I’ll wait to hear from the BMW fanboys that’ll say “it’s how you maintain them that matter”. Well what kind of maintenance prevents your wipers from stopping to work in the middle of storm? What maintenance prevents your power windows from going out at just 54k miles? Both of these happened with my e46 and e90. I’ve sworn of BMWs. They are so not worth the trouble. For every person that’ll tell you “I’ve had my 530i for 10 years with 300k miles” there’s 1000 people who will wanna throw up at the thought of owning another BMW.
omotosho bello facts, I owned 3 bmws and did all the maintenance, all 3 still had problems and leaked oil. Finally switched to a Subaru Sti, May have issues but the parts are cheap lol
I am a college student with barely any cash but I love driving one just for the power delivery from a six cylinder. When I first bought my E46 325i, vacuum leaks are so common on the M54 with the coolant leaks. Still amazed it ran so smooth and never died when I had a coolant leak from the bottom of the radiator. I think that all racecars test your love for the car. Problem is people buy them that are my age as a status symbol. Buy a BMW because you wanna drive it. My father's friend saved me many times with my E46 because he works on BMW since the 80s and drives a E46 everyday. He loves them as a whole but hates the complications that BMW threw on the newer ones. He says the six cylinders are indestructible but the coolant leaks are so common with the valve covers leaking with the rubber vacuum lines throwig lean codes. BMW are not for everyone, it takes a dedicated car enthusiast to own one that looks at it as an opportunity.
You are absolutely correct. The posers will be disappointed but people who appreciate the drive, accept some deficiencies and understand the comitment that is required. Have a great one.
Recently got a 2009 335i. Your very correct. Marco galore under the hood. Owned the vehicle for about 4 months and my water pump went out 🙄. No warranty as I got it use, BUT I’m able to pull the water pump and thermostat out while being a novice garage mechanic. Luckily I have my Jeep and e90 325i to keep me from walking. Educated how to work in these cars and you’ll be fine. Yea parts are pricey but hey.......life’s to short to drive boring cars.
535i with the N54 my car is a beast and haven’t had any issues. I say this all the time if you’re broke and don’t know BMW don’t buy one I saved money looked for over a year for the perfect car. Bought it had it for over a year already and have spent $2k in maintenance and replacing valve cover gasket if that’s too much money don’t buy a BMW. I’m not even that handy and I’ve replaced my coolant tank myself. I’ll say it again. If you’re broke and don’t know BMW DO NOT BUY ONE.
Love my 335i and e92 m3. Like anything you gotta know what you’re getting into. Get a ppi and double check your maintenance history. Keep up on your maintenance and have a warranty or funds saved for a rainy day and you will be fine. Lastly, learn how to turn a wrench. The 335 is a seriously easy car to work on.
yup my buddy bought a 2011 e92 335i but doesn't know how to fix his own car so i knew he was gonna regret it someday and low n behold, his car broke. and now hes at the mercy at the dealers and or mechanics shops.. smh i told him he never listened. now he see what ive been trying to tell him. I love fixing my own cars. and ill never buy a car that i cant fix. PERIOD!!!.
My 335i has had a lot of problems, but I love how it drives. I can’t part with it cuz I love the 6 speed manual on the performance suspension with twin turbos and air intakes, etc
I have replaced the coolant reservoir, multiple hoses, radiator, water pump and thermostat. In the last 2 years I have replaced the coolant 4 times. I highly recommend replacing the whole coolant system at once and call it done. It's a bit expensive, but it is much better than having your overheated car towed home multiple times and replacing expensive BMW coolant. I agree with all of your other points as well. I just diy it.
335 n54 is a hobby. If u like that kind of hobby and u can afford the needed repairs, it's a phenomenal car. If u are broke and need a reliability from a to b, buy a Toyota.
Yes some of the parts like with the N55 engine there’s aluminum charge pipes and aluminum valve covers, and there’s a metal coolant tank replacement for the N54.
Great video but the thing is, you will see more videos of people complaining or listing troubles than people who actually enjoy the car without issues. The people who have no issues are out enjoying it. I say that to say that dont let the complaints sway your purchasing decision.
LOL all so true, wish I had seen the video before I purchased my 2008 335i. OMG what a nightmare, luckily I had an extended warranty. I maxed it out at the dealer $19k in repairs. Biggest two repairs were Oil Pan Leak and Turbo Leak. Everything you said in the video I experienced, I took the car to my local BMW dealership for all the repairs. I know the cost way more but they gave me a loner ever time and somethings I would have the loner for weeks. I would never purchase this car again.
Wow Anthony, sounds like you got a bad one. Some are worse than others. Did you enjoy it at least? Because If the fun factor offsets some of this trouble at least maybe no regrets. Cheers.
You forgot to say:Life is too short to drive boring cars!Drive what do you like!!!Even 335i. But i understand you. This car has made you give it away .Too many repairs with your BMW. It is ENOUGH!!!Cheers!
Hi Victor, that motto is still accurate and the only reason to get rid of this car is to move into something even more exciting. All cars lose money, thats just the sad reality, so it is true by saying, drive what makes you buzz.
JUST bought 2007 BMW 335I FOR 5300$ DUDE said nothing is wrong with it had smog, clean title, and reg in hand, i get about 15 minutes out of San Francisco just over the bridge (still 45 min from home) car overheats, limp mode, loss of power etc. EVERYONE WAS TELLING ME from my lift driver to people at work DO NOT BUY this bmw, i guess i should have listened but ofc i didnt i bought it. had my lift driver pick me up (she was following me i had a gut feeling) and get coolant and i just dumped in the tank and somehow BARELY made it home on ENGINE HOT DRIVE MODERATE car literally overheated as i pulled into my garage, but oh well i made it back no tow (which is a miracle in itself) had to buy a new coolant overflow tank, sensor, cap, water pump, therm and bolt kit so 5300$ plus 400$ and shes finally back on the road. i did the repair myself for 380$ but that would have been 2000-2500 bucks at the dealer or indy , long story short! BRING MY WALLET! although the turbos have just been replaced, valve cover and oil gasket in 2019 and loads of other work in the carfax so im pretty happy. has a burgandy leather interior all the options, sport mode, paddle shifters, heated seats, sport seats, 18 inch wheels etc so live and learn now she is solid with the turbos and entire cooling system done! i agree tho! MONEY PITS! LOL if you read this far i commend u
I had one for two years. In that time the water pump and the vanos solenoid went out. My drive belt also broke. So not very reliable but I’ve never driven a car as fun as this one. I love it more than the s2k, frs, and g35 that I’ve driven. Yes it’s a pain in the ass but it’s so fun to drive
Have the 08 BMW 335i convertible. Fuel pump has failed twice now, about a $1500 repair. Also, constant tire repairs. Low profile. It's fun to drive though.
@@ECPP Honestly I haven't really found it too hard to work on. The oil filter is right on top, and the spark plugs are easy to get to. Ya it's not super easy for some of the more involved repairs but it's doable and well worth the money you save doing it yourself
I own a 08’ 328i, not as much fun...but a reliable daily driver. No car payments and gets me where I need to go. But will consider these things for my next car
I have N/A 120i, 2010 E82 in Germany. No issues at all but very low mileage & only a straight 4 banger. You see them everywhere & the 118i E87 wagon/hatches both diesel & gas that the US also didn't get can be seen on every other block.
I bought a brand new Ford Escape 2013 back then... Get rid of it 5 years later with many many problems 2 weeks later I never went back to see videos/forums/groups nothing about that car... Funny thing I've noticed with BMWs... People always get back to TH-cam to see BMW content... Go figure I wonder if that will happen to me :/ I currently drive a E60 LCI 130K kms I have addressed lot of it's issued to the point it can be driven without worries for hours without checking anything... But I need to keep it until it dies because worth nothing on the market hahaha. My wife's is a E70 N55 powered so far it had have some minor things but running good fairly low milage though less than 80K kms. One need to be smart with these cars and everything depends on your particular economic/free time/mechanic skill/family/passion driven situation... Well it is difficult to explain. Nice honest video :)
Thankyou for your honesty I know you really appreciate bmw vehicles So making this video may have been hard But if it helps people avoid these issues or be aware of them then thats a good thing
100percent right. It hurts to critique what you like but to be fair, it is important. With that said I made its video opposite and will be released the upcoming week.
I've had my n54 335i for nearly 13yrs , it was a release model at only 7months old , I part ext my mk5 golf gti for it and took it up to the Northumbrian hills for a shakedown and came back absolutely gobsmacked , I've had lots of those problems but not all , there is another sixth problem with it tho and that's the biggest one for me , I absolutely LOVE the bloody thing and every time I drive it it puts a smile on my face, its part of the family now and my 19yr old daughter won't let me sell it , I wonder if I'm the longest owner of one?
2007 335xi, Ultimate Failing Machine: Twin turbo failure, HPFP and LPFP replaced, water pump fail, power door lock blown fuse, sunroof won’t open. All this happened by 57k miles and that was in 2014. My last day with car was when 4x4 light flashed red at 8am on way to work. Never BMW again.
I have a 2008 E92 328xi, 165k mi. w/original clutch. Maintained by an independent BMW shop with scheduled service intervals other than the BS 100k / lifetime fluids. Have trans, diff, transfer case done at 50k intervals. Very reliable, expect those plastics bits in the engine bay will crack at some point. Looking for a 335is, turbo's will cost some $$ when needing replacement but the power/torque gain is M performance.
Run flat is a real issue for drivers in the West. 50 miles is way too short of a distance to a repair facility with the right replacement and the limited speed when the traffic moves at 85+ MPH is a risky proposition. The trunk space can be consumed by a full size spare making for a bad tradeoff. The lack of dipstick prevents the owner from verifying that the engine oil was actually replaced during the service.
I own a 2008 335i. Bought it straight from a dealer 12 years ago. It is everything but a money pit. The secret and this applies to all vehicles is REGULAR SERVICE. Simple.
Yes lots of issues but folks.......we are driving 5000lb race cars! They eat tires,they go through suspension parts,gaskets and so forth and so on!! Best baddest fast my all time favorite car! When you drive them like they were made to drive you have to pitstop frequently! It's hella worth it!!!
Having owned a 2008 335i E90 sedan, I can tell you they are not the most reliable vehicles, however for the price there is little that can match it performance wise. Even in 2020 the N54 and N55 will out perform close to 90 percent of the vehicles on the road.
My 2008 335i 145k miles is going strong and will likely drive it to 300k miles. But you gotta do your own work. If you let a mechanic do it you’ll be shoveling out $30,000 on a Car worth $6000 from 100k miles to 200k miles. Fantastic car if maintained properly. The replacement plastics for the steering wheel etc aren’t rubber coated. Just swap them if they look bad
Litecoin Donny say it again. You gotta do your own work! I’ve had mine for 8 years and worked through the issues and it’s going great at 122k miles. I’ve also got an e92 m3. I like to live dangerous. Ha ha!
Demetrius Johnson yep. If you can fix your own bmw there’s really nothing mechanical that can ever stop you. All these quitters never learn and end up with boring Japanese luxury. Haha
really right today what it the most reliable BMW ? if you cant afford a brand new one under warranty , which would be the best second option with less plastic parts and better longevity ? thanks !
I own a 2016 528i is not the quickest car out there, I actually wanted something with a little more power, like the 535i, so far I've been lucky with mines I have 60k miles on it, I was talking to my local BMW dealership ( service advisor ) and a few of them said " if you want a BMW with more power stick with the 6 cylinder, not the v8"
Just don’t daily drive this car honestly it’s a sports car not an economy car this car is nice to own as a second car so that when shit does break your not stranded and you can take your time repairing it this car’s problems are nothing compare to the nightmare that is the M3 issues but again stay within your budget
What are your thoughts on a 550i? ...F10. Are they reliable? I'm planning to get an F10 M5, but wanted to get the 550i first since it's a little cheaper and still has a V8.....which actually sounds way better than the M5. If you don't recommend this, what do you think would be good in that range?
Hi, I personally love the F10 body style and the performance of all models. The n55 is a great 6 cylinder performer, while the M5 is an absolute beast. Since your ask, the 550 comes with a 4.4 Litre Twin Turbo V8 and produces anywhere from about 400 to 450 HP depending on the year which makes it a very spritely performer. Problem, these engines had a significant list of significantly likely failures such as injectors, timing chains, HEAVY oil consumption because of the "HOT V" which places the turbos in the V of the engine and creates a lot of undesired heat which then in turn fries valve guide seals, Valve cover gaskets amongst a few things. In short would I own one? Maybe, if the price was right, I was happy with the service history and maybe you find a good one. M5 may have some similar issues but its such a beast that I may live with it anyway. Hope this helps. BTW, the N55 powered F10 may be a good alternative if not going M5. They are not perfect but are fairly dependable.
Dude I would strongly advise stay away from the N63 engine in the 550 and M5’s, they are very troublesome and unreliable. I speak from experience and google search and you will find an outstanding number of world wide complaints and issues.
likesp33d the M5 engine is totally different to the 550i yes it is still a hot V but built in different factory and is a totally different kettle of fish. Just compare N63 vs S6344TU which is in the M5.
Very well said, and everything you said is what i have and/or my friends have experienced with BMW's (and some Mercedes as well) because of that I moved to Lexus and Honda for my wife and me and we could not be happier. We save a ton of money and can get on with our lives with no more f..king around listenig to BS from BMW service people making excuses for badly engineering cars!!!
75 percent still the same issues with coolant leaks, valve covers, pan gaskets, run flats, Vanos, etc. There are a few less big problems like wastegates, turbos. Generally the E90 generations are simply the best and worst at the same time. Regardless I always look forward to taking mine out for a drive and look for an excuser to do so. Cheers.
Knight Ride963 I have a 328xi that I bought with 156k and I’m now at almost 163k had it for 7months it’s a great car only issue I’ve had is window regulator in the rear and that was a cheap and easy fix
Thanks Saul. The n55 is a bit better and has been dialed in a bit better. Overall fairly dependable still not perfect. I buddy of mine has one and he has turned it into a show car that’s slammed on bags and looks great. He can also speak to this. You may have a look at his TH-cam channel called HQ_BMW
I've owned my e93 335i 57 plate 11 years now.. about £2500 in repairs hpfp water pump.. the parts are cheap because the cars old.. the dealer wants to buy good examples 💯... I would never sell it perfect example of the ultimate driving machine
I am afraid to take mine on the long trip. I take my teen son's 2000 Toyota Camry with 225K miles instead. I trust the Toyota more than my 2011 335i xdrive with less than 100K miles.
@@ECPP it had spun rod bearing , and so many things went wrong already. If BMW designs cars this way, KIA will eat their lunch eventually. Have you driven a Stinger?
Absolutely love my 2010 BMW Z4 35i N54 E89. Yep replacement parts are costly. Did alot of research before I bought mine and have been steadily replacing the parts that are most likely to break like the plastic charge pipe and adding dual intake cones. I'm a mechanic by trade so I dig working on my cars. I don't like the no dipstick thing but if I wanna get a look and smell of the oil I just open the fill cap on the valve cover and run my finger in while the engines not running of course.Oh BTW I'm not a fan boy but folks who aren't mechanically inclined will whine about the unreliability of these vehicles.I'm sorry that these folks are so inept at doing basic maintenance. I would be ashamed if I had to take my car to the dealer to perform a service. So put these things in perspective please. Like I said I'm a mechanic by trade this stuff is easy.
@@ECPP I'm a mechanic by trade I'm used to annoying things to change. And if you can rent a lift or lift space it's really not a difficult thing to replace if your skilled.
Hello Mark, I have a reliability question for you, my uncle who is a business man wants to buy a compact premium car, he was wondering which one of these is more reliable and less expensive to maintain in these cars by order: VW Golf R ( auto transmission) Audi A3 BMW 230i AWD ( auto transmission) We where discussing about that at new year day, what’s your opinion about that?
Some cool choices and for just reliability of this group, no question the A3 is the car. What I would say though for fun, if you are considering the golf R, did you know that it shares the chassis and drivetrain with the Audi S3 which is a bit more dressed up than the Golf but is only marginally more exoensive
ExoticCar PlayPlace yeah I known about the Audi S3, I said it to my uncle but he said if he was buying the Audi he will stay with the A3 because he doesn’t care that much about performance and is not ready to pay more for this, only luxury, AWD and driving experience is important for him, I known the BMW is definitely the worst of these, but we were not sure which is better between the A3 and the Golf R.
Great video, always Enjoy your content. How good is the n55? I have a 2012 335ix drive coupe with the n55 engine doing about 93k kms. Any idea what preventative maintenance should I do?
The N55 really has far fewer issues overall but is not impervious. I would say do oil changes MORE than the minimum dealers recommendations especially with the additional stress and heat from turbocharging, always give the car a 30 second to 1 minute cool down after a drive to protect the turbos and do not defer your coolant system maintenance. Other than that enjoy the heck out of it. Cheers.
ExoticCar PlayPlace thanks man. You have the best Bmw channel on TH-cam and you actually respond to comments 🙏 Keep up the great content. I’m relatively new to Bmw ownership, first couple months with my 335 and I don’t wanna make any costly mistakes lol.
I had a 2007 coupe, it was so nice and fun to drive, beautiful design. However, I will never buy a BMW again after that. I got it at 96k miles, and over 3 years only drove it up to 101k. I did buy a warranty with it, thank god, it quickly paid for itself and far more. I can't even remember all of the things that had to be done, a turbo was the big one, water pump, I think the fuel pump went too. Many other issues too. People say they just need to be maintained, if by maintained they mean rebuilding the entire car before 100k miles, then sure. I can only imagine how many things would have gone wrong if I drove it more.
Hi thanks for the videos , what is your opinion on BMW 335i (306 hp) Convertible for 10000 Euro 111846 miles , is it a okay deal , how much should i expect yearly maintanance approx ?
N55 is a bunch better than the N54 for reliability, but not as much for tuning. With that said, from the N54 I would go straight B58, its a far more gnarly engine. So far quite dependable as well, at least when tied to the auto trans.
ExoticCar PlayPlace Thank you for you answer. I had a 335i with them N54 from 40000 km-80000 km without problems, no tune, and I guess the next owner started to see the issues. I got my mind set on a 340i Touring, could be both manual (a bit rare to find her in Sweden) or auto. Do you mean that the B58 on the 340i is more dependable with auto? Usually manual transmissions are more long lasting.
Hi Tony, Maybe if you have time, give this a read. B58 Engine Recall - BMW Service Bulletin SI B11 26 15 Engine B58 Engine ***8211; Check and Replace Crankshaft Guide Bearing Model F30 3 Series Sedan with B58 engine and manual transmission. Situation The upper crankshaft guide bearing may wear out prematurely. The wear on the upper guide bearing can cause the clutch pedal to malfunction during shifting. The Engine Malfunction warning may be illuminated and a fault will be stored in the DME memory for the crankshaft sensor. Noise may be heard from the lower engine and transmission bell housing area. If the crankshaft guide bearing or crankshaft is found damaged during the inspection then the engine must be replaced. Engine damage is a rare occurrence. Affected Vehicles This Service Action involves F30 vehicles produced from July 2015 to November 2015. Vehicles which require this Service Action to be completed will show it as "Open" when checked by your local BMW dealership
@@ECPP I am actually very interested in a KIA K900, that luxury sedan is very beautiful, and for 60k...a real luxury bargain...I know, after 100k miles is probably going to turn into a giant money pit, I better stick to my old Lexus...Car makers these days are just thieving assholes!
@Anj B hahahah Scotty is going to get assasinated if he lives the US, he exposes so many asshole companies, I was so ready to buy a freaking infinity q70L cause I thought ...Japan...they have to be reliable right? HUGE MONEY PIT!
Hi would you recommend me buying a 2014 to 2016 BMW 428i all wheel drive convertible? How reliable are the early 4 series convertible? I'm looking for a second vechile to complement my 2016 Rx 350.
They are not a lot to maintain yea the car have its issues but if you take the car to bmw what do you expect a cheap repair no they’ll charge you up the ass you can learn to work on your own car just like I did all you need is the space if you don’t got space go to a mechanic that knows what’s he is doing and you will still be pay less than paying bmw to fix a small problem if you buy a bmw fcp euro and real oem will help you find the parts you need with a cheaper price than bmw will charge
@@ECPP I had someone telling me I should dump my '13 X5 because he owned an earlier 335i that was full of problems. He said I should get an Acura MDX... I drove my X5 for 7 months now having put close to 14k miles so far without major problem!!! Only was the oil pan (gonna be hell of a job) and oil filter housing gaskets (that took the mechanic the whole day) that are getting done.
Still sort of wading my way. If turbos go I will go all in the a big upgrade but if not we will see what type of mods can be applied. At some point we will move it along but I am not sure I have finished with this hot rod just yet.
@@ECPP after doing a ton of upgrades to my 335i and 5 revisions on my new tune I was finally able to take it on a road trip this past week and wow What a difference fueling and larger Turbo upgrades due to this car! Going down the freeway at 80 miles an hour you floor it and the tires spin Definitely have to get used to the new power. Less than 8 seconds to go from 40 to 120 miles an hour And that's only at 22PSI I'm going to tune these turbos to 24 or 26PSI
These cars are reliable if the maintenance was done. I got lucky and got one that had all the required maintenance done and recalls performed on the injectors etc. I’ve put almost 20k miles on it with zero issues. It’s hilarious they put such narrow tires on these from the factory, the thing moves and the traction control light comes on constantly because the tires are always breaking loose. Next upgrade is some wider tires and possibly a limited slip dif. IMO these cars got an especially bad rap because they were inexpensive at one point and the people that bought them spent nothing on maintenance. If you buy one of these with no maintenance records you are definitely rolling the dice.
Yeah... I just replaced my stock turbos with Pure Stage 2 High Flow units... took me one day to get to turbos, one day to install and one day to reassemble. Then after checking for leaks... had to do it all again because minor coolant line leak on front turbos, then after two weeks, minor turbo oil drains minor leak so had to do it all again... so basically, three weeks of solid work. For the damn turbos.
@@ECPP - from 265 whp... to 650 whp? I would say, uh 'yes' it is in no shape or form the same car as stock. It is a suicide machine. Now I have to get wider rear tires to drive it safely at aggressive input...otherwise, it simply fishtails even if I am driving straight at 30mph and push the pedal... i don't know how to drift so three times already I have done spattghetti fishtailing and ended up opposing traffic...NOT from turning, but from straight driving... I can't imagine turning and accelerating. I REALLY need wider tires for SOME usable grip. So currently I am forced to drive literally like a grandma or else it goes apeshit.
@@ECPP The car's all upgraded even before turbo upgrade, maximum fueling system, upgraded coils, 2 step plugs, two catch cans, all seals gaskets done, upgraded transmission, upgraded m3 suspension and bushings, upgraded 6 piston brakes etc... Just need wider tires. As you can see, I upgraded correctly with supporting mods before I installed the turbo.
Ok, but what are you supposed to get when you want a 4dr sports sedan with a manual and rwd without breaking the bank? There isn’t a lot of choices out there under that criteria.
The n54 335i is amazing but people should know what they are getting when they sign up. I personally love mine and look for any excuse to get in and bag the crap out of it. Amazing drive.
Hey boys . Can someone help me answer my question? 125000k miles, I’m afraid I can’t afford it? What’s the truth? I’m not afraid to get under the car? I’m not an engine or transmission specialist but I can do things. Am I going to struggle if I spend 5k for this car?
‘07 335xi: HPFP and LPFP replaced, both turbos replaced, water pump failed while on highway and almost got rear ended at 65mph, power door locks blown fuse, sunroof stopped opening, passenger rear view mirror stopped tilting down while in Reverse. I was lucky it was still under warranty and 100k warranty on HPFP. Best day of my life was when I traded it in and have not owned an Ultimate Worse Machine since.
So my 1999 Camry is better then this bmw ? I paid $2,000 in April 2019. In June 2020 i got the transmission cable that was $430 and the AC condenser $480. This Camry is a beast and rides smooth
@@ECPP hey bro mh uncle selling a BMW 335i 2008 to me for $3500, from florida but I would have to Ship it to Puerto Rico here where I am which is a total process of like $1500-$1800 and it has about 120k miles on it. He has recently put a New Water pump on it and Although I am unsure of the history he takes good care of Cars. Let me know if worth it.
@@ECPP I have a 2004 mini Cooper. Can't wait to get rid of this piece of sh*t! Bought for 6 grand...put 6 grand right bck into it! Any recommendations for a work car going about 25 to work each day??. Looking at some Nissan's...and infinity's.
Honestly if you’re still going to the dealership, outside of warranty for repairs of any kind, you’re crazy!! You are absolutely right about the plastics in and around the engine, that is the prime reason why things go bad eventually on the N55 335i. To this day I don’t know why they went that route when designing the engine. If it was to cut costs, then it was the wrong area to do so. I used to have a 2007 BMW 335i (N54 Engine) when it first came out. At that time I was a much bigger BMW fan than I am now and didn’t know what I know now about BMWs. Back then you couldn’t tell me anything bad about a Bimmer. But if you think the N55 was unreliable try the first generation N54, the first year they turbocharged their inline 6 and it not just one turbo in that engine but there were 2. Adding more heat around plastic parts was a disaster and I remember some of those cars didn’t have oil coolers 🤦🏾♂️ The engine was AMAZING when it worked but that car was constantly in the shop for something. Also back then, the 335s had the first generation run flats which were an absolute disaster!!! I recently bought a 16 BMW 428i which had run flats and they made my old run flats feel like I was riding on clouds and they were bad as well. I just changed the tires and the car feels so much better.
Im want to buy one but i dont live in the US, and have not work on an engine ever. So i guess this video settles it, ill stick to my kia 🥲 but i want it so bad. Im just afraid ill turn into a money pit, most likely it will right?
I bought a 2007 335i six speed manual convertible with red leathers interior and I absolutely love it but I’m experiencing 2 oil leaks at the moment it other words my wallet is fucked lol
All good Jayson, we drive these because they are fun. You have to watch my next Tuesday video as I explain why we buy these cars. All cars leak. Thats right, Lexus, Toyota, Honda, and everything. The difference is , how much does the owner care? Have a good one and good luck with the leaks. Sounds like you have a really nice spec car. Great color combo.
ExoticCar PlayPlace thanks !! And oh yeah it’s a beauty it also come with the navigation unit. I upgraded the front bumper to the 335is front bumper and it looks amazing. My cousin is a mechanic so hopefully we can fix the leaks. So far I have fixed the timing belt , new breaks and rotors. But this car runs amazing and I will never sell it. I still own a Honda Accord so it breaks down I’ll just park it in the drive way until I can fix it. Lol
All true but they are so cheap now that if you get one and put on the side a few thousands for maintenance and you be all in under 15k then pretty much you cant get anything more fun for this price. P.s there a lot of bmw shops that do a much better job than the dealer and third the cost.
Does the N55 in a F34 have the electric water pump issues? Trying to avoid N20 and get N55 instead. Does that seem sensible? I have no plans to tune or mod
Would it be a bad idea to get a 200k+ mileage '09 335i for $4000? I'm used to doing maintenance myself as I do my own oil every time the oil gets dark enough or around every 5k miles, top up oil every so often since I have an engine plagued with oil consumption issues and have changed brake rotors and pads in the past. I was thinking that with that high of a mileage possibly the previous owner(s) have already gotten n the worst of it and have replaced most parts?
Nothing but issues at 100,000 km mark...$$$$.. I brought car for my son... but it cost him. Over $4000. In the first year of him owning it.... sold it... and lost 3k. On sale.
You missed lots of dets like the stereotypical way all the window mechanisms fail, door locks fail, hpfp fails, gasket seals fail, n54 was a recalled engine, and this list is endless. Im still not sure who you are warning that you think is looking for this car- no one is.
I’ll wait to hear from the BMW fanboys that’ll say “it’s how you maintain them that matter”. Well what kind of maintenance prevents your wipers from stopping to work in the middle of storm? What maintenance prevents your power windows from going out at just 54k miles? Both of these happened with my e46 and e90. I’ve sworn of BMWs. They are so not worth the trouble. For every person that’ll tell you “I’ve had my 530i for 10 years with 300k miles” there’s 1000 people who will wanna throw up at the thought of owning another BMW.
Any guesses what my next car will be once I sell my 335?
e30 e36 e46 or an 8 series
Nice. No probably not.
Some great options but hint. Fast.
omotosho bello facts, I owned 3 bmws and did all the maintenance, all 3 still had problems and leaked oil. Finally switched to a Subaru Sti, May have issues but the parts are cheap lol
Keep pumping these videos so I can buy them cheap 😂
🤝🏾
I have 2. Ill buy them all. Once there is none left. U can have one for 250k.
Lmao
That’s funny. but i will Still keep my Z.
💯💯 cuz I love bmws there a lil costly but its cost to be the boss
I am a college student with barely any cash but I love driving one just for the power delivery from a six cylinder. When I first bought my E46 325i, vacuum leaks are so common on the M54 with the coolant leaks. Still amazed it ran so smooth and never died when I had a coolant leak from the bottom of the radiator. I think that all racecars test your love for the car. Problem is people buy them that are my age as a status symbol. Buy a BMW because you wanna drive it. My father's friend saved me many times with my E46 because he works on BMW since the 80s and drives a E46 everyday. He loves them as a whole but hates the complications that BMW threw on the newer ones. He says the six cylinders are indestructible but the coolant leaks are so common with the valve covers leaking with the rubber vacuum lines throwig lean codes. BMW are not for everyone, it takes a dedicated car enthusiast to own one that looks at it as an opportunity.
You are absolutely correct. The posers will be disappointed but people who appreciate the drive, accept some deficiencies and understand the comitment that is required. Have a great one.
@@ECPP You too Mark! Wish I can capture your M5 and the 335i for Corkscrewlife. They are awesome cars!
Recently got a 2009 335i. Your very correct. Marco galore under the hood. Owned the vehicle for about 4 months and my water pump went out 🙄. No warranty as I got it use, BUT I’m able to pull the water pump and thermostat out while being a novice garage mechanic. Luckily I have my Jeep and e90 325i to keep me from walking. Educated how to work in these cars and you’ll be fine. Yea parts are pricey but hey.......life’s to short to drive boring cars.
Absolutely. Driving fun machines is what makes the experience.
This could be the comment that inspired the intro on the new videos. "Lifes too short to drive boring cars."
Learn to fix your own car, that’s half the fun.
I agree
I've had mine for 10 years. And never had any issues at all
Really? What’s the secret keep it parked 🤣
I’m on my 2nd motor replacement
Liar
@@gsheverything_2716 LIESSSSSS
Soon.. don't worry
@@Peongster Lies......all LIEEESSSSS!
Thank you, Frau.
535i with the N54 my car is a beast and haven’t had any issues. I say this all the time if you’re broke and don’t know BMW don’t buy one I saved money looked for over a year for the perfect car. Bought it had it for over a year already and have spent $2k in maintenance and replacing valve cover gasket if that’s too much money don’t buy a BMW. I’m not even that handy and I’ve replaced my coolant tank myself. I’ll say it again. If you’re broke and don’t know BMW DO NOT BUY ONE.
Love my 335i and e92 m3. Like anything you gotta know what you’re getting into. Get a ppi and double check your maintenance history. Keep up on your maintenance and have a warranty or funds saved for a rainy day and you will be fine. Lastly, learn how to turn a wrench. The 335 is a seriously easy car to work on.
Great cars and great value, like you say, if you can work on your own car, it becomes an easy car to own.
yup my buddy bought a 2011 e92 335i but doesn't know how to fix his own car so i knew he was gonna regret it someday and low n behold, his car broke. and now hes at the mercy at the dealers and or mechanics shops.. smh i told him he never listened. now he see what ive been trying to tell him. I love fixing my own cars. and ill never buy a car that i cant fix. PERIOD!!!.
My 335i has had a lot of problems, but I love how it drives. I can’t part with it cuz I love the 6 speed manual on the performance suspension with twin turbos and air intakes, etc
True it is a wonderful driver but I had to sell mine as it was always in need of attention. The hood latch was wearing out from opening so much
I have replaced the coolant reservoir, multiple hoses, radiator, water pump and thermostat. In the last 2 years I have replaced the coolant 4 times. I highly recommend replacing the whole coolant system at once and call it done. It's a bit expensive, but it is much better than having your overheated car towed home multiple times and replacing expensive BMW coolant. I agree with all of your other points as well. I just diy it.
I agree, once some parts go, likely many are close behind.
I have spent so much time and money on my BMW that I almost feel like it's a Holy experience before I take it on a trip.
Nice, there seems to be rituals associated with these cars. At the end of the day, they are pretty great though.
Lol
335 n54 is a hobby. If u like that kind of hobby and u can afford the needed repairs, it's a phenomenal car. If u are broke and need a reliability from a to b, buy a Toyota.
True, the n54 is always a bit of a project
Is it possible to make this car more reliable with replacing the plastic parts with better aftermarket parts?
Yes some of the parts like with the N55 engine there’s aluminum charge pipes and aluminum valve covers, and there’s a metal coolant tank replacement for the N54.
Great video but the thing is, you will see more videos of people complaining or listing troubles than people who actually enjoy the car without issues. The people who have no issues are out enjoying it. I say that to say that dont let the complaints sway your purchasing decision.
LOL all so true, wish I had seen the video before I purchased my 2008 335i. OMG what a nightmare, luckily I had an extended warranty. I maxed it out at the dealer $19k in repairs. Biggest two repairs were Oil Pan Leak and Turbo Leak. Everything you said in the video I experienced, I took the car to my local BMW dealership for all the repairs. I know the cost way more but they gave me a loner ever time and somethings I would have the loner for weeks. I would never purchase this car again.
Wow Anthony, sounds like you got a bad one. Some are worse than others. Did you enjoy it at least? Because If the fun factor offsets some of this trouble at least maybe no regrets. Cheers.
Anthony Jordan 19k ?!?!?
It’s really not that difficult to work on your 335i n54
Mohammed Toorani exactly. not hard just Need to TH-cam it
Xdrive would like a word with you
2Wheels1Love89 🤣🤣🤣🤣
2Wheels1Love89 that’s why you stay away from all wheel drive cars unless you have money in the bank.
The turbos are the only thing that worry’s me
You forgot to say:Life is too short to drive boring cars!Drive what do you like!!!Even 335i. But i understand you. This car has made you give it away .Too many repairs with your BMW. It is ENOUGH!!!Cheers!
Hi Victor, that motto is still accurate and the only reason to get rid of this car is to move into something even more exciting. All cars lose money, thats just the sad reality, so it is true by saying, drive what makes you buzz.
JUST bought 2007 BMW 335I FOR 5300$ DUDE said nothing is wrong with it had smog, clean title, and reg in hand, i get about 15 minutes out of San Francisco just over the bridge (still 45 min from home) car overheats, limp mode, loss of power etc. EVERYONE WAS TELLING ME from my lift driver to people at work DO NOT BUY this bmw, i guess i should have listened but ofc i didnt i bought it. had my lift driver pick me up (she was following me i had a gut feeling) and get coolant and i just dumped in the tank and somehow BARELY made it home on ENGINE HOT DRIVE MODERATE car literally overheated as i pulled into my garage, but oh well i made it back no tow (which is a miracle in itself) had to buy a new coolant overflow tank, sensor, cap, water pump, therm and bolt kit so 5300$ plus 400$ and shes finally back on the road. i did the repair myself for 380$ but that would have been 2000-2500 bucks at the dealer or indy , long story short! BRING MY WALLET! although the turbos have just been replaced, valve cover and oil gasket in 2019 and loads of other work in the carfax so im pretty happy. has a burgandy leather interior all the options, sport mode, paddle shifters, heated seats, sport seats, 18 inch wheels etc so live and learn now she is solid with the turbos and entire cooling system done! i agree tho! MONEY PITS! LOL if you read this far i commend u
I fee u bro I had a similar trial n tribulation on my 09 SS.
@@CHIEFMOOKYon my 2nd one about to buy a 3rd tomorrow tho they are addicting
@@startingtech3900 did u get it? I have a 2011 335is for sale
I had one for two years. In that time the water pump and the vanos solenoid went out. My drive belt also broke. So not very reliable but I’ve never driven a car as fun as this one. I love it more than the s2k, frs, and g35 that I’ve driven. Yes it’s a pain in the ass but it’s so fun to drive
Have the 08 BMW 335i convertible. Fuel pump has failed twice now, about a $1500 repair. Also, constant tire repairs. Low profile. It's fun to drive though.
Does walbro make a pump for it look into the best aftermarket alternative 🤔
BMWs are the only non supercar that make Mercedes Benz repairs look very user friendly
Haha, very true. My Lamborghini is actually far simpler to work on than the N54. My old Porsche 911 was as well.
You are forgetting Jaguar and Alpha Romeo...
@@ECPP Honestly I haven't really found it too hard to work on. The oil filter is right on top, and the spark plugs are easy to get to. Ya it's not super easy for some of the more involved repairs but it's doable and well worth the money you save doing it yourself
I own a 08’ 328i, not as much fun...but a reliable daily driver. No car payments and gets me where I need to go. But will consider these things for my next car
This 335 really is quite a beast and if you follow next Tuesday, you will find another perspective on this car. Cheers.
I have N/A 120i, 2010 E82 in Germany. No issues at all but very low mileage & only a straight 4 banger. You see them everywhere & the 118i E87 wagon/hatches both diesel & gas that the US also didn't get can be seen on every other block.
Bmw only did the run flat to keep you from having a spare tire in the truck and they wanted to lower the weight of the car by eliminating that.
I bought a brand new Ford Escape 2013 back then... Get rid of it 5 years later with many many problems 2 weeks later I never went back to see videos/forums/groups nothing about that car... Funny thing I've noticed with BMWs... People always get back to TH-cam to see BMW content... Go figure I wonder if that will happen to me :/ I currently drive a E60 LCI 130K kms I have addressed lot of it's issued to the point it can be driven without worries for hours without checking anything... But I need to keep it until it dies because worth nothing on the market hahaha. My wife's is a E70 N55 powered so far it had have some minor things but running good fairly low milage though less than 80K kms. One need to be smart with these cars and everything depends on your particular economic/free time/mechanic skill/family/passion driven situation... Well it is difficult to explain. Nice honest video :)
Thanks a lot for sharing. It is great to be able to share with others so we can all make smart buys when shopping for a new car. Cheers
Thankyou for your honesty
I know you really appreciate bmw vehicles
So making this video may have been hard
But if it helps people avoid these issues or be aware of them then thats a good thing
100percent right. It hurts to critique what you like but to be fair, it is important. With that said I made its video opposite and will be released the upcoming week.
I've had my n54 335i for nearly 13yrs , it was a release model at only 7months old , I part ext my mk5 golf gti for it and took it up to the Northumbrian hills for a shakedown and came back absolutely gobsmacked , I've had lots of those problems but not all , there is another sixth problem with it tho and that's the biggest one for me , I absolutely LOVE the bloody thing and every time I drive it it puts a smile on my face, its part of the family now and my 19yr old daughter won't let me sell it , I wonder if I'm the longest owner of one?
Great story and these cars are so underrated. So much fun packaged into these cars and it’s a love hate telationship
@@ECPP yes and spend a bit of money on tuning parts and you got yourself a Porsche killer.
The bagels and cream cheese at the dealers are legit
Excellent video! I couldn't agree with you more! Do you have any videos or things to look out for on a 2008 BMW 3 Series 328xi?
2007 335xi, Ultimate Failing Machine:
Twin turbo failure, HPFP and LPFP replaced, water pump fail, power door lock blown fuse, sunroof won’t open. All this happened by 57k miles and that was in 2014. My last day with car was when 4x4 light flashed red at 8am on way to work.
Never BMW again.
Is the 2011 BMW 335i reliable? It comes with N55 engine vs. earlier models with N54 engine.
Generally I would say , marginally. Much better than the junk n54, but if a person can stretch a bit more, an older b58 is a big jump in durability
I have a 2008 E92 328xi, 165k mi. w/original clutch. Maintained by an independent BMW shop with scheduled service intervals other than the BS 100k / lifetime fluids. Have trans, diff, transfer case done at 50k intervals. Very reliable, expect those plastics bits in the engine bay will crack at some point. Looking for a 335is, turbo's will cost some $$ when needing replacement but the power/torque gain is M performance.
Thanks man for your informative video
You are very welcome
Run flat is a real issue for drivers in the West. 50 miles is way too short of a distance to a repair facility with the right replacement and the limited speed when the traffic moves at 85+ MPH is a risky proposition. The trunk space can be consumed by a full size spare making for a bad tradeoff.
The lack of dipstick prevents the owner from verifying that the engine oil was actually replaced during the service.
100 percent agreed. Thanks
I own a 2008 335i. Bought it straight from a dealer 12 years ago. It is everything but a money pit. The secret and this applies to all vehicles is REGULAR SERVICE. Simple.
Yes lots of issues but folks.......we are driving 5000lb race cars! They eat tires,they go through suspension parts,gaskets and so forth and so on!! Best baddest fast my all time favorite car! When you drive them like they were made to drive you have to pitstop frequently! It's hella worth it!!!
Thanks
Having owned a 2008 335i E90 sedan, I can tell you they are not the most reliable vehicles, however for the price there is little that can match it performance wise. Even in 2020 the N54 and N55 will out perform close to 90 percent of the vehicles on the road.
They do drive well for sure.
Man am happy u left out the n 55 motor..😂😂
That's the reason bmw made the n55 was to make it more reliable than the n54 its just not as tunable as the n54
My 2008 335i 145k miles is going strong and will likely drive it to 300k miles. But you gotta do your own work. If you let a mechanic do it you’ll be shoveling out $30,000 on a Car worth $6000 from 100k miles to 200k miles. Fantastic car if maintained properly. The replacement plastics for the steering wheel etc aren’t rubber coated. Just swap them if they look bad
Litecoin Donny say it again. You gotta do your own work! I’ve had mine for 8 years and worked through the issues and it’s going great at 122k miles. I’ve also got an e92 m3. I like to live dangerous. Ha ha!
Demetrius Johnson yep. If you can fix your own bmw there’s really nothing mechanical that can ever stop you. All these quitters never learn and end up with boring Japanese luxury. Haha
really right today what it the most reliable BMW ? if you cant afford a brand new one under warranty , which would be the best second option with less plastic parts and better longevity ? thanks !
Older nine turbo inline 6 cars or maybe the b58 turbo 6 from newer cars is decent in recent years
Thank you. You saved me money
I own a 2016 528i is not the quickest car out there, I actually wanted something with a little more power, like the 535i, so far I've been lucky with mines I have 60k miles on it, I was talking to my local BMW dealership ( service advisor ) and a few of them said " if you want a BMW with more power stick with the 6 cylinder, not the v8"
Just don’t daily drive this car honestly it’s a sports car not an economy car this car is nice to own as a second car so that when shit does break your not stranded and you can take your time repairing it this car’s problems are nothing compare to the nightmare that is the M3 issues but again stay within your budget
That is true. Thanks for sharing.
What are your thoughts on a 550i? ...F10. Are they reliable?
I'm planning to get an F10 M5, but wanted to get the 550i first since it's a little cheaper and still has a V8.....which actually sounds way better than the M5. If you don't recommend this, what do you think would be good in that range?
Hi, I personally love the F10 body style and the performance of all models. The n55 is a great 6 cylinder performer, while the M5 is an absolute beast. Since your ask, the 550 comes with a 4.4 Litre Twin Turbo V8 and produces anywhere from about 400 to 450 HP depending on the year which makes it a very spritely performer. Problem, these engines had a significant list of significantly likely failures such as injectors, timing chains, HEAVY oil consumption because of the "HOT V" which places the turbos in the V of the engine and creates a lot of undesired heat which then in turn fries valve guide seals, Valve cover gaskets amongst a few things. In short would I own one? Maybe, if the price was right, I was happy with the service history and maybe you find a good one. M5 may have some similar issues but its such a beast that I may live with it anyway. Hope this helps. BTW, the N55 powered F10 may be a good alternative if not going M5. They are not perfect but are fairly dependable.
@@ECPP Ah! Thank you for the detailed response! I will keep this in mind for when I'm ready to make a move.
Dude I would strongly advise stay away from the N63 engine in the 550 and M5’s, they are very troublesome and unreliable. I speak from experience and google search and you will find an outstanding number of world wide complaints and issues.
@@bucksbonanza agreed, I was trying to be a bit more political. Have a great one.
likesp33d the M5 engine is totally different to the 550i yes it is still a hot V but built in different factory and is a totally different kettle of fish. Just compare N63 vs S6344TU which is in the M5.
Very well said, and everything you said is what i have and/or my friends have experienced with BMW's (and some Mercedes as well) because of that I moved to Lexus and Honda for my wife and me and we could not be happier. We save a ton of money and can get on with our lives with no more f..king around listenig to BS from BMW service people making excuses for badly engineering cars!!!
I hear ya. They sometimes act like they are doing you the favour to fix this junk as well.
I heard from many people not to get the 335 because of the turbos. What about the 328 and 320? They don't have a turbo in it ?
75 percent still the same issues with coolant leaks, valve covers, pan gaskets, run flats, Vanos, etc. There are a few less big problems like wastegates, turbos. Generally the E90 generations are simply the best and worst at the same time. Regardless I always look forward to taking mine out for a drive and look for an excuser to do so. Cheers.
Knight Ride963 I have a 328xi that I bought with 156k and I’m now at almost 163k had it for 7months it’s a great car only issue I’ve had is window regulator in the rear and that was a cheap and easy fix
Nice video Mark! Thanks for give us something on youre experience. What do yo think about bmw F 335i n55 engine?
Thanks Saul. The n55 is a bit better and has been dialed in a bit better. Overall fairly dependable still not perfect. I buddy of mine has one and he has turned it into a show car that’s slammed on bags and looks great. He can also speak to this. You may have a look at his TH-cam channel called HQ_BMW
I've owned my e93 335i 57 plate 11 years now.. about £2500 in repairs hpfp water pump.. the parts are cheap because the cars old.. the dealer wants to buy good examples 💯... I would never sell it perfect example of the ultimate driving machine
Love your channel! Is the new M2 competition manual a dependable one ?
They are fairly solid but a few cars with the S55 engines have experienced crank hub failures
I am afraid to take mine on the long trip. I take my teen son's 2000 Toyota Camry with 225K miles instead. I trust the Toyota more than my 2011 335i xdrive with less than 100K miles.
I can see why although yours with the n55 is a lot better than the n54 twin turbo in mine
@@ECPP it had spun rod bearing , and so many things went wrong already. If BMW designs cars this way, KIA will eat their lunch eventually. Have you driven a Stinger?
Absolutely love my 2010 BMW Z4 35i N54 E89. Yep replacement parts are costly. Did alot of research before I bought mine and have been steadily replacing the parts that are most likely to break like the plastic charge pipe and adding dual intake cones. I'm a mechanic by trade so I dig working on my cars. I don't like the no dipstick thing but if I wanna get a look and smell of the oil I just open the fill cap on the valve cover and run my finger in while the engines not running of course.Oh BTW I'm not a fan boy but folks who aren't mechanically inclined will whine about the unreliability of these vehicles.I'm sorry that these folks are so inept at doing basic maintenance. I would be ashamed if I had to take my car to the dealer to perform a service. So put these things in perspective please. Like I said I'm a mechanic by trade this stuff is easy.
Water pump and T stat are a bit of an annoying change from my experience. The steering rack and subframe are awkward
@@ECPP I'm a mechanic by trade I'm used to annoying things to change. And if you can rent a lift or lift space it's really not a difficult thing to replace if your skilled.
what do you think about the facelifted Mercedes C Class W204s?
Wonderful
😂😂😂 this video is so correct. I bought one a few weeks ago and this thing has so much issue.
Pretty typical
Hello Mark, I have a reliability question for you, my uncle who is a business man wants to buy a compact premium car, he was wondering which one of these is more reliable and less expensive to maintain in these cars by order:
VW Golf R ( auto transmission)
Audi A3
BMW 230i AWD ( auto transmission)
We where discussing about that at new year day, what’s your opinion about that?
Some cool choices and for just reliability of this group, no question the A3 is the car. What I would say though for fun, if you are considering the golf R, did you know that it shares the chassis and drivetrain with the Audi S3 which is a bit more dressed up than the Golf but is only marginally more exoensive
ExoticCar PlayPlace yeah I known about the Audi S3, I said it to my uncle but he said if he was buying the Audi he will stay with the A3 because he doesn’t care that much about performance and is not ready to pay more for this, only luxury, AWD and driving experience is important for him, I known the BMW is definitely the worst of these, but we were not sure which is better between the A3 and the Golf R.
Great video, always Enjoy your content. How good is the n55?
I have a 2012 335ix drive coupe with the n55 engine doing about 93k kms. Any idea what preventative maintenance should I do?
The N55 really has far fewer issues overall but is not impervious. I would say do oil changes MORE than the minimum dealers recommendations especially with the additional stress and heat from turbocharging, always give the car a 30 second to 1 minute cool down after a drive to protect the turbos and do not defer your coolant system maintenance. Other than that enjoy the heck out of it. Cheers.
ExoticCar PlayPlace thanks man. You have the best Bmw channel on TH-cam and you actually respond to comments 🙏
Keep up the great content.
I’m relatively new to Bmw ownership, first couple months with my 335 and I don’t wanna make any costly mistakes lol.
I hear ya, no problem, These cars are a lot of fun and they do drive better than most others, but we must take a little care. Have a great one.
ExoticCar PlayPlace can you make a video on what are some safe cheap power adders to the n55 335’s? 😬
I had a 2007 coupe, it was so nice and fun to drive, beautiful design. However, I will never buy a BMW again after that. I got it at 96k miles, and over 3 years only drove it up to 101k.
I did buy a warranty with it, thank god, it quickly paid for itself and far more. I can't even remember all of the things that had to be done, a turbo was the big one, water pump, I think the fuel pump went too. Many other issues too. People say they just need to be maintained, if by maintained they mean rebuilding the entire car before 100k miles, then sure. I can only imagine how many things would have gone wrong if I drove it more.
Hi thanks for the videos , what is your opinion on BMW 335i (306 hp) Convertible for 10000 Euro 111846 miles , is it a okay deal , how much should i expect yearly maintanance approx ?
U can just replace runsflat tires with normal tires....
I just want you to know...you broke my heart with this one😮💨🤣🤣
Sorry. They are fun and nice to drive, but you should just be prepared, unless you are totally fine wrenching your own car regularly
Is the n55 a lot better or should you go for the b58 (340i-f30)?
N55 is a bunch better than the N54 for reliability, but not as much for tuning. With that said, from the N54 I would go straight B58, its a far more gnarly engine. So far quite dependable as well, at least when tied to the auto trans.
ExoticCar PlayPlace Thank you for you answer. I had a 335i with them N54 from 40000 km-80000 km without problems, no tune, and I guess the next owner started to see the issues. I got my mind set on a 340i Touring, could be both manual (a bit rare to find her in Sweden) or auto. Do you mean that the B58 on the 340i is more dependable with auto? Usually manual transmissions are more long lasting.
Hi Tony,
Maybe if you have time, give this a read.
B58 Engine Recall - BMW Service Bulletin SI B11 26 15
Engine
B58 Engine ***8211; Check and Replace Crankshaft Guide Bearing
Model
F30 3 Series Sedan with B58 engine and manual transmission.
Situation
The upper crankshaft guide bearing may wear out prematurely. The wear on the upper guide bearing can cause the clutch pedal to malfunction during shifting. The Engine Malfunction warning may be illuminated and a fault will be stored in the DME memory for the crankshaft sensor. Noise may be heard from the lower engine and transmission bell housing area.
If the crankshaft guide bearing or crankshaft is found damaged during the inspection then the engine must be replaced. Engine damage is a rare occurrence.
Affected Vehicles
This Service Action involves F30 vehicles produced from July 2015 to November 2015. Vehicles which require this Service Action to be completed will show it as "Open" when checked by your local BMW dealership
ExoticCar PlayPlace ok thanks amd that is only 340is made 2015?
I drive a 2002 lexus, just like scotty recommended! I AM SUPER HAPPY WITH IT! BMW is an endless money pit!
Thanks for sharing. Have a good one.
@@ECPP I am actually very interested in a KIA K900, that luxury sedan is very beautiful, and for 60k...a real luxury bargain...I know, after 100k miles is probably going to turn into a giant money pit, I better stick to my old Lexus...Car makers these days are just thieving assholes!
@Anj B hahahah Scotty is going to get assasinated if he lives the US, he exposes so many asshole companies, I was so ready to buy a freaking infinity q70L cause I thought ...Japan...they have to be reliable right? HUGE MONEY PIT!
But you drive a Lexus. Booooring lol. I do love Scotty tho
Hi would you recommend me buying a 2014 to 2016 BMW 428i all wheel drive convertible? How reliable are the early 4 series convertible? I'm looking for a second vechile to complement my 2016 Rx 350.
They are not a lot to maintain yea the car have its issues but if you take the car to bmw what do you expect a cheap repair no they’ll charge you up the ass you can learn to work on your own car just like I did all you need is the space if you don’t got space go to a mechanic that knows what’s he is doing and you will still be pay less than paying bmw to fix a small problem if you buy a bmw fcp euro and real oem will help you find the parts you need with a cheaper price than bmw will charge
True for sure
What about a 2013 X5 xDrive 35i now with 92k miles?
A well maintained unit could be a solid purchase because it has the n55 engine which is a lot more dependable than the n54
@@ECPP I had someone telling me I should dump my '13 X5 because he owned an earlier 335i that was full of problems. He said I should get an Acura MDX... I drove my X5 for 7 months now having put close to 14k miles so far without major problem!!! Only was the oil pan (gonna be hell of a job) and oil filter housing gaskets (that took the mechanic the whole day) that are getting done.
what are your plans for the 335i in due course?
Still sort of wading my way. If turbos go I will go all in the a big upgrade but if not we will see what type of mods can be applied. At some point we will move it along but I am not sure I have finished with this hot rod just yet.
ExoticCar PlayPlace Alright sounds good man 👍 Can’t wait to see what’s in store!
@@ECPP after doing a ton of upgrades to my 335i and 5 revisions on my new tune I was finally able to take it on a road trip this past week and wow What a difference fueling and larger Turbo upgrades due to this car! Going down the freeway at 80 miles an hour you floor it and the tires spin Definitely have to get used to the new power. Less than 8 seconds to go from 40 to 120 miles an hour And that's only at 22PSI I'm going to tune these turbos to 24 or 26PSI
My 08 335i has had nothing wrong with it in about 2 years and I drive it every day
Driving these cars and most cars daily is better for them than parking for extended periods
Same!!
These cars are reliable if the maintenance was done. I got lucky and got one that had all the required maintenance done and recalls performed on the injectors etc. I’ve put almost 20k miles on it with zero issues. It’s hilarious they put such narrow tires on these from the factory, the thing moves and the traction control light comes on constantly because the tires are always breaking loose. Next upgrade is some wider tires and possibly a limited slip dif. IMO these cars got an especially bad rap because they were inexpensive at one point and the people that bought them spent nothing on maintenance. If you buy one of these with no maintenance records you are definitely rolling the dice.
Money money money, in the words of ABBA
My close relative is a mechanic so yes it's doesn't matter to some ppl.
Yeah... I just replaced my stock turbos with Pure Stage 2 High Flow units... took me one day to get to turbos, one day to install and one day to reassemble. Then after checking for leaks... had to do it all again because minor coolant line leak on front turbos, then after two weeks, minor turbo oil drains minor leak so had to do it all again... so basically, three weeks of solid work. For the damn turbos.
That hurts. In the end was it worth it though and was there a decent difference from stock?
@@ECPP - from 265 whp... to 650 whp? I would say, uh 'yes' it is in no shape or form the same car as stock. It is a suicide machine. Now I have to get wider rear tires to drive it safely at aggressive input...otherwise, it simply fishtails even if I am driving straight at 30mph and push the pedal... i don't know how to drift so three times already I have done spattghetti fishtailing and ended up opposing traffic...NOT from turning, but from straight driving... I can't imagine turning and accelerating. I REALLY need wider tires for SOME usable grip. So currently I am forced to drive literally like a grandma or else it goes apeshit.
@@matreyia Sounds great, I am assuming you have all the bolt on stuff. What tune an mods are you running?
@@ECPP The car's all upgraded even before turbo upgrade, maximum fueling system, upgraded coils, 2 step plugs, two catch cans, all seals gaskets done, upgraded transmission, upgraded m3 suspension and bushings, upgraded 6 piston brakes etc... Just need wider tires. As you can see, I upgraded correctly with supporting mods before I installed the turbo.
@@matreyia Sounds solid
Ok, but what are you supposed to get when you want a 4dr sports sedan with a manual and rwd without breaking the bank? There isn’t a lot of choices out there under that criteria.
What good r run flats if ur car is unable to move due to lemon-nitis.
lol, true, Cant argue with that.
I love my 2013 335i M sport and i bought the 3 year extended warranty which gives me one big peace of mind .
Great car.
Didn’t you know these problems ? And still bought it
Potential problems , yes. No issues that I could tell when. I bought it. I was looking for the tuning capability which is why I bought it.
ExoticCar PlayPlace are you keeping it still
Every car is plastic these days bmw was just ahead of its time. The n54 is a beast of a platform if your not beast mode may i suggest my moms 328i😜
The n54 335i is amazing but people should know what they are getting when they sign up. I personally love mine and look for any excuse to get in and bag the crap out of it. Amazing drive.
Hey boys . Can someone help me answer my question?
125000k miles,
I’m afraid I can’t afford it? What’s the truth? I’m not afraid to get under the car? I’m not an engine or transmission specialist but I can do things.
Am I going to struggle if I spend 5k for this car?
‘07 335xi: HPFP and LPFP replaced, both turbos replaced, water pump failed while on highway and almost got rear ended at 65mph, power door locks blown fuse, sunroof stopped opening, passenger rear view mirror stopped tilting down while in Reverse. I was lucky it was still under warranty and 100k warranty on HPFP.
Best day of my life was when I traded it in and have not owned an Ultimate Worse Machine since.
Wow, ouch
Really enjoy your videos! Thinking of getting a 2012 f10 535i with 80k miles, are they somewhat reliable? Don’t wanna go broke!
So my 1999 Camry is better then this bmw ? I paid $2,000 in April 2019. In June 2020 i got the transmission cable that was $430 and the AC condenser $480. This Camry is a beast and rides smooth
Thank god I bought a 2016 328i
A slightly simpler car but turbo charging is still part of the equation.
Great vid man. Very fun car but also very troublesome. Tsk tsk tsk smh
True on both counts
So what if i saw an offer of a 2008 bmw 335i convertible hard-top for $8,000 with the only 60,000 miles on it. Is that a good deal?
I would not recommend it unless you are good at wrenching especially with the n54 engine.
@@ECPP hey bro mh uncle selling a BMW 335i 2008 to me for $3500, from florida but I would have to Ship it to Puerto Rico here where I am which is a total process of like $1500-$1800 and it has about 120k miles on it. He has recently put a New Water pump on it and Although I am unsure of the history he takes good care of Cars. Let me know if worth it.
Good info!!!! ????.....Ur opinion on the Shelby Mustang GT 350?!
Lovely cars as I have driven one and they are awesome with that high reviving gnarly NA V8.
@@ECPP I have a 2004 mini Cooper. Can't wait to get rid of this piece of sh*t! Bought for 6 grand...put 6 grand right bck into it! Any recommendations for a work car going about 25 to work each day??. Looking at some Nissan's...and infinity's.
The many abs sensor issues I had with this car let me tell you..
Ouch, it has its issues for sure. There is an easy DIY home fix for that though.
What about 2011 e92 335 with n55？much better than n54？
Honestly if you’re still going to the dealership, outside of warranty for repairs of any kind, you’re crazy!! You are absolutely right about the plastics in and around the engine, that is the prime reason why things go bad eventually on the N55 335i. To this day I don’t know why they went that route when designing the engine. If it was to cut costs, then it was the wrong area to do so.
I used to have a 2007 BMW 335i (N54 Engine) when it first came out. At that time I was a much bigger BMW fan than I am now and didn’t know what I know now about BMWs. Back then you couldn’t tell me anything bad about a Bimmer. But if you think the N55 was unreliable try the first generation N54, the first year they turbocharged their inline 6 and it not just one turbo in that engine but there were 2. Adding more heat around plastic parts was a disaster and I remember some of those cars didn’t have oil coolers 🤦🏾♂️ The engine was AMAZING when it worked but that car was constantly in the shop for something.
Also back then, the 335s had the first generation run flats which were an absolute disaster!!! I recently bought a 16 BMW 428i which had run flats and they made my old run flats feel like I was riding on clouds and they were bad as well. I just changed the tires and the car feels so much better.
2014 335i xdrive?
is the 328i e92 a reliable car
Bro is it tho for a first car
Im want to buy one but i dont live in the US, and have not work on an engine ever. So i guess this video settles it, ill stick to my kia 🥲 but i want it so bad. Im just afraid ill turn into a money pit, most likely it will right?
Is 320d e90 a reliable car?
my e53 has a packed engine bay but my w123 is easy & spacious to work with
Moral to the story stay within your budget... don’t spend outside your means... if you can’t afford it don’t buy it lol
The N54 is crap. I don't care how much power they can make. B58 is where it is at. N55 is even much better.
The B58 is the place to go right now IMHO
I’ve worked on my Audi all the time so bmw shouldn’t be too different I hope.
I bought a 2007 335i six speed manual convertible with red leathers interior and I absolutely love it but I’m experiencing 2 oil leaks at the moment it other words my wallet is fucked lol
All good Jayson, we drive these because they are fun. You have to watch my next Tuesday video as I explain why we buy these cars. All cars leak. Thats right, Lexus, Toyota, Honda, and everything. The difference is , how much does the owner care? Have a good one and good luck with the leaks. Sounds like you have a really nice spec car. Great color combo.
ExoticCar PlayPlace thanks !! And oh yeah it’s a beauty it also come with the navigation unit. I upgraded the front bumper to the 335is front bumper and it looks amazing. My cousin is a mechanic so hopefully we can fix the leaks. So far I have fixed the timing belt , new breaks and rotors. But this car runs amazing and I will never sell it. I still own a Honda Accord so it breaks down I’ll just park it in the drive way until I can fix it. Lol
All true but they are so cheap now that if you get one and put on the side a few thousands for maintenance and you be all in under 15k then pretty much you cant get anything more fun for this price.
P.s
there a lot of bmw shops that do a much better job than the dealer and third the cost.
What about N55?
It is better than the N54 for reliability. Tuning is more limited but depends what you are trying to get out of the car.
Does the N55 in a F34 have the electric water pump issues? Trying to avoid N20 and get N55 instead. Does that seem sensible? I have no plans to tune or mod
Would it be a bad idea to get a 200k+ mileage '09 335i for $4000? I'm used to doing maintenance myself as I do my own oil every time the oil gets dark enough or around every 5k miles, top up oil every so often since I have an engine plagued with oil consumption issues and have changed brake rotors and pads in the past. I was thinking that with that high of a mileage possibly the previous owner(s) have already gotten n the worst of it and have replaced most parts?
Did you?
Is the n54 or n55 a more reliable engine?
N55 by a good margin
So true
Sad but true.
Nothing but issues at 100,000 km mark...$$$$.. I brought car for my son... but it cost him. Over $4000. In the first year of him owning it.... sold it... and lost 3k. On sale.
You missed lots of dets like the stereotypical way all the window mechanisms fail, door locks fail, hpfp fails, gasket seals fail, n54 was a recalled engine, and this list is endless. Im still not sure who you are warning that you think is looking for this car- no one is.
There are still some but it really is a poorly designed, built and fundamentally flawed engine