of the best introduction to bmw owner video i have watched. I will refer anyone interested in owning a bwm to this video and Bentley owners manuals.
I have owned 2 BMW’s. A 2011 BMW 328i and currently a 2020 M340i. Maintenance can be expensive and won’t be for everyone and you are absolutely right about being a little more stable financially. I get my maintenance almost free because i work at a Honda dealership and one of our used car techs used to work at BMW so he does some maintenance on my car.
Original owner of a 2008 335i Coupe with the N54 engine. I ordered the car as I wanted a manual transmission and an exterior color other than black, white, or silver. My 335i has been my daily driver since I took delivery in December of 2007 and now has ~91,000 miles on the odometer. I have changed the oil/filter every 5,000 miles (and sent samples of each oil off to Blackstone) since new. My car typically needs new valve cover and oil filter housing gaskets every 5-6 years. The oil pan gasket needed replacement in year 11. The car is on its third water pump/thermostat: the first when it was four years old, the second when it was nine years old; the current pump has lasted 8 years (and counting). In year 14, I did have leaking coolant hoses, specifically some of the plastic hoses and I paid to replace every hose in the cooling system, whether they were leaking or not, as well as the expansion tank as I'd already paid the shop the labor costs to access the entirety of that area. The other high-cost items are the fuel injectors. Prior to going to 'index 12' injectors, there were misfires and occasional check engine lights. However since replacing all six of the injectors with new BMW-branded index 12 injectors in year 13, the fuel system has been perfect. Laughably, one of the most failure-prone items in my car, the high-pressure fuel pump, has never failed, I am still on the factory pump. The only component that has broken that I have not repaired is the Sirius satellite radio module, the rest of the stereo system works fine. Personally, I budget $3,000 every year for maintenance/repairs. I do not spend $3,000 every year, but there will be years where big-ticket repairs are needed (including replacing wear-and-tear items like tires). I do all of the required fluid swaps (oil, brake, power steering, transmission, differential), air filters, spark plugs/coils, as well as brakes (pads/rotors). I send the car to a local independent shop for things like gasket replacements (or any repair that requires the intake manifold to be removed). My 335i is a love-hate relationship. When the car is healthy, it is simply awe-inspiring to drive; that N54 engine really is incredible. But the car also requires far more maintenance than most other vehicles on the road. It does get annoying and every time I see some oil seeping from a gasket or the check-engine light comes on I tell my spouse I am selling the car once I get it fixed. But then, once its fixed and healthy, I inevitably fall in love again when I take it out for a spin.
I've had an E32 735i (1991) for 24 years and have spent around CHF 65,000; purchase and investment. Over the year, that's about 2,700, but I don't work on the car myself. It never occurred to me to want something new. It's a privilege to sit in a car today that doesn't monitor and analyze you, but simply lets you drive. And I had a lot of different brands before that. Today's new cars on lease or with a warranty are okay, but buying and running them for more than 10 years is a bad idea and makes no sense. Too complicated, all parts too expensive, software outdated. Today's cars won't last long, that's clear. But I'll still be driving around in my E32. Technology that can be repaired.
Absolutely the best video on long-term ownership. It is truly a treasure trove of useful information. Coming from the JDM world to an M240i. Can't wait.
I am currently 21 years old, and I was able to save up enough money this last year to get my first car, and I seriously thought of getting a BMW, but wanted to inform myself as much as I could. This has been one of the most helpful videos I have ever watched about BMWs. Thanks for sharing your priceless knowledge Justin!
Great video, I currently own 05 325xi. Great is active snow storms, nice to have for weddings, funerals and and evening out. BUT they have to be maintained. It is starting to show age where little things are setting off the sensors. It is quite annoying. But the car just rides nice and hugs the road! It is hard to let it go.
I remember watching your channel back when I got my first car in 2016 (325i) which eventually the mileage caught up and I had to scrap it. I've owned a mustang gt for almost 4 years now and am looking at getting an M2 soon. It's wild to see how much the channel has grown since but the quality has never changed, well deserved Justin
Totally agree with you Justin. For people getting into bmw, maintanance is key. I’m a firm believer in preventative maintenance. Replace the parts that are known to go bad before they go bad. Won’t break down on the road and your experience will be a lot better!
@@douglastaylor8039 parts go bad on every single car ever made bud. Mileage takes its toll on parts. I recently sold my wagon with 110k and it’s only ever had oil changes and common filters replaced
Your advice is spot on I’ve owned BMW, Porsche and Toyota. I least enjoyed my Toyota but it was the least expensive to own. (All business) Porsche engineers their cars more for enthusiasts and definitely are much easier to work on. I think that comes from their racing and production engineering being tied so closely together. BMW has been the most high maintenance and head scratching “why did they do that?” vehicle for me. I loved my X5 and love the 650i ($15,000 if you choose the dealer for valve stem seal replacement) The one thing BMW does have right is their driving experience is incredible. Great advice! I hope people listen to you.
Very thorough and truthful video. I owned an E60 550i and I was blown away with how it drove. It just felt magnetized to the road. But I quickly fell out of love, with the various electrical issues and then paying $600 plus for a battery install. I traded it for an 09 Cadillac STS-V. That was about 10 years ago and I'm still enjoying the V with some light mods. Being a car guy I still appreciate BMWs especially E39's and many other high performance cars. Great work on the channel. Keep it up.
Sir; New to your channel. In a world of social media, and tons of Internet influencers, I cannot express the relief my ears hear when you give your honest advice to your young viewers, about the cost of ownership of having a car especially when you’re out of college, or just starting your life on your own. That is good-sound and honest, financial advice, and very specific direction. Young kids nowadays do not listen to their own parents…. So, thank you. God bless you.
@justinbuice - Car payments nowadays are the cause of so much stress and anxiety. Car Payments nowadays have been the reason for so much detrimental bad costly financial losses…. Especially for young people and young, married couples. My wife and I have had the same car since 2005 and 2010. Yes, they do need replacement parts because of their age but still we rather pay for the maintenance than to get stuck with these insane car payments nowadays. You’re very wise beyond your years. Thank you For your work and service. 👍🏼
Good video. Thank you. I am currently on my 2cd 3 series- a 2016 320ix and my current 2019 330ix. 8 years total and not a single issue between the two cars. I mean Nothing- not a switch, not a gasket, not an ANYTHING. Just fantastic build quality on both.
My BMW experience has been mostly with a 2008 335i and your channel saved my -s many times. Just sold it with almost 229k miles and bought a 2023 330i. Can’t stay away from them! BIMMERlife! Lots of lo❤e from Dallas Texas.
Been following you for so many years now, and I think you share an awesome perspective! It’s exactly how I feel about BMW’s, and I hope that the support for these older 3 and 5 series continues as the years go on. Especially with all these plastics being eaten by aging and acidic fluids 😅. Our family 5 series was still my favorite car to drive, and I can’t wait to get back into another
Great video as always! I have been following you for years. Your videos on your e90 were one of the deciding factors when I bought mine. I still have mine 6 years later. Since then , my daughter has an e46 and my wife has a mini countryman. I have learned some much about BMWs and cars since getting my e90. Thanks for all your videos. Keep up the good work!
@@justinbuice the e46 has a similar engine, but the water pump and thermostat are easier to replace compared to an e90. It feels a bit smaller which I don’t mind. For how cheap they are I would recommend you get one.
Bought a used x3 in 2021, used it for 3 years and drove around 110000 kms. Had an issue with MAP sensor which cost me around 175$, changed breaks for about 1300$, and during last service, mechanic suggested that it is better to change sealings around drive system which would cost about 1600$. So I sold it. I did services on time, never pushed it to the limit, oil service I did every 15000km though BMW suggests 30000km. In a few days, I will be taking home a 530e. Let’s see how it goes.
BMW requieres a lot of DIY to keep it affordable, 100% true. Had an E90 and now with a F32 I felt bimers are getting more expensive to fix (specially here in Japan) and more prone to break for vehicle cost reduction and weight... aka more plastics. Yet BMW is a great machine, like their stance and noticing people looking at the car and get compliments pays off the efforts 😊 Being following from years and you helped me a lot specially during my e90 time and even motivated me to start a RUclips channel!
Through your E90 videos you have inspired me to buy one too,it has been 4 years this month and is is already 16 years old,but it still drives fantastic.But it was well maintained by the previous first owner,and that's what I do. I do things myself and what I cannot do myself I go to a garage(not a BMW dealer😁),which keeps the maintenance costs fairly limited. Hope to see you soon with a new video.👊🇳🇱🇳🇱
Hi, i just thinking to buy my first BMW and i chose an E90 for the first one. I want to switch car that i drive now to it, but this video made me feel controversial. How much have you spent on maintenance on average in single month?
I started watching your vids in November 2019 when I was researching if I should get a bmw. I ended up getting a 2013 328i in February 2020. I had to get rid of it 2 months ago because I had 2 oil leaks that were going to cost me 5k to get fixed. I now have a 2021 330i m sport that still has a year left on the factory warranty and another 3 year warranty after that. I love the car and hope to keep it for awhile
Purchased a 2015 435I F33 Convertible. Kids are grown and this is my project car and my wife and I fun car. I am looking forward to working on this car and upgrading things. Already watched your sticky door handle video and have replaced. Thanks for the information. Of course I hit a deer 3 weeks after I bought it. Fortunately the air bag did not go off! Any suggestions are welcome.
I love your content and video quality. I own a CPO 2008 BMW 335i and is still my daily driver. I’m only the second owner and have owned it since 2009. I love driving it but it does cost some money when it comes to service. I did a few mods myself such as replacing the door handles, door lock, and the splicing the wires under the shifter. I take majority my services to the dealership. I’m lucky that I make enough to afford the cost of ownership. But I still love driving it after 15 years of owning it. Good luck with the channel and keep up the good work.
We have mostly bmw’s. Once they run out of warranty, we only use German mechanics but don’t go to dealer. You’d be amazed at how good & skilled mechanics are once they own their own businesses. It will be painless and probably 1k versus 4K. My daughter has my old X6 & she faithfully changes oil every 5k miles…. And does not drive hard or fast bcz she loves the car
Big BMW enthusiast here. On my 3rd one now and agree that they use too much plastic for engine components. However, after driving my M340 for a couple minutes I dont care about plastic components anymore. The linear power that comes out of that B58 engine and driving dynamics put a smile on my face every time :)
Great video! I was scowering the interwebs for Lexus GS cars and then I found a BMW 640i Gran Coupe. The rabbit hole for BMW has allowed me to find your channel and a couple others for basically saying there is a healthy community for BMW. I haven't seen the same thing for Lexus (Not saying there isn't) but this video was pleasant. I also peep the Seiko's. I think saw a Willard or Turtle Shell in black and the Seiko Speedtimer. Nice picks!
Owned many over 18 years. Current f25 x3 driven over 100k miles, second owner. O2 sensors and coolant reservoir. They're reliable if you know how to buy them. Prefer ones that are in rougher shape with less maintenance from current owner. They tend to goof things up. I had to replace all the fasteners and fix things that are missing from the previous owner on my e46 m3.
My new 2023 X3 came with run flat tires and no spare or car jack. Coming from Hondas and Toyotas this was shocking. Found out the hard way by hitting a pothole on a Saturday night and had to tow it since I ended up with two flats. Oh and these tires are about $600 each special 21” low profiles. Still love the car but man so unexpected!
coming from all jdm cars, tons of turbo subarus. I wanted something better on fuel but still fun to drive. Looked into diesel BMWs. Found a 2010 e90 335d for a really good price and knew it needed work just didnt anticipate as much as it needed lol. Lots of little things go wrong and im lucky to know my way around vehicles and havent been too frustrated at the car working on it. Most expensive repair was an injector failing, about 500$ just for the part. But slowly going through the car and fixing all the little things im sure to have a well sorted car at some point. currently at 273,000kms on it and hope to get well into the 300s. So many people make jokes about bmws and dont really understand why until you truly own and drive one. they are amazing cars but not for everyone as you said. Thanks for the video, subscribed!
I've owned 8 and still own 4 M3s. Never had any big issues, but I have to admit the most modern ones are much more annoying to maintain due to (unnecessary) electronics - yes, they want you to bring your car to the dealer (although many other brands took that as an example)
I bought my 2009 BMW Z4 35i with the n54 seven years ago and it currently has 145,000 miles on it. It my first BMW and I really didn’t know anything about my Z4 when I bought it. I was looking into hard top convertibles and a local used car dealer had it on the lot that I happened to drive by everyday on my way to/from work. One day as I drove by a guy was getting ready to take it for a test drive so I called and made an appointment for a drive. The car was mine the following day. It’s the coolest car I’ve ever had and it’s so much fun to drive. I have put a lot of Highway miles on it and it’s never let me down. I do all of the maintenance/repairs myself but for me it’s been reliable. I replaced the cracked valve cover 4 years ago, installed index 12 fuel injectors and a Precision Raceworks coil system, Bilstein shocks and Eibach springs. Last summer I replaced the brake rotors/pads front and rear. This summer I’ll replace the water pump/thermostat and all coolant hoses as preventative maintenance. My n54 hasn’t been modded or tuned. It’s fast enough for me and I plan on keeping it until I’m to old to drive. 😀🏁
Bought an e89 last summer and I'm obsessed with it. Looking to change rotors and pads soon and was also thinking of doing injectors and coils in the near future. How much did you pay for those and is it an easy job?
Hey Justin, I bought my FOURTH later-mid-life-crisis-mobile in 2019 and the best car I've ever owned; A 2018 M240i X-drive with 8500 Kms (about 5000 miles) and it was the best decision I ever made at the then tender age of 59 lol! My first "old geezer mobile" was a 2011 Mustang GT 5.0L manual that I bought in 2012 and ran between Cabo San Lucas Mexico and Calgary Alberta. It was great fun, however, several speeding tickets later (one clocked at 230 Km/H on an empty stretch of Baja desert highway, courtesy of the Mexican Federales), I moved back to Canada and bought a 2014 Mustang GT manual which was also an awesome car but not so great in Canadian winters, so after a few years driving sideways in the snow and ice, I opted for a 2017 Infiniti Q60 red sport AWD. It was a complete turd with electrical problems up the wazoo, but in 2019, I spotted a 2018 BMW M240I X-drive way across the country in Montreal for $42,000 CDN (approximately $30K USD) which was $7000 cheaper than I could find in western Canada. It was a dealer demo and as mentioned, with only 8500 Kms. It now has 62000 trouble-free Kms, despite flashing the ECM with an MHD stage 2 tune with a catted downpipe and an xHP Flashtool stage 2 transmission tune. However, I baby my car, maintain it meticulously and only stomp on the accelerator once in a while. Thanks to your videos as well as Kies Motorsports and FCP Euro, everything is in tip-top shape. I've saved a ton of money doing all the work myself. Keep up the great work!
Did a lot of work on a 3 series that kept coming to our shop for work.. did so much work on it i started buying bmw tools. My experience maintaing that car.. the plastic hoses suck ass. But i leanred quickly to wrap them with electric tape prior to removing them, and the. If you hear the sreaded crack use a big piece of adhesive lined heat shrink over the part you taped, as it already is formed to the pipe and is hokding all the bits in place, never had any vacuum leaks or check engine lights for it, and he was informed they may break before work was done and that we woukd do our best not to, basically told us if it did try to fix it.. which is how i developed above method, with that said it honestly wasnt any more maintenance heavy than a dodge or a ford ( especially fords first retro mustang, bad front ball joints at 30k miles) Yeah alot of work is time consuming but not especially hard, and they do seem to have issues with letting an owner know fluid levels outside of coolant.. which is odd considering every engine they make leaks oil after a while so a dipstick would behoove them.
Also with above toyota partnered with bmw for the new supra, which I think says something about that inline 6. And as a result of my work 9n that 3 series, I purchased an e90 sedan with the n54. But I'm also an enthusiast of tuner type cars.. and considering how much I spent on my dodge srt4, and my mitsubishi station, ( the starion is a money pit, mitsubishi electronics in the 80s sucked major ass, and the intake sensors have a HUGE variation.. complete lack of QC.) And the talon TSI I used to have, I expect the inline 6 to actually be cheaper to own,
🏁I have been following Justin Buice for years and his Videos and advice inspired me to purshase the E92 320D M Sport, since owning well i purchased a "Lemon" and have replaced almost every major component on the car! Every car has a list of parts that fail Prematurely or by design, even down to age of the part! Turbo. WaterPump, Thermostat, suspension, Outshaft relucta ring, head Gaskets, Tuming Chain you get the drift £13,000 pounds later and what you have got is less worry and a once in a life time ride. 🏁 Great content Justin
What I've learned from owning two BMW's (740i and 530ix) is expect breakdowns before and after the warranty period. For the 740i, the radiator would consistently overheat, even after the BMW dealer would replace parts. This occured a few times, and they would always attribute the problem to another replacement part needed. I eventually sold this car and purchased the 530i. I was speared a significant financial burden for this vehicle during the warranty period since several break downs were 100% covered.After the warranty expired, I assumed since everything had pretty much been replaced or repaired by the dealer, I would at least enjoy a fews years worry free. Not so, the horror ontinued. I was fortunate enough that this vehicle was eventually totaled in an accident. I purchased a 911 Turbo S that has been worry free so far and never looked back. This vehicle looks better as well as handles and performs better then any BMW. I will never buy another BMW again, no matter how they claim to be more dependable now.
I have an F20 M135i 2015, I did every type of maintenance/replacement by myself, this is the key for own a bmw without too much pain. I agree with you, the quality on last car generation is lower than the older one.
My first car was a 2014 338i xdrive, I loved that car, customized it and everything. Most of my diys were done watching kies from his first videos. I traded it in 2020 when they told me it needed a new turbo and I wasn’t gonna pay for that. I would love to get back in a bmw, maybe an SUV as my family has grown since then
Totally agree with you. You don't need to be rich to own a BMW, but you should do your homework to know what to expect, make sure you're buying a used one that has been well maintained, and learn how to at least do the basic maintenance yourself. I started with an E90 with N52 engine because it was known for few issues besides oil leaks. Recently added a F30 with B58 engine for the same reasons plus a whole lot more power and fun. Now I have all the basic tools and a lot more knowledge to do a lot of the work myself... some of which was gained from this channel!
2016 F20 and 2013 E84. N20 and N55 in the latter. Changing fog light bulbs is unnecessarily difficult. I do pretty much everything myself on any car and it’s frustrating not having available repair manuals. Thankfully, between forums and FCP Euro vids, I have most of what I need. Having a general knowledge of how engines work helps greatly.
ever since i bought my first bmw 2000 328 (stick shift), i knew i was 'in love' with bmw. i never bought other brand since, why?.....btw, i had E90 335 (2007), 750 Li (2010),X3 inline-6 (2013), 340i (2018), now M340 (2020) 1, high quality and performance ~ handling and acceleration 2, good feature/price ratio 3. dyi available 4. low lost if you know how there's important understanding of how to keep the low cost 1,always maintaining yourself(oil change, small parts changing, such as brakes, tires leak repair, etc.) 2, always busy off market parts unless it is critical engine related parts. 3, increase your repairing skills to solve small to medium problems... such as change oil gaskets, thermo pump, wheel chamber alignment, etc.
I bought one when I was 18, it was an E90 318i. Their engines are not known for reliability and mine was no different. From things like coolant system issues to oil leaking onto the exhaust, it was a handful. Once it broke down for the last time I decided to cut my losses and sold it, financially it was the right thing to do but it hurt to see it go. It's definately a handful to own one but since I am into BMWs, I will be buying another when the time and money is right. I loved the video, everything you said was completely true and I love that you were 100% honest about your own experience. Thanks, Justin!
Bought a CPO 2014 328Xi in 2017drove for five years basically replaced one control module for about 1000 bucks that was about it other than that routine oil changes ….. three years ago traded that in and bought a 2019 330 IX also CPO… With 16,000 miles I now have 36,000 miles and not one problem been a great car
For those thinking of a 4 cylinder, please reconsider. BMW is known for their I6 and that is where the fun begins. I owned a 2018 BMW 230i with the B48 4 cylinder engine for 2 years and thankfully no issues. It had less than 40,000 km when I traded it and spent around C $3000 altogether including new 18" rims and tires. The blinker light was not working, but was replaced under extended CPO warranty. It was fun to drive, but it is no where near my friend's F87 M2. I would honestly look into a Golf R if you're only looking at 4 cylinders. Otherwise, the I6 is amazing.
Justin, I bought my first bmw in 2020 on a whim. It was an amazing experience driving, but I was hit with all the maintenance. I didn’t let it discourage me. Watching your videos, Kies & a few other guys from the community has helped encourage & educate me, and I went on to buy another F30. Still working on her, but most of what I’ve learned has been from you guys. Thank you!! 🎉 Ps, I’m in detroit, would love to see your build sometime if you’re ever in the area!
Good video Justin, many fair points. I have a bad habit of picking up BMW’s that need rescuing from terrible owners. I find even some complex repairs pretty straight forward. $60 in parts vs. $1800 at an Independant shop. Most reapers and service can be done with simple tools, just look at Justin’s list. That is 90% of anything you should ever need. It can be intimidating at first, but very easy access to most things. After you have done it once, you will see how easy it really is. Basic mechanical skill will get you a long way to being a happy owner. Cars mean so much more when you do the work yourself. I have had BMW for well over twenty years. Never regretted any of it, even the big ticket items; which have been few. They are wonderful cars to own and drive. A twenty year old BMW is nicer to drive than a new Lexus. If you love to drive, you will love a BMW! Rescue that puppy. If buying your first one, find a friend with long-history of BMW ownership. Don’t want to gamble on a ‘good deal,’ without good advice from a trusted friend. After you have owned three or four of a model, can you take a risk on that deal.
You’re videos have been so helpful I appreciate them immensely I’ve only had my 13 f30 for almost a year now but the joy and satisfaction this vehicle brings is immense yes I have run to a few hiccups but that’s to be expected lol
I currently own two e46s ('02 325i and '06 325Ci) and an E90. The '02 was a hand me down with Dinan stage 2 intake, exhaust parts that I maintain for sentimental reasons. The 325Ci I bought for $6k was for the wife but didn't like how low it was on the ground. The E90 had 95K miles when I bought it for $2.5k. Bottom line is I'm a sucker for German cars BMWs particularly. Since I don't make car payments I spend most of my "expendable" income maintaining these cars and any one of them can be driven 300-400 miles with no issues. My advice is 1) never buy cheap parts from Ebay since you'll replace them again soon, 2) be diligent on the maintenance schedules and you'll be fine 3) enjoy the driving sensation whenever you can 4) keep and excel file of all the maintenance done so you can keep track what else needs to be done 5) Don't bring it to the dealer for whatever reason unless you have a 6 figure income. I know a shop near my house who maintains my cars (for almost 20 yrs) and fix my BMWs without the dealer $ and can do it faster, and 5) life is too short to be driving boring cars. BTW I also own a Prius (we call plastic car) and a Honda Pilot which I call boring since nothing breaks.
2016 340i no oil filter housing issues but I have had to get my rear main seal replaced and oil pan gasket @103000 miles also pcv gasket failed. Car is 111111 miles about and is running great. Stock
Own a E39 dinan 5 love that car. Sometime it's a pain in the ass but love it. Has 200k , replaced the timing guide and vanos. Was a bit pricey but now it drives like a dream.
Had an e39 335 sport package. Surprisingly fast. Plan to spend 3-5 a year or so on maintenance. Oil filter housing gasket ect . Must go to dealer or bmw specialist
Hey Justin great video. If you want something reliable, the magic formula is rwd, manual, naturally aspirated inline 6. With turbos everything becomes more complex as there are a lot more parts to go wrong. My 06 330i is a great compromise making 255hp which is only 50 less than a stock 335 and has been bulletproof.
Here's everything I changed on my 2006 rwd, manual, naturally aspirated inline 6 since 2019 to today, 115k to 155k miles All cooling system with hoses, except heater core (includes waterpump, thermostat, radiator) battery starter alternator (left me stranded) coils and spark plugs serpentine belt, pulleys, tensioner upstream oxygen sensors valve cover gasket oil filter housing gasket control arms tie rods brakes and rotors windshield washer pump sagging sunroof headliner all that + oil changes & cosmetics by myself it's been in the shop for the oil pan gasket lemon?
I have had my E90 LCI (318D its stage 2 now) for 4 and half years now, no big problems and loved it. Now im trying to get my hands on a F30 335i/340i :X
Having bought one of the rarest BMW's, the 335i Active Hybrid 3 with only 5,000 vehicles globally produced, I sort of knew what I was going in for. In two years, I've done pretty much all of the general 335i maintenance, as well as having to do rod bearings as I saw glitter in the oil filter, I've probably sank 10K in the car. The alternator alone for this model is over 4,000 dollars if it ever breaks. Hybrid battery if it dies, is under 3,000 here in Finland, whereas the U.S it costs over 10K. So with the extra horse power over the regular 335i, comes extra maintenance and quirks. If I didn't work from home and have better than average income, I would have sold the car pretty quick. Only certain life circumstances can make comfortably owning a BMW possible. Nevertheless, the car has become like a family member that I care for and it's the best, most fun car I've ever owned.
Those are some expensive repairs! Glad to hear that you persevered and kept it going. One thing I remind myself of is that no car is perfect. If Im going to spend money on maintenance and repairs anyway, I’d rather do it on a car that I really love 💪
Ayyyy I seen a clip of you riding in Port Huron !! That’s my hometown!🥳🥳 just bought my first bmw , it is a 07’ 328i e92 , i love it and excited to build this car! Thank you for all the advice Justin
I agree with you on this, Justin. I've also owned a BMW for ten years now. I have a 2012 BMW X5 and I love it, but the cost of repairs is insane at times. Fortunately I've been able to pay for them, but if I had been hit with these bills in my 20s I would have been devastated. So, my advice is similar to yours: Think twice before buying a BMW if you're not financially prepared for repair bills. If you don't enjoy doing car maintenance yourself, be prepared for some expensive repairs. Still, I love BMW and will probably buy another one when my current one finally dies.
Got my first bmw last year f10 535i (low miles, one owner, an old lady, over 30 service records only at bmw dealer), saved up and bought in cash. Learned how to repair and maintain it, and now that my job pays me better I’m saving up for one with a S55 to buy in cash at the end of the year. I have the money now, but I want to be able to really afford it, it’ll feel so much better if I can have my racecar and the money to mod it 😝
Most expensive repair I had to do to my N52 was the water pump and thermostat replacement. Expensive parts and took me four days and nights to do in my driveway. Didn’t have any leverage so it was really hard tryna take the original parts off and put the new ones on.
The expansion tank breaking is an intentional fault point so that part fails and not the head gasket. Its a giveaway that something is wrong, thats why you should check your engine often. Its intentional, dont use a metal one the pressure will create a problem elsewhere, its better for the cheap plastic tank to fail vs something else. Gm and ford also use plastic expansion tanks for the same reasons. Yea its annoying changing it but just do it and replace when necessary its not a big deal. Its just another bmw maintenance thing.
I’ve had 4 BMWs, 1-3 series and 3-5 series BMWs. If you cannot afford to replace an engine and transmission at the same time on a bmw DO NOT BUY ONE. And it’s true. They build them to last the lease period and give them back. These cars ARE a lifestyle. I recommend all bmw owners to have a MINIMUM of $15,000 set aside after purchase of your bmw. Make sure you get a good PPI! I use LemonSquad personally. DIY will save you money but most are paying a shop to do the work. Average repairs will be $1,000+. I cannot stress enough these cars a lifestyle. If you can’t throw away $10,000 or so when an engine blows (a shop is not installing a high mileage engine due to liability reasons) unless they’re sketchy. Do not buy one. The bmw doesn’t care about you. Sorry to say, it cares about how much money you can throw at it to keep on the road. 07 530i E60 - sold at 164k 13 328 F30- sold at 161k 14 535 F10 - sold at 100k (do not buy an f10 IMHO go for a g30 the f10 was the most problematic I ever owned) 18 540i xDrive B58 now at 120,000 miles fantastic car but recently did radiator coolant hose and expansion tank $2500 paid by warranty at a shop. When the oil filter housing goes bad on these you’re looking at DIY of $600 or shop job of 1800-2200. OFH is buried under the intake manifold towards the back of the engine.
BMWs are reliable cars. It's just that the brand attracts many drivers of a certain type. Usually young inexperienced drivers who push them hard and can't afford the maintenance.Then they sell it to the next guy who will treat it in a similar way. After a while it breaks down and they whine about "BMWs are unreliable". No shit. You treat it like a race car but are not willing to spend time or money on maintenance. Even worse are the DIY-clowns who think they can do it themselves but really can't. (note that I am not talking about people who know what they are doing and use quality parts.) I have owned several BMWs, but I have taken good care of them. Never had any issues at all.
Thanks alot mate i was so frustated and wanna buy BMW but now i am reconsidering my decision you really enhanced my knowledge because i am a guy who is really organised and deciplined so if i feel not now for bmw then its not because i have put my shit in order to stay calm and going in my life and thats most important to me rather than flexing in bmw with heavy maintainance but yeah i love BMW ❤
I don’t own a bmw nor do I plan on buying one but I often find myself watching your videos because I know the quality is always up there. love the way you narrate and how calming those videos are, you really have your own thing going on and it’s incredible, great video as usual Justin 🥳
Advice to F30 320i,328i, just stick to original mapping, or you will blow your piston, sooner or later despite having taking care of the engine oil. Or change to Wossner for better reliability. I learn it the hard way.
First car was an e46 330ci, it cost around 3000 dollars in the last three years of ownership in just maintenance (I've done everything myself and this doesn't include oil changes and basic stuff.) what you learn when you take apart older BMW's is all these seals will leak so you might as well replace it while you're in there to save you time and money, one time it left me stranded on the freeway but I still own it, and now I daily drive a 2014 335i and love it. BMWs are problematic but once you get into them it's so incredibly hard to leave, they're truly great cars.
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Justin I think you hit the nail on the head about not buying one before you are financially stable. I mean I guess if you are 16 and dad is making 300 thousand a year and paying all the bills it’s ok. But for most people that is not real life.
Justine is so calm and easy going in his videos and so informative like "Mr. Wizard" .
Or if you're a father and want to teach your kid a lesson (being stuck by the side of the road or as an introduction to 4 figure repair bills). I bought a 2015 228i for my son but when we discovered how involved timing chain guides were to replace we returned it. I'm in that category that could "afford" it but wanted a less expensive "project" for my son and I to wrench on.
@@Scotty_in_Ohio I have heard about that timing chain guide issue on that era of the bmw 4 cylinder. I think they did address the issue and it’s no longer a thing with the newest engines. I suspect that these engines will become bulletproof as they are no longer going to design new ice engines and only improve the current engines until they go full electric(assuming we are headed that way in the near future). But given current reports they are walking back time lines(I thought that would happen because we are no where near being ready for full electric- I am 53 and I don’t think I will see a full electric across the board from all car makers.)
Nah it’s really bc of you you can afford an e36 like me and be 24 still figuring it out. If you want a higher end model again that is YOUR choice you can afford a bmw even tho it’s not your dream car atm.
Don’t bother saying you can’t they’re found in running condition right now for around 1.5-3k
I own 3 BMWs. Love them. I think they are reliable cars. Cost of ownership is higher but once you get use to driving them there’s no going back.
What would you recommend to get first then?
@@Xilent1 a recommendation depends on a whole lot of factors such as age, area, use of vehicle, your preferences, etc.
@@Xilent1 I recommend a BMW 328i xdrive
@@JoRocket77 Thank you. The other guy made way more of this than what I was asking. LOL. I like the 2.8L though. Wasn't as many issues compared to I think the 330 versions
Bmw is not reliable
I am an Audi, fanatic myself. I’ve had five Audis, but I have never been able to explain to anyone why they should buy one. I was so dismayed by peoples questions to me of why should I buy an Audi that I went on Twitter and sent the CEO a message telling him Audi has no brand identity. Their PR department tried to counter with oh but we sell a lot of cars. I don’t care how many cars they sell when someone asks you why should I buy an Audi you should be able to rattle off a bunch of reasons right off the bat if not then that’s a problem for them. I was always puzzled by BMW fanaticism. People who love BMWs always say the same thing I love them I refuse to drive anything else, but they are so expensive to own. Over the years, I have played around with the idea of buying one but my father who is a mechanic and a Mercedes fanatic says that BMWs are garbage. I don’t really listen to him because he hates Audis and I’m a 50 year old man and I make my own choices. Since I was always a DIYer I decided to take the plunge and buy a BMW E 39. There was a kid who had one listed on Facebook marketplace, who seemed desperate to get rid of it, and I bought it from him. I live in the Philadelphia area and I have never seen a car stay on there for more than a week no matter how many problems the car had. Somehow this car had been on there for three weeks and so I was curious so I wanted to take a look. Before I wasted my time, I straight up, asked him what was wrong with the car. He literally ran down a list of problems that would have made the average Joe run away screaming, nooooooooo! Instead of doing that, I went on RUclips and typed in BMW DIY and tons of videos, came up about how to fix all the problems that he named. He only wanted $850 for it so I figured why not? After about six months of wrenching on the car myself and $2500 worth of parts I took my first drive in the car and I see why people love BMWs now. I asked an actual mechanic how much work i did and he said about $8000. I wanted to put some racing brake pads and rotors on the car and while he had it up in the air, I asked him to do an inspection and he said that I did a good job. I hope me and my E39 have many years of trouble free driving.🎉😊
Glad you start to love bmw and the knowledge of diy.. i believe any car enthusiast no matter what brand, they should diy so that they can learn in and out about it.....try alfa romeo and see, if you can diy they are not bad either, they have some identity as well. Enjoy you drive
Thats impressive, well done! How much you reckon was the cost of the instruments needed for all the repairs you've done? And also how do you lift up the car?
i feel this, i LOVED my audi and after i’m done with my bmw x3 i will probably go back. it was just a great car, and i love the style.
@@spartacus2954 I already had the tools to work on the BMW. If you mean the parts, I spent about $2500 on parts. If I stupidly, went to the dealer, they would’ve cost me about $6000. As far as lifting the car up, I have ramps that I bought years ago. When the car was in bad shape, it was still drivable, but when I would take something apart it was fine because I just rolled it on top of the ramps because my driveway is on a downhill slope. When I was finished doing what I wanted to do, I would just start it and back it up.
Sadly, it doesnt.
VAG is the only brand that doesn t transmit anything, like at all. I drove a second gen A8. Great car, but it s so forgetful, its like they are cursed or something.
Good luck with your E39, a true legend.
By far the best review of BMW ownership I have ever seen.
Thanks!
I have a 2024 m4 with 4k miles on it. I've never had one problem with it. All I have ever done is put gas in it. No oil changes,no tune ups, nothing, and it still runs great....
BMWs are all smiles and cries. Well stated facts in your video that I think all of us DIYers and enthusiasts go through.
Oh, man. Yeah, great way to explain it. My car has been all smiles and cries, but I still love it!
Got my first E90 335i at age 20. Working as a barista during University. The moment I took possesion of that car, the High pressure fuel pump went. Over the years, I maintained it thoroughly and changed all fluids on time. It got more and more reliable over time.
These are great cars, but I was put in a generous situation in when it broke, I could drive my parents car. If you are young on your own, Justin's advice holds true. These cars are amazing to drive and I had so much fun working on them and driving them however, and when you factor in enjoyment these cars are worth every penny.
Agreed. First thing I noticed when I got my first German car was like "whoa, I can improve this thing by doing work on it." I never got that same feeling with a Honda or American car. Also bmw community reminds me of the vw TDI community where there was a lot of passion and people working on things and posting DIY guides.
@@anon-tk1zgimprove what by working on it?
Great video! I bought a 1999 E46 with 125k miles in 2007 just after graduating from college. I spent a lot (like, a LOT) of money early on, before I started going the DIY repair route. It was stressful being at the mercy of a shop and never knowing what that bill was going to be. I drove and maintained the car for 15 years and put 325,000 miles on it, and learned an incredible amount in the process. The car is in need of a transmission, but other than that runs very well. RUclips channels and forums were my saviors for DIY work. I recently bought a 2014 335i and have had it almost 2 years. I am much further along in my career and financially stable at this point in my life. That, along with the knowledge and skills to do my own work makes this a (mostly) affordable car to own. Most importantly it is an absolute joy to drive. Cheers!
I have an e30 and e39 (the daily) but looking to get a 2015 335i. Excited
@@ma-scalia8629I am super happy with the car and the N55 engine. If I can make a recommendation, try to get a 2016 340i with the B58 engine. They made a ton of improvements with that engine and it’s supposed to be quite a bit more reliable.
What oil did you use?
@@anon-tk1zg Liqui Moly 5w-40, and more recently their Molygen 5w-40
Yes but why aren't the manufacturers at fault for shoddy plan Obsolescence parts ???? Why are we ???
2017 F30 - No major repairs, no leaks, just routine insurance and change oils. I don't race. I don't push the engine. So far so good.
Nice! Mine is a 2017 as well
BMW propaganda. Nobody fall for this
@@-Plube- You know up to the early 2000s I would actually believe him. Heck I can actually believe him now, there's nothing in it for me. But I feel like the same time BMW started letting go of the N/A i6s lots of other things happened at the same time and quality started to dwindle.
2017 g30 b58 80k miles stage 2+ pushed to the limits I’m a crazy driver no issues with anything other than normal fluid changes
2013 F30 156k miles minimal maintenance all done by myself. Bought at 60k miles. No leaks, just take care of the car and you’ll be fine
I'm a big fan of your channel and love the content you create. You share a very good perspective on owning a BMW. I was a huge Chevy fan since I was kid and now in my forties bought my first BMW last year. I am fixing a lot of issues, but It's an awesome adventure and the community is one of the best I have ever experienced.
For the average DIYer, a bmw is by far the most satisfying car to own. I have had my good share of frustration in the beginning, but after a year I feel super comfortable and satisfied with my purchase.
Very valuable information indeed Justin! UK viewer here. I'm 47 and I've owned a year 2000 BMW 740 E38 for the past 11 years. I don't know enough about cars to do my own maintenence, so I rely on garages to maintain the car and fix things. It's not cheap, but worth it. I was aware that it would be expensive to maintain the car when I bought it with only 23K miles back in 2013. It's just done over 67K miles now.
In my experience, I've learnt that one of the factors that make car maintenance expensive is mechanics who simply throw parts at your car when it's having issues and hope that one of those parts will eventually fix it. In short, mechanics who don't have a clue what they are doing have made owning my BMW more expensive than it has to be lately.
My E38 started going into limp home mode randomly at the end of 2022. The garage changed a few parts, including the camshaft and crankshaft position sensors. That did not fix the issue. I spent sleepless nights trying to understand what was wrong because the car was throwing so many confusing codes when being scanned. I eventually found Tim Meek's page where he talks about coolant leaking from the thermostat housing into the DME. I told my mechanic and it was then that he opened the computer box and found the DME soaked with coolant. Unfortunately, he was still adamant that it was rain water and it had got in because someone had not shut the box properly. Unfortunately, it turned out the DME had been damaged and needed replacing. I have breakdown insurance with the AA. They refused to pay towards the DME because the mechanic had claimed it was water damage. Also, the mechanic did not change the thermostat housing to fix the leak but we replaced the DME with a used one from Europe. I decided to check the thermostat connection myself because I was worried that the leak was still there and the new DME would be fried again. I found the connection full of coolant. I now use a BMW specialist garage and they have fixed the leak and replaced the thermostat and rewired the sensor cable to the DME. And then then water pump also gave way and the AA still refused to pay because they claimed the issue was still related to the coolant leak which went on unfixed for months since the mechanic had misdiagnosed my car. So as you can see mechanics who haven't got a clue make car maintenance expensive for customers. Just imagine if doctors would blindly try different medications on us when we are unwell, hoping that one of those medications will eventually cure our illness!!
I love my Beamer. I think the 3 series is the most stable one of all the models. I also am a big believer that wear and tear will come quicker if you are always pushing your car to the limit non stop. There are people who buy a Beamer, continuously launch the car at every red light, every single day. Then 8 months later complain about parts breaking. Drive your vehicle nicely, and it will last longer. Of course have fun with it in a safe manner, but schedule these speed runs rather than impulsively doing it everyday.
You know Justin, I've been following you when I bought my 2014 550i and I can honestly say that I haven't had many problems nor high maintenance cost ,the warranty paid for my camera, door handle, gas line system, so I can't really complain much about mine, and it's 10yrs old with 130k miles
Nice! I hope it continues to be trouble-free!
Realoem is the goat’d website and “find” a Bentley repair manual online or buy a used one, will go a long way.
I bought a 95 S52 swapped M3 in my early 20s with a blown head gasket and leaned how to rebuild a car and what a machine shop does lol. 95 M3, 94 325is, 98 328is, 03 M3, 97 M3. Next vehicle I buy will be a Tacoma then a Porsche. Think I’m good on BMWs for now.
BMWs are weekend toys driving them daily cost a lot. They are really fun to drive but you have to be able to work on them other wise they are cost prohibitive to own, unless you have a ton of disposable income. My local BMW dealership service writer told me that the BMWs in general are 90% leased because they tend to fall apart after 5 years, they need a lot of maintenance to keep on the road. The pros of the brand is the community support is large and the resources are available to fix any problem. The motors are capable of high horsepower numbers with the right modifications and the chassis are excellent in the corners fun cars if you like getting oily they leak its just part of the ownership experience. I would not advise a younger person with no mechanical skills to buy a beamer stick with a car from Japan they don't leak as much and they get better gas mileage, the con is they are not as fun to drive.
Great video. Honest, good perspective. You're correct, German cars are not for everyone. My BMW experience started as 59 year old looking forward to retirement. I bought a pristine, low mileage 15 year old 135i. The same year I bought the first of 5 Porsches of various vintages and models. (I'm down to one currently and hoping to keep it that way.) I had never been a car guy previously. I always appreciated nice cars, but from a distance. I had never even changed my own oil. I knew that having these cars was going to require me to learn and take on some of my own maintenance and repair work. Its been almost 3 years and I've learned a lot. I've done things I would never have imagined. The car community has been really helpful. RUclips and videos like yours are a gamechanger. I've found it challenging and rewarding to learn. I'm not a broke 18 year old so my risk has been pretty limited and yet, I've had to spend some money for parts and tools, etc. It would have been cheaper to continue driving Acuras and Toyotas, but I would have missed out on driving some really fun cars, learning a lot, and even making some new friends. I'd even dare to say I've become an enthusiast.
This is my 6th BMW. My 2017 M2 I picked up was $17,000 and you must be thinking that's crazy cheap and sure, it is, but there were a number of things that needed doing and I knew that going in.
That included the entire cooling and brake system! $5000 later and it's basically completely refreshed but if it wasn't for my mechanical knowledge where I did all of the work and the fact I understand the OE and OEM markets for parts, that number would easily have been $10,000 or more in parts and labor.
That's a great deal for a very cool car. Being able to DIY is such a good skill to have.
Being a broke college student with an 08 328i for 6yrs now, can confirm it is possible to own THAT model on a budget. Other than crucial drivetrain/suspension/electrical parts, everything I got was from 1) the junkyard 2) amazon/ebay and 3) fb/offerup. A LOT of sleepless nights too. But it's worth the drive the following weekend. Love my e90 so I'll keep her 'til she dies
Just bought a 2008 328xi as a 17yr old. Wish me luck
That's a great model, one of the few I'd feel confident recommending to someone on a budget.
@@justinbuice Glad to hear.
Across all my BMW ownership, my most expensive repair has been either AC or thermostat/waterpump/hoses on my E90. Everything else hasn''t been too bad, and I've done all maintenance except AC myself. Tires were my arch nemesis, and that wasn't any fault of BMW but our roads and sheer amount of driving.
2015 X1 xdrive35i - New to 55k (totaled)
2014 X1 xdrive35i - 35k-104k (current)
2009 328i - 115k-190k (sold running in great condition, also the most economical car I've had in a long time)
2016 550i - 33k-60k (current)
2021 X3 M40i - 24k-26k (current)
A very useful Video, Justin! I made the bad experience with my first car, a Saab 9-3. Which was cheap to buy, expensive to run, incredibly expensive to keep maintained. The BMWs (2 e60d's) got my finances back on track, actually, as they prooved reliable and long-lasting. But again: By then I had my experiences made and my network set up to get parts cheap and repairs reasonably done. I was still surprised by the low service-bill of a friends yaris... that's just another league which I will never reach... but which i maybe don't want to reach, because I love driving a car that rewards you with a driving experience. It's important to know that that "sporty experience" needs sophisticated tech, which comes at a price.
The most expensive shop trip cost me ~$1500 for a boost/vacuum leak, and some small things (it was a few years ago) and the boost leak came back after I got the car back. I was able to fix it by modifying the intake manifold with a $2 brass fitting and a tube of sealant for another ~$3... no more boost leaks after that.
I have been a BMW owner for over ten years. My first was an e46 M3. I was warned but didnt shy away. I owned and maintened it my self. I loved that car until it burnred. Even after ten years it burned and when i researched to figure out why, apparently it was a common issue. This was after years of my own research, right out of left field. I still sold the car for a great price and replaced it with a 2022 m550i knowing that i would need to diy alot, being aware of the power plant short comings, i bought it any way. I currently own a 21 X7 and owned a 535GT. All have been great cars.
My point being in all my years and models of bmw ownership this is one of the best introduction to bmw owner video i have watched. I will refer anyone interested in owning a bwm to this video and Bentley owners manuals.
I have owned 2 BMW’s. A 2011 BMW 328i and currently a 2020 M340i. Maintenance can be expensive and won’t be for everyone and you are absolutely right about being a little more stable financially. I get my maintenance almost free because i work at a Honda dealership and one of our used car techs used to work at BMW so he does some maintenance on my car.
You did a great job with this babe! It was well thought out and thorough and very good advice! Proud of you and all your hard work making this!
Original owner of a 2008 335i Coupe with the N54 engine. I ordered the car as I wanted a manual transmission and an exterior color other than black, white, or silver. My 335i has been my daily driver since I took delivery in December of 2007 and now has ~91,000 miles on the odometer. I have changed the oil/filter every 5,000 miles (and sent samples of each oil off to Blackstone) since new. My car typically needs new valve cover and oil filter housing gaskets every 5-6 years. The oil pan gasket needed replacement in year 11. The car is on its third water pump/thermostat: the first when it was four years old, the second when it was nine years old; the current pump has lasted 8 years (and counting). In year 14, I did have leaking coolant hoses, specifically some of the plastic hoses and I paid to replace every hose in the cooling system, whether they were leaking or not, as well as the expansion tank as I'd already paid the shop the labor costs to access the entirety of that area. The other high-cost items are the fuel injectors. Prior to going to 'index 12' injectors, there were misfires and occasional check engine lights. However since replacing all six of the injectors with new BMW-branded index 12 injectors in year 13, the fuel system has been perfect. Laughably, one of the most failure-prone items in my car, the high-pressure fuel pump, has never failed, I am still on the factory pump. The only component that has broken that I have not repaired is the Sirius satellite radio module, the rest of the stereo system works fine.
Personally, I budget $3,000 every year for maintenance/repairs. I do not spend $3,000 every year, but there will be years where big-ticket repairs are needed (including replacing wear-and-tear items like tires). I do all of the required fluid swaps (oil, brake, power steering, transmission, differential), air filters, spark plugs/coils, as well as brakes (pads/rotors). I send the car to a local independent shop for things like gasket replacements (or any repair that requires the intake manifold to be removed).
My 335i is a love-hate relationship. When the car is healthy, it is simply awe-inspiring to drive; that N54 engine really is incredible. But the car also requires far more maintenance than most other vehicles on the road. It does get annoying and every time I see some oil seeping from a gasket or the check-engine light comes on I tell my spouse I am selling the car once I get it fixed. But then, once its fixed and healthy, I inevitably fall in love again when I take it out for a spin.
Sounds like a true marriage to me xD People mostly just don't get beyond the fixing stage anymore nowadays hahaha
I've had an E32 735i (1991) for 24 years and have spent around CHF 65,000; purchase and investment. Over the year, that's about 2,700, but I don't work on the car myself. It never occurred to me to want something new. It's a privilege to sit in a car today that doesn't monitor and analyze you, but simply lets you drive. And I had a lot of different brands before that. Today's new cars on lease or with a warranty are okay, but buying and running them for more than 10 years is a bad idea and makes no sense. Too complicated, all parts too expensive, software outdated. Today's cars won't last long, that's clear. But I'll still be driving around in my E32. Technology that can be repaired.
@@swissneutro2648 Saletti xD
Viel Spass mit dim guete alte BMW!
Awesome you shared this. 91k miles and all that sht breaking is ridiculous. Hope the b58 x3 I’m eyeing in the future won’t be as terrible.
What amazes me is that the springs are a maintenance item on my E46.
Absolutely the best video on long-term ownership. It is truly a treasure trove of useful information. Coming from the JDM world to an M240i. Can't wait.
I am currently 21 years old, and I was able to save up enough money this last year to get my first car, and I seriously thought of getting a BMW, but wanted to inform myself as much as I could. This has been one of the most helpful videos I have ever watched about BMWs. Thanks for sharing your priceless knowledge Justin!
Great video, I currently own 05 325xi. Great is active snow storms, nice to have for weddings, funerals and and evening out. BUT they have to be maintained. It is starting to show age where little things are setting off the sensors. It is quite annoying. But the car just rides nice and hugs the road! It is hard to let it go.
I remember watching your channel back when I got my first car in 2016 (325i) which eventually the mileage caught up and I had to scrap it. I've owned a mustang gt for almost 4 years now and am looking at getting an M2 soon. It's wild to see how much the channel has grown since but the quality has never changed, well deserved Justin
Totally agree with you Justin. For people getting into bmw, maintanance is key. I’m a firm believer in preventative maintenance. Replace the parts that are known to go bad before they go bad. Won’t break down on the road and your experience will be a lot better!
Parts that are known to go bad should be replaced by the manufacturer. Not you.
How come they're never at fault??? They use to be by our government.
@@douglastaylor8039 parts go bad on every single car ever made bud. Mileage takes its toll on parts. I recently sold my wagon with 110k and it’s only ever had oil changes and common filters replaced
How do you replace bad parts before they go bad. Bmw parts have lifrclocks on them?
@@Mrmajellan123 you use your head. Certain parts will go out at certain mileages, so yea. Do some research or don’t work on cars
Your advice is spot on I’ve owned BMW, Porsche and Toyota. I least enjoyed my Toyota but it was the least expensive to own. (All business) Porsche engineers their cars more for enthusiasts and definitely are much easier to work on. I think that comes from their racing and production engineering being tied so closely together. BMW has been the most high maintenance and head scratching “why did they do that?” vehicle for me. I loved my X5 and love the 650i ($15,000 if you choose the dealer for valve stem seal replacement) The one thing BMW does have right is their driving experience is incredible. Great advice! I hope people listen to you.
Very thorough and truthful video. I owned an E60 550i and I was blown away with how it drove. It just felt magnetized to the road. But I quickly fell out of love, with the various electrical issues and then paying $600 plus for a battery install. I traded it for an 09 Cadillac STS-V. That was about 10 years ago and I'm still enjoying the V with some light mods. Being a car guy I still appreciate BMWs especially E39's and many other high performance cars. Great work on the channel. Keep it up.
Sir; New to your channel.
In a world of social media, and tons of Internet influencers, I cannot express the relief my ears hear when you give your honest advice to your young viewers, about the cost of ownership of having a car especially when you’re out of college, or just starting your life on your own.
That is good-sound and honest, financial advice, and very specific direction.
Young kids nowadays do not listen to their own parents…. So, thank you.
God bless you.
Thank you for the kind words! I’m just giving the advice that I wish someone would have gave me.
@justinbuice - Car payments nowadays are the cause of so much stress and anxiety. Car Payments nowadays have been the reason for so much detrimental bad costly financial losses…. Especially for young people and young, married couples. My wife and I have had the same car since 2005 and 2010. Yes, they do need replacement parts because of their age but still we rather pay for the maintenance than to get stuck with these insane car payments nowadays.
You’re very wise beyond your years.
Thank you For your work and service. 👍🏼
Good video. Thank you. I am currently on my 2cd 3 series- a 2016 320ix and my current 2019 330ix. 8 years total and not a single issue between the two cars. I mean Nothing- not a switch, not a gasket, not an ANYTHING. Just fantastic build quality on both.
My BMW experience has been mostly with a 2008 335i and your channel saved my -s many times. Just sold it with almost 229k miles and bought a 2023 330i. Can’t stay away from them! BIMMERlife! Lots of lo❤e from Dallas Texas.
Glad I've been able to help! That's a respectable mileage to sell it at, congrats on the new car!
Been following you for so many years now, and I think you share an awesome perspective! It’s exactly how I feel about BMW’s, and I hope that the support for these older 3 and 5 series continues as the years go on. Especially with all these plastics being eaten by aging and acidic fluids 😅. Our family 5 series was still my favorite car to drive, and I can’t wait to get back into another
Great video as always! I have been following you for years. Your videos on your e90 were one of the deciding factors when I bought mine. I still have mine 6 years later. Since then , my daughter has an e46 and my wife has a mini countryman. I have learned some much about BMWs and cars since getting my e90. Thanks for all your videos. Keep up the good work!
Glad I've been able to help! What are your thoughts on the E46 compared to the E90? I've thought about buying one just to mess around with.
@@justinbuice the e46 has a similar engine, but the water pump and thermostat are easier to replace compared to an e90. It feels a bit smaller which I don’t mind. For how cheap they are I would recommend you get one.
I just picked up my first. 2023 M550i. I’m in love with it.
Taking over a 2009 E90 that’s been parked for a bit. Thanks for the video. Got a feeling I’ll be watching a lot more content in the months to come.
Bought a used x3 in 2021, used it for 3 years and drove around 110000 kms. Had an issue with MAP sensor which cost me around 175$, changed breaks for about 1300$, and during last service, mechanic suggested that it is better to change sealings around drive system which would cost about 1600$. So I sold it. I did services on time, never pushed it to the limit, oil service I did every 15000km though BMW suggests 30000km.
In a few days, I will be taking home a 530e. Let’s see how it goes.
Justin - Outstanding video offering a balanced perspective. Love your work. Keep up the great content. Wish you well my friend.
Thank you!
BMW requieres a lot of DIY to keep it affordable, 100% true. Had an E90 and now with a F32 I felt bimers are getting more expensive to fix (specially here in Japan) and more prone to break for vehicle cost reduction and weight... aka more plastics. Yet BMW is a great machine, like their stance and noticing people looking at the car and get compliments pays off the efforts 😊
Being following from years and you helped me a lot specially during my e90 time and even motivated me to start a RUclips channel!
That's awesome, I'll check out your channel! Glad I've been able to help!
Through your E90 videos you have inspired me to buy one too,it has been 4 years this month and is is already 16 years old,but it still drives fantastic.But it was well maintained by the previous first owner,and that's what I do.
I do things myself and what I cannot do myself I go to a garage(not a BMW dealer😁),which keeps the maintenance costs fairly limited.
Hope to see you soon with a new video.👊🇳🇱🇳🇱
Getting one that was well maintained to begin with is a huge factor in long term reliablity! Sounds like you've got a great car!
Hi, i just thinking to buy my first BMW and i chose an E90 for the first one. I want to switch car that i drive now to it, but this video made me feel controversial. How much have you spent on maintenance on average in single month?
I started watching your vids in November 2019 when I was researching if I should get a bmw. I ended up getting a 2013 328i in February 2020. I had to get rid of it 2 months ago because I had 2 oil leaks that were going to cost me 5k to get fixed. I now have a 2021 330i m sport that still has a year left on the factory warranty and another 3 year warranty after that. I love the car and hope to keep it for awhile
Purchased a 2015 435I F33 Convertible. Kids are grown and this is my project car and my wife and I fun car. I am looking forward to working on this car and upgrading things. Already watched your sticky door handle video and have replaced. Thanks for the information. Of course I hit a deer 3 weeks after I bought it. Fortunately the air bag did not go off! Any suggestions are welcome.
im 14 and this was so helpful and interesting thank you
I love your content and video quality. I own a CPO 2008 BMW 335i and is still my daily driver. I’m only the second owner and have owned it since 2009. I love driving it but it does cost some money when it comes to service. I did a few mods myself such as replacing the door handles, door lock, and the splicing the wires under the shifter. I take majority my services to the dealership. I’m lucky that I make enough to afford the cost of ownership. But I still love driving it after 15 years of owning it. Good luck with the channel and keep up the good work.
We have mostly bmw’s. Once they run out of warranty, we only use German mechanics but don’t go to dealer. You’d be amazed at how good & skilled mechanics are once they own their own businesses. It will be painless and probably 1k versus 4K.
My daughter has my old X6 & she faithfully changes oil every 5k miles…. And does not drive hard or fast bcz she loves the car
I can't wait to get my M340i! Thanks for these high quality and info packed videos. --Loyal Nine
Glad I could help and best of luck with your future M340i !
I loved my 2006 e90, and found this channel because of it. I got rid of it when I had my first kid for practical reasons.
What are you driving these days?
Big BMW enthusiast here. On my 3rd one now and agree that they use too much plastic for engine components. However, after driving my M340 for a couple minutes I dont care about plastic components anymore. The linear power that comes out of that B58 engine and driving dynamics put a smile on my face every time :)
Great video! I was scowering the interwebs for Lexus GS cars and then I found a BMW 640i Gran Coupe. The rabbit hole for BMW has allowed me to find your channel and a couple others for basically saying there is a healthy community for BMW. I haven't seen the same thing for Lexus (Not saying there isn't) but this video was pleasant. I also peep the Seiko's. I think saw a Willard or Turtle Shell in black and the Seiko Speedtimer. Nice picks!
Loved your advise, not just on the BMW but for life in general
Owned many over 18 years. Current f25 x3 driven over 100k miles, second owner. O2 sensors and coolant reservoir. They're reliable if you know how to buy them. Prefer ones that are in rougher shape with less maintenance from current owner. They tend to goof things up. I had to replace all the fasteners and fix things that are missing from the previous owner on my e46 m3.
My new 2023 X3 came with run flat tires and no spare or car jack. Coming from Hondas and Toyotas this was shocking. Found out the hard way by hitting a pothole on a Saturday night and had to tow it since I ended up with two flats. Oh and these tires are about $600 each special 21” low profiles. Still love the car but man so unexpected!
coming from all jdm cars, tons of turbo subarus. I wanted something better on fuel but still fun to drive. Looked into diesel BMWs. Found a 2010 e90 335d for a really good price and knew it needed work just didnt anticipate as much as it needed lol. Lots of little things go wrong and im lucky to know my way around vehicles and havent been too frustrated at the car working on it. Most expensive repair was an injector failing, about 500$ just for the part. But slowly going through the car and fixing all the little things im sure to have a well sorted car at some point. currently at 273,000kms on it and hope to get well into the 300s. So many people make jokes about bmws and dont really understand why until you truly own and drive one. they are amazing cars but not for everyone as you said. Thanks for the video, subscribed!
Got a 2016 320i. I got it as a joint purchase with my friend/roomate, so ownership cost has been divided. Its been so fun driving
I've owned 8 and still own 4 M3s. Never had any big issues, but I have to admit the most modern ones are much more annoying to maintain due to (unnecessary) electronics - yes, they want you to bring your car to the dealer (although many other brands took that as an example)
Great vid! I have 3 of them a E39 540i, E70 X5 and a E91 328xi...I just love Bimmers no matter what!!!
Thanks! Love the e39. I had the chance to drive an M5 a few years ago and it was a solidly built car
I bought my 2009 BMW Z4 35i with the n54 seven years ago and it currently has 145,000 miles on it. It my first BMW and I really didn’t know anything about my Z4 when I bought it. I was looking into hard top convertibles and a local used car dealer had it on the lot that I happened to drive by everyday on my way to/from work. One day as I drove by a guy was getting ready to take it for a test drive so I called and made an appointment for a drive. The car was mine the following day. It’s the coolest car I’ve ever had and it’s so much fun to drive. I have put a lot of Highway miles on it and it’s never let me down. I do all of the maintenance/repairs myself but for me it’s been reliable. I replaced the cracked valve cover 4 years ago, installed index 12 fuel injectors and a Precision Raceworks coil system, Bilstein shocks and Eibach springs. Last summer I replaced the brake rotors/pads front and rear. This summer I’ll replace the water pump/thermostat and all coolant hoses as preventative maintenance. My n54 hasn’t been modded or tuned. It’s fast enough for me and I plan on keeping it until I’m to old to drive. 😀🏁
Bought an e89 last summer and I'm obsessed with it. Looking to change rotors and pads soon and was also thinking of doing injectors and coils in the near future. How much did you pay for those and is it an easy job?
Hey Justin, I bought my FOURTH later-mid-life-crisis-mobile in 2019 and the best car I've ever owned; A 2018 M240i X-drive with 8500 Kms (about 5000 miles) and it was the best decision I ever made at the then tender age of 59 lol! My first "old geezer mobile" was a 2011 Mustang GT 5.0L manual that I bought in 2012 and ran between Cabo San Lucas Mexico and Calgary Alberta. It was great fun, however, several speeding tickets later (one clocked at 230 Km/H on an empty stretch of Baja desert highway, courtesy of the Mexican Federales), I moved back to Canada and bought a 2014 Mustang GT manual which was also an awesome car but not so great in Canadian winters, so after a few years driving sideways in the snow and ice, I opted for a 2017 Infiniti Q60 red sport AWD. It was a complete turd with electrical problems up the wazoo, but in 2019, I spotted a 2018 BMW M240I X-drive way across the country in Montreal for $42,000 CDN (approximately $30K USD) which was $7000 cheaper than I could find in western Canada. It was a dealer demo and as mentioned, with only 8500 Kms. It now has 62000 trouble-free Kms, despite flashing the ECM with an MHD stage 2 tune with a catted downpipe and an xHP Flashtool stage 2 transmission tune. However, I baby my car, maintain it meticulously and only stomp on the accelerator once in a while. Thanks to your videos as well as Kies Motorsports and FCP Euro, everything is in tip-top shape. I've saved a ton of money doing all the work myself. Keep up the great work!
Did a lot of work on a 3 series that kept coming to our shop for work.. did so much work on it i started buying bmw tools. My experience maintaing that car.. the plastic hoses suck ass. But i leanred quickly to wrap them with electric tape prior to removing them, and the. If you hear the sreaded crack use a big piece of adhesive lined heat shrink over the part you taped, as it already is formed to the pipe and is hokding all the bits in place, never had any vacuum leaks or check engine lights for it, and he was informed they may break before work was done and that we woukd do our best not to, basically told us if it did try to fix it.. which is how i developed above method, with that said it honestly wasnt any more maintenance heavy than a dodge or a ford ( especially fords first retro mustang, bad front ball joints at 30k miles)
Yeah alot of work is time consuming but not especially hard, and they do seem to have issues with letting an owner know fluid levels outside of coolant.. which is odd considering every engine they make leaks oil after a while so a dipstick would behoove them.
Also with above toyota partnered with bmw for the new supra, which I think says something about that inline 6.
And as a result of my work 9n that 3 series, I purchased an e90 sedan with the n54. But I'm also an enthusiast of tuner type cars.. and considering how much I spent on my dodge srt4, and my mitsubishi station, ( the starion is a money pit, mitsubishi electronics in the 80s sucked major ass, and the intake sensors have a HUGE variation.. complete lack of QC.) And the talon TSI I used to have, I expect the inline 6 to actually be cheaper to own,
🏁I have been following Justin Buice for years and his Videos and advice inspired me to purshase the E92 320D M Sport, since owning well i purchased a "Lemon" and have replaced almost every major component on the car! Every car has a list of parts that fail Prematurely or by design, even down to age of the part! Turbo. WaterPump, Thermostat, suspension, Outshaft relucta ring, head Gaskets, Tuming Chain you get the drift £13,000 pounds later and what you have got is less worry and a once in a life time ride. 🏁 Great content Justin
What I've learned from owning two BMW's (740i and 530ix) is expect breakdowns before and after the warranty period. For the 740i, the radiator would consistently overheat, even after the BMW dealer would replace parts. This occured a few times, and they would always attribute the problem to another replacement part needed. I eventually sold this car and purchased the 530i. I was speared a significant financial burden for this vehicle during the warranty period since several break downs were 100% covered.After the warranty expired, I assumed since everything had pretty much been replaced or repaired by the dealer, I would at least enjoy a fews years worry free. Not so, the horror ontinued. I was fortunate enough that this vehicle was eventually totaled in an accident. I purchased a 911 Turbo S that has been worry free so far and never looked back. This vehicle looks better as well as handles and performs better then any BMW. I will never buy another BMW again, no matter how they claim to be more dependable now.
I have an F20 M135i 2015, I did every type of maintenance/replacement by myself, this is the key for own a bmw without too much pain. I agree with you, the quality on last car generation is lower than the older one.
BMW, turning driving enthusiast into part time mechanics since 1916
My first car was a 2014 338i xdrive, I loved that car, customized it and everything. Most of my diys were done watching kies from his first videos. I traded it in 2020 when they told me it needed a new turbo and I wasn’t gonna pay for that. I would love to get back in a bmw, maybe an SUV as my family has grown since then
Totally agree with you. You don't need to be rich to own a BMW, but you should do your homework to know what to expect, make sure you're buying a used one that has been well maintained, and learn how to at least do the basic maintenance yourself. I started with an E90 with N52 engine because it was known for few issues besides oil leaks. Recently added a F30 with B58 engine for the same reasons plus a whole lot more power and fun. Now I have all the basic tools and a lot more knowledge to do a lot of the work myself... some of which was gained from this channel!
2016 F20 and 2013 E84. N20 and N55 in the latter.
Changing fog light bulbs is unnecessarily difficult. I do pretty much everything myself on any car and it’s frustrating not having available repair manuals. Thankfully, between forums and FCP Euro vids, I have most of what I need. Having a general knowledge of how engines work helps greatly.
ever since i bought my first bmw 2000 328 (stick shift), i knew i was 'in love' with bmw. i never bought other brand since, why?.....btw, i had E90 335 (2007), 750 Li (2010),X3 inline-6 (2013), 340i (2018), now M340 (2020)
1, high quality and performance ~ handling and acceleration
2, good feature/price ratio
3. dyi available
4. low lost if you know how
there's important understanding of how to keep the low cost
1,always maintaining yourself(oil change, small parts changing, such as brakes, tires leak repair, etc.)
2, always busy off market parts unless it is critical engine related parts.
3, increase your repairing skills to solve small to medium problems... such as change oil gaskets, thermo pump, wheel chamber alignment, etc.
I bought one when I was 18, it was an E90 318i. Their engines are not known for reliability and mine was no different. From things like coolant system issues to oil leaking onto the exhaust, it was a handful. Once it broke down for the last time I decided to cut my losses and sold it, financially it was the right thing to do but it hurt to see it go. It's definately a handful to own one but since I am into BMWs, I will be buying another when the time and money is right. I loved the video, everything you said was completely true and I love that you were 100% honest about your own experience. Thanks, Justin!
Bought a CPO 2014 328Xi in 2017drove for five years basically replaced one control module for about 1000 bucks that was about it other than that routine oil changes ….. three years ago traded that in and bought a 2019 330 IX also CPO… With 16,000 miles I now have 36,000 miles and not one problem been a great car
Digging the Edifier speakers in the background. Those things sound awesome!! Also, big fan of the channel, please keep up the good work.
Thanks!!
For those thinking of a 4 cylinder, please reconsider. BMW is known for their I6 and that is where the fun begins. I owned a 2018 BMW 230i with the B48 4 cylinder engine for 2 years and thankfully no issues. It had less than 40,000 km when I traded it and spent around C $3000 altogether including new 18" rims and tires. The blinker light was not working, but was replaced under extended CPO warranty. It was fun to drive, but it is no where near my friend's F87 M2. I would honestly look into a Golf R if you're only looking at 4 cylinders. Otherwise, the I6 is amazing.
Agreed, no point in buying a beamer if you can't even get their trademark engine
I really want a 328i 2014-2016 and I’ve heard pretty good things about it and the only issue is the timing belt which can happen after 100k miles
Justin, I bought my first bmw in 2020 on a whim. It was an amazing experience driving, but I was hit with all the maintenance. I didn’t let it discourage me. Watching your videos, Kies & a few other guys from the community has helped encourage & educate me, and I went on to buy another F30. Still working on her, but most of what I’ve learned has been from you guys. Thank you!! 🎉
Ps, I’m in detroit, would love to see your build sometime if you’re ever in the area!
Good video Justin, many fair points. I have a bad habit of picking up BMW’s that need rescuing from terrible owners. I find even some complex repairs pretty straight forward. $60 in parts vs. $1800 at an Independant shop. Most reapers and service can be done with simple tools, just look at Justin’s list. That is 90% of anything you should ever need.
It can be intimidating at first, but very easy access to most things. After you have done it once, you will see how easy it really is. Basic mechanical skill will get you a long way to being a happy owner. Cars mean so much more when you do the work yourself.
I have had BMW for well over twenty years. Never regretted any of it, even the big ticket items; which have been few.
They are wonderful cars to own and drive. A twenty year old BMW is nicer to drive than a new Lexus. If you love to drive, you will love a BMW! Rescue that puppy.
If buying your first one, find a friend with long-history of BMW ownership. Don’t want to gamble on a ‘good deal,’ without good advice from a trusted friend. After you have owned three or four of a model, can you take a risk on that deal.
You’re videos have been so helpful I appreciate them immensely I’ve only had my 13 f30 for almost a year now but the joy and satisfaction this vehicle brings is immense yes I have run to a few hiccups but that’s to be expected lol
I currently own two e46s ('02 325i and '06 325Ci) and an E90. The '02 was a hand me down with Dinan stage 2 intake, exhaust parts that I maintain for sentimental reasons. The 325Ci I bought for $6k was for the wife but didn't like how low it was on the ground. The E90 had 95K miles when I bought it for $2.5k. Bottom line is I'm a sucker for German cars BMWs particularly. Since I don't make car payments I spend most of my "expendable" income maintaining these cars and any one of them can be driven 300-400 miles with no issues. My advice is 1) never buy cheap parts from Ebay since you'll replace them again soon, 2) be diligent on the maintenance schedules and you'll be fine 3) enjoy the driving sensation whenever you can 4) keep and excel file of all the maintenance done so you can keep track what else needs to be done 5) Don't bring it to the dealer for whatever reason unless you have a 6 figure income. I know a shop near my house who maintains my cars (for almost 20 yrs) and fix my BMWs without the dealer $ and can do it faster, and 5) life is too short to be driving boring cars. BTW I also own a Prius (we call plastic car) and a Honda Pilot which I call boring since nothing breaks.
2016 340i no oil filter housing issues but I have had to get my rear main seal replaced and oil pan gasket @103000 miles also pcv gasket failed. Car is 111111 miles about and is running great. Stock
Great advice! If anyone is wondering what the closest thing is to a BMW that you only have to put gas in and drive, its 100% a 91-96 Dodge Dakota.
I love your tuck man. They don’t make ‘em like they used to ❤
I’ll probably drive an x3 forever, test drove it and fell in love
Been watching since 2022 I finally bought a 440i grand coup it’s been great so far
Own a E39 dinan 5 love that car. Sometime it's a pain in the ass but love it.
Has 200k , replaced the timing guide and vanos. Was a bit pricey but now it drives like a dream.
I have a 2018 X1 and it’s been great so far. 67,000 miles. Then again it’s used for commuting to work mostly highway miles.
Had an e39 335 sport package. Surprisingly fast. Plan to spend 3-5 a year or so on maintenance. Oil filter housing gasket ect . Must go to dealer or bmw specialist
Hey Justin great video. If you want something reliable, the magic formula is rwd, manual, naturally aspirated inline 6. With turbos everything becomes more complex as there are a lot more parts to go wrong. My 06 330i is a great compromise making 255hp which is only 50 less than a stock 335 and has been bulletproof.
Solid advice! My 330 was a great car aside from x drive. RWD would have been a better choice 💪
Here's everything I changed on my 2006 rwd, manual, naturally aspirated inline 6 since 2019 to today, 115k to 155k miles
All cooling system with hoses, except heater core (includes waterpump, thermostat, radiator)
battery
starter
alternator (left me stranded)
coils and spark plugs
serpentine belt, pulleys, tensioner
upstream oxygen sensors
valve cover gasket
oil filter housing gasket
control arms
tie rods
brakes and rotors
windshield washer pump
sagging sunroof headliner
all that + oil changes & cosmetics by myself
it's been in the shop for the oil pan gasket
lemon?
I have had my E90 LCI (318D its stage 2 now) for 4 and half years now, no big problems and loved it.
Now im trying to get my hands on a F30 335i/340i :X
Having bought one of the rarest BMW's, the 335i Active Hybrid 3 with only 5,000 vehicles globally produced, I sort of knew what I was going in for. In two years, I've done pretty much all of the general 335i maintenance, as well as having to do rod bearings as I saw glitter in the oil filter, I've probably sank 10K in the car. The alternator alone for this model is over 4,000 dollars if it ever breaks. Hybrid battery if it dies, is under 3,000 here in Finland, whereas the U.S it costs over 10K. So with the extra horse power over the regular 335i, comes extra maintenance and quirks. If I didn't work from home and have better than average income, I would have sold the car pretty quick. Only certain life circumstances can make comfortably owning a BMW possible. Nevertheless, the car has become like a family member that I care for and it's the best, most fun car I've ever owned.
Those are some expensive repairs! Glad to hear that you persevered and kept it going. One thing I remind myself of is that no car is perfect. If Im going to spend money on maintenance and repairs anyway, I’d rather do it on a car that I really love 💪
1999 BMW 323i Torn subframe mount repair and reinforcement kit and a few small things but the total was $1880!
Ayyyy I seen a clip of you riding in Port Huron !! That’s my hometown!🥳🥳 just bought my first bmw , it is a 07’ 328i e92 , i love it and excited to build this car! Thank you for all the advice Justin
Oh nice! I live in Marysville 😎
I agree with you on this, Justin. I've also owned a BMW for ten years now. I have a 2012 BMW X5 and I love it, but the cost of repairs is insane at times. Fortunately I've been able to pay for them, but if I had been hit with these bills in my 20s I would have been devastated. So, my advice is similar to yours: Think twice before buying a BMW if you're not financially prepared for repair bills. If you don't enjoy doing car maintenance yourself, be prepared for some expensive repairs. Still, I love BMW and will probably buy another one when my current one finally dies.
Got my first bmw last year f10 535i (low miles, one owner, an old lady, over 30 service records only at bmw dealer), saved up and bought in cash. Learned how to repair and maintain it, and now that my job pays me better I’m saving up for one with a S55 to buy in cash at the end of the year. I have the money now, but I want to be able to really afford it, it’ll feel so much better if I can have my racecar and the money to mod it 😝
Most expensive repair I had to do to my N52 was the water pump and thermostat replacement. Expensive parts and took me four days and nights to do in my driveway. Didn’t have any leverage so it was really hard tryna take the original parts off and put the new ones on.
The expansion tank breaking is an intentional fault point so that part fails and not the head gasket. Its a giveaway that something is wrong, thats why you should check your engine often. Its intentional, dont use a metal one the pressure will create a problem elsewhere, its better for the cheap plastic tank to fail vs something else. Gm and ford also use plastic expansion tanks for the same reasons. Yea its annoying changing it but just do it and replace when necessary its not a big deal. Its just another bmw maintenance thing.
I’ve had 4 BMWs, 1-3 series and 3-5 series BMWs. If you cannot afford to replace an engine and transmission at the same time on a bmw DO NOT BUY ONE.
And it’s true. They build them to last the lease period and give them back. These cars ARE a lifestyle. I recommend all bmw owners to have a MINIMUM of $15,000 set aside after purchase of your bmw.
Make sure you get a good PPI! I use LemonSquad personally. DIY will save you money but most are paying a shop to do the work. Average repairs will be $1,000+.
I cannot stress enough these cars a lifestyle. If you can’t throw away $10,000 or so when an engine blows (a shop is not installing a high mileage engine due to liability reasons) unless they’re sketchy. Do not buy one.
The bmw doesn’t care about you. Sorry to say, it cares about how much money you can throw at it to keep on the road.
07 530i E60 - sold at 164k
13 328 F30- sold at 161k
14 535 F10 - sold at 100k (do not buy an f10 IMHO go for a g30 the f10 was the most problematic I ever owned)
18 540i xDrive B58 now at 120,000 miles fantastic car but recently did radiator coolant hose and expansion tank $2500 paid by warranty at a shop. When the oil filter housing goes bad on these you’re looking at DIY of $600 or shop job of 1800-2200. OFH is buried under the intake manifold towards the back of the engine.
BMWs are reliable cars. It's just that the brand attracts many drivers of a certain type. Usually young inexperienced drivers who push them hard and can't afford the maintenance.Then they sell it to the next guy who will treat it in a similar way. After a while it breaks down and they whine about "BMWs are unreliable". No shit. You treat it like a race car but are not willing to spend time or money on maintenance. Even worse are the DIY-clowns who think they can do it themselves but really can't. (note that I am not talking about people who know what they are doing and use quality parts.) I have owned several BMWs, but I have taken good care of them. Never had any issues at all.
Thanks alot mate i was so frustated and wanna buy BMW but now i am reconsidering my decision you really enhanced my knowledge because i am a guy who is really organised and deciplined so if i feel not now for bmw then its not because i have put my shit in order to stay calm and going in my life and thats most important to me rather than flexing in bmw with heavy maintainance but yeah i love BMW ❤
I don’t own a bmw nor do I plan on buying one but I often find myself watching your videos because I know the quality is always up there. love the way you narrate and how calming those videos are, you really have your own thing going on and it’s incredible, great video as usual Justin 🥳
Thank you for the kind words. I appreciate that!
Advice to F30 320i,328i, just stick to original mapping, or you will blow your piston, sooner or later despite having taking care of the engine oil. Or change to Wossner for better reliability. I learn it the hard way.
First car was an e46 330ci, it cost around 3000 dollars in the last three years of ownership in just maintenance (I've done everything myself and this doesn't include oil changes and basic stuff.) what you learn when you take apart older BMW's is all these seals will leak so you might as well replace it while you're in there to save you time and money, one time it left me stranded on the freeway but I still own it, and now I daily drive a 2014 335i and love it. BMWs are problematic but once you get into them it's so incredibly hard to leave, they're truly great cars.