I sold the last BMW I will ever own last year. BMW can't spell quality any more. Over complication, cost cutting, chinesuim, cheese timing chains and zero out of warranty customer service finally woke me up. My advice to any victim with an out of warranty Broke-My-Wallet is to sell it fast.
what engine do u have it with? i m looking to buy an old bmw..idk if i should get an e36/ e39/ e38. i am a huge e38 fan, but i want a manual Bmw and i m afraid the e38 it s too difficult to drive manual
The b38 is very reliable too it won international engine of the year award and best new engine so if it won the awards then must be reliable or it won’t of won plus can re map the bmw 118i b38 from 134bhp to 190bhp on one remap that is amazing
Proud owner of two e39s, a 528i and a 540i both manuals. The 6 cyl has 300k and the 540 200k, only thing is it likes to eat rear tires while sideways... 😊
All BMWs are reliable if u take care of them I have a 2008 750li loaded with 135,500 running like a champ no major issues except regular maintenance items maybe I have the unicorn of BMWs or lucky 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
I had an '85 M535i with the M30 engine. Absolutely rock solid. I also had a 6 cylinder E36 and that put up with all the abuse I could possibly throw at it.
I’m surprised you left out the M20. Simple, dependable, easy and fun to work on. M20’s can easily go 300,000 miles with proper oil changes and periodic timing belt services.
@@Kwalk8808 The vanos solenoids and hydraulic lifters are the problems with that N52 3.0i engine other than that they run strong just make sure you change your oil at least 3,500 to 4,000 you gotta pay to play ⏯️▶️ Keep that oil clean and you can clean the solenoids but it's doesn't last long.
I'm just saying the N52 straight inline 6 is a pretty damn reliable engine. I've had 2 of em first I sold it with 170,000 miles on motor no issues at all just a small valve cover oil leak. 2nd I had to about 145,000 and got a truck but both were the N52 inline 6 and if you ask around people will agree like the 25 that liked my comment it is one of the most reliable BMW engines.. this is just this guy's opinion look at some more vids here on RU-vid l. I've seen a lot saying that is one of the best too. Have a good one man!
@@stayvigilant7856it might be good but I’m still gonna trust the guy with experience over you. You have any experience with the engines he mentioned? If not kindly keep the chirping to yourself thanks much
n52s had issues with the vanos bolts stripping their heads in the engine and the valvetronic locking up which junked the engines. I have had both of these happen to me on different cars.
My dad had a Granite Silver ‘92 E34 520i with the M50 engine and that did 385k miles on the original engine before cylinder number 3 let go and then it was swapped for a 525i engine and went on to almost 450k miles before he sadly scrapped the car. It had loads of stone chips on the bonnet from motorway miles but zero rust on the body or underside and was still running sweet as a nut when it was taken away. Hardly did any maintenance on it either and it just ate up the miles day after day. I have no doubt it would still be running to this day if he kept it, the thing was a tank.
As a German I love that kind of BMW-Bashing here. Being a BMW- and US-V8-Car-Fan and being confronted with a lot of US-Car-Bashing here in Germany it is just funny to read it.
What about the E34? I had a 535i which I drove hard for 350 000 miles and 21 years. The only unusual expenses was a cracked radiator header tank, CV joints and 3x rubber drive cushions on the gearbox. Oh and several replacements of rear bushes on the front control arms until I replaced them with the 750i parts (never any further trouble)
The 1.9L in-line 4 cylinder Austrian engine in my 1997 E36 Z3 is a great naturally aspirated engine and was the last BMW engine to have a metal valve cover and metal intake manifold.
I had that in my 2000 e46 and that engine is great.Only problem is lack of power and fucking coolant system on the almost every bmw.I was overheated my e46 from nothing.But engine was survive that.
I've got an E32 with an auto, got about 235k miles on it. The gearbox is fine. The rest of the car is rusty and off the road, but the gearbox is ok! :-)
Had a girlfriend back in the 90s who drove a 1988 528e. Had 220k miles on it when she sold it and it still ran great. Super reliable. Wouldn't mind driving it now. Loved that car.
@@emmanuel2692 A good bit - it is a 20+ year old car.... It now has 304+K miles on it and I have had to do a good bit of rust work as it is a daily and outside too much. Fuel pump/filter, shocks/struts, rotors, DISA valve, upper/lower intake boots, valve cover, alternator, headliner, window regulators, final state resistors, headlight covers, driveshaft, O2 sensor, center support bearing/guibo,, at 247K miles - replaced the entire cooling system (it was been done when I got the car at 149K miles, all fluids on a regular basis (no such thing as a "lifetime" fluid), belts, and it is also a manual trasmission but as far as I know - original clutch/flywheel. E46's suspension - especially the front - are known for worn bushings and replacing them every 50-70K miles.
Did u have to change any lifters or chain guides or oil pump or still original mine is coming upto 200k do u recommend to replace anything in the engine
The E90 M3 is pretty robust and solid. That high strung V8 not provides the amazing soundtrack for your driving experience but also they faired so much better than their early twin turbo V8s in terms of reliability.
I keep telling my dad the same thing. He wants an BMW touring estate/wagon but he doesnt want to get stung by the ongoing maintenance costs or bad engines. Theres a lot of preventative maintenance that can be done and that costs money but once its done, you are pretty much completely sorted for a long time so long as you keep up with the oil changes. Unfortunately he ended up getting a good deal on a low mileage 3rd gen skoda (I think it was 2019 model with 10-13k on the clock...) but there isnt a moment that he doesnt regret not going for a BMW when he's sitting inside the skoda. The trim just isnt on the same level.
B58 should be up there too… It’s won so many awards… And so many companies actually want that engine from BMW in their cars. Even the Toyota Supra has a B58 and also the Grenadier 4x4…
Inline 6 but yea I know what you meant. I have an E90 330i with 173k miles and it’s going strong and smooth like butter. Never even throws a check engine light on me or fails to start smoothly. Like new in how it performs. The N52 engine is a bulletproof jewel and I can’t fathom how ninja left it off this list. I’ve had better experiences with N52s than the M54s in the E39s and E46s that he put on the list, while all are great engines. My E90 is so good that I eventually bought an E60 530i with the same engine to add to my collection.
@@jaymum23 Thanks for the correction. Inline 6 for sure. Love my 330xi. AWD. Tons of power. Honestly I prefer to drive it over my Carrera, for the mundane city tasks. Maybe Ninja left the B52 off the list because he does not work on them often enough to remember them.
The older na 4.4 v8 in the e39 or the 7 series are great until the damn cam guides go out. Prepare to cough up some dough to fix that one. I had a 2001 e39 m sport. I loved that car. Then, I got the dreaded code for cam sensor. It wasn't worth the cost to fix it. Thats why you don't see many of those v8 e39 cars on the roads anymore.
My E39 540 has been a super reliable car, despite accusations to the contrary. Converting the cooling system to waterless coolant (lowers the pressure in the system) was a game changer. Still running the original TC guides at 140k miles, replacing the tensioner cut the startup rattle that kills them to almost nothing. All the rubber things have been replaced (gaskets and suspension) and a few other body items like door lock actuators, but these are not unreasonable to have to change in 20 years. It's also been garaged its whole life, out of the rain/snow; I understand this is where the electrical problems come from. It's really been a champ, nothing like what I was expecting.
I sold my E39 540i manual M-Sport with 236,000 miles on it. Solid car! So fun to drive and felt like a feather to drive. Miss her everyday. Leather looked new at the mileage.
Never heard of running waterless coolant. My 540i has only ever had BMW blue and distilled water 50/50 mix and I have never had any issues with the cooling system at 165k miles so far, knock on wood. I have already replaced the radiator and water pump, plus a few other hoses and the o-rings for the pipes under the intake manifold in the front and the back. No leaks. Never overheats. Good car and engine 👍
I have an M54 in my 2004 e60. It is a fantastic engine. Burns and leaks a little oil, but I look past that as it starts up everytime with zero issues. BMW builds the best N/A straight 6's
Probably oil filter housing gasket. Look it up! My 05 530i was leaking from that. Thought it was oil pan gasket for the longest time. Changed the OFHG boom no more oil leak. Also change your vanos seals if you haven't! You'll notice way better power delivery.
Any manual m30 powered car is bullet proof. There’s dudes with 250k mile blocks who turbo them and make 400+ whp for years. OEM blocks just an upgraded head gasket and head studs. M20 and m30 cars are by far BMWs most simple stout design
Well let me be clear I'm a shop owner and I have worked on probably hundreds I just have 2 in the shop when I wrote it I now have another but different issues... For me the N55 is not a good powerplant the issues are not easily resolved and tend to require full engine replacement or rebuild... Not as bad as the N20 or N63 but it's up there
I find the people that have issues with their N55 particularly with rod bearing failures are the ones doing oil changes at 15k instead of doing them at 5k. I've had mine for years with no issues.
Pleasee helpp, im between a E46 330i 2004, E60 530i 2004 or a E39 523i 1998. I like the 5 serieas casue its more confortable and spacey but which one u recommend or anyone else can respond please
Not as desirable or fast, but my 1997’ 1.9L M44B2 inline 4 cylinder on my e36 Z3 roadster is still going strong after 27 years and 170,000 miles. Cheaper to fix as well, since it’s less parts, less oil, and has much more room in the bay to work on the car. Most major front jobs have been done with only the ram air duct removed. I’ve had it for 8 years now with no plans on selling it. Change the radio receiver to a Bluetooth unit, you’ll be surprised how much you’ll love a Z3 with the top down slow cruising.
I had an M50 E34 it was the most reliable car I ever had, just drank too much fuel for my European self. Now I'm running a N57 E91, I think the money I'm saving on fuel saves more than the extra repairs cost
I owned a e90 320d for a year with no problems and just recently bought the e92 325d with the m57 engine I believe or it might be the m47 but either way these older bmw’s havnt let me down
Regular people with regular bmws tend to make more visits to shops. Bmw enthusiasts not so much because they actually stay on top of their cars. Ive had people come to the shop im at asking if we could check their oil because the cars running funny EVEN though theres warning light telling them the oil level is low. Last week one needed a whole 3.5 quartz of oil. Man that was painful to see
I've got an E39 3.0l Had it for over 8 years with 0 engine issues, just had a faulty module in the auto box a while back but thats about it. Its hard not to like a BMW straight 6 they are excellent lumps
My wife's father bought a E39 523iA new in 1996, he had it as a company car and then bought it to him self and my wife received it in 2001 as her first car. We retired it in 2014 when it had 275000km on the odometer, it was always serviced at the dealer who sold it as new and before we retired it it went for a full service and the whole car also got sandblasted and repainted with the original glacier blue color. Now it looks brand new and we only use it during the summer. The E39 is the best 5-series ever made, still oldskool but yet so modern that it dont feel old and the design is timeless. And boy is it fuel efficcient, I have owned several Mercedes-Benz E classes that have been similarly powerful and they consumed a lot more fuel, and I wont even mention my Caprice Classic and Mercury Grand Marquis and their fuel economy with the sort of same horsepower :D
Fortunate to have owned the top three! 99 m3 coupe sold at 298k miles, 01 M3 hard top convertible still running strong at 89k miles.. And my fave but departed 02 540i v8 with 144k.. Had to let the e39 go because the timing chain guides broke and was going to cost over $4k to fix :(
238,000 miles on my partially stock 99 bmw 323i manual. Only major job was subframe reinforcement…. Other than that she turns right on and moves! Original motor, trans, etc
What I’ve noticed about BMW and cars/trucks in general, they could have a very good engine, with exterior, interior, wiring that is falling apart.. you can have a bullet proof engine with a weak transmission and rear end. You can have a car that’s mostly nice with a crap engine. My uncle had an e36, that broke down every other week no matter how nice it was up kept and babied.
Maybe the automatics, but I’ve never had an issue or been left stranded by a BMW and I’ve purchased some pretty questionable cars. Nothing drives like them either
M57 and M57 tu. Diesel inline 6 with 1 turbo. Strong, reliable. If u replace the engine oil in every 10k km, the first timing job is at 320k km.(200k miles).
