[Spitfire007]

Hey! These cars seem amazing!

Been lurking on here and it seems these cars are somewhat prone to injector issues and carbon problems requiring a full on cylinder head replacement around 60k.

I'm really interested in these cars but worry that I'd be stuck with a car that, quite frankly, is problematic.

It's not my first time on forums, nor am I new to BMW. Had a 135i that had issues....

Convince me not to worry but please don't tell me I gotta pay to play. Spending 10k I replace a cylinder head on a modern car is ludicrous.

[DUI Elite]

Nope, you're the first one to ever own one over 60k miles.

Wtf are you doing?


















(theres at least one thread like this every day, and its always for the attention. just read around. If you weren't the original owner, it was probably beat on by the original owner and it will get very costly as the car ages to keep up with previous neglectful maintenance. )

[Spitfire007]

So CPO or buy new then.

[Puerto Rican 335d]

CPO it and you play safe, DRIVE her like a two cent whore cause thats the way you will be able to get rid of the SOOT backup and clean the injector(use AMSOIL DIESEL cleaner or any other brand to clean them) then you can run with us the big boys LOL

[DunkinV]

I am about to break the 100,000 mile barrier, which completes my extended warranty. I've detailed my experiences here on e90post, so won't go through it again, but I've been struggling with just this question myself.

I traded my 335d in on Saturday.

I'll miss it, for sure, but after 70 days in the shop and $8,000 in repairs last year I'm just not confident that the d is a good choice for my commute.

[DnA Diesel]

The only thing that would keep me from staying with my 335D would be if the 535D coming out this summer still has enough punch to keep me happy and I make the switch back to the world of 5s, but in diesel form. For the car itself, I do enough highway driving and when I'm in town I often drive it like that 2¢ whore that PR refers to, that I have no issue keeping it after the warranty's up.

Given what the E90 N54 crowd went through, I still think of the M57 as a reliable power plant.

Cheers
D.

[AzureHaze]

I would be satisfied alone with the go kart-like abilities and nimbleness of the 135i but if you're really hankering for that addictive diesel torque and acceptable fuel economy, definitely jump on a CPO.

Think it's going to be a bit tough finding a new one now that has your color and options but there should be plenty of CPO 335d vehicles around.

I haven't hit 60K yet but with almost 23K (bought new) under my belt, the only problems I've had were the common "service engine soon" and "brake/traction" warning lights which the former was resolved with a software update but the latter is still an issue. Then I get the usual squeaks in the suspension and an occasional clunk when reversing at certain angles.

So I can't say you have nothing to worry about but hopefully the 100K warranty on a CPO would ease your mind. Good luck!

[335dM]

You guys only have acces to bad fuel in USA
That's the main problem . It require 51 cetane and I think all you can get is 40!
Here in Canada we have 50 cetane premium diesel and the lowest is 45

[335dM]

I have a 2011 with near 70000 miles
I was scared and so was my dealer so they inspected the head cylinder by removing it and surprise
No carbon build up
Never had a single issue and I drive it hard

[Puerto Rican 335d]

there is a tetstament from 335dM drive her hard like your going to die next day and the car will be more than PLEASED to you LOL!!!

[AzureHaze]

Originally Posted by 335dM

I have a 2011 with near 70000 miles
I was scared and so was my dealer so they inspected the head cylinder by removing it and surprise
No carbon build up
Never had a single issue and I drive it hard

That's what I'm talking about! Hopefully the '11 335d models are less susceptible to the issues popping up on the forum. Pray that I'm not wrong though...

[GreekboyD]

Originally Posted by 335dM

You guys only have acces to bad fuel in USA
That's the main problem . It require 51 cetane and I think all you can get is 40!
Here in Canada we have 50 cetane premium diesel and the lowest is 45

Are you sure its 50 cetane? I've never seen it specified as such here in Canada or even the lowest being 45.

[FormerRotor]

FWIW, I let my warranty run out last Friday. From a RAROR perspective, it was difficult to justify the price of the extended warranty for what would only be 14 months of coverage with my mileage. If I don't suffer a catastrophic failure in the next 50k, I'll purchase my car a reward for its loyalty to my pocket book with whatever is left of the extended warranty cost.

[335dM]

Originally Posted by GreekboyD

Are you sure its 50 cetane? I've never seen it specified as such here in Canada or even the lowest being 45.

This is response from John Peck from Shell Canada
Regular vs Premium

The cetane level of Shell V-Power Diesel will vary depending on a number of factors such as season and sources, but it will always exceed the CGSB standard of 40. Typical levels in Canada are in the 40 to 50 range and the cetane improver we add (to improve starting) will raise that by approximately one to two points.

There is no GTL component in the Canadian formulation of V-Power Diesel.

I hope this answers your questions, please let me know if you need more information.

[335dM]

So yeah I'm sure now
41 regular
50 Premium

Cross the border and try it lol

[GreekboyD]

That still doesn't say it's 50 cetane. Could be 41 or 42 for all we know. (I'm assuming the GTL component is left out of our Canadian V-Power diesel so no 1-2 points of cetane increase there)

I also love how ambiguous his reply is saying it varies due to many factors. This tells me they have ZERO clue what the actual cetane value truly is. We'd need someone to take a sample and run a test.

[corbin]

C mutha P freakin O

Mine already paid for its self

[Jffeijao]

Originally Posted by corbin

C mutha P freakin O

Mine already paid for its self

Buy it with low miles. (Original factory warranty left)
Check car history.
CPO will cost you more for little peace of mind if the car has crossed the 50k miles mark.
I suggest to pay more for a newer car.

[Spitfire007]

the answer appears to be "no". most of you would NOT own one out of warranty.

thanks!

[FormerRotor]

Originally Posted by Spitfire007

the answer appears to be "no". most of you would NOT own one out of warranty.

thanks!

I'm not sure that's entirely accurate, but the better question is would YOU own one out of warranty. How risk averse are you? Maintenance and repair costs are to be expected with any mechanical system. I don't replace my HVAC unit every time my warranty expires, but I do replace it when the return justifies doing so.

[Pierre Louis]

Last time I added up the money I saved NOT paying for extended warranties, it added up to over $20,000. Way more than I have spent on repairs out of warranty....

Expect a fine German machine of mature age to spend $2000 a year on maintenance and repair. Compare that to a car you buy new - there is quite a difference, with the loss in resale value making up a much larger portion.

Mercedes has a tradition: car goes to about 50% of its sale price in about 4 years then stays there for the next 10 or so.... that was in the past. But our Bimmers might have a different trajectory. My impression over the years is that extended warranties and CPO's invite abuse - brakes, transmissions, that sort of thing. The cars feel like you can race them (like Porsches) but they aren't really built for that kind of daily abuse.

I'd say if you actually care for it like the Europeans do - not abuse it like we Americans - and Autobahn it occasionally (he he) it should be a good investment.

PL

[Pierre Louis]

The other problem I have with people believing in extended warranties is that dealer service departments have a reputation for replacing a lot of parts and repair costs that seem to be much higher than if a private mechanic did it on your dime. This seems to scare people into selling their cars or buying extended warranties... both to dealer advantage.

Not to say these cars aren't expensive to repair, but there are ways to keep them in perfect shape and save money too. Having had several private German mechanics servicing Porsche, Audi, Mercedes, and now BMW, I feel comfortable knowing how.

PL