After purchasing a used performance car you are likely to get some (expensive) repair costs in the first couple of years, but after they are properly repaired you should have several years of almost trouble-free motoring.
Man i work on E39's ALOT all models including M5's , those prices are WAY WAY WAY crazy, parts are cheap these days , stop buying stuff at the dealership, a LUK clutch off ebay is $259 and a really bad deal on a LUK flywheel is $369, whats really going on here???
Lol. The dude is getting ripped off left and right, and hes an engineering student? And i thought my Supra was bad...shows you how far intelligence goes :)
So what I'm hearing is that if you have the money to pay someone else to do it, go for it. If you have the space and time to do it yourself, go for it. Otherwise, stay away! Nicely done.
+computiNATEor By "time" for repairs he actually means-Skills to do so. I doubt this kid can turn a wrench on anything. Engineering is such an over used term nowadays, doesn't mean he can repair a car.
+JAyy781 I love maintaining my own car, and with the resources available online in places like M5Board, BimmerFest/BimmerForums, and RU-vid channels like Eric The Car Guy, it's only a matter of time and preparation. Thanks to the internet, anyone (including me) with the drive to DIY and a little bit of practical knowledge can maintain their own car. Notice, though, I said "OR", implying that if you have either the money to pay someone else OR the dedication to DIY, you can definitely own this car.
+JAyy781 I agree with your comment, he probably couldn't even determine where to begin, with all newer cars and their engine covers. Everything is hidden to the max.
Hmm, "hidden to the max"? Four bolts for the spark plugs. One cap for the oil filter, one bolt to drain. One cap for the power steering, one for the brake booster under the cabin air filter, one for the windshield washer bottle. As an e39 owner, these cars are completely DIY-ready. Just do your research beforehand. Honestly, comparing the work I've done on my e39 to my Camry, the e39 is so much easier to work on. A $30 special scanner and I can make the car's electronics sing. No special tools other than a torque wrench and spring compressor, and you can re-do the entire front suspension. There's something to be said for expensive designs; they're more serviceable and easier.
+computiNATEor Yeah I was exaggerating it a little too much. I'm just used to pre fuel injected cars, where it's mostly electro-mechanical repairs to carborated engines. When you can literally stand in the engine compartment, to do repairs because it's so open.
I'm 19 and I own a 2001 BMW 530i M Sport. It's my first/current car and I've had it for almost 4 months now and only spent $10 on maintenance so far lol (I live in British Columbia btw)
I was absolutely shocked and thinking "it makes no sense to get a car like this" until you came up with the whole passat thing and then I went like "dude, that's soo true" and went my merry way thinking I'd love to own a BMW M5.
+Michael Cohen not really, he had to replace the clutch/flywheel, drive shaft, and the couple other things... the trick is to buy one of these cars that's already had all that shit done.
I mean really what can you get under $20k new? nothing and you made a great explanation,respect bro! Get a Z8 this car is just getting more and more pricey with time plus you get this lovely S62 V8 with all the looks and fun!
***** well that's cause everyone mistaken it for a Sports car which isn't! for me it's just a nice beautiful open top V8/manual/RWD roadster with timeless design PLUS that steering wheel OMG.
+David MuscleGuy i got a brand new Fiesta ST for 22,000$ out the door. it was this or the e46 m3... this fiesta was the best choice i ever made. esp since iver driven a few m3's and can say the fiesta always has a smile on my face.
John Lopez congrats! yeah Fiesta ST is hell of a car with a fraction of money. i love it my self when you pay $20k for an M3 don't expect it's a 20K car!
+David MuscleGuy Yeah i know the m3 has some more performance off the bat, im into modding cars so i weighed the money costs and it was just smarter to get a fiesta and put a big turbo on it and then mop up tons of cars that are worth 2x-3x my cost of my car and yet still have something very reliable that i wont get a 1000+$ repair bill if i break something simple.
I just want to point out that the majority of the things you listed are not maintenance issues, but mechanical issues. Maintenance refers to things like timing belt/chain, oil change, tires change, changing brakes, fuel injectors, etc. Something breaking and needing replacing is a REPAIR. Maintenance is to PREVENT a car from breaking.
I can relate. I'm a sucker for decent VWs. First VW was a 96 Jetta GLS 5-speed. Only paid $1200 for it with 90k miles but in 2005 that was a good deal. I quickly learned of the Mexican build quality of that car but absolutely LOVED it. When it worked it worked and was awesome. I now have a 2007 4-door GTI with some basic mods (springs, brakes, intake, exhaust). No major repairs other than maintenance and love it. Nice to hear that some people actually love their cars instead of looking at numbers and talking trash on them which alot of people do with german vehicles.
Great summary dude, don't care what anyone thinks these cars are classic in style and performance, better then the newer models, I have an 2003 X5, getting this next.
I've owned my e46 m3 for a year now, bought it with 160k miles for 10k. Now has 175k miles on it. What I've replaced so far, fuel pump (350$ installed myself), a couple of spark plugs and fuel pump regulator (600$ took it to an Indy shop but regret that, could have saved 400$), idler pulley tensioner (again took it to the Indy shop, cost 450$, regret that as well, the kit was less than half that price if I self installed), and regular oil changes every 5k and that's about 120$. All I have to say is, if you buy one of these cars, please do research, and be willing to find the time to do the repairs yourself along with trouble shooting. There is so much info in forums. I regret ever time I've went to an Indy shop, after going home to research and seeing how easy things can be in you actually learn how to do it. I am no mechanic but these things are relatively straight forward. Now let's say the clutch or tranny went, that's a whole different story. All I can say is DO RESEARCH.
I love my E39 540i! Maintenance sucks when it needs to happen, but the car drives well and really pulls at highway speeds. I have it in blue, with a manual transmission, and, of course, the M-Sport package. The 4.5 liter V8 is also pretty nice. :)
Thats why i bought 4 years extended warranty when i bought my 2006 CTC-V also had MIchelin PSS on it. Brakes cost me half of this M5 to replace, with tires and 7.5k in to warranty all together about 10k, out of pocket 5k. P.S. I also have muffler delete. Love it!, so many complements not to laud but when you step on it roars!
Lol this resonates with me so much. E46 M3 owner for 4 years, about $11k spent on maintenance. Luckily I was able to save myself thousands by doing battery, brake, alternator, fuel pump, etc. at home. But at the end of the day, still end up paying over 2k a year on maintenance. Especially when replacing vanos and drivetrain parts. Anyone here that doesn't believe how much it costs does not know the absurd prices on BMW M parts.
I want to mention that the car retailed for around $73k base in its era, which is above $95k today with inflation. You can't expect maintenance to be cheap on a car that's worth that much. If you buy a $73k car, expect the maintenance of the car to be of that level (not saying he doesn't agree, just putting that out there for some of the viewers that don't get the costs to maintain a beautiful car like this one).
All i can say is thank you for opening my eyes to what i have been trying to understand about my car i have a e92 335i with the n54 engine and i love the freaking car but man when it goes into limp mode it makes me want to go trade it in but what you just said really inspired me because like your m5 (which by the way is amazing) my bmw make me smile when i drive agressivly down the highway i love it thanks for making such great videos :D
You should do a 150,000 Q&A. I see so many people with questions and people who don't understand how you have the gallardo and the m5. I'd love to know how you where able to achieve these goals of getting the car you wanted.
Glad I drive an IS350, I don't get quite the same performance or as much sportiness as an M5 but I can still have some fun with it and not have to shell out for maintenance as much.
This is such a great vid for kids and/or adults of modest means to watch. If your not a kid whose parents can afford to fix your expensive, unreliable used car or you're an adult who makes less than $60k ....DON'T BUY A USED OR NEW LUXURY OR HIGH PERFORMANCE CAR! I have friends who bought a used luxury car, then had to leave them in the driveway after the second or third expensive repair issue came up. Now they r driving a used Hyundai accent or catching the bus because they r broke and credit jacked up over some car they couldn't afford in the first place. Again Great vid man!
03 bmw e46 m3 owner. Did fuel pump myself $389. Oil changes every 5k with 10w60 Moli oil and mann filter> better and cheaper than castrol $82. Did alternator myself $400> new bosch. All four wheel speed sensors $109. Salmon relay $18. Word of advice> Learn to do your own maintenance rather than take your pride and joy to the bmw stealership.
I think you have the right idea, what new car can you get for 30K with that level of performance in a sedan? You could have saved some money DIY but who knows, on some things its better to let someone do it that knows what they are doing through training and experience rather than watching RU-vid videos. I am driving my second Z4 and having a great time with it. Got it from a dealer where it was purchased new for 44K for 12.5K with 62K miles+ got all the service records. Enjoy your car
This is still one of my dream cars. My first car was a mint e39 523 m-sport and that's what made me love these. But damn, the maintenance costs are a bit too much maybe...
At first I thought, this guy is stupid spending that much money but when he started to explain about the vw Passat price it sunk in I'd rather have the BMW with the maintenance costs
That's my life, that last example you made about the BMW M5 vs 2015 Jetta ... wao you made it so clear ! You are brilliant hehe! that is why I usually buy used exotics :)
My goodness... this is why I do my own work. MUCH much cheaper. Over the past 4 years I've had my E39 528iT, I've spent about $6,000. And that includes the price of the car! Plus a good amount of maintenance, all inspections over the years, and oil changes. I see why people complain that BMWs are expensive.... because they have other people do their work. I could have done the fuel pump and oil change myself for a hundred bucks.
Thought through like an Engineer...Logical...I own an E28, E36 M3, E30 and an X5. Love driving them all and I've never taken them to a mechanic. The reward is how you feel when you drive them....
I might be picking one up, low mileage from a doctor friend who never drives it, for almost nothing. Sounds like I should just immediately throw $ at some major parts though depending on the maintenance history though. This was one of the coolest cars for a kid growing up in the 90s and early 2000s IMO love the vids
+Hansel Ehhh once the VANOS has been taken care of it's just basic maintenance from that point. Control arms and ball joints tend to go quickly. Go for poly bushings but be careful, they can squeak sometimes.
Congratulations man ! You've got the balls to make the jump and buy an expensive used German luxury car. That takes guts man. Four years ago I bought a used 2006 Corolla for $6,000. Since then I put 150,000 miles on it and replaced the tires twice, brake pads once, and a new battery. Around $800 total maintenance costs over 4 years. (but then again, how many women want to get laid by a Corolla owner, right? ) Did some research: BMW M5 0-60 in 5.1 sec V6 Camry 0-60 in 5.8 seconds. (Camry is kind of Bad Assed !)
Bought a 2011 BMW 335is Dec 1 2k14 with 37k miles on it... Currently as of today Oct. 11.2k15 has 64k.. since then (Stealership)Injectors,check up-500 (Ebay/self install)(harmon kardon) Logic 7 amp (used)-200.00 brand new is 1.3k (StealerShip)New headlight-2.3k (Private mechanic)Tranny Repair-3k.... (Private Mechanic)Oil change,front 2 rotors-500. (Stealership)Oil change/ brake job/(4)Rotors-1800.... (Private mechanic) Left undercarriage(Bought used)-100.00... Few others I'm probably forgetting but goddamn I still love this car..
I totally agree upon what you're saying that the car is still somewhat expensive to maintain and maintenance but in the long run it makes you happy to drive and it feels good to have the car if you're really so seriously worried about maintenance on the car yo ass might as will drive a goddamn Honda or a Toyota Camry
I used to own a 2001 e46 330ci which i got for under $10k. I ended up spending close to 8k before i got rid of it.. it was a freaking money pit. I completely understand how it goes with this high performance older cars.
+Raul Arreaza that M3 will become an even bigger money pit as you've chosen again for a high performance vehicle, and M sport models have lots of proprietary parts
I wanted a RWD V8 with at least 400hp and a manual transmission for about 20k. This lead me down the path to either a GTO, E39 M5, or a first gen CTSV. This video makes me glad I chose the GTO.I love the M5, but BMW ownership without a warranty is not for me.
how about 2012-2014 Mustang GT? RWD, 420BHP, and sounds like a beast with straight pipes. Oh and they're fairly cheap nowadays because of the new 2015 models that came out.
+FoolishTuning because I bought my GTO in April of last year. and I don't want another Mustang. Also wanted something that was not on every street corner.
I got a used '05 Mini cooper convertible. Got it with 59k miles and now I'm up to 68k and in those 9k miles, i've gone through a set of tires, an oil change, front passenger strut, rim, clutch, serpentine belt, air filter, and now it needs a new transmission and pressure plate bc apparently this had a bad pressure plate since I've owned it! I've already sunk in about $3000 in repairs and service alone and now I need to drop an additional %3600 for a whole new transmission, clutch, and pressure plate.
***** it's a real shame because they're so much fun to drive. Sure it doesn't launch like a lambo but what it lacks in power and torque, it makes up for in cornering and handling. I've thrown mine into some turns that would've flipped my parents cars.
As a happy owner of 3 BMW E46's I can tell MOST people who are considering owning a BMW. 1. Don't buy an M car unless you want an empty wallet. 2. Consider owning a 330 M-Sport ZHP all that stuff because if something breaks your MORE LIKELY to find parts that are CHEAPER (since bmw sold more 323 325 330's than M Cars...) Oh and did i mention you'll love it just as much? edit: for the e90 - e93: Check out the 335i, Those twin turbos are lovely.
Very nice car, however like what you said. You can maintain a BMW for very reasonable prices so long as you buy your parts online, and do all your own work. Which does require the space, tools and time to do properly. Indie's love BMW's because they can charge you a premium on labor just because of the Badge on your hood.
I have a 97 528I that was given to me a year ago this last July. I spent roughly $3000 on it with 230k miles on it. it runs great but these little things that keep happening, things that on my Tacoma or my Malibu or even my girlfriends corolla... I could fix myself. not on this thing. I've never wanted out of a car so bad than I do the 528. I don't have the time to sell it so on the side of my garage it sits. it's totally driveable... I just don't want to. great vid by the way... just furthered my thoughts of ditching the thing. LOL
I feel your pain! My 2007 RS4 is about the same when it comes to maintnance. I love/hate my RS4! I'm always thinking of replacing it but, when I drive it I always a big fat grin on my face. Keep rockin'!
dam thats some expensive maintenance and parts! i'm so glad i own a car which is catered for by the aftermarket, whenever a part breaks i buy an upgraded aftermarket part which is always cheaper than oem and better quality, plus being an older japanese car its incredibly easy to work on so labour is cheap if i dont do the work myself, which i usually do
Key element is not to take it to BMW for repairs they will charge arm leg. Fuel pump /oil change is not $1000 the pump with labor from someone license to fix BMW in general is only $300 then oil change is around $80. So the total you've spent in the 4 years can only be 1/3 of your total if you have someone reputable
Interesting video, more expensive to maintain that a 996 carerra I was told from an owner those are about $5K every 15-20k miles, oh how I love BMW free* maintenance program
Great vehicle I really like the M Series by BMW. From that being said this was a great video. I really enjoyed it keep it up man!. Very imformative great information, what I've learned about cars in general is that they aren't investments. They kill your wallet, but you need them to get around in everyday life.
Bro seriously, doing repairs on complex cars just isn't for those who maybe technically skilled but not specialized. I did a lot of stuff too when I had the time, because it was fun and it was my first car. You feel connected and all is love till you reach that point that you know it's better to sometimes not to install a turbo upgrade because of the lack of experience and or other involved issues that you might not be aware of at that time. Don't let those generalized opinions alter who you are and or decide wether you should or shouldn't be your own mechanic.
I liked your video.I especially like your thoughts on buying a new VW vs a used BMW and the cost of ownership. How about a price comparison in future videos using that kind of formula?
You're right about the part where this used to be a 70K car which means that there should've been more thought going into longevity. BMW ignores building cars to last. Seems like they choose to keep the lifespan of the vehicle short to "encourage" people to upgrade which they do so willingly. Personally I can't call that engineering efficiency when you design something to fail.
Cool video, love the e39 M5 and you paint a very realistic picture about owning it...the amazing thing is just how apart from reality the US is, a college student with an e39 m5? Only in america!
Sadly, most of the people who own BMW's, (the majority of my friends,co-workers,etc) Don't even know how to do an oil change and then complain about maintenance and repair cost. Costly for people that take there car in for repairs, but then again it keeps people like me busy fixing other peoples vehicles for half the price yet allowing me to make some money on the side to buy parts for my own car projects. :D
the first thing I must say is 5400.00 for any repair on a older car like this is just absolutely insane. The car is not Muscle car old and it's not super car new so paying that type of money for a repair seems unreasonable. You probably could have done a Ls swap for that price.
Why do you HAVE to replace the flywheel when replacing the clutch in an E39 M5? I also have a dual mass flywheel in my E39 530i but I didn't bother replacing it when I replaced my clutch/pressure plate.
I love these cars but I don't make enough money to afford the maintenance. I have a VW Passat 02 and the most expensive labor was the alternator. I almost cried when I had to let go of $500
Parker, big fan of youtube channel. I just purchased an E39 540i m sport any advice on mods or dinan upgrades. Love the displacement and powerband of the E39 models also looking into an E63 M6 V10 when I graduate college.
If you think the E39 M5 maintenance costs are crazy, wait til the newer M5's get older. They'll make this guy's maintenance costs look like pennies in comparison. Twin turbo + newer, more complicated engine + computer everything = one very bad time after 150k miles.
You should of also stated the price of all those things in PARTS ONLY. Some of us work on our own bimmers and the price would of been ludicrously low compared to Parts+Labor and when you shop for good prices.
Nice review! cars are expensive to say the least. but regular maintenance helps prevent a lot of costly repair. But yeah lol I own a Lexus IS300 and I am looking at repairing the Cats for CA smog -_- If you can do your Maintenance on your own it helps a lot. But of course if you have a warranty go with that lol
Bought my 2011 Cadillac CTS4 for 21k at 28k miles and I know I'll be able to run that for another 170k miles. Ain't nobody got money for Euro car maintenance.
+andrey svit Only the fuelpump on an M car is over 500 dollars without labour. Normal BMWs are not more expensive than any other car to repair but as soon as it says M on it you can add a zero to every cost
its nice but i would have gone for the e60 m5.. have u heard the sound of that v10 reving past 8,000 rpm? its utter insanity. You can get it in a stick but tbh the 6 speed manuel is to overwhelmed by the power so smg is the best choice.
If an M5 is what does it for you then get an M5 but realize that a German performance has a price. I love my '98 e36 M3 with 225K miles and my '74 2002 but I do my own maintenance and repair. This is the only way it works for my budget. The local independent German car repair shop charges $90/hr and close to list price on OEM parts. Both cars are very reliable once they recovered from their neglectful previous owner.
If you want one of these German vehicles, you'd be better off leasing it. You could have leased a new model 550i for less than what you wound up sinking into this. Here's the run down: Want Japanese: Buy used, they'll hold up well and have maintenance costs more inline with their mainstream siblings (more expensive than those cars, but similar reliability). You can also consider CPO leasing of Japanese models (Lexus offers this I think). Want German: Lease new. Nothing beats driving these vehicles, but thy're so expensive once shit starts breaking you'd be best off leasing and not lining the pockets of these stealership mechanics.
