In my previous video I took the engine out of my BMW 335i e92 and before I take it apart, I wanted to point out some of the issues and see what kind of shape the engine is after 85000 miles in midwest. This video isn’t supposed to be in depth or anything like that, but I just wanted to highlight a few common problems on the N55 and issues specific to this engine.
Category: BMWs
How To Remove BMW N55 Engine from BMW 335i
Hey Guys and welcome back to another video and this is a long one! In this video I will be removing the BMW N55 engine out of my BMW 335i e92 coupe. I recommend checking out my previous videos on this car as they explain a lot of what is going on and why I’m removing the engine. I do skip over some of the parts, but most of the big stuff is included. I hope you enjoy and give this video a like!
As I’m not a BMW mechanic and I do this just for fun, so I ran into a few issues along the way. Some of these really were easy to solve, but required tools I didn’t have and some required some thinking even when I did have the right tools. I’ve learned a lot along the way and I think this is one of the best ways to get very familiar with your project car.
I started this project with some safety in mind as I’d be crawling underneath the car, so the very first thing I did was disconnect the battery that way I don’t chance it with the ECU, catch something on fire or short something out in general. After putting the cars on jack stands, I got busy with removing the interior air filter and both lower and upper section of housing that hold it in place. I then removed the trailing links with just a couple of bolts and proceeded to remove the intake filter housing, the cowl panel cover and the clean air pipe. Once all of these items were removed, I had easy access to the intake manifold that’s held in by 7 nuts and a screw. Before I pulled it out, I made sure to unplug all of the connectors on the ECU and move the wires out of the way. Then it just pulls out. Don’t forget to disconnect the vacuum line at the bottom as well so it doesn’t break on you! The car has been treating me nicely thus far and I was excited to keep wrenching. I had music playing in the background and it was just me and the car.
My next mission was to drain it of as many liquids as possible. I drained the oil off camera and got to work on the coolant system. To get better access, I removed the fan cowl with just one bolt and go to draining the coolant from the bottom hose and once it was all drained, I took the expansion tank off as well. As I kept removing parts from the engine, I would disconnect and remove coolant lines along the way.
So far it has been basic mechanical wrenching and I’ve been enjoying it with no problems in sight!
Now that I have had plenty of space, I removed the serpentine belt which allowed me to remove the alternator as well as loosen the AC compressor. At the same time I removed the oil pipes making sure to catch any access oil spills.
At this point things have still been going pretty smooth, so I decided to tackle one of the harder parts of the engine removal. The removal of the axles or the output shafts, if your car is rear wheel drive, consider yourself lucky since you won’t have to deal with this royal pain in the butt! Now, undoing the bolts on track rod end, the wishbone, the trailing link and the anti-roll bar was a piece of cake compared to trying to take knock out the shaft out of the differential. Don’t be like me and try to follow BMW’s recommendation and just use a screw driver like I do here to pop them out. It’s definitely worth the cost of a seal.
Next I decided to tackle the removal of the catalytic converter. It looked very easy in the manual, so I figured it’d be out in an hour or so. At surprise to no one, I ran into some issues. The biggest issues I had here was that I could not separate the exhaust from the catalytic converter. I tried taking the bolts off with a socket, with some heat and plenty of WD-20, but at the end I had to cut them off with a grinder and break off the ones I couldn’t reach using an air hammer gun to separate the two pieces. I’m glad I’m not an exhaust guy in Midwest. What a nightmare that was. I then spent the next 20 minutes getting to the bolts on the engine support arm and the engine mount was out with the support arm. I was in the clear! Or so I thought. After removing the clamp, the cat was supposed to just come out.. but it never did. I eventually game up on it and removed the engine leaving it in place.
With all that extra space around the transmissions I was able to take the rest of the bolts out holding it to the engine. I can’t say they were easy, but using the CV joint extension and the short sockets. I was able to get all of them out in no time at all. I thought the engine is now ready to be separated from the transmission… but WAIT THERE WAS MORE!
After struggling for a bit, I had to do some research and I found out that since this is an automatic, the torque converter would be too large to come out with the transmission EVEN if it did separate which mine just wouldn’t. I decided to remove the 6 converter bolts and while I was under the car removing the bolts, I saw that propeller shaft was still attached to the differential, so I removed the 4 bolts and dropped the shaft down. Glad I caught that one before too much damage was done!
I then used a pry-bar to put some tension between the engine and the bell-housing hoping it would make it easier to separate. Nothing was stopping me now! I was on a mission!
Why You Should Buy A BMW 335i E92
Hey guys and welcome to my new car! In this video I want to introduce you to my new project and explain why I bought a BMW 335 Coupe M-Sport e92. Oh yeah and it’s VERY BROKEN.
Affordable:
I have been looking for a winter project for a while now and it came to my surprise when I saw how affordable these coupes have gotten. If you want an inexpensive, well equipped and fast car, you can’t go wrong with a 2 door BMW like this. For the money, you cannot find another platform that offers so much power, luxury, sportiness and still relevant in the modern world. Even though it’s getting harder, you can still find a nice stock car that hasn’t been messed with too much. In most cases the stock cars are a lot more reliable and were driven not as harshly. I wouldn’t recommend waiting much longer as these are getting more and more affordable and bought by the younger crowd who will mod, crash and have a time of their lives in these cars, but that also means the price on a nice, sorted one will just go up like it did on the e36 and the e48 platforms. With the very nice leather interiors, great sound systems and lots of power, the time to buy is now.
Future Classic:
In my opinion, this car will become a feature classic. The e92 platform is almost 15 years old, but it does not feel like a 15-year-old car at all. It still looks modern and stylish even without any modifications while having the classic proportions and styling. It’s simple but elegant and you will turn around and look at it – smiling – each time you walk away. You will be surprised how many compliments you will get in this beautiful car. It’s also the all-around driving machine, with nimble handling, sport suspension and that amazing weighted hydraulic steering that gives you that famous BMW Ultimate Driving Experience. Take one for a drive, experience it yourself and you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about. The timeless design with normal sized kidney grills, luxurious interior, great driving characteristics and partially still a machine rather than a computer, owning one never gets old or boring.
Tunable:
The N55 engine in this car is pretty much a German 2JZ, so it’s easy to get lots of power out of them. Since this engine is so common on many BMWs and so popular with enthusiasts, the choices for modifications are endless and affordable. Just checking a couple websites, you will see 5 or more different options for intercoolers, mufflers, downpipes, charge pipes and other common mods. If you compare this to my BMW Z4, there are 2 options available for a muffler and both are at least twice as expensive as on the 335. These engines are still very relevant and used on many modern BMWs so they have great support from the aftermarket manufacturer, but also have been around long enough to have a great community built around them. With many Youtube do-it-yourself videos, forum discussions with technical know-hows and Facebook groups with fitment confirmations, finding help on fixing pretty much any problem or modifying your car any way you want is easier than ever.
To accompany the physical mods, there are tons of tunes available for these cars and of course the more companies compete in this space the better the prices. You can get a downpipe from one company, intake from another and your tune from another still and all of it will most likely work pretty well together in the end. You can reach almost any horsepower you like starting at simple tunes getting you extra 30-40 horsepower to 450 or more horsepower with a few bolt-ons and higher-octane fuel.
I HAD ONE:
The last and most important reason for me is that I’ve had one of these in the past! I loved BMWs since I was a little kid and remember seeing an orange e93 parked by the park, it became my dream car. Then about 9 years ago, I looked into BMWs after owning a few very boring cars and as an adult I got into one and drove it for the first time, I was hooked. I never worked on or owned a BMW car before that and it being my first, I learned so much about cars, what it is to drive and to own and take care of a beast like this. I sold the car after owning it for 4 years and regretted it ever since. I love coupes with a little bit of attitude and this one checks all the boxes.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, there are many reasons to buy a BMW 335 coupe of this generation, but there are also a few major reasons why you can get a $60,000 car for a fraction of the original price. These cars do require a lot of maintenance once they get older and can be hit or miss as far as reliability goes so resale isn’t great after a few years. If you’re getting one of these, you better be an enthusiast, love working on cars and know how to keep up with maintenance before and especially after you tune it. Luckily there are tons of good YouTube channels working on these cars, so don’t forget to subscribe and follow this rebuild/build project. If you are willing to put up with all of this, you can turn this platform into a MONSTER which you won’t be able to let go.
Now I’m sure you’re wondering why am I not driving this car and that’s because it’s hiding, not so well (better wording needed), a HUGE issue. As you can see it has relieved itself from all of the oil and it sounds something like this. I’ve very excited to start working on this beast and bring you along with me! Check out my next video to see EVERYTHING that’s wrong with this car and what I plan on doing about it!
How to Inspect a USED BMW
A lot of people have been asking me in the comments what to check when buying a BMW. Of course, it’s different depending on the car, model, age, mileage and price, but here is my overview. If you are looking for specific issues on BMW Z4 or the 5 series, check out the links in the description. In this article I will go over the common items you want to check or do before purchasing a used BMW.
Of course, these don’t have to be a deal breaker, but they will give you negotiating power and allow you to make an educated decision on your purchase; not to mention, show the seller you know what you are talking about.
Leave your recommendations on what you check before buying a BMW in the comments below so that we can have an awesome, community-built resource for everyone.
Before Driving the car
Service Record:
- Before you even see or drive the car, ask for an entire service record, from beginning to the end. At the very least the car should have had oil changes every 5-8k miles. The rest depends on mileage. Ask the owner to tell you more about his or her ownership over the years and why they are selling the car. This will let you gauge how well the car has been cared for.
- You also want to see if the car was in an accident and what kind of damage was done to the car. If it was in an accident, ask who repaired it and if you can see photos of the damage before the fix. It’s also important to know how long ago the repair was done. I’d feel a lot more comfortable seeing 20-30k miles of usages after the accident, since obviously the car has been driving since. Accidents are not deal breakers and can actually be a great deal if properly taken care of.
- I also recommend getting a CarFax as it will confirm or deny what the seller is telling you and you will also see the maintenance records that all previous owners have done. Personally, I don’t care how many owners the car has had, but you will be able to see that information here as well.
Car Overview:
- If everything checks out, next you’d want to do a quick overview of the car. This may be obvious, but a lot of people skip this step and miss simple things like balding tires, cracked glass or lights and much more.
- Check the interior, it should have appropriate wear for the mileage. If the seats have heavy wear but the car only has 50k miles, something doesn’t add up or the car has been beat on hard. Check to make sure all of the electronics such as iDrive, backup camera, sunroof etc are working correctly.
- If it has run-flats, check the wheels for cracks, and if it’s an X-Drive, back up and crank the wheel either direction, if it makes noise, the front drive shafts are most likely going out. While you have the wheels turned all the way, check the CV joints at the same time. If the car has air ride suspension, check for leaking air bags. The easiest way to tell is if the car is leaning when parked.
- If you are looking at a high mileage manual car, take it to have the clutch looked at. You can’t feel a SAC (self-adjusting clutch) going bad until the death-rattle right before it gives out.
- By the time you are ready to buy one, you should have driven a few similar cars to get a feel for it and how it should be driving and responding to input from the driver. The engine should be running strong and transmission shifting without hesitation.
- Ask the seller if you could drive the car cold and after covering the basics, take it on a drive and get on the highway. Then check for diagnostic codes with a good BMW Scanner, to be sure they didn’t just clear any codes before you arrived. There shouldn’t be any lights on the dash and no major codes.
Under the Hood
- Before you take it on a drive, thought, take a look under the hood to see the condition of the car, does it look like someone has been taking care of this car? You can tell how much the person cares about their car by seeing if the fluids are topped off and are the correct-clear color, are there a bunch of leaves and grime everywhere? This is also a good time to notice if there is any poor workmanship. If you can see simple things done incorrectly, how many more are there that you cannot see?
- Now let’s look at some more specific items under the hood. BMWs are famous for their oil leaks, so it’s a good idea to check for signs of oil leaks or spotting on aluminum parts, this would indicate that someone may have wiped off the oil recently. Also, don’t bother checking under the car as you won’t see much, BMWs have a plastic cover under the engine.
- The most common oil leaks on a BMW engines occur around the oil filter housing gasket and the valve cover gasket. Depending on the engine, it can be very easy to spot (Show n20) like on the 4 cylinders as it’s right up top or a little harder on the V8s (show N63).
- If you spot an oil leak, try to see if it’s an active leak or is it covered in dust and stuff is built up on it. An oil leak is not necessarily a sign of poor maintenance unless the leak has been there for a significant period of time and never fixed.
- Check to ensure the oil pan gasket is not leaking, this one may be a little harder, but you can lower your phone into the engine bay to take a closer look. Valve cover and oil filter leaks are DIY friendly if you are mechanically inclined, but the oil pan gasket is a lot more difficult without a good set of tools.
- Lastly, check the oil itself, most BMWs don’t have a dip stick, but you can open the oil fill hole and make sure there is no water, coolant or milky residue mixed with oil.
- Next we want to check the coolant system. The bottle should be filled to the correct level and be the right BLUE color. You also want to check all the coolant hoses that you see for leaks and any signs of coolant.
- At the same time, look for any broken vacuum lines and anything new or that looks out of the ordinary, like a repaired line that wasn’t replaced, it may need to be replaced in the future.
- If the engine mounts are visible, take a close look to make sure there are no cracks.
- Lastly, look for potential front end damaged, is it missing any air ducting or plastic pieces? Have the bolts been taken off for the front support and is there any overspray? Are the stickers missing or have paint on them? Other than the obvious crumbled metal, these are all good indicators that work has been done to the front end.
Vehicle Specific Checks:
As I’ve mentioned in the beginning of the video, you have to do research on the specific vehicle and find the common failure points and problems to expect. I have done the research for the vehicles I own, so check those out if you’re interested.
As an example: The N20 engine on the Z4 has timing chain issues, so check if that work has been done or the chain has been checked. And speaking of the convertible, check that the roof functions properly. There should be no squeaks or rattles when in operation.
If we take a look at the 5 series, you have to check if the CCP (customer care package) is done on pre-2014 models. It’s a major service that fixed many issues on early cars. Also, has the car had the timing chain, valve seals or engine replaced? These jobs are not uncommon on these cars and this information is very good to know before you see the car, that way you can see if it was already repaired or something to budget for.
Get Professional inspection done:
- The last check you can do before taking it for a ride is to get on the ground and look underneath for signs of damage. Once you’re satisfied, take it to a Euro Indy shop for a professional pre-purchase inspection. Even after checking everything I have mentioned, it’ll be the best $100-$150 you’ll spend when buying a used BMW. Short of doing a compression test you’ll want to know every little thing about every system in the car and professional mechanic can do that for you. If there are too many negatives, move on or calculate into the price. Unless you are willing to do some work yourself, the cost of repairs could easily dwarf the cheap price of the vehicle. Sometimes its best to spend a couple hundred dollars and have either peace of mind or save yourself from unexpected thousands.
And lastly, don’t forget that you are buying a BMW, check your wallet and credit card balances. Make sure there’s enough there for repairs and maintenance.
How to remove SDARS Antenna on BMW Z4 E89
Remove warning triangle (1).
Release screws underneath.
Lift out expanding rivets (2).
US version only:
Pass emergency release (3) through rear lid trim (4).
Remove rear lid trim (4).
Unscrew nuts (1).
Unfasten plug connection (2) and disconnect.
Raise and unclip additional brake light (1)
Remove additional brake light (1).
Release nut (1) on underside of rear lid.
Unfasten aerial plug (2) and disconnect.
Lever SDARS aerial (1) upwards out of rear lid.
Ancel BM700 BMW Scanner Review
Today we are taking a look at a code reader/scanner and diagnostics tool specifically designed for BMWs. If you’ve ever tried scanning your BMW with a regular scanner and all you got was general codes that don’t really help much, this is a scanner for you. Not only can it show you BMW specific codes, it can also diagnose, all your car’s modules (Engine, ABS, Transmission, SAS, SRS, TPMS etc), test your old and EVEN register your new battery, reset adaptation, perform special DME engine functions such as injector compensation coding, reset your fuel pump and much, much more.
Buy From Amazon: https://amzn.to/3bKZ0L7 (affiliate link).
BMW 550i Free Exhaust Mod
In the video below I will be testing whether it is worth opening the exhaust valves on a BMW 550i with an n63 engine.
On BMW engines such as the N20, N54, N55 and many others people have been doing what is known as the GOLF Tee exhaust mod. That’s when you stick a golf tee into the vacuum line that goes to the exhaust valve. Unfortunately, on this and a few other cars, that would not work as the valve is CLOSE and NOT open by default. It only opens when the car is in high revs or high-power demand.
I wanted to experiment and see if keeping them open at all times would the exhaust note better. So, I used some metal zipties I had laying around and ziptied the valves open.
Let’s see if it made any difference and if it’s worth the trouble.
In my opinion, it gave slightly throatier sound on idle and around 3000 RPM. I would totally recommend it as a cheap and easy mod to make you exhaust sound just little better. Of course, this isn’t anything like installing proper sport exhaust, but something is better than nothing. I also wanted to mention that I drove the car for a few miles and no codes or other issues came up. Let me know what you think, could you hear a difference via the camera mic? Leave your comment below and don’t forget to like the video and subscribe to the channel.
BMW Features You Didn’t Know You Wanted – BMW 550i F10
Today we will be discussing features you didn’t know you wanted on your next BMW. Of course, there are many more features on newer cars, but if you are buying a used BMW 5 series like this one, these are some of the features to look out for. I was not aware of half of these items when I bought the car 3 years ago and for my next big, long distance BMW I will be looking to have most if not all as it makes the car so much more special. I will only talk about features that my car actually has and I can show you. Let’s get to it.
- The first feature that has now become common on most cars is comfort access. Not only does it allow you to open the doors and start the car, you don’t even have to take out the key in order to open the trunk. You can simply wave your foot under the car and put your groceries or other big items in. Just like this:
- It’s also really nice to have folding back seats, I can actually use this car for carrying stuff and fit larger objects without an issue. I was surprised that many cars don’t do this or don’t offer 60/40 split.
- A little bonus while we are here in the back, did you know that you can’t actually lock your key in trunk. Good thinking on BMW’s part!
- The next feature that makes this car feel very luxuries to me is the soft close doors. Who knew you didn’t have to slam the doors! I’ve only seen this feature on a few very, very expensive cars, so it’s definitely nice to have on a mid level BMW.
- Next is the Sport+ Mode, it turns DTC (Traction Control) off about half off, but still keeps you on the road when the things get hairy. It also allows you do launch control. Of course, you can turn all safety features off by pressing this button, but then you better know what you are doing. This also goes nicely with the sport displays. I don’t use this often, but when I do, I have a great time!
- This car also has HUD – (Heads up display) which allows you to see phone calls, music, your speed and navigation. Very useful on long trips and allows you know your speed at all times.
- Next is AutoPark or Auto-Hold feature. I love this for when I’m driving in the city and there is a lot of lights and stop and go traffic. The car will hold the brake for you while you are stopped, you can then simply touch the gas pedal and the car will start moving. Also here is a cool little trick the gear shifter does: “Show how it goes into park as soon as you press P even when it’s in sport mode*
- This next item is present on pretty much any BMW and I miss it every time I drive a different car. When you put the mirror select button to the driver’s side and the passenger side mirror will tilt down when reversing. If you have it selecting the passenger side, it won’t tilt when reversing. I also like that all windows are a one touch up and down. Most other cars will only do the driver side as a one touch.
- Next we have the 18-way adjustable heated seats that have profiles mapped to the key, so two people can have their preferred settings without manually re-adjusting each time they get in. The car also has a heated steering wheel. It may not be useful on a hot day like today, but it’s amazing in the winter.
- And the last item I like is having a personal little glove box on the left of the steering wheel. Perfect for sunglasses, protection or whatever else you’d like to put in there.
I also did a pole on some groups to see what others can’t live without on their F10 cars and here is what people mentioned. Some of the options that stood out to me were the cooling seats, my car only has heated seats. The adaptive suspension so that you can have sporty and comfortable ride and maybe the 360-degree camera system. I will be looking for these options as well when I shop for my next big luxury BMW.
5 Reasons to Buy a BMW Z4 E89
Today I’m going to talk about 5 Reasons Why You need to pick up a BMW Z4 e89 right now!
- I’ll start by talking a little bit about the driving experience
- If you truly enjoy driving and a car to you is more than an appliance. You’ll enjoy driving a Z4 every time. You are fully engaged in the driving experience whenever you are behind the wheel of this car. You get the wind and the sun, the unique sounding inline 6 or even the 4 banger, a manual gear box and a sporty, yet comfortable handling car all in one. With its sporty ride, a fantastic feel of the road and a cool breeze blowing through your hair, it’s hard to say no. This is not a hardcore sports car, more of a Grand Tourer that can act sporty when you ask it to.
- The engines put into these Z4s were mainly the N52/N54 which were incredibly strong/award-winning engines with adequate power and a beautiful sound out of the in-line 6. The N20 engine is not as robust, but the later models are not a bad choice.
- Not to mention, the N54 Engines are easily tunable to over 400 HP and even more torque which equates to more speed and even more dynamic driving experience.
- The next reason for me is the looks
- One of the main reasons to get this car is because of the unique BMW design. She’s a timeless beauty that seems to get better with age and always puts a smile on your face. Whether the top is up or down, you’ll love the shape and aggressive but sleek design. It looks great as a coupe, and even better as a roadster. To me, it’s the only convertible car that looks just as sexy as coupe as it does as a convertible.
- The exterior design also seems to be aging very well, most people don’t believe it’s a 12 year old design. With that long hood, It has the looks of a (future) classic and allows you to sit all the way back almost on the rear wheels.
- The Z4 will put a smile on your face every time you get in and drive it, even if it’s for a simple reason that every time you park, you’ll turn your head to look back and glance at the unique shape. It’s art on wheels with long, sexy and voluptuous curves. Never seizes to amaze me how much of a head-turner this car really is.
- The interior is exclusive, refined with those rounded knobs and integrated leather. It definitely takes inspiration from the Z8. It may look a little dated now; especially, with the old looking radio, but at least it’s not like many current BMWs that look the same on the inside.
- Fun fact: This is the first and I believe only BMW to ever be designed by a team of women designers
- The Next reason is Exclusivity
- BMW E89 doesn’t look like the rest of the cars, it is not a common sight; especially in the Midwest where I live. Which makes this car very unique and exclusive. Not only is it distinctive from other makes, it’s even unique in the BMW family as this is the only hard top roadster that BMW has made in recent history. This makes it a very special and exclusive looking BMW on the road.
- I’ve always loved cars with long hoods like the Mercedes GTS or the Dodge Viper, so being able to afford a car with this exclusive feature was a great feeling and just added to the classy, sexy and aggressive look that the car projects.
- And if you think about it, it’s also excusive because you can only take one other person with you, which will make your lady friend feel very special!
- Next, let’s talk about the value and cost of ownership
- I believe these cars will be appreciating in value soon. People are starting to realize what a cool car this is and good examples are now being kept in garages. To be clear, not every Z4 will go up in value. As an example, my Z4 has lots of miles, a replacement engine and doesn’t have all of the fancy options or the top spec engine, but they still sell for more than the KBB value.
- These cars also tend to have better specs and technology compared to other roadsters in this price range.
- Now let’s take a look at the cost of ownership and how it compares to other cars like this
- For being such a unique and fun car to drive, it surprisingly is not crazy expensive to run and maintain. The N52 and later N54 engines are some of the more reliable BMW engines. The n20 engine is a bit of a troublemaker, but parts aren’t expensive. To learn which models are best, check out my videos on BMW Z4 Problems to Expect.
- You also get lots of technology, especially on the higher trims that you wouldn’t get in the less expensive cars like the MX-5, which makes this car more suited for a luxury daily driver or a fun weekend cruiser.
- Not to mention it’s cheaper than a Porsche Boxster.
- Speaking of the Boxster, let’s compare how the two cars stack up
- I have noticed a lot of people comparing the Z4 with the Boxster. While I do not deny that a Boxster is a great car, I do think the Z4 represents a better car for the money.
- It’s less expensive
- It has a hardtop and it’s arguably a more reliable and easier to work on car. The engine and many other mechanical parts fit from many other BMWs, like the 3 series, which are plentiful.
- It’s also rare compared to the Boxster and even cars like the SLKs and MX-5’s. You see those on the road all the time.
- Not to mention it’s one of the few roadsters that fits a person over 6 foot tall. My taller friend couldn’t get into the SLK or Boxster but just fits in this car.
- Of course, if we take a look at a Porsche 718 Boxster, it most likely is a superior machine in every ways, but when it comes to looks; especially, with the roof up and down, and looking at the price, it’s a very hard sell at being twice as expensive.
In conclusion, It’s just an amazing car, a great combination between Sportiness and Luxury. Enough modern features and tech giving you the best of both worlds, a beautiful convertible and a sexy coupe. If you can afford the 35s or 35is then definitely go for those models for the great sounding, silky smooth straight six engine. If you cannot, the smaller engines are still a great buy as you will love looking at it, driving it, and love how you look in it.
5 Ways to Keep Your BMW Reliable
BMW is one of the most sought-after premium brands in the world. Blending power and performance with sporty appeal, BMW are sophisticated, classy, and pretty much everything you would want in a car. BMW, as well as their fellow German brands, put all their focus on performance. This can come at a cost to reliability.
If you are a BMW owner, tell us how you keep your BMW reliable down below in the comments.
- Do your research (Either before you buy or even after you have bought the car already)
- Research common failures and be ready to deal with those and do the repair before it’s too late once you have the car.
- Don’t buy or let your car become neglected
- Make an informed decision – get pre-purchase inspection, best way to have a reliable car when buying used is to buy a well taken care of car.
- Realize that BMWs cost more to maintain, so if you are looking for one, include that in your budget. If you couldn’t afford maintenance on a new BMW and can’t work on your own cars, BMW may not be the best choice.
- Keep it stock
- If you want your BMW to stay reliable skip the performance mods and concentrate on suspension, brakes and visual modifications. Squeezing more power out of an engine will decrease it’s like in most cases.
- I’d also suggest disabling auto start/stop, especially on the early versions of the feature.
- Follow maintenance schedules for items as suggested in your service manual.
- Excluding oil changes, change every 5k miles.
- Hardtop roof must be maintained if you have one
- Buy quality parts, not super cheap knock offs (point to sensor video).
- Preventative maintenance is key. When certain parts have ran past their expected life, change them proactively.
- New OEM spark plugs, coils, air filters – let your engine breathe
- Thermostat, oil filter housing, valve cover, charge pipe
- Change gaskets as soon as you start seeing any kind of leak
- Especially check for leaks around Oil Filter Gasket and Valve Cover Gasket.
- Once you start seeing a leak or two in your cooling system, replace plastic parts of the cooling system.
- Timing chain on certain engine if you’re well over 100k miles
- Wash your car at a touchless carwash if you live in an area where they salt roads
- Apply leather conditioner every 3 months
- Lubricate the rubber parts so that they don’t crack and let water in over time.
- Learn how to work on your own car if you have the space.
- Don’t go for crazy power unless you know what you are doing and can fix issues it may cause
- Mechanic’s tools don’t have to be expensive, check out this video on the tools I use
- Get a good BMW scanner
- Drive it… often. Never let any car sit
and become a garage queen
- Don’t store it over winter unless it’s on a trickle charger
- If the car sits, put it on a trickle charger, most modern BMWs use some power while sitting and will drain your battery putting unnecessary stress on your battery and alternator.
- Most fluids also have a life time even if you aren’t using it. So, it is wise to drive car every so often and not let it sit.
- Enjoy your car, don’t let it sit and ‘keep the value’ by not putting any miles on it. It’s not worth it.
Mechanical parts on BMWs are usually very high quality and will last a long time (other than certain engine specific issues like N20 timing chains that affect some engines); however, electronics and the use of plastic parts can cause issues down the road. These small things cause big problems for owners that don’t want to spend a lot of time at the dealer. So, that is something consider and another reason why most people stay away from high end BMWs on the used market.