BMW questions....

tinman

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Aug 18, 2008
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Im contemplating picking up a BMW....but I know nothing of BMW's. Looking for something to drive to work in and on trips...something better on gas than the TJ.

Anyone out there have any concrete advice as to what to look out for/check up on/make sure I ask about when looking at them?

Im looking for a 1999-2002 323 or 540 wagon.....yep, I said it...a wagon. I figure if Im gonna get something that is a wagon...I should at least look at a beemer.

Anyway. Ive seen a couple...most have at least 100K miles on them in the range of $6800-8900.

Any tech guys or owners that could give some advice?

Thanks guys.

chris
 
Buy a 528i wagon...much better car than the 3 series...the 540's are garbage. Trust me the 97-2002 528i is the one you want for good milage and not a ton of problems.
 
my mom has got a 02' 525 sedan...

i have drove it a little bit, its not super fast but at 130 mph it feels like your floating.

And my mom and dad have drove it to the keys a few times and they claim running 80 mph down i-95 it'll get 30mpg...not bad in my opinion,

its just expensive for the actual dealership service department to work on so if some local boys can get parts, let them do it.

thats about all i can tell ya, good luck!
 
BMW certified diagnostic tech here. The 323 is pretty gutless, go for a 325 or better yet the 330. When you test drive it, at low speed, stab the brake pedal. If you feel a thump, it'll need control arm bushings. They are a wear item and are not too terribly expensive to replace. At dealer price they are $155 a set or so. It really helps to have a lift to replace them. Other things to look for in the 3 car is the rear lower control arms. Tow truck drivers will hook them and bend them. Roll down all the windows as they tend to have regulator problems.

With a 5 car, the Thrust rod bushings (Same diagnosis technique) are a wear item. Much more involved to replace, you need a press to get bushings out and back in. The rear ball joints wear too. Get it on a lift and from under the car grab the bottom of the tire and move in and out. If it's worn, you'll see it move. That infamous BMW handling doesn't come cheap unfortunately. I'm partial to the 540 because of the power, but if you get a 530 it'll be decent on power and much better on gas. The 525 is pretty gutless and much less nice inside. (Plastic trim as opposed to wood, pleather as opposed to real leather etc). The cup holders in the 5 series are absolutely WORTHLESS!!!!! Don't even bother to try and use them. They will just break. (And if they were $5 it'd be too much.) Search the web for the good additional one that goes in the cubby in the center console. With all this said, If I had the money I'd have a E39 M5. But I can't afford to go to jail right now so I'm sticking with the 4runner. I also recommend a manual tranny over an auto as they last longer. BMW's are also a bit more to insure. Take that into account when buying. They are extremely fun cars to drive and you must use cruise a lot or watch the speedo like a hawk, cause they are just as smooth at 100+ as they are at 60. If you have any specific questions don't hesitate to ask.

As for who works on it, keep this in mind. I've got a Z3 right now that the lady had an aftermarket shop in Charlotte work on. They have F'd up this car so bad I've had it a month trying to un-f it. They've added additional ground wires that are supposed to be grounded by the engine controller and God knows what else. The bill, well it's probably already more than the car is worth. Choose your mechanic wisely. They may claim to know how to work on anything, but they rarely do when it gets really technical. A BMW ain't your average Chevy.
 
x2 on pretty much what everyone has said here. They aint the average car, but with the regular maintenence and paying attention to the small stuff these cars last forever. My roomate has an 86 325es (gas saver model) that has over 350k on it and is still going strong.
 
Another factory BMW tech chiming in. I've got a E34 525 with a stick and love it. I drive it kinda hard and still get 24-26 MPG. I personally like the room of the 5 car verses the 3 series. If you plan on taking trips, opt for the 5. As rattlecanpaint pointed out, not all shops can actually work on these cars. I too have fixed many small problems turned big by aftermerket shops. Stick to a trusty shop and you should be fine. I also can try to answer any questions you might have. GL
 
Thanks for the info guys....both from the owners and the techs.

Id like to be able to work on whatever I get....is that something the average home mechanic can do? Im not talking everything...just routine/preventative maintenance. I like being able to work on the TJ...and I know a BMW is nothing like a jeep....but is it something I could work on.

BTW, Ive done the typical work needed on a TJ....exhaust manifold, radiator replacement, had to take the head off and put it back on, brakes, minor suspension mods, etc.

Thanks again guys. Off to search the web for some of the series' you guys mentioned.

Chris
 
wife has an 08 z4 3.0, nothing to report so far but its only got 7k on it. we had a 325i in 02, traded it in 04 and had no problems with it. my aunt has a 650i convert. my uncle has had bmw's since the 80's to now. all about the care of the car.

personally i wouldn't buy a used bmw unless there was a crazy amount of history on the car. if it was bought at the dealer and traded back to the same dealer, maintenance was done there, etc - then yes. too many "import" shops that think they can work on benz, bmw, etc but have zero skills to do so.
 
Some of it yes, you will be able to do, BE sure to use BMW factory parts as they carry a 2 yr warranty and the fit is 10 times that of the aftermerket world. You may need some new tools. All fasters are metric and they like to use torx, allens, and plastic rivits. I would be careful as how much I plan on getting in on as a mistake could get costly.
 
bigred said:
Some of it yes, you will be able to do, BE sure to use BMW factory parts as they carry a 2 yr warranty and the fit is 10 times that of the aftermerket world..
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or call me and I'll sell you the same parts without the BMW rebox and 100% mark up.

If you can't find a reliable independent service center then go to the dealer, but be ready to bend at the waist. Their labor rate is astrofreakingnomical.
 
They like to eat stock clutches because most white collar country club owners bought it for a status symbol and dont know how to freakin drive. It is one hell of a fun car though. Simple bolt ons and a re-flash can really wake that car up.
 
I want one so bad I can taste it!!! Problem is I know all the good stuff about the 2000-2004 M5 but not much of the bad.

I have a general idea but would like an experts advice. How offten do they need to be worked on? Another words comparing it to say a Toyota. I had a Volvo 850 turbo and that thing always needed something. Granted I hopped it up with more boost and a reprogamed ecu. I upgraded the brakes to aftermarket and that solved the crappy brake problems. Are BMW's similar? Or are they on par with Toyota as far a reliability?


I have also looked all over M5board.com but untill you have worked on the car it just isnt the same as reading other peoples problems.

Like I said, I know all the good stuff ie: Dinna and the like for hop-ups but what about the bad stuff?

ie: dash pixel problems, clutch problems, so forth.....

Thanks,
Chris
 
The stock clutch doesnt like much more that the stock HP level so if you mod the car, expect to replace it with a SACHS HD unit or something of the same caliber. The pixel problem wasnt as prominent in certian years IIRC, I just cant remember which years off the top of my head. Brakes on the car are good. But anyone can warp rotors and eat through pads if you drive like a moron.

With buying any performance car, I always recommend taking a High Performance Drivers Ed Course at your local road course. (Virginia International or Carolina Motorsports Park) A good instructor can break down your driving style and make you an overall better driver. If you can afford an M series car, then you can afford to take a $225 course.

Avoid the dealer if at all possible. Like BIGWOODY said they have an asstronomical labor rate and will nitpick every little thing to get your money. I don't know too many good euro/BMW shops around Cary, but Touring Car Inc in Matthews, NC has been nothing but good to me. Probably the closest to you that I would recommend is BIGWOODY's shop. Hes got a good background in this stuff. With as tough as it is to find a reputable specialty shop, sometimes it takes a little drive to get the job done right.
 
Thanks for the info StretchASU. VIR sounds fun!! Just note... I have already been with few other instructors in different cars that are way faster then a M5, just never in a M5 or @ VIR.

Anyways thanks for the info it is insightful.
 
CRK said:
Thanks for the info StretchASU. VIR sounds fun!! Just note... I have already been with few other instructors in different cars that are way faster then a M5, just never in a M5 or @ VIR.
Anyways thanks for the info it is insightful.
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They are far from on par with toyotas reliability. Like I mentioned I work on a half dozen or so, 4 of them have had clutches replaced at less than 50k. One has had two of them and the car has alomost 100k on it. Whatever parts cost for a 530/540..you can add a substancial amount for the M series parts. Don't get me wrong they are fun, fast cars, that are flat out sexy,they just aren't for someone who minds throwing a good amount of cash at them when problems arrise (and they will). I've owned several M series cars over the years (88 M3, 96 M3, 88 M5, 93 M5) loved them all, but if I didn't work on them myself I'd never be able to afford to own them.
I was an SCCA licensed instructor for 7 years or so and taught at many driving schools (Road Atlanta, Rockingham, Savanah..etc..) I'd recommend one to if you're into "spirited" driving, but I wouldn't call it a requirement. My first rule as an instructor was "don't scare me"..if you do the ride is over. I had the opportunity to drive some really badass cars at the track. The BMWs were fun, but give me a built C5/6 vette or 93up TT RX7 and I'll leave just about any BMW. I hit 181mph on the backstretch at Rockingham many years ago in a twin turbo'd C5(pretty much a full blown race car) with the owner in the car, funny part is he was a 77 year old man!:driver:
 
Nice!! BigWoody

I have been to couple of the NASCAR driving experience classes and drove a few nice cars at Road Atlanta back in the 80's. One I remember very well..... 930 turbo Porsche. It was a handfull!!!!! I did not get to experience the full potential of that car.... I'm good but not that good!!

Back to the M5....
 
I loved my 2000 528i, great for daily driving awesome on the highway. 25-30 mpg usually.
 
I agree with bigwoody, Great cars, but M means more that Motorsport. It also stands for money and it will cost for just about any repair, reguardless of who you take it to.
 
The 323 is pretty gutless, go for a 325 or better yet the 330.
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The 323i and the 325i both have 2.5l of displacement. The 325i makes a little more horsepower; the 323i makes a little more torque. Probably not enough of a difference to be noticeable on the butt dyno.

Shade Tree Garage is great if you're in the Raleigh area. They're way up in North Raleigh, but worth the drive if you're local.

Weaver Auto has a 325 wagon for $9900: http://www.weavermotorsportsinc.com/
 
Fart said:
The 323i and the 325i both have 2.5l of displacement. The 325i makes a little more horsepower; the 323i makes a little more torque. Probably not enough of a difference to be noticeable on the butt dyno.

Shade Tree Garage is great if you're in the Raleigh area. They're way up in North Raleigh, but worth the drive if you're local.

Weaver Auto has a 325 wagon for $9900: http://www.weavermotorsportsinc.com/
Click to expand...
I must have a pretty well calibrated butt then... To me the 323 is a dog. I think the 325 goes much better.

^^Probably gonna be used as someones sig line.
 
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