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used high milege bmw 330i?

J

Jinny

Senior member
pic

what do you guys think of that bmw 2001 330i sedan?
107,000 miles for almost 10k

or am i just asking for mechanical problems
 
I would be concerend with the maintenance whcih has most likely not been perfromed.

Brakes
Rotors
Calipers
Belts
Hoses
bulbs
wipers
fluid changes


All of those most likely need to be done.


 
Originally posted by: Fmr12B
I would be concerend with the maintenance whcih has most likely not been perfromed.

Brakes
Rotors
Calipers
Belts
Hoses
bulbs
wipers
fluid changes


All of those most likely need to be done.
Click to expand...

Why wouldn't it have been?
 
Because on most cars, those parts from the factory will last for 100K or so miles. Especially if it was all Highway driving
 
Originally posted by: Fmr12B
I would be concerend with the maintenance whcih has most likely not been perfromed.

Brakes
Rotors
Calipers
Belts
Hoses
bulbs
wipers
fluid changes

All of those most likely need to be done.
Click to expand...

Calipers? Bulbs? Wipers? Hoses? Really?

Why would anyone change out calipers that are functioning just fine? Those almost never need replacement. Hell, the original calipers on my 23-year-old 951 are still just fine, and so are the original 33-year-old calipers on my 914. There's no reason to think that you'd need to replace calipers that are only 8 years old. As far as bulbs, whoop-de-do. Bulbs are a $10 expense. And wipers? Oh no, I just spent $10,000 on a car, the $30 for new wipers is going to bankrupt me! Somehow, I doubt it. As for hoses, hoses generally dry-rot due to age and having the car sit un-driven. I really doubt that any of the hoses need replacing on a 2001 model year car.

The big usually-neglected fluid change (automatic transmission fluid) doesn't apply to this car as it's a manual. Probably not a bad idea to change out the gear oil in the manual transmission, but that's just a drain and fill, not really any different than an engine oil change with none of the flushing machine hassle that an automatic would involve. Nothing to be "concerned" about.

Realistic maintenance items that ought to be done:

- Drain/fill both engine and transmission oil. This is probably un-necessary but won't hurt and is always a good preventative measure on a used car.
- Flush coolant and brake fluid. Again, probably un-necessary, but always a good preventative measure.
- Belts are possible, but since the engine uses a timing chain it's something that isn't immediately necessary. Consult the owner's manual for appropriate intervals, you may be surprised at how long you can go.
- Brake pads are possible, but not a guaranteed item. Just check the thickness of the remaining pads. Same thing with the rotors except that there is more probability that the rotors are still within specification even if the pads are worn out.
- Clutch. If possible, have a mechanic check to see how much clutch material is left. A good driver can have a clutch last 150,000+ miles, and a bad one can burn out a clutch in under 20,000 miles. See if you can find out where this car's clutch is in its lifespan.

As far as the long-term reliability of the car, BMW's inline 6 engines are solid pieces, as are their manual transmissions. However, be aware that normal maintenance items for a BMW will cost more than for a Honda or a Ford. I don't think that you're "asking for" problems, but it's certain that the normal higher-mileage issues that come up for any car will cost more to take care of on a BMW.

ZV
 
If it hasn't been replaced yet, you will need to get a new radiator soon. BMW radiators are made of plastic and after about 100K they fail without fail (hmm..) Everyone I know with 3 series had their replaced including me.

I had about 112K on my 325i when my clutch started to go. I dumped it before I needed to fix it. At the time I traded in my car, I needed to repair the heater (it was summer so they didn't test it) and the clutch. I had to repair the AC twice, radiator, brakes, rotors, numerous headlights, taillights and foglights, and radio. Other things were on the car were going though like the bushings and the shocks.
 
I foresee it nickle and diming you to death - high mileage "boutique" cars are not for the faint hearted, or mechanically inept owner.
 
Originally posted by: SuperSix
I foresee it nickle and diming you to death - high mileage European cars are not for the faint hearted, or mechanically inept owner.
Click to expand...

Fixed.


Unless you are an auto-tech and/or really good with cars I would not buy a older European car. I use to have a Saab900se and it was a blast but like said will be a little thing here, a little thing there, 1 big thing, then back to lots of little things. My sister in law has a Audi A4 and even with less then 40k I am always doing something to it.
 
Originally posted by: Doggiedog
My brand new 335i came with a busted CD player. I hope it isn't a sign of things to come since I bought it.
Click to expand...

My radio didn't work at all when I got it 😛. We had rushed the delivery and they didn't want time to prep it properly.
 
Originally posted by: makken
You'll probably run into more electrical issues than mechanical on BMWs.

Off the top of my head, the 2 issues I remember with E46s are its cooling system failing with little to no warning, and weak window regulators.

more info could be found here:
http://www.bimmerfest.com/wiki...ould_I_look_out_for.3F
Click to expand...

Yeah, my BMW mechanic says the engines are bulletproof. It's the electrical system that breaks down.

Come to think of it, I need to add something else to my list of broken parts. My windshield wiper broke. The screw attaching the wiper rusted out and the motor no longer attached to the wiper. It was an easy fix as I could see exactly what was wrong with it but because the wiper was behind the AC unit which would have to be removed and I could not reach in to get at it, I had to get a pro to fix it. A little rusted screw ended up costing me $150 to fix.

That was ridiculous.
 
Not a bad set of wheels, but why not look for a lower mileage non-accident example? There are plenty around, no need to go gaga over this one, even though it looks nice.
 
Originally posted by: Fmr12B
I would be concerend with the maintenance whcih has most likely not been perfromed.

Brakes
Rotors
Calipers
Belts
Hoses
bulbs
wipers
fluid changes


All of those most likely need to be done.
Click to expand...

:roll:

Don't forget turbos, because they have a pre-set 100K mile expiration date. I hear you can fool them by winding the odo backwards though.

Virtually no car parts has any sort expiration date, nor do you have to replace anything because the car rolled 100K miles. The only exception are timing belts and rollers and that's because you want to replace them before they fail (FAIL?).

Also on a relate note, the only people I've ever heard of replacing rotors and calipers along with pads are the kind of people that taken by shady auto mechanics.

Finally the one thing I would check on E46 cars is how tight the front end is - if there is any sort of clunk when going over bumps, you'll need control arms and ball joints. It's about $300 if you DIY, the ones on my brother's E46 coupe went at ~50K miles.
 
I was in the same boat as you and considered getting a E46 330i

but... after reading all the small issues that go wrong with it, I decided it wasn't worth the hassle of a 10-12k used high millage car. I started considering the G35 used at 10-12k instead...

Common problems of E46 3 series BMW's are:

Weak power window regulators
Coupes have leaking around the back chrome window area
TEARING OF SUBFRAMES! Manuals are worse at it because of the extra torque and forces during shifts. The car literally tears itself apart underneath the rear seats. AVOID if you drive one and hear clanking.

Front shocks might go out, this is rarer though..

I'd change fluids, it does require synthetics although you could probably do regular fluids... but I wouldn't chance it.

It is my favorite BMW other than the 1 series coupe, and are easy on the eyes. They have a nice interior and its the last gen bmw's before the weight increases.... I just dont want to spend money on one if I gotta repair them often.
 
If you can afford the maintenance...that's one of the nicer looking generations. Much better than the current one.

But you will have a lot of small annoying problems.
 
I hope you have some extra savings for repairs, because you'll need them.
Avoid it, you'll find something else without the accident.
Click to expand...
Depending on severity, I don't think accidents are a big deal at all. My car now has three. I bought it with one. Couldn't care less, honestly.
 
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