[creepy coupe]

Just stuck a depo on a low mileage E92 325i. N53 Reading some of these posts i wonder if there's a good one out their?

[W37V]

Originally Posted by creepy coupe

Just stuck a depo on a low mileage E92 325i. Reading some of these posts i wonder if there's a good one out their?

Is the engine N52 or N53? Both should be solid, with N53 potentially having carbon buildup issue, HPFP failure, injectors...

[CTinline-six]

What do you mean by a good one?

If you are referring to all the problems posted here keep a few things in mind:

1. There are TONS of these cars out there
2. People usually post about their issues on a forum, not that their car is running fine

3. Not all cars will have these problems, or maybe some of the problems but not all of them

4. There are a few common issues (water pump, gaskets, starter) on the N52 engine, but for the most part they are pretty reliable cars.

5. BMWs in general are known to require a bit more maintenance than other vehicle brands, but they are rewarding to drive and the non-maintenance bits seem to hold up well.

[techietaichi]

Hell yeah. 11 years old, 185K miles and still hummin'! Like any good owner, stay up with the maintenance schedule, don't tarry when something needs to be fixed, and don't dog it out day in and day out. One more year before my mistress is on a hibernation schedule. Definitely keeping her.

[NiNeTyOne]

Mine has been rock solid.

I've done some suspension upgrades, the three stage manifold upgrade, change the oil with LiquiMoly every 5500 miles (treating with ceratec every third change). I replace the plugs every 60k or so because it's a cheap maintenance item, same with coils & Vanos solenoids. I also change the transmission fluid every 50-60k. People say it's fine till 100k, but if you dump what will come out and top it up with fresh fluid every 50-60k your transmission will shift better and probably last a hell of a lot longer. It's cheap and you can do it yourself if you have some basic tools. Takes me about 40 min.

I figure it's worth putting about $50 aside every month for these few things and when the time comes I spend about 4 hours and it's done.

Other things to consider would be having the water pump & starter on hand as they can, and often do, go out at about 100k, so why be out of commission waiting for parts you know may fail. I have a WP sitting on the shelf now. When it goes it'll be a 2 hour problem after roadside assist brings me home. A really good upgrade for handling is the Strongflex yellow thrust arm bushing. The liquid filled OE ones suck and fail prematurely. The car will just turn better. Your tires will wear better as well.

Other than that, any other car is going to be equally problematic if you don't maintain it. I suspect BMW's are just less tolerant of neglect than other marques. Most of the well cared for ones I know are totally bulletproof. Mine has only stranded me once when a battery failed, one more time when the started died. Both easy fixes.

[creepy coupe]

Originally Posted by techietaichi

Hell yeah. 11 years old, 185K miles and still hummin'! Like any good owner, stay up with the maintenance schedule, don't tarry when something needs to be fixed, and don't dog it out day in and day out. One more year before my mistress is on a hibernation schedule. Definitely keeping her.

I didn't think North america got the N53?

[creepy coupe]

Originally Posted by W37V

Is the engine N52 or N53? Both should be solid, with N53 potentially having carbon buildup issue, HPFP failure, injectors...

N53. Which is prone to injectors, coil packs, spark plugs and HPFP. Spoke to my mate who a tech for BMW and he said they can be a right Lemon. But he only see's the broken ones.

[floydarogers]

Originally Posted by creepy coupe

I didn't think North america got the N53?

That is correct; poster was just saying that his has been good.
IME, most E9x problems are not problems with the basic engine, but with electronics and engine accessories or parts easily replaced (thermostats, injectors, plugs, coils, etc.)

[techietaichi]

Originally Posted by creepy coupe

I didn't think North america got the N53?

That's an N52. Solid car, 185K just recently. I always joke that I'll keep her 'til the wheels fall off, but I don't think that's ever going to happen. Great daily driver!