Why does the CAR WIZARD hate BMW's?!? He explains exactly why on this 2001 325Ci? 

I really get tried of people giving the car wizard bullshit over his pricing. I am a network engineer and people go network wizzard please make sure my network does not get ransomware or please keep my employees from goofying off or please configure this random piece of equipment and then not all but some get upset when I hand them a bill for 2 hours of my time or what ever it is and they get upset and they know my rate is 120 dollars and I am upfront with them on how long it going to take. I have a honest mechcanic like the car wizard here in my home town. I dont question his rates because like me he stands by his work and like me have a business to run. If you can do it in your driveway great your not the type of person who is running a business and if something else breaks even if it not your fault you are not going to go back to yourself and say well you broke this now fix it. Sorry as someone in a service industry I stand by my work and I have nothing against people who do there own work but stop being back seat quaterbacks it stupid and annoying.

I think BMW has learned though. On the new ones, you can take the whole engine out through the grille.

Oil passages in the alternator bracket? Reminds me of a quote I saw someone speak about German cars/engineers - "If you threw a German engineer into a deep hole and dropped him a ladder, he'd fashion the ladder into a shovel and tunnel himself out."

My dad was- mechanic. He was always honest with his customers. I love your empathy for your customers!

Honest, intelligent, no hype, I love this guy, tells it like it is, it's refreshing. Thank you

Loving BMWs is like being in an abusive relationship. She beats the hell out of you, yells at you constantly, embarrasses you in public... but she throws it down in the bedroom and keeps you coming back for more.

Look how much more relaxed Hoovie is when it is not his money that is being spent, he looks like he is genuinely enjoying himself!!

I've done this job 3 times. Doesn't take that long, I got scammed on my 1st mechanic so I learned how to work on them myself! Everyone said they're bad cars. But hey 6 years later 3 trips to California the car runs great!!

You sure know all about BMW's flaws, and you arre correct about what you said would break, especially the oil separator. Too bad they couldn't uses a $5 PVC valve instead. I have worked on and driven BMWs for the last 15 years. I went from British cars to German, thinking they were much more reliable. Man, was I wrong. Like my Triumphs, owning one is a love-hate relationship. They are fun to drive, but they always break. Also, if you own one of these cars, you are either a mechanic, married to a mechanic, or your best friend is a mechanic! Thanks for sharing. By the way, my 330ci has over 240,000 miles and still runs strong, lucky for me I know how to fix it, otherwise I would be in the poorhouse!

Hoovie: "It could be worse" the voice of experience

legend says if you say "hooptie" out loud 3 times, tyler appears and buys all your cars for 2x asking price

dude i did this job in like 2 hours and it cost me about 10 bucks in parts. $600 bucks is insane.

I did this same seal on my e85 Z4, same motor/gasket as the e46. This was not a big deal for me to replace. $600 is steep for removing a few things

That deal between the Wizard and the Ninja sounds more like a prisoner exchange! 😆

Am I the only one who has noticed how much closer these boys have gotten over last few years.....it's a absolute pleasure to watch 2 friends become even better friends over time.

I looked for this video, as a BMW owner and amateur mechanic, I can attest to the "There are few things more expensive than a cheap BMW." That being said after 7 years of owning a 2003 X5 4.4 this thing is great, BUT, they are only as good as their maintenance. If they are properly maintained, they will run forever. Proper maintenance requires a lot more than just oil changes periodically. Rubber and plastic gaskets and parts will only last so long regardless of what car they're in. Replacing worn rubber and plastic hoses will save your entire car, not just the engine. I work on my friends 1999 E46 for Free and for fun and practice before doing anything on mine. He never maintained it properly so it's a chore replacing everything one at a time but nothing has been very difficult at all. And the prices most mechanics charge are WAY too high. Thanks for these videos though, you are very thorough.

Enjoy your channel - have a question. I have a 2011 RR Sport SC. I took it to the dealer for the “flange” recall, which I am sure you are familiar with. However, I can still smell gas vapors. There are no leaks. Have you seen/smelt 14:08 this before? I do a lot of the work my self but would it be possible that it needs a new canister or purge valve? I actually think they are together as one piece . It is throwing the P0442 code. I think I will take it back to the dealer to double check their recall work . I would appreciate your thoughts!

I am your fan in Korea. I am doing car maintenance in Korea. I'm always learning a lot while watching your cool videos. I'm a Korean car maintenance RU-vidr like you. I definitely want to meet you someday.

This is why I became a BMW tech, one of the best paying brands out there. Bring More Wallet

Oil filter housing gaskets are not that bad on e46’s. I did mine yesterday along with a new housing itself, vanos line, both sensors on the housing, tensioners, pulleys and threw in a catch can. Thought it was going to be a nightmare 6+ hour job, took less than 3 as an amateur garage mechanic and I wasn’t rushing whatsoever. Car crossed 250k on my way home from work tonight, in the last 70k it’s probably cost 800 in maintenance. That’s just over half of what I paid for it 2 years ago. Normally paying 50% of the purchase price after 2 years of maintenance is a bad sign, but since it was $1500 I’m not really stressed, considering the suspension it’s sitting on cost more. Ignoring a few thousand in mods, I’ve been able to do nothing but beat on the thing 365 days for 2 years with less than a week of down time. Total for purchase and cost to keep it running is sitting around $2300 currently. I couldn’t be more happy with the car and I never get tired of beating the piss out of it. It will always hold a special place in my heart and I hate to admit it, but it’s better in every way than my m3 swapped e30 which has cost 8x more. I couldn’t recommend e46s or 36’s enough to anybody looking for a cheap, fun, balanced rwd platform. My only stipulation is do your homework on the car and don’t buy the first acceptable one you see. Non kid owned is the biggest challenge now that they’re so cheap, but it makes all the difference in the world. Apologies for the novel but go buy an e46 and if you aren’t afraid of getting your hands dirty, it will never disappoint you

I would really like to know how you feel about the new BMW B48 B58 and S58 engines, and also which one you think would be the most reliable. Salute.

OH NO NOT HOOVIE IN ANOTHER WIZARD VIDEO UGH...

I like when Hoovie makes guest appearances

Great episode, Wizard. I own a 2003 530i and I concur with every thing you said about BMW. I dream of smacking some of their so-called engineers when dealing with this kind of problem, and I have done this very same job on mine. But, I would also like to shake the hands of BMW's real engineers. When the car is running right with no leaks, it is a joy to drive. After 20 years, it still looks and performs as well as most new sports cars and it still puts a smile on my face every time I drive it. It's a love hate relationship for me but the love part trumps the hate part. The irony is that so much of the BMW maintenance on their newer cars is not even the serious stuff like bent valves or cracked heads. Its the nickel and dime plastic stuff that comes with a good size labor bill. Before plastic, BMWs seemed much more reliable, although not quite as refined.

The funny thing is that the BMW's back in the early eighties were easy to repair although the parts were expensive then. I learned that from my father, the car wizard from Andalusia. Mercedes, BMWs, Hondas, Toyotas, Opels and VWs, (European ones) they were always good to go at. I learned the trade from those. Especially the air cooled VWs. Land Rovers (the Spanish or the English ones), Alfa Romeos Alfasuds and Ford Grenadas (the ones available in Europe in the early 80s) stay well clear from them. We learned our lesson from those. Nowadays, car manufacturers take the fun out of car mechanics DIY. Respect David Long, how you take on all these cars, no matter what the age and the manufacturer. And doing a great job at it and sharing it with us.

I used to work for a retired doctor. He came home from having maintenance done on his BMW. He was so angry. He was about to sell it to me for $2,000, what he had just paid for 'routine maintenance', to which I had to explain that I don't have $2,000. He said, "just as well, it's gonna need another $2,000 brake job". A week later, he's driving a brand new Lexus.

Most popular BMW model “BMW Courtesy Car” across the rear window

Dude must have been married to a BMW and it left him for someone more knowledgeable. Now he's taking it out on all BMWs. Hehehe

We did a coolant reservoir on a Armored V12 Mercedes S Class. It took 4 hours and we had to remove the radiator to get to it. They're cool cars, but they're so complex that I don't enjoy working on them at all. I find now that the more simple a car is, the more I enjoy it. Edit: before anyone says it, I know it's not a beamer, but we did a 4cyl BMW starter and we had to remove the intake manifold to get to it. They're just too complicated to be decent cars.

Next on Hoovie's Garage: I bought the cheapest BMW convertible in the entire state of Kansas ...

11:47 "BMW and plastic, why can't they figure it out?" BMW = We have and that is why it breaks easier and sooner!

I love watching your videos Mr. Wizard. Thank you.

😂 I knew it was going to be an oil filter relocation bracket seal. You gotta use a 32mm socket when changing the (incredibly conveniently located) oil filter. I got lazy and used channellocks. I changed one on an e53 we used to own. Only issue I ever had out of that vehicle until a tree fell on it.

The reason Wizard laughs gleefully and rubs his hands together is HOOVIE KNOWS BETTER

You are absolutely correct 👍🏾 Thank you for your honest and factual comments.

I owned a e39 530i for 10 years, Great car, same motor as this one in video, absolutely love the driving experience. Never done a tune up yet, only AC belt, fan clutch a MAF in 10 years plus. 260 k Miles. I have owned a e46 brought from Germany, e34, it was okay car.

As a 10+ year e46 owner, I gotta say that this is a 1 hour job at best and he didn’t have to take the fan off or the front of the intake shroud. Regardless, I’ve done almost every common failure job on my e46 and I have to say that if I was paying a mechanic, I too would be broke.

Hoovie: "I'm offended when you make those happy noises when I bring you cars" Wizard: "Haha, okay"

I always had a good experience with my MB's, I had a E300, E300TD (6cycl. turbodiesel), 500SL, and the best cars were an E420 (sold at 230k mls.) and the outstanding ML430 for towing duty and off-roading. The ML was just a monster, never opened the engine, and never touched the transmission. I changed one coil pack and the (beautiful - machined impeller!) water pump (at 180k) and the crankshaft sensor - easy to do! The boat was 2.5t (27 ft. - and the ML handled it with no issues. Except for melting the plastic wheel housing covers (only cosmetic issue inside the engine bay) because the exhaust was glowing red, HWy 50 to lake Tahoe - I flogged it having to take over all the cars uphill on the 4 lane sections. My daughter totaled it at 185 k mls (250 000 km) - it was one foot narrower after being broadsided by a truck and still ran as on the first day. An absolute monster. My 2006 530i has only a little over 120 k - I changed the PCV valve (broke all the hoses) put new hoses, changed the oil water cooler gaskets, and just cleaned the Valvetronic hydraulic actuators. In short, its not an older MBZ but it runs sooo smooth. The engine itself is bulletproof, and the suspension is amazing. But if you are not mechanically inclined..... If I had a lift I would change the shift valves on the xmission as it shifts (for my taste) to hard into 1st when stopping. Oh, yes the oil pan gaskets need changing (subframe off etc.). The only German car that ever left me stranded was a 2006 ML350 (front differential locked due to failed seal) what a piece of crap that car was. BMW makes the best engines - the straight 6 is just perfection. I had many other cars .... including a LS400, ZX280, VW GTI, Passat, Bus (excellent), Fiat, Ford Aerostar & Escape (I love the old Cologne 4 l V6), Toyota, Peugot (in Africa) ... The worst car was Audi ..... (had two, straight 5 engine and V6) the best was the ML430.

Hey Mr. Wizard I have a 2019 Range Rover Sport with 54k miles. The only issues so far was a bad O2 sensor that was replaced under warranty . What are the weak points of this truck that could cause catastrophic damage? I’d like to get ahead of trouble . Wish you were near Philadelphia Pa.

I’ve really grown to enjoy the car wizard channel, he’s very down to earth and just talks to you and tells you how it is. No clout chasing or building up hype here just straight facts from real life experiences he’s seen first hand. Keep up the good work car wizard 👌

I'm from the UK and I have an 08 e92 325i and I spent just over 2k (about $3k) with 160k miles on it. I have to say buying this car I was really sceptical about owning one because of the unreliable BMWs on RU-vid, however I feel like the American market for these European cars is horrible which makes people shudder at the idea of owning one. The previous owner looked after it (mechanically) and now all the maintenance is done by me when necessary. I think since the two years of ownership the only thing I've had to fix or change (other than regular services) is an ignition coil, nitrogen nox sensor, and fixing a tyre puncture. I don't know who really cares about this comment lol but if you're reading this here, have a wonderful day!

When they are properly maintained they are amazing cars

The e46 is my favourite BMW. Had one for years. Faults? Oh, yes. But still I love it!

I’m a retired Audi/VW tech so I’m used to working on German cars,daughter-in-law has had three BMW’s and I was always working on them or being called roadside to help out. I got her a used Honda Civic with 237’000 kilometres and she drove it two years with only maintenance and rear brakes. She decided that she wanted a new car and replaced it with a brand new Civic Si, I now am fully retired as the car never breaks down.

Bottom line: if your on a low budget stay away from ALL luxury cars and drive within your means.

I was finishing up this job this past week and, as I was finishing up, the filter housing cracked at the idler pulley. So I had to source another housing, take apart everything again, and start over. I have to finish it on Monday. Every tool I’ve used is covered in about an inch thick coating of oil and grime from years of neglect. Which sucks. Cause e39s are awesome if they’re maintained.

Thank you, Wizard!!

When my cars stop leaking oil I know it's time to add more oil...

It's a shame, because all those e46's drive beautifully when they are running right

It equates to sales for BMW and an easy fix for a decent hobbyist. Service sets repair cost above the cost of a deposit on new vehicle. Sales ropes them in but offers nothing for trade in. I go to private sale and pay 25 cents on the dollar for a perfectly fine luxury car that needs a $4 gasket.

Great info thanks for sharing and best wishes for 2024 👍

I like BMW and that’s why I learned how to work on them, so I don’t have to pay the wizard 600 dollars for 3 hours of work lol

Hoovie must be so relaxed when he just gets to drop by on someone else’s channel. And someone else’s BMW. Very good video.

I've kept a 2000 323i w/ 140K miles for 10 years, sits in garage, should i keep it?, fix it up?, (some interior headliner etc) nasty electrical issues, like the windows and sunroof open for no reason after it rains--lol, i had to install a battery switch to use every time i park it... you're right about the engine cooling as it cracked the reservoir on me, and sometimes warns low coolant when there is plenty. its Got airbag lite, but the coolant system scares me the most. how can i beef up the coolant system? Or should I just get rid of it? It's not worth much really, but I like its a manual 5 speed, fun to drive? I've thought about "blowing it " with a turbo--is that a good idea?

I noticed this way back with a 2002 I had. They think they are clever and do things differently from everyone else. Then when there is a problem, they are the only source of parts, so they are expensive and there was no reason to do things different in the first place. My 2002 had some kind of fancy exhaust manifold made of sheet metal with a baffle inside that commonly rusts and falls down and blocks the exhaust from exiting down the exhaust pipe. When mine went the part alone was $600 new, and I may have picked up a used one, can't remember. Never again.

I want to see the Wizard on a V10 Audi RS6, explaining how the whole engine has to come out (or at least that's what the manuals say) just to change a $2 gasket on the oil/water pump.

I've told friends repeatedly that want to buy old BMW's, if you can fix it yourself it's workable, if you expect to pay a shop to fix it, it will bleed you dry.

these cars can be very convenient to run from daily driver to race car setups of you know how to deal with them but maybe it doesn’t apply to US some parts you can get from salvage others can be upgraded aftermarket, there are also parts designed to fix issues like intake manifold flap mod. you also need software for diagnostics and even tune. Then properly maintained you can push them to the redline everytime you want to.

I love your videos Wizzard!

Not the “Ultimate Driving Machine.” The “Ultimate Money Disappearing Machine.”

I love how Hoovie is like "$600, huh? Not that bad" LOL

We’ve had a lot of BMWs. E39 530d, E60 530d, E90 325d, E90 318d, F30 318d and we currently have a G30 520d. All of them have been very reliable and are amazing cars. If you know how to buy the right one and look after them then they are great.

I have a 2013 328 xdrive sport package. Bought in 2015 with 18000 miles. I now have about 80000 on it. The repair costs over the years have been slightly above average, they are definitely more expensive to repair and that is why so many are in poor shape on the used market. If something needs maintenance, do it right away, find a good mechanic. It drives beautifully and I have enjoyed owning it. I did an elective repair on the timing chain before it caused any issues as I planned on keeping it. Very costly job, but way cheaper than a new car at the time. Suspension repairs will be pricey as well, brakes not so much. Regular oil changes and maintenance pay off in a big way.

When you go to the parts store, and the parts custs under $100, you know it's going to take you 15 hours to do the job. If it costs $500, you'll be done in 10 minutes.

Didn't know Action Bronson is a car mechanic. Man this dude got it all

I want a 2014 750. Could somebody tell me the most common problem. And should I go ahead and replace the seals

I think the Wizard is brilliant! You can save thousands by listening to him. Thank you Wizard!

Nice to hear a mechanic who likes looking after their customers - respect Wizard.

I think you're overdoing the extremeness of the work involved. I have four E46's and I have NEVER paid $600 to have that oil gasket replaced, and I live in Boston where prices are relatively more expensive than other parts of the country.

I bought a 2002 lexus sc430... any advice?

Had to change the alternator on my 2001 540 once. Found out they routed the water jacket around the "internally mounted" alternator. Along the way, had to fashion my own belt tensioner tool to remove the belt. After securing a brand new rebuilt alternator for $300, I managed to get the job done.

"German Engineering" is the best marketing ploy ever! My English translation for "German Engineering" is "take something simple and make it as overly complicated as possible... "

Honestly BMWs are very "reliable" in terms of job security. Every inline 6 leaks valve cover, oil housing, oil pan, leak detection pump 😍

If you want to have fun try doing an oil pan gasket on a 2003 530i, they are know to start leaking, estimates are 1,000 to.1,400, the engine has to be lifted and the subframe lowered.

In 2017 I drove a 3 month old BMW with 3100 miles on it to my detail shop. It was leaking oil on my floor when I went to detail it. That was the newest and closest to brand new one I've driven. I've driven quite a few over the years. I've never driven one that didn't have a defect that would drive me crazy for the money.

"I don`t mind taking a money" - Car Wizard 2021

Car Wizard is so honest and wholesome. Best mechanic ever!

How is the oil cooler a 600.00 job I just did this on my 2008 528i and it only took maybe an hour Parts are only 15.00

Well Mr. Wizard what are your thoughts about the BMW Z4 or Z4M coupe made in the USA ? Thank you sir 👍🏻

I cant see why this cost $600, I literally got this job done in not even 2 hours on a 2001 525i.. if you have the right tools it makes all the difference.

Remember when the car wizard was the awkward presenter. Oh how the tides have changed...

Thers a bemer for 1500 just like the one you have there with a blown head gasket i want to fix it my self if i do take the plundge what else should i take a look at while the heads are off ???? I want to try end get the car for 1k

I bought my brother a 2003 325ci easy to work on runs like a dream

I have a 2001 330i and it took me 1 hour to replace that gasket along with the ccv system. Used BMW Tis and torqued all the bolts to spec.

I have one of these, a 2004 BMW 325i. This video is very accurate. The headlights on these cars tend to melt into the housing, which means you can't just replace the light, you gotta replace the entire headlight assembly. This cost me $2,500 for both headlights on a car barely worth $5500. I'm getting to the end of my rope and now the oil pan gasket is leaking 🙄

I had a 2008 E-90 and can attest to the brittle plastics. I also had a leak on the oil filter adapter and a failed Teves ABS module and pump that I had to send to England for repair. I also had a new 1984 318i that had constant A/C issues. No more BMWs for me.

As a first time car owner I like my e46 because I can fix it myself even if its enoying I still have fun with it because its all new to me

If I would have wasted so much time in changing this seal, so my boss had to charge the customer 600$ in labor, I would have been fired instantly.

Wizard's integrity is so refreshing! Never change!

i had a 2002 325ci coupe, so same as this car with a hardtop, black on black. i bought it used, four years old with 20k miles on it! the original owner put an m3 front bumper, oz vela ll staggered rims on it and lowerd the suspension. it looked great inside and out all the way to the end, i got many compliments. i had it dealer serviced the entire time i owned it. by 125k miles it was consuming a quart of oil about every 14 days!!! i still don't know why that engine just s'ed the bed for no apparent reason. nice while it lasted but i thought it should/would have lasted longer than 125 k miles!

I repair this seal ALL the time (or at least I used to) and either I am not charging enough, or this is priced a bit steeply...

It baffles me that the wizard won't spend 3 hours on a bmw but will gladly spend 100 hours on hoovies bentley chasing a stupid misfire 😂

Next thing to go will be the window regulator. Then the water pump, then suspension/ brake updates. Then the blower motor resistor. Don’t forget about the leaking washer bottle.

it's rare to find people on youtube who hate bmw like I do, this is nice

Lol as a previous 323i owner I knew exactly where this was going. I did this repair myself as well, it really wasn't too terrible as a DIY.

As a mechanic I would never own high end cars if I couldn’t fix them myself

The phase "fine German engineering " is a myth, perpetrated by the Germans. Worked on several BMWs. Only company that I've ever seen that will create a clip, and a bracket, and a special weird piece, where a simple nut and bolt would work just fine..

Fair points im ngl, working on them can suck and it can be expensive to maintain, people just need to buy a car they can afford to take care of

Wizard: Replacing this 3 Dollar gasket will cost her 600 Dollars Hoovie: Could be worse