[Drivaar]

So things are starting to happen on my 2007 335i E90...

I'm trying to figure out what kinds of repairs may be awaiting me...

The car has 106,000 miles or so, and it's now almost 9 years old... Most recently I am having a small oil leak from the turbocharger area (estimated at $850 to repair) and a small coolant leak (estimated at $1,200 to repair -- basically replacing coolant tank, radiator, and hoses)...

Looking at Edmunds, the car looks to be worth around $9,000-$10,000 at this time.

Just wondering what your thoughts are about keeping versus getting a new car, and what types of bills I'll be looking at given the age and miles on my car.

Thank you very much!!

[Welcome to NBA Jam]

You can replace the radiator, upper/lower hoses, and ET with OEM Bosch parts for under $300 if you mix and match websites.

Radiator - $130
Upper hose - $33
Lower hose - $33
ET - $50
Coolant x2 - $50

[Riceball777]

The problem with bmw's is the high labor cost. This is a great car if you can work on your own car. The parts really don't cost that much it's all labor. If you don't do your own work and you want to drive bmws it's better and more economical you stick to a lease or something that is alway still under warrantee.

If i own your car I can fix the oil like for less than a $100 and the radiator and coolent hoses for maybe 300-$500. But this is the price you have to pay for owning a out of warrantee bmw and not being a diy car enthusiast.

[stanlalee]

Its definitely cheaper to buy a new car in the short term if you fix/do EVERYTHING that you'll typically need to do at high mileage. Obviously a new car will get old but I can't imagine what you would buy that would require the same upkeep cost as these. The best compromise is to buy a daily beater (in my case 98 Honda accord V6) which cost next to nothing to maintain. Keep you without a car payment and on the road.

When you add up all these things that typically fail or need replacing around your mileage can really add up (dealer prices):

oil housing gasket $500-600
valve cover gasket $1000-1300
serpentine belt replacement $200-300
water pump/thermostat $1000
control arms (bushings) $800
walnut blasting $500
rear main seal/clutch/flywheel (manual trans) $2500 -$900 flywheel, $500 clutch, main seal and sealant $100, $1000 labor....again dealer prices.

not to mention the routine easier to replace stuff like brakes, tires, spark plugs/coils or less typical but expensive stuff like cam ledges, oil pan gasket and worn out turbos.

[Nitrousbird]

These cars don't make sense to own from a financial perspective unless you DIY. That's why they depreciated so badly and one of the reasons I chose this model.

[NRudy]

I own a 2007 E92 335i it now had 78,600

I bought it at 67645.

In that 11,000 miles ive had

2x Turbos
1x Auto Box seal replacement
1x Vanos Clean
1x camshaft
1x camshaft bearing ledge
1x cylinder head
2x vanos gears
1x hpfp and piping
1x intake gasket
1x O2 sensor
1x radiator and hoses
1x brake fluid service
1x filter service
3x oil changes (1 with the turbos, 1 with the camshaft repar and one when i bought the car)

Price that up then determine how costly these cars can be in a short space of time.

[Drivaar]

All very helpful, thanks everyone!

You're right that I am not going to DIY... makes sense that if you are interested and capable of DIY, you can save a lot.

Now I guess I'm trying to weigh the trade-off between buying a new car and putting in money for repairs on this one. To get a new car I'd like (probably not a BMW again, as the suspension is just too rough for where I live, and you can get a lot of cool features on much cheaper cars now), it would probably cost $30K... so to me, it makes sense to put in a few thousand in repairs on my car before jumping to a new one.

Any advice there? Thank you again!

[Antetokounmpo]

Originally Posted by NRudy

I own a 2007 E92 335i it now had 78,600

I bought it at 67645.

In that 11,000 miles ive had

2x Turbos
1x Auto Box seal replacement
1x Vanos Clean
1x camshaft
1x camshaft bearing ledge
1x cylinder head
2x vanos gears
1x hpfp and piping
1x intake gasket
1x O2 sensor
1x radiator and hoses
1x brake fluid service
1x filter service
3x oil changes (1 with the turbos, 1 with the camshaft repar and one when i bought the car)

Price that up then determine how costly these cars can be in a short space of time.

Wow... In 30k I've replaced the water pump and that's it.

[gunnerxq]

Originally Posted by Heel Toe

Wow... In 30k I've replaced the water pump and that's it.

Yeah it could of been a lemon

[ctuna]

If you are above 100k on any turbo car
you can expect to spend some money .

[Fun w/N54]

Originally Posted by stanlalee

Its definitely cheaper to buy a new car in the short term if you fix/do EVERYTHING that you'll typically need to do at high mileage. Obviously a new car will get old but I can't imagine what you would buy that would require the same upkeep cost as these. The best compromise is to buy a daily beater (in my case 98 Honda accord V6) which cost next to nothing to maintain. Keep you without a car payment and on the road.

When you add up all these things that typically fail or need replacing around your mileage can really add up (dealer prices):

oil housing gasket $500-600
valve cover gasket $1000-1300
serpentine belt replacement $200-300
water pump/thermostat $1000
control arms (bushings) $800
walnut blasting $500
rear main seal/clutch/flywheel (manual trans) $2500 -$900 flywheel, $500 clutch, main seal and sealant $100, $1000 labor....again dealer prices.

not to mention the routine easier to replace stuff like brakes, tires, spark plugs/coils or less typical but expensive stuff like cam ledges, oil pan gasket and worn out turbos.

Haha...2000 Accord with 150k miles here and had to replace leaky gas tank last year for $1000 and gas lines this year for $700. Don't mind putting $$ into car but geez.

Good Luck.

[CookMaster]

Op, look at the big picture. If you have the service records and they show good maintenance, then these small issues are just that. You own a car that has been driven at the standard mileage per year. If it has been decently maintained, then she should be a keeper. I have a coworker with the same model year with +200k miles and it is still running good. If you plan to keep, set aside a maintenance fund of $1k annually for unexpected repairs. These are great cars, but they need regular maintenance to keep them up. If you want a maintenance free car , then buy the boring toyotas and Lexus brand vehicles. Sure, they run forever, but the are lifeless daily drivers.

[Wilt]

Originally Posted by stanlalee

Its definitely cheaper to buy a new car in the short term if you fix/do EVERYTHING that you'll typically need to do at high mileage. Obviously a new car will get old but I can't imagine what you would buy that would require the same upkeep cost as these.

My 2011 328i had a $42k sticker (I have the original one), and I bought the car at 3 years for $24k as a CPO. Simplistic arithmetic but the car declined by $18k in 36 months, or $500 per month in DEPRECIATION, add to that whatever state tax computed on the $18k, and assuming 5% tax that is another $900 or $25 per month, add three years of greater license/registration costs for the more expensive car, and you are easily approaching $550 or more in actual costs associated with the new car (vs. keeping the older car). You can fix a lot of stuff in a used car for an annualized $6600!!!

"But wait...your used car depreciates, too!", you retort.
So I respond, "The car is worth about $10000, and if it is worth $2500 in three years, it depreciated $7500, or $2500 each year. So the difference between the new car vs. the fixed up old car is reduced from $6600 to $4100...that is still a ton of repair costs it covers!"

[Drivaar]

Thank you all for your insightful comments!

Wilt: I agree with your logic... I think I'll keep it for a while... but if the turbos fail, that could be the end. Fortunately, I'm driving quite mellowly these days and that will help everything. The days of enthusiastic mountain drives are over.

[Lucky1]

Originally Posted by Wilt

My 2011 328i had a $42k sticker (I have the original one), and I bought the car at 3 years for $24k as a CPO. Simplistic arithmetic but the car declined by $18k in 36 months, or $500 per month in DEPRECIATION, add to that whatever state tax computed on the $18k, and assuming 5% tax that is another $900 or $25 per month, add three years of greater license/registration costs for the more expensive car, and you are easily approaching $550 or more in actual costs associated with the new car (vs. keeping the older car). You can fix a lot of stuff in a used car for an annualized $6600!!!

"But wait...your used car depreciates, too!", you retort.
So I respond, "The car is worth about $10000, and if it is worth $2500 in three years, it depreciated $7500, or $2500 each year. So the difference between the new car vs. the fixed up old car is reduced from $6600 to $4100...that is still a ton of repair costs it covers!"

You get how to look at the bigger picture and I agree with your logic. Only thing that I would worry about is having to replace a turbo but I'm sure a smart indy could still cost a lot less than a stealership.

OP, are those quotes from the stealership or an indy? Get a competitive quote from an indy knowledgeable and experienced with modern BMW's if you haven't already. Then decide. If you ammortize maintenance over a year and compare the costs of purchasing a new car its not always so cut and dry just as Wilt has stated. It does get annoying if you have to be without the car for a while...factor in rental cars. In my area rental car companies will cut you discount if they pick you up at a mechanic.

[Bubba11]

welcome to the money pit bud. mines a total lemon, can only handle so much more at this point. every month it's something new.

[only1harry]

Originally Posted by Fun w/N54

Haha...2000 Accord with 150k miles here and had to replace leaky gas tank last year for $1000 and gas lines this year for $700. Don't mind putting $$ into car but geez.

Good Luck.

My 2001 Civic EX coupe (5-sp. manual) had 173K mi. when I sold it. The only repair I had was the alternator at 130k mi. I only replaced the spark plugs ONCE and the fluids ONCE (radiator, tranny, brake, etc.) around 90-95k mi. I sold it for $1K more than KBB in 24hrs with an ad in Honda-tech.com. I think I only did 2 brake jobs too.

My current 2006 Civic LX Coupe (5-speed) with 150k mi. on the odo, again only had the alternator fail around 125k mi. Same long interval maintenance.

My '97 Civic before that - same thing. I was going to sell my '06 Civic, but I started having problems with my CPO 2011 335i immediately after I bought it 2 years ago, so I kept the Civic for when my 335 is in the shop and it's been in the shop often with only 35k mi. on the odo as of today.

I have since bought a new 2015 Mazda 3 GT (2.5L) so I could sell the '06 Civic, but the Mazda is a POS and started having problems right away too, so the '06 Civic is still in the driveway and can outhandle both 335 and 3. The only thing the Civic lacks is power, but it's still a lot of fun to drive. I can't wait for the Civic Type-R to come out so I can get rid of the worse car and 2nd worse car I have ever owned. The Bimmer and the Mazda 3. My beloved '99 Integra GSR is still in the driveway and just needs to pass inspection when I get around to putting the CAT back on to pass emissions (they changed our emissions a couple of years ago and had to take the Integra off the road). So once I get the Integra up & running and the new Civic Type-R comes out supposedly next year, both POS BMW and Mazda cars are getting sold. My time is valuable and don't spending it driving to the dealer every month, or replacing a ton of suspension parts and spending $ to restore the handling.

My Hondas have never seen the inside of a Dealership after I bought them. I curse the day I sold my S2000 but I could not drive in the winter and then we started having kids... That was the best car ever and it handled like a dream. It would run circles around an M3 in a handling course.

BTW, I bought my '11 335i with 24,900 mi. exactly 2 years ago tomorrow, and now it has 35K. During that time the Dealer had to replace rotors and pads, a broken lower steering shaft (with built-in U-joint) - TWICE, leaky Tension arm bushings, broken valve cover (leaking), some annoying electrical problems which they said they fixed by upgrading the software. I had to pay to replace shocks after the new warranty was up which were leaking, control arms, end links, shock bushings, etc. all before the car had 35k mi. Coming from Hondas this was shocking to me at first, but I am still not used to it. This car keeps me up at night trying to restore the handling and remove the bounciness and increased body roll. It's not fun to drive any longer and it's now runing rough for some reason. Too many negatives outweigh the positive so it will be my first and last Bimmer. I will not own it past the CPO warranty which expires in 18 months.

Harry

[Riceball777]

This is the exact reason why bmws depreciate so bad compared to reliable Japanese cars. Used out of warrantee bmw's espically turbo models are a great value for your average tuner/real car enthusiast and diy garage mechanic. Not so much for the after person/ wannabe car enthusiast.

[Gohan335i7]

+1 Cookmaster & Lucky! Keep that car maintained in all aspects & you should be fine. Getting a new car is never a good idea, especially when your car can easily hit the 250-300k mile range if properly maintained. Don't take it to the stealership, find a great Indy shop since your not a DIY & you, your car ,& wallet will be happy. Love that 335i & it will love you back. -Gohan335i7 E90!

[Epic404]

I would never let a friend or family get one of these cars unless they planned on owning it only while the car was under warranty, or unless they were a DIY car guy who was really keen on BMW's.

If you're not one of these, I'd sell it while it's still running/moving and get either a used jap car or something under warranty. Once your car is disabled you won't get jack for it.

[only1harry]

Originally Posted by Riceball777

This is the exact reason why bmws depreciate so bad compared to reliable Japanese cars. Used out of warrantee bmw's espically turbo models are a great value for your average tuner/real car enthusiast and diy garage mechanic. Not so much for the after person/ wannabe car enthusiast.

Yes I agree.
When I bought the Bimmer everyone at work that owned or used to own one had a grin on their face and said "oh good luck with it". I said what you do mean? They all responded "you 'll see...". Then I thought about it and realized not one of those ex-BMW owners/co-workers got another Bimmer, and that's several dozen people. Most of them now drive Lexus, Infinity and Mercedes. A few bought Acuras, and the "younger" ones got Mustang, Camaro, Corvette, and other sports cars. Out of 950-960 cars in the lot there are only 3 other 328's, and my 335. I walk during lunch mostly in the parking lot and check out every car. 3-5 few years ago there were 2 dozen 3 and 5 Series, but not anymore. 2 to 3 328's is all I see out of about 960 cars. Sadly I am seeing a lot more Honda wannabes, ie: Hyundai and Kia.

It will be interesting to see how reliable the Hondas will be with the new Turbo engines, but I see a lot of potential with increased boost in those light cars, because they always have a huge aftermarket. Still they are not as good looking as an e90/92 If only Honda had the Bimmer's looks... Bring back the S2K!! I 'll settle for an Accord Type-R too I know a few ex-BMW owners that used to have the Integra Type-R. They all say the Integra was more fun to drive and outhandled their 3-series even the M3 owners, and the only complaint they had was power. But to me it's all about handling, road feel and the fun to drive factor, so I will take a better handling car over a more powerful car any day of the week.

Harry

[Larsim]

+1 OP, I think if I were in your shoes I would keep it for now but if it continued to act up I would move to another car.

Originally Posted by only1harry

Yes I agree.
When I bought the Bimmer everyone at work that owned or used to own one had a grin on their face and said "oh good luck with it". I said what you do mean? They all responded "you 'll see...". Then I thought about it and realized not one of those ex-BMW owners/co-workers got another Bimmer, and that's several dozen people. Most of them now drive Lexus, Infiniti and Mercedes. A few bought Acuras, and the "younger" ones got Mustang, Camaro, Corvette, and other sports cars. Out of 950-960 cars in the lot there are only 3 other 328's, and my 335. I walk during lunch mostly in the parking lot and check out every car. 3-5 few years ago there were 2 dozen 3 and 5 Series, but not anymore. 2 to 3 328's is all I see out of about 960 cars. Sadly I am seeing a lot more Honda wannabes, ie: Hyundai and Kia.

It will be interesting to see how reliable the Hondas will be with the new Turbo engines, but I see a lot of potential with increased boost in those light cars, because they always have a huge aftermarket. Still they are not as good looking as an e90/92 If only Honda had the Bimmer's looks... Bring back the S2K!! I 'll settle for an Accord Type-R too I know a few ex-BMW owners that used to have the Integra Type-R. They all say the Integra was more fun to drive and outhandled their 3-series even the M3 owners, and the only complaint they had was power. But to me it's all about handling, road feel and the fun to drive factor, so I will take a better handling car over a more powerful car any day of the week.

Harry

Agreed. My DD is an 05 FX45 and that thing is built like a tank it seems. After 113k miles not only it still drives great, it has NEVER been to a shop for other than normal maintenance. But I have to admit, even with all the maintenance cost of my 335i, I still love it though . Now, I am asking because I have never owned a Mercedes but aren't Mercedes just as high maintenance cost as BMWs? According to this guy the answer is yes apparently: