[Apex99]

Fellow Esteemed Experts,

I'm a tall noobie here looking for some tall advice...

I'm thinking about picking up a 335i Coupe with an 11/06 build date. Here's what I'm confused about:

- Turbo lag. How do I find out what version this model has on it to determine if it has the lag or not?

- HPFP??? Being an '06 build, does that mean I'm going to run into this as an issue?

- Extended Warranty. Because BMW warranty will end on 11/10 and I'll be the 2nd owner, what's the best option to go with for an extended warranty? Any recommendations on extended warranty companies?

- Should I pass this one up and go for a newer build date because of "kinks" in the early '06 builds?

Thanks in advance!!

Apex

[bsamoul]

Yo Apex, turbo lag is all software related and I believe BMW might have released a new update addressing this problem. Plus you can just get a tune instead which is way better than BMW would ever do to your car. As far as the fuel pump goes, there is no period of one when they were exempt from it so it's definitely hit or miss but they will replace them time and time again. But it's definitely a sick car and if you have a great deal don't pass up on it!

[Vnak]

How much of a deal are you getting on this car? Compared to a CPO (certified pre-owned vehicle)? If it's not too much, i'd invest into getting a CPO car for the extended warranty.

[John 070]

I have a 11/06 build which I took delivery of on 12/02/06 (wow two years goes fast). I used to be able to say I had zero defects, but my rear right tail burnt out and my door got messed up because the dealership opened it up and replaced parts. As far as the HPFP goes, so far so good. I would definitely forgo extended warranties this and that, they are imho wastes of money. If they were such a good deal, everybody would get them and not just those who are extremely risk averse. Think about it, did you get "insurance" on your cell phone, because the salesman scared you by saying you may be getting the Storm discounted at $129 but if you lost it it would cost $499 to replace? Of course not, we know the chances of losing the phone are zero to none.

Imho evaluate the deal--now is the time to take advantage of someone who is selling a car, if you happen to have the cash. Nothing wrong with 11/06, I have one that I bought new. People with '08's have claimed to have HPFP failures....good luck.

[Apex99]

Hey Guys - Thanks for all the advice!! I can't agree more - the 335i is an aMaZiNg ride!! I'm coming off a loaded 545i and after driving the loaner 335i I got from the dealer, I was kicking myself for getting the 5 cuz the 3's twin turbo pull and handling just made me feel like I was in a different level of performance than my 8 cyl, 545...don't get me wrong, I loved the 545 on the highway going over 75 mph, but day to day, city and hiway mix, the 335i is so much more .... FUN!

Ok - so check this deal out and tell me if it sounds good or not...

'07 335i Coupe - BLK/BLK - Premium, Sport, Cold, NAV, Comfort, PDC, Sat, BMW Assist with 17,670 miles with an 11/06 build date for ... $31K. Non-CPO. Single Owner. I'm getting sold on the deal, but I'm just concerned about a couple things:

1. The carfax doesn't show service history, so how do I find out how it was maintained??

2. What's the easiest way to know if it's been in an accident?

3. Having turbos in a car without an extended warranty wrapped around 'em worries me, so are there reputable companies that I'm not gonna have to fight with to get my repair work covered??

As for the price - what d'ya think? Does that sound like a sick deal or am I just jumping the gun here?

Thanks again! This forum SO rocks!!

Apex

[Apex99]

Originally Posted by bsamoul

Yo Apex, turbo lag is all software related and I believe BMW might have released a new update addressing this problem. Plus you can just get a tune instead which is way better than BMW would ever do to your car. As far as the fuel pump goes, there is no period of one when they were exempt from it so it's definitely hit or miss but they will replace them time and time again. But it's definitely a sick car and if you have a great deal don't pass up on it!

Great point, bsamoul, about just getting a tuner to overcome the lag...ignorance talking again, but if I put in a JB3, then that would automatically overcome any lag I may experience?? Thnx!

[Deveray]

The car will probably have been maintained because maintenance is free of charge and because the car reminds you when it is needed... so most people will get it done.
It will probably have had its fuel pump replaced under the recall program, and at that time they will have updated the software to the version with increased turbo lag. Indeed that would be remedied by aftermarket tuning, but BMW are coming out with a software update in Jan 09 to take care of the lag for people with early cars - but you will have to request it.

[2e9x's]

Hi Apex,

The single most important thing when buying any used car is documentation. You should never buy a used car without seeing full service records. IMHO the few thousand worth of savings is probably not worth it if you plan to keep the car after the end of the warranty.

On the subject of which software version that car has, there are two telltale signs. One is the color of the nav screen (I don't remember exactly which is which, but do a search in the nav forum and you will find it). The other is to watch the wastegates while somebody else starts the car. If the car has v29.2 or later the wastegates will open completely when started. If not, they will not open at all.

As for the fuel pump those seem to die at random. My mom's april 07 production car (10k miles) is about to go on its 2nd HPFP, while my May 07 production car (20k miles) is still on the original (knock on wood). My advice is to buy the car assuming you will need to replace the HPFP and accept that as just a normal part of owning the car.

I hope that helps.

[e90fanatic]

Originally Posted by 2e9x's

Hi Apex,

The single most important thing when buying any used car is documentation. You should never buy a used car without seeing full service records. IMHO the few thousand worth of savings is probably not worth it if you plan to keep the car after the end of the warranty.

On the subject of which software version that car has, there are two telltale signs. One is the color of the nav screen (I don't remember exactly which is which, but do a search in the nav forum and you will find it). The other is to watch the wastegates while somebody else starts the car. If the car has v29.2 or later the wastegates will open completely when started. If not, they will not open at all.

As for the fuel pump those seem to die at random. My mom's april 07 production car (10k miles) is about to go on its 2nd HPFP, while my May 07 production car (20k miles) is still on the original (knock on wood). My advice is to buy the car assuming you will need to replace the HPFP and accept that as just a normal part of owning the car.

I hope that helps.

documentation isnt as important anymore because service is free.

[2e9x's]

Originally Posted by e90fanatic

documentation isnt as important anymore because service is free.

I would respectfully disagree. Documentation is just as important because it can give you an indication about what kinds of problems the car has had. Service records also indicate whether or not a persistent problem that the manufacturer could not solve exists but might not be obvious on a short test drive. They also would tell you whether or not a modification caused a warranty hassle.

And just because maintenance is free does not automatically guarantee that owners followed the recommended schedule. The ONLY way to tell is to get the records.

I reiterate...never buy a used car without getting full service records. It is just not worth the gamble.

[dirtbike59]

The fuel pump issue isnt as bad as it was. the issues now that cars are gaining some milage 20k+ is sludge clogging the 4 5 6 cylinder intake valves. being a tech I have pulled the head and have it cleaned on 7 cars and few other guys have been doing the same in the shop. I would get bmw's extended warranty if you can.as for the buld year i am sure most of the kinks have already been worked out. check the service records.

[Apex99]

Thanks for all the advice Guys!

I'm working on confirming service documentation and will have to check into the gates to see whether it has 29.2 or not...either way, I'm encouraged to know there's a fix in Jan of '09 coming out for us with older builds.

On another note, I've done a good bit of reading on the forums about the earlier builds not having an oil cooler installed. Being that I'd be the 2nd owner, is that going to be an issue?? Will I have a chance at getting BMW NA to give me a retrofit and if not, should I lose sleep over it if I'm not going to be taking the car to the track? I live in Chicago where it's not super hot year round, so I'm wondering if not having the oil cooler is going to affect the car much...

Thanks!!