[bradlarson310]

hey guys, im interested in buying a 335i sedan 6 speed and i was just wondering what the average yearly maintenance costs are? also should i be cautious on the manual transmissions incase the previous driver didnt treat the car that well?

[Chriztofor]

Not sure for a 335, for my 325 the yearly maintenance is just one oil change. As the years progress then other fluids/filters need to be replaced.

[335i Pal]

Well I just got out of the dealership on Friday and the SA there said to expect 1000-2000 annual maintenance costs. Now not sure what he is basing this off of, but I was shocked to say the least.

[Tom K.]

Originally Posted by 335i Pal

Well I just got out of the dealership on Friday and the SA there said to expect 1000-2000 annual maintenance costs. Now not sure what he is basing this off of, but I was shocked to say the least.

This was a BMW SA???

All new US BMWs have free maintenance during the 4 yr/50k mile warranty period.

Some of us prefer more frequent oil changes @$100 ($65 if DIY), but unless you are anal about changing coolant and other fluids which BMW considers to be "lifetime", that's about it. Of course, any vehicle will require gasoline and tires if that's what the SA was thinking of.

After the "free" maintenance period expires, I'd budget $500~$1,000 per year (assuming the car has in excess of 50k miles), to cover normal wear and tear - just like any other fine machine.

Perhaps the SA was trying to sell you an expensive (and for most of us, useless) extended maintenance policy with his scare tactics. If so, I'd change dealerships.

Tom

[335i Pal]

Yeah I was dumbfounded when he told me that, but he was referencing outside of the warranty period. It was brought up because I need to do a brake flush and was asking how much.

Which it was a little under $150, not bad, but $45 of it was just to reset the sensor!

[Tom K.]

Originally Posted by 335i Pal

Yeah I was dumbfounded when he told me that, but he was referencing outside of the warranty period. It was brought up because I need to do a brake flush and was asking how much.

Which it was a little under $150, not bad, but $45 of it was just to reset the sensor!

Well, the brake flush is only a 2 year item. Add that to a yearly oil change, wiper blades, microfilter, and front & rear brakes perhaps every 3 years and I get about $650 per year - more or less depending on your driving habits.

Tom

[335i Pal]

Yeah I think he was just trying to convince me to do the brakes and that it was just a drop in the bucket of "overall" maintenance cost should be in his eyes.

[Mech_Man]

For what it's worth, I had an e36 for about 120,000 miles, and I kept full records.

Total of all expenses I paid for while I owned the car, (less gas, car washes, insurance, taxes, but including tires & oil),
Divided by the exactly duration it was out of warranty,

Equaled almost exactly $1,700 a year.

Big ticket items:
8 tires total over 10 years (I was probably an average tire-user), just at $2,000
Replacing the drivers seat (that I damaged)
Warranty II's
Brakes
and a few items like replacing a broken windshield,


Bottom line? My brother had owned a BMW for years before me and told me to expect to pay about $500 per visit, minimum, with a few visits turning out to be more like $200-300, and a few up in the thousands. He nailed it.

This is what I will be using when I need to decide if it's cost effective to extend my current e92's warranty