[Guitarkid]

Hey guys, new user here. I made an account specifically for this. I'm here under rather unique circumstances which I'll get into. I'm seeking input on possible first time bmw ownership. This is gonna be a long post btw lol

I'll start by saying I'm a 24 year old car junkie and live in New Hampshire, which is no stranger to nasty weather and/or snow. Anyway I'm the owner of a lightly modded 6 speed V6 turbo Saab which is going through some bureaucratic emissions bullshit and won't pass state inspection. Long story short it needs a fuel pump to clear a fuel pressure code, which I ordered 6 months ago from Sweden and it has yet to arrive. Still on backorder last I heard and god only knows when it'll arrive. They told me late March or early April and have just kept pushing back the ETA, which I think annoys me more than anything else. I don't know how an arrival time can go from March to god only knows when like that. The issue is Saab is a dead brand, and this particular car is one of 13 they built for North America, which kinda says it all about finding parts and shit for it. It's just a minor annoyance of an issue which has since turned into a huge headache and created more problems than it solves. I've been sharing cars for the past 3 months since my tags expired in April, which I absolutely hate doing. One of them by coincidence is my dad's 04 325xi, which is kinda a piece of junk to be honest, nothing that special. It has about 240k miles on it and the interior is falling apart and stuff

Anyway, I'm getting really sick of not having my own car and been looking into getting a second til I can get the Saab back on the road, which is my only car by the way. I love the car and I'm keeping it, I can't sell it or trade it in like it is without getting next to nothing for it, and it still runs fine and hauls ass. I'm looking for something with similar numbers to my car and have it narrowed down to either a previous generation wrx or an e9x 3 series, preferably 2 door. Manual is a must. Not worried about maintenance costs. Believe me after owning this car, I know a thing or two about expensive cars to own!

I was browsing various auto sites and came across a 6 speed 2011 335i x-drive coupe for sale by a guy in Maine, about a 200 mile drive from me door to door. He's asking $18k for it and it has 101k miles. Looks clean in the pictures and has a jb4 and performance exhaust. Now never having owned a bmw personally before, I have a few questions. First, is $18k a bit steep? I feel like it is but I'm not experienced when it comes to bmw. My budget is around $15k give or take a few thousand. I just paid off the loan on my car last month, and I'm not exactly delighted about having to take another for such a bullshit reason but whatever.

I should also note as ironic as it sounds considering I'm a gearhead, I've never even driven a rwd car in my life. The Saab is fwd and my daily driver year round and is a tank in snow. I'm on all season tires and never had a problem taking it out in blizzards and stuff. My next question is, is awd really necessary? I'm not sure what type of tires he has on it. This would be my daily driver indefinitely til my car gets fixed, if ever at this rate lol. I'm wondering if I could get away with rwd and snow tires but I also don't wanna kill myself, considering I've never driven a rwd car before. I definitely would prefer the sport suspension on the rwd models, but I'd be willing to slightly lower an x-drive to sit like a rwd model if possible. My dad is making it out to be like awd is 100% unquestionably required, but I've been fine with fwd like I said.

And also, I always get the years mixed up, is 2011 the first year of the n55 motor? I don't have a preference between n54 or n55 honestly, if I wind up going with a bmw I'll probably do some minor stuff to it. I'm thinking a light tune, downpipe, maybe suspension stuff depending on awd/rwd and if there's too much wheel gap or body roll for my liking. Next question, how much of a pain in the ass is walnut blasting? And is it insanely expensive?

And lastly while on the expense topic, are bmws as outrageously pricey to fix as everyone says? I can do basic stuff myself like bulbs, oil, etc., but for more complicated jobs it'd be going to the shop. Considering my current car, I'd feel like it would be a similar level financially. I've done normal wear and tear stuff on it plus some tasteful mods. Tires, brakes, struts, that sort of thing. I don't mind paying for that sort of stuff but I also don't want to have to pay thousands out of pocket if the turbo or head gaskets go prematurely. My car has been solid and still feels really well built despite being a 2007.

So what are your thoughts? Is it worth pursuing that car I mentioned? Should I try a rwd? Skip bmw completely? After the headache I've endured I can assure you I'm done with Saab. I've owned 2 and they're fantastic cars in my experience but not worth the trouble these days. I'm new here so I could use some guidance on what to look out for. Thanks!

[F30lolz]

Cliff notes?

[Efthreeoh]

If you are not worried about maintenance costs, then a BMW is a decent choice. As you must know already, winter driving is all about tire choice and not much else. $18K for an 8 year old 335i with 100,000 miles on it seems way over-priced to me.

[rick100]

It sounda to me like you may be going from one problem to another. Although u said u do not care about the maintenance on the bmw because you are used to it with the sabb. Now you may have 2 expensive cars to repair instead of just one
You should also care if its n55 or n54 since the n55 since to be more reliable
18k for a 2011 335 seems a lot to me considering the 335is is going for around that price .

Bmw are not too bad to fix if you can wrench yourself or you know a good indy shop that is not going to charge you an amr and a leg. Of course yours being a turbocharge brings the issues ofnthe 328 na engine plus the turbo components. At 110miles . You would probably have to worry about some of the turbo components , water pump if it hasnt been replace, and the odd suspension component as well as regular maintenance like brakes, fluids, etc etc etc. It could get pretty expensive pretty quick

Im not sure a 9 year turbo charge car is good to be consider the reliable car in the household. It would be fine if your other car was not a nightmare to fix.

Im hoping that your budget is not just 15k because any used luxury car may need 1-3k in repairs/maintenance pretty quick

Also you mentionimg modding the car or buying a modded car. Just like any modded car, things wear out faster and it requires more attention. So keep that in mind

Do you need awd??.. it sure makes a big different on snow days and rainimg days . The traction combi ing with nice winter tires is u unbeatable. Are rwd more fun?? Maybe. I personally prefer awd for handling but you could argue all day long.

[grinnell27]

My first BMW is my current car and all I can say is... Make sure you have enough disposable income to ensure maintenance is in top shape.

I bought mine for very cheap and Ive regretted it a lot of the time, Ive done lots of work on it and its now being looked after correctly, I just hope it doesn't all fall apart in the near future because of previous bad maintenance.

Some important notes:

* Change oil between 5-8k miles (ive found that the best)
* Transmission oil changes (BMW claim its life oil, dont believe it)
* Servicing at correct intervals.

I love my car but its probably cost me what I originally purchased it for and it still needs work here and there.

Granted I only paid £2500 for it.
325i 55 plate with 100k on the clock when purchased.

Its a car that needs care and really looking after if you want it to last.

[OTO335i]

If you think SAAB parts are expensive wait until you buy parts for a BMW. I did a quick search on rockauto just for comparison on parts and here's the gist of it:

Please note these are CND prices since I live in Canada so it would actually be cheaper in USD.

I've compared the parts of your 2007 2.8T and my 2010 335 with the N54. Luckily your SAAB is port injected so you only have one pump, the bimmer is GDI so you have a low pressure fuel pump and a high pressure fuel pump.

SAAB:
Injector - $130
Water Pump - roughly $80
Fuel Pump - $340
Total: $550.00

BMW:
Injector - $256
Water Pump - roughly $380
Fuel Pump - $796 (HPFP) $223 (LPFP)
Total: 1,655.00

Already just for these parts as an example there's a difference of $1,105.00 from rockauto, if you take it to a shop prices on parts will be more since they need to make a profit. This doesn't take into account the shop time that you'll have to pay for someone to do the work and since you'd be pulling in with a BMW you'll get reamed because "hey you must have money because you drive a BMW"....

Just my opinion on the matter to let you know to be prepared if you do buy a BMW.

[Pladi]

Originally Posted by Guitarkid

Hey guys, new user here. I made an account specifically for this. I'm here under rather unique circumstances which I'll get into. I'm seeking input on possible first time bmw ownership. This is gonna be a long post btw lol

I'll start by saying I'm a 24 year old car junkie and live in New Hampshire, which is no stranger to nasty weather and/or snow. Anyway I'm the owner of a lightly modded 6 speed V6 turbo Saab which is going through some bureaucratic emissions bullshit and won't pass state inspection. Long story short it needs a fuel pump to clear a fuel pressure code, which I ordered 6 months ago from Sweden and it has yet to arrive. Still on backorder last I heard and god only knows when it'll arrive. They told me late March or early April and have just kept pushing back the ETA, which I think annoys me more than anything else. I don't know how an arrival time can go from March to god only knows when like that. The issue is Saab is a dead brand, and this particular car is one of 13 they built for North America, which kinda says it all about finding parts and shit for it. It's just a minor annoyance of an issue which has since turned into a huge headache and created more problems than it solves. I've been sharing cars for the past 3 months since my tags expired in April, which I absolutely hate doing. One of them by coincidence is my dad's 04 325xi, which is kinda a piece of junk to be honest, nothing that special. It has about 240k miles on it and the interior is falling apart and stuff

Anyway, I'm getting really sick of not having my own car and been looking into getting a second til I can get the Saab back on the road, which is my only car by the way. I love the car and I'm keeping it, I can't sell it or trade it in like it is without getting next to nothing for it, and it still runs fine and hauls ass. I'm looking for something with similar numbers to my car and have it narrowed down to either a previous generation wrx or an e9x 3 series, preferably 2 door. Manual is a must. Not worried about maintenance costs. Believe me after owning this car, I know a thing or two about expensive cars to own!

I was browsing various auto sites and came across a 6 speed 2011 335i x-drive coupe for sale by a guy in Maine, about a 200 mile drive from me door to door. He's asking $18k for it and it has 101k miles. Looks clean in the pictures and has a jb4 and performance exhaust. Now never having owned a bmw personally before, I have a few questions. First, is $18k a bit steep? I feel like it is but I'm not experienced when it comes to bmw. My budget is around $15k give or take a few thousand. I just paid off the loan on my car last month, and I'm not exactly delighted about having to take another for such a bullshit reason but whatever.

I should also note as ironic as it sounds considering I'm a gearhead, I've never even driven a rwd car in my life. The Saab is fwd and my daily driver year round and is a tank in snow. I'm on all season tires and never had a problem taking it out in blizzards and stuff. My next question is, is awd really necessary? I'm not sure what type of tires he has on it. This would be my daily driver indefinitely til my car gets fixed, if ever at this rate lol. I'm wondering if I could get away with rwd and snow tires but I also don't wanna kill myself, considering I've never driven a rwd car before. I definitely would prefer the sport suspension on the rwd models, but I'd be willing to slightly lower an x-drive to sit like a rwd model if possible. My dad is making it out to be like awd is 100% unquestionably required, but I've been fine with fwd like I said.

And also, I always get the years mixed up, is 2011 the first year of the n55 motor? I don't have a preference between n54 or n55 honestly, if I wind up going with a bmw I'll probably do some minor stuff to it. I'm thinking a light tune, downpipe, maybe suspension stuff depending on awd/rwd and if there's too much wheel gap or body roll for my liking. Next question, how much of a pain in the ass is walnut blasting? And is it insanely expensive?

And lastly while on the expense topic, are bmws as outrageously pricey to fix as everyone says? I can do basic stuff myself like bulbs, oil, etc., but for more complicated jobs it'd be going to the shop. Considering my current car, I'd feel like it would be a similar level financially. I've done normal wear and tear stuff on it plus some tasteful mods. Tires, brakes, struts, that sort of thing. I don't mind paying for that sort of stuff but I also don't want to have to pay thousands out of pocket if the turbo or head gaskets go prematurely. My car has been solid and still feels really well built despite being a 2007.

So what are your thoughts? Is it worth pursuing that car I mentioned? Should I try a rwd? Skip bmw completely? After the headache I've endured I can assure you I'm done with Saab. I've owned 2 and they're fantastic cars in my experience but not worth the trouble these days. I'm new here so I could use some guidance on what to look out for. Thanks!

Only thing i will say is that sounds like way too much for it. In canada i paid 20k CAD for mine that had 40k miles.. 2-3 years ago..

Mine is xdrive too..

[dakine_surf]

That car is way overpriced... an e92 335i xdrive with 100K on the clock should be no more than 10-14K.

Honestly, I'd stay away from the turbo BMW if reliability in your next DD is what you are looking for. Get a 328i for way less than 10K and keep the turbo Saab for fun. A 335 will be fast but at the mileage you are looking at, it's going to need a lot of PM in the next year. If you don't do ALL the work yourself, it's going to make the Saab look cheap.

[fastboatster]

How about this - get 2 bmws, 325i for daily and 335i for fun. Actually, they both will be fun, just slightly in different way. So get slightly older e90s, and you'll be able to purchase 2 cars and might have something left for maintenance. Sell your saab and you will have some money for maintenance (well, maybe)

[tlow98]

Man, that's so expensive. Can't you get an F30 for that these days?

Spend no more than $10k on this chassis. There will be very little time before these are strictly 3-5k cars.

[dylane_92]

Originally Posted by tlow98

Man, that's so expensive. Can't you get an F30 for that these days?

Spend no more than $10k on this chassis. There will be very little time before these are strictly 3-5k cars.

F30 has been and will continue to depreciate way faster than any E92

[Soden82]

18k is way too steep. I bought my 2011 335i xdrive a year and a half ago for 19.5k with only 24 thousand miles.

Then I bought my e90 335i 6 speed rwd a few weeks ago for 11k with only 50k miles on it. There out there you just gotta wait

[BeaterM3]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

If you are not worried about maintenance costs, then a BMW is a decent choice. As you must know already, winter driving is all about tire choice and not much else. $18K for an 8 year old 335i with 100,000 miles on it seems way over-priced to me.

Def way overpriced. Even with a manual.

I am trying to sell my 2011 xDrive Auto with 85k miles (CW, P, S pkgs), all maintenance done to it all ready (shocks, struts, springs, lpfp, hpfp, radiator, trans cooler lines, rotors, pads, crank seal, belts) and I am not expecting to get more than 10-12k for it.

[pedro2u]

even KBB says thats way too much for a 100K mile 335i e92 6MT. Here's Private Party value in NH:

[dakine_surf]

Originally Posted by pedro2u

even KBB says thats way too much for a 100K mile 335i e92 6MT. Here's Private Party value in NH:

Yeah I think the e92 still holds its value a little better depending on where you live... but I see 100K n54/n55 cars all the time for sub $10K. Even cheaper if you want a project... I've been halfway thinking about offering this guy $3K and staring a new project... https://slo.craigslist.org/cto/d/pas...944292272.html

Private party with a really well kept, good color combo and options with 6MT and M Sport, I could see possibly 12k-14k if a lot of PM has been done. But anything in the $15k+ range better be a unicorn, an IS, or have an ///M badge on it.

[tlow98]

Originally Posted by dylane_92

F30 has been and will continue to depreciate way faster than any E92

Of course, it will, in general, but I'm not sure an F30 will depreciate faster than a 100k mile, $18k E90. This E90 will be worth $10k market on a good day right after it's purchased. Percentage-wise that's worse than buying new.

[pedro2u]

Originally Posted by dakine_surf

Yeah I think the e92 still holds its value a little better depending on where you live... but I see 100K n54/n55 cars all the time for sub $10K. Even cheaper if you want a project... I've been halfway thinking about offering this guy $3K and staring a new project... https://slo.craigslist.org/cto/d/pas...944292272.html

Private party with a really well kept, good color combo and options with 6MT and M Sport, I could see possibly 12k-14k if a lot of PM has been done. But anything in the $15k+ range better be a unicorn, an IS, or have an ///M badge on it.

Nice color combo, no mention whatsoever of maintenance though ...... price is low but proceed with caution. And a PPI?

[dakine_surf]

Originally Posted by pedro2u

Nice color combo, no mention whatsoever of maintenance though ...... price is low but proceed with caution. And a PPI?

No way I would do a PPI on a car that cheap... at 3-5K I'm prepared for it to be a total turd and have to replace everything... Honestly no way I would ever do a PPI on a BMW... I know more than most mechanics