Nathan, I love your channel...I'm a home mechanic who has worked on my own cars for over 50 years, mostly Japanese, British, and most recently my E30 and E46. I've never understood the hatred for BMWs. When I got mine I was able to get a bootleg TIS disc set, and before I began any work, I RTFM!!! Once you read the manual and begin to think like a German, it's logical and easy. I recently replaced all the M54 coolant lines, valve cover gaskets, manifold gaskets, vacuum lines, and oil filter housing gasket, tedious, but simple. I enjoy working on my BMWs!!
I finished an engine swap the first time on an e46 with my friend, learned how to do a shifter rebuild take off the transmission and put together the clutch and everything. Just in these past 3 months that iv’e been working on the project I mostly know the whole car already. Bmw is so easy to work on and I’m only 19. Just take it slow and you’ll be alright
cocainecowboy17 N54 isn’t bad ive done all my maintenance an mods by myself. Jus gotta have the right mindset before going into it an it’s not bad at all
Doug is actually paid to promote cars that are designed to fail early, like those with plastic timing chain guides. That's why he is only allowed to glance under the hood and spends 99.9% in the cabin.
@@jason.arthur.taylor He talks about the quirks and features of cars. While that is a fun thing, it brings no insight on how to buy a car. No cost comparisons, no financial analysis, nothing. Just a bit layman's car talk. He's kind'a fun, though, and he's got his shtick, but that's just not enough for me.
I would never take my BMW to a mechanic. Two things. You shouldn't own a BMW unless you can do your own work (or at least know how things work on it). 2. You better have a spare car on hand.
I have an excellent BMW inde mechanic that ONLY works on BMWs, always uses OEM parts and ONLY fixes what's needed. My advice: Don't buy BMWs w/ turbos or V8s. M54 and N52 inline 6 cyl naturally aspirated engines are some of the best engines ever made. I have one of each and love them.
Wrong. You shouldn't own one if you can't afford the repairs. Most that can afford don't have issues with a BMW because they're not the ones doing the repair.
Hey Nathan, Question if you have time...my engine is running well but at cold idle has a little bit of an intermittent pulse/vibration. 2008 335i 144k mls. All OEM...New injectors, vanos, pcv, valve cover, plugs, coils, clean check valves..what’s left to fix?
i bought my e39 from a guy that said it needed a head gasket. they changed the thermostat, and didn't bleed the air from the coolant system.got a great deal on it....
Neil542 no I don’t. I drive a ford crown victoria but I know a couple guys that do drive one. I’m not completely against buying certain models. The problem for me is the cost of certain parts
Great video. I can totally relate to a non BMW mechanic looking at the engine bay and having no idea how to get to the PCV or anything else below the covers? After literally hundreds of hours learning how to get through the layers on my M54 and N55 it became second nature. I could get the 330ci’s throttle body out in less than:45 minutes if needed. It’s a fantastic feeling knowing “I’m one” with my engines. Lastly, I think a lot of people are infected with the FUD syndrome. Fear, unknown, and doubt. They are fearful because they haven’t attempted to understand something. If something is unknown they again are fearful, and doubtful that they have the self confidence to successfully complete a task.
The vanos fail on my BMW 540i , I bought my first Lexus and never looked back . All of the vehicles at my home are Lexus. I don't have to go to mechanic shops .
@World McCrea Why would that be unusual to watch a video about BMW's, I love cars, and I watch car videos all the time . I have owned many different brands of vehicles in my life, plus I'm a diesel mechanic which is why I will never own another unreliable money pit BMW. Those cars are TRASH. If you don't believe me take a look at consumer reports. Beemers are trash . I know this from experience. My Lexus vehicles are on a whole different level.
Bought a 2011 328i with N51 (N52 variation) 70k miles at 7k dollar, and it was fun to drive, great engine and handling. However, soon find out i got bad oil fume came into the cabin. Took it to the dealer, and got quote $2000 for leaked valve cover gasket or $1000 at local store for the entire valve cover. Felt broken and broke, thought i had to resale to someone who can fix it. However, youtube helped me a lot. Nathan and other bmw youtubers had valve cover tutorials, so i was able to follow it and fix it. Not only fix valve cover, i also replaced my oil filter housing gasket. I learned so much from it. Torque spec, CANBUS, oil type, type of coolant, light bulb types, etc. The fun part is now i know how to do coding with NCS expert and diagnostic with INPA. Fixing car is like take care of your baby, your sweat and love into it. I love working on car but i am living in a apartment where I dont have a garage. Sometimes, i took my car to a park and ride parking lot to fix it, IT IS THE ONLY OBSTACLE that prevents me from working on my car.
Thanks. Your comments were a good reminder of the lessons I learned 50 years ago. It's critical to find someone who can actually work on your vehicle. What I've learned: 1. Find a mechanic who you trust 100% OR will let you watch/help. 2. If you need a hammer to get something into place, you're doing it wrong. 3. There are good mechanics and bad mechanics everywhere. (This was learned the hard way. After taking my bmw to the dealer in Stuttgart, Germany, upon picking it up, it didn't sound right. But I thought it was my imagination. No. The timing chain has but been properly tensioned and slipped a week later. Thus necessitating another head job). I'm watching this channel because I'm planning on getting my 5th bmw and understand at this point, I must do all the maintenance and repairs myself.
I have only worked on one BMW, a 2011 X5 M with the crazy twin turbos in the vee V8. A packaging nightmare for sure. Replaced coolant hoses for the intercoolers with new plugs and coil packs also. Not real bad but having to buy a special socket I'll never use again to replace the plugs sucked. And you were not kidding about hidden fasteners..
Nathan I'm in my 50s & i bought 2 Bmw this year. I've always had Z28, trans am etc.... I have more enjoyment driving these used BMW's than anything I've ever owned, this would not be possible so thank you for your wisdom & intelligence so i can have this automobile experience. Keep up the great work & have a blessed day. Tks
My bmw 530 broke down. 5 weeks later i fixit my self.. lift the head and more. First time but bmws are really easy too fix When you know how it works👍🏻
I have an e46 and literally everything makes sense from an engineering standpoint and service standpoint. If you change the thermostat the hoses use o rings so you have to change the hoses too and truth be honest hoses deteriorate and fall apart by the time you need a thermostat anyway 90% of the time. The guys that work in small garages dont get paid enough and dont have enough education so i feel like they dont care, this world is just out technologically advancing todays mechanics its a battle lol
Nobody but me is touching my mint/one owner 1999 323i with 73k original..😎 Hell no. BMW's are meant for true owners/mechanics who want to think, DO MAINTENANCE and KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING" Other people just whine and want to be lazy.
i said that to but lost my 99 328i mint when it was totalled by another driver, something can always happen to your car, either it being towed/stolen/wrecked/overheats randomly. you never know until you lose it
I’m going to disagree I get what you are saying but what BMW is doing here is so unnecessary they put all this plastic panels and crap in there just too make it look nice and all it dose is becomes a headache cause now you gotta spend the extra time trying to figure out how it all comes out without breaking anything. Even if you do know it’s still a hassle it’s not necessary. It’s all for looks.
I’m a Toyota fanboy. I daily an 03 4Runner Limited 4wd with 180k miles, super clean inside and out and well maintained. My wife has a 14 Avalon, generation with firm suspension. Had an 01 IS300 until my son wrecked. All are nice cars to drive “normal” and the IS was kind of sporty. I ride motorcycles for my “fun” driving/riding. But my son recently bought an 08 328i w/6spd manual transmission. Power is adequate, not anything crazy. But if you like to drive “spirited” on the backroads and such there is hands down no comparison in the way it handles vs the Toyota’s. It is a completely different driving experience. That’s what makes them desirable for many. As far a repairs/maintenance, you have to be willing to do most of it yourself or it isn’t worth it. But if you are, and if you enjoy really driving then you’ll get a lot more enjoyment out of the driving experience with the BMW.
Years ago as a trainee tech I broke a lot of those clips on the ignition coils lol then I learned to stick a screwdriver in the hole, leverage on the cover and gently pull up... pops out with ease
Thanks to the resources available these days I have been able to maintain my 16 year old bmw my self. It requires time and research but it's been a great ride and fun at the same time.
Hoping you read this! My 2007 328i has a strange problem. The left rear door will lock during driving, but when I stop and lock all doors with key fob the left rear door unlocks! It has a new actuator.
you're lucky then !!! I took my Benz to the dealer and they lost the engine cover and one of the tire caps ( ...while saying "give 10 on my survey"... in the end gave me free car detail!)
Dealerships’ service departments in recent years have started hiring more and more apprentice techs to save money. The true master techs usually play the advisory role to these apprentice techs while they’re doing overall “general” repair/diagnostic work. The master techs only get involved with complex repair jobs. Nowadays, I don’t really trust dealership’s service department as this is all ‘bout making that sale.
Actually ran thanks for this great video about BMWs! I went through a horrendous experience with the dealership out here on Long Island. It would scare you to death to know how much money I spent, in the car I have was only seven months old, it was used but in perfect running condition, Before it got to the dealership. They wrecked it and didn’t own up to it but they gave me expensive options.I most certainly will never ever in life if I can help it go back to the dealership
I‘m thinking about buying an e39 as first car Nathan doesn‘t recommend getting an e39 when you aren‘t a mechanic, but i want to work on my car I wanna try I would work on it Do you guys recommend buying an e39 in my case
Hi Mike As the owner of e39s I can help a bit. One bit of advice is to buy a good code tool. Invaluable both in buying and maintaining any car. No 540i should be considered unless a recent receipt for timing chain guides, etc. are presented. Coolant system should be recently redone as well for any model. Front end work is a given, no matter how many miles. Given time, and patience you will get it sorted. After that all is bliss....until you realize the headlight adjusters are fckked. Electrics? LOL I could go on, but I'm sure you get my drift. The truth is... Unless you're familiar with a wrench and a parts book, likely not a great idea. As the saying goes.. " There's no car more expensive than a cheap BMW!" Owner of 2.. 1997 Alpina B10 and a 2003 525i Touring
Full disclosure: I just had an epic bill for the Alpina. Complete replacement of all timing components, new X5 head gaskets, redone valves and heads, new radiator and more. Cost was 7800 canuck bucks. Worth every dime.... Any other car I would have done the work myself. The wagon? Yeah, no worries. This one no.
So true. I got a 2013 e92 330i Msport. Had a head gasket and coils issue and also the eccentric sensor had oil leaked into it. So I called a mechanic and told him my issues, the first thing he ask me was, what kind of car is it? I told him what I had and he started lecturing me and telling me how much he hates working on these type of cars (BMW) cause it's made out of plastic. So I just hung up. Had to take a big lost and went to BMW, but great news. I got a SULEV model. So it was under warranty 10 yrs and 100k that I didnt even know about. So got it fix without paying a dime. Always check to see what warranty are still valid for your car make or model. Its call BreakMyWallet for a reason. Cant afford it, dont buy it unless you do your own DIY. Ive owned a e60 5 series and e92 3 series. In total amount of repair on my 2 cars, I've spent close to 10 grand in 5 yrs. But damn I love these car. Good Luck Bimmers!
Thanks for the video. I work on a lot of different car and BMW'S are easier to work on than most. They are made to be taking apart. If you take your time and not in a rush.
Everything you said was dead on! I am by no means a mechanic, but I love BMW’s. I have watched tons of videos to work on my cars, just so I would have less chance of getting taking by the “Stealership or by a crooked mechanic.
Very much enjoyed this video. I bought my 2003 E39 530 M Sport with no electrics functioning other than ignition. Over the next 14 months I fixed everything on the this car that I love so much almost entirely watching Nathan's channel. To fix the front seat twists I looked else where. Thank you Nathan my respect is immeasurable.
My issue is this, my wife's 2014 BMW always dealer maintained needed numerous sensors, lights, cowl, front suspension, exhaust hangers, and more etc replaced by 80k miles and at 85k miles the timing chain broke grenading the engine, my 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee has 128k miles and I've replaced 1 sensor at $80, a radiator and an AC fan. The bottom still looks clean while the BMW was rusting everywhere despite both being in the same environments. My 2002 E46 M3 is also a nightmare.
Haynes manual never fails. Bought my first vehicle, a 1992 Jeep Cherokee Laredo. The Haynes manual got me through a full engine rebuild with little outside knowledge or help. My second car, a 2011 BMW 328i w/ Xdrive. Haynes manual has already gotten me through several jobs on my car. Everyone told me a BMW is a money pit. I always reply, if you take it to the man to get her fixed they will tack you up with whatever they can. Pretty much the same as any other car. But. You do a little research and dive in deep into car. You can basically do anything. With the right tools of course;) Your videos rock my friend! I appreciate everything you do mate! Keep up the excellent video content on BMW maintenance and such. You help a lot of people out there! I’m sure of it!!
Wrenched on an E21, E28, E30, E36 and E39. Be prepared, be patient, and do your research. It's also a good idea to always have a back up vehicle so your not pressured to finish. Every car depending on what your doing to it (Even the seemingly simplest task) can be incredibly frustrating and or rewarding...
Ok one question... Where is the right place to get parts? Ive got shops telling me 400.00 bucks a strut for loaded struts on an e39 and let's not get into the it takes 9.2 shop hours to change the front struts and the lower control arms. Im a big truck diesel mechanic I know how to wrench just need to know where to get good reliable parts...
I must have the best e39 540i ever made. I bought it when it was 6 years old. It's a 2001 M sport 6 speed. I just had the chain guides dont at 233K miles. The mechanic said they were not yet broken but were def due. No sludge whatsoever in the engine. I change the oil every 5K with 5w 30 liqui moly, run 92 octane ethanol free gas. I've had alternator, brakes, struts various susp compeonets replaced as needed. On 2nd clutch, 2nd radiator. Never fails to go, never needs to top off oil between changes.
Oh yeah you are bang on. Flew by the seat of my pants for years working on cranes made all over the world. No internet when I started. I’m retired now and am gonna nail down sticking with 1 manufacturer
Hello. I’m from Jamaica. My friend has a 2012 BMW X6. He had problems with the water pump. It kept running after vehicle was shut off. He then realized that the oil level sensor became inactive as well. So he changed the water pump and oil level sensor and in 2 weeks the same problem occurred again. Even when he locks and unlock the car door, it triggers the water pump. We’ve been to several mechanics who cannot solve the issue. Please if you can be of any help. If you have any advice of what the solution to our problem is, we’d be really grateful. Looking forward to your reply.
Been a professional auto tech 20+ years, half in European shops. Last shop specialized in bwm I can’t tell you how many came in with new 02 sensors, plugs and coils because it had misfire codes, 02 sensor deviation codes and all it needed was the vacuum cap that fell off the back of intake. Customer didn’t come to us first because they heard we were expensive so they spent 2k some where else but all we charged was 120 for diag and 50 cent rubber cap. Had a vw Jetta come in that he spent 2000 bucks at 3 shops they did coils, maf, high pressure fuel pump and other sensors. I scan it had a bunch of fuel related codes one being maf sensor so I check maf data which was zero I go look at sensor and the whole housing was installed backwards but still no reading so I check the wiring found the signal wire was dead pull the wire loom and find a broken wire, still no reading so I took the old maf (customer had all old parts in trunk) and bam all good so literally just a broken wire. Was fixed before customers ride came he couldn’t believe it he said but I have to drive it to make sure it’s good and to set monitors right? Nope we have vw scanner I ran system tests every monitor passed. This type of thing happens all the time because technicians don’t understand euro cars all that’s different really it’s just like learning a different language. All you gotta do is read, watch some videos, if you have codes type them in the service information and read what makes the codes set. People talk about how terrible every scanner is for vw/audi but if they did some research like watch some TH-cam videos of people using vcds and then you will find out that you can do so much with a snap on scan tool I’m not saying it’s the best choice I’m just bringing up snap on because most shops have them. The craziest thing to me is how more shops don’t buy a rosstech cable for vcds it’s literally the cheapest professional scan tool around considering it’s like 1,000 bucks for unlimited use and free updates it costs less then 1 year of Snapon updates and u own it for life all u need is a laptop. The moral of the story if u have a European car go to a shop that works on European cars or the dealer. It gets expensive trying to be cheap.
Thank you Nathan and everyone else for posting how to fix BMWs and any other car out there. . I started wrenching on cars before the internet. Back when the auto parts stores used parts books. They would have ten plus parts catalogs with a metal rod locking them into place and unless you knew the parts counter they wouldn’t even let know who the vender was of any of those catalogs. As far as asking for advice or help they would brush you off and tell you to beat it. If you had a idea or plan for anything custom Like engine swap or up grades they would tell you about their build is the best and only way . One would say small motor big cam thats spins 9000 rpm the next guy would say all motor big block next guy light weight import 4 cylinder turbo etc. they would all say your plan will never work your wasting your time and money. Truth be told even when it does work and work well you still spent a lot of time and money. So when I hear anyone hating on certain car Manufactures and how they only work on such and such it just reminds me of back in the day when I first started off wrenching and that old school way of thinking when people were just staring to understand smogg and those that would say “smogg robs horse power cut the smogg pump belt better yet get rid of the damm thing and all those other stupid smogg parts and egr’s and hoses and f the mufflers put cherry bombs on it . Only to end up with a gutless no idle ,no power off idle to 2,500 rpm burn your eyes out ( this is for you triple OGs in the game) that couldn’t pass anything on the road especially a gas station. Yes I customized that saying I’m a car guy what did you expect. Fast forward to today’s cars making Triple or more the horsepower and reliable Drivability with OBD two engine management running the show. Sometimes I feel like I’m cheating cus I didn’t buy the factory Manual and I’m not paying my dues or earning my car knowledge but that’s caveman thinking and this is the age of information . Again thank you Nathan and all the other you tube posters just a tap don’t like thumping from the good catalog but you guys are Saints in my book. Your being selfless posting free videos that’s helps people by saving their time and money. that’s GODS work excuse me let me get with the times that’s being a good humanitarian /person. Praise the car Gods hallelujah sideways to the next light. Sorry if I offended anybody that was not my intention but now I’m going to speak the truth and state the facts. 86 Z28 Camaro 305 V8 Computer controlled Rochester carbureted 5 speed t-tops. Mommy got me for my 17th b-day. Yes the 305 V8 that made the least amount of horsepower for a V-8 engine ever. Learned to drive the you know what out of it and learned that that car is THE WORST TO WRENCH ON PERIOD. you think I don’t shut up now so I will stop there. With out much help and a little bit from the early internet days my Z twomp later hater earned that with a short block Chevy 400 , worked world 202 heads, comp cams matching the factory ECU that was JET chipped , SLP 1inch 3/4 headers , copy of the factory duel catalytic converter setup to a 3 an 1/2 inch exhaust pipe into a Mufflex two chamber big block flow master race muffler ( that flow master looked down right sexy with that 4inch sewer pipe tip cut under the rear bumper ground skirt, And You can miss me with the “ you put a Chevy SB 400 that has no water jackets but steam holes with siamese exhaust ports on a block that’s over bored to start in a bottom breather Camaro notorious for overheating and eating fan relay switches like candy. Your guaranteed to start with or soon after startup a warped block with Instant overheating problems. Very true but I bought a Remanufactured short block that came with a 6 month x amount of mileage(It was 20 some years ago I can’t remember now) enough to know if the block was solid or return it till I got one that was. I figured an Edelbrock high flow water pump working with a 4row/core be cool aluminum radiator with summit duel Electric fans. Rewired The engine bay wire harness with lower gauge wire shorter wire runs and Bosch fan relay switches would Prevent any unnecessary overheating. The only Overheating problem my head was after running on the freeway for a while it’s slowly started getting hot found out that I needed a bottle radiator hose with a spiral wire inside it to keep it from collapsing under the high flow from the Edelbrock water pump. Higher amp alternator with again lower gauge wire for the big three to handle an MSD 6A multi spark ignition MSD HEI Distributor with remote coil. A JL 1200 watt amp to push Two JL WS3 12inch subs. Six speed transmission out of a fourth generation Camaro Energy suspension poly graphite bushings KYB shocks ebac 1 inch lowering springs. Bear racing Corvette conversion four wheel disc brakes 12 inch front 11 inch rear for third generation F-body. Shortly after high school I got mommies 95 325 BMW as my daily driver after I helped her pick out her new car at the time a 2000 E39 528i which I own today and is still on the road to again thank you Nathan and all the other you tubers. And thank you to anybody that gives me a negative comment or positive comment I appreciate you reading My car enthusiast soap opera
Thanks for the honesty. I have a 528i and it doesn’t look a whole lot different under the hood than my 4-runner and Accord. The people that talk trash about BMW are the ones that can’t afford them, aren’t DIYers, and take their Corolla to the dealership for an oil change and air in the tires.
hi, I have active steering failure and dct. code that i got is 614a motor position angle: not initialized. is this steering wheel angle sensor that is on the steering wheel. I tryed to reset my active steering but it fails to do it. scanner that i used is autocom it is for all brand and not bmw inpa.
Mechanics have always been happy to take my BMW to the shop becase they just want to replace something and love that i have to come back because it wasn’t fixed. Recently i found a shop that actually cares about my car and has BMW speciality. But i need to start doing everything myself that i’m able to. Thank you so much for these videos.
Hey dude i have a m60b30 and im having overheating problems is not that much but is obviously not in the middle of the coolant gauge, i have no coolant leaks anywhere and the m60 engine self bleeds so i have no idea what to look for
I have a 2008 BMW X5 4.8i. Cylinder 2 keeps misfiring. Good compression, new spark plugs and coil packs, new accentric shaft sensors but still misfires. When I unplug the accentric shaft sensor, the vehicle runs smooth and no misfire codes come up. Anyone have the same problem?
My bmw 335i 2008 show check engine light, and show me the fault is P0113, P2091,P0238 i will go to smog check shop , guys told me you remove the check engine light then i check the smog test
I would never thought I’d be a BMW owner, but I’ve owned a E46 and currently E39 and if it’s wasn’t for the resources or experience, I wouldn’t own them. Cars ain’t too bad,maintenance and care goes a long way!
were is the ignition cut circuit on a 4.6L 1994 ford Thunderbird... tracking it, doesn't want to go over 110 because of the ignition/transmission speed interrupter do dad! could just cut the sensor wire on the transmission... but that is too dam cheep.
This video reminds of an experience I had. Many years ago when I knew nothing about working on cars I took my old BMW E30 325es to a euro specialist shop. As I'm talking to the mechanic assigned to my car he admits that he hates working on foreign cars, which pissed me off that this shop would hire somebody like that. Fast forward a few days when I'm driving down the highway and the water pump shaft breaks causing the fan to destroy my radiator. It's because this mechanic probably didn't have the proper wrench to remove the fan clutch assembly and appeared to have used a hammer and chisel to beat the nut off, which fubared the shaft bearing. Hopefully somebody knows what I'm describing. I wish I could remember why I'd brought my car there in the first place, but let's just say that it was then I realized that owning a BMW was going to be difficult. I was such an ignorant kid... It took me forever to learn how to work on my cars, but now I pretty much do everything. That shop eventually went out of business.
If shaft is so pathetic you cannot even even tap fan off recon pump failed and wrecked its self but lot of modern stuff is getting increasingly delicate
I’ve been to a local mechanic that is known to specialize only in BMW, but they are still reckless with sloppy repairs despite charging more than the non-specialized mechanics.
Hi Nathan love your videos can you advise me I'm looking to buy my first BMW 528 it's a automatic saloon year 2000 is there anything I should look for Danny I'm from the UK Liverpool
Hi. I work on mine and I absolutely hate it. To the point that I hope bmw goes out of business and never comes back. Thing is. I hate them for absolutely none of the listed reasons here. This video is ridiculous. Why can’t I replace a tps sensor without replacing the *entire throttle body* for 600 bucks. why would you make that captive. Why can’t I replace the egr actuator without having to replace the entire egr cooling assembly. How come the seals in the transmission need to be replaced by 100k miles. Parts prices are ridiculous. Failure rates are high. The simple fact is that the only people who will continue to buy these things are the fan boys. And the company can’t survive on the fan boys. My x5 taught me how to hate. And never mind the repugnant snobby dealership experience. Bmw is doomed and I am surprised they even still exist. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, my 1995 Toyota has only ever needed a clutch master cylinder. Sans the basics like oil changes and tune ups. Bmw cannot compete anymore and I look forward to watching them enter bankruptcy.
God Forbid Nathan ! LOL I have been a GM slash ford kinda Guy all my life ,then i drove an e46 325 CI and Now an M3 06 ! Just a learning curve and i need a Lift Next ! All Good. Happy New Year !!!
*I've got a 2011 BMW 335i E90 LCI (N55 engine) with the notorious dead water pump, AND power steering pump. My question is..should I got w/aftermarket or 'genuine' OEM BMW parts? Also, can you point me in the right direction for the lowest prices on these parts? Thanks! New Sub here BTW.*
I am happy that my mechanic is not just a great BMW specialist but also an extremely honest guy. Because otherwise I would have to rely on the greedy dealerships.
Had an 09 328 same color. I don't know the code name, i find it irritating that people give codes when its like 3 extra letters to say what you have. Anyway, I hated the torx heads on the air filters, the no dipstick and the general over engineering of it. I also had a 2006 Magnum RT and had to sell one or the other. It was a no brainer. They both have similar reliability, but the BMW was 3 times as much to fix. I still have the Magnum and its been cheap to maintain. Hemi has better power than the old straight six. Only thing I miss is the interior of the BMW.
Did you ever pull those camshafts apart? I'm similar like you, own E90, 330i, fix my own stuff. Just recently replaced all the seals on top of the engine. The only thing that bothers me is those fricking hydraulic lifters. There's one that keeps clunking all the time untill the car warms up. I looked at those camshafts and besides special alignment tool for timing and camshafts, someone said you need another tool to align those camshaft ledges. If that's the case, don't wanna touch it.
hydraulic lifters get clunky because you drive it short distances, and could be that the oil needs changing, maybe the car has sat for couple of days without driving it. You can get rid of that noise by : start the car, let it warm up, hold it at 3,500 revs for 5 minutes, let it idle for a while till the cool fan goes of, shut the car off, let the car cool down for couple hours, start it again. The lifters should be silent now. I got this tip, and it worked on my N52 E60 engine, wich is familiar to the E90 engines.
@@lexburen5932 you're right. I drive the car to work 10min. I tried this "bleeding" procedure many times. It works for that moment. Leaving the car and starting it the next day lifter (it's usually just one) start rattling like a broken diesel.
I've kept my e46 going for 185K miles working on it myself. It is easy to work on. I want to replace it.. I'm not sure I want the F30 .. darn N20 looks like a beast to work on and with the valve chain problem... it scares me
Here's what I like about BMW. There's a video on how to do everything and if you got a 12dollar K+DCAN you can find all the codes. Also what I noticed is that BMWs have tight tolerances for DME values, so it's quick to show lights, even if it's not that bad. Also parts in Europe are not that expensive. What I don't like is that for some jobs special tools are needed.
Your videos have helped me so much with my 99 e46 328 2door. I have a question it usually sounds like a jet on a cold starts and warms up in 5 minutes driving. I changed my intake boots and unplugged all connectors and cleaned them with wd just for fun. From that point on when I start it cold it sounds and revs as if its already warm and doesnt run rough, also warms up verry slowly. So I tried restarting it 20 seconds after the first cold start and only then it runs like a jet and warms up normally. Could this be related to thermostat? I also errors "123 activate grid-controlled unit" 5 times
Thanks for another video, spot on with your comments, I've tried to get anyone to do a head gasket on my wife's X5, due to being BMW and having LPG on it I ended up doing it myself, with great help from you and people like you - as you can imagine (and I am probably as lucky as you are, by the sound of it...) four head bolts stripped the threads (I have checked torque after removal) in the bloc, so ended up rethreading all of them just in case (thanks to your video), instead of time serts I've used longer heli coils, but done it all and it's going for over six months now. Now it's cutting out on stopping and turning, so either cam sensor on the intake or throttle body, but it only does so on LPG, when on petrol it drops revs but never cuts out. But that's me and never ending story of a BMW that had half of the engine replaced 'whilst I was at it'... Thanks!
Thank you!! For clearing that up! They are really not bad cars. Patience is the key when working on them. My daughter owns a 325i better half owns a 330ci and I own an m3. Yes I’ve put quite the wrench time in all of them including rod bearing in the m3 (s65 engine). The pay off is well worth it. I’ve appreciated several of your videos you posted, helped me out a ton! Idk everything but having someone else’s point of view at times makes a big difference! Just wanted to give you a shout out and say many thanks Nathan on the vids. Keep posting them.👍
The best channel on YT hands down. You bring the joy of driving such cars down to normal people. If we had to rely solely on ourselves or workshops, we could all easily go bankrupt maintaining them.
how can something that takes 10 seconds cost $20'000.00!... took it down the drag strip... had the factory brake in oil running in it for the last 35'000 miles... so the timing chain gave out at 8500rpm going out of second and into third at 75mph.
As an owner of a Toyota 2010 Highlander, 2011 Rav4, and a 2015 BMW 328i, I will say alot of these reasons will soon affect Toyota (Honda, etc.) owners. Why, going by reasons cited in this video: 1. Plastics, they all have them, but as Toyota switches to more forced (Turbo) induction and use of plastics in the coolant systems, these growing pains will affect them. Heat plus pressure on plastic will cause issues after 5 years. For my 328, I replaced all plastic induction and cooling with aftermarket metal - no issues so far (knock on wood.) 2. Poor design, see reason 1, as you add all this stuff plus CVTs Toyotas and Hondas will (and have had) issues. 3. Expensive tools, atleast with my 328i I have been able to play with Boot Mod3 and BimmerCode. But yes, a BMW mechanic needs to buy expensive software to service more modern versions. Same with all makes as they swtich to all electric, autonomous driving etc. I suspect self servicing will become close to impossible. Last thing, I use to own a 2002 E39 540i. Yes, lots of little issues, mostly with O2 and Cam Shaft sensors (not the actual part.) For an 18 year old car it was still pretty solid, more than any Toyota or domestic car I ever owned (usually got rid of at 10 years.) The PROBLEM with BMW, especially dealer repair, is the gouging. Those waiting room sandwhiches and drinks don't pay for themselves. LOL Find an ex-BMW mechanic who's setup their own shop and you're in business (or wrench yourself.)
I feel your pain waiting on parts. I order 12/7 coil packs plus spark plugs. Expected delivery 1/2 but now 1/16-20 is expected delivery. I wad told 12/17 that the in stock items were not source. The child and plug kit went on sale NY the 17th and I hope the read my email and either give sale price difference as store credit or 2day ship it. $30 or so should cover faster shipping. I can dream I ordered from the same place 12/5 and received 12/8. Car for sale, Engine knock and stop driving it. For sale posting. Removed oil pan and tighten down a bolt. A kit for the head up on the n54 was $120 over the Xmas sales
I have a 2014 328d drive. 45mpg highway and have had performed only preventive maintenance thru 62k miles. Absolutely love this car. These are PERFORMANCE vehicles and are not meant for people who do not have the means to maintain them.
I agreed with everything you said. People think Toyota/Lexus are easy to work on but that’s not the case most of time. Toyota/Lexus V8s aren’t that easy to work on. Of course it’s easy if you know what you’re doing.
My 07 328i in a nutshell. It's like Nathan was there as it happened! (minus the dealer part) great video. Wrench on your own cars guys! Can't trust anyone else to fix them properly!
I definitely pull a Nathan and fix it myself. I paid a whopping $2500 for my e38. I don't pay people to do shit to it. It's actually not as bad as all that. Way easier to work on than you'd think. Entire suspension was shot (I replaced it all) admittedly the rear struts are a bitch. Gotta take the back seat, parcel shelf, seatbelts, C-pillars and all that crap out of the way. It sucked, but I told myself "I only paid $2500 for this car, and I'll be damned if I pay any more than a couple hundred bucks in Chinese suspension parts to fix all these clunks."
I’m 27 and currently own three BMWs and let me tell you, I wouldn’t wanna have it any other way. E46 m3, e46 330ci and e90 335i, and I own all three because I thought myself how to work on them and you can too. I’ve been working on bmws for 7 years now and all the knowledge I have learned , I learned it from TH-cam, google, and many other BMW forums out there, they are not hard to work on, Take your time doing the job, never rush, I just replaced alternator and battery in my e90 total in parts was 500 but I did the labor, and only took me two hours, bmw wanted 1300+, no thanks. As long as you have the right tools and take your time, youll be good, remember it’s always best to do your own work then take in to a shop . I have a huge knowledge of how to repair and properly diagnose bmws all thanks to the internet, it’s there for you too, take advantage of it, it’s free. BMWs are the best handling cars on the roads hands down and the some of the best looking with some of the best engines and performance. If you really wanna learn, you can.
I own a 2001 325i wagon and a 1993 325i. The only person who touches my bmws are me and my bro Andrew he has owned and rebuilt every bmw you can name. Literally if it was sold or imported into America he’s worked on it.
Lol when I worked at BMW in 04 ALL new tech advisories came in Deutsch FIRST on the compooter. Being that I read German (about every 2nd to 3rd word) I had to translate and this is when the almighty 7 series phone was dialing 911 automatically! Fun times!
![Car Mechanics Reveal the BEST and WORST Cars - Taylor to You Mechanics [107]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/CbbFNrV1fmU/mqdefault.jpg)
Nathan, I love your channel...I'm a home mechanic who has worked on my own cars for over 50 years, mostly Japanese, British, and most recently my E30 and E46. I've never understood the hatred for BMWs. When I got mine I was able to get a bootleg TIS disc set, and before I began any work, I RTFM!!! Once you read the manual and begin to think like a German, it's logical and easy. I recently replaced all the M54 coolant lines, valve cover gaskets, manifold gaskets, vacuum lines, and oil filter housing gasket, tedious, but simple. I enjoy working on my BMWs!!
A better title would've been, why "untrained mechanics" hate to work on BMW's....
Exactly
Right
I agree with him in 2020.
Definitely
Especially if you’re on flat rate...
I finished an engine swap the first time on an e46 with my friend, learned how to do a shifter rebuild take off the transmission and put together the clutch and everything. Just in these past 3 months that iv’e been working on the project I mostly know the whole car already. Bmw is so easy to work on and I’m only 19. Just take it slow and you’ll be alright
try an n54 lmao
Or a s85 :( I remember when I had a E46 . I loved that car .
cocainecowboy17 N54 isn’t bad ive done all my maintenance an mods by myself. Jus gotta have the right mindset before going into it an it’s not bad at all
I`ve been working on cars since 1972... you never stop learning..
Steve Redenbaugh screen shot
This is spot on. But a better title is "Why Scotty Kilmer hates German cars."
Scorry can reason why. Doug Demuro hates american cars and it's clear why: He's paid to promote anything but american cars.
Doug is actually paid to promote cars that are designed to fail early, like those with plastic timing chain guides. That's why he is only allowed to glance under the hood and spends 99.9% in the cabin.
@@jason.arthur.taylor He talks about the quirks and features of cars. While that is a fun thing, it brings no insight on how to buy a car. No cost comparisons, no financial analysis, nothing. Just a bit layman's car talk. He's kind'a fun, though, and he's got his shtick, but that's just not enough for me.
I hate doug with a strong passion. Mr. superficial. He's very good at talking about everything except what matters to me.
Scotty Kilmer is the most annoying man on the internet. Doug Demuro is entertaining but not technically minded at all. Nathan and 50s Kid are solid.
You know what mechanics hate working on more than BMW’s......jaguars!
Oh yah that's true .
Land Rovers too.
Saab, vw, audi and the God forsaken Mini.
I would never take my BMW to a mechanic. Two things. You shouldn't own a BMW unless you can do your own work (or at least know how things work on it). 2. You better have a spare car on hand.
Couldnt be more right about a second car haha
I have an excellent BMW inde mechanic that ONLY works on BMWs, always uses OEM parts and ONLY fixes what's needed. My advice: Don't buy BMWs w/ turbos or V8s. M54 and N52 inline 6 cyl naturally aspirated engines are some of the best engines ever made. I have one of each and love them.
Wrong. You shouldn't own one if you can't afford the repairs. Most that can afford don't have issues with a BMW because they're not the ones doing the repair.
I would never own a bmw.
@@luisamoa2500 Luis, my opinion is that you should not own ANY car if you don't know how to work on it.
Hey Nathan, Question if you have time...my engine is running well but at cold idle has a little bit of an intermittent pulse/vibration. 2008 335i 144k mls. All OEM...New injectors, vanos, pcv, valve cover, plugs, coils, clean check valves..what’s left to fix?
i bought my e39 from a guy that said it needed a head gasket. they changed the thermostat, and didn't bleed the air from the coolant system.got a great deal on it....
I’m a BMW mechanic and I love them. I’ve made a lot of money fixing them.
Matthew Moran exactly
Lol me too that junk is my bread n butter
Matthew Moran do you own a bmw too? Wonder if bmw mechanics like them too or just making off them
Neil542 no I don’t. I drive a ford crown victoria but I know a couple guys that do drive one. I’m not completely against buying certain models. The problem for me is the cost of certain parts
German Engineering! XD 🤣
first time you held my attention the whole video... no sex change needed.
Not every mechanic could properly wrench 🔧 a bmw.
I would rather stick pins in my eyes then work on a BMW LOL
I'd never use a garage for anything more than tyres and wheel alignment
Same here!
It's easier to get parts and fix a Lotus Emira than it is any BMW
Great video. I can totally relate to a non BMW mechanic looking at the engine bay and having no idea how to get to the PCV or anything else below the covers?
After literally hundreds of hours learning how to get through the layers on my M54 and N55 it became second nature. I could get the 330ci’s throttle body out in less than:45 minutes if needed. It’s a fantastic feeling knowing “I’m one” with my engines.
Lastly, I think a lot of people are infected with the FUD syndrome. Fear, unknown, and doubt.
They are fearful because they haven’t attempted to understand something. If something is unknown they again are fearful, and doubtful that they have the self confidence to successfully complete a task.
The vanos fail on my BMW 540i , I bought my first Lexus and never looked back . All of the vehicles at my home are Lexus. I don't have to go to mechanic shops .
@World McCrea Why would that be unusual to watch a video about BMW's, I love cars, and I watch car videos all the time . I have owned many different brands of vehicles in my life, plus I'm a diesel mechanic which is why I will never own another unreliable money pit BMW. Those cars are TRASH. If you don't believe me take a look at consumer reports. Beemers are trash . I know this from experience. My Lexus vehicles are on a whole different level.
@World McCrea one day you will get a Lexus then you will understand and never look back.
Bought a 2011 328i with N51 (N52 variation) 70k miles at 7k dollar, and it was fun to drive, great engine and handling. However, soon find out i got bad oil fume came into the cabin. Took it to the dealer, and got quote $2000 for leaked valve cover gasket or $1000 at local store for the entire valve cover. Felt broken and broke, thought i had to resale to someone who can fix it. However, youtube helped me a lot. Nathan and other bmw youtubers had valve cover tutorials, so i was able to follow it and fix it. Not only fix valve cover, i also replaced my oil filter housing gasket. I learned so much from it. Torque spec, CANBUS, oil type, type of coolant, light bulb types, etc. The fun part is now i know how to do coding with NCS expert and diagnostic with INPA.
Fixing car is like take care of your baby, your sweat and love into it. I love working on car but i am living in a apartment where I dont have a garage. Sometimes, i took my car to a park and ride parking lot to fix it, IT IS THE ONLY OBSTACLE that prevents me from working on my car.
Thanks. Your comments were a good reminder of the lessons I learned 50 years ago.
It's critical to find someone who can actually work on your vehicle.
What I've learned:
1. Find a mechanic who you trust 100% OR will let you watch/help.
2. If you need a hammer to get something into place, you're doing it wrong.
3. There are good mechanics and bad mechanics everywhere. (This was learned the hard way. After taking my bmw to the dealer in Stuttgart, Germany, upon picking it up, it didn't sound right. But I thought it was my imagination. No. The timing chain has but been properly tensioned and slipped a week later. Thus necessitating another head job).
I'm watching this channel because I'm planning on getting my 5th bmw and understand at this point, I must do all the maintenance and repairs myself.
I have only worked on one BMW, a 2011 X5 M with the crazy twin turbos in the vee V8. A packaging nightmare for sure. Replaced coolant hoses for the intercoolers with new plugs and coil packs also. Not real bad but having to buy a special socket I'll never use again to replace the plugs sucked. And you were not kidding about hidden fasteners..
Nathan I'm in my 50s & i bought 2 Bmw this year. I've always had Z28, trans am etc.... I have more enjoyment driving these used BMW's than anything I've ever owned, this would not be possible so thank you for your wisdom & intelligence so i can have this automobile experience. Keep up the great work & have a blessed day. Tks
My bmw 530 broke down. 5 weeks later i fixit my self.. lift the head and more. First time but bmws are really easy too fix When you know how it works👍🏻
I asked one shop to fill my diff and trans said they didn't have the right tools its a 17mm bolt lol.
bmw’s are easy to work on, people are just too lazy, and everything to come easy
It's got the same parts as every other car only just use two or three size wrenches and watch a couple videos
Well said!!
I have an e46 and literally everything makes sense from an engineering standpoint and service standpoint. If you change the thermostat the hoses use o rings so you have to change the hoses too and truth be honest hoses deteriorate and fall apart by the time you need a thermostat anyway 90% of the time. The guys that work in small garages dont get paid enough and dont have enough education so i feel like they dont care, this world is just out technologically advancing todays mechanics its a battle lol
@@patrickstephens9211 Amen on that!
Junk cars ive had 2 i will stay with my chevys way more reliable period......
Nobody but me is touching my mint/one owner 1999 323i with 73k original..😎 Hell no. BMW's are meant for true owners/mechanics who want to think, DO MAINTENANCE and KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING" Other people just whine and want to be lazy.
i said that to but lost my 99 328i mint when it was totalled by another driver, something can always happen to your car, either it being towed/stolen/wrecked/overheats randomly. you never know until you lose it
@@BmwMe-uh9sy I agree and know how that feels and that's any car.
Sorry to hear that lol
@@rokitman5753 Oh I'm sorry, were you saying something lazy?
@Arthur Wall Well your name is "Arthur"... that's pretty darn silly..
I’m going to disagree I get what you are saying but what BMW is doing here is so unnecessary they put all this plastic panels and crap in there just too make it look nice and all it dose is becomes a headache cause now you gotta spend the extra time trying to figure out how it all comes out without breaking anything. Even if you do know it’s still a hassle it’s not necessary. It’s all for looks.
2006 Toyota Avalon. 121,000 miles. Diligent routine maintenance. Only had to buy 1 O2 sensor. Owned car since 2010.
I’m a Toyota fanboy.
I daily an 03 4Runner Limited 4wd with 180k miles, super clean inside and out and well maintained.
My wife has a 14 Avalon, generation with firm suspension.
Had an 01 IS300 until my son wrecked.
All are nice cars to drive “normal” and the IS was kind of sporty.
I ride motorcycles for my “fun” driving/riding.
But my son recently bought an 08 328i w/6spd manual transmission.
Power is adequate, not anything crazy.
But if you like to drive “spirited” on the backroads and such there is hands down no comparison in the way it handles vs the Toyota’s.
It is a completely different driving experience.
That’s what makes them desirable for many.
As far a repairs/maintenance, you have to be willing to do most of it yourself or it isn’t worth it.
But if you are, and if you enjoy really driving then you’ll get a lot more enjoyment out of the driving experience with the BMW.
@@shannoncrawford7212 great explanation thanks!!!
Years ago as a trainee tech I broke a lot of those clips on the ignition coils lol then I learned to stick a screwdriver in the hole, leverage on the cover and gently pull up... pops out with ease
Thanks to the resources available these days I have been able to maintain my 16 year old bmw my self. It requires time and research but it's been a great ride and fun at the same time.
Hoping you read this! My 2007 328i has a strange problem. The left rear door will lock during driving, but when I stop and lock all doors with key fob the left rear door unlocks! It has a new actuator.
This is the reason I watch your videos. I took my car to the dealer and when I got home I noticed the engine cover was cracked.
Bmw dealers are terrible scam artist BMW has nothing to do with those people they just want to rip off bmw owners
you're lucky then !!! I took my Benz to the dealer and they lost the engine cover and one of the tire caps ( ...while saying "give 10 on my survey"... in the end gave me free car detail!)
@@glasser2819 The lost the engine cover? How long was the car at the shop?
Dealerships’ service departments in recent years have started hiring more and more apprentice techs to save money. The true master techs usually play the advisory role to these apprentice techs while they’re doing overall “general” repair/diagnostic work. The master techs only get involved with complex repair jobs. Nowadays, I don’t really trust dealership’s service department as this is all ‘bout making that sale.
Actually ran thanks for this great video about BMWs! I went through a horrendous experience with the dealership out here on Long Island. It would scare you to death to know how much money I spent, in the car I have was only seven months old, it was used but in perfect running condition, Before it got to the dealership. They wrecked it and didn’t own up to it but they gave me expensive options.I most certainly will never ever in life if I can help it go back to the dealership
I‘m thinking about buying an e39 as first car
Nathan doesn‘t recommend getting an e39 when you aren‘t a mechanic, but i want to work on my car
I wanna try
I would work on it
Do you guys recommend buying an e39 in my case
yeah, just don't get the 540i..
@@somewhatdistorted4554 but i have the 540
Although the 540 is the best to drive, don’t get one as a first car
Hi Mike As the owner of e39s I can help a bit.
One bit of advice is to buy a good code tool. Invaluable both in buying and maintaining any car.
No 540i should be considered unless a recent receipt for timing chain guides, etc. are presented.
Coolant system should be recently redone as well for any model. Front end work is a given, no matter how many miles.
Given time, and patience you will get it sorted. After that all is bliss....until you realize the headlight adjusters are fckked.
Electrics? LOL
I could go on, but I'm sure you get my drift. The truth is...
Unless you're familiar with a wrench and a parts book, likely not a great idea.
As the saying goes.. " There's no car more expensive than a cheap BMW!"
Owner of 2.. 1997 Alpina B10 and a 2003 525i Touring
Full disclosure: I just had an epic bill for the Alpina.
Complete replacement of all timing components, new X5 head gaskets, redone valves and heads, new radiator and more.
Cost was 7800 canuck bucks.
Worth every dime....
Any other car I would have done the work myself. The wagon? Yeah, no worries.
This one no.
So true. I got a 2013 e92 330i Msport. Had a head gasket and coils issue and also the eccentric sensor had oil leaked into it. So I called a mechanic and told him my issues, the first thing he ask me was, what kind of car is it? I told him what I had and he started lecturing me and telling me how much he hates working on these type of cars (BMW) cause it's made out of plastic. So I just hung up. Had to take a big lost and went to BMW, but great news. I got a SULEV model. So it was under warranty 10 yrs and 100k that I didnt even know about. So got it fix without paying a dime. Always check to see what warranty are still valid for your car make or model. Its call BreakMyWallet for a reason. Cant afford it, dont buy it unless you do your own DIY. Ive owned a e60 5 series and e92 3 series. In total amount of repair on my 2 cars, I've spent close to 10 grand in 5 yrs. But damn I love these car. Good Luck Bimmers!
I have an SULEV but F30 328i
@@iAlwaysSpeakTheTruth Nice. Check your warranty?
Thanks for the video. I work on a lot of different car and BMW'S are easier to work on than most. They are made to be taking apart. If you take your time and not in a rush.
When these BMW’s run perfect, they are incredible...!
Key word WHEN
Bought an older 328i like Nathan suggested, lookn at what he suggested... great car, a lot! of fun.. Thanks Nathan
Everything you said was dead on! I am by no means a mechanic, but I love BMW’s. I have watched tons of videos to work on my cars, just so I would have less chance of getting taking by the “Stealership or by a crooked mechanic.
Thanks Curtis!
Very much enjoyed this video. I bought my 2003 E39 530 M Sport with no electrics functioning other than ignition. Over the next 14 months I fixed everything on the this car that I love so much almost entirely watching Nathan's channel. To fix the front seat twists I looked else where. Thank you Nathan my respect is immeasurable.
My issue is this, my wife's 2014 BMW always dealer maintained needed numerous sensors, lights, cowl, front suspension, exhaust hangers, and more etc replaced by 80k miles and at 85k miles the timing chain broke grenading the engine, my 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee has 128k miles and I've replaced 1 sensor at $80, a radiator and an AC fan. The bottom still looks clean while the BMW was rusting everywhere despite both being in the same environments. My 2002 E46 M3 is also a nightmare.
Haynes manual never fails.
Bought my first vehicle, a 1992 Jeep Cherokee Laredo.
The Haynes manual got me through a full engine rebuild with little outside knowledge or help.
My second car, a 2011 BMW 328i w/ Xdrive.
Haynes manual has already gotten me through several jobs on my car.
Everyone told me a BMW is a money pit.
I always reply, if you take it to the man to get her fixed they will tack you up with whatever they can. Pretty much the same as any other car.
But.
You do a little research and dive in deep into car. You can basically do anything.
With the right tools of course;)
Your videos rock my friend! I appreciate everything you do mate!
Keep up the excellent video content on BMW maintenance and such.
You help a lot of people out there! I’m sure of it!!
Is this a pro or con video for BMW ???
@03:27 , that's not the original bolt, did you break it or lose the original
Plastic because things are designed to fail so that things don't get worse.
Just spend some time reading the BMW forums and all large cities have good independent BMW repair shops.
Wrenched on an E21, E28, E30, E36 and E39. Be prepared, be patient, and do your research. It's also a good idea to always have a back up vehicle so your not pressured to finish. Every car depending on what your doing to it (Even the seemingly simplest task) can be incredibly frustrating and or rewarding...
Nathans DIY School for BMWS
Ok one question... Where is the right place to get parts? Ive got shops telling me 400.00 bucks a strut for loaded struts on an e39 and let's not get into the it takes 9.2 shop hours to change the front struts and the lower control arms. Im a big truck diesel mechanic I know how to wrench just need to know where to get good reliable parts...
I like bmw it's a challenge for me and there easy to work on when you know how they are assembled
I must have the best e39 540i ever made. I bought it when it was 6 years old. It's a 2001 M sport 6 speed. I just had the chain guides dont at 233K miles. The mechanic said they were not yet broken but were def due. No sludge whatsoever in the engine. I change the oil every 5K with 5w 30 liqui moly, run 92 octane ethanol free gas. I've had alternator, brakes, struts various susp compeonets replaced as needed. On 2nd clutch, 2nd radiator. Never fails to go, never needs to top off oil between changes.
Oh yeah you are bang on. Flew by the seat of my pants for years working on cranes made all over the world. No internet when I started. I’m retired now and am gonna nail down sticking with 1 manufacturer
Hello. I’m from Jamaica. My friend has a 2012 BMW X6. He had problems with the water pump. It kept running after vehicle was shut off. He then realized that the oil level sensor became inactive as well.
So he changed the water pump and oil level sensor and in 2 weeks the same problem occurred again.
Even when he locks and unlock the car door, it triggers the water pump. We’ve been to several mechanics who cannot solve the issue. Please if you can be of any help. If you have any advice of what the solution to our problem is, we’d be really grateful. Looking forward to your reply.
Been a professional auto tech 20+ years, half in European shops. Last shop specialized in bwm I can’t tell you how many came in with new 02 sensors, plugs and coils because it had misfire codes, 02 sensor deviation codes and all it needed was the vacuum cap that fell off the back of intake. Customer didn’t come to us first because they heard we were expensive so they spent 2k some where else but all we charged was 120 for diag and 50 cent rubber cap.
Had a vw Jetta come in that he spent 2000 bucks at 3 shops they did coils, maf, high pressure fuel pump and other sensors. I scan it had a bunch of fuel related codes one being maf sensor so I check maf data which was zero I go look at sensor and the whole housing was installed backwards but still no reading so I check the wiring found the signal wire was dead pull the wire loom and find a broken wire, still no reading so I took the old maf (customer had all old parts in trunk) and bam all good so literally just a broken wire. Was fixed before customers ride came he couldn’t believe it he said but I have to drive it to make sure it’s good and to set monitors right? Nope we have vw scanner I ran system tests every monitor passed. This type of thing happens all the time because technicians don’t understand euro cars all that’s different really it’s just like learning a different language. All you gotta do is read, watch some videos, if you have codes type them in the service information and read what makes the codes set. People talk about how terrible every scanner is for vw/audi but if they did some research like watch some TH-cam videos of people using vcds and then you will find out that you can do so much with a snap on scan tool I’m not saying it’s the best choice I’m just bringing up snap on because most shops have them. The craziest thing to me is how more shops don’t buy a rosstech cable for vcds it’s literally the cheapest professional scan tool around considering it’s like 1,000 bucks for unlimited use and free updates it costs less then 1 year of Snapon updates and u own it for life all u need is a laptop.
The moral of the story if u have a European car go to a shop that works on European cars or the dealer. It gets expensive trying to be cheap.
Thank you Nathan and everyone else for posting how to fix BMWs and any other car out there. . I started wrenching on cars before the internet. Back when the auto parts stores used parts books. They would have ten plus parts catalogs with a metal rod locking them into place and unless you knew the parts counter they wouldn’t even let know who the vender was of any of those catalogs. As far as asking for advice or help they would brush you off and tell you to beat it. If you had a idea or plan for anything custom Like engine swap or up grades they would tell you about their build is the best and only way . One would say small motor big cam thats spins 9000 rpm the next guy would say all motor big block next guy light weight import 4 cylinder turbo etc. they would all say your plan will never work your wasting your time and money. Truth be told even when it does work and work well you still spent a lot of time and money. So when I hear anyone hating on certain car Manufactures and how they only work on such and such it just reminds me of back in the day when I first started off wrenching and that old school way of thinking when people were just staring to understand smogg and those that would say “smogg robs horse power cut the smogg pump belt better yet get rid of the damm thing and all those other stupid smogg parts and egr’s and hoses and f the mufflers put cherry bombs on it . Only to end up with a gutless no idle ,no power off idle to 2,500 rpm burn your eyes out ( this is for you triple OGs in the game) that couldn’t pass anything on the road especially a gas station. Yes I customized that saying I’m a car guy what did you expect. Fast forward to today’s cars making Triple or more the horsepower and reliable Drivability with OBD two engine management running the show. Sometimes I feel like I’m cheating cus I didn’t buy the factory Manual and I’m not paying my dues or earning my car knowledge but that’s caveman thinking and this is the age of information . Again thank you Nathan and all the other you tube posters just a tap don’t like thumping from the good catalog but you guys are Saints in my book. Your being selfless posting free videos that’s helps people by saving their time and money. that’s GODS work excuse me let me get with the times that’s being a good humanitarian /person. Praise the car Gods hallelujah sideways to the next light. Sorry if I offended anybody that was not my intention but now I’m going to speak the truth and state the facts. 86 Z28 Camaro 305 V8 Computer controlled Rochester carbureted 5 speed t-tops. Mommy got me for my 17th b-day. Yes the 305 V8 that made the least amount of horsepower for a V-8 engine ever. Learned to drive the you know what out of it and learned that that car is THE WORST TO WRENCH ON PERIOD. you think I don’t shut up now so I will stop there. With out much help and a little bit from the early internet days my Z twomp later hater earned that with a short block Chevy 400 , worked world 202 heads, comp cams matching the factory ECU that was JET chipped , SLP 1inch 3/4 headers , copy of the factory duel catalytic converter setup to a 3 an 1/2 inch exhaust pipe into a Mufflex two chamber big block flow master race muffler ( that flow master looked down right sexy with that 4inch sewer pipe tip cut under the rear bumper ground skirt, And You can miss me with the “ you put a Chevy SB 400 that has no water jackets but steam holes with siamese exhaust ports on a block that’s over bored to start in a bottom breather Camaro notorious for overheating and eating fan relay switches like candy. Your guaranteed to start with or soon after startup a warped block with Instant overheating problems. Very true but I bought a Remanufactured short block that came with a 6 month x amount of mileage(It was 20 some years ago I can’t remember now) enough to know if the block was solid or return it till I got one that was. I figured an Edelbrock high flow water pump working with a 4row/core be cool aluminum radiator with summit duel Electric fans. Rewired The engine bay wire harness with lower gauge wire shorter wire runs and Bosch fan relay switches would Prevent any unnecessary overheating. The only Overheating problem my head was after running on the freeway for a while it’s slowly started getting hot found out that I needed a bottle radiator hose with a spiral wire inside it to keep it from collapsing under the high flow from the Edelbrock water pump. Higher amp alternator with again lower gauge wire for the big three to handle an MSD 6A multi spark ignition MSD HEI Distributor with remote coil. A JL 1200 watt amp to push Two JL WS3 12inch subs. Six speed transmission out of a fourth generation Camaro Energy suspension poly graphite bushings KYB shocks ebac 1 inch lowering springs. Bear racing Corvette conversion four wheel disc brakes 12 inch front 11 inch rear for third generation F-body. Shortly after high school I got mommies 95 325 BMW as my daily driver after I helped her pick out her new car at the time a 2000 E39 528i which I own today and is
still on the road to again thank you Nathan and all the other you tubers. And thank you to anybody that gives me a negative comment or positive comment I appreciate you reading My car enthusiast soap opera
Thanks for the honesty. I have a 528i and it doesn’t look a whole lot different under the hood than my 4-runner and Accord. The people that talk trash about BMW are the ones that can’t afford them, aren’t DIYers, and take their Corolla to the dealership for an oil change and air in the tires.
hi, I have active steering failure and dct. code that i got is 614a motor position angle: not initialized. is this steering wheel angle sensor that is on the steering wheel. I tryed to reset my active steering but it fails to do it. scanner that i used is autocom it is for all brand and not bmw inpa.
Mechanics have always been happy to take my BMW to the shop becase they just want to replace something and love that i have to come back because it wasn’t fixed. Recently i found a shop that actually cares about my car and has BMW speciality. But i need to start doing everything myself that i’m able to. Thank you so much for these videos.
Hey dude i have a m60b30 and im having overheating problems is not that much but is obviously not in the middle of the coolant gauge, i have no coolant leaks anywhere and the m60 engine self bleeds so i have no idea what to look for
This is why I work on my own car. Mechanic will try to charge you for sumthing you can’t fix, and overcharge you because you don’t do research.
I have a 2008 BMW X5 4.8i. Cylinder 2 keeps misfiring. Good compression, new spark plugs and coil packs, new accentric shaft sensors but still misfires. When I unplug the accentric shaft sensor, the vehicle runs smooth and no misfire codes come up. Anyone have the same problem?
I'm currently trying to find out why my 06 325i is misfiring on cylinder 5...any ideas? Already changed all my sparkplugs
There are quite a few bimmers that "might have a blown head gasket" that are in fact just in need of a radiator replacement.
The workshop should have a "workshop manual", all the order of dissasembly, bolt placement and special tools needed is in there.
My bmw 335i 2008 show check engine light, and show me the fault is P0113, P2091,P0238 i will go to smog check shop , guys told me you remove the check engine light then i check the smog test
I would never thought I’d be a BMW owner, but I’ve owned a E46 and currently E39 and if it’s wasn’t for the resources or experience, I wouldn’t own them. Cars ain’t too bad,maintenance and care goes a long way!
were is the ignition cut circuit on a 4.6L 1994 ford Thunderbird... tracking it, doesn't want to go over 110 because of the ignition/transmission speed interrupter do dad! could just cut the sensor wire on the transmission... but that is too dam cheep.
This video reminds of an experience I had. Many years ago when I knew nothing about working on cars I took my old BMW E30 325es to a euro specialist shop. As I'm talking to the mechanic assigned to my car he admits that he hates working on foreign cars, which pissed me off that this shop would hire somebody like that. Fast forward a few days when I'm driving down the highway and the water pump shaft breaks causing the fan to destroy my radiator. It's because this mechanic probably didn't have the proper wrench to remove the fan clutch assembly and appeared to have used a hammer and chisel to beat the nut off, which fubared the shaft bearing. Hopefully somebody knows what I'm describing. I wish I could remember why I'd brought my car there in the first place, but let's just say that it was then I realized that owning a BMW was going to be difficult. I was such an ignorant kid... It took me forever to learn how to work on my cars, but now I pretty much do everything. That shop eventually went out of business.
If shaft is so pathetic you cannot even even tap fan off recon pump failed and wrecked its self but lot of modern stuff is getting increasingly delicate
I’ve been to a local mechanic that is known to specialize only in BMW, but they are still reckless with sloppy repairs despite charging more than the non-specialized mechanics.
Is that a corn popper on top the heater?
That is my carpet shampooer
Hi Nathan love your videos can you advise me I'm looking to buy my first BMW 528 it's a automatic saloon year 2000 is there anything I should look for Danny I'm from the UK Liverpool
Hi. I work on mine and I absolutely hate it. To the point that I hope bmw goes out of business and never comes back. Thing is. I hate them for absolutely none of the listed reasons here. This video is ridiculous. Why can’t I replace a tps sensor without replacing the *entire throttle body* for 600 bucks. why would you make that captive. Why can’t I replace the egr actuator without having to replace the entire egr cooling assembly. How come the seals in the transmission need to be replaced by 100k miles. Parts prices are ridiculous. Failure rates are high. The simple fact is that the only people who will continue to buy these things are the fan boys. And the company can’t survive on the fan boys. My x5 taught me how to hate. And never mind the repugnant snobby dealership experience. Bmw is doomed and I am surprised they even still exist. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, my 1995 Toyota has only ever needed a clutch master cylinder. Sans the basics like oil changes and tune ups. Bmw cannot compete anymore and I look forward to watching them enter bankruptcy.
hold on one sec... where do you get a $100 valve cover for an N52?
God Forbid Nathan ! LOL I have been a GM slash ford kinda Guy all my life ,then i drove an e46 325 CI and Now an M3 06 ! Just a learning curve and i need a Lift Next ! All Good. Happy New Year !!!
Thank you Nathan. Don’t stop making these videos EVER!!!! Who’s the Man?
*I've got a 2011 BMW 335i E90 LCI (N55 engine) with the notorious dead water pump, AND power steering pump. My question is..should I got w/aftermarket or 'genuine' OEM BMW parts? Also, can you point me in the right direction for the lowest prices on these parts? Thanks! New Sub here BTW.*
I am happy that my mechanic is not just a great BMW specialist but also an extremely honest guy. Because otherwise I would have to rely on the greedy dealerships.
Had an 09 328 same color. I don't know the code name, i find it irritating that people give codes when its like 3 extra letters to say what you have. Anyway, I hated the torx heads on the air filters, the no dipstick and the general over engineering of it. I also had a 2006 Magnum RT and had to sell one or the other. It was a no brainer. They both have similar reliability, but the BMW was 3 times as much to fix. I still have the Magnum and its been cheap to maintain. Hemi has better power than the old straight six. Only thing I miss is the interior of the BMW.
Did you ever pull those camshafts apart?
I'm similar like you, own E90, 330i, fix my own stuff.
Just recently replaced all the seals on top of the engine.
The only thing that bothers me is those fricking hydraulic lifters.
There's one that keeps clunking all the time untill the car warms up.
I looked at those camshafts and besides special alignment tool for timing and camshafts, someone said you need another tool to align those camshaft ledges.
If that's the case, don't wanna touch it.
hydraulic lifters get clunky because you drive it short distances, and could be that the oil needs changing, maybe the car has sat for couple of days without driving it. You can get rid of that noise by : start the car, let it warm up, hold it at 3,500 revs for 5 minutes, let it idle for a while till the cool fan goes of, shut the car off, let the car cool down for couple hours, start it again. The lifters should be silent now. I got this tip, and it worked on my N52 E60 engine, wich is familiar to the E90 engines.
@@lexburen5932 you're right.
I drive the car to work 10min.
I tried this "bleeding" procedure many times.
It works for that moment.
Leaving the car and starting it the next day lifter (it's usually just one) start rattling like a broken diesel.
Never understood not going to the dealership..expensive, but warrantied work and people trained by the manufacturer hopefully.
I have e39 I got issure wind getting into the cab I would love to know how it's getting in.
Love your work..
I've kept my e46 going for 185K miles working on it myself. It is easy to work on. I want to replace it.. I'm not sure I want the F30 .. darn N20 looks like a beast to work on and with the valve chain problem... it scares me
When will your storefront be back up? Wanting to price out ISTA-D/P software.
DH Johnson you can purchase it from me direct sir we took it off the store as it was not allowed to be sold via that source
Here's what I like about BMW. There's a video on how to do everything and if you got a 12dollar K+DCAN you can find all the codes. Also what I noticed is that BMWs have tight tolerances for DME values, so it's quick to show lights, even if it's not that bad. Also parts in Europe are not that expensive.
What I don't like is that for some jobs special tools are needed.
Your videos have helped me so much with my 99 e46 328 2door. I have a question it usually sounds like a jet on a cold starts and warms up in 5 minutes driving. I changed my intake boots and unplugged all connectors and cleaned them with wd just for fun. From that point on when I start it cold it sounds and revs as if its already warm and doesnt run rough, also warms up verry slowly. So I tried restarting it 20 seconds after the first cold start and only then it runs like a jet and warms up normally. Could this be related to thermostat? I also errors "123 activate grid-controlled unit" 5 times
Thanks for another video, spot on with your comments, I've tried to get anyone to do a head gasket on my wife's X5, due to being BMW and having LPG on it I ended up doing it myself, with great help from you and people like you - as you can imagine (and I am probably as lucky as you are, by the sound of it...) four head bolts stripped the threads (I have checked torque after removal) in the bloc, so ended up rethreading all of them just in case (thanks to your video), instead of time serts I've used longer heli coils, but done it all and it's going for over six months now. Now it's cutting out on stopping and turning, so either cam sensor on the intake or throttle body, but it only does so on LPG, when on petrol it drops revs but never cuts out. But that's me and never ending story of a BMW that had half of the engine replaced 'whilst I was at it'... Thanks!
my 2004 330ci would break once a month, i still regret selling it. they skyrocketed in price recently
Where do yu buy your bmw parts Nathan.
Thank you!! For clearing that up! They are really not bad cars. Patience is the key when working on them. My daughter owns a 325i better half owns a 330ci and I own an m3. Yes I’ve put quite the wrench time in all of them including rod bearing in the m3 (s65 engine). The pay off is well worth it. I’ve appreciated several of your videos you posted, helped me out a ton! Idk everything but having someone else’s point of view at times makes a big difference! Just wanted to give you a shout out and say many thanks Nathan on the vids. Keep posting them.👍
The best channel on YT hands down. You bring the joy of driving such cars down to normal people. If we had to rely solely on ourselves or workshops, we could all easily go bankrupt maintaining them.
how can something that takes 10 seconds cost $20'000.00!... took it down the drag strip... had the factory brake in oil running in it for the last 35'000 miles... so the timing chain gave out at 8500rpm going out of second and into third at 75mph.
Thank you !!!! finally someone who understands !!!!
As an owner of a Toyota 2010 Highlander, 2011 Rav4, and a 2015 BMW 328i, I will say alot of these reasons will soon affect Toyota (Honda, etc.) owners. Why, going by reasons cited in this video: 1. Plastics, they all have them, but as Toyota switches to more forced (Turbo) induction and use of plastics in the coolant systems, these growing pains will affect them. Heat plus pressure on plastic will cause issues after 5 years. For my 328, I replaced all plastic induction and cooling with aftermarket metal - no issues so far (knock on wood.) 2. Poor design, see reason 1, as you add all this stuff plus CVTs Toyotas and Hondas will (and have had) issues. 3. Expensive tools, atleast with my 328i I have been able to play with Boot Mod3 and BimmerCode. But yes, a BMW mechanic needs to buy expensive software to service more modern versions. Same with all makes as they swtich to all electric, autonomous driving etc. I suspect self servicing will become close to impossible. Last thing, I use to own a 2002 E39 540i. Yes, lots of little issues, mostly with O2 and Cam Shaft sensors (not the actual part.) For an 18 year old car it was still pretty solid, more than any Toyota or domestic car I ever owned (usually got rid of at 10 years.) The PROBLEM with BMW, especially dealer repair, is the gouging. Those waiting room sandwhiches and drinks don't pay for themselves. LOL Find an ex-BMW mechanic who's setup their own shop and you're in business (or wrench yourself.)
I feel your pain waiting on parts. I order 12/7 coil packs plus spark plugs. Expected delivery 1/2 but now 1/16-20 is expected delivery. I wad told 12/17 that the in stock items were not source. The child and plug kit went on sale NY the 17th and I hope the read my email and either give sale price difference as store credit or 2day ship it. $30 or so should cover faster shipping. I can dream
I ordered from the same place 12/5 and received 12/8.
Car for sale, Engine knock and stop driving it. For sale posting. Removed oil pan and tighten down a bolt.
A kit for the head up on the n54 was $120 over the Xmas sales
I have a 2014 328d drive. 45mpg highway and have had performed only preventive maintenance thru 62k miles. Absolutely love this car. These are PERFORMANCE vehicles and are not meant for people who do not have the means to maintain them.
I agreed with everything you said.
People think Toyota/Lexus are easy to work on but that’s not the case most of time. Toyota/Lexus V8s aren’t that easy to work on. Of course it’s easy if you know what you’re doing.
My 07 328i in a nutshell. It's like Nathan was there as it happened! (minus the dealer part) great video. Wrench on your own cars guys! Can't trust anyone else to fix them properly!
Thank you for being on TH-cam
I definitely pull a Nathan and fix it myself. I paid a whopping $2500 for my e38. I don't pay people to do shit to it. It's actually not as bad as all that. Way easier to work on than you'd think. Entire suspension was shot (I replaced it all) admittedly the rear struts are a bitch. Gotta take the back seat, parcel shelf, seatbelts, C-pillars and all that crap out of the way. It sucked, but I told myself "I only paid $2500 for this car, and I'll be damned if I pay any more than a couple hundred bucks in Chinese suspension parts to fix all these clunks."
I’m 27 and currently own three BMWs and let me tell you, I wouldn’t wanna have it any other way. E46 m3, e46 330ci and e90 335i, and I own all three because I thought myself how to work on them and you can too.
I’ve been working on bmws for 7 years now and all the knowledge I have learned , I learned it from TH-cam, google, and many other BMW forums out there, they are not hard to work on,
Take your time doing the job, never rush,
I just replaced alternator and battery in my e90 total in parts was 500 but I did the labor, and only took me two hours, bmw wanted 1300+, no thanks.
As long as you have the right tools and take your time, youll be good, remember it’s always best to do your own work then take in to a shop .
I have a huge knowledge of how to repair and properly diagnose bmws all thanks to the internet, it’s there for you too, take advantage of it, it’s free. BMWs are the best handling cars on the roads hands down and the some of the best looking with some of the best engines and performance. If you really wanna learn, you can.
I own a 2001 325i wagon and a 1993 325i. The only person who touches my bmws are me and my bro Andrew he has owned and rebuilt every bmw you can name. Literally if it was sold or imported into America he’s worked on it.
Lol when I worked at BMW in 04 ALL new tech advisories came in Deutsch FIRST on the compooter. Being that I read German (about every 2nd to 3rd word) I had to translate and this is when the almighty 7 series phone was dialing 911 automatically! Fun times!