I'm sorry but is this a joke video?? Let me get this straight 1st car has 10k miles, 2nd car has 50k miles; 3rd car has 16K miles, 4th car had 40k miles, 5th car only 10K miles. The 328i is the only one you put any real miles on but how would we know actually how many, all you said was 30k per year for years. I have a 328i with 220K I've had for 10 years. Also have a 530d with 210K had for 2 years. Had a 535i back in 1995 forgotten the mileage. They've all needed normal repairs as any car does (i also have a 20yo toyota 4wd had 10 yeara done 400,000 and that's required lots of repairs too) You started the video saying you're the only true long term bmw youtuber. Ahhh no you're not. Seems to me all you're qualified to comment about bmw reliability is on new and very low mileage cars. Hardly makes for an authority on reliability.
Hi Cassette thank you for watching and subscribing to my channel. 4 years at 30k miles per year on the 328. I say in the video that I have owned mostly high maintained lower mileage cars and that is why I ask for viewers to comment on their experiences.
Glenns Car Collection Still hard to believe you have had zero issues. ..esp on the e36 with the accumulated milage you said. Maybe you just got lucky! I do believe maintenance is key but after about 100k miles you do need to start replacing items such as water pumps, enine heater pipes and oil housing seals to name a few.
My 6mt 2011 128i is bullet proof. Only had 60k miles but at 8 years old the only issue I had was bad spark plugs which was covered by CPO warranty. Just bought a 2015 M235i CPO with 48k miles. It's been solid the past two months so far. Very happy with the car and price.
I've owned my BMW E92 330i (year 2007) for the past 5 years. I've done 32k km and it now has 142k km on the clock. I've had the battery replaced this year (it was 11 years old, not bad). I've had the rear parking sensor stop functioning. Other than that not a single problem. This is a port injection normally aspirated inline six. No HPFP issues, no horror stories. That's my limited experience as I only do about 8k km a year with it. I'm very satisfied so far. It gives so much pleasure, puts a smile on my face and still gives me gose bumps and butterflies in the stomach.
Talking about no reliablity issues with cars that are sub 50k miles, most people who buy these that worry about these issues, the cars already have 100k+ miles.
Jessie Ferreira true and that’s why he asked for owners to comment on their experiences. He said he is only giving his story, he can’t help that his cars have less than 100k miles. All cars will have issues over 100k miles
Glenn, your material keeps getting better and better. I forgot that you have a clown shoe. That’s sooo cool! My experience: 06 e91 manual wagon, has 140k miles- the only real repair required -oil pan gasket...otherwise, plugs, ig coils, filters, oil filter hsg gasket, battery...it’s the best car I’ve ever owned, bought at 92, planning to keep forever.
2004 E46 M3 6 speed, bought it at 200k miles (i know, yikes!) with full service records. Currently at 220k miles. No rod bearings or subframe issues. Oil reports from Blackstone show no sign of abnormal wear. Parts I had to replace over those 20k miles: tie rods (worn), steering coupler (worn), 1x throttle position sensor. The car has been flawless besides those items. I believe previous owners really cared for it, and it shows given the high mileage. Drove the car from Houston all the way to Los Angeles and back with no issues.
Great comment, thanks for sharing and subscribing to my channel. I think you car is reliable because it has such as strong service history. Hope you put 300k miles on it
Have my Camry V6 for eleven years now brand new. It's roughly 130,000 miles and I've never taken it to any shops ever, not even once. Oil change every 5-7k miles, replaced windshield wipers, brakes, etc on my own. Fingers crossed for another 5-9 years.
Since nobody asked, this is my opinion as to why there are tons of horror stories from this brand. 1). They have a large following, including younger “kids” that can barely afford them. 2). Those young kids get excited that they can finally buy their first BMW with 150k miles on it and no service records, but they “got a good deal.” 3). These kids start modding stuff before they even baseline the car....and we know they didn’t get a PPI. 4). These kids are on their phones all days, they head to the forums to start writing and bitching about their issues.
My name is christopher, I am 15 almost 16 and I’m looking to get a BMW 5 or 3 series for my first car. Any recommendations or tips from a veteran BMW owner? Should I even get a bmw as a first car? All the cars that I’m looking at have about 115-125k miles on it. What are your thoughts?
Exactly I bought a 545i 2005 and I have had no issues only a water pump but I’m 17 years old and my dad pays for all the maintenance and I only use good oil and good parts
I couldn't put it better myself, they are high end cars and if u look after them they will last forever almost! If u can't afford to look after it or can't afford a good one don't bother!
I've had a good experience with my BMW. I've had an 1982 5 series for 8 years now. It had about 250k miles when I bought it and has 370k miles on it now. The 5 speed transmission is original and shifts smoothly. The original engine lasted 350k miles. It ran well when I pulled it. I rebuilt it because of oil consumption. I punished that engine daily, It always asked for more. It's been a bit of a project car, but none of those projects were because the car wouldn't start or drive. Everything I replaced was because it was plain worn out. lol When parts have started to go, it's given me plenty of notice. Given the mileage, I expect things to be worn out. I didn't start throwing money at it until after about 320k miles. My new engine is mildly modified, I still drive it hard and it's been reliable. The only thing is, you have to keep on top of your maintenance ( including valve adjustments) and it will keep going. But this is an old BMW. My wife has a 2007 X3 with 120k miles on it. We bought it at 115k miles. That car makes me nervous because all the electronics it has. It's an inline 6 like my old car, but from what I've read most of the new inline 6's have solid blocks, and heads. Its the extra crap they put on them, like solenoids, servos, and sensors. So far its been reliable, so I can't really add and input on it.
Only 100k miles? Across 18 BMWs? Thats it? I hardly consider that to be enough to determine if a brand is reliable. I have driven 3 times that in a single car, so 100k spread across 18 is just not a valid benchmark
My dads Cadillac has 240,000 miles on it and it was bought used around 120,000 miles, he went in to change a tire because he hit a pothole and it gave him a flat/bent the rim, that was the only time he went in to a shop, bmws are not reliable for sure though my cousin had a bmw and she gave up on changing the blinker fluid, and the oil needed to be changed every 2,000 miles, it was ridiculous, the headlights needed to be replaced but it costed like 600 because they were like programmed on the computer so they had to reprogram them after replacing them, she just sold it after that it was a brand new one too, biggest mistake she has probably made in her life 😭
5 Bimmers for me. Two E36s, one E92, and two F22s. An F22 230i is my current daily. My first F22 was a 228i that was leased and turned in for my current 230i. The only issue was a minor gas sensor on the 228i that was replaced after about a year. That's it, as far as those that I've owned new. No other issues. The older E36s, well they had the normal issues cars of that vintage have. The great thing about that is there is plenty of parts and expertise to go around, and almost all issues have been sorted out. I still love the marque, and I don't foresee that to ever change.
I have a 2016 320I Melbourne Red Metallaic with Black Interior with a DINAN Stage 1 System in it. I absolutely love my car and have had no issues with it. It is my daily driver and I bought this car as an executive car. It had about 5000 miles when I bought it and it now has about 33,000 miles. No Problems and absolutely a joy to drive.
I live in the UK and bought an E46 320Ci manual, new, in 2001 (now 102k). Apart from a few very small corrosion points on the quarter panels (one side only, strangely enough), it's been excellent. Very reliable with great fuel consumption. I'm extremely happy!
You lucky one :) I have a E46 320i from 2002 (86 000 km) for 5 or 6 years now. Brakes front and rear (normal wear i think) wishbones shock absorbers rear Fuel line corrosion Stearing gear Clutch (2 times, because the free workshop messed it up at the first time) Oil Sensor Some electical problems with the earth cable of the rear lights But i still love it. It is great on the Autobahn, 15 years old and still goes to it's VMax :)
Interesting video and I suppose most cars are more reliable when the owner keeps up on the maintenance. I have owned Volvo’s, Saab’s, Chevy’s, VW’s, Cadillac’s, Jeeps, Honda’s etc. Right now I am driving my second BMW. I treat all my cars with care and yet have noticed any difference in repair costs. Currently I am driving a 2016 BMW 3 series with 82K miles and have had zero expenses outside of oil changes and one set of tires. So far less expense than the Cadillac, Jeep, Volvo, Saab and drives much better than the Honda!
Kind of a slanted video. Over 100K miles (total), but you don't daily them. Any real BMW owner knows, around 80-120K miles is when the issues start. I wouldn't expect a new M2 or 16k mile 1M to have major issues. My e36 three series had electrical and AC issues that started at 85K. e46 x-drive ate through ball joints and wheel bearings and my e92 needed plugs and wires at 50k and a seat sensor at 77k. I am not saying these are large issues, but high milage BM's are definitly known to have a few up-keep/maintance issues that get pricey. I challenge you actually drive one long-term then report. All your cars are great and I love them but treated as appreciating art (which they are) and not true dailys.
Great comment and thank you for subscribing to my channel. . I mention in the video, the 328, and both M3's were daily drivers. I put 30k miles a year on a used E36 328 for years and I put 40k miles as a daily on the E90. It was probably closer to 150k miles total between all of them. 100% agree that cars with 80-120k miles would be less reliable. Of course I can only report on my own personal experience, that is why I asked viewers to comment on theirs. I'm sure for every reliable comment we get, there will be one that isn't. Thank you for your comment, cheers.
This somewhat true as it is all depends on which bmws youve owned. Early xdrive like one on e46 wasnt smart purchase lol. The e36 was also known to have a crap ton of problems. Ive had regular bmws with 300k+ km and all were pretty much perfect except for an e46 330i rusting uncontrolably. The i6 rwd bmws are the ones to buy if you dont want issues.
100 000 mls is barely run in. I drive BMW since 1994. The first one (E36 coupe) i drove for 6 years and put 203125 mls on it. The best car i ever owned. No problems whatsoever (and i drove the shit out that thing -lots of high speed runs in Germany). Second one was another E36 (touring). Put about 184000 mls ont that one. Again, no isues. The next one was an E46 (touring). Had an accident in that one, someone drove into me, so only 125000 mls (but no troubles, luckily also no trouble with the subframe wich IS a problem especially with the heavier engines). Now i have an E92 and have 82 000 mls on that one (i do less mls now because i have a second car wich i use for work (the others i used for work and private). The E92 6 cil is, in my opinion, the least pleasant to drive (heavier, bigger, less playfull). The E36 the sportiest, the E46 the sweatest engine (2.5L 6 cil).
Have a 330k mile BMW e30 for the past 25 years. Still the same engine, gearbox, back axle etc. No problems apart from replacing the front wings and has been totally reliable. Great that BMW still provide great parts backup for e30's
I own an 03 325i with 105k miles and it obviously needed a few things after that 100k mark ( Water Pump, Coolant Thermostat, Fuel Filter, a couple Window Motors ). Other than that, after 4-5 months of owning ( 7k miles on it ), no major problems ( I might have to rebuild VANOS, but it only puts out 180hp, so it doesn't matter that much. But I'll probably just rebuild it so nothing does wrong ). I'm going off to college for Mechanical Engineering, so it'll be fun doing VANOS, gasket, or seals and learn. Good vid👍
One 325xi E46 2004 - a couple of Cv joint and axel replacements due to crack boots at $2,450 each time. Plastic cooling parts everywhere. Engine has been solid. I now have 98k on it 14 and 1/2 years and changed oil at 5k and brake fluid every 2 years. I will never sell it. It is truly the ultimate driving machine at least for me.
I bought 2013 BMW 335i F30 at 40k miles in 2016. It now has 120k miles and plenty of maintenance, water pump, thermostat, valve cover gasket (twice), regular oil changes, intercooler+charge pipe replacement, transmission fluid+filter change, oil housing gasket, engine motor mount, transmission mount, rear differential fluid change, and oil gasket. I would say that maintenance is costly. Pay to play right?
I have a 2000 E46 328i, second owner (no plans to sell this baby, will add an X3 soon), with 203,000 kms on the clock and so far I replaced both front window regulators, that’s it! This silky straight 6 runs like a tractor! Treat them nice and they’ll treat you nice😁👍 BMWs rock!🇦🇺
Have owned a 2005 325i E90 for 11 years now with 197,000 kms. Key issues (mainly in last 5 years) include water pump failure (had to car towed), radiator fan failure which destroyed the radiator (had to get car towed) , starter motor failure, oil filter gasket replacement to stop oil leaks and electronic oil dipstick sensor. Items that need addressing now are oil pan gasket, Bluetooth module, radio pixel display, rear trunk struts and rear LED light. The car still drives well and the motor/transmission is very smooth. The car is fitted with M-Sports suspension and low profile 18" tyres and, although the ride is very firm, is the best handling car I've ever driven.
Cool collection! The (lower) mileage and care you're taking means you're not going to see the majority of the problems unless they were pre-existing. I've had a peach of an e46 and a headache of a e39... and currently own an F56 (2014) Mini as my daily commuter (also a BMW group product). I drive over 20,000 miles per year in my personal cars and problems do crop up. In ~85,000 miles on the e46 (2004 330i ZHP sedan) over 5 years I've done the suspension (shocks, struts, roll bars - rear bushings are next!), brakes, VANOS, DISA, CCV, and cooling system. The car still needs a few things but she's up over 200,000 miles and still a joy of a driver. It's been needy, but it's been a joy for up to a year (and 20,000 miles) between major service items. Given how hard she's ran, I'd say it's been quite reliable and I plan to keep this car for the foreseeable future as the roadtrip car. The ride/handing balance and size is perfect on weekend trips since I don't have kids. In ~15,000 miles over 18 months the e39 required a lot, but I bought a car that I knew was somewhat needy. Never-the-less this one turned out to be more than I could handle... The valve cover gasket went out, causing a vacuum leak that lead to CCV failure which got oil in the intake which got into the throttle body and put the car into limp mode... And that was just the first two months of ownership. I kept getting 'er sorted and shit kept going wrong. I almost regret selling 'er rather than scrapping 'er with the headaches this one caused. I used to see it driving around, but I haven't lately. I wonder if they had to put 'er down. :-/ The Mini has been perfect thus far, but it only had 48,000 miles at my time of purchase and it's only been 6 months and 5k so far. The previous owner is in his 50s and he bought it after going over on his lease. It's been garage kept and dealer maintained, but the 1st year F56 (2014) was subject to a recall involving the main bearings which was done. I'm hoping to run this one for a couple years before picking up a post-revision ND Miata (181 hp! 7500 rpm! telescoping steering!) as my commuter. BMWs are reliable relative to their "sport" intent, but there are definitely peaches and lemons out there. Inspect and buy with care! :)
Hi Radio, thank you for watching and subscribing to my channel. Yep, my cars have been lower mileage so less problems, that is why I ask viewers to share their experiences since i know I lot of higher mileage cars are out there. Glad to hear about your 2004 330i ZHP, sorry to hear about the E39. I had a 2003 Mini Cooper S as well.
Glenn, good video. Same here. From my experience is that they need to be proactive maintained. Diagnostic and certain types of work are better done at dealerships (and ultimately cheaper). Some systems like XDrive are indeed problematic. For info had an S54 Z4M coupe for 6 years, did 60k in rain shine town track days etc. Never put a foot wrong. Parts are also far cheaper and easier to work on that anything from VAG!
What Ive learned with BMW is that, if you buy it new, where you have control over giving it a good break in, your on time with all your maintenance, and you dont thrash on it, they tend not to have too many problems, mainly the occasional sensor failure, but thats about it. These cars are built to much higher tolerances than most north american buyers are used to, so you HAVE TO keep up with maintenance, you cant not change the oil for a year like most japanese and domestic cars. You gotta change that oil every 3-6 months, you gotta perform fluid flushes every 2-3 years, you gotta keep all your filters clean (annual changes recommended) and your in good shape. Think of owning a BMW like having a high maintenance girlfriend, you gotta give her lots of attention, but when it comes time to have fun, it pays off.
I have owned 3 Bmws my first vehicle was a E34 520i which I purchased when it was 2 years old and with 60k on the clock. No issues whatsoever with that vehicle and only let it go due to it been written off in a collision with a London black cab. My 2nd Bimmer was a 2012 320d again not one fault with this vehicle in 2 years and 20k miles of ownership except for regular maintenance And tyres I never had to replace a single part. I'm now on my 3rd BMW I currently own a 428i M Sport which I have had since January 2018 and Have again had no issues with the car. It drives beautifully and is so smooth and powerful. I personally love Bmws and in my opinion they are a very well built solid cars and I wouldn't hesitate to purchase another one.
Mines been good. My e30 325iS 1990 needed a head gasket but blame the last owner. My 335i n54 needed a lot of maintenance unreliable but drove it from 30k-130k fully modified. My e90 M3 has been very reliable. Oil analysis came out great.
4 BMWs and over 300,000 miles. Cooling system problem in 3, but never broke to the point of stranding me anywhere. VERY reliable. Only 1 car, had a problem enough to be a lemon, but it too did not strand me. So YES, reliable
Glenn's videos are really useful for people in the market looking to actually buy these vehicles. Better than your regular testing channels that just whip arse. As for my own BMW, I have a CSL M3 and its been very reliable except some small general items that are to be expected. My rear main seal is slightly leaky and but that's due to me hardly ever driving it nowadays. Got all the bits for the fix, but just no time to take it to my specialist. Like your 993 turbo Glenn, its raised in price quite a bit so that's nice for a change. Your channel deserves alot more viewers becoz it's actually useful. I came across your channel becoz I'm looking for a GLA45 as a daily and to ferry my pups about with their hair on fire...hehehe. I have like 4 of them so the 458 or the GTR won't really work for them. Keep up the great videos. As a note, maybe you can do things like giveaways to increase the subscribers alot like Parker in virgin vehicles etc. Just a thought
I have owned several BMW's and they have all been reliable. The ones I have seen that have issues are where oil and coolant were not kept up. It is also important to follow the service intervals.
You haven’t put enough miles on each car for this to be fair dude. Your first car reliability statement makes sense...30,000 miles a year for years with no issues. But owning a car for 4 years and only putting 4-6000 miles on it is hardly a fair representation of reliability haha
Well, a purely unreliable car doesn't care how many miles it adds to show issues. It's either reliable or it isn't, at 5000 miles or 60,000. Making it to 100k and then starting to have issues does not point to something being unreliable. The point of the video is to illustrate that simply owning a bimmer doesn't mean its going to blow up as soon as you get it.
Great video! I live in Oslo, Norway and Ive been a BMW owner since 1995 starting with a 1992 E34 520i Sport Wagon in Oxford Green that I had for one year. It had 60 000 kilometers on it when i bought it and I traded it in at 90 000 km with no issues at all for a 1994 520i Black wagon. Cant recall the kilometers on that one but had it for little over a year with no issues. Now, car prices in Norway are off the charts, hence the choice of the 2.0 litre engine which is the most popular here due to enormous taxation on larger volume engines. The 94 wagon cost close to 40 000 USD used back in 1996 (!). Then, in 1997 i wanted a cheaper car and got a 1988 520i Sedan in silver. I had it for 7 years and no major issues. Now we are in 2004 and I found a 1995 last generation 520i E34 Sedan in green metallic. it was absolutely flawless inside and out. I did a few modifications, put lower suspension and got some original Alpina 18" wheels for it. I loved the E34s, they were my dream car when I was a kid and this last one was built like a tank and looked amazing. Only problem was that the AC stopped working and i had to spend a bit of money to get it up and running again. 2006 I got a 1999 E39 520i black wagon, had it until 2013. Absolutely no serious issues. Then i got an E39 525i full, original M Sport package 2003 model in silver. This is my favorite car that I ever owned in spite of being the most problematic mainly with engine issues leading to an engine swap right before i sold it in 2017. But boy what a sweet car. My current car is a 2005 E60 520i. i bought it one year ago with 130 000 km on the clock. It was a one owner car in Titanium Grey, standard edition but with stock sport suspension, sport seats and tinted windows. Im not kidding when i say the car looks close to brand new! It now has 170 000 km and has performed absolutely faultless. Now, i always take good care of my things and i service my cars regularly. It seems to keep them in check. Also bear in mind, I drive my cars in Norway where we have heavy, long winters with temperatures down to minus 30c. I am impressed by how my BMWs has held up through the years. cheers!
Great history Erik. Thanks for sharing. I hope you continue to own BMW's. Glad to hear they perform even in cold winters. Thank you for subscribing to my channel. More BMW video to come
Recently sold an e36, 480000 km, it's still rolling arround, at least one part of it dies in a month or two, with none of them costing more than 100$. Currently rolling arround in a '03 e46 318i, 200000 km, no major issues whatsoever, and I'm pretty happy with it.
E70 X5 35i, family has owned it since 45 000 kilometres, currently has 125 000 and only issue was the water pump and thermostat but that went off right when it was supposed to ( 100 000k ) and car ha just been solid! Truly amazing how BMW does it so well.
I have owned 3 BMWs and haven’t had any issues. My e92 328i sport with MT is about to hit 100k miles, so I am curious to see how it holds up.
6 лет назад+9
Hi Glenn, I also have had the great experience of owning the following BMW'S..1996 E36 M3 bought it new! I drove it pass 56k miles I had 1 cooling issue that was covered by BMW. I had a 1988 used 325 IX! ,I had a 1988 635 CSI! I had a 2000 E39 M5 for seven years! I currently have an E63 M6 in my garage...I had BMW as my company demo cars for six years! I have driven way over 180,000 in BMWS !!! Ps. after a hard day at work, take the long way home in an M car and scream!
Thank you for your comment and subscribing to my channel. Has the E63 M6 been reliable? always wanted one
6 лет назад+1
Glenns Car Collection Regarding the E63 M6 ,I bought it six months ago with 35k miles, I took it on long distance trip , it currently has 38k miles, so far zero out of pocket except for the high cost of gasoline..lol . This car will amaze you whenever you have enough room to explore the high rpm..zone! what a pull , what a sound! BMW V10 wonder! . I'm a big fan of your videos, keep up the good work. Ps. I did buy a bumper to bumper extended service contract for the lesser of 5 years or 75k miles for a piece of mind.
Im 25 have a 530i M sport package (e60) got it as a birthday gift & for graduating college this year. Got it @169k miles now @182.5k miles, the last owner really beat it up, but with an engine flush and oil changes every 5k miles, the car for the price maintenance/driving with the 6 speed manual, its a daily driver you just cant beat.
Nice Birthday present and congrats on graduating college. I got a cake when I graduated college. Congrats on the car, glad you got a 6 speed manual, keep us posted on the reliability.
I own a 2000 e46 328ci with over 210k miles ....still going strong... original engine and transmission....only problems .....sensors....i recently changed the front suspensions and arms... well maintained.
Great piece, at 72 tears old. I have owned 9 Bimmers all over 75k to start and my current two Z3 Roadsters a 3.0i and 2.5i are trouble free the 2.5 just turned 211000 miles.
I have an 1988 BMW 325 Super ETA. That car was my first car, and it’s still my daily driver to this day! I have had it over 7 years, and have done a lot of work on it. It’s been reliable in the sense that it gets the job done, but it can be quite temperamental when I don’t repair it regularly. Given the car is now 30 years old, that’s quite good! I did need to replace the transmission, which was the biggest work I’ve ever had done on it. It’s at 193,683 miles right now. I doubt it’s actually that, since I had to fix the odometer when I purchased it from someone off the street for $1,000.
Good insight Glenn. I've had the following cars with zero issues: 97 328I, 2003 330XI ZHP, 2004 LSB E46 M3, 2006 328XI, 2008 E92 M3, 2014 550i and last year took delivery of a 2017 M3. Love the cars ( obviously ) Goodluck with your channel!
I have less than $3k for of maint and repairs total in my 99 Accord I bought new in 1998. I am counting tires and brakes even... I still drive it in the woods for hiking and fishing as well as the road. Not even any rust on the body.
2000 BMW 323i sedan First car, bought it with 136,000KM, brought it up to 390,000KM before it was in a high speed hit and run, vehicle needed too much body work but I was still able to drive it around) -Work needed: Control arm bushings, fuel pump, alternator, rear subframe (paid for by BMW in 2010), power-steering hoses, battery. By 350,000KM it needed new cats, but I never did them. Not sure if some would consider that a lot, but I consider it to be good. I also live in Canada, where winter is hard on cars. This car was also driven across Canada 3 times! 2001 BMW 330Ci coupe Second (current) car, bought it with 175,000KM, it currently has around 230,000. -Work needed: Control arm bushings, *preventative* full coolant system overhaul *recommended to prevent permanent engine damage on older models!*, oil filter housing gasket, valve cover gasket, 2 xenon headlight bulbs. Thats all I can recall. Both have been very reliable, very fun winter driven in Calgary and Ontario where the cold and snow can be very harsh, -37 C is the coldest thus far... I say they are reliable cars, but not worlds most reliable cars.
Mine is reliable. It's a 2003 330i with 5 manual gears, and done 147,000 miles and has original starter, a/c system and cooling system, and yes, most other parts. Some suspension parts were replaced. Need to put a cork in oil leaks (rear main, e.g.). Fun to drive, of course.
I have owned my 2001 X5 3.0i for 14 years, 238,000 miles. It has been ok. Window regulators are the worst part, break at least convenient times. I learned to replace and lube the window channels with silicon paste. Also drivers door handle carriage broke. PCV valve, boots, water pump, alternator, power steering hoses and reservoir, oil pan gasket, control arms, oil filter housing gasket, broke hood cable, shift shaft seal, vanos seals. Everything else has been typical maintenance. Get Akebono euro pads and ATE rotors for 100,000 mile brakes and no dust. Luckily 80% of repairs I have been able to do myself. Now I use high mileage mobile 1, seems to help make the seals last longer, I confirmed after replacing valve cover gasket with 120,000 miles and still looked ok. I plan to put on Dupont Vinton gaskets wherever possible for other parts like oil filter housing gasket. I also live in Arizona so worth it to keep the car running since no rust here.
I love my 2008 328xi 6-speed manual. It does require lots of minor repairs and I've been tracking them. I bought it used with 55k miles exactly 4 years ago. It now has 105k and still drives like new. Repairs: I bought a 50k mile warranty on it for 2k when I got the car because I know how expensive repairs can be on these. Without the the warranty and taking it to a good local mechanic (not the dealership) I would have spent 7,297.60. These repairs are things like small oil leaks, axle seals, etc. This also includes things I replaced that weren't required, like the passenger door handle pull because it was worn. Maintenance: I've spent a total of $5,029.85 on wear items like oil changes, tires, brakes, etc. So these are not cheap cars to maintain, but it's never left me stranded or not started. I can't say the same for my Toyota Tercel I had in college. The engine on that car blew at 102k and the replacement engine went at 260k. I replaced everything on that car at least twice and that's not much of an exaggeration (it had the original manual transmission and I only replaced the control arms once). Although 5th gear on it stopped working at about 240k.
Purchased a 2001 325i with 72,000 miles on it and now have 213,000. Have replaced fuel pump, alternator, power steering pump, coolant system and other misc small parts. More maintenance then a Honda but still drives and looks great.
I work at a car dealership ( cleaning cars before I go to college ), and I found an BMW E30 325e. It sat in the dealership parking lot for a couple years. I walked over to it ( because knowbody else there had an interest in BMW's ), and I took the key and in 4 or 5 turn overs, it started up. We couldn't sell it because it has a leaking gas line and it they would've spent more on repairing it. I was so tempted to take it. It was nice. Somewhat like this ( sorry for the huge link ): www.google.com/search?client=ms-android-sprint-us&biw=412&bih=382&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=qgpUW7LRH6HjjwS5m5WgCA&q=325e+white&oq=325e+white&gs_l=mobile-gws-wiz-img.3...3221.4220..4787...0.0...806.874.1j6-1......0....1.........0j35i39j0i30.X081Cfad2c8#imgrc=f_b6o-CbkHn0tM:
I have a 2002 e39 sport 530i, manual of course, which has had all kind of problems since I bought it one year ago. The car has had 12 different owners and apart from the guy who bought it back then, I´m the only one whose cared to pay for maintenance and repairs...it works perfectly now. I think they are generally reliable but they are complex machines so you have to be able to pay for bills other than fuel and rear tyres!
Owned an e36 323i for 3 years used every day 90k when I bought it and130k miles when sold and never let me down. Owned an e46 330i sport with 140k and it drove like brand new it was incredible testament to bmw! Also owned an e39 525d again never ever let me down in 4 years of ownership!
06 E90 330i Sport 6spd with 87k miles. Owned for 8 years. Minimal issues, valve cover gasket, windshield wiper pump, angel eye light bulb, etc. Some preventative stuff like replacing the belt and tensioner. Not as bulletproof as my 2jz is300, but not that far off either.
I have 2004 M3 convertible with SMG. Currently just a bit over 29k miles. Bought it 4 years ago with 24k miles. I had two issues ( a rear view mirror turn into the lava lamp, $150 fix) and ( plastic convertible top motor cover had a to be replaced with custom made metal piece, $120 fix). Changing oil yearly and this year replaced transmission , differential fluid and fuel filter as preventive maintenance.
Really love this video! Great idea. You should do videos like this with other cars as well! I was thinking about buying an e92 m3 but was too scared of the reliability so bought an s2000 instead but I kind of want one again now. Thanks Glenn!
Had an 04 325xi for 10 year. While it had its problems including 3 oil leaks, 3 drive axles, and started to overheat when we got rid of it. Despite it's problems it always started up & never let us down.
I have had my 2011 328 xdrive for over 4 years and put 50k miles on it . It now has 118k miles. I have only changed tires and brakes. But I now finally had to change the oil pan gasket. Very expensive to fix due to hourly labor. But not bad for 4 years.
Long list of BMW Cars: 2000 538i: 115k - 145k miles. Issues were ignition coils, sparks, and behind the dash wiring went bad. 2004 325CI SuperCharger & Mods: 110k - 135k Bulletproof car. Water in intake should have hydro locked the car but was able to change oil, sparks, and it was back to life. Valve cover gasket maintenance and that was all i ever had to do 1989 325i: 235k miles on it owned for 1 month, slave cylinder and oil change 2012 135i DCT: One of my favorite cars! 54k - 98k miles. Valve cover gasket, sparks, coils, tie rods, rotors, brakes. Issue with engine lunging because of DCT and putting N54 plugs in instead of N55. My fault of course 2007 Z4M Coupe: Current car bought at 93k now at 95k. Bought it needing all maintenance which is how I haggles the price. I have done Sparks, coils, VCG, AC Belt, front rotors, tires, Brake fluid and now it's my daily and has been reliable so far. More on my cars list is here: wheelwell.com/jordon-hamel
1997 E36 M3 & 2008 e92 M3 (low cost of ownership buying these cars six years old with relatively low mileage). Both cars were stock, two and one owner cars, reasonably maintained, purchased w/ 60k and 38K miles respectively. As weekend drivers very economical - added ~18,000 miles on each over three years w/ maintenance consisting primarily of fluid changes, the e92 needed an ignition coil. Thanks for the great videos. What do you think about the z4 e85 coupe? Picked up an s2000 and enjoying it so much that I’m considering the z4 coupe.
I bought a used 2001 330i with 102k and here is what I had to do. Rebuild the engine, Rebuild the auto transmission( ZF model). Replace all the brake components , Replace all the suspension, Replace headliner and various interior trim pieces. It had a complete repaint and replaced every engine sensor along with a vanos rebuild. I'm not complaining but trying to give a realistic opinion of an older BMW with high mileage and poor maintenance. Let me not forget replacing the complete cooling system. Window regulators will break every 2 years and oh heck never mind. All I got to say is be prepared to throw money at it and do all the repairs yourself. It's easy to have a good opinion on an almost new BMW with low miles.
When u drive 1 the same BMW for 100k miles, then u can talk about reliability. Which one that u bought had over 150k km? Do u drive only new cars with low mileage?
I have 2 BMW's. A 1998 E39 528i and a 2010 E60 535i. The 528i has 350K miles and it's like my child. The beauty of that car is how analog it is. The engine itself is bullet proof but the wear and tear parts like suspension, belts, and obviously tires were replaced just as any other car with 350K miles. I've heard that the ABS module is a common failure due to heat and its proximity to the hot engine, but I never had this issue. There was an airbag sensor that went bad at 250K miles but I just bypassed it with an airbag bypass under the passenger seat. The headlights were bouncing around because the cheap plastic parts inside the headlight units broke so they were replaced. Other than that, with regular up keep and maintenance, there were no catastrophic failures. Now, the E60 535i with the N54 engine is another animal. You'll need a doctorate degree to decipher the engine codes. This car is prone to high pressure fuel pump (HPFP) failures, carbon buildup, turbo failure, injectors, ignition coils, and the list goes on. So far, I haven't experience any of these except the carbon build up that was taken care of by a "walnut blast" procedure. To sum things up: take care of your BMW's like its your children and hopefully they don't slap you back with a huge repair bill.
M2 would still be under warranty and cheaper to run because it is newer, but it will depreciate more since its the newer car. Both are great choices, I had both. M2 for daily and E92 for the weekends
I own a BMW 330 ci e46 since 2009. It had 65.000 miles/ 110.000 kms when I bought it, now it has 160.000 miles/260.000 kms. Totally reliable, no major problems, nothing has been done to engine/transmition (manual). Very few minor fixes, like one (!) ignition coil, valve cover gasket replace, electric radiator fan replaced and i thing intake cam position sensor. Other than that just routine maintenance. Very sutisfied with it and nothing shows me that it can't do another 160.000 miles or more, who knows. The car has still full power and drives perfectly.
my 1992 E36 (bought in Germany) with over 200k km is absolutely fine the only problem that it had was that the clutch pump blew up it was a 100euro damage
A car should go 250,000 miles if properly maintained. These car reliability reviews after 50,000 miles total are laughable to me. Your history with them and owning multiple tells me otherwise though. Great video!
Have 16 340i with mppsk and limited slip at 50k right now, been a solid vehicle no problems what so ever. Had a 88 325i besides electronic and ac/heating issue engine and transmission was solid until my sister wreak it at 280,000 miles
2000 BMW 328ci 256,000 still going had the car for 8 years bought it at 140k only thing replaced is 1 coil pack and many oil changes lol For all who are not Mechanically inclined you will spend money on these cars/imports. Do your self a favor and learn how work on a car dealerships are known to up charge and charge a crazy fortune for parts and labor (:
This is exactly why I don't see things like leaking gaskets, failing water pumps, and failing coil packs to be enough to label a whole car brand as unreliable. Things like this will happen to any car brand. If you learn how to do the work your self it will be significantly cheaper, and you get that warm fuzzy feeling when you're done. So far I haven't had to replace a part twice, except for maintenance items, like water pumps, timing belts (yes BMW used a timing belt once lol), spark plugs, and a few gaskets. There are some engines I would stay away from, like the S54. But that's all based on what I've read. I haven't had one my self.
I have a 2002 M3 convertible, manual. I bought it new and it's my only car. I still have just under 100k miles on it because I don’t need to drive to work. It’s been a great car. I’ve had a few repairs over the years, nothing major but none were cheap either. I know there were a couple recall issues, but BMW just took care of them. Its showing its age a bit especially with driver seat wear and a few squeaks. Overall, it’s the best car I’ve ever had, and I plan to keep it forever. If I do find I need / want another car I’d get a BMW again.
My first BMW was a 1998 528I, loved it and sold to my SIL with 175k, ran perfect. 5 7 series with current one is a F01...has a new engine because of scorched cylinder that BMW paid for. Also own a 04 X5 with a 150k and a 14 X5. I bought three 3 series for my daughter. Almost forgot, just bought wide a 11 335I convertible. The people complaining should probably not own one in the first place. Buy a Toyota and be happy if you cant deal with servicing. Some people can afford the payment but cant afford the car.
Great video very informative stuff to people that want to buy some of these cars. My experience with bmw is generally they are extremeeellly reliable. Its purely down to how you treat them. If the oil warning light comes on just top her off dont drive 5000km lol. For m cars: E46 m3 2001 smg(160k km): Smg pump went at 210k km - 600$ (new pump) 100$ programing Salmon relay - 20$? (Before the pump failed) Misfire that lead to 2 coil packs being replaced Subframe cracked all around - few days work stripping the car to bare metal inside and out and welding it back. Added structural support so theres no way itll crack again. E92 m3 (99k km) - nothing so far car is at nearly 160k km. F10 m5 (118k km) - nothing other than friend noticed the other day when i went through huge puddles(nearly to kidney grill) that rear right passenger floor matt was wet underneath?...i assume the water just got throughh one of the drainage holes. F82 m4 (27k km) - m perf muffler tip has rattle M light up logos need to be replaced Driver side bolster stitches undone ^under warrenty so all that is free
Had both. (mr2 and E46 320i) Drove both like my hair was on fire. Both about the same reliability if anything BMW was more bulletproof. It's good for performance cars to be driven hard. It burns the carbon off the cylinders and keeps them keen to rev. A sports car that hasn't been driven hard is likely to have far more problems than one that has been stored and cosseted. Luv and Peace.
Very true. Most get in it and rev it out while its cold. Take corners extra fast etc etc. While the camry drivers car doesnt see past 3k rpm its entire life.
Hi guys. I own M3. E92. 2013 unreal car. I drive it hard , I drive it regularly clearly the best car I have ever owned. It's fun , quick and amazing handling. I have not spent one cent on it, only servicing. It's done 66000klm and still looks and goes like the first day I drove out of the showroom. Highly recommended in its reliability. The only other expense is tyres, but I can live with that. 9.5 out of 10.
Exactly the same with my 2013 335i e92 but my friends keep hating on my saying that I can get better car for the money which is totally not true I love the car haven’t spent cent on it since I got it while they keep repairing their shitty Mercedeses and Audi’s
I've owned 9 BMWs (E46, E34, E38, E39, E60, 2 E70s, and 2 E92s) since 2009 with 5 currently in the fleet right now. I've put about 300k miles on all 9 combined and my experiences have run the gamut. I will definitely say that the newer cars (E60, E70, and E92) have been much more trouble-free and less cost to maintain than the cars designed/built in the '90s. The E46, E34, E38 and E39 all have left me stranded at least once. The E60, E70s and E92s not once between the five of them.
E46 330im, e60,525im, e39 525, and f30 320d :) my favorite was e46 a very nice handling car. E39 was the most comfortable of them all but I had some problems with the automatic gearbox and radiator. Now I drive f30 320 and e60 525.
Well if anyone interested here is my story: I've had used 2008 535xi (90000 miles) with nothing but problems. It had n54 engine. And every morning I've had a check engine light with multiple codes. Dealer was UNABLE to find a problem. So after 5 month and $900 spending on the diagnoses my car was failed to pass inspection so i traded it for 2011 328 xDrive. Purchased used with 15k in 2012. My daily driver. Just normal daily commute, no racing or anything. Current odometer is on 110000ml. I should mention that I'm maintaining car mostly myself. I was changing engine oil every 7500-8000ml. First problem was broken USB port (not mechanical problem) was fix at dealership before I picked car up. Front brake pads and brake fluid was replaced under factory warranty with about 45k. Now problems which I've had: Fixed under CPO (this was happened at 75000ml): - Rear driver side wheel bearing was replaced at 48k. - Leaking valve cover. Actually was cracked. - Leaking Engine OIL Filter Housing gasket. - Faulty TMPS receiver. Which actually shorted entire CANbus. I was unable to open the doors and other weird stuff. - Drive belt tensioner was cracked. Ones car was stalled on the highway. Just stalled like was out of gas. Turned out to be faulty fuel pump controller. Was putting fuel pump in limbo mode after 30 minutes of drive. Stepped out of car, lock/unlock doors and car started right away. I was freak out. Cost me about $80. I had to program ECU to work properly. Was able to find one on the eBay. New is about $300. Current issues: - Rear driver side wheel bearing. - Front driver and pass side control arms needs to be replaced. - Both front tie rods up for replacement. And most critical is oil leaks between engine sump. Was quoted over $1200 for replacement. Performed maintenance: - Transmission fluid replace. - Brake fluid replace. - Front and rear diff fluid replaced. - Coolant flushed. - Steering fluid flushed. - Drive belt replaced. - All brake rotors and pads was replaced at 80k. - Transfer case fluid changed. (req ECU rest) Total cost was over $800 in parts. Not to mention I had to buy Bentley manual and was able to find a sofware for PC for diagnostics and coding. If anyone interested the current software is Reinghold. I do have cars well over 100k but BMW is teh most complicated car I owned. Faulty electronic that was scares me. ANd having car stalled on the middle of the highway? That's not reliability if ask me.
Currently: 2008 M5 no issues Past: 2001 X4 4.4 replaced radiator as it had a hairline crack 2008 650i: passenger heated seat broke-just the switch 2007 335i: modded to over 400hp, no issues I have had many cars and my BMWs have been consistently reliable. I do however admit that I am in constant fear driving the M5 that the rod bearings are going to blow at any minute...
I had a 98 e39 528i and I bought it for $1000 with 203k miles original engine and auto gm trans 4 speed . Replaced every cooling component nothing else daily drove it 6 months about 6000 miles extremely reliable but one cold day started it up and a cloud of smoke appeared from the exhaust, got it checked out and it was the head gasket. I was told the m52 motor (the straight 6 pre face life) the head gasket goes around 200-250k miles
A lot of people commenting how it isn't a fair comparison because all your cars have fairly low miles. I have a 2017 M2. Had it for 7 months and have 525 miles on it and I'm perfectly fine with that. You don't have to put 20k miles on a car a year. Its more about age to some people. I drive a bike daily year round. Great video and no issues with my car. 1 year anniversary coming up in a couple of months.
Still have my BMW 2006 E60 w/ the n52-b30 i6. I have 185,567 miles on it. I did have to rebuild the frontend this year. They were all OEM parts, so yeah... Way overdue 😡. I also did the belt, idle pulley, and belt tensioner. And of course general maintenance like tune-ups, oil changes. I do change my oil every 4000 miles. Because, I noticed if I went past that there oil looked really black. All maintenance cost me under $2,000. Note: I do my own work. Anyway, it's been a great car. Edit: almost forgot I had to replace the water pump at 169k miles! And a high-pressure gas line to the fuel rail. Same price, forgot to say these 2 things. Believe it or not, the expansion tank is still OEM! The stick that usually comes out when you open the cap to give the lvl broke off. I'm shocked that the expansion tank hasn't cracked yet. Now it will go well knock on wood 😉👍.
My first car was a mid 80's 3 series. It's still sitting in my parents garage. Drove it to 130,000 miles with absolute 0 problems. I don't think BMW (or Mercedes for that matter, had an 06) builds them like they used to. I think you have to go somewhat classic with these brands or be very choosey in which models to consider if going new.
tell me if im wrong but isnt car reliability down to poor maintenance? if you change your oil and service regular and keep fluids topped up, youre pretty much safe? obviously some parts will need changing (brakes,tyres,belts and tensioners)
Hi Alex, thank you for watching and subscribing to my channel. Great comment, yes, doing the required maintenance on time will sure help reliability, though sometimes cars have flaws even with proper care. Driving style plays a role as well, beating on a car will shorten the life of turbos and other wear items. Thank you for your comment.
Your wrong, BMW and all cars have specific issues. BMW just happens to cost more with more issues besides maintenance. That is why I love bmw, large depreciation in value so I can buy them cheap. As long as you know the problems and can fix them cheaply.
Im 18 and I have a 2003 e46 330xi and I love it but I have had to do a lot of work on it like cv shaft, rack and pinion, ball joints, rear struts and some other minor things but over all I love and definitely would buy another bmw
I've been stranded by my dads e46 328i and in the 16 years of owning the car about 180k+ miles were driven and things kind of got a bit worse since, i think it may have been the fact that he only did oil changes once a year, even when we put about 12k a year on the car **edit** now we have an f30 330i and it is glorious
with reliable owners, they're as reliable as any other decent car, I've owned 2 over 100k kms never had an issue, currently have 1 with with 115k kms, mine were modified and thrashed
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I'm sorry but is this a joke video?? Let me get this straight 1st car has 10k miles, 2nd car has 50k miles; 3rd car has 16K miles, 4th car had 40k miles, 5th car only 10K miles. The 328i is the only one you put any real miles on but how would we know actually how many, all you said was 30k per year for years.
I have a 328i with 220K I've had for 10 years. Also have a 530d with 210K had for 2 years. Had a 535i back in 1995 forgotten the mileage. They've all needed normal repairs as any car does (i also have a 20yo toyota 4wd had 10 yeara done 400,000 and that's required lots of repairs too)
You started the video saying you're the only true long term bmw youtuber. Ahhh no you're not.
Seems to me all you're qualified to comment about bmw reliability is on new and very low mileage cars. Hardly makes for an authority on reliability.
Hi Cassette thank you for watching and subscribing to my channel. 4 years at 30k miles per year on the 328. I say in the video that I have owned mostly high maintained lower mileage cars and that is why I ask for viewers to comment on their experiences.
Glenns Car Collection Still hard to believe you have had zero issues. ..esp on the e36 with the accumulated milage you said. Maybe you just got lucky! I do believe maintenance is key but after about 100k miles you do need to start replacing items such as water pumps, enine heater pipes and oil housing seals to name a few.
Also, no issues with the cars, but the M coupe has a rejected inspection sticker (8:59).....
thanks for saving me 6 minute of my life...
Cassette Walkman is 328i reliable? Might buy it
Owned 4 BMW’s. A 330ci, two E46 M3’s and now a 2018 M2. Never had any issues.
You take good care of your cars i guess. I like it
My 6mt 2011 128i is bullet proof. Only had 60k miles but at 8 years old the only issue I had was bad spark plugs which was covered by CPO warranty. Just bought a 2015 M235i CPO with 48k miles. It's been solid the past two months so far. Very happy with the car and price.
Thanks for your comments, Sounds like a great car.
I've owned my BMW E92 330i (year 2007) for the past 5 years. I've done 32k km and it now has 142k km on the clock. I've had the battery replaced this year (it was 11 years old, not bad). I've had the rear parking sensor stop functioning. Other than that not a single problem. This is a port injection normally aspirated inline six. No HPFP issues, no horror stories. That's my limited experience as I only do about 8k km a year with it. I'm very satisfied so far. It gives so much pleasure, puts a smile on my face and still gives me gose bumps and butterflies in the stomach.
Great comment, thanks for sharing Nexus and thank you for subscribing to my channel
Talking about no reliablity issues with cars that are sub 50k miles, most people who buy these that worry about these issues, the cars already have 100k+ miles.
Jessie Ferreira true and that’s why he asked for owners to comment on their experiences. He said he is only giving his story, he can’t help that his cars have less than 100k miles. All cars will have issues over 100k miles
Hondas and Toyotas don't have issues at 100k miles ;)
34hockeyplayer youd be surprised how bullet proof old Toyotas are it's kinda crazy
Toyota’s usually need a axle and Hondas need the timing chain service when they get that old
Hondas are lame unless you're talking nsx or s2k.
Glenn, your material keeps getting better and better. I forgot that you have a clown shoe. That’s sooo cool! My experience: 06 e91 manual wagon, has 140k miles- the only real repair required -oil pan gasket...otherwise, plugs, ig coils, filters, oil filter hsg gasket, battery...it’s the best car I’ve ever owned, bought at 92, planning to keep forever.
Great comment. The clown shoe is in winter storage and will be back once spring comes. I miss not driving it
I read the Germans call it "Sport Shoe!"
2004 E46 M3 6 speed, bought it at 200k miles (i know, yikes!) with full service records. Currently at 220k miles. No rod bearings or subframe issues. Oil reports from Blackstone show no sign of abnormal wear. Parts I had to replace over those 20k miles: tie rods (worn), steering coupler (worn), 1x throttle position sensor. The car has been flawless besides those items. I believe previous owners really cared for it, and it shows given the high mileage.
Drove the car from Houston all the way to Los Angeles and back with no issues.
Great comment, thanks for sharing and subscribing to my channel. I think you car is reliable because it has such as strong service history. Hope you put 300k miles on it
I've owned 5 bmws. Including 2 z3 coupes. Still own 2 bmws. Z4 and z3 coupe 1 of 1 Nothing but smiles for this guy!
thanks for subscribing. more BMW videos to come
Imagine that. "Drive" your car but also service it on time and avoid Thrashing it and it will retain its reliability. What a concept! Well done !!
Great comment, thanks for sharing
Have my Camry V6 for eleven years now brand new. It's roughly 130,000 miles and I've never taken it to any shops ever, not even once. Oil change every 5-7k miles, replaced windshield wipers, brakes, etc on my own. Fingers crossed for another 5-9 years.
Since nobody asked, this is my opinion as to why there are tons of horror stories from this brand.
1). They have a large following, including younger “kids” that can barely afford them.
2). Those young kids get excited that they can finally buy their first BMW with 150k miles on it and no service records, but they “got a good deal.”
3). These kids start modding stuff before they even baseline the car....and we know they didn’t get a PPI.
4). These kids are on their phones all days, they head to the forums to start writing and bitching about their issues.
exactly!
My name is christopher, I am 15 almost 16 and I’m looking to get a BMW 5 or 3 series for my first car. Any recommendations or tips from a veteran BMW owner? Should I even get a bmw as a first car? All the cars that I’m looking at have about 115-125k miles on it. What are your thoughts?
Exactly I bought a 545i 2005 and I have had no issues only a water pump but I’m 17 years old and my dad pays for all the maintenance and I only use good oil and good parts
I couldn't put it better myself, they are high end cars and if u look after them they will last forever almost! If u can't afford to look after it or can't afford a good one don't bother!
Right
I've had a good experience with my BMW. I've had an 1982 5 series for 8 years now. It had about 250k miles when I bought it and has 370k miles on it now. The 5 speed transmission is original and shifts smoothly. The original engine lasted 350k miles. It ran well when I pulled it. I rebuilt it because of oil consumption. I punished that engine daily, It always asked for more. It's been a bit of a project car, but none of those projects were because the car wouldn't start or drive. Everything I replaced was because it was plain worn out. lol When parts have started to go, it's given me plenty of notice. Given the mileage, I expect things to be worn out. I didn't start throwing money at it until after about 320k miles. My new engine is mildly modified, I still drive it hard and it's been reliable. The only thing is, you have to keep on top of your maintenance ( including valve adjustments) and it will keep going. But this is an old BMW.
My wife has a 2007 X3 with 120k miles on it. We bought it at 115k miles. That car makes me nervous because all the electronics it has. It's an inline 6 like my old car, but from what I've read most of the new inline 6's have solid blocks, and heads. Its the extra crap they put on them, like solenoids, servos, and sensors. So far its been reliable, so I can't really add and input on it.
Wow, that's a lot of miles. Thank you for sharing. I agree you have to keep on top of the maintenance.
Only 100k miles? Across 18 BMWs? Thats it? I hardly consider that to be enough to determine if a brand is reliable. I have driven 3 times that in a single car, so 100k spread across 18 is just not a valid benchmark
100k miles across 6 BMW"s. i say in the video that is not enough miles, that is why I ask viewers to comment with their mileage and experience.
My car has10,000 miles and I never have issue. No kidding, I hope not, wait till 100,000 and things start leaking.
My dads Cadillac has 240,000 miles on it and it was bought used around 120,000 miles, he went in to change a tire because he hit a pothole and it gave him a flat/bent the rim, that was the only time he went in to a shop, bmws are not reliable for sure though my cousin had a bmw and she gave up on changing the blinker fluid, and the oil needed to be changed every 2,000 miles, it was ridiculous, the headlights needed to be replaced but it costed like 600 because they were like programmed on the computer so they had to reprogram them after replacing them, she just sold it after that it was a brand new one too, biggest mistake she has probably made in her life 😭
5 Bimmers for me. Two E36s, one E92, and two F22s. An F22 230i is my current daily. My first F22 was a 228i that was leased and turned in for my current 230i. The only issue was a minor gas sensor on the 228i that was replaced after about a year. That's it, as far as those that I've owned new. No other issues. The older E36s, well they had the normal issues cars of that vintage have. The great thing about that is there is plenty of parts and expertise to go around, and almost all issues have been sorted out. I still love the marque, and I don't foresee that to ever change.
Great comment. thanks for sharing and subscribing to my channel. More BMW videos to come
Great way to start the morning with another video from Glen :D
I have a 2016 320I Melbourne Red Metallaic with Black Interior with a DINAN Stage 1 System in it. I absolutely love my car and have had no issues with it. It is my daily driver and I bought this car as an executive car. It had about 5000 miles when I bought it and it now has about 33,000 miles. No Problems and absolutely a joy to drive.
Good to hear Brian. Thanks for watching and subscribing to my channel
I live in the UK and bought an E46 320Ci manual, new, in 2001 (now 102k). Apart from a few very small corrosion points on the quarter panels (one side only, strangely enough), it's been excellent. Very reliable with great fuel consumption. I'm extremely happy!
Thanks for sharing William, good to hear. Thank you for watching and subscribing to my channel, more BMW videos to come
You lucky one :)
I have a E46 320i from 2002 (86 000 km) for 5 or 6 years now.
Brakes front and rear (normal wear i think)
wishbones
shock absorbers rear
Fuel line corrosion
Stearing gear
Clutch (2 times, because the free workshop messed it up at the first time)
Oil Sensor
Some electical problems with the earth cable of the rear lights
But i still love it. It is great on the Autobahn, 15 years old and still goes to it's VMax :)
Interesting video and I suppose most cars are more reliable when the owner keeps up on the maintenance. I have owned Volvo’s, Saab’s, Chevy’s, VW’s, Cadillac’s, Jeeps, Honda’s etc. Right now I am driving my second BMW. I treat all my cars with care and yet have noticed any difference in repair costs. Currently I am driving a 2016 BMW 3 series with 82K miles and have had zero expenses outside of oil changes and one set of tires. So far less expense than the Cadillac, Jeep, Volvo, Saab and drives much better than the Honda!
100% true Brian. If you maintain your cars they should always be reliable
Kind of a slanted video. Over 100K miles (total), but you don't daily them. Any real BMW owner knows, around 80-120K miles is when the issues start. I wouldn't expect a new M2 or 16k mile 1M to have major issues. My e36 three series had electrical and AC issues that started at 85K. e46 x-drive ate through ball joints and wheel bearings and my e92 needed plugs and wires at 50k and a seat sensor at 77k. I am not saying these are large issues, but high milage BM's are definitly known to have a few up-keep/maintance issues that get pricey. I challenge you actually drive one long-term then report. All your cars are great and I love them but treated as appreciating art (which they are) and not true dailys.
Great comment and thank you for subscribing to my channel. . I mention in the video, the 328, and both M3's were daily drivers. I put 30k miles a year on a used E36 328 for years and I put 40k miles as a daily on the E90. It was probably closer to 150k miles total between all of them. 100% agree that cars with 80-120k miles would be less reliable. Of course I can only report on my own personal experience, that is why I asked viewers to comment on theirs. I'm sure for every reliable comment we get, there will be one that isn't. Thank you for your comment, cheers.
Aaron Van de Car That is also the same time that issues start with other car brands as well.
This somewhat true as it is all depends on which bmws youve owned. Early xdrive like one on e46 wasnt smart purchase lol. The e36 was also known to have a crap ton of problems. Ive had regular bmws with 300k+ km and all were pretty much perfect except for an e46 330i rusting uncontrolably. The i6 rwd bmws are the ones to buy if you dont want issues.
100 000 mls is barely run in.
I drive BMW since 1994. The first one (E36 coupe) i drove for 6 years and put 203125 mls on it. The best car i ever owned. No problems whatsoever (and i drove the shit out that thing -lots of high speed runs in Germany). Second one was another E36 (touring). Put about 184000 mls ont that one. Again, no isues. The next one was an E46 (touring). Had an accident in that one, someone drove into me, so only 125000 mls (but no troubles, luckily also no trouble with the subframe wich IS a problem especially with the heavier engines). Now i have an E92 and have 82 000 mls on that one (i do less mls now because i have a second car wich i use for work (the others i used for work and private). The E92 6 cil is, in my opinion, the least pleasant to drive (heavier, bigger, less playfull). The E36 the sportiest, the E46 the sweatest engine (2.5L 6 cil).
my ball joint and front axles are fine absolutely no squeaking. said no xi owner ever.
my ccv valve is good. never heard of canos problem. huehue
Have a 330k mile BMW e30 for the past 25 years. Still the same engine, gearbox, back axle etc. No problems apart from replacing the front wings and has been totally reliable. Great that BMW still provide great parts backup for e30's
Nice !, great to hear. thanks for subscribing to my channel. More long term reviews to come
I own an 03 325i with 105k miles and it obviously needed a few things after that 100k mark ( Water Pump, Coolant Thermostat, Fuel Filter, a couple Window Motors ). Other than that, after 4-5 months of owning ( 7k miles on it ), no major problems ( I might have to rebuild VANOS, but it only puts out 180hp, so it doesn't matter that much. But I'll probably just rebuild it so nothing does wrong ). I'm going off to college for Mechanical Engineering, so it'll be fun doing VANOS, gasket, or seals and learn. Good vid👍
Great comment. thanks for sharing and subscribing to my channel
One 325xi E46 2004 - a couple of Cv joint and axel replacements due to crack boots at $2,450 each time. Plastic cooling parts everywhere. Engine has been solid. I now have 98k on it 14 and 1/2 years and changed oil at 5k and brake fluid every 2 years. I will never sell it. It is truly the ultimate driving machine at least for me.
I agree, great car. thanks for sharing and subscribing to my channel.
I bought 2013 BMW 335i F30 at 40k miles in 2016. It now has 120k miles and plenty of maintenance, water pump, thermostat, valve cover gasket (twice), regular oil changes, intercooler+charge pipe replacement, transmission fluid+filter change, oil housing gasket, engine motor mount, transmission mount, rear differential fluid change, and oil gasket. I would say that maintenance is costly. Pay to play right?
100% you got to pay to play but well worth it for the driving experience !
I have a 2000 E46 328i, second owner (no plans to sell this baby, will add an X3 soon), with 203,000 kms on the clock and so far I replaced both front window regulators, that’s it! This silky straight 6 runs like a tractor! Treat them nice and they’ll treat you nice😁👍 BMWs rock!🇦🇺
Nice, great to hear. thanks for watching and subscribing to my channel
Have owned a 2005 325i E90 for 11 years now with 197,000 kms. Key issues (mainly in last 5 years) include water pump failure (had to car towed), radiator fan failure which destroyed the radiator (had to get car towed) , starter motor failure, oil filter gasket replacement to stop oil leaks and electronic oil dipstick sensor. Items that need addressing now are oil pan gasket, Bluetooth module, radio pixel display, rear trunk struts and rear LED light. The car still drives well and the motor/transmission is very smooth. The car is fitted with M-Sports suspension and low profile 18" tyres and, although the ride is very firm, is the best handling car I've ever driven.
Great comment, thanks for sharing your experience and thank you for subscribing to my channel. More BMW videos to come
I love your taste in cars man BMW for life
Thanks !
Cool collection!
The (lower) mileage and care you're taking means you're not going to see the majority of the problems unless they were pre-existing. I've had a peach of an e46 and a headache of a e39... and currently own an F56 (2014) Mini as my daily commuter (also a BMW group product). I drive over 20,000 miles per year in my personal cars and problems do crop up.
In ~85,000 miles on the e46 (2004 330i ZHP sedan) over 5 years I've done the suspension (shocks, struts, roll bars - rear bushings are next!), brakes, VANOS, DISA, CCV, and cooling system. The car still needs a few things but she's up over 200,000 miles and still a joy of a driver. It's been needy, but it's been a joy for up to a year (and 20,000 miles) between major service items. Given how hard she's ran, I'd say it's been quite reliable and I plan to keep this car for the foreseeable future as the roadtrip car. The ride/handing balance and size is perfect on weekend trips since I don't have kids.
In ~15,000 miles over 18 months the e39 required a lot, but I bought a car that I knew was somewhat needy. Never-the-less this one turned out to be more than I could handle... The valve cover gasket went out, causing a vacuum leak that lead to CCV failure which got oil in the intake which got into the throttle body and put the car into limp mode... And that was just the first two months of ownership. I kept getting 'er sorted and shit kept going wrong. I almost regret selling 'er rather than scrapping 'er with the headaches this one caused. I used to see it driving around, but I haven't lately. I wonder if they had to put 'er down. :-/
The Mini has been perfect thus far, but it only had 48,000 miles at my time of purchase and it's only been 6 months and 5k so far. The previous owner is in his 50s and he bought it after going over on his lease. It's been garage kept and dealer maintained, but the 1st year F56 (2014) was subject to a recall involving the main bearings which was done. I'm hoping to run this one for a couple years before picking up a post-revision ND Miata (181 hp! 7500 rpm! telescoping steering!) as my commuter.
BMWs are reliable relative to their "sport" intent, but there are definitely peaches and lemons out there. Inspect and buy with care! :)
Hi Radio, thank you for watching and subscribing to my channel. Yep, my cars have been lower mileage so less problems, that is why I ask viewers to share their experiences since i know I lot of higher mileage cars are out there. Glad to hear about your 2004 330i ZHP, sorry to hear about the E39. I had a 2003 Mini Cooper S as well.
Glenn, good video. Same here. From my experience is that they need to be proactive maintained. Diagnostic and certain types of work are better done at dealerships (and ultimately cheaper). Some systems like XDrive are indeed problematic. For info had an S54 Z4M coupe for 6 years, did 60k in rain shine town track days etc. Never put a foot wrong. Parts are also far cheaper and easier to work on that anything from VAG!
Great comment, I agree 100%. Mine were all rear drive so I didn't worry about XDrive, etc. I always wanted an Z4M Coupe in Interlagos Blue.
What Ive learned with BMW is that, if you buy it new, where you have control over giving it a good break in, your on time with all your maintenance, and you dont thrash on it, they tend not to have too many problems, mainly the occasional sensor failure, but thats about it. These cars are built to much higher tolerances than most north american buyers are used to, so you HAVE TO keep up with maintenance, you cant not change the oil for a year like most japanese and domestic cars. You gotta change that oil every 3-6 months, you gotta perform fluid flushes every 2-3 years, you gotta keep all your filters clean (annual changes recommended) and your in good shape. Think of owning a BMW like having a high maintenance girlfriend, you gotta give her lots of attention, but when it comes time to have fun, it pays off.
I have owned 3 Bmws my first vehicle was a E34 520i which I purchased when it was 2 years old and with 60k on the clock.
No issues whatsoever with that vehicle and only let it go due to it been written off in a collision with a London black cab.
My 2nd Bimmer was a 2012 320d again not one fault with this vehicle in 2 years and 20k miles of ownership except for regular maintenance And tyres I never had to replace a single part.
I'm now on my 3rd BMW I currently own a 428i M Sport which I have had since January 2018 and Have again had no issues with the car. It drives beautifully and is so smooth and powerful.
I personally love Bmws and in my opinion they are a very well built solid cars and I wouldn't hesitate to purchase another one.
I agree, great comment. Thank you for subscribing to my channel, more BMW videos to come
Mines been good. My e30 325iS 1990 needed a head gasket but blame the last owner. My 335i n54 needed a lot of maintenance unreliable but drove it from 30k-130k fully modified. My e90 M3 has been very reliable. Oil analysis came out great.
4 BMWs and over 300,000 miles. Cooling system problem in 3, but never broke to the point of stranding me anywhere. VERY reliable. Only 1 car, had a problem enough to be a lemon, but it too did not strand me. So YES, reliable
Great to hear Debbie. Thanks for watching and subscribing, more BMW videos to come
Glenn's videos are really useful for people in the market looking to actually buy these vehicles. Better than your regular testing channels that just whip arse. As for my own BMW, I have a CSL M3 and its been very reliable except some small general items that are to be expected. My rear main seal is slightly leaky and but that's due to me hardly ever driving it nowadays. Got all the bits for the fix, but just no time to take it to my specialist. Like your 993 turbo Glenn, its raised in price quite a bit so that's nice for a change. Your channel deserves alot more viewers becoz it's actually useful. I came across your channel becoz I'm looking for a GLA45 as a daily and to ferry my pups about with their hair on fire...hehehe. I have like 4 of them so the 458 or the GTR won't really work for them. Keep up the great videos. As a note, maybe you can do things like giveaways to increase the subscribers alot like Parker in virgin vehicles etc. Just a thought
I have owned several BMW's and they have all been reliable. The ones I have seen that have issues are where oil and coolant were not kept up. It is also important to follow the service intervals.
You haven’t put enough miles on each car for this to be fair dude. Your first car reliability statement makes sense...30,000 miles a year for years with no issues. But owning a car for 4 years and only putting 4-6000 miles on it is hardly a fair representation of reliability haha
Well, a purely unreliable car doesn't care how many miles it adds to show issues. It's either reliable or it isn't, at 5000 miles or 60,000. Making it to 100k and then starting to have issues does not point to something being unreliable. The point of the video is to illustrate that simply owning a bimmer doesn't mean its going to blow up as soon as you get it.
Shift4g bullshit. The more time you have it the more possibilities to get broken. Use commonest sense
Who ever drives only a few thousand miles a year? I take train and I never have issues with my BMW. Is this guy a salesman?
Great video! I live in Oslo, Norway and Ive been a BMW owner since 1995 starting with a 1992 E34 520i Sport Wagon in Oxford Green that I had for one year. It had 60 000 kilometers on it when i bought it and I traded it in at 90 000 km with no issues at all for a 1994 520i Black wagon. Cant recall the kilometers on that one but had it for little over a year with no issues. Now, car prices in Norway are off the charts, hence the choice of the 2.0 litre engine which is the most popular here due to enormous taxation on larger volume engines. The 94 wagon cost close to 40 000 USD used back in 1996 (!). Then, in 1997 i wanted a cheaper car and got a 1988 520i Sedan in silver. I had it for 7 years and no major issues. Now we are in 2004 and I found a 1995 last generation 520i E34 Sedan in green metallic. it was absolutely flawless inside and out. I did a few modifications, put lower suspension and got some original Alpina 18" wheels for it. I loved the E34s, they were my dream car when I was a kid and this last one was built like a tank and looked amazing. Only problem was that the AC stopped working and i had to spend a bit of money to get it up and running again. 2006 I got a 1999 E39 520i black wagon, had it until 2013. Absolutely no serious issues. Then i got an E39 525i full, original M Sport package 2003 model in silver. This is my favorite car that I ever owned in spite of being the most problematic mainly with engine issues leading to an engine swap right before i sold it in 2017. But boy what a sweet car. My current car is a 2005 E60 520i. i bought it one year ago with 130 000 km on the clock. It was a one owner car in Titanium Grey, standard edition but with stock sport suspension, sport seats and tinted windows. Im not kidding when i say the car looks close to brand new! It now has 170 000 km and has performed absolutely faultless. Now, i always take good care of my things and i service my cars regularly. It seems to keep them in check. Also bear in mind, I drive my cars in Norway where we have heavy, long winters with temperatures down to minus 30c. I am impressed by how my BMWs has held up through the years. cheers!
Great history Erik. Thanks for sharing. I hope you continue to own BMW's. Glad to hear they perform even in cold winters. Thank you for subscribing to my channel. More BMW video to come
Recently sold an e36, 480000 km, it's still rolling arround, at least one part of it dies in a month or two, with none of them costing more than 100$. Currently rolling arround in a '03 e46 318i, 200000 km, no major issues whatsoever, and I'm pretty happy with it.
Cool, thanks for sharing.
E70 X5 35i, family has owned it since 45 000 kilometres, currently has 125 000 and only issue was the water pump and thermostat but that went off right when it was supposed to ( 100 000k ) and car ha just been solid! Truly amazing how BMW does it so well.
I have owned 3 BMWs and haven’t had any issues. My e92 328i sport with MT is about to hit 100k miles, so I am curious to see how it holds up.
Hi Glenn, I also have had the great experience of owning the following BMW'S..1996 E36 M3 bought it new! I drove it pass 56k miles I had 1 cooling issue that was covered by BMW. I had a 1988 used 325 IX! ,I had a 1988 635 CSI! I had a 2000 E39 M5 for seven years! I currently have an E63 M6 in my garage...I had BMW as my company demo cars for six years! I have driven way over 180,000 in BMWS !!! Ps. after a hard day at work, take the long way home in an M car and scream!
Thank you for your comment and subscribing to my channel. Has the E63 M6 been reliable? always wanted one
Glenns Car Collection Regarding the E63 M6 ,I bought it six months ago with 35k miles, I took it on long distance trip , it currently has 38k miles, so far zero out of pocket except for the high cost of gasoline..lol . This car will amaze you whenever you have enough room to explore the high rpm..zone! what a pull , what a sound! BMW V10 wonder! . I'm a big fan of your videos, keep up the good work. Ps. I did buy a bumper to bumper extended service contract for the lesser of 5 years or 75k miles for a piece of mind.
Im 25 have a 530i M sport package (e60) got it as a birthday gift & for graduating college this year.
Got it @169k miles now @182.5k miles, the last owner really beat it up, but with an engine flush and oil changes every 5k miles, the car for the price maintenance/driving with the 6 speed manual, its a daily driver you just cant beat.
Nice Birthday present and congrats on graduating college. I got a cake when I graduated college. Congrats on the car, glad you got a 6 speed manual, keep us posted on the reliability.
I own a 2000 e46 328ci with over 210k miles ....still going strong... original engine and transmission....only problems .....sensors....i recently changed the front suspensions and arms... well maintained.
Great piece, at 72 tears old. I have owned 9 Bimmers all over 75k to start and my current two Z3 Roadsters a 3.0i and 2.5i are trouble free the 2.5 just turned 211000 miles.
Wow, that's amazing. Thank you for sharing and thank you for subscribing to my channel
I have an 1988 BMW 325 Super ETA. That car was my first car, and it’s still my daily driver to this day! I have had it over 7 years, and have done a lot of work on it.
It’s been reliable in the sense that it gets the job done, but it can be quite temperamental when I don’t repair it regularly. Given the car is now 30 years old, that’s quite good! I did need to replace the transmission, which was the biggest work I’ve ever had done on it. It’s at 193,683 miles right now. I doubt it’s actually that, since I had to fix the odometer when I purchased it from someone off the street for $1,000.
Wow, great comment Danny. thanks for sharing and thank you for subscribing to my channel
Good insight Glenn. I've had the following cars with zero issues: 97 328I, 2003 330XI ZHP, 2004 LSB E46 M3, 2006 328XI, 2008 E92 M3, 2014 550i and last year took delivery of a 2017 M3. Love the cars ( obviously ) Goodluck with your channel!
I still drive a 94'540iA with 90ks miles on it. I love it so much more than my other newer cars
that's a great car. I hope you own it for many miles to come
Thanks man, Its currently apart for upper timing chain cover gaskets and the valley pan job which is a big one haha
Do you want to become a millionaire? Become a BMW mechanic, you will have endless work,😁
I have less than $3k for of maint and repairs total in my 99 Accord I bought new in 1998. I am counting tires and brakes even... I still drive it in the woods for hiking and fishing as well as the road. Not even any rust on the body.
2000 BMW 323i sedan
First car, bought it with 136,000KM, brought it up to 390,000KM before it was in a high speed hit and run, vehicle needed too much body work but I was still able to drive it around)
-Work needed: Control arm bushings, fuel pump, alternator, rear subframe (paid for by BMW in 2010), power-steering hoses, battery. By 350,000KM it needed new cats, but I never did them. Not sure if some would consider that a lot, but I consider it to be good. I also live in Canada, where winter is hard on cars. This car was also driven across Canada 3 times!
2001 BMW 330Ci coupe
Second (current) car, bought it with 175,000KM, it currently has around 230,000.
-Work needed: Control arm bushings, *preventative* full coolant system overhaul *recommended to prevent permanent engine damage on older models!*, oil filter housing gasket, valve cover gasket, 2 xenon headlight bulbs. Thats all I can recall.
Both have been very reliable, very fun winter driven in Calgary and Ontario where the cold and snow can be very harsh, -37 C is the coldest thus far... I say they are reliable cars, but not worlds most reliable cars.
Great comment, thanks for sharing and subscribing. I agree with you assessment, "reliable cars but not the worlds most reliable cars"
I owned a M3 E46 for about 3 years, i had the “salmon relay” issue but I loved every time I drove the car
Great car, wish I still had mine
Mine is reliable. It's a 2003 330i with 5 manual gears, and done 147,000 miles and has original starter, a/c system and cooling system, and yes, most other parts. Some suspension parts were replaced. Need to put a cork in oil leaks (rear main, e.g.). Fun to drive, of course.
Great comment, hanks for sharing and subscribing to my channel. More BMW videos to come
I currently own a e46 325i. It's my first car and I love it a lot, I just wish it had a bit more power but other than that, it's been good :)
Good to hear, thanks for subscribing to my channel, more BMW videos to come
I have owned my 2001 X5 3.0i for 14 years, 238,000 miles. It has been ok. Window regulators are the worst part, break at least convenient times. I learned to replace and lube the window channels with silicon paste. Also drivers door handle carriage broke. PCV valve, boots, water pump, alternator, power steering hoses and reservoir, oil pan gasket, control arms, oil filter housing gasket, broke hood cable, shift shaft seal, vanos seals. Everything else has been typical maintenance. Get Akebono euro pads and ATE rotors for 100,000 mile brakes and no dust. Luckily 80% of repairs I have been able to do myself. Now I use high mileage mobile 1, seems to help make the seals last longer, I confirmed after replacing valve cover gasket with 120,000 miles and still looked ok. I plan to put on Dupont Vinton gaskets wherever possible for other parts like oil filter housing gasket. I also live in Arizona so worth it to keep the car running since no rust here.
I love my 2008 328xi 6-speed manual. It does require lots of minor repairs and I've been tracking them. I bought it used with 55k miles exactly 4 years ago. It now has 105k and still drives like new.
Repairs: I bought a 50k mile warranty on it for 2k when I got the car because I know how expensive repairs can be on these. Without the the warranty and taking it to a good local mechanic (not the dealership) I would have spent 7,297.60. These repairs are things like small oil leaks, axle seals, etc. This also includes things I replaced that weren't required, like the passenger door handle pull because it was worn.
Maintenance: I've spent a total of $5,029.85 on wear items like oil changes, tires, brakes, etc.
So these are not cheap cars to maintain, but it's never left me stranded or not started. I can't say the same for my Toyota Tercel I had in college. The engine on that car blew at 102k and the replacement engine went at 260k. I replaced everything on that car at least twice and that's not much of an exaggeration (it had the original manual transmission and I only replaced the control arms once). Although 5th gear on it stopped working at about 240k.
Wow, thanks for sharing, good thing you got the warranty.
Purchased a 2001 325i with 72,000 miles on it and now have 213,000. Have replaced fuel pump, alternator, power steering pump, coolant system and other misc small parts. More maintenance then a Honda but still drives and looks great.
My 1988 E30 325 never lets me down and has no issues. I will always own a BMW
Great car. A true classic. Thank you for watching and subscribing to my channel
Cory Williams that's like my dream car. I'm driving an e39 2.0d, but i'm planning on buying an e30 2.0i 6cyl
I work at a car dealership ( cleaning cars before I go to college ), and I found an BMW E30 325e. It sat in the dealership parking lot for a couple years. I walked over to it ( because knowbody else there had an interest in BMW's ), and I took the key and in 4 or 5 turn overs, it started up. We couldn't sell it because it has a leaking gas line and it they would've spent more on repairing it. I was so tempted to take it. It was nice.
Somewhat like this ( sorry for the huge link ):
www.google.com/search?client=ms-android-sprint-us&biw=412&bih=382&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=qgpUW7LRH6HjjwS5m5WgCA&q=325e+white&oq=325e+white&gs_l=mobile-gws-wiz-img.3...3221.4220..4787...0.0...806.874.1j6-1......0....1.........0j35i39j0i30.X081Cfad2c8#imgrc=f_b6o-CbkHn0tM:
Fare Jare that's a keeper if you plan working on it
Cory Williams 80s were the best years to own bmws. Those cars were bullet proof.
I have a 2002 e39 sport 530i, manual of course, which has had all kind of problems since I bought it one year ago.
The car has had 12 different owners and apart from the guy who bought it back then, I´m the only one whose cared to pay for maintenance and repairs...it works perfectly now.
I think they are generally reliable but they are complex machines so you have to be able to pay for bills other than fuel and rear tyres!
Well said, great drivers car. How many miles did it have when you bought it ?
Over 130k miles
Cool
Owned an e36 323i for 3 years used every day 90k when I bought it and130k miles when sold and never let me down. Owned an e46 330i sport with 140k and it drove like brand new it was incredible testament to bmw! Also owned an e39 525d again never ever let me down in 4 years of ownership!
Great comment, thanks for sharing and subscribing to my channel. glad to hear they were reliable. More BMW vids to come
06 E90 330i Sport 6spd with 87k miles. Owned for 8 years. Minimal issues, valve cover gasket, windshield wiper pump, angel eye light bulb, etc. Some preventative stuff like replacing the belt and tensioner. Not as bulletproof as my 2jz is300, but not that far off either.
Great comment, thanks for sharing. and subscribing to my channel
e60 550i right tail light, head gaskets, both headlights, radiator fan, water pump, weather strips, fog light covers, window washer fluid tank, tail light ground wire, transmission rebuild
Ouch ! thanks for sharing your experience Russ. thank you for watching and subscribing to my channel
I have 2004 M3 convertible with SMG. Currently just a bit over 29k miles. Bought it 4 years ago with 24k miles. I had two issues ( a rear view mirror turn into the lava lamp, $150 fix) and ( plastic convertible top motor cover had a to be replaced with custom made metal piece, $120 fix). Changing oil yearly and this year replaced transmission , differential fluid and fuel filter as preventive maintenance.
Great comment, thanks for sharing and thank you for subscribing to my channel
Really love this video! Great idea. You should do videos like this with other cars as well! I was thinking about buying an e92 m3 but was too scared of the reliability so bought an s2000 instead but I kind of want one again now. Thanks Glenn!
Had an 04 325xi for 10 year. While it had its problems including 3 oil leaks, 3 drive axles, and started to overheat when we got rid of it. Despite it's problems it always started up & never let us down.
Great comment. thank you for sharing and subscribing
I have had my 2011 328 xdrive for over 4 years and put 50k miles on it . It now has 118k miles. I have only changed tires and brakes. But I now finally had to change the oil pan gasket. Very expensive to fix due to hourly labor. But not bad for 4 years.
Hi Adam, thanks for sharing and thank you for watching and subscribing to my channel. More BMW videos to come
Long list of BMW Cars:
2000 538i: 115k - 145k miles. Issues were ignition coils, sparks, and behind the dash wiring went bad.
2004 325CI SuperCharger & Mods: 110k - 135k Bulletproof car. Water in intake should have hydro locked the car but was able to change oil, sparks, and it was back to life. Valve cover gasket maintenance and that was all i ever had to do
1989 325i: 235k miles on it owned for 1 month, slave cylinder and oil change
2012 135i DCT: One of my favorite cars! 54k - 98k miles. Valve cover gasket, sparks, coils, tie rods, rotors, brakes. Issue with engine lunging because of DCT and putting N54 plugs in instead of N55. My fault of course
2007 Z4M Coupe: Current car bought at 93k now at 95k. Bought it needing all maintenance which is how I haggles the price. I have done Sparks, coils, VCG, AC Belt, front rotors, tires, Brake fluid and now it's my daily and has been reliable so far.
More on my cars list is here:
wheelwell.com/jordon-hamel
Wow, thanks for sharing. I always wanted a Z4 M Coupe
1997 E36 M3 & 2008 e92 M3 (low cost of ownership buying these cars six years old with relatively low mileage). Both cars were stock, two and one owner cars, reasonably maintained, purchased w/ 60k and 38K miles respectively. As weekend drivers very economical - added ~18,000 miles on each over three years w/ maintenance consisting primarily of fluid changes, the e92 needed an ignition coil.
Thanks for the great videos. What do you think about the z4 e85 coupe? Picked up an s2000 and enjoying it so much that I’m considering the z4 coupe.
I bought a used 2001 330i with 102k and here is what I had to do. Rebuild the engine, Rebuild the auto transmission( ZF model). Replace all the brake components , Replace all the suspension, Replace headliner and various interior trim pieces. It had a complete repaint and replaced every engine sensor along with a vanos rebuild. I'm not complaining but trying to give a realistic opinion of an older BMW with high mileage and poor maintenance. Let me not forget replacing the complete cooling system. Window regulators will break every 2 years and oh heck never mind. All I got to say is be prepared to throw money at it and do all the repairs yourself. It's easy to have a good opinion on an almost new BMW with low miles.
Check out my 90,000 mile 2003 M3 that I just purchased. Many videos on that
I have a 2006 e90 325xi with 276k miles and still going strong 👍🏼
Wow, that's a lot of miles. Thanks for sharing Nathan. Thank you for subscribing to my channel
When u drive 1 the same BMW for 100k miles, then u can talk about reliability. Which one that u bought had over 150k km? Do u drive only new cars with low mileage?
I have 2 BMW's. A 1998 E39 528i and a 2010 E60 535i. The 528i has 350K miles and it's like my child. The beauty of that car is how analog it is. The engine itself is bullet proof but the wear and tear parts like suspension, belts, and obviously tires were replaced just as any other car with 350K miles. I've heard that the ABS module is a common failure due to heat and its proximity to the hot engine, but I never had this issue. There was an airbag sensor that went bad at 250K miles but I just bypassed it with an airbag bypass under the passenger seat. The headlights were bouncing around because the cheap plastic parts inside the headlight units broke so they were replaced. Other than that, with regular up keep and maintenance, there were no catastrophic failures.
Now, the E60 535i with the N54 engine is another animal. You'll need a doctorate degree to decipher the engine codes. This car is prone to high pressure fuel pump (HPFP) failures, carbon buildup, turbo failure, injectors, ignition coils, and the list goes on. So far, I haven't experience any of these except the carbon build up that was taken care of by a "walnut blast" procedure. To sum things up: take care of your BMW's like its your children and hopefully they don't slap you back with a huge repair bill.
Hi! I'm thinking between these two bad boys - M2 2017 vs M3 E92 2013. Wich would be more reasonable purchase from your experience guys?
M2 would still be under warranty and cheaper to run because it is newer, but it will depreciate more since its the newer car. Both are great choices, I had both. M2 for daily and E92 for the weekends
I own a BMW 330 ci e46 since 2009. It had 65.000 miles/ 110.000 kms when I bought it, now it has 160.000 miles/260.000 kms. Totally reliable, no major problems, nothing has been done to engine/transmition (manual). Very few minor fixes, like one (!) ignition coil, valve cover gasket replace, electric radiator fan replaced and i thing intake cam position sensor. Other than that just routine maintenance. Very sutisfied with it and nothing shows me that it can't do another 160.000 miles or more, who knows. The car has still full power and drives perfectly.
my 1992 E36 (bought in Germany) with over 200k km is absolutely fine the only problem that it had was that the clutch pump blew up it was a 100euro damage
A car should go 250,000 miles if properly maintained. These car reliability reviews after 50,000 miles total are laughable to me. Your history with them and owning multiple tells me otherwise though. Great video!
Thanks Wyatt and thank you for subscribing to my channel. More BMW videos to come
Have 16 340i with mppsk and limited slip at 50k right now, been a solid vehicle no problems what so ever.
Had a 88 325i besides electronic and ac/heating issue engine and transmission was solid until my sister wreak it at 280,000 miles
Great comment, thanks for sharing
2000 BMW 328ci 256,000 still going had the car for 8 years bought it at 140k only thing replaced is 1 coil pack and many oil changes lol
For all who are not Mechanically inclined you will spend money on these cars/imports. Do your self a favor and learn how work on a car dealerships are known to up charge and charge a crazy fortune for parts and labor
(:
Good advice
This is exactly why I don't see things like leaking gaskets, failing water pumps, and failing coil packs to be enough to label a whole car brand as unreliable. Things like this will happen to any car brand. If you learn how to do the work your self it will be significantly cheaper, and you get that warm fuzzy feeling when you're done. So far I haven't had to replace a part twice, except for maintenance items, like water pumps, timing belts (yes BMW used a timing belt once lol), spark plugs, and a few gaskets. There are some engines I would stay away from, like the S54. But that's all based on what I've read. I haven't had one my self.
I have a 2002 M3 convertible, manual. I bought it new and it's my only car. I still have just under 100k miles on it because I don’t need to drive to work. It’s been a great car. I’ve had a few repairs over the years, nothing major but none were cheap either. I know there were a couple recall issues, but BMW just took care of them. Its showing its age a bit especially with driver seat wear and a few squeaks. Overall, it’s the best car I’ve ever had, and I plan to keep it forever. If I do find I need / want another car I’d get a BMW again.
Great comment, thanks for sharing. Thanks for watching and subscribing to my channel
My first BMW was a 1998 528I, loved it and sold to my SIL with 175k, ran perfect.
5 7 series with current one is a F01...has a new engine because of scorched cylinder that BMW paid for. Also own a 04 X5 with a 150k and a 14 X5. I bought three 3 series for my daughter. Almost forgot, just bought wide a 11 335I convertible. The people complaining should probably not own one in the first place. Buy a Toyota and be happy if you cant deal with servicing. Some people can afford the payment but cant afford the car.
Thanks for sharing Jonathan and thank you for watching and subscribing to my channel
I have a 08 e90 m3 with 103k miles so far so good and I love the car.
The Ultimate Lease Machine
Good point
Great video very informative stuff to people that want to buy some of these cars. My experience with bmw is generally they are extremeeellly reliable. Its purely down to how you treat them. If the oil warning light comes on just top her off dont drive 5000km lol. For m cars:
E46 m3 2001 smg(160k km):
Smg pump went at 210k km - 600$ (new pump) 100$ programing
Salmon relay - 20$? (Before the pump failed)
Misfire that lead to 2 coil packs being replaced
Subframe cracked all around - few days work stripping the car to bare metal inside and out and welding it back. Added structural support so theres no way itll crack again.
E92 m3 (99k km) - nothing so far car is at nearly 160k km.
F10 m5 (118k km) - nothing other than friend noticed the other day when i went through huge puddles(nearly to kidney grill) that rear right passenger floor matt was wet underneath?...i assume the water just got throughh one of the drainage holes.
F82 m4 (27k km) - m perf muffler tip has rattle
M light up logos need to be replaced
Driver side bolster stitches undone
^under warrenty so all that is free
Great comment, thanks for sharing.
BMW owner drive their cars differently than Toyota owners. Make a fair compairison.
Had both. (mr2 and E46 320i) Drove both like my hair was on fire.
Both about the same reliability if anything BMW was more bulletproof.
It's good for performance cars to be driven hard. It burns the carbon off the cylinders and keeps them keen to rev.
A sports car that hasn't been driven hard is likely to have far more problems than one that has been stored and cosseted.
Luv and Peace.
Very true. Most get in it and rev it out while its cold. Take corners extra fast etc etc. While the camry drivers car doesnt see past 3k rpm its entire life.
Great review, never had a problem with my BMW
Hi guys. I own M3. E92. 2013 unreal car. I drive it hard , I drive it regularly clearly the best car I have ever owned. It's fun , quick and amazing handling. I have not spent one cent on it, only servicing. It's done 66000klm and still looks and goes like the first day I drove out of the showroom. Highly recommended in its reliability. The only other expense is tyres, but I can live with that. 9.5 out of 10.
Great to hear, thanks for sharing. I miss my 2008 E90 M3. I should have kept it.
Exactly the same with my 2013 335i e92 but my friends keep hating on my saying that I can get better car for the money which is totally not true I love the car haven’t spent cent on it since I got it while they keep repairing their shitty Mercedeses and Audi’s
don't do it, keep the 335
2000 e46 323i 50,000 miles, coolant expansion tank cracked, valve cover gasket oil leak. 76,000 miles, tcu bricked, bad wheel speed sensor. 2010 x5m 96,000 miles, transmission lunchbox, 100,000, bricked DME.
Great comment, thanks for sharing and thanks for watching and subscribing to my channel, more BMW videos to come
I've owned 9 BMWs (E46, E34, E38, E39, E60, 2 E70s, and 2 E92s) since 2009 with 5 currently in the fleet right now. I've put about 300k miles on all 9 combined and my experiences have run the gamut. I will definitely say that the newer cars (E60, E70, and E92) have been much more trouble-free and less cost to maintain than the cars designed/built in the '90s. The E46, E34, E38 and E39 all have left me stranded at least once. The E60, E70s and E92s not once between the five of them.
E46 330im, e60,525im, e39 525, and f30 320d :) my favorite was e46 a very nice handling car. E39 was the most comfortable of them all but I had some problems with the automatic gearbox and radiator. Now I drive f30 320 and e60 525.
Great comment, thanks for sharing. Thank you for watching and subscribing to my channel. More BMW videos to come
Well if anyone interested here is my story: I've had used 2008 535xi (90000 miles) with nothing but problems. It had n54 engine. And every morning I've had a check engine light with multiple codes. Dealer was UNABLE to find a problem. So after 5 month and $900 spending on the diagnoses my car was failed to pass inspection so i traded it for 2011 328 xDrive. Purchased used with 15k in 2012. My daily driver. Just normal daily commute, no racing or anything. Current odometer is on 110000ml. I should mention that I'm maintaining car mostly myself. I was changing engine oil every 7500-8000ml. First problem was broken USB port (not mechanical problem) was fix at dealership before I picked car up. Front brake pads and brake fluid was replaced under factory warranty with about 45k. Now problems which I've had:
Fixed under CPO (this was happened at 75000ml):
- Rear driver side wheel bearing was replaced at 48k.
- Leaking valve cover. Actually was cracked.
- Leaking Engine OIL Filter Housing gasket.
- Faulty TMPS receiver. Which actually shorted entire CANbus. I was unable to open the doors and other weird stuff.
- Drive belt tensioner was cracked.
Ones car was stalled on the highway. Just stalled like was out of gas. Turned out to be faulty fuel pump controller. Was putting fuel pump in limbo mode after 30 minutes of drive. Stepped out of car, lock/unlock doors and car started right away. I was freak out. Cost me about $80. I had to program ECU to work properly. Was able to find one on the eBay. New is about $300.
Current issues:
- Rear driver side wheel bearing.
- Front driver and pass side control arms needs to be replaced.
- Both front tie rods up for replacement.
And most critical is oil leaks between engine sump. Was quoted over $1200 for replacement.
Performed maintenance:
- Transmission fluid replace.
- Brake fluid replace.
- Front and rear diff fluid replaced.
- Coolant flushed.
- Steering fluid flushed.
- Drive belt replaced.
- All brake rotors and pads was replaced at 80k.
- Transfer case fluid changed. (req ECU rest)
Total cost was over $800 in parts.
Not to mention I had to buy Bentley manual and was able to find a sofware for PC for diagnostics and coding. If anyone interested the current software is Reinghold.
I do have cars well over 100k but BMW is teh most complicated car I owned. Faulty electronic that was scares me. ANd having car stalled on the middle of the highway? That's not reliability if ask me.
Wow, sorry to hear, thanks for sharing your experience
Currently: 2008 M5 no issues
Past:
2001 X4 4.4 replaced radiator as it had a hairline crack
2008 650i: passenger heated seat broke-just the switch
2007 335i: modded to over 400hp, no issues
I have had many cars and my BMWs have been consistently reliable. I do however admit that I am in constant fear driving the M5 that the rod bearings are going to blow at any minute...
I had a 98 e39 528i and I bought it for $1000 with 203k miles original engine and auto gm trans 4 speed . Replaced every cooling component nothing else daily drove it 6 months about 6000 miles extremely reliable but one cold day started it up and a cloud of smoke appeared from the exhaust, got it checked out and it was the head gasket. I was told the m52 motor (the straight 6 pre face life) the head gasket goes around 200-250k miles
Wow, you got a lot of miles out of it. Thanks for sharing and subscribing to my channel
A lot of people commenting how it isn't a fair comparison because all your cars have fairly low miles. I have a 2017 M2. Had it for 7 months and have 525 miles on it and I'm perfectly fine with that. You don't have to put 20k miles on a car a year. Its more about age to some people. I drive a bike daily year round. Great video and no issues with my car. 1 year anniversary coming up in a couple of months.
Great comment. Thank you for subscribing
I sure hope if my car is still under warranty, I will have no issue. That is why it’s under warranty. Pass that, good luck.
Still have my BMW 2006 E60 w/ the n52-b30 i6. I have 185,567 miles on it. I did have to rebuild the frontend this year. They were all OEM parts, so yeah... Way overdue 😡. I also did the belt, idle pulley, and belt tensioner. And of course general maintenance like tune-ups, oil changes. I do change my oil every 4000 miles. Because, I noticed if I went past that there oil looked really black. All maintenance cost me under $2,000. Note: I do my own work.
Anyway, it's been a great car.
Edit: almost forgot I had to replace the water pump at 169k miles! And a high-pressure gas line to the fuel rail. Same price, forgot to say these 2 things. Believe it or not, the expansion tank is still OEM! The stick that usually comes out when you open the cap to give the lvl broke off. I'm shocked that the expansion tank hasn't cracked yet. Now it will go well knock on wood 😉👍.
Sounds like you have a good car. You can definitely save a lot of money if you do the work yourself
My first car was a mid 80's 3 series. It's still sitting in my parents garage. Drove it to 130,000 miles with absolute 0 problems.
I don't think BMW (or Mercedes for that matter, had an 06) builds them like they used to. I think you have to go somewhat classic with these brands or be very choosey in which models to consider if going new.
great comment, thanks for watching and subscribing
Have had a e90 328xi, z4, e30 325i, and 2 x5’s and have loved then all
Great choices, thanks for sharing
What happen to if your bmw keep shaking even though u put it on parking. my 2008 328i does that I don’t know what’s going on
maybe it needs new motor mounts
Is that a big deal
tell me if im wrong but isnt car reliability down to poor maintenance? if you change your oil and service regular and keep fluids topped up, youre pretty much safe? obviously some parts will need changing (brakes,tyres,belts and tensioners)
Hi Alex, thank you for watching and subscribing to my channel. Great comment, yes, doing the required maintenance on time will sure help reliability, though sometimes cars have flaws even with proper care. Driving style plays a role as well, beating on a car will shorten the life of turbos and other wear items. Thank you for your comment.
Your wrong, BMW and all cars have specific issues. BMW just happens to cost more with more issues besides maintenance. That is why I love bmw, large depreciation in value so I can buy them cheap. As long as you know the problems and can fix them cheaply.
Im 18 and I have a 2003 e46 330xi and I love it but I have had to do a lot of work on it like cv shaft, rack and pinion, ball joints, rear struts and some other minor things but over all I love and definitely would buy another bmw
I agree, its a labor of love
I've been stranded by my dads e46 328i and in the 16 years of owning the car about 180k+ miles were driven and things kind of got a bit worse since, i think it may have been the fact that he only did oil changes once a year, even when we put about 12k a year on the car **edit** now we have an f30 330i and it is glorious
I have owned two BMW's. Never had an issue mechanically. Only lemons I have owned are a Volvo and a Audi.
Good to hear, what BMW's did you own?
A 92 BMW 325 convertible and a 2008 328 xi. The Standard transmission in the 92 was still awesome. Owned both for about 4 years, Two great cars.
with reliable owners, they're as reliable as any other decent car, I've owned 2 over 100k kms never had an issue, currently have 1 with with 115k kms, mine were modified and thrashed