Bimmer Troubles

[bimmer boy 21]

Hey all thought I'd make a thread about the troubles you have had with your cars, could be kind of interesting to see how reliable these bimmers really are, whether it be low Km's or if it really does depend on how the previous owners took car of it (if any) any way , set it out like this so its easy to read yo:

Make/Model:

Year:

Odometer:

Problems had:

Aproximate cost to fix (all up):

[nz320i 0]

1988 320i

186xxx km's

bought with no gearbox due to guy doing burnouts with auto

paid 2g for new auto - i am a dumbass wish id found this site b4 that!

fried wiring due to crap fuse - $20 for 2nd hand loom took myslfy a week to fix

now doing manual conversion, $1500 and i still will only get 5g maybe if i sold it man cars cost too much haha

My plan is to not do anything with my car other than drive it next year i want to save!

[petone 0]

87' 318i

248XXX brought it around 200XXX

Replaced shocks ~ $150

Master cylinder (clutch) $70

Sunroof (rust) $40

Seatbelt ~ $20

Camber correction for rear suspension $200 (only because of lowering)

Other than usual stuff like tires, brakes, oil, filters etc and mods thats it. It just got another warrant a few days ago. What E30 burn? :mosh:

[Guest Andrew]

hmm aside from rust - never mechanical problems - althought all my sh*t is new.

Wait - exhaust valve falling out - that put a hole in a piston.

[Gus 5]

hmm aside from rust - never mechanical problems - althought all my sh*t is new.

Wait - exhaust valve falling out - that put a hole in a piston.

my bad

not enough interweb space for mine

[bravo 34]

Bought @ 97xxx now @ 105xxxkms

1989 320i

Water pump and cambelt week after I bought it.

Needs cold start prob and mild missing prob fixed.

Replaced fuel filter - fuel filter had 1997 written on it - i bet that it was installed around then looking at it.

Water was brown had to do some serious flushing of cooling system.

Someone has replaced part of the exhaust.

Auto started leaking serious fluid - litres and litres a trip. hence manual conversion.

But nothing else yet so pretty good.

[topless 5]

If you talk about actual failures that caused me to get stuck at the side of the road (not general wear and tear like brake pads, cambelts etc), then I have only had a fuel pump fail in one of my 535's and a water pump in one of my e30's. I have owned more bm's than I care to think about and have found them extremely tough and reliable, able to take a lot of abuse, as long as you looked after the servicing side.

The biggest costs I have had are directly related to hooning... have owned at least a dozen bm's with lsd and had to replace many, many clutches in the lsd's from doing huge smoking donuts... never mind the tyres....but I have grown up now...

[Gus 5]

I have owned more bm's than I care to think about and have found them extremely tough and reliable, able to take a lot of abuse, as long as you looked after the servicing side.

The biggest costs I have had are directly related to hooning... have owned at least a dozen bm's with lsd and had to replace many, many clutches in the lsd's from doing huge smoking donuts... never mind the tyres....but I have grown up now...

couldnt agree with you more

donuts rule as well

will, care to send me a PM and let me know how one would go about a LSD rebuild?

thanks

if we talking about dead on the road towing required issues, not really. clutch MC dieing was still driveable, along with the fuel pump one. broken throttle cable fixed with a shoe string. cant think of anything else?

[Grant 4]

My list would be very very long...do you really want me to type it (I am anal, and actually have a good maintenance history recorded...but not digitally that I can easily post.)

A lot happens over 6 1/2 years of ownership of the same car, especially when for 4 years of that I was doing more than 500km's per week.

Cheers

Grant

[Gus 5]

what happens when you dont do enough burnouts you old codger

[Steve K-B 51]

E30 325i

1987

250,000

Problems: Seal belt, thermostat, sun visor, viscus fan hub, wind screen wiper/washer switches, rust in sun roof and fuel lines.

Ive had the car about 5 months. So compared to the old trusty subaru i had, this Bmw is a pain it the arse. (but its so worth it :thumb: )

[gmccormack 0]

1984 323 (now Andrews car)

320000km

Idle at 1300rpm when warm

Yoyo at idle between 1300 and 1800rpm when cold

Si board not working

Rust holes in front struts

Indicators stop flashing and stay on solid when the interior of the car is hot

Gearbox rear seal leaking

Rubber driveshaft coupling cracked

Broken sunroof handle

Viscous fan clutch failed

Handle fell off drivers seat

Fuel economy gauge displays nonsensical reading

Split petrol filler hose

Then all machanical component were then changed for those from a 1986 with 90000km on it and then

The Diff leaked

Alternator mount bushes

Water pump replaced

Had to replace viscous fan clutch and thermostat and then as Andrew said it dropped a valve

1988 318

180000km

Fault in brake wear indicator

Hand brake only works on one side

Automatic transmission blown

Fault in emission control system (car smells of petrol if you switch the engine off before it reaches normal temp)

Failed fuel pump

Electric window switches

Sway bar links knocking

Petrol gauge sometimes reads full, when tank is near empty

Plain sailing really

Edited October 20, 2005 by gmccormack

[kiwi535 538]

535

1990

200,000kms

all minor electrical ones for me,headlamp washers dont work,intensive clean doesnt work,glovelight bulb blown,boot wiring has broken wire to rr fog light,sometimes double lock results in drivers door staying locked...,and every now and then it takes a LOT to start when warm to normal

lkm resolderes,a few S at local auto electrician

new brake light switch bout 80 replaced myself,for brake light warning

perhaps something more sinister,had to top up coolant the other day!

Edited October 22, 2005 by kiwi535

[Guest Andrew]

Indicators stop flashing and stay on solid when the interior of the car is hot

you knew about that and didn't tell me! hah that problem pisses me off the most - still does it

[WANTED325iM 0]

Make/Model: M325is 2.7

Year: 1991

Odometer: 142,000

Problems had:

Last wof just about cleaned me out

Fix holes in parcel tray: $500

Front and rear rotors: $600

Driveshalf Donut: $400

Exhaust Leaks: $300

Stupid beemer, i had my Ke30 corolla for 2 years and all it needed was oil and filters.

[Gus 5]

a driveshaft donut is 140..

holes in parcel tray, you mean the steel underneath?

exhausts for 300? a full new one would have been ~500

e30 is all about the DIY

[DCEIVN 0]

86 E28 M535i

78XXX Kms. Hadn't been on the road for around 6 years - odo has frozen up and it doesnt move .

since then - exhaust manifold replacement - too f**n much, wish Id gotten headers instead can't believe i didnt.

electric windows had seized - dont remember how much

Complete brake overhaul - too much

AC doesnt blow cold air, heater doesnt blow hot air

[Jazzbass 1]

Only troubles of note I've had have been with my two Jap import E36s: '92 318 and '95 325.

Both required new steering rack - costing about $1200 each (WOF)

Both required rear suspension top bushes (WOF)

Both required new front suspension bushes thingos (WOF)

Both required new brakelight switch above pedal

318 - replaced dead cat with Coby

318 - left turn indicator would always stick on

318 - new drivers door ewindow motor

325 - new drivers door ewindow mechanism

Both had that very annoying habit of reporting the brake lights or tail lights not working, due to that sliding contact system which didn't like crud - repeated cleaning of crud tracks required. Poor design.

plus all the normal maintenance costs you get no matter what car you own.

Current car - 1 NZ owner - FSH - no problems yet, apart from water pump replacement, which the agents did under warranty.

[bravo 34]

Both had that very annoying habit of reporting the brake lights or tail lights not working, due to that sliding contact system which didn't like crud - repeated cleaning of crud tracks required. Poor design.

Mine does that with the brake lights when fanging around corners.

Also brake pad wear light comes on in the wet.

Talking of warning lights - what have you whom have had their cat removed done with the cat temp sensor?

[Jazzbass 1]

Cat sensor? Lord knows - I guess the muffler shop either shorted or left it open, whichever is the failsafe position. Never worried about it myself.

[Guest Andrew]

Mine does that with the brake lights when fanging around corners.

Also brake pad wear light comes on in the wet.

Talking of warning lights - what have you whom have had their cat removed done with the cat temp sensor?

short it -

reads off then.

[gmccormack 0]

Talking of warning lights - what have you whom have had their cat removed done with the cat temp sensor?

Took the bulb out

[WANTED325iM 0]

a driveshaft donut is 140..

holes in parcel tray, you mean the steel underneath?

exhausts for 300? a full new one would have been ~500

e30 is all about the DIY

Yeah the donut is cheap but, fitting it is a c**t. You have to remove almost everything to get at it, and move the diff back.

Yep the steel underneeth, 2 6x9 holes and a 12in sub hole.

$500 for a whole new exhaust?

no way, for a hot one maybe.

[bumpstop325 0]

190,000kms

1986 325i

caught fire, no more car.

fuel pump relay short circuit.

[Gus 5]

or just one made by al's.....

brand name exhausts = $$$$$$