[lementex]

Hello all,

I just picked up an extremely clean 2007 328i sedan in white/black, 6spd manual, 100k miles, paid $5k. Drove fantastically, no accidents, and had some service history, although it was mostly oil changes.

The seller let me know that the ABS light was on, and it needed a new module, but that he bought one and included the part to me. I didn't think too much of it.

But on the way home the rear window rolled down to halfway, then got stuck. Seller claimed he was unaware of it, since he's single and says he never uses the back seats. Ok, no big deal.

Took it to my mechanic for an oil change, turns out the valve cover gasket is leaking as well. Also the spark plugs do not seem to have been replaced and recommended I take care of that. Luckily there are no other leaks from the car, thank god, and that was about it.

Looks like I will be a bit of $ to sort the car out for daily use now. He is hoping that the ABS light is due to a faulty speed sensor, and not the ABS module, because the ABS module the previous owner gave me is used and not recommended to install. I heard that's a much larger bill to pay.

Worst case scnario is I paid $9k for a car I can probably use reliably for another 100k miles, but still, kind of surprised.

Anyway, looking forward to learning all I can from you guys here.

[Efthreeoh]

Hopefully your mechanic is trained on BMWs. He should have a BMW scan tool. A bad speed sensor will also trigger the stability control light and the tire pressure monitor system if the car is a 2007. If your mechanic is not familiar with BMWs take the car to a BMW indy shop.

The left rear speed sensor is the one that fails first. E90 are not known to have ABS module failures.

[lordnikon]

You paid $5k for the car and the worse scenario is that you're going to spend $9K?

Those problems you listed shouldn't cost $4k to fix.

[StradaRedlands]

Presuming seller is upright citizen brigade member, rear window regulators are a normal thing. Same for valve cover gasket (search VCG and you'll get thousands of results!!!). Plugs are easy to do with VCG, so don't feel bad/taken advantage of with any of those.

Brake module isn't common, but ABS sensor is sort of. Hopefully the latter!

Get your fluids changed... trans, diff, engine, brakes, coolant. Confirm the oil filter housing gasket isn't leaking (it will). Probably good to change your belt and tensioner along with Mickey Mouse flange. Expect the door locks to give you problems, side/wing mirrors, and window regulators. But all that done means you will have a reliable and great to drive car like you said for another 100,000 miles!!!

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by StradaRedlands

Presuming seller is upright citizen brigade member, rear window regulators are a normal thing. Same for valve cover gasket (search VCG and you'll get thousands of results!!!). Plugs are easy to do with VCG, so don't feel bad/taken advantage of with any of those.

Brake module isn't common, but ABS sensor is sort of. Hopefully the latter!

Get your fluids changed... trans, diff, engine, brakes, coolant. Confirm the oil filter housing gasket isn't leaking (it will). Probably good to change your belt and tensioner along with Mickey Mouse flange. Expect the door locks to give you problems, side/wing mirrors, and window regulators. But all that done means you will have a reliable and great to drive car like you said for another 100,000 miles!!!

You mean 300,000 miles.

[StradaRedlands]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

You mean 300,000 miles.

That's just crazy-talk!

[mainbearing]

The ABS issue needs more looking into, but the others are common E90 problems. If you need rear window regulators, get Aisin branded ones (on Amazon or Rock Auto). These are updated designs.

Other common problems are oil pan gasket, serpentine belt tensioner, eccentric shaft sensor (under the valve cover), ignition coils, front door lock actuators, engine mount bracket bolts, water pump and thermostat, coolant vent tube (over the radiator), "Mickey Mouse" coolant flange (by the oil filter housing), oil filter housing gasket (use a Japan-made Viton gasket), various cheap plastic coolant hose connectors, plastic three-way crankcase ventilation pipe, sticking slow-crank starter, and alternator voltage regulator.

You can find plenty of posts and DIYs on these.

[oVeRdOsE.]

and all this, you still on the best used ''mid-luxury'' car.

All you described is common , minus ABS, and easy&cheap to fix.

same era mid-lux car, you'll be wayyy more disappointed with audi, porsche, 335, range rover, jaguar, etc.

[unicornsareus]

Originally Posted by lementex

The seller let me know that the ABS light was on, and it needed a new module, but that he bought one and included the part to me. I didn't think too much of it.

This sounds fishy a f. He knew something was up and tried to repair it himself and gave up.



Regardless, it'll be a really fun car. I found it's a great car to DIY some things on. You could probably do the valve cover gasket + vacuum lines and spark plugs yourself if you are careful and have the mostly basic tooling.

[E93Seattle (Racerbruce)]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

You mean 300,000 miles.

As of Oct 14, 2023....posted by Efthreeoh -

"I'll have to check for precision, but it's just over 421,800. I took it up to Northern Virginia last week on Oct. 7th. It was at 421,719 last I took a pic on October 2nd."

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by E93Seattle (Racerbruce)

As of Oct 14, 2023....posted by Efthreeoh -

"I'll have to check for precision, but it's just over 421,800. I took it up to Northern Virginia last week on Oct. 7th. It was at 421,719 last I took a pic on October 2nd."

Well, just to uphold your credibility...

[eljay]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

Well, just to uphold your credibility...

Odometer tampering!!!

OP, sounds like you got yourself a nice car. If it's clean, not rotted, it just needs the usual E90 platform maintenance and it will keep you good company for years to come.

[E93Seattle (Racerbruce)]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

Well, just to uphold your credibility...

I have credibility??!! YAY!

I digress....your BMW fleet with appx 1,500,000 miles is awaiting a photo opp and press opp with BMW USA....

At the rate of my driving/miles cslc....i'll be 700 yrs old when I reach your current mileage.

[tcphoto]

Every brand has its issues, buying a car without looking at those reputed issues will only come back to bite you. Luckily, I learned a lot from my E46 so I did a better job when buying my E92. After more than seven years of ownership, the car costs me an average of $85 a month to maintain. The VCG isn't difficult, it's just a tedious DIY and same for the window regulator. Hopefully, you won't pay a mechanic to do those projects as it's throwing money away.

[oVeRdOsE.]

every-brand have issue, but some are ridiculous easy and cheap to fix, like most toyota and honda s.

on mid-luxury car I was impressed other than E90 N52, it the 1st gen facelift V6 cayenne. I just got one has a beater, great shape high mileage 3000$, and the seller said he never put any money in it, only base maintenance, and he never saw any check engine light !
I wasn't convinced, and look online and indeed, the 3.6 vw/porsche engine, on the 1st gen overbuild cayenne chassis, is a very very reliable car.

No issue reported anywhere on forums, and it was a very popular car.

so far mine is A1, but the body, need a bit of love. But everything work, even Ac and rear hatch.

[StradaRedlands]

The E9x has known issues, but none are really catastrophic (N52 guy here). As long as they are known and planned for, buying one isn't a bad idea at all! I've said before I'd rather have a well-maintained one or two owner high mileage E90 than a no-history low mileage one with five owners from a dealer lot.

[Fredo]

AW on black is my favorite combo. Any pics?

When my window regulators go bad, I buy the part myself and bring the car to a body shop. Their labor is cheaper than a BMW mechanic.

Of course, it's better if you decide to go the DIY route.

[oVeRdOsE.]

Originally Posted by StradaRedlands

The E9x has known issues, but none are really catastrophic (N52 guy here). As long as they are known and planned for, buying one isn't a bad idea at all! I've said before I'd rather have a well-maintained one or two owner high mileage E90 than a no-history low mileage one with five owners from a dealer lot.

3 major one I can see :

- OFGH leak that can make the acc belt slip and got chewed but the crank shaft
- vanos gear screw coming loose.
- oil pump gear coming loose.

all those, if it ever happen, and from what I read is pretty rare, might blow the engine.

[StradaRedlands]

Originally Posted by oVeRdOsE.

3 major one I can see :

- OFGH leak that can make the acc belt slip and got chewed but the crank shaft
- vanos gear screw coming loose.
- oil pump gear coming loose.

all those, if it ever happen, and from what I read is pretty rare, might blow the engine.

Of the three, I think accessory belt shred is probably the most common.
But pretty easy to ward off with regular maintenance of monitoring/replacing the gasket. Fingers crossed on the other two!!!

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by StradaRedlands

Of the three, I think accessory belt shred is probably the most common.
But pretty easy to ward off with regular maintenance of monitoring/replacing the gasket. Fingers crossed on the other two!!!

Agreed, but it's more of any belt-slipped N52 is in an OLD BMW. Any car that is 10 -15 years old and has been used in an average manner will have 100,000+ miles and need repairs. Owning any old car requires OPENING THE HOOD and checking shit on a peroidic basis. This is especially true for BMWs. The owner just has to pay attention to detail. Every BMW I have owned has easily lasted 15+ years and hundreds of thousands of miles (or will). They just need maintenance, most of which is well known and easy to accomplish.

[ppointer]

If you get the plugs done, which I agree should be done at 100k miles with this car, do the coils as well. FCP has a kit with plugs and coils for under $300 last I checked. Took me about an hour to replace, and my mechanical skills rate a D-.

[Efthreeoh]

I think we all need to throttle back a bit here and stop recommending replacement of every single part on the car that has known to be problematic. If the engine is on the original plugs at 100,000, then the plugs need to be replaced. Why replace coils when no misfires are detected? If the belt is clean and centered on the pulley, then just replace the belt. At 100,000 most belts manufacturers recommend replacement due to age, but a visual I section will tell the OP a lot of what he needs to know.

OP, the E90 does not need the level of maintenance the internet says it does. Follow BMWs recommended service requirements.