[N0OS3]

First of all, i haven't posted in quite a while. The mod bug had me for a little bit when i first bought my car but i guess it faded out as new priorities came into play.

Anyway, onto the point...

Right now i have a modified 325i. I won't go into all the details. I enjoy my car but it already sits in the garage like a sportier car would - so why not upgrade my garage queen a little bit? (my wife has a volvo and i have a small truck for daily drivers)

I've never seen a 335xi convertible, but that would be ideal. Looking for Jet Black or Black Sapphire Metallic, fully loaded, black interior. Maintenance kept up. No exterior modifications other than ride height. Manual trans preferred.

E93 335i convertible - I know the HPFP problem is something i should look into budgeting for from time to time... any other big issues happen to the E93's often? Do i have limited modification options with this one? Any particular expensive parts to expect to wear out or break?

E90 335xi - any problems with the transfer case? I prefer the sedan over coupe in this case - if they had an E90 vert, that would be sick. Same N54 engine as above so i'd expect the HPFP problem. Any other cons?

E60 M5 - off top, i know the clutch alone (OEM) is a $6,000 repair/replace; that itself is a big turn off but the 5.0 V10 is a dream powerhouse i've always wanted... this really would be a garage queen and modified in small increments. Title price is way down on these because demand is low; a HUGE gas guzzler and isn't ideal for a daily solution. I think many people want a more modern sports car and be the first owner.

I don't want this to be an expensive “lesson learned” but I do have particular taste. Another thing to consider is that i'm a rising Automotive Tech; i'm almost through my freshman year now and should have my degree and ASE certifications next spring so most of the maintenance will be performed by me, so getting the M5 would be a HELL of a learning experience. >_-

[Kolyan2k]

m5 is gonna be maintenance bitch (just what i hear, no personal experience or research)
hpfp are under warranty for 10 years
turbos can also cause a pretty expensive issue on n54

edit: +1 for carbon buildup on DI engines which needs to be cleaned at 50-70k miles. $500-1000 job

[drunkenup]

for an N54 you also need to worry about injectors, coils, carbon buildup, and plugs on top of the hpfp and turbochargers. Don't forget about maintenance either.. you'll need to replace oil, belts, pulleys and tensioners more often.

as for the E60 M5, I did some research and the SMG clutch and flywheel job is more like a 3-4k bill, but here is a copy + paste from somewhere else:

Amazing car to own and drive, but can be a nightmare when things begin to fail. MY 09-10, from what I know, seem to be pretty well sorted and don't have the issues that plagued the 06-07 MY's. I will say that this is not a car to own without great warranty coverage. TRUST ME.

I don't have issues with the SMG on a daily basis. It has a hill assist system that will hold the car for I think 2 seconds before it begins to roll like a normal manual transmission. I did have to get my SMG pump replaced and fortunately my aftermarket warranty covered it.

Most common failure areas for the E60 M5 with repair cost (A mix between dealer and indy)
Vanos High Pressure Pump $6k
Vanos Solenoid/Adjustment Unit (2 Units) $4k Each
Steering Angle Sensor $1k
Alternator/Voltage Regulator $1k
Passenger Seat Mat Sensor $2k
CCC/iDrive Computer $1,500
Idle Actuators (2 Units) $1K Each
Throttle Actuators (2 Units) $1,800 Each
SMG Pump $4,800
SMG Clutch $5k
Rod Bearings (Buy a new or used motor) ($16k-$30k)

Please be aware that aftermarket warranty companies are wither no longer covering the E60 M5 or they charge an outrageous rate for a plan. Also a lot of them do not cover the clutch replacement.

[N0OS3]

Wow... i had no idea the M5 was THAT expensive... how often have rod bearings failed on it? I'd hate to have to disassemble the engine every time just to change out these parts.

So far it's looking like a 335i then and when i get more skilled at my Automotive Career i'll look into putting in some time to conquer the V10...

[ken1137]

It's good to have options. Why not an M3 or M6 vert ? A lovely garage queen

[bimmette]

I say go for the E93 but I'm biased
And no you're not limited with mods. Maybe check out what member E93Mac has done with his.

[N0OS3]

I was looking to stay under $25k

[Bluesnake01]

Those are overpriced M5 quotes/bills. My brother got his M5 clutch replaced by an indy shop for $2,300~ including labor, tax, etc. Sure its not cheap by a mile but nowhere near close to 5k, hell its below half. And yes, its an SMG car.

Also, you can get walnut blast for the N54 in some places for $350. Include the WP/TS and I agree with drunkenup on the rest for the N54. However, changing the injectors, coils, etc wont go out again anytime soon after being replaced, rare if it does. So you would get another 80k or so from the car before needing to replace them again.

[Kolyan2k]

Originally Posted by Bluesnake01

Those are overpriced M5 quotes/bills. My brother got his M5 clutch replaced by an indy shop for $2,300~ including labor, tax, etc. Sure its not cheap by a mile but nowhere near close to 5k, hell its below half. And yes, its an SMG car.

Also, you can get walnut blast for the N54 in some places for $350. Include the WP/TS and I agree with drunkenup on the rest for the N54. However, changing the injectors, coils, etc wont go out again anytime soon after being replaced, rare if it does. So you would get another 80k or so from the car before needing to replace them again.

cant really rely on cheapest prices some people post here. $350 is cheap for carbon cleanup. Dealer will charge close to $1000. $500-700 sounds about right for indy shop

[Bluesnake01]

Originally Posted by Kolyan2k

cant really rely on cheapest prices some people post here. $350 is cheap for carbon cleanup. Dealer will charge close to $1000. $500-700 sounds about right for indy shop

Of course not which is why I said some. Two indy shops near me where quoting people for under $500. One was $350 for walnut blast PLUS a car rental for the day, that has to be the best deal i've seen and yes it was a local shop putting that out.

[paddy335]

I did a lot of research into the M5 Touring before I got the 335i Touring...it is an epic car but I didn't have the gonads to take on the running costs. Just far too high for the return IMO. Yes indies will do work cheaper but irrespective of that anything that fails is going to be very expensive, and just wait till you price up your consumables e.g. a replacement set of rotors/pads. Not to mention the 11mpg (which is a major factor outside the US!).

You can't go wrong with the E93 335i. Just buy a good car with a solid service history and no mod's and you'll be fine.

[drunkenup]

Originally Posted by Bluesnake01

Those are overpriced M5 quotes/bills. My brother got his M5 clutch replaced by an indy shop for $2,300~ including labor, tax, etc. Sure its not cheap by a mile but nowhere near close to 5k, hell its below half. And yes, its an SMG car.

Also, you can get walnut blast for the N54 in some places for $350. Include the WP/TS and I agree with drunkenup on the rest for the N54. However, changing the injectors, coils, etc wont go out again anytime soon after being replaced, rare if it does. So you would get another 80k or so from the car before needing to replace them again.

They are inflated prices but it's better to overestimate than otherwise. I got this list from an M5 owner who has gone through every imaginable repair. I mentioned myself the clutch+flywheel job is actually nearly half what the OP said it is. Most issues on both the 335 and E60 M are once and done but I think it's obvious the M car has more issues to go wrong that are much more labor intensive and therefore more expensive.