TheDonEffect

What I meant was people who tend to be more thrifty are less tolerant of the constant surprise repair bill.

TheDonEffect

Lol so essentially if you're willing to forgive the fact that it's a poorly designed car because the parts will fail sooner and cost more in time or money to replace, then yes this car is great for you. Because BMW bruh.

white98ls

I love certain BMWs, and continue to own/consider them, but parts failing sooner is definitely real. The thermostat in my M3 just failed at 58k. The thermo in my E39 M5 failed at around 85-90k. Each time is like a $1k job because you have to remove the entire intake system (which means 8 individual intake trumpets on both of these cars due to ITBs) to get to it, although I did the M5's myself (took 4-5hrs, it's a really tight fit in there) and this time with the M3 I have a warranty.

But it's stuff like this that is pretty annoying. A thermostat is incredibly simple and has been around for ages, yet BMW consistently cannot figure out how to make one last longer than a few years, while somehow you never think twice about it on much cheaper cars.

Oh, and at the same time, the dealer has to address the third recall I've had in the 2.5 years I've owned the car. This time it's for blower motor wiring that could start a fire even when the car is off.

I'm not saying don't get one - just be prepared.

dv55xc

it's looking like I might have to pick another car altogether. Sad thing is there's nothing really interesting out on the market at the moment. I'll still keep researching and I might be having around some BMW owners soon to get better insight.

If things don't work out, my plan B is to either purchase or lease a new civic si and be done with it. We'll see

white98ls

From what you've said before, you're not someone I would try to scare away from a BMW. It sounds like you're willing to do some work, so you should be fine. For the record, it sounds like your mechanical ability is slightly higher than mine, and I did almost everything on my M5 except for clutch. My E90 M3 has had an issue here and there, but has been far less needy than the M5. It's a little younger, but driven more.

dv55xc

I've been told by the guys on the BMW forums that the M cars are the ones to avoid if you want reliability. It's funny because I've always liked the e92 m3 and saw that the prices were pretty decent right now. I wonder if the e46 would also fall into that unreliable category as well. Either way I don't think an M car would be a good daily for me right now. Im just starting on this BMW journey and I don't want to be scared away. Although, some people here are doing a pretty good job at it lol

A few of the BMW guys were also telling me about a shop in Fullerton called Speed Logic. This shop specializes in BMW's and more importantly; they specialize in the N54/55 platforms. Prices seem pretty reasonable there too given how labor intensive the repairs on these cars are. This shop kind of reminds me of evasive and (dare I say it) ballade merged into one. It's not the cost that scares me, it's the frequency of things going bad that worries me a little.

white98ls

It seems as though all of the N/A M cars have potential rod bearing issues. I feel the odds are fairly low that you'll experience a failure, but if you want piece of mind you can get a warranty (what I did) or have them replaced for about $2k (what I plan to do if I keep it when the warranty is up in 2021). But you also don't have any turbo/fuel pump issues associated with the N54/55. In general, my sense is the E9x M3 has fewer problems and less maintenance than the E46 M3, in addition to being a newer car.

I'd say overall, reliability is similar between M and non-M, but M parts are about 2x as expensive as normal BMW parts. For instance, a set of rotors for mine are $1,100 due to being massive and drilled, vs. $500 for the 335i. Also, the newer N/A M cars get horrendous mpg. I average about 15mpg, although my short commute (7mi each way) doesn't help.

M cars are awesome, and I don't regret mine, but despite using mine as a DD, I agree it might be overkill and a 335i would probably make you nearly as happy - it does have more torque and tuneability.

TheDonEffect

And in most cars, if you do need a thermostat, they're usually pretty simple, albeit messy, to replace. I always find it funny on bimmers where a sensor would go out, and you go whew just a sensor, and then you realize it's buried and requires a ton of labor to get to it. BMW fans will say if you know how to work on them, it's fun or whatever. BS, granted I appreciate that BMWs generally don't require just the right amount of thump to get things loose like working on domestic cars as things on german cars if you know to disassemble it come apart and together rather easily, the problem is that it may be an easier task, but there's countless tasks to do. And theyre seriously not any faster, or really any more fun to drive, than most domestic pony cars especially when you consider that BMWs don't age that well. Keep in mind they benefit from relatively easy lifestyles, garaged, driven to a work garage, maintained by dealers, etc. But take a BMW that's been parked outside its whole life and heaven forbid you're lax on the maintenance schedule, those things fall apart fast.

hirev

i am going to make a case for why an m car is a better car than a bmw that you trick out to be like an m car that costs way less to buy.
you need to find what you want to trick out,, buy it, install it and hope you have matched things up well.
with an m you buy what bmw intended with few exceptions.

my m3, a 2016, compared to the top of the line 2013 335i m sport model.

the suspension, extra on the stock car how much?
the fenders, size and material and the hood, extra cash to match?
the drivetrain, allot extra to trick out to get another real say 100 plus hp?
the interior, how much to get those carbon fiber bits and better seats and all the bells and whistles that are standard on the m car?
the top/body material?
the ride and drive qualities?meet or exceed without being to harsh for the road yet take it to the track every day you want?
wheels, tires, brakes, etc?
aero stuff?
exaust?

i can go on...but take a high end 3 or 4 series, now what? they sell for about 57kish, then take the comparable m with no comp pack or carbon brakes, maybe 70k

another 13k new?maybe 20 k in some cases but you match aftermarket with stock offerings in this comparo

but used...go price a 335i or whatever number whatever year with an m car...used

now parts...yes m maintenance is more, and because it is a real track car you can daily it costs more

with the v8 there is cam timing gears and rod bearings...maybe 2k in upgrades you may need, otherwise you get a generously special car for not much more cash than tricking out /sorting out a nice bmw from stock to match or exceed


and, and the m car has a ton of research behind it's design as state of the art at the time..and when you sell it you have a high tricked out person car with allot of aftermarket stuff you may not like vs. a from the factory stock super car....no need to molest much.

bottom line, go drive a used m3 and see if you know what i am suggesting????

riceball777