[BryGuy11]

Originally Posted by wsouthb2

Help please!!

My 2012 E93 335i N55 shows an overheat problem after about 20 miles of motorway driving. When it does this, the bottom radiator hose is stone cold. So i initially thought it must be the thermostat, so resigned my self to replacing the waterpump and thermostat. However, I then noticed that even from cold, the cooling fan was acting erratically various speeds etc...I've now found that if I start and drive the car with the heater control panel off, I do not get any issues and the bottom radiator hose gets nice and hot. Everytime it shows an over heat problem, I get a code "ECU has requested the electric water switched off due to blockage" I assume the blockage is the thermostat being shut? The most obvious question is has anybody come across this? Is it possible its the software in the heater panel corrupt? How does the heater panel interact with the thermostat? and any other answers you may be able to throw up. Car has done 70k miles and not sure if it's ever had water pump or stat. I should add, that with the heater panel on, although i know it will eventually go into limp mode, the heater and aircon all work fine.

If I were you I'd start a new thread (unless you already did?) You might get more views from people with the same issues that would normally not click on a thread titled "Bad Idea?" I would NOT keep driving it with the possibility of blowing your engine.

[BryGuy11]

Originally Posted by wanna325i

Updated

I am picking up a 2011 E92 later today at local BMW dealership. M-sport Mineral White with oyster interior. 68000 miles. 10/11 build hoping without vanos issues. Will post picture tomorrow. Happy to be back!!!

NICE !!! I just hope you don't have kids or sloppy friends white on white

[wanna325i]

Originally Posted by BryGuy11

NICE !!! I just hope you don't have kids or sloppy friends white on white

Car wont be ready today. They are changing out the valve cover gasket and take a look of the VANOS bolt. Should be ready tomorrow.

[katatonia]

I bought my N55 at 82000km and have 127000km on it now. I've just done serpentine belt/pulleys (due to a leak from using a cheap oil filter) and ofhg. New spark plugs when I tuned it but that probably could have waited a bit too. Just oil changes and tires aside from that.

Great car, surprisingly reliable. I've driven it back and forth from alberta to vancouver island many times.

[dylane_92]

Originally Posted by 9krpmrx8

Why anyone would choose and N52 car is beyond me. Unless it's just dirt cheap and price is the most important factor.

Have you ever read a car review on one? They are very fun to drive, decently quick, and much more reliable than high maintenance N54s.

I've put 70,000km+ on mine (90k-160k) and the only unscheduled maintenance my whole car has needed was an ignition coil (25$) and heat shrink on a shifter wire (~1$)

[katatonia]

Originally Posted by dylane_92

Have you ever read a car review on one? They are very fun to drive, decently quick, and much more reliable than high maintenance N54s.

I've put 70,000km+ on mine (90k-160k) and the only unscheduled maintenance my whole car has needed was an ignition coil (25$) and heat shrink on a shifter wire (~1$)

The running costs aren't much lower than N55 cars, and the power difference is night and day

[mckwong]

Originally Posted by wanna325i

Car wont be ready today. They are changing out the valve cover gasket and take a look of the VANOS bolt. Should be ready tomorrow.

Good luck on your car. I have a 60k miles 2009 E90 N51, and it has quite a few issues that need to be fixed. You may want to see if you have similar issues:

1. Valve cover gasket leak. Covered by California SULEV emission warranty.
2. Oil Pan gasket leak. Replaced at Indi at a low cost $700.
Below are the things I fixed myself:
3. Oil Filter Housing gasket leak.
4. Steering fluid reservoir cover gasket leak. (easy fix)
5. Crooked belt tensioner pulley.
6. AC refrigerant leak at low side valve.

The car drives great. Just every gasket tends to leak.

[wanna325i]

Originally Posted by mckwong

Good luck on your car. I have a 60k miles 2009 E90 N51, and it has quite a few issues that need to be fixed. You may want to see if you have similar issues:

1. Valve cover gasket leak. Covered by California SULEV emission warranty.
2. Oil Pan gasket leak. Replaced at Indi at a low cost $700.
Below are the things I fixed myself:
3. Oil Filter Housing gasket leak.
4. Steering fluid reservoir cover gasket leak. (easy fix)
5. Crooked belt tensioner pulley.
6. AC refrigerant leak at low side valve.

The car drives great. Just every gasket tends to leak.

Thank you. Dealership was kinda enough took the car to the bay and put it on the lift. Let me have a look under the car and bmw tech was going over all bushing/water pump etc. They found a small valve cover leak which they are working on it now.

[C2YT]

That is great that you aren't in a rush to jump into a car. Taking your time and looking over it is the best idea. Mod for Mod, N54 will make more power. Reliability, I pick the N55 for a daily driver. I think many will agree.

We don't really lack much in the power department either. My car is making 380/460 to the wheels FBO on E30. Granted, that is a VR dyno, but I use it to compare logs on my BEF.

Lower mileage the better. Anticipate a water pump like all used BMW's. The more they do at the dealer the better because you probably won't get much off to begin with. Buy tools, learn the simple jobs, save money.

Goodluck!

[9krpmrx8]

Originally Posted by dylane_92

Have you ever read a car review on one? They are very fun to drive, decently quick, and much more reliable than high maintenance N54s.

I've put 70,000km+ on mine (90k-160k) and the only unscheduled maintenance my whole car has needed was an ignition coil (25$) and heat shrink on a shifter wire (~1$)

I have two friends in our local group with E90 328i's and they break all the time. Mostly the same issues too as the N54/N55 cars in terms of cooling system components and such.

And I have driven them and they are pretty slow, even with bolt ons.

BUT, they are more reliable than the N54 for the most part if maintained and they are as equally equipped so they do make a great daily and I can see that.

But I would argue they are no more reliable than an N55 when driven hard and modded. I have 98,000 miles on my N55 E90 335i and there are no issues that I have had that a N52 wouldn't have at that mileage.

[mckwong]

Originally Posted by wanna325i

Thank you. Dealership was kinda enough took the car to the bay and put it on the lift. Let me have a look under the car and bmw tech was going over all bushing/water pump etc. They found a small valve cover leak which they are working on it now.

It is good the dealer changed the valve cover gasket, it is not cheap to replace. The gasket on BMW is very poor. The oil pan gasket removed from my 2009 car is hardened and brittle, so it leaks badly. If the dealer removed the plastic cover and you didn't see any leak around the oil pan, then it is fine. It is not a DIY job as you need to suspend the engine and lower the sub-frame to change it, and it could cost you $1-2K. You may also want to check the AC and make sure both the driver and passenger vents are blowing cold air. Some has the evaporator leaks and it is costly to fix.

[rick100]

Originally Posted by 9krpmrx8

I have two friends in our local group with E90 328i's and they break all the time. Mostly the same issues too as the N54/N55 cars in terms of cooling system components and such.

And I have driven them and they are pretty slow, even with bolt ons.

BUT, they are more reliable than the N54 for the most part if maintained and they are as equally equipped so they do make a great daily and I can see that.

But I would argue they are no more reliable than an N55 when driven hard and modded. I have 98,000 miles on my N55 E90 335i and there are no issues that I have had that a N52 wouldn't have at that mileage.

I drove n55 stock , didnt think it was that much faster than my 328 bolts on when driven hard. I even raced my friends stock 2011 N55 AWD and it was a close race. He didn't smoke me like I thought he would

You are forgetting the N54 and N55 make all their power down below , so of course it is going to feel faster at the start , while the n52 makes power up top

There is one guy who posted a video of his bolts on N52 0-60 in 5.3 sec which is pretty damn close to what a stock n55 is making

You can go drive a infinity G37 and I bet money it will also feel a lot slower than the n55 at the start, I have done the test myself when I was considering a G37.

NA car make power up top 5500-7000 tpm , turbo cars make power down below and they die up top. I have beaten my brothers A4 in a race but his cars feels faster than mine , of course when driving below 4000 rpm.

There is not argument that N55 is easier to tune.

Why would people choose N52 over N55 is pretty damn easy , N52 is more than enough power for the streets , there is not turbo or turbo components to worry about , when someone is already worry about the regular BMW maintenance cost , there is one less worry . People already worry about maintenance cost of a NA n52

Would you buy a 10 year old car that is already high on maintenance and risk the chance of a turbo blowing ? or any other turbo component ? that is easily a 2k-5k bill that is more than 50% the cost of the car.


I mean if you can afford a 3-5k bill out of nowhere , sure , go ahead get an old turbocharge e90 , but if you are getting a loan to get a used 10 year old car, you may want to think twice. The NA version of the E90 already has enough maintenance to worry about

[wanna325i]

Dealership call, car is ready to be pick up. Tech look at VANOS bolt, they were fine. Which is good news, only valve cover gasket needed.

And i see the place hasn't change much, there always a 335i vs 328i fight.

[C2YT]

Not worth getting into it. Get your car, and enjoy it! Everyone will always have an opinion. Get what you feel fits your lifestyle and start driving it.

[9krpmrx8]

Originally Posted by rick100

I drove n55 stock , didnt think it was that much faster than my 328 bolts on when driven hard. I even raced my friends stock 2011 N55 AWD and it was a close race. He didn't smoke me like I thought he would

You are forgetting the N54 and N55 make all their power down below , so of course it is going to feel faster at the start , while the n52 makes power up top

There is one guy who posted a video of his bolts on N52 0-60 in 5.3 sec which is pretty damn close to what a stock n55 is making

You can go drive a infinity G37 and I bet money it will also feel a lot slower than the n55 at the start, I have done the test myself when I was considering a G37.

NA car make power up top 5500-7000 tpm , turbo cars make power down below and they die up top. I have beaten my brothers A4 in a race but his cars feels faster than mine , of course when driving below 4000 rpm.

There is not argument that N55 is easier to tune.

Why would people choose N52 over N55 is pretty damn easy , N52 is more than enough power for the streets , there is not turbo or turbo components to worry about , when someone is already worry about the regular BMW maintenance cost , there is one less worry . People already worry about maintenance cost of a NA n52

Would you buy a 10 year old car that is already high on maintenance and risk the chance of a turbo blowing ? or any other turbo component ? that is easily a 2k-5k bill that is more than 50% the cost of the car.


I mean if you can afford a 3-5k bill out of nowhere , sure , go ahead get an old turbocharge e90 , but if you are getting a loan to get a used 10 year old car, you may want to think twice. The NA version of the E90 already has enough maintenance to worry about

Who gets a loan on a 10 year old Euro? And a stock N55 335i is about a second quicker to 60 than that modded N52. Maybe your buddy didn't know you were racing. A stock E90 328i is like a mid 14 second car on a very good day, usually more like 14.8-14.9 I have seen plenty at the track. A stock 335i driven properly is a low 13 second car all day long, N54 or N55.

I am all for discussion but come on man let's be realistic. Like I said, I have a few friends with N52 and even older E46's and such and they love their cars, but they are not delusional in thinking they can hang with their turbocharged big brothers. But again, I do see the draw to them, especially as a cheap track car.

Oh an G37's are slugs without forced induction.

[TemjinX2]

Originally Posted by wanna325i

Dealership call, car is ready to be pick up. Tech look at VANOS bolt, they were fine. Which is good news, only valve cover gasket needed.

And i see the place hasn't change much, there always a 335i vs 328i fight.

Thats awesome that the dealership was willing to let you inspect the car on that level and take care of it.

I would say everyone has their own interpretation of fast enough or quick.

Maybe in canada with the colder air and at sea level the na vs fi is closer.

But 1 mile above sea level and barely what you can call 91oct, the NA cars really struggle.

My buddy smoked his friends e92 m3 in his kia stinger..stock for stock...

When ever i drive back to sea level me and my car both feel like superman..lol.

[rick100]

Originally Posted by 9krpmrx8

Who gets a loan on a 10 year old Euro? And a stock N55 335i is about a second quicker to 60 than that modded N52. Maybe your buddy didn't know you were racing. A stock E90 328i is like a mid 14 second car on a very good day, usually more like 14.8-14.9 I have seen plenty at the track. A stock 335i driven properly is a low 13 second car all day long, N54 or N55.

I am all for discussion but come on man let's be realistic. Like I said, I have a few friends with N52 and even older E46's and such and they love their cars, but they are not delusional in thinking they can hang with their turbocharged big brothers. But again, I do see the draw to them, especially as a cheap track car.

Oh an G37's are slugs without forced induction.

so a modded n52 is capable of low 5s , and you are saying a stock n55 is second faster , so low 4s LOL who is delusional now?

So , let me ask you , who is the main consumer for a 10 year old turbocharge car? , a student , or someone with a low income , do you think they have 10k plus tax under a pillow to pay out of pocket? , even if they did , do you think they have 3k laying around under the other pillow for maintenance , because you and I know , those turbocharge cars with high mileage , once the turbo goes , it will cost to fix , so again who is delusional here?

Now , again , let me ask you , who gives a damn about a 1/4 mile , the n55 and n52 are weak on the drag , thats the honest true , both cars are a joke for any serious drag racers... So in the real world , (I m guessing you probably live in the fast and furious world) where 0-60 probably is where most guys are going to be on the road, the n52 is more than capable to keep up and be fun . A few mods and you have a 230-250 whp NA car. That is a lot easier to work on than a turbocharge car , and is a bit cheaper on maintenance and cheaper to buy .

Now , I m giving my opinion assuming the OP just wants a street car . Now if the OP wants a drag car , I would steer him from any BMW. If the OP wants a track car both cars are capable, he ll probably would want a n52 just because track cars are very expensive to maintain , if he has the cash the n55 would be better , no argument there. However there are better track cars for the money

I always said , if you are getting an old 335 , make sure you have 2-3k at least on the bank , because you never know what you are getting , and those turbos with high mileage do go .

Now if we are talking about a newer car, for sure 335 is the way to go

These cars are old now . Guys selling them just want to dump the maintenance on someone, and the good ones are usually kept as garage queens

[wanna325i]

Originally Posted by rick100

so a modded n52 is capable of low 5s , and you are saying a stock n55 is second faster , so low 4s LOL who is delusional now?

So , let me ask you , who is the main consumer for a 10 year old turbocharge car? , a student , or someone with a low income , do you think they have 10k plus tax under a pillow to pay out of pocket? , even if they did , do you think they have 3k laying around under the other pillow for maintenance , because you and I know , those turbocharge cars with high mileage , once the turbo goes , it will cost to fix , so again who is delusional here?

Now , again , let me ask you , who gives a damn about a 1/4 mile , the n55 and n52 are weak on the drag , thats the honest true , both cars are a joke for any serious drag racers... So in the real world , (I m guessing you probably live in the fast and furious world) where 0-60 probably is where most guys are going to be on the road, the n52 is more than capable to keep up and be fun . A few mods and you have a 230-250 whp NA car. That is a lot easier to work on than a turbocharge car , and is a bit cheaper on maintenance and cheaper to buy .

Now , I m giving my opinion assuming the OP just wants a street car . Now if the OP wants a drag car , I would steer him from any BMW. If the OP wants a track car both cars are capable, he ll probably would want a n52 just because track cars are very expensive to maintain , if he has the cash the n55 would be better , no argument there. However there are better track cars for the money

I always said , if you are getting an old 335 , make sure you have 2-3k at least on the bank , because you never know what you are getting , and those turbos with high mileage do go .

Now if we are talking about a newer car, for sure 335 is the way to go

These cars are old now . Guys selling them just want to dump the maintenance on someone, and the good ones are usually kept as garage queens

Jesus, what does low income has to do with me getting old car. No I did not get a loan for my 2011 old euro. And yes I have money under my pillow. Lol

Anyhow thanks everyone for the input. I definitely aware of the problem might come as this is my second E92 335i, sold my 2008 to buy a house. And had E36 and E46 as well, so I'm ready to get my hand dirty again after having a Honda for 3 maintenance free years. Pick the car up tonight dealer did brake fluid and valve cover gasket. Highly recommend Vista BMW in south Florida aera. Will post picture later.

Thank you everyone!!

[rick100]

Originally Posted by wanna325i

Jesus, what does low income has to do with me getting old car. No I did not get a loan for my 2011 old euro. And yes I have money under my pillow. Lol

Anyhow thanks everyone for the input. I definitely aware of the problem might come as this is my second E92 335i, sold my 2008 to buy a house. And had E36 and E46 as well, so I'm ready to get my hand dirty again after having a Honda for 3 maintenance free years. Pick the car up tonight dealer did brake fluid and valve cover gasket. Highly recommend Vista BMW in south Florida aera. Will post picture later.

Thank you everyone!!

so you sold your 335 to buy a house like 3 years ago , and now you have 10-15k laying around cash to buy another car

I don't know my man . I own a house and a condo , plus 3 cars , family income is around 140-150 k a year ( depending on the year) with one kid and I think I m low income to afford a toy car LOL.

My co-workers earn more than that and they think I m crazy for owning a used BMW . They own new cars anyways which are worth more than any used e90 is worth , maybe they are smarter ...

Most guys driving 335s around my town are kids , and most guys driving 328s are mature guys for some odd reason . Even my little cousin is driving a n55 ( and he is 21) , which is the one I raced last time for fun... But he lives at home , so he can afford maintenance and mods

[BryGuy11]

Originally Posted by rick100

so you sold your 335 to buy a house like 3 years ago , and now you have 10-15k laying around cash to buy another car

I don't know my man . I own a house and a condo , plus 3 cars , family income is around 140-150 k a year ( depending on the year) with one kid and I think I m low income to afford a toy car LOL.

My co-workers earn more than that and they think I m crazy for owning a used BMW . They own new cars anyways which are worth more than any used e90 is worth , maybe they are smarter ...

Most guys driving 335s around my town are kids , and most guys driving 328s are mature guys for some odd reason . Even my little cousin is driving a n55 ( and he is 21) , which is the one I raced last time for fun... But he lives at home , so he can afford maintenance and mods

WELL, MY SCHWARTZ IS STILL BIGGER !!!

[9krpmrx8]

Originally Posted by rick100

so a modded n52 is capable of low 5s , and you are saying a stock n55 is second faster , so low 4s LOL who is delusional now?

So , let me ask you , who is the main consumer for a 10 year old turbocharge car? , a student , or someone with a low income , do you think they have 10k plus tax under a pillow to pay out of pocket? , even if they did , do you think they have 3k laying around under the other pillow for maintenance , because you and I know , those turbocharge cars with high mileage , once the turbo goes , it will cost to fix , so again who is delusional here?

Now , again , let me ask you , who gives a damn about a 1/4 mile , the n55 and n52 are weak on the drag , thats the honest true , both cars are a joke for any serious drag racers... So in the real world , (I m guessing you probably live in the fast and furious world) where 0-60 probably is where most guys are going to be on the road, the n52 is more than capable to keep up and be fun . A few mods and you have a 230-250 whp NA car. That is a lot easier to work on than a turbocharge car , and is a bit cheaper on maintenance and cheaper to buy .

Now , I m giving my opinion assuming the OP just wants a street car . Now if the OP wants a drag car , I would steer him from any BMW. If the OP wants a track car both cars are capable, he ll probably would want a n52 just because track cars are very expensive to maintain , if he has the cash the n55 would be better , no argument there. However there are better track cars for the money

I always said , if you are getting an old 335 , make sure you have 2-3k at least on the bank , because you never know what you are getting , and those turbos with high mileage do go .

Now if we are talking about a newer car, for sure 335 is the way to go

These cars are old now . Guys selling them just want to dump the maintenance on someone, and the good ones are usually kept as garage queens

, I am 43 years old and have owned 15+ cars, all modded extensively. Who is the consumer? All kinds, our local group is pretty large and you have everything from kids to guys/gals who are well off financially. And turbos (assuming you are talking N54) are more like $1000.00 and it's a few hour job, N55 turbos very rarely fail because BW.

At 19 I had plenty of money for mods, maybe you shouldn't generalize so much. My daughter is 19 and has over 4k saved from working at Chik fil a
part time and some of our local youngsters are the same, so while they are probably not average, they are common, more so in the BMW community I would think as well.

And the 1/4 mile is a great ruler for performance, whether you drag race or not. And the 335i is a great drag car for beginners. Tons of potential for a cheap price. And N55 cars are in the 10's on upgraded stock turbos. You just don't know what you are talking about.

And there is no difference in ease between working on an NA car versus a Turbocharged one. Unless you are a noob.

And I have been looking for a second 335i and I have found a few well maintained examples with a laundry list of records and thousand in recent maintenance. All you need to make the right choice is proper, prior, planning.

[dylane_92]

Originally Posted by 9krpmrx8

Who gets a loan on a 10 year old Euro? And a stock N55 335i is about a second quicker to 60 than that modded N52. Maybe your buddy didn't know you were racing. A stock E90 328i is like a mid 14 second car on a very good day, usually more like 14.8-14.9 I have seen plenty at the track. A stock 335i driven properly is a low 13 second car all day long, N54 or N55.

I am all for discussion but come on man let's be realistic. Like I said, I have a few friends with N52 and even older E46's and such and they love their cars, but they are not delusional in thinking they can hang with their turbocharged big brothers. But again, I do see the draw to them, especially as a cheap track car.

Oh an G37's are slugs without forced induction.

Just to set the story straight on Car&Driver its 14.6@96 vs 13.6@106 (n55). its a slaughter, no question, but not quite as bad as you make it seem lol