Avoid This Car Brand at All Costs: th-cam.com/video/Hhspl6VxLdg/w-d-xo.html Thanks for watching! Like and Subscribe for More Vids Daily ► th-cam.com/channels/uxpxCCevIlF-k-K5YU8XPA.html ⬇️Scotty’s Top DIY Tools: 1. Bluetooth Scan Tool: amzn.to/2nfvmaD 2. Mid-Grade Scan Tool: amzn.to/33dKI0k 3. My Fancy (Originally $5,000) Professional Scan Tool: amzn.to/31khBXC 4. Cheap Scan Tool: amzn.to/2D8Tvae 5. Dash Cam (Every Car Should Have One): amzn.to/2YQW36t 6. Basic Mechanic Tool Set: amzn.to/2tEr6Ce 7. Professional Socket Set: amzn.to/2Bzmccg 8. Ratcheting Wrench Set: amzn.to/2BQjj8A 9. No Charging Required Car Jump Starter: amzn.to/3i7SH5D 10. Battery Pack Car Jump Starter: amzn.to/2nrc6qR ⬇️ Things used in this video: 1. Common Sense 2. 4k Camera: amzn.to/2HkjavH 3. Camera Microphone: amzn.to/2Evn167 4. Camera Tripod: amzn.to/2Jwog8S 5. My computer for editing / uploading: amzn.to/301tYt9 Subscribe and hit the notification bell! ► goo.gl/CFismN As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Being in the car repair business? I'm afraid he does know what he's talking about. Right to the point. Years of experience. It makes sense on all information that some don't know about ? Great video 👍
In Germany, we could always identify BMWs from a distance by the plume of blue-ish smoke that came from the tailpipe because they were all burning oil, even when almost new. It was literally a BMW "trademark." In Germany they're known as "Braucht mal Werkstatt" (needs repair shop), "Besser man wandert" (better off walking), "Bayerischer MistWagen" (Bavarian manure truck), and many more such explanations of the acronym. Being an ex-pat German, many people have asked me why I'm not driving a German car. Well, this video explains why.
My thoughts...On my 3rd BMW, love these cars, always keep up to date with maintenance and I find less surprises and expenses that way. This model has definitely been neglected. Got 250,000km on a 330i with no lights, no rust, smooth as silk and a great performer.
Same here. I never had a problem with a bmw. The funny thing is look how old the car Is and the faults in the video don't even effect the way the car drives lol most cars this old will have these problems
@@everydayguy289 I drive a BMW too. A 2011 model year 335i. Both of you are right. I was thinking the same things but I’m no stranger to Scotty. He mentions the car has variable valve timing. So does your Honda, Lexus, Chevrolet, TOYOTA (Scotty) etc. Outrageous and so complex! Everyone has their preferences and opinions but these cars are not all that different from any other passenger car on the road, mechanically speaking. I will say, if you’re a hands-off kind of person, don’t like knowing about your car and don’t like to waste time with pesky things like car washes and general maintenance, then yes, they are not for you. 😮💨
I have one too and it drives great. Btw you can still check the oil if your i drive system doesn’t work by using the digital screen on your instrument cluster but I know Scotty doesn’t know that
I own a BMW 2015 550i, and Scotty is spot on when it comes to the amount of money you spend to fix BMWs. However, they do not break as easily. I change the oil regularly, and I'm up to date with maintenance, and it's still driving fine. Is it more reliable than a Toyota? Maybe not, but it is way more fun and comfortable to drive than most cars. Finally if you are concerned about gas prices, then BMW is not for you.
You’re on a N63 iterationthat is known to leak oil. They really do need a change every 5k miles. You should go drive a m550i, especially 2020+. The current N63 is bullet proof and an absolute monster.
I inherited my dad’s 2011 325i xdrive. Got me from NY to ME and NY to SC. Has almost 150k on it. We talked about buying a new one before he passed but I’m glad this one is going. Found a local mechanic that does work on it which I’m super thankful for. It’s still fun as hell to drive with its straight six. I’m trying to keep it as long as possible🤞🤞🤞
Same here with an 04 3series convertible. No way will the wife let me sell it. No way near as complex as what he was showing us. But a lot of the new cars today require the same kind of upkeep
I've owned many BMW's, and still have one (2007 530d Auto E60) . I've never had to spend big money on any of them, besides normal wear and tear items. But, I look after my cars and do my own work on them. I don't drive my cars until something breaks. I believe in preventative maintenance.
i own 3 s85 v10s 2 m6s 1 m5 and only had to do rods and actuators, these cars drive amazing and if you warm up the oil and change the oil every 4 miles they wont break on you
Been watching you for years. I listen to you old great one !!!! I am a poor man. And by your wisdom and knowledge that has been talk to me. I bought a 2012 Lexus RX 350 with 90,000 miles on it I'm happy as hell!!!!!
If you want your BMW fun and your wallet intact (more or less) you need to be a DIY mechanic. Heck, with most of the repairs you can buy several fancy tools yourself and do stuff. Just make sure you still have a drama-free daily driver so you can still go out to pick up spare parts for the bimmer.
Exactly! Its got to be the hobby lifestyle. Be proactive. Fix leaks before they cause more trouble etc. Especially watch the cooling system -check the coolant level at least once a week and don't assume anything except a leak when its low. Follow the BMW forums. I've went looking for nice Toyotas - found clean looking ones, but look under the valve cover and see sludge - many don't do the maintenance like they should. That leads to BMW being called money pits - which they certainly can be when you can't diagnose and do basic repairs. Same with Subaru or brand X. I have an E30 from way back, it is a fundamentally solid design, but somewat overrated - mostly because its got a 'timeless' style.
@@Chubbycat748 honestly, there are so many aftermarket oem parts out there it's easy to find a decent part that's in your price range. Only things I get that are BMW are engine internals like vvt etc for my 09 328i
Exactly right! - That's what I'm doing right now. I have bought a heap of tools, mainly on eBay. I have yet to buy a scanner which I am going to get in the very near future.
I like the styling of SOME older BMWs, but when I was looking at used cars a while ago, the fact that older BMWs are going cheaper than Toyotas and Hondas of the same year sure tells something...
@Sandy Zar The difference is that Lexus's have Toyota engines (thus Toyota reliability) and since when have you heard of a steering wheel breaking on a car? 🤔 Besides, who is Scooty?
@@g-force2745 Had 7 BMWs in my life loved the first Two, the rest just had problems some from start my bad just loved look and feel on road, last one had the hardest seats ever made my back hurt and leg go numb. Then used Lexus only one 10 years old other 11, GS and RX my wife can’t decide which one she likes the best. Dogs ride in GS rocks to firewood in RX.
Scotty I love your channel and your honesty. Regarding this BMW video I have to say that in the States you guys have a totally different approach to German cars than we do here in Europe. We have a vast network of specialist NON OFFICIAL dealers who work on German cars and in many cases these guys are excellent and charge a fraction of the official "stealers" rates. I have a 2005 Audi S4 Avant (4.2 V8 no turbo) which has about 220k kms on the clock and she still goes really well. She was serviced by the official Audi stealers until I bought her and now I use the independents. We always use original parts (Bosch or whatever) and top quality oils so no compromises there but I can keep her running at a fraction of the cost that the official stealers ask. I also had a Vito van (just sold it and purchased a newer version) which I bought new in 2009 and just sold with 180k kms on the clock and I have NO problems to report, just regular servicing. Anyway, please keep yer videos coming thanks!!! Simon
You’re correct my friend! We do have unofficial BMW -non dealership- mechanics here too. If you have one of these cars you should know one IF you end up in a pinch. I’ve done most of the preventative maintenance on my BMW myself. I think what you are recognizing is that many Americans are just not interested in maintaining their vehicles or are “afraid” to do some of the work themselves. For those people, the BMW dealerships will be happy to assist you. 😅
why would you ever go to the dealer or an official BMW repair place for an old bimmer? I bought an old one, found a nice unofficial place and they've been doing all the work. The official BMW place didn't want to go near my "gray market" bimmer. :P
I drove a manual 1989 BMW 325i around for 2wks back in the 90s - I loved that car - handled well, straight 6cyl made good power. Love ya’ Scotty - Cheers
Probably the best old school bmw Motor made. The m30b25. I had the 1989 535i with the m30b35. Beautiful mechanical old school sound, lumpy idle, pulled hard but was bad on fuel. Love the old school BMWs
2006 650 do have an oil dip stick, driver side top near fire wall. Great car when they work, over engineered in many places. 2006 was the last year that a 650 had a dipstick. Biggest problem is the complex access to changing part or repairs, plus the cost of BMW part.
Several years ago I bought a used 2005 Acura RL. My brother, a BMW worshiper, asked why I didn't buy a BMW instead. I just laughed and that was the end of that conversation....
In Europe, BMW (Merc, Audi...) are considered to be serious cars, because standard EU car has only about 120 hp?! Sporty cars have about 150 hp. Imagine how great it is to have a BMW with even 180 hp, or 300+ like this one. However, since I moved to the US, I understand how poorly made German cars are. US has Camry, Camry has 180 hp = it's already better than a "regular" German car for Europe. This is why you don't see 316, 318, 320... And this is why BMW starts in the US with the top-models that are (almost) not sold in EU. Now you pay the price of having unreliable, unimportant engine options, like 645, 650...
@Sandy Zar The difference is that Lexus's have Toyota engines (thus Toyota reliability) and since when have you heard of a steering wheel breaking on a car? 🤔 Besides, who is Scooty?
Scotty - I am in Australia and have owned an Aug 2007 3.0d (6 cyl diesel) for 6 years in March. In all that time the only mechanical failure I have had in that time has been the harmonic balance wheel. The plastic crap on my X3 is still in excellent condition. The car now has only 153,000km on thr clock. Fortunately there are many good quality aftermarket parts available for my X3. I have had the swirl flaps (only diesel engines) replaced with blanks. I am currently near the completion of what I term as preventative maintenance. The parts I have replaced in this process are not because they have left me at the side of the road but as a result of their age and km's travelled. I have completely refurbished the front and rear suspensions. I intend to keep this car long term and it is a great car to drive. I am a DIY'er and have learnt a lot carrying out this work. I don't have a hoist to raise the car and all the suspension work has been done using jacks and stands. Sure BMW do some frustrating things e.g. the rear diff has no drain plug just a fill plug, so you have to pump the old oil out in order to change it. The front diff has both a fill and drain plug. BMW's can be a money pit if you let them. My advice to anyone who has one or intends to buy one is to be prepared to carry out some basic maintenance yourself and for those things you can't fix yourself find yourself a very good specialist BMW mechanic who is NOT connected with a dealership. There is also some very good advice available from Facebook sites on your particular BMW and also various TH-cam videos. I am now 75 years old and don't mind crawling under my E83 X3 3.0d.
@@boxoffisa - My Aug 2007 X3 E83 has the M57 (M57D30TÜ) 6cyl 160hp diesel engine. It's the same engine as the big brother X5 diesel. It is matched with the 6 speed ZF auto transmission.
@@desoneill5489 you got it right man. Have seen some people with X5 diesel and haven’t had many problems that other BMWs have. I am glad you are enjoying. Can’t wait to be able to afford one day, it’s my dream.
The diesels are better but you have to have someone to maintain and work on it. I imagine it would be hard to find and expensive to find someone who really knows his way around diesel BMWs in the US.
I hope I can still be like you in 25 years! I do my own work now too. Did the rubber dry on your harmonic balancer? How is the fuel economy? They have good seats aye?
Even with depression, anxiety and an Irish temper that gets me in trouble with everybody including the police, I watch Scotty's videos on BMWs and laugh until I am healed. I do genuinely thank The Lord for ONE honest mechanic and that's Scotty. "The truth shall set you free." applies here indeed.
@Sandy Zar The difference is that Lexus's have Toyota engines (thus Toyota reliability) and since when have you heard of a steering wheel breaking on a car? 🤔 Besides, who is Scooty?
My 2009 BMW Z4 35i has about 144,000 miles on it so far. I replaced the fuel injectors a couple years ago, index 5 to index 12 and installed a performance ignition coil kit at the same time. BMW is notorious for using plastic parts on their engines that are known to fail due to the constant hot then cold operation temperatures. The valve cover on the N54 engine is plastic and cracked at around 120,000. I have replaced most of the key plastic engine components with aluminum parts which isn’t super expensive. All I can say is my Z4 has been reliable, probably because I haven’t hopped up the engine. It’s plenty fast for me and a blast to drive with the top down.
My 2006 Z4 2.0i has also been pretty reliable for the last 4 years since I have bought it for 9k€. I would say I paid an average of 1400€/year and I went to the dealer everytime. But I have to mention that I am only doing like 5k miles a year so yeah.
I'm on my 4th BMW and I've never had one problem with any of the. I do maintenance on time and I don't drive them into the ground. I can say I'll never buy another American made car because I had nothing but trouble with them.
BMWs actually aren’t bad cars, as long as you’re getting them from the auctions. Insurance companies sell, broken destroyed vehicles at insurance options you can usually get the mangled body of one of these pretty cheap. There’s a lot of metal on a BMW plus a lot of copper wiring. If you can get one of these things for a couple hundred dollars, you could easily get $1200 worth of material out of it. The only problem is it would take a couple of days to tear apart and sort out. But BMWs do have a place in this economy…
My 6 series has 95K miles on it with the updated n63TU and it’s all about OIL!! I change it every 5k miles and even little things like engine air filter help things in a loooooooong way :)oil is 116 dollars for me 10 quarts but it’s worth it because she’s run just fine and smooth
@@bekerashes Except thats not the reason.. the reason is that every old BMW has been ran by a wannabe student racer, lexus is also much less common.. not saying its a bad car but its marketed more towards Japanese luxury rather than any sporting capabilities
I live in houston, been watching your videos for around 15 years. Never have had the chance to meet you, but I wanted to say thank you for your videos and gift of education over the years. I appreciate it and you will be missed in the community. 👍
Loved the old BMWs. The newer ones no. I know Mercedes have expensive servicing costs, but I do love the ones I've owned. The way they drive and ride is so much better. And inside is a really nice place to be. They eat up long distance travel so well.
I had the good fortune to buy an Audi when I was 21. It was such an awful experience that I’ve never considered buying a German car since. A valuable lesson.
Being German I'd like to argue but I can't. Most German cars are nothing but over-engineered, tech-packed endless money pits once the clock reaches 60k miles. I bought a 2014 VW Golf 5 Cyl (no turbo) that actually was a really decent car for the 30k miles I had it. Had to get a truck for hauling and bought a 2012 Toyota Tundra 5.7. I'll never look back.
I’ve had my E 46, 330I for years and the only thing that has ever gone wrong with it was an electric cooling fan and a clutch replacement. All I have done to this car is basic maintenance breaks oil changes. It has never missed a beat that particular BMW Scotty is one of the creepiest BMWs ever made.
ALL E46 crack the rear subframe mounting points in the body, needing removal of the subframe and welding in of reinforcement plates then multi step painting to prevent rusting, then reassembly. The higher power ones like the 330i tend to crack before the lower power ones.
@@aeroearth that’s actually not completely true, mainly the 3 L diesel and the M3 crack rear subframe is mine is a 3 L petrol and its 21 years old and still hasn’t got cracked subframe and also mine is a saloon which is based on the touring chassis, not the 3 door model
@@aeroearth well as a mechanic for 20 years, I have not yet seen a330 have a cracked subframe My experience has more bin the diesels and the M3 and from my experience, it has been more the coupe chassis that has been affected and I have had the subframe out of my one recently to replace all the subframe bushes and differential bushes, and there are no cracks
My old straight six e46 has been surprisingly good. No worse than the any GM I owned before that. I do most of the maintenance myself though as many will try to rip you off
BMW, Audi and a few others, are the main reason the LEASING industry is so popular. Three years and then it's off the warranty & someone else's problem.
Absolutely loved that vid. I totally agree that they are really cool cars if you don't mind the annoying electrical nightmares. Those 6 series convertibles are really nice, but they can easily be a huge moneypit and that may be why they don't hold their value. Give me a Toyota or a Honda and I can drive a long time before any problem should occur
Scotty! You've made it clear that you enjoy being behind those wheels. I have that engine in my 545i and I do all maintenance. And I use it very roughly and it takes all that abuse. Its the experience that matters and can't be gotten anywhere else.
The seat occupancy sensor is under the front cushion that slides out don't have to take apart the seat. The dvd player logo is not a DVD movie player it's a DVD ROM drive for navigation. You need to learn about BMWs before you make snap judgements on everything
My mom's BMW is CONSTANTLY giving off the service light warning. Even after it's taken in, it shows up with a new problem about a month later every single time. In addition to the idiotic oil checking system Scotty went over at 4:50, it takes FOREVER to display the results. Instead of dipping a stick in there and knowing right away, you have to awkwardly sit there for 2+ MINUTES before you know your oil levels.
When Scotty said you'll have the ultimate repair bill when you run out of oil because the engine doesn't have a dip stick I couldn't help but laugh out loud!
All you have to do is look in the idrive or instrument cluster it shows the oil level. It’s not rocket science nor is it 100% accurate but it is better than nothing. I agree though they need a dipstick but all car are doing away with them
I enjoyed my 2008, 6 speed, V-8 M3 purchased brand new (below MSRP and 0.9% BMW finance) during the 2008 market crash until 2020. Sweet, powerful, refined vehicle. At the end (with aprox 42K miles) started giving me "little" problems ($500 here, $600 there, $900 later on). Those bills were at my independent BMW mechanic (for comparable BMW dealer repairs multiply by 4. No kidding. (Eg. ABS control unit replacement - $900.00 at independent mechanic with salvage unit vs $4,500 at dealer )🤑. One day (at 42K miles) I noticed the fuel gauge wouldn't go all the way to FULL on a full tank. "Simple issue", I thought (no such thing in a BMW). Dealer estimate : $1,500 to replace the entire fuel tank (parts) plus $4,500 (labor) to take down the entire rear of the vehicle for the install. That was the turning point. Traded it in (as is) for a spanking new, 2020 6 speed 5.0 Ford Mustang GT Premium with Performance Package Level 2 (5K under MSRP and 1.6% Finance). I am happy but miss the BMW.
I have watched Scotty for a while now. You can give a hundred reasons to keep coming back to this kooky car guy. His videos remind me of when I was working in an auto shop with my equally kooky father. Good times. Ring that bell!
About 8 years ago, I had a cherry 2004 E46 Coupe. It was a beautiful blue with 60K miles. Got it for like $6K, thought it would be a great car. Wrong. While it never left me stranded, it's a CEL machine. You couldn't go more than 1,000 miles without a CEL light. Kept it for about a 1.5 years, repairs were easily $200 a month.
Ohh man, Scotty picked a particularly troubled BMtroubleyou model. Those v8's have some stupid expensive problems to fix, like faulty valve guide seals. Haha
This is a very accurate commentary. BMWs are best sold at the end of the included service period/warranty. I had a new X5 get swapped out after 3 weeks because of unidentifiable short circuiting whenever it rained, a 535GT where the massive sunroof liner fell off the tracks on a hot day and BMW wanted $4k to fix it (at 5 years old!), multiple electrical and component failures start at the 5-6 year mark and yes Scotty is right, the repair costs are outrageous. BMW is an ego stroker. But in reality the quality is a serious issue and just a mass production car with a lot of time and money consuming problems. But trade/sell at the end of the service/warranty period and you'll be happy in the initial years of ownership.
It depends on who and how he drove it, and how he maintained it I drive a BMW e90 and the car is just amazing, fun to drive, full of power and I maintained on time. Oil change on every 10000 miles and regulary maintain the other parts not wait to disaster to happen.
Watching your videos is so fun, I get to learn a thing or two and I also get a laugh every once in a while from the stuff you say or do. The jokes, the laughing, the random sounds and the pictures that keep popping up in the corner, it's awesome 😂😂😂. I want to buy a second hand BMW(around 2008-2015 models) and this opened my eyes a little more about what to look for before I do, thank you very much.
The most annoying thing on my old E60´s dashboard is the missing engine coolant temp gauge! A very basic(!) thing in car monitoring. Yeah, you can dig out the figure by pressing that odometer button..say c. 30 times, very carefully... the other stupid thing is that brake fluid reservoir is covered with...plastic, ha ha! Cannot check the level at one glance the hood open. Otherwise I like it, 19 years old 520i and very reliable. Starts right away in a freezing weather without garage and engine heater.
As an owner of 3 previous BMW's (an E90, E92 and now an E93) - I can tell you the engines and transmissions are actually very well built. There's a reason Toyota uses a BMW engine in their new Supra. Unfortunately it's everything else that you'll have to worry about as the car ages, because BMW is notorious for using cheap plastics and rubber which don't fare well with heat and time. You can blame the EU which forced German car makers to use recyclable materials throughout their cars.
2:35 nah you just get the Seat occupancy simulator! Costs like 20-40 dollars and gets rid of the code and keeps the passenger airbags "active" at all time so its safe. Weird thing but on the 2006's they had this problem. Not on 2005, not on 2007, but 2006 for some reason.
"A short amount of time"? That one's been running for 17 years and you seem to be enjoying it just fine there Scotty 🙂 As long as the engine still runs good I don't care about all the extra electronic accessories. My only problem right now is that I have to spend $70 for a wheel lock key set if I want to be able to take off a tire to change my brakes and rotors. Also my insurance quadrupled, but my new motto is if you're gonna be poor you might as well enjoy it 😁
@@bl8896 You can check the oil through the computer, so as long as you put the right amount in when you changed it you're good. Just fill up the oil with the amount listed in the manual just like all other cars and it's no different with a BMW. You can also measure what's in the pan to see how much came out, it should be about the same amount of oil as what's listed in the manual.
The E60 and E63 are certainly in the top 3 of the most unreliable BMWs, and Scotty also got a very bad example. But by far not all BMWs are like this. Eventhough at this time BMW and also other manufacturers have used biodegradable wires, so it's no wonder that all the electronics don't work.
@@v.s.727 Yeah it seems like BMW had a lot of issues in the mid 2000's and with some models up to around 2013 so I'd be careful buying anything from before 2014. In 2016 they came out with two new engines the B48 and B58, which have so far been relatively bulletproof. I just got a 2017 model with a B48 and I have nothing to complain about getting 30 miles per gallon with the full twin turbo experience.
Ah, BMW, the ultimate maintenance machine. Expensive cars built cheaply. I have a 2013 328i (Sport Package.) Had it for 7 years. Took it in for maintenance every 5k, oil/filters. Up to 162k i had to replace spark plugs, coils, gas tank, transmission service, and computer. After 162k timing chain/guides, spark plugs, valve cover, tank fuel pump and fuel pump control unit. All in the same month. Set me back about $6k in repairs. Put money aside if you plan on getting one. Currently trying to sell it and buy a newer Lexus.
Here in the UK people are nuts about BMW'S and Audi's. They are everywhere, mostly new ones too. That begs the question, where are all the old ones gone? Up north maybe, maybe not. Either way I took Scotty's advice and got myself a Lexus as my toy. So far, so good.
@rob5944 In the UK too, but probably a less wealthy area than you. The only new cars I regularly see are from cheaper brands like Hyundai, Peugeot, Mazda
BMWs are not for everyone. You have to know how to buy, own, drive and maintain them. I have a 2014 328d with 120,000 highway miles without major expense. Emission control recalls (2) for the EGR were paid by BMW under warranty. Yes, it would've cost a lot if I had to pay. I do a lot of routine maintenance myself. I'm not afraid of BMWs, in fact 2 years ago I bought a new X1 front wheel drive and I love it. BMWs are not for everyman. Don't compare them to Toyota, which are great cars for their own reasons.
@@supercharged2414 your right about the warranty. It only had 17k miles on it. I’ve had it 3 weeks and plan on keeping it 5 years and 150k miles. It drives great, I will keep you informed 🙏🏼
Had 2008 335i bought with 11k miles and nothing but issues. In shop monthly. Decided to drive West Cross country and had to plot my journey with BMW dealers close to the highway.... And yes half way cross country had check engine light in Colorado in mountains..... To California and back and only needed one new injector, new hid headlight, new air pressure sensor and some trim that tore away around windows after frozen.... I could go on and on.... Got rid of it before warranty expired only 8 months later and for almost half the price I paid. Piece o crap
you ain't krap Scotty ..I got an E46 and everything started breaking down after 175000K and when I say everything I mean just about everything ..first was 5L40GM auto when reverse failed then power steering pump, alternator bearings Instrument cluster fried ,all coolant parts replaced, oil leaks from the usual parts and on and on ..the latest... car now at 244000K O/P light on at idle so cause of sump gasket leak replaced B/E bearings ,power steering leak so replaced all seals and bearings and now motor uses Mobil1 ultra 5W50 motor all perfect but won't go into the missfire problems
I had a very similar car to this one up until a few months ago, a 2005 645 ci. That thing was the most fun vehicle to drive that I've ever owned but even with the low mileage for its age (65,000 miles when I bought it spring of 2022) it ended up being a complete nightmare to maintain and I ended up just getting rid of it before it completely devoured my wallet to feed it maintenance costs.
I used to own one of those , of course was a second hand one and I didn’t like it. The majority of mechanics doesn’t want to work on them so I was forced to take it to the BMW dealership for repairs and cost me a fortune. Now I do own a Toyota Matrix XRS and the change is huge I’m saving a lot of money and headache.
I have a BMW 5 series 2012 with 171.000 miles on it an it still looks very very good in the inside and runs perfectly good. It also is a matter of taking care properly of your car... not only the fault of manufacturers. But the more technique, the more problems you have.
Being honest, i m a owner of 2005 E46 320D its from the very end of the production, i have no issues with the Car what so ever, only small things like windows motor broke around a year ago, but engine is running smoothly for the last 4 years i have been driving it. There was rust issue that i took care off, but other than standard maintinance things the car is not that expensive to maintain. And its also not too expensive to maintain. Love the Car and im gonna own it for another few years.
Some bimmers you have to spend on this is one of them in the video and it's an older model too. They tried placing the turbo inside the engine "V". Worst desision EVER!!! E46, E60, N55, B58 are the more reliable versions and easy to work on. Not too expensive if you do it yourself and order OEM online. These cars are made to drive FAST and agressive. Fun cars cost. If you want boring, get an older camry because even the new (still boring) toyotas are having problems and costing more to repair.
Yeah I have an e46 and for one it looks way better than every other 2004 car out there on the road still today and two it hasn’t been that expensive to maintain. My sister is always having me fix her Camry more than I ever have to fix my bmw lol
Thank you , Thank you Scotty. Once in awhile I see or read about a good looking BMW and think that they can't be that bad and now this video will scream in my mind NO WAY. I really like the BMW I8 Hybrid that only has a 3 cylinder motor, is fast, and gets good gas mileage all packed into a sports car body. There is a bunch for sale but not cheap yet. Wonder how many owners get rid of them after the warranty expires and they get their first $5000 repair bill. It seems like every repair on a BMW is $5000 and up.
@@driver4011 bought my wife, bring mechanics wit'cha, brings me worries, breaks my wallet, brutal money waster. I didn't even want to bother with my GF's E38 (750 iL). Lotsa nice tech for 2000, but when 1 thing got fixed, 2 more things broke.
Big Money Wasters Bring My Wallet Love it, Scotty you are the man! I recal a relative bringing his very very nice 80s 735i beauty to the BMW dealer where they told him (this was mid 90s so he was the second owner as the original owner stopped driving the car and it was sitting in the garage for a couple of years) that ALL of the Fuel Injectors needed to be replaced... because that relative did well at his nice job... he actually paid the money which... yeah you could have purchased a nice used car for that money... hint a little over 2k or almost there because they got him to also repair other stuff they found faulty... I wagered that if there was better research back then he could have gotten an injector cleaner solution and just purchased the repair manual and did most of the work himself with only stuff that is a last resort to be taken to the dealer technician.
The key to BMW ownership is only buy their cars once their engine is in its final years of production so all the kinks are worked out. Also, always buy the I6, yes, it’s enough power. Change your fluids often.
I have watched friends since the 2002 came out keep convincing themselves that BMW is a superior car. Even while asking to be excused for broken handles, melted plastic, cracked dashes, etc. I wouldn't buy one if they paid me.
Skotty I bought a 2012 Toyota crown majesta because of you over a bmw 530i you made me a happy guy cause I havnt been to the mechanic last time I serviced the car
Not all beamer's are bad. Most people don't take the time to understand the brand. Every car manufacture makes bad vehicles. The key with BMW is to buy the ones actually made in Germany. And never miss any maintenance. They will treat you well and put a smile on your face every time you drive it.
@@jalee6587 In North America alot of them are assembled in the USA. They do not have the same quality control as the ones made in Germany. People in Europe do not complain about BMW nearly as much as people in North America do.
Bmw have done a great job of fixing “weaknesses” of previous generations. I have a N55 with 120k Miles and bought it with 60k miles and it’s been tuned since day 1. Right now its got all bolts on running on E and my mom uses it to go to work, then the gym and finally back home. Then I use it during the weekend to have fun and race it a lot as you can see on my YT channel. As right now it haven’t let me or my mom stranded, dash is clean with no check engine lights or a “Christmas tree” , no oil leaks or weird sounds. It’s been the most reliable car i have owned so far and i am still happy with it and puts a smile on my face every time I drive it. I keep maintenance up to date, oil changes every 3k-4k miles, no driving it hard when is cold and it can be very reliable
I have a 328ix with almost 220k miles on it. Only put in sparkpacks as maintenance, and rear wheel bearings. Tie rod 2 years ago. Had to replace 1 cat'converter because of a weak aftermarket sparkpack I didnt notice (led to dumping fuel. was normal at idle so I couldnt feel it). Rideflat tires are the only negative for me pricewise ($650/2) but I would have lost several days of work if they werent (on 3rd set of tires now in 6 years/since 60k miles when I bought it). Had air AMS intake mod done, rich MAP sensor and CPU reprogramming as well as a bypass of the drive by wire crap (and WOW what a difference it makes, launches from a stop now!). Oil filter right on top so I change it every week and put in a little Mobil 1 synthetic or AMSOIL. of course you have still talked me into getting Alexis or Toyota next but I have a whole summer to drive my Jaguar convertible before I do that :)
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Could we get the best lexus cars vid to buy?
I hope your grandson enjoys watching your videos on TH-cam... Have a good one Scotty ..
Being in the car repair business? I'm afraid he does know what he's talking about. Right to the point. Years of experience. It makes sense on all information that some don't know about ? Great video 👍
They don't put a dipstick on a BMW because the dipstick is the owner. Lol
Could you do that with Mercedes too? I really would like to know whats your opinion is
Scotty's so honest that he speaks openly even at the expense of embarrassing his own family. That's truth loyalty.
love the honesty, Scotty. Y didn't your grandson consult u when he was thinking of buying a car? Encourage him to sell it immediately.
Scotty's ex-grandson owns a BMW.
😂
@@Zebra_3 😂
@Sandy Zar He's stated before about 8 cylinder Lexus rigs being expensive to maintain.
In Germany, we could always identify BMWs from a distance by the plume of blue-ish smoke that came from the tailpipe because they were all burning oil, even when almost new. It was literally a BMW "trademark." In Germany they're known as "Braucht mal Werkstatt" (needs repair shop), "Besser man wandert" (better off walking), "Bayerischer MistWagen" (Bavarian manure truck), and many more such explanations of the acronym. Being an ex-pat German, many people have asked me why I'm not driving a German car. Well, this video explains why.
Isn't it also because generally when you buy them second hand they've been completed ragged by people who like racing them around?
Würde ich einen toyota kaufen für 40000 nein einen bmw? Ja warum ich zahle keine 40000 für einen schwulen toyota 😂😂
Just curious, how do they do business with such poor quality control?
@FA no, its meant for exclusivity..,buy new under warranty..,
Is this also what happened on BMW's high end models?
My thoughts...On my 3rd BMW, love these cars, always keep up to date with maintenance and I find less surprises and expenses that way. This model has definitely been neglected. Got 250,000km on a 330i with no lights, no rust, smooth as silk and a great performer.
It's exactly like that, beautiful women also need more attention.
Same here. I never had a problem with a bmw. The funny thing is look how old the car Is and the faults in the video don't even effect the way the car drives lol most cars this old will have these problems
@@everydayguy289 I drive a BMW too. A 2011 model year 335i. Both of you are right. I was thinking the same things but I’m no stranger to Scotty. He mentions the car has variable valve timing. So does your Honda, Lexus, Chevrolet, TOYOTA (Scotty) etc. Outrageous and so complex! Everyone has their preferences and opinions but these cars are not all that different from any other passenger car on the road, mechanically speaking. I will say, if you’re a hands-off kind of person, don’t like knowing about your car and don’t like to waste time with pesky things like car washes and general maintenance, then yes, they are not for you. 😮💨
How much was your maintenance?
I have one too and it drives great. Btw you can still check the oil if your i drive system doesn’t work by using the digital screen on your instrument cluster but I know Scotty doesn’t know that
I own a BMW 2015 550i, and Scotty is spot on when it comes to the amount of money you spend to fix BMWs. However, they do not break as easily. I change the oil regularly, and I'm up to date with maintenance, and it's still driving fine. Is it more reliable than a Toyota? Maybe not, but it is way more fun and comfortable to drive than most cars. Finally if you are concerned about gas prices, then BMW is not for you.
why whats your fuel econ?
You’re on a N63 iterationthat is known to leak oil. They really do need a change every 5k miles. You should go drive a m550i, especially 2020+. The current N63 is bullet proof and an absolute monster.
M550i sounds tempting, but I'm more interested in a Pick up, since I have kids, the F10 is no longer ideal.
@japanwatchconnection Junk money pits
Exactly
I inherited my dad’s 2011 325i xdrive. Got me from NY to ME and NY to SC. Has almost 150k on it. We talked about buying a new one before he passed but I’m glad this one is going. Found a local mechanic that does work on it which I’m super thankful for. It’s still fun as hell to drive with its straight six. I’m trying to keep it as long as possible🤞🤞🤞
Sorry to hear about your dad's passing
I wasnt aware they made the 325i in 2011. But thats neat! Ive had good luck with bmws as well. Their six cylinder motors are decent
Same here with an 04 3series convertible. No way will the wife let me sell it. No way near as complex as what he was showing us. But a lot of the new cars today require the same kind of upkeep
There is no 2011 325i 2006 was last of them
I've owned many BMW's, and still have one (2007 530d Auto E60) . I've never had to spend big money on any of them, besides normal wear and tear items. But, I look after my cars and do my own work on them. I don't drive my cars until something breaks. I believe in
preventative maintenance.
I had 2 BMWs and never had any serious issues with them. But that's just reality and not hearsay.
i own 3 s85 v10s 2 m6s 1 m5 and only had to do rods and actuators, these cars drive amazing and if you warm up the oil and change the oil every 4 miles they wont break on you
Every 4k miles I assume?
diesel is much better than petrol
Been watching you for years. I listen to you old great one !!!! I am a poor man. And by your wisdom and knowledge that has been talk to me. I bought a 2012 Lexus RX 350 with 90,000 miles on it I'm happy as hell!!!!!
Yeah kinda same here. 2016 lex rc 350 f sport, with 62k miles on it. Not one codes on scanner lol
Work at a Lexus dealer. V6 engines have timing cover leaks and have to be removed from vehicle to re seal. All car brands have issues, not just BMW.
If you want your BMW fun and your wallet intact (more or less) you need to be a DIY mechanic. Heck, with most of the repairs you can buy several fancy tools yourself and do stuff. Just make sure you still have a drama-free daily driver so you can still go out to pick up spare parts for the bimmer.
I know a mechanic with his own bmw
Exactly! Its got to be the hobby lifestyle. Be proactive. Fix leaks before they cause more trouble etc. Especially watch the cooling system -check the coolant level at least once a week and don't assume anything except a leak when its low. Follow the BMW forums. I've went looking for nice Toyotas - found clean looking ones, but look under the valve cover and see sludge - many don't do the maintenance like they should. That leads to BMW being called money pits - which they certainly can be when you can't diagnose and do basic repairs. Same with Subaru or brand X. I have an E30 from way back, it is a fundamentally solid design, but somewat overrated - mostly because its got a 'timeless' style.
I would buy a German luxury car and work on it, but I'm worried about parts cost.
@@Chubbycat748 honestly, there are so many aftermarket oem parts out there it's easy to find a decent part that's in your price range. Only things I get that are BMW are engine internals like vvt etc for my 09 328i
Exactly right! - That's what I'm doing right now. I have bought a heap of tools, mainly on eBay. I have yet to buy a scanner which I am going to get in the very near future.
I like the styling of SOME older BMWs, but when I was looking at used cars a while ago, the fact that older BMWs are going cheaper than Toyotas and Hondas of the same year sure tells something...
Tells that people are scared of maintaining their cars.
@Sandy Zar The difference is that Lexus's have Toyota engines (thus Toyota reliability) and since when have you heard of a steering wheel breaking on a car? 🤔
Besides, who is Scooty?
@@g-force2745
Had 7 BMWs in my life loved the first Two, the rest just had problems some from start my bad just loved look and feel on road, last one had the hardest seats ever made my back hurt and leg go numb. Then used Lexus only one 10 years old other 11, GS and RX my wife can’t decide which one she likes the best. Dogs ride in GS rocks to firewood in RX.
@@flouisbailey Scoty? lol 😄
@Sandy Zar you're repeating yourself, go to therapy.
Scotty I love your channel and your honesty. Regarding this BMW video I have to say that in the States you guys have a totally different approach to German cars than we do here in Europe. We have a vast network of specialist NON OFFICIAL dealers who work on German cars and in many cases these guys are excellent and charge a fraction of the official "stealers" rates.
I have a 2005 Audi S4 Avant (4.2 V8 no turbo) which has about 220k kms on the clock and she still goes really well. She was serviced by the official Audi stealers until I bought her and now I use the independents. We always use original parts (Bosch or whatever) and top quality oils so no compromises there but I can keep her running at a fraction of the cost that the official stealers ask.
I also had a Vito van (just sold it and purchased a newer version) which I bought new in 2009 and just sold with 180k kms on the clock and I have NO problems to report, just regular servicing.
Anyway, please keep yer videos coming thanks!!! Simon
You’re correct my friend! We do have unofficial BMW -non dealership- mechanics here too. If you have one of these cars you should know one IF you end up in a pinch. I’ve done most of the preventative maintenance on my BMW myself. I think what you are recognizing is that many Americans are just not interested in maintaining their vehicles or are “afraid” to do some of the work themselves. For those people, the BMW dealerships will be happy to assist you. 😅
why would you ever go to the dealer or an official BMW repair place for an old bimmer? I bought an old one, found a nice unofficial place and they've been doing all the work. The official BMW place didn't want to go near my "gray market" bimmer. :P
Scotty is ruthless 😆 I love it
No mercy at all! He will tell you as it is 😀
Lmao 🤣
"this thing runs like a scalded ape"
That one got me.
Exactly how does a scalded ape run??? 😲😲😲
@@g5alive795 like a BMW obviously
"...runs like stink!" 😅😅😅
(Whatever that means!)
So right about the dipstick. again, thanks for putting 2 of my cars on your channel. Hugs dude and so glad you are now in Tennessee
H-town alright If you like
spooks & spics.
Hey Mitch, someone said 2006 is the last year they have a dip stick.
Btw, love your XJR, and glad you started the XKR
I drove a manual 1989 BMW 325i around for 2wks back in the 90s - I loved that car - handled well, straight 6cyl made good power. Love ya’ Scotty - Cheers
Probably the best old school bmw Motor made. The m30b25.
I had the 1989 535i with the m30b35. Beautiful mechanical old school sound, lumpy idle, pulled hard but was bad on fuel. Love the old school BMWs
2006 650 do have an oil dip stick, driver side top near fire wall. Great car when they work, over engineered in many places. 2006 was the last year that a 650 had a dipstick. Biggest problem is the complex access to changing part or repairs, plus the cost of BMW part.
@@harveyhankerson8359 in dreamland
Maybe they engineered for a few years of ultimate driving by the original purchaser, then to be traded-in and forgotten?
@@harveyhankerson8359 maybe u haven't had baby with drama and catastrophe experience
So does my 2004 520i with M54 engine. Durable machine. No oil consumption.
@@amandeepbaa6978 It's not a cheap, faulty Alfa Romeo.
Driving a 2006 bmw that my dad has owned since new. Took great care of it and it’s had no issues. It’s all in how the owners take care of them.
Several years ago I bought a used 2005 Acura RL. My brother, a BMW worshiper, asked why I didn't buy a BMW instead. I just laughed and that was the end of that conversation....
In Europe, BMW (Merc, Audi...) are considered to be serious cars, because standard EU car has only about 120 hp?! Sporty cars have about 150 hp. Imagine how great it is to have a BMW with even 180 hp, or 300+ like this one.
However, since I moved to the US, I understand how poorly made German cars are.
US has Camry, Camry has 180 hp = it's already better than a "regular" German car for Europe.
This is why you don't see 316, 318, 320...
And this is why BMW starts in the US with the top-models that are (almost) not sold in EU.
Now you pay the price of having unreliable, unimportant engine options, like 645, 650...
@Sandy Zar The difference is that Lexus's have Toyota engines (thus Toyota reliability) and since when have you heard of a steering wheel breaking on a car? 🤔
Besides, who is Scooty?
Should’ve bought a bmw. The fun you can have is worth its downfalls
@@2seep not worth it!
@@maciejp7829 fun tho!
Scotty - I am in Australia and have owned an Aug 2007 3.0d (6 cyl diesel) for 6 years in March. In all that time the only mechanical failure I have had in that time has been the harmonic balance wheel. The plastic crap on my X3 is still in excellent condition. The car now has only 153,000km on thr clock. Fortunately there are many good quality aftermarket parts available for my X3. I have had the swirl flaps (only diesel engines) replaced with blanks. I am currently near the completion of what I term as preventative maintenance. The parts I have replaced in this process are not because they have left me at the side of the road but as a result of their age and km's travelled. I have completely refurbished the front and rear suspensions. I intend to keep this car long term and it is a great car to drive. I am a DIY'er and have learnt a lot carrying out this work. I don't have a hoist to raise the car and all the suspension work has been done using jacks and stands. Sure BMW do some frustrating things e.g. the rear diff has no drain plug just a fill plug, so you have to pump the old oil out in order to change it. The front diff has both a fill and drain plug. BMW's can be a money pit if you let them. My advice to anyone who has one or intends to buy one is to be prepared to carry out some basic maintenance yourself and for those things you can't fix yourself find yourself a very good specialist BMW mechanic who is NOT connected with a dealership. There is also some very good advice available from Facebook sites on your particular BMW and also various TH-cam videos. I am now 75 years old and don't mind crawling under my E83 X3 3.0d.
Does it have N53 engine in it? I think BMW has some good engines.
@@boxoffisa - My Aug 2007 X3 E83 has the M57 (M57D30TÜ) 6cyl 160hp diesel engine. It's the same engine as the big brother X5 diesel. It is matched with the 6 speed ZF auto transmission.
@@desoneill5489 you got it right man. Have seen some people with X5 diesel and haven’t had many problems that other BMWs have. I am glad you are enjoying. Can’t wait to be able to afford one day, it’s my dream.
The diesels are better but you have to have someone to maintain and work on it. I imagine it would be hard to find and expensive to find someone who really knows his way around diesel BMWs in the US.
I hope I can still be like you in 25 years! I do my own work now too. Did the rubber dry on your harmonic balancer? How is the fuel economy? They have good seats aye?
Even with depression, anxiety and an Irish temper that gets me in trouble with everybody including the police, I watch Scotty's videos on BMWs and laugh until I am healed.
I do genuinely thank The Lord for ONE honest mechanic and that's Scotty. "The truth shall set you free." applies here indeed.
Irish temper?? Lol
Check out the Car Care Nut channel. Also a good one. And yes, Scotty is a legend!
@Sandy Zar The difference is that Lexus's have Toyota engines (thus Toyota reliability) and since when have you heard of a steering wheel breaking on a car? 🤔
Besides, who is Scooty?
@Sandy Zar like you're an expert..give it a break
@Sandy Zar dreams
My 2009 BMW Z4 35i has about 144,000 miles on it so far. I replaced the fuel injectors a couple years ago, index 5 to index 12 and installed a performance ignition coil kit at the same time. BMW is notorious for using plastic parts on their engines that are known to fail due to the constant hot then cold operation temperatures. The valve cover on the N54 engine is plastic and cracked at around 120,000. I have replaced most of the key plastic engine components with aluminum parts which isn’t super expensive. All I can say is my Z4 has been reliable, probably because I haven’t hopped up the engine. It’s plenty fast for me and a blast to drive with the top down.
My 2006 Z4 2.0i has also been pretty reliable for the last 4 years since I have bought it for 9k€. I would say I paid an average of 1400€/year and I went to the dealer everytime.
But I have to mention that I am only doing like 5k miles a year so yeah.
I'm on my 4th BMW and I've never had one problem with any of the. I do maintenance on time and I don't drive them into the ground. I can say I'll never buy another American made car because I had nothing but trouble with them.
You are making it sooo difficult for me to justify my first BMW purchase of a 2020 X6m m50i. But you are hilarious and a great mechanic!
You buy vehicles like that for the driving experience…. and that’s still a good vehicle overall
Aslomg as you have warranty you’ll be fine, after warranty is gone toss the car
Is it an x6m or x6 m50i?
@@ab-uh5yt I wouldn't say that either
@@chevyboa8950 I’m figuring he means the X6 M50i otherwise should have denoted simply X6 M, as you know.
BMWs actually aren’t bad cars, as long as you’re getting them from the auctions. Insurance companies sell, broken destroyed vehicles at insurance options you can usually get the mangled body of one of these pretty cheap. There’s a lot of metal on a BMW plus a lot of copper wiring. If you can get one of these things for a couple hundred dollars, you could easily get $1200 worth of material out of it. The only problem is it would take a couple of days to tear apart and sort out. But BMWs do have a place in this economy…
🤣👌(laughing German)
@@GT-pl1wx ? B58 and S58 are solid engines
My 6 series has 95K miles on it with the updated n63TU and it’s all about OIL!! I change it every 5k miles and even little things like engine air filter help things in a loooooooong way :)oil is 116 dollars for me 10 quarts but it’s worth it because she’s run just fine and smooth
"The refill sensor for cupholder 1 isn't working" Scotty: "You can always fill it up yourself"
@Sandy Zar Yes, but you will pay $0 for those Lexus parts because the original ones never break 😂
@Sandy Zar stopid troll
@Sandy Zar copy paste
@@bekerashes Except thats not the reason.. the reason is that every old BMW has been ran by a wannabe student racer, lexus is also much less common.. not saying its a bad car but its marketed more towards Japanese luxury rather than any sporting capabilities
its actually a cupholder cooler, I've seen them in the Nissan Sentra, you can always fill more ice in your cup.
I live in houston, been watching your videos for around 15 years. Never have had the chance to meet you, but I wanted to say thank you for your videos and gift of education over the years. I appreciate it and you will be missed in the community. 👍
Loved the old BMWs. The newer ones no. I know Mercedes have expensive servicing costs, but I do love the ones I've owned. The way they drive and ride is so much better. And inside is a really nice place to be. They eat up long distance travel so well.
@@SourceHades Scotty would say "2 years? Get back to me after 15 years".
@@harveyhankerson8359 people take their cars to a mechanic when there are something wrong with them, not when they’re fine
You are a master of the scan tool! Thank you for years of great advice!
I had the good fortune to buy an Audi when I was 21. It was such an awful experience that I’ve never considered buying a German car since. A valuable lesson.
I used to have a 1979 Audi GTi. Very good car.
Same here. But BMW instead of Audi. Never again
Same here, got a leon 5F FR, basically a golf 7 with a different badge, never again!
I bought a used 1984 Audi Coupe GT. One of the best cars I ever owned but no turbos or tech stuff to go bad.
Being German I'd like to argue but I can't. Most German cars are nothing but over-engineered, tech-packed endless money pits once the clock reaches 60k miles. I bought a 2014 VW Golf 5 Cyl (no turbo) that actually was a really decent car for the 30k miles I had it. Had to get a truck for hauling and bought a 2012 Toyota Tundra 5.7. I'll never look back.
I’ve had my E 46, 330I for years and the only thing that has ever gone wrong with it was an electric cooling fan and a clutch replacement. All I have done to this car is basic maintenance breaks oil changes. It has never missed a beat that particular BMW Scotty is one of the creepiest BMWs ever made.
ALL E46 crack the rear subframe mounting points in the body, needing removal of the subframe and welding in of reinforcement plates then multi step painting to prevent rusting, then reassembly. The higher power ones like the 330i tend to crack before the lower power ones.
@@aeroearth that’s actually not completely true, mainly the 3 L diesel and the M3 crack rear subframe is mine is a 3 L petrol and its 21 years old and still hasn’t got cracked subframe and also mine is a saloon which is based on the touring chassis, not the 3 door model
@@aeroearth well as a mechanic for 20 years, I have not yet seen a330 have a cracked subframe My experience has more bin the diesels and the M3 and from my experience, it has been more the coupe chassis that has been affected and I have had the subframe out of my one recently to replace all the subframe bushes and differential bushes, and there are no cracks
Same here! E46 320D
You guys are lucky then
BMW: Break My Wallet.
Edit: Wow, over 40 likes! Thank you people!
Edit #2: Over 70 likes! Wow!
Bavarian Money Well
😂😂😂
More like " Bring my Wreaker"
@@TTime685 lol
Bring More Wrenches also
Haha! The man speaks the truth. My 2010 335i has many of the same issues... but man I still love it. the way these cars drive.
My old straight six e46 has been surprisingly good. No worse than the any GM I owned before that.
I do most of the maintenance myself though as many will try to rip you off
When I sold my e46 20D it had almost 400.000km! The e46 was another time! Better quality than now!
BMW, Audi and a few others, are the main reason the LEASING industry is so popular. Three years and then it's off the warranty & someone else's problem.
The photo jokes are still top notch 😂
Yeah especially when he mentions junk yard and shows a Chevy Dealership LOL
He is 100% correct. When I had my Honda Civic back in the day it was normal to slow down in corners. With the BMW Its mandatory to speed up!
Absolutely loved that vid. I totally agree that they are really cool cars if you don't mind the annoying electrical nightmares. Those 6 series convertibles are really nice, but they can easily be a huge moneypit and that may be why they don't hold their value. Give me a Toyota or a Honda and I can drive a long time before any problem should occur
Scotty! You've made it clear that you enjoy being behind those wheels. I have that engine in my 545i and I do all maintenance. And I use it very roughly and it takes all that abuse.
Its the experience that matters and can't be gotten anywhere else.
I own one of those BMW's and Scotty still has me rollin!!!
The seat occupancy sensor is under the front cushion that slides out don't have to take apart the seat. The dvd player logo is not a DVD movie player it's a DVD ROM drive for navigation. You need to learn about BMWs before you make snap judgements on everything
My mom's BMW is CONSTANTLY giving off the service light warning. Even after it's taken in, it shows up with a new problem about a month later every single time.
In addition to the idiotic oil checking system Scotty went over at 4:50, it takes FOREVER to display the results. Instead of dipping a stick in there and knowing right away, you have to awkwardly sit there for 2+ MINUTES before you know your oil levels.
that is a real deal breaker, who has 2+ minutes to spare when it comes to the health of their car... your mom not seems like
Change the mechanic lmao...
When Scotty said you'll have the ultimate repair bill when you run out of oil because the engine doesn't have a dip stick I couldn't help but laugh out loud!
It may not have a dip stick which sucks. But it’ll alert you when the oil level is low.
All you have to do is look in the idrive or instrument cluster it shows the oil level. It’s not rocket science nor is it 100% accurate but it is better than nothing. I agree though they need a dipstick but all car are doing away with them
Ive had 2 bmws and surprisingly had good luck with them. A 3 series and a 1 series
"Here in Tennessee, nobody cares!" That one cracked me up. Amen!
I enjoyed my 2008, 6 speed, V-8 M3 purchased brand new (below MSRP and 0.9% BMW finance) during the 2008 market crash until 2020. Sweet, powerful, refined vehicle. At the end (with aprox 42K miles) started giving me "little" problems ($500 here, $600 there, $900 later on). Those bills were at my independent BMW mechanic (for comparable BMW dealer repairs multiply by 4. No kidding. (Eg. ABS control unit replacement - $900.00 at independent mechanic with salvage unit vs $4,500 at dealer )🤑. One day (at 42K miles) I noticed the fuel gauge wouldn't go all the way to FULL on a full tank. "Simple issue", I thought (no such thing in a BMW). Dealer estimate : $1,500 to replace the entire fuel tank (parts) plus $4,500 (labor) to take down the entire rear of the vehicle for the install. That was the turning point. Traded it in (as is) for a spanking new, 2020 6 speed 5.0 Ford Mustang GT Premium with Performance Package Level 2 (5K under MSRP and 1.6% Finance). I am happy but miss the BMW.
The Mustang will go 100K miles without any problems
I have watched Scotty for a while now. You can give a hundred reasons to keep coming back to this kooky car guy. His videos remind me of when I was working in an auto shop with my equally kooky father. Good times. Ring that bell!
About 8 years ago, I had a cherry 2004 E46 Coupe. It was a beautiful blue with 60K miles. Got it for like $6K, thought it would be a great car. Wrong. While it never left me stranded, it's a CEL machine. You couldn't go more than 1,000 miles without a CEL light. Kept it for about a 1.5 years, repairs were easily $200 a month.
Ohh man, Scotty picked a particularly troubled BMtroubleyou model. Those v8's have some stupid expensive problems to fix, like faulty valve guide seals. Haha
This is a very accurate commentary. BMWs are best sold at the end of the included service period/warranty. I had a new X5 get swapped out after 3 weeks because of unidentifiable short circuiting whenever it rained, a 535GT where the massive sunroof liner fell off the tracks on a hot day and BMW wanted $4k to fix it (at 5 years old!), multiple electrical and component failures start at the 5-6 year mark and yes Scotty is right, the repair costs are outrageous. BMW is an ego stroker. But in reality the quality is a serious issue and just a mass production car with a lot of time and money consuming problems. But trade/sell at the end of the service/warranty period and you'll be happy in the initial years of ownership.
Endless moneypit!
It depends on who and how he drove it, and how he maintained it
I drive a BMW e90 and the car is just amazing, fun to drive, full of power and I maintained on time. Oil change on every 10000 miles and regulary maintain the other parts not wait to disaster to happen.
Watching your videos is so fun, I get to learn a thing or two and I also get a laugh every once in a while from the stuff you say or do. The jokes, the laughing, the random sounds and the pictures that keep popping up in the corner, it's awesome 😂😂😂.
I want to buy a second hand BMW(around 2008-2015 models) and this opened my eyes a little more about what to look for before I do, thank you very much.
The most annoying thing on my old E60´s dashboard is the missing engine coolant temp gauge! A very basic(!) thing in car monitoring. Yeah, you can dig out the figure by pressing that odometer button..say c. 30 times, very carefully...
the other stupid thing is that brake fluid reservoir is covered with...plastic, ha ha! Cannot check the level at one glance the hood open.
Otherwise I like it, 19 years old 520i and very reliable. Starts right away in a freezing weather without garage and engine heater.
Poor people buy used luxury cars to elevate their social status, pouring money into repairs, keeping them poor.
The circle of life!🤙🏄♂️⛵
As an owner of 3 previous BMW's (an E90, E92 and now an E93) - I can tell you the engines and transmissions are actually very well built. There's a reason Toyota uses a BMW engine in their new Supra.
Unfortunately it's everything else that you'll have to worry about as the car ages, because BMW is notorious for using cheap plastics and rubber which don't fare well with heat and time. You can blame the EU which forced German car makers to use recyclable materials throughout their cars.
Gotta give props on this 650 in particular considering it’s got a 6-speed.
@Sandy Zar I can only assume if you're buying a steering wheel for a SC, it's got 800k+ miles on it, or it was crashed.
2:35 nah you just get the Seat occupancy simulator! Costs like 20-40 dollars and gets rid of the code and keeps the passenger airbags "active" at all time so its safe. Weird thing but on the 2006's they had this problem. Not on 2005, not on 2007, but 2006 for some reason.
"A short amount of time"? That one's been running for 17 years and you seem to be enjoying it just fine there Scotty 🙂
As long as the engine still runs good I don't care about all the extra electronic accessories. My only problem right now is that I have to spend $70 for a wheel lock key set if I want to be able to take off a tire to change my brakes and rotors. Also my insurance quadrupled, but my new motto is if you're gonna be poor you might as well enjoy it 😁
But you can't check the oil level, so what do u do, just pour in some until it feels right?
@@bl8896 You can check the oil through the computer, so as long as you put the right amount in when you changed it you're good. Just fill up the oil with the amount listed in the manual just like all other cars and it's no different with a BMW. You can also measure what's in the pan to see how much came out, it should be about the same amount of oil as what's listed in the manual.
The E60 and E63 are certainly in the top 3 of the most unreliable BMWs, and Scotty also got a very bad example. But by far not all BMWs are like this. Eventhough at this time BMW and also other manufacturers have used biodegradable wires, so it's no wonder that all the electronics don't work.
@@v.s.727 Yeah it seems like BMW had a lot of issues in the mid 2000's and with some models up to around 2013 so I'd be careful buying anything from before 2014. In 2016 they came out with two new engines the B48 and B58, which have so far been relatively bulletproof. I just got a 2017 model with a B48 and I have nothing to complain about getting 30 miles per gallon with the full twin turbo experience.
Yes. He’s got a fairly neglected example here for his video. Go figure. Lol
Ah, BMW, the ultimate maintenance machine. Expensive cars built cheaply. I have a 2013 328i (Sport Package.) Had it for 7 years. Took it in for maintenance every 5k, oil/filters. Up to 162k i had to replace spark plugs, coils, gas tank, transmission service, and computer. After 162k timing chain/guides, spark plugs, valve cover, tank fuel pump and fuel pump control unit. All in the same month. Set me back about $6k in repairs. Put money aside if you plan on getting one. Currently trying to sell it and buy a newer Lexus.
Here in the UK people are nuts about BMW'S and Audi's. They are everywhere, mostly new ones too. That begs the question, where are all the old ones gone? Up north maybe, maybe not. Either way I took Scotty's advice and got myself a Lexus as my toy. So far, so good.
I see 2005-2010 era BMW's quite regularly in the UK
@@PointNemo9 sure, they're around. But not as many as I'd imagine compared to new ones.
@rob5944 In my part of the country I see more older one's than new ones
@@PointNemo9 I see, this may explain our differing views, what country do you live in?
@rob5944 In the UK too, but probably a less wealthy area than you. The only new cars I regularly see are from cheaper brands like Hyundai, Peugeot, Mazda
BMWs are not for everyone. You have to know how to buy, own, drive and maintain them. I have a 2014 328d with 120,000 highway miles without major expense. Emission control recalls (2) for the EGR were paid by BMW under warranty. Yes, it would've cost a lot if I had to pay. I do a lot of routine maintenance myself. I'm not afraid of BMWs, in fact 2 years ago I bought a new X1 front wheel drive and I love it. BMWs are not for everyman. Don't compare them to Toyota, which are great cars for their own reasons.
I’ve bought a 3 yr old 5 series bmw. Not broke yet 😅
“ Yet “
Give it time.
Think they might have sold it right when the warranty ends? How long have you owned it? Couple months? How long you plan on keeping it?
@@supercharged2414 your right about the warranty. It only had 17k miles on it. I’ve had it 3 weeks and plan on keeping it 5 years and 150k miles. It drives great, I will keep you informed 🙏🏼
Scotty, it does not have 8 knock sensors, it uses crank/cam sensor to calculate knock.
How is camera lens cleaned?
So it's total guesswork then
Had 2008 335i bought with 11k miles and nothing but issues. In shop monthly. Decided to drive West Cross country and had to plot my journey with BMW dealers close to the highway.... And yes half way cross country had check engine light in Colorado in mountains..... To California and back and only needed one new injector, new hid headlight, new air pressure sensor and some trim that tore away around windows after frozen.... I could go on and on.... Got rid of it before warranty expired only 8 months later and for almost half the price I paid. Piece o crap
I agree on the plastic stuff. Nice car to drive but that's it lol.
For a mechanic of your caliber to NOT MENTION that the BMW is on AFTERMARKET WHEELS & most likely non-OEM recommend tire size, is just disappointing.
2 words: Money Pit.
Correction: Endless Money Pit
you ain't krap Scotty ..I got an E46 and everything started breaking down after 175000K and when I say everything I mean just about everything ..first was 5L40GM auto when reverse failed then power steering pump, alternator bearings Instrument cluster fried ,all coolant parts replaced, oil leaks from the usual parts and on and on ..the latest... car now at 244000K O/P light on at idle so cause of sump gasket leak replaced B/E bearings ,power steering leak so replaced all seals and bearings and now motor uses Mobil1 ultra 5W50
motor all perfect but won't go into the missfire problems
I had a very similar car to this one up until a few months ago, a 2005 645 ci. That thing was the most fun vehicle to drive that I've ever owned but even with the low mileage for its age (65,000 miles when I bought it spring of 2022) it ended up being a complete nightmare to maintain and I ended up just getting rid of it before it completely devoured my wallet to feed it maintenance costs.
How much did you get it for? And what were the costs ? I’ve been looking at that exact model
I used to own one of those , of course was a second hand one and I didn’t like it. The majority of mechanics doesn’t want to work on them so I was forced to take it to the BMW dealership for repairs and cost me a fortune. Now I do own a Toyota Matrix XRS and the change is huge I’m saving a lot of money and headache.
fixing at the dealership??
On a visit to South Africa, I learnt that, locally, they say BMW stands for Black Man's Wish!
To live vicariously through European White Men?
Heh
For some reason, poorer people want to drive a BMW, so they can pretend they are rich and cool. The ghetto mind is widespread
@@petera5560 what do you mean "for some reason"?
I have a BMW 5 series 2012 with 171.000 miles on it an it still looks very very good in the inside and runs perfectly good. It also is a matter of taking care properly of your car... not only the fault of manufacturers. But the more technique, the more problems you have.
Do the turn signals work on that one?
Being honest, i m a owner of 2005 E46 320D its from the very end of the production, i have no issues with the Car what so ever, only small things like windows motor broke around a year ago, but engine is running smoothly for the last 4 years i have been driving it. There was rust issue that i took care off, but other than standard maintinance things the car is not that expensive to maintain. And its also not too expensive to maintain. Love the Car and im gonna own it for another few years.
We’ve had BMW’s “Bring My Wallet” 😂 that’s a new one to me. The leather holds up and always a problem. Good stuff
Some bimmers you have to spend on this is one of them in the video and it's an older model too. They tried placing the turbo inside the engine "V". Worst desision EVER!!! E46, E60, N55, B58 are the more reliable versions and easy to work on. Not too expensive if you do it yourself and order OEM online. These cars are made to drive FAST and agressive. Fun cars cost. If you want boring, get an older camry because even the new (still boring) toyotas are having problems and costing more to repair.
Yeah I have an e46 and for one it looks way better than every other 2004 car out there on the road still today and two it hasn’t been that expensive to maintain. My sister is always having me fix her Camry more than I ever have to fix my bmw lol
Thank you , Thank you Scotty. Once in awhile I see or read about a good looking BMW and think that they can't be that bad and now this video will scream in my mind NO WAY. I really like the BMW I8 Hybrid that only has a 3 cylinder motor, is fast, and gets good gas mileage all packed into a sports car body. There is a bunch for sale but not cheap yet. Wonder how many owners get rid of them after the warranty expires and they get their first $5000 repair bill. It seems like every repair on a BMW is $5000 and up.
b m w - broke my wallet
broken motor wagon
bring more wrenches
@@driver4011 bought my wife, bring mechanics wit'cha, brings me worries, breaks my wallet, brutal money waster.
I didn't even want to bother with my GF's E38 (750 iL). Lotsa nice tech for 2000, but when 1 thing got fixed, 2 more things broke.
Another false notion. B58 and S58 are great engines. Look at some forums
@@aaronrodriguez1410 BMW did make some great engines. It is their electronics and technology that controls everything that fails.
@@supercharged2414 that's very true.
Big Money Wasters
Bring My Wallet
Love it, Scotty you are the man!
I recal a relative bringing his very very nice 80s 735i beauty to the BMW dealer where they told him (this was mid 90s so he was the second owner as the original owner stopped driving the car and it was sitting in the garage for a couple of years) that ALL of the Fuel Injectors needed to be replaced... because that relative did well at his nice job... he actually paid the money which... yeah you could have purchased a nice used car for that money... hint a little over 2k or almost there because they got him to also repair other stuff they found faulty...
I wagered that if there was better research back then he could have gotten an injector cleaner solution and just purchased the repair manual and did most of the work himself with only stuff that is a last resort to be taken to the dealer technician.
Well since you are in that car , you should be listening to the song “KLI- Milly “ 🥵❌
Scotty’s totally in his element today , great video !
E63/64 is probably worst BMW if you don't want your car to be a problem. But it looks so good.
You can fix this car for about 2 grand and you will have an amazing driving and great looking car!
Agree, I drive an ‘06 525i for 17 years. Love it; will try to squeeze another 5 years out of it before buying a “new” inferior car.
The key to BMW ownership is only buy their cars once their engine is in its final years of production so all the kinks are worked out. Also, always buy the I6, yes, it’s enough power. Change your fluids often.
You’re so funny 🤣 I love your videos
I have watched friends since the 2002 came out keep convincing themselves that BMW is a superior car.
Even while asking to be excused for broken handles, melted plastic, cracked dashes, etc.
I wouldn't buy one if they paid me.
BMW: Buy More Warranty
Skotty I bought a 2012 Toyota crown majesta because of you over a bmw 530i you made me a happy guy cause I havnt been to the mechanic last time I serviced the car
17 year old car.. and scotty said its broken.
U saw all the errors right?
Scotty !!! YOU TAUGHT ME HOW TO START MY CAR 🫡 0:56 Ordering a BMW SUNSHADE NOW 4:30 I love you Scotty.
Not all beamer's are bad. Most people don't take the time to understand the brand. Every car manufacture makes bad vehicles. The key with BMW is to buy the ones actually made in Germany. And never miss any maintenance. They will treat you well and put a smile on your face every time you drive it.
@Race car I think it's pretty rare for most cars to do that isn't it?
Most all bmw are made in Germany. Mercedes Audi all made in Germany. Where else are they made in , mexico?
@@jalee6587 In North America alot of them are assembled in the USA. They do not have the same quality control as the ones made in Germany. People in Europe do not complain about BMW nearly as much as people in North America do.
@Race car I had a 2006 BMW 525i with 235,000 miles before it got flooded out by a storm in NY. Everything on it worked.
Can check oil level on dash menu as well. No need to have middle display working
Damn Scotty I'm broke
Bmw have done a great job of fixing “weaknesses” of previous generations. I have a N55 with 120k Miles and bought it with 60k miles and it’s been tuned since day 1. Right now its got all bolts on running on E and my mom uses it to go to work, then the gym and finally back home. Then I use it during the weekend to have fun and race it a lot as you can see on my YT channel. As right now it haven’t let me or my mom stranded, dash is clean with no check engine lights or a “Christmas tree” , no oil leaks or weird sounds. It’s been the most reliable car i have owned so far and i am still happy with it and puts a smile on my face every time I drive it. I keep maintenance up to date, oil changes every 3k-4k miles, no driving it hard when is cold and it can be very reliable
The endless BMW acronyms 😂
Bring my Wreaker
Because My Wife
Basic Maintenance Wormhole
I have a 328ix with almost 220k miles on it. Only put in sparkpacks as maintenance, and rear wheel bearings. Tie rod 2 years ago. Had to replace 1 cat'converter because of a weak aftermarket sparkpack I didnt notice (led to dumping fuel. was normal at idle so I couldnt feel it). Rideflat tires are the only negative for me pricewise ($650/2) but I would have lost several days of work if they werent (on 3rd set of tires now in 6 years/since 60k miles when I bought it).
Had air AMS intake mod done, rich MAP sensor and CPU reprogramming as well as a bypass of the drive by wire crap (and WOW what a difference it makes, launches from a stop now!). Oil filter right on top so I change it every week and put in a little Mobil 1 synthetic or AMSOIL. of course you have still talked me into getting Alexis or Toyota next but I have a whole summer to drive my Jaguar convertible before I do that :)
Big Money Wasted😂
scotty is honest and we love his honesty,scotty is cool and smart man . scotty keep up the great work
BMW bring more wrenches bought my wife broke my wallet bring more whiskey😮lol endless money pit
Bring a Wrecker
The 2002, 2002 tii and the 530i's used to be good in the '70s. But not the 320i's or 325i's. Not anymore.