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BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum > E90 / E92 / E93 3-series Powertrain and Drivetrain Discussions > NA Engine (non-turbo) / Drivetrain / Exhaust Modifications > Reliability E90 330i or 330xi



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      01-31-2013, 12:13 PM   #23
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For some odd reason I pull a few car lengths on a 330xi. I have a 330i. Well I'm a 6 speed and the other is auto but still. Anyways XI is more trouble. Transfer case to plenty of things. People always like omg how the hell do you drive it in the winter. My car with winter tires is I can say better than any XI with all seasons.

Also you can't peel out properly. But non XI
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      01-31-2013, 12:16 PM   #24
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SDemetris View Post
That was great to read. My friend who was coming from an e36 m3 is thinking about an e90 330xi just so he physically cant do burnouts and trash his tires in the summer... But he's from cali now he lives in Pittsburgh. Bit of a weather difference for him to adapt to
My e90 is faster than an e36 m3. Might have a problem. Mine still beats it and its not modded like crazy how it was. Full catless exhaust headers back. No tune no intake. E36 m3 bolt ons run with 335is. Quarter miles at 12.5. I've seen it done
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      01-31-2013, 12:28 PM   #25
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Originally Posted by ihsanshaik View Post
My e90 is faster than an e36 m3. Might have a problem. Mine still beats it and its not modded like crazy how it was. Full catless exhaust headers back. No tune no intake. E36 m3 bolt ons run with 335is. Quarter miles at 12.5. I've seen it done
no i meant he's getting awd so he cant ruin his tires in burnouts. not that he's getting a e90 for that reason
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      01-31-2013, 04:10 PM   #26
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Originally Posted by SDemetris View Post
no i meant he's getting awd so he cant ruin his tires in burnouts. not that he's getting a e90 for that reason
Oh okay true but they will still wear. My buddy with a e92 xi eats through tires but hes running meth and all sorts of mods on his.
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      03-02-2014, 07:09 AM   #27
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I have an 06 330xi. Love it. At 82,000 miles it is going strong. This past summer I had to change out the thernostat and water pump. About to get new tires. We have been hit really hard this winter with snow. My tires are terrible so that didn't help in the snow but it was still usable. Good luck!
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      03-02-2014, 09:18 AM   #28
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Quote:
Originally Posted by koches View Post
I have an 06 330xi. Love it. At 82,000 miles it is going strong. This past summer I had to change out the thernostat and water pump. About to get new tires. We have been hit really hard this winter with snow. My tires are terrible so that didn't help in the snow but it was still usable. Good luck!
Forgive the thread hijack for a minute here, but how did you know it was time to do the thermostat/water pump? Did you get a engine light? Limp mode?

I also have a 330 and really love it. I have had a great experience with the car and appreciate it every day. I second the person up-thread who said it's perfect: 330's have all the goodies (xenons, logic 7 radio, folding mirrors) and none of the 335 down sides. It's also fast enough to enjoy but slow enough to keep you out of real troubles.

Looks like we've revived an old thread here -- OP, did you ever get your 330?
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      03-02-2014, 01:07 PM   #29
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I was whipping on some back roads with a friend. Then suddenly went into limp mode. Had a hell of a time driving 15 miles per hour with my friend behind me with hazards on!!! Drove 5 miles to get home and I felt so bad for putting in so much pain hahaha. Usually you should change both if one fails. Going strong since!
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      03-02-2014, 03:56 PM   #30
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72k and no issues. i've got a K&N drop-in filter and AA tune and just awesomeness every time i drive her.

planning on doing the water pump and thermostat this year as preventative maintenance.
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      01-14-2017, 10:20 AM   #31
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Thought I'd chime in.

06 330xi has every option checked except sport. I brought it at 90k from an auction with no information about the prior owner. All i went off of was the carfax which did show frequent oil changes at valvoline.

Just passed 100k and so far the following issues:
-Valve cover gasket leak(oil gets onto the headers overnight and my hvac smells like oil in the morning)
-oil level sensor is starting to act up. Reads "full" but sometimes reads "half".
-Burns oil
-If it's parked for a few weeks, it'll smoke like crazy when started. I think it's the valve seals.
-battery died on me unexpectedly
-door lock actuators taking a dump
-door vapor barrier leaking(fixed with a tube of GE silicone II from HD)
-power steering pump starting to screech during cold mornings
-rear end is binding during sharp turns(maybe normal?)
-random long crank(can't find the issue. Fuel pump maybe? I know the 330s don't have high pressure)
-lifter tap that comes and goes

I haven't replaced the water pump yet, but it looks like it's been done. I wish i was at home so I could DIY the fuel pump/valve cover/valve stem. I'm not paying the dealer like $2k when the car's only worth about $6500. May trade it in next week. Love BMWs but I won't daily another one thats over 10 years old. My next ones gonna be NEW and probably a lease.
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      01-14-2017, 03:27 PM   #32
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bmwmsport11 View Post
Thought I'd chime in.

06 330xi has every option checked except sport. I brought it at 90k from an auction with no information about the prior owner. All i went off of was the carfax which did show frequent oil changes at valvoline.

Just passed 100k and so far the following issues:
-Valve cover gasket leak(oil gets onto the headers overnight and my hvac smells like oil in the morning)
-oil level sensor is starting to act up. Reads "full" but sometimes reads "half".
-Burns oil
-If it's parked for a few weeks, it'll smoke like crazy when started. I think it's the valve seals.
-battery died on me unexpectedly
-door lock actuators taking a dump
-door vapor barrier leaking(fixed with a tube of GE silicone II from HD)
-power steering pump starting to screech during cold mornings
-rear end is binding during sharp turns(maybe normal?)
-random long crank(can't find the issue. Fuel pump maybe? I know the 330s don't have high pressure)
-lifter tap that comes and goes

I haven't replaced the water pump yet, but it looks like it's been done. I wish i was at home so I could DIY the fuel pump/valve cover/valve stem. I'm not paying the dealer like $2k when the car's only worth about $6500. May trade it in next week. Love BMWs but I won't daily another one thats over 10 years old. My next ones gonna be NEW and probably a lease.
Sounds like that car took a swim at some point.
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A manual transmission can be set to "comfort", "sport", and "track" modes simply by the technique and speed at which you shift it; it doesn't need "modes", modes are for manumatics that try to behave like a real 3-pedal manual transmission. If you can money-shift it, it's a manual transmission. "Yeah, but NO ONE puts an automatic trans shift knob on a manual transmission."
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      01-14-2017, 09:45 PM   #33
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Efthreeoh View Post
Sounds like that car took a swim at some point.
I wish it was that easy to come to a conclusion as to why I have electrical faults lmao. But seriously the electrical issues I'm having aren't unheard of for E90s and other BMWs for the matter. Door lock actuators are one of the big issues with these cars. Also heard somewhere that the window regulators love taking dumps...

And speaking of window regulators...the back door Just started acting up today. Window will open but wont close unless you knock on the door panel abit.

my car worked perfectly fine back at home...then I drove it 1200 miles away and all sorts of sh*t started hitting the fan. About to trade it in next week. Love the car but I'm not putting up with this BS anymore
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      01-14-2017, 10:28 PM   #34
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I have a 2006 330xi daily driven. Power is plenty and comfort is there. It's my daily driver all year round be I live in upstate ny where we get a lot of snow so I wanted xi. Car has 140,000 miles on it and I beat it every day, common matinence be water pump
Thermostat, valve cover gasket and changed all the diff fluids. Front diff has a whine but hasn't changed in 40,000 miles. Car is all stock now really worth modding since it runs and functions perfectly fine. Plus my 1972 chevy c-10 drag truck has plenty of power when I need it lol
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      01-14-2017, 11:11 PM   #35
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Koogle1988 View Post
I have a 2006 330xi daily driven. Power is plenty and comfort is there. It's my daily driver all year round be I live in upstate ny where we get a lot of snow so I wanted xi. Car has 140,000 miles on it and I beat it every day, common matinence be water pump
Thermostat, valve cover gasket and changed all the diff fluids. Front diff has a whine but hasn't changed in 40,000 miles. Car is all stock now really worth modding since it runs and functions perfectly fine. Plus my 1972 chevy c-10 drag truck has plenty of power when I need it lol
I'm from upstate too! Syracuse area.

These cars are definitely comfortable. Drove 18 hours and the only thing i can complain about is the low frequency drone. You don't really notice it until you get out of the car 8 hours later and you hear complete silence. I assume it's just because the sound insulation in this car is old.

God i wish i had my garage to work in. I'd replace all of the bad things in my car and keep it.
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      01-15-2017, 05:52 AM   #36
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bmwmsport11 View Post
I wish it was that easy to come to a conclusion as to why I have electrical faults lmao. But seriously the electrical issues I'm having aren't unheard of for E90s and other BMWs for the matter. Door lock actuators are one of the big issues with these cars. Also heard somewhere that the window regulators love taking dumps...

And speaking of window regulators...the back door Just started acting up today. Window will open but wont close unless you knock on the door panel abit.

my car worked perfectly fine back at home...then I drove it 1200 miles away and all sorts of sh*t started hitting the fan. About to trade it in next week. Love the car but I'm not putting up with this BS anymore
My car is well used I can say. I've not had any of the electrical issues you write of. The normal stuff yes, WP, T-stat, gaskets, which is typical BMW ownership, but window regulators... never, door lock actuators... yes one on the Z3 because a mouse chewed a wire and caused a short, binding diff... never. This is over 4 BMWs in the last 29 years and over 780,000 total combined mileage.

The binding diff is why I think the car was partially submerged. It could be the diff got water in it.
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A manual transmission can be set to "comfort", "sport", and "track" modes simply by the technique and speed at which you shift it; it doesn't need "modes", modes are for manumatics that try to behave like a real 3-pedal manual transmission. If you can money-shift it, it's a manual transmission. "Yeah, but NO ONE puts an automatic trans shift knob on a manual transmission."
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      01-15-2017, 02:06 PM   #37
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a naturally aspirated e90 is a solid choice.

if you want the more reliable option, no Xdrive.
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      01-15-2017, 02:07 PM   #38
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I just picked up a 330i and had the came question. In the end the parts on the xi are more and working on the xi is more involved.

At the end of the day the 330i I got costed me pennies so it was worth it at the end. I also think the rwd e90 drives much better than xi e90 (stock v stock).
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      01-15-2017, 02:35 PM   #39
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Efthreeoh View Post
My car is well used I can say. I've not had any of the electrical issues you write of. The normal stuff yes, WP, T-stat, gaskets, which is typical BMW ownership, but window regulators... never, door lock actuators... yes one on the Z3 because a mouse chewed a wire and caused a short, binding diff... never. This is over 4 BMWs in the last 29 years and over 780,000 total combined mileage.

The binding diff is why I think the car was partially submerged. It could be the diff got water in it.
Had both on mine door actuator and stupid windows in the back that won't always close, in my case not the most reliable bmw I had, my e36's had less issues I find... great car none the less
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      01-15-2017, 03:42 PM   #40
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I've had my 330i for 4 years now. My ignition coils, starter, and oil filter housing gasket all took a dump at the same times around the 60k mile mark. Everything has been cruising up until now at the 105k mark. My valve cover gasket is currently leaking, just replaced the battery with an interstate (had interstate before so assuming this is the cars third battery?), gasket on my oil filter cap started leaking but that's not mileage specific, oil got on serpentine belt so now forced to change the belt. Also I've had a wheel bearing replaced at 90k I think but thats most likely due to running running more aggressive offsets. All and all the car has been pretty good. The diet things that happened to me forced me to get it done out of warranty from the dealer as i did not have the time to go a few days with out a car. I'm gonna tackle the valve cover gasket myself sometime soon here. Still need to register the battery and also have to replace the front end links on my sway bars as the ones that came on my crappy solowerks coilovers are already blown to shit and one came off.
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