[Mosaud1998]

Originally Posted by John 070

On a 1995-1999 Maxima, ever notice rust in the rear right 1/4? That's because the power antenna has a t that goes to the rubber tube draining the water (joins with the sunroof drains), and this corrodes and breaks, dumping the water into the wheel well. So it starts to rust from the inside out, with the paint bubbling. How stupid!

My 335 doesn't have any rust...then again it's seen snow I think 3X. Yep, I was the guy who didn't want to drive it in the rain when I first got it. People here said, "Dude, it's not a Ferrari. It's ok to drive it in the rain!"

LMAO, dude, I'm the same way. It snowed here in Chicago a few days ago and I had to go pick up something from Walmart. I didn't want to take my car because It was going to get dirty. My mom was sleeping so I just took her car I also don't like driving it in the rain. Especially when I just washed/detailed it

[2one3E90]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

Funny you should ask. So on most days I park my car at night after ripping up the local roads to my house. One road has an 11-turn corkscrew that drops down a mountain about 800 feet in just over a mile. Then up the road to my driveway that follows a river. Quite fun. The car is smoking hot when I put it away for the evening. Any track guy will tell you not to park the car with the E-brake on after a track session. I just do it instinctively. Here's what heat does to the brake shoes (just replaced them last November for the 1st time):

Wow so I prob dont need to service that part on my 140,000 and 190,000 mile e90s.

[2one3E90]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

Funny you should ask. So on most days I park my car at night after ripping up the local roads to my house. One road has an 11-turn corkscrew that drops down a mountain about 800 feet in just over a mile. Then up the road to my driveway that follows a river. Quite fun. The car is smoking hot when I put it away for the evening. Any track guy will tell you not to park the car with the E-brake on after a track session. I just do it instinctively. Here's what heat does to the brake shoes (just replaced them last November for the 1st time):

Do you brake hard and downshift heel toe before every corner. Also redline every gear over a dozen time before it meets your drive way?

[BayMoWe335]

Honestly, $35,000 seems like a lot in maintenance, particularly since it’s over $50,000 if you take out DIY savings.

How much of the maintenance is after 200k? Seems you could have driven for 200k and bought a new one for another 200k and come out ahead.

[tlow98]

Originally Posted by BayMoWe335

Honestly, $35,000 seems like a lot in maintenance, particularly since it’s over $50,000 if you take out DIY savings.

How much of the maintenance is after 200k? Seems you could have driven for 200k and bought a new one for another 200k and come out ahead.

Interesting point. What does your data say Efthreeoh ?

Even if you spent just $10k on maintenance in the first 200k would you be willing to make that trade-off for another new car? Maybe with the sale of the first car, it would be about equal and you would get to experience 2 new cars?

I feel like I must be missing something, bc this seems too good to be true. Do insurance and registration get cheaper as cars age in the state you live in? That would play a large role.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by tlow98

Interesting point. What does your data say Efthreeoh ?

Even if you spent just $10k on maintenance in the first 200k would you be willing to make that trade-off for another new car? Maybe with the sale of the first car, it would be about equal and you would get to experience 2 new cars?

I feel like I must be missing something, bc this seems too good to be true. Do insurance and registration get cheaper as cars age in the state you live in? That would play a large role.

It's on my plate to do some data analysis by mileage and age. I've not yet analyze the data, probably tomorrow. But I have provided a breakdown by cost type in my initial post. There's about $17K of repair cost that is E90 specific. $2,400 was an early replacement of the AC pump, which I think was a latent fault from the first deer hit; I think the body shop left the AC system open too long, or did not clean it well enough that foreign material eventually tore up the AC pump. The second AC pump went 295,000 miles and was still functional when I replaced it. Get a new $40K car because it needs a $850 AC repair? Nah.

Rebuilding the driver's seat cost about $1,000; I'm not in the weight class God designed my chassis for. But spend 4,000 hours in any furniture and see if it wears out eventually, let alone in a dynamic environment that constantly changes the g-loads on the chair. But buy a new $40K car just because at 250,000+ miles the driver's seat needs a rebuild? Nah.

The rest of the $53K of maintenance cost is what you'd pay on any car new or old; periodic maintenance and wear items. I've spent almost $10K just on tires (14 sets). $3,200 on CBS maintenance items over 400,000 miles, shit, that's peanuts. Maintenance cost is some 14 cents per mile without DIY. Any car you own will cost that for maintenance.

And I have three other BMWs to drive BTW, so I really don't need to experience "a new car", rotating between 4 BMWs is a bonus.

[tlow98]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

It's on my plate to do some data analysis by mileage and age. I've not yet analyze the data, probably tomorrow. But I have provided a breakdown by cost type in my initial post. There's about $17K of repair cost that is E90 specific. $2,400 was an early replacement of the AC pump, which I think was a latent fault from the first deer hit; I think the body shop left the AC system open too long, or did not clean it well enough that foreign material eventually tore up the AC pump. The second AC pump went 295,000 miles and was still functional when I replaced it. Get a new $40K car because it needs a $850 AC repair? Nah.

Rebuilding the driver's seat cost about $1,000; I'm not in the weight class God designed my chassis for. But spend 4,000 hours in any furniture and see if it wears out eventually, let alone in a dynamic environment that constantly changes the g-loads on the chair. But buy a new $40K car just because at 250,000+ miles the driver's seat needs a rebuild? Nah.

The rest of the $53K of maintenance cost is what you'd pay on any car new or old; periodic maintenance and wear items. I've spent almost $10K just on tires (14 sets). $3,200 on CBS maintenance items over 400,000 miles, shit, that's peanuts. Maintenance cost is some 14 cents per mile without DIY. Any car you own will cost that for maintenance.

And I have three other BMWs to drive BTW, so I really don't need to experience "a new car", rotating between 4 BMWs is a bonus.

Ok, yep, there you go. Nuff said. That tire statement is eye-opening. A huge chunk of the $35k is something you would spend on every car which means adding a new car would be a huge expenditure, just as you point out. Makes sense.

14 sets. Amazing. I've had a couple of cars that had shorter lives than the tires I put on them, lol. Never again, Subaru, never again.

I completely understand on the seat. I've replaced a seat in almost every car I've owned to have a near new unit just because the improvement is so large.

[antonmn]

I feel ashamed for thinking of replacing my 335i at only 226k. But I think I have some cred since my n54 is a bit more of a handful.

I have a new set of thrust arm bushings to go in. The current set only has 27k, but the roads around here are punishing. I haven't touched the rear, either.

I replaced by seats with heated and steering wheel with an m-spec, both 2013, and they made the car feel so refreshed. When my garage gets built this spring, I'm going to respray the bumpers and see what else I can do to renew it.

If all that doesn't work, or if something major fails, I'll consider replacement.

[John 070]

This is a real number, my cousin had a 1995 M3 that he bought in 1997. He kept it until 2004 when it had about 230k. He sold it for $4600 and I said hey I want it, and he said no you don't. It needs major attention and I won't sell it to you since you don't know what you're getting into. I remember he said he added everything up and it came to $26k for maintenance and repairs....

[tlow98]

Originally Posted by John 070

This is a real number, my cousin had a 1995 M3 that he bought in 1997. He kept it until 2004 when it had about 230k. He sold it for $4600 and I said hey I want it, and he said no you don't. It needs major attention and I won't sell it to you since you don't know what you're getting into. I remember he said he added everything up and it came to $26k for maintenance and repairs....

Sounds about right for those cars. How much of that mileage did he put on it?

[John 070]

Originally Posted by tlow98

Sounds about right for those cars. How much of that mileage did he put on it?

Pretty sure he got it with about 35k....I remember he let me drive it by myself. At the time, I said this is a joke, I'll never even be able to get a BMW...well I did 9 years after that lol

His advice to me all the while was don't expect a BMW to be like your Nissan, it's just not what it was designed for. I would make comments like why doesn't Nissan just buy a 328 or 330, and copy it? Of course he said it just doesn't work like that.

Anyway his maintenance was a combination of buying the parts online and having an indie install....so a DIY'er can always get the number even lower...I wouldn't discount it. Hey, we all have to do what we can to contain costs.....and DIY often means we can drive certain cars longer and even make it worthwhile and rewarding....

p.s. I can assure everyone that most cannot afford to bring a 10+ y.o. Lexus flagship to a Lexus dealer (this also needs to be DIY or not worth it). I did and they recommended over 6k of work (none of which needed). BMW doesn't seem to be like that, I bring my 14 y.o. 335 to the dealer for a state inspection where they charged $41 and gave me a free loaner. They recommended nothing to be repaired...different business model...

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by BayMoWe335

Honestly, $35,000 seems like a lot in maintenance, particularly since it’s over $50,000 if you take out DIY savings.

How much of the maintenance is after 200k? Seems you could have driven for 200k and bought a new one for another 200k and come out ahead.

Here are the cost data broken out in approximate 100,000-mile intervals. I evaluate car operating costs by cents-per-mile. I do not include insurance or DMV costs in these numbers because such costs are relatively the same for the same class of car (i.e. a BMW 325i vs. a Honda Accord).

You can decide to do more analytics with the data if you care to.

[2one3E90]

How often trans fluid and clutch fluid?

[BayMoWe335]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

Here are the cost data broken out in approximate 100,000-mile intervals. I evaluate car operating costs by cents-per-mile. I do not include insurance or DMV costs in these numbers because such costs are relatively the same for the same class of car (i.e. a BMW 325i vs. a Honda Accord).

You can decide to do more analytics with the data if you care to.

I think you have experienced a ridiculously expensive maintenance scenario. I’ve spent almost nothing out of pocket in a 2010 335i. Granted, nowhere near the miles, but I have 11 years in the car.

My friend has a 2009 328 with 205,000 and he told me he’s spent $9,000 on maintenance. It’d be half that if it was DIY.

[tlow98]

Originally Posted by BayMoWe335

I think you have experienced a ridiculously expensive maintenance scenario. I’ve spent almost nothing out of pocket in a 2010 335i. Granted, nowhere near the miles, but I have 11 years in the car.

My friend has a 2009 328 with 205,000 and he told me he’s spent $9,000 on maintenance. It’d be half that if it was DIY.

I call BS. Tires alone in 200k miles would be like $7k at the dealer. Your guy doesn’t sound like he can DIY tires, but maybe he has a balancing machine in his garage. What do I know.

[FD7683]

Wow, since i'm a hands on guy, I shouldn't really worry about buying one with under 150k. Thats if I do all the maintenance myself.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by BayMoWe335

I think you have experienced a ridiculously expensive maintenance scenario. I’ve spent almost nothing out of pocket in a 2010 335i. Granted, nowhere near the miles, but I have 11 years in the car.

My friend has a 2009 328 with 205,000 and he told me he’s spent $9,000 on maintenance. It’d be half that if it was DIY.

So I'm not at my computer where I can access the mileage and cost information, but the unexpected repairs were (from memory for miles and cost):

- AC system repair at 85,000 miles - $2,400
- Front right wheel bearing around 200,00 miles - $90. I don't think the bearing was bad.
- Rebuild drivers seat $1,000. I did this on my E30 too because the seat cover tore.
- I replaced the diff and rear bearings at 320,000 - $230.

So I'll call $2,630 of the $34K in maintenance truly in expected. But I doubt the original AC system would last 400,000 miles anyway, so I could argue even the $2,400 AC repair would have been incurred at some point.

Tires and CBS maintenance were $12,000 alone. Brakes have Been $5,000 total and I get near 100,000 on a set of brakes. I replace rotors every time.

I've done all the oil leak prone gaskets as every N52 requires. As same for the water pump and t-stat.

So what is your bitch exactly, that I'm lying about how much I spent on operating my E90 to 400,000 miles? And why do you care? I've posted my information in an effort to help others with their E9X ownership. Granted, I have better tools than most owners have to help maintain and repair my cars, but I've also included an estimate if the work was accomplished at a professional shop, so I've been fair and open about the DIY cost. Using tire rack mostly for tires, you really save about $40 on a set of tires as compared to the installed "on-the-car" price. I use the Rack just to keep my car out of the hands of untrained technicians who try to upsell other services.

Again, exactly what is your issue?

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by tlow98

I call BS. Tires alone in 200k miles would be like $7k at the dealer. Your guy doesn’t sound like he can DIY tires, but maybe he has a balancing machine in his garage. What do I know.

Trust me I've thought about buying used tire equipment, but I'm afraid I'm close to mental illness at this point building a dedicated shop with a lift and air...

Lol

[eljay]

So, this just proves that instead of worrying about every single thing, stressing over the best oil and change interval and preventive maintenance and other "enthusiast" stuff is just BS. The thing to do is change oil when the car tells you, replace things when they break, and drive the crap out of it and enjoy every moment!

Thank you for sharing all of this.
I need to hold on to my E91 for a long time.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by eljay

So, this just proves that instead of worrying about every single thing, stressing over the best oil and change interval and preventive maintenance and other "enthusiast" stuff is just BS. The thing to do is change oil when the car tells you, replace things when they break, and drive the crap out of it and enjoy every moment!

Thank you for sharing all of this.
I need to hold on to my E91 for a long time.

What I've been saying on this Forum for 14 years or so.

[John 070]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

Trust me I've thought about buying used tire equipment, but I'm afraid I'm close to mental illness at this point building a dedicated shop with a lift and air...

Lol

I always thought wouldn't it be hilarious to have an alignment rack?!

Even if you're a billionaire, it wouldn't be a wise use of the money, how often would you really need it? As an experiment since we have the lifetime alignment on 2 of our cars (not the BMW), I went to Firestone 4X in a year, both cars. After the initial alignment, the subsequent ones didn't accomplish anything, even after running over a curb with my wife's on the rear right wheel.

But personally, I would love to use that equipment. When my uncle was managing a shop, both were down so I could not mount/balance my own tires. I wanted to try....

[Hoody007]

Originally Posted by John 070

I always thought wouldn't it be hilarious to have an alignment rack?!

Even if you're a billionaire, it wouldn't be a wise use of the money, how often would you really need it? As an experiment since we have the lifetime alignment on 2 of our cars (not the BMW), I went to Firestone 4X in a year, both cars. After the initial alignment, the subsequent ones didn't accomplish anything, even after running over a curb with my wife's on the rear right wheel.

But personally, I would love to use that equipment. When my uncle was managing a shop, both were down so I could not mount/balance my own tires. I wanted to try....

Depends on where you live, though. When I used to go into the office pre-COVID, my commute would take me through the pothole-infested streets of downtown Decatur and Atlanta. I have to get an alignment twice a year (2020 was the exception), and depending on pricing, an alignment machine would pay for itself. I also have to use the Costco tire warranty at least every year due to all of the construction on I-285 - I’ve had my fair share of nails in tires over the years!

With the E31, I really regret not getting a lift - that would’ve paid for itself within the 1st month of ownership!