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BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum > BMW E90/E92/E93 3-series General Forums > General E90 Sedan / E91 Wagon / E92 Coupe / E93 Cabrio > *PURCHASING A 335i NEED HELP! PLEASE!*



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      12-10-2019, 01:19 AM   #23
JGuremel17
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I plan on purchasing a 335i but am torn between 3 options !!! All 3 are relatively at the same price, and that's one of the reasons why it makes it so hard

BMW 335i coupe Black on Red ~120,000km
- M-package coupe, custom N54 MHD stage 2+ tune. ~ 482 HP at rear wheels.

The 335is coupe black on black, has 84000km on it

The 335xi coupe (Fully loaded) has 92500km on it, white on red! (Which I orgasm for)

Would appreciate an answer, thoughts and experiences on why you would choose one over the other if you were in my sittuation.
1) the one with MHD probably is your best value since all the work and options have been already done, if you are an upgraded and tuned 335i. At 482hp, that's pretty safe for an N54. I'd just want to know the particulars in terms of maintenance records etc.

2) the 335is might be your best bet since aesthetically and options (most likely it has all the options etc). Exhaust wise all you have to do is disconnect the vac line to the shut off valve, on the drivers side muffler, and you basically have the PE exhaust. The only hesitation I'd have is that I've seen a lot of posts and vids lately about folks having to replace the entire N54 motor. This has been exclusive to 335is cars from my observation. Idk why.

3) the AWD version is good, if you live in a 4 seasons area where the winters are extreme. Otherwise, I wouldn't get an AWD version. Even then you could install an LSD to counteract the winters. AWD makes the car a PITA to work on.
I appreciate your reply, correct me if I'm wrong, is the 335is not a N55 engine which is the twin scroll, just getting into learning and reading upon the engines and vehicles.

It is also a 2012 335is
Nope. The 335is indeed has the N54 motor in it. Black on Black is a really nice color combo for that particular car. A buddy of mine has a 12' IS. I think he's around 75k or so. His car is flawless with regard to oil leaks yet. He did replace the Water Pump the other day, which I had to laugh because it left him stranded. I told him to replace it proactively. Nope...
Ahahhaha that is no fun, but I appriciate everyone's thoughts and information, I will pursue my purchase with the IS 👍🏼
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      12-10-2019, 01:21 AM   #24
JGuremel17
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Originally Posted by BM3Rrrr View Post
Winter in Vancouver, where it snows overnight and melts by the next afternoon
335is all the way, no need for the xi where you live
That is pretty true, not too worried about the snow, we've rarely had any, and this year non, even Whistler is running late for snow and there machine plowing it

But thank you for that, IS it shall be 👍🏼
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      12-10-2019, 10:10 AM   #25
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JGuremel17 View Post
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Originally Posted by BM3Rrrr View Post
Winter in Vancouver, where it snows overnight and melts by the next afternoon
335is all the way, no need for the xi where you live
That is pretty true, not too worried about the snow, we've rarely had any, and this year non, even Whistler is running late for snow and there machine plowing it

But thank you for that, IS it shall be 👍🏼
Nice.

I'd start by changing all the fluids out first. That way you know exactly where you are. You can get an Amsoil membership. They make every fluid for your car. You get 25% off the price with a membership and you build $$ to future purchases with every purchase.

My next move would be to replace/ upgrade the plugs, coils (Eldor) & vac lines (platinum cured).

Last, change the belt & pulleys.

From there you just need to fix stuff (oil leaks $ suspension parts etc) as you go forward.

My first bolt on upgrade would probably be an FMIC, then a better airbox, inlets & outlets. Then and only then get downpipes. You need MHD installed before you get downpipes.

The a little advice...
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      12-10-2019, 11:22 AM   #26
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JGuremel17 View Post
I plan on purchasing a 335i but am torn between 3 options !!! All 3 are relatively at the same price, and that's one of the reasons why it makes it so hard

BMW 335i coupe Black on Red ~120,000km
- M-package coupe, custom N54 MHD stage 2+ tune. ~ 482 HP at rear wheels.

The 335is coupe black on black, has 84000km on it

The 335xi coupe (Fully loaded) has 92500km on it, white on red! (Which I orgasm for)

Would appreciate an answer, thoughts and experiences on why you would choose one over the other if you were in my sittuation.
I will never buy a xDrive again, even living in the Northeast USA...and I would be leary with the N54 IS...it's a beautiful car but it has all of the individual problems of a few cars all wrapped up into one car.

If I ever found myself in the market for another 335, it would be another 2011 AUTO but RWD with ZMP, ZCW, ZCV and ZPP. Absolutely no Black or dark blue exterior paint as well.

Last edited by BeaterM3; 12-11-2019 at 09:09 AM..
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      12-10-2019, 08:23 PM   #27
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Originally Posted by mweisdorfer View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by JGuremel17 View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by BM3Rrrr View Post
Winter in Vancouver, where it snows overnight and melts by the next afternoon
335is all the way, no need for the xi where you live
That is pretty true, not too worried about the snow, we've rarely had any, and this year non, even Whistler is running late for snow and there machine plowing it

But thank you for that, IS it shall be 👍🏼
Nice.

I'd start by changing all the fluids out first. That way you know exactly where you are. You can get an Amsoil membership. They make every fluid for your car. You get 25% off the price with a membership and you build $$ to future purchases with every purchase.

My next move would be to replace/ upgrade the plugs, coils (Eldor) & vac lines (platinum cured).

Last, change the belt & pulleys.

From there you just need to fix stuff (oil leaks $ suspension parts etc) as you go forward.

My first bolt on upgrade would probably be an FMIC, then a better airbox, inlets & outlets. Then and only then get downpipes. You need MHD installed before you get downpipes.

The a little advice...
Wow appriciate the look out. Someone's for sure done some extensive upgrades and knows his car well 💯

Currently I'm gonna go and see what maintance records he has done up to 84,000km on the vehicle. Curious on what I should look for as it is a low KM car, the water pump is just about to go out around these KMs other than that a walnut blast if his actually taking care of his vehicle

Stoked and super excited to do the upgrades, cant wait for them paycheques to come through any sooner 😂
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      12-10-2019, 08:25 PM   #28
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Originally Posted by JGuremel17 View Post
I plan on purchasing a 335i but am torn between 3 options !!! All 3 are relatively at the same price, and that's one of the reasons why it makes it so hard

BMW 335i coupe Black on Red ~120,000km
- M-package coupe, custom N54 MHD stage 2+ tune. ~ 482 HP at rear wheels.

The 335is coupe black on black, has 84000km on it

The 335xi coupe (Fully loaded) has 92500km on it, white on red! (Which I orgasm for)

Would appreciate an answer, thoughts and experiences on why you would choose one over the other if you were in my sittuation.
I will never buy a xDrive again, even living in the Northeast USA...and I would be leary with the N54 IS...it's a beautiful car but it's has all of the individual problems of the a few cars all wrapped up into one car.

If I ever found myself in the market for another 335, it would be another 2011 AUTO but RWD with ZMP, ZCW, ZCV and ZPP. Absolutely no Black or dark blue exterior paint as well.
Thanks for the heads up, let's see how the maintance records and the pre-purchase inspection comes through on the 335is... Just looking forward to an N54 that I could work on and learn
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      12-10-2019, 09:02 PM   #29
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JGuremel17 View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by mweisdorfer View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by JGuremel17 View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by BM3Rrrr View Post
Winter in Vancouver, where it snows overnight and melts by the next afternoon
335is all the way, no need for the xi where you live
That is pretty true, not too worried about the snow, we've rarely had any, and this year non, even Whistler is running late for snow and there machine plowing it

But thank you for that, IS it shall be 👍🏼
Nice.

I'd start by changing all the fluids out first. That way you know exactly where you are. You can get an Amsoil membership. They make every fluid for your car. You get 25% off the price with a membership and you build $$ to future purchases with every purchase.

My next move would be to replace/ upgrade the plugs, coils (Eldor) & vac lines (platinum cured).

Last, change the belt & pulleys.

From there you just need to fix stuff (oil leaks $ suspension parts etc) as you go forward.

My first bolt on upgrade would probably be an FMIC, then a better airbox, inlets & outlets. Then and only then get downpipes. You need MHD installed before you get downpipes.

The a little advice...
Wow appriciate the look out. Someone's for sure done some extensive upgrades and knows his car well 💯

Currently I'm gonna go and see what maintance records he has done up to 84,000km on the vehicle. Curious on what I should look for as it is a low KM car, the water pump is just about to go out around these KMs other than that a walnut blast if his actually taking care of his vehicle

Stoked and super excited to do the upgrades, cant wait for them paycheques to come through any sooner 😂
Buy your own walnut blast kit with aluminum cylinder adapter. You just need a 6.5hp shop vac and an air compressor capable of 5scfm at 90psi. DeWalt makes a nice one. Look for a sale. You can get it for $299.00.


https://www.lowes.com/pd/DEWALT-4-5-...8;gclsrc=aw.ds

Walnut blast every 30-35,000 miles

Also, get a Rob Beck PCV valve and cap. Invest into a BMS catch can too.

Those are things I neglected to tell you in my original post.
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      12-10-2019, 09:10 PM   #30
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mweisdorfer View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by JGuremel17 View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by mweisdorfer View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by JGuremel17 View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by BM3Rrrr View Post
Winter in Vancouver, where it snows overnight and melts by the next afternoon
335is all the way, no need for the xi where you live
That is pretty true, not too worried about the snow, we've rarely had any, and this year non, even Whistler is running late for snow and there machine plowing it

But thank you for that, IS it shall be 👍🏼
Nice.

I'd start by changing all the fluids out first. That way you know exactly where you are. You can get an Amsoil membership. They make every fluid for your car. You get 25% off the price with a membership and you build $$ to future purchases with every purchase.

My next move would be to replace/ upgrade the plugs, coils (Eldor) & vac lines (platinum cured).

Last, change the belt & pulleys.

From there you just need to fix stuff (oil leaks $ suspension parts etc) as you go forward.

My first bolt on upgrade would probably be an FMIC, then a better airbox, inlets & outlets. Then and only then get downpipes. You need MHD installed before you get downpipes.

The a little advice...
Wow appriciate the look out. Someone's for sure done some extensive upgrades and knows his car well 💯

Currently I'm gonna go and see what maintance records he has done up to 84,000km on the vehicle. Curious on what I should look for as it is a low KM car, the water pump is just about to go out around these KMs other than that a walnut blast if his actually taking care of his vehicle

Stoked and super excited to do the upgrades, cant wait for them paycheques to come through any sooner 😂
Buy your own walnut blast kit with aluminum cylinder adapter. You just need a 6.5hp shop vac and an air compressor capable of 5scfm at 90psi. DeWalt makes a nice one. Look for a sale. You can get it for $299.00.


https://www.lowes.com/pd/DEWALT-4-5-...8;gclsrc=aw.ds

Walnut blast every 30-35,000 miles

Also, get a Rob Beck PCV valve and cap. Invest into a BMS catch can too.

Those are things I neglected to tell you in my original post.
Can't thank you enough! This is great information, I look forward to taking care of the BMW 🤤

I got some tools as I work in construction so making my own walnut blast wouldn't be an issue 💯
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      12-11-2019, 09:28 AM   #31
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I would encourage you to get a large socket set. Maybe a 176 piece set in metric and English. Although, you won't use the English sockets on a BMW. 1/4, 3/8 & 1/2 drive. It's hard to go wrong with craftsmen.

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?m...2F324007797148

A quality set of torx & reverse torx set. OTC makes a really nice set for just under $90.00.


https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?m...2F223630822123

You'll need a set of metric wrenches 8mm - 25mm too.
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      12-11-2019, 03:58 PM   #32
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I purchased my 2011 335is for $16K at 75K miles. It's without a doubt the nicest car I've ever owned and was $60K new which is awesome to think about. If you get the "is" you'll love it for sure. I installed catless downpipes and disconnected the vac line in the trunk so the exhaust flaps stay open. It sounds ridiculously mean and loud and burbles quite a lot for a stock tune. Loud enough to blow your eardrums out in a tunnel at 5K RPM. Also that overboost feature is nice. Get ready to be thrown back into your seat and chirp the tires between shifts. Have fun!
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      12-11-2019, 10:58 PM   #33
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Originally Posted by mweisdorfer View Post
I would encourage you to get a large socket set. Maybe a 176 piece set in metric and English. Although, you won't use the English sockets on a BMW. 1/4, 3/8 & 1/2 drive. It's hard to go wrong with craftsmen.

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?m...2F324007797148

A quality set of torx & reverse torx set. OTC makes a really nice set for just under $90.00.


https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?m...2F223630822123

You'll need a set of metric wrenches 8mm - 25mm too.
Appriciate all the help and the info, couldn't do it with out the E90post fam!

Still under negotiations, so let's see how it goes 🤞🏼
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      12-11-2019, 11:01 PM   #34
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I purchased my 2011 335is for $16K at 75K miles. It's without a doubt the nicest car I've ever owned and was $60K new which is awesome to think about. If you get the "is" you'll love it for sure. I installed catless downpipes and disconnected the vac line in the trunk so the exhaust flaps stay open. It sounds ridiculously mean and loud and burbles quite a lot for a stock tune. Loud enough to blow your eardrums out in a tunnel at 5K RPM. Also that overboost feature is nice. Get ready to be thrown back into your seat and chirp the tires between shifts. Have fun!
That's a great deal, I look forward to landing a good deal myself... Struggling as they are costly beasts!

I look forward to doing alllllll of those upgrades, just need to settle on this bargaining tho that is happening back and forth 😪 need all the prayers I can get, or wait for more paychecks 😅
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      12-12-2019, 07:06 PM   #35
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I bought my 2011 335is in June with 68k miles. Since then I've extensively modified it. It has been a joy every single day. It's my 3rd 335i and barring it's abrupt ending due to a drunk driver like my first two, I will have it until the day the earth is swallowed by the sun.
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      12-12-2019, 08:24 PM   #36
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Pretty good write up here from a fellow board member regarding maintenance:

Maintenance guide for new/existing owners:

Forget looking at mods after your new purchase! Do the preventative maintenance first. For some reason, the most common thing people do here is whack on a tune and complain about check engine lights. With these cars you have to be proactive about the maintenance. Its also worth noting, that service history means nothing for these cars. Most of the things that go wrong with these cars are not covered by normal servicing.

The mentality of fixing things when they break will just result in more pain down the track, and it is easy for things to snowball. You only need a few key issues on your car until it feels like a real turd, and the repair costs to get it back to normal can quickly become staggering.

I know a lot of the younger crowd has bought into these cars since they're as cheap as $15k, but what you might not realise is that they can be crazy expensive to maintain. Personally, to get my car up to 200k kms and maintaining it to a high level has cost $10-15k so far, this is DIY, with labour not taken into account.

The best thing you can do is to arm yourself with as much knowledge as possible, so you can be self sufficient.

Important links:

https://www.fcpeuro.com - Based in the USA, shipping usually takes around 5-7 days maybe longer if you have obscure items in your cart. This place has almost every part you'll ever need to maintain your BMW and at good prices

http://newtis.info - This is a web based rip of ISTA (factory service instructions), very useful for repair information

http://www.realoem.com/ - This is a web rip version of BMW ETK (parts catalog) this is very handy for tracking down part numbers to buy from places like FCP. You can also use this powerful tool to see if parts from other models will fit your car, as it will tell you if the same part is used on other models.

Maintenance guide:

TIMEFRAME: AS SOON AS YOU BUY THE CAR

Oil change - These cars run hot and prevous owners have just been sticking to the ridiculous 25-30k km service intervals. Change the oil out with something decent and at regular intervals (10,000km). Use genuine oil filters only, the aftermarket ones are usually more expensive, don't fit properly and dont work as well as the originals.

Plugs and coils - The plugs and coils are weak items on this platform, buy them immediately after you purchase your car. I would suggest buying NGK 95770 (ILZKBR7B) gapped at 0.022", the 3 pronged Bosch ones I have seen the gaps be very inconsistent. ON a tuned car the NGKs are highly recommended.

Water pump 11517632426 - The water pump is prone to crapping out very suddenly and can leave you stranded. If you are on the original pump then you should change it straight away. The old style pump is bolted onto the block and isolated with rubber grommets (rubber will usually be swelling from the oil leaks over the years), the new one is directly bolted to the block. The car will overheat on a dead pump quite quickly and can take out weak components like the radiator with plastic end tanks. You need to buy the pump and 3 STEEL (11517602123) screws, do not buy the aluminum screws or reuse the old ones.

Fix any oil leaks immediately
The oil filter housing is a common thing to leak, along with the valve cover and lately I have seen a lot of slow oil pan leaks as these cars cross the 10 year mark. If you've leaked oil on any of the hoses and let it sat for a while, this degrades the rubber so make sure you replace any hoses that look swelled. Oil leaking on the drive belt should be rectified immediately, this can cause the belt to slip and cause a shredded belt. It is also possible for the belt to get sucked into the crank seal, resulting in belt fragments being caught in the oil pickup, causing oil starvation and dead engine.

Charge pipe - For model years 2009+ including N55 you should replace it immediately, as it is prone to cracking and exploding. The 2006-2008 2 piece rubber charge pipes are very strong and do not require replacements. Theres many aftermarket charge pipes out there, most of them fit like crap. Personally if it was me i'd source a pre 09 charge pipe, but if you had to get a metal one (if you're N55) I'd go for the Evolution Racewerks one.

TIME FRAME: SHORT TERM

Walnut blast - These cars are direct injected and have no fuel passing over the intake valves to clean them. This results in the intake valves getting clogged up over time. After 60-100k they'll be pretty gummed up, reducing performance and idle quality.

Thermostat to cylinder head hose 11537541992 - This hose has a plastic flange that bolts onto the cylinder head and you need to remove it to access the oil filter housing. After several years it gets brittle and cracks, I would highly recommending getting a metal replacement off eBay. This is probably the worse hose for failure, it can break off chunks and allow plastic debris in your cooling system and can jam up your water pump.

Radiator hoses
- The top thin overflow hose for the expansion tank (17127565094) is prone to bursting, replace it and buy a new clamp (34321156893). Upper radiator hose (17127540127) that clips into the oil filter housing is plastic and also prone to deteriorating.

Vacuum hoses - These should be replaced with silicone rubber, the rubber ones perish after a number of years and can split and be the cause of vacuum leaks. Locally you can buy the SAAS branded 3mm hose (its actually 1/8" 3.2mm) from Autobarn, or buy the CRP hose from FCP euro. Do not use 4mm hose as commonly recommended off the forums, it does not fit well.

Boost solenoids - These are sometimes the cause of boost related issues, these also get less effective over time and you can feel a difference in boost response when replacing old ones.

High pressure fuel pump - This part will probably have already been replaced on your car, the latest revisions appear to be reliable. If its never been done then keep an eye out for long cranks in the morning and dipping fuel pressures at full load

Coolant flush - These cars are quite old now and may have changed through the hands of many mechanics. The coolant should be blue, if it is not, flush it out and put the genuine stuff in (83192211191), its not expensive.

Engine mounts - The engine mounts are hydraulic and are prone to blowing out on the hot side (right hand side). They fail as early as 100k kms.

Automatic transmission service - You'll want to service the Auto to keep it shifting nice. If you leave it until 150k no amount of servicing will make the ZF auto shift better short of a rebuild. Youll need to get the pan and the ZF lifegaurd fluid. Do not use anything other than the ZF fluid!

Manual Transmission Fluid - I would only recommend using BMW fluids, in general they last for ages and give you very slick shifts. MTF LT3 for the N54 gearbox, and MTF LT5 for the N55 gearbox (includes BMW 1M)

Oil filter housing gasket - This is an extremely common leak point and is worsened by the fact that these cars have changed hands many times over the years, resulting in poor repairs. This is a critical gasket and even if the procedures are followed exactly, it can still result in leaks in rare cases. A lot of times the bolts have been over tightened by the previous mechanic, or copious amounts of RTV silicone has been used to seal it. To do it properly you will require both the oil filter housing seal (11428637821), thermostat seal (11428637820) and 2 oring seals for the oil cooler (17222245358). You will also want to buy an aluminium cylinder head fitting, as the original one is plastic and prone to cracking.

TIMEFRAME: LONG TERM MAINTENANCE GOALS

Turbochargers - Eventually the turbos will fail, a lot of the 2006-2007 cars and some of the later cars are prone to wastegate rattle. The only proper way to fix these are to remove the turbos and replace the wastegates or the turbos themselves. The installation costs are quite high so not worth throwing the old turbos back in imo. Brand new turbos would be the best option, instead of stuffing around with reconditioning. Aftermarket turbos have a very poor reliability record, so don't buy them unless you can afford to replace a set of smoking turbos.

Injectors - These injectors are expensive and not very reliable, if you plan on keeping your car for a long time then budget in a set of Index 12 injectors at some point. Faulty injectors can be the cause of rough cold starts and misfires. Unfortunately these are very expensive, so just bearin mind this is something that will have to be done eventually.

Oil pan (11137548031)- These are now starting to go after these cars are close to 10 years old. Make sure you buy a new set of aluminium bolts (11132210959). The gasket and bolts are cheap but its quite labour intensive. A lot of cars will be leaking from the oil pan, near the transmission, it starts off as a very slow leak then gets progressively worse over time.

Valve cover - These will leak eventually. You can get the gasket on its own but it is not recommended unless you have a relatively new cover. They are prone to cracking and the removal sometimes requires a bit of force to unstick the gasket, resulting in the valve cover being stressed. Might not crack immediately but would probably end up replacing the valve cover later. Just do it once and do it right. Normally you'll get plenty of warning that the gasket is leaking

Suspension - Shocks will have lost a lot of performance by 90k kms, front upper control arm bushings will tend to leak as well, these are hydraulic filled bushings which will fail eventually. best to start looking at aftermarket suspension options

VANOS Solenoids (11367585425) - These will be the cause of various VANOS check engine lights, some that may be very hard to reproduce. You can clean the solenoids but most of the time only a replacement will fix it.
Drive belt (11287628652) - Worth doing to avoid a shredded belt.

Fluids
- You will want to keep on top of the fluids as they hardly ever get changed by owners. Power steering (CHF11S), brake fluid (DOT4), trans fluid, diff fluid and coolant should all be done eventually

Turbo oil drain seals
- These are common to weep oil, the flat oval shaped seal (11422246091) is a common leak source.

Gear selector shaft seal (23128677736) - This seal is a common failure point on the manual gearbox. It weeps oil and leaks onto the shifter (has a foam bushing in it), which is the cause of a sloppy shifter. Worth replacing this and the shifter bushes at the same time. This requires a special tool to remove, removing it with tiny screwdrivers is possible with enough fortitude and swearing but not worth it.

Automatic/DCT
- These leak at the oil pan and mechatronics seals on high km examples. Highly recommend servicing the ZF 6AT early on to prolong its life. The ZF AT generally starts to deteriorate in feel past around 120-140k or so, if it hasn't been serviced in the past, usually a service will not make it much better. DCT boxes have a side seal on it that tends to leak on high km examples. This unfortunately needs the transmission removed to fix the leak, as there is no space in the transmission tunnel to get it out
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      12-12-2019, 10:11 PM   #37
JGuremel17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by The_E92_Fan View Post
I bought my 2011 335is in June with 68k miles. Since then I've extensively modified it. It has been a joy every single day. It's my 3rd 335i and barring it's abrupt ending due to a drunk driver like my first two, I will have it until the day the earth is swallowed by the sun.
Glad to hear the very supportive comments on the 335

All my family members and friends are looking down on me as I will have made a huge mistake, not gonna lie for sure there will be maintance and problems... But it comes with the fact that it's a 335, like the N54 has just killer to mods, and super fun to drive!
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      12-12-2019, 10:11 PM   #38
JGuremel17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BM3Rrrr View Post
Pretty good write up here from a fellow board member regarding maintenance:

Maintenance guide for new/existing owners:

Forget looking at mods after your new purchase! Do the preventative maintenance first. For some reason, the most common thing people do here is whack on a tune and complain about check engine lights. With these cars you have to be proactive about the maintenance. Its also worth noting, that service history means nothing for these cars. Most of the things that go wrong with these cars are not covered by normal servicing.

The mentality of fixing things when they break will just result in more pain down the track, and it is easy for things to snowball. You only need a few key issues on your car until it feels like a real turd, and the repair costs to get it back to normal can quickly become staggering.

I know a lot of the younger crowd has bought into these cars since they're as cheap as $15k, but what you might not realise is that they can be crazy expensive to maintain. Personally, to get my car up to 200k kms and maintaining it to a high level has cost $10-15k so far, this is DIY, with labour not taken into account.

The best thing you can do is to arm yourself with as much knowledge as possible, so you can be self sufficient.

Important links:

https://www.fcpeuro.com - Based in the USA, shipping usually takes around 5-7 days maybe longer if you have obscure items in your cart. This place has almost every part you'll ever need to maintain your BMW and at good prices

http://newtis.info - This is a web based rip of ISTA (factory service instructions), very useful for repair information

http://www.realoem.com/ - This is a web rip version of BMW ETK (parts catalog) this is very handy for tracking down part numbers to buy from places like FCP. You can also use this powerful tool to see if parts from other models will fit your car, as it will tell you if the same part is used on other models.

Maintenance guide:

TIMEFRAME: AS SOON AS YOU BUY THE CAR

Oil change - These cars run hot and prevous owners have just been sticking to the ridiculous 25-30k km service intervals. Change the oil out with something decent and at regular intervals (10,000km). Use genuine oil filters only, the aftermarket ones are usually more expensive, don't fit properly and dont work as well as the originals.

Plugs and coils - The plugs and coils are weak items on this platform, buy them immediately after you purchase your car. I would suggest buying NGK 95770 (ILZKBR7B) gapped at 0.022", the 3 pronged Bosch ones I have seen the gaps be very inconsistent. ON a tuned car the NGKs are highly recommended.

Water pump 11517632426 - The water pump is prone to crapping out very suddenly and can leave you stranded. If you are on the original pump then you should change it straight away. The old style pump is bolted onto the block and isolated with rubber grommets (rubber will usually be swelling from the oil leaks over the years), the new one is directly bolted to the block. The car will overheat on a dead pump quite quickly and can take out weak components like the radiator with plastic end tanks. You need to buy the pump and 3 STEEL (11517602123) screws, do not buy the aluminum screws or reuse the old ones.

Fix any oil leaks immediately
The oil filter housing is a common thing to leak, along with the valve cover and lately I have seen a lot of slow oil pan leaks as these cars cross the 10 year mark. If you've leaked oil on any of the hoses and let it sat for a while, this degrades the rubber so make sure you replace any hoses that look swelled. Oil leaking on the drive belt should be rectified immediately, this can cause the belt to slip and cause a shredded belt. It is also possible for the belt to get sucked into the crank seal, resulting in belt fragments being caught in the oil pickup, causing oil starvation and dead engine.

Charge pipe - For model years 2009+ including N55 you should replace it immediately, as it is prone to cracking and exploding. The 2006-2008 2 piece rubber charge pipes are very strong and do not require replacements. Theres many aftermarket charge pipes out there, most of them fit like crap. Personally if it was me i'd source a pre 09 charge pipe, but if you had to get a metal one (if you're N55) I'd go for the Evolution Racewerks one.

TIME FRAME: SHORT TERM

Walnut blast - These cars are direct injected and have no fuel passing over the intake valves to clean them. This results in the intake valves getting clogged up over time. After 60-100k they'll be pretty gummed up, reducing performance and idle quality.

Thermostat to cylinder head hose 11537541992 - This hose has a plastic flange that bolts onto the cylinder head and you need to remove it to access the oil filter housing. After several years it gets brittle and cracks, I would highly recommending getting a metal replacement off eBay. This is probably the worse hose for failure, it can break off chunks and allow plastic debris in your cooling system and can jam up your water pump.

Radiator hoses
- The top thin overflow hose for the expansion tank (17127565094) is prone to bursting, replace it and buy a new clamp (34321156893). Upper radiator hose (17127540127) that clips into the oil filter housing is plastic and also prone to deteriorating.

Vacuum hoses - These should be replaced with silicone rubber, the rubber ones perish after a number of years and can split and be the cause of vacuum leaks. Locally you can buy the SAAS branded 3mm hose (its actually 1/8" 3.2mm) from Autobarn, or buy the CRP hose from FCP euro. Do not use 4mm hose as commonly recommended off the forums, it does not fit well.

Boost solenoids - These are sometimes the cause of boost related issues, these also get less effective over time and you can feel a difference in boost response when replacing old ones.

High pressure fuel pump - This part will probably have already been replaced on your car, the latest revisions appear to be reliable. If its never been done then keep an eye out for long cranks in the morning and dipping fuel pressures at full load

Coolant flush - These cars are quite old now and may have changed through the hands of many mechanics. The coolant should be blue, if it is not, flush it out and put the genuine stuff in (83192211191), its not expensive.

Engine mounts - The engine mounts are hydraulic and are prone to blowing out on the hot side (right hand side). They fail as early as 100k kms.

Automatic transmission service - You'll want to service the Auto to keep it shifting nice. If you leave it until 150k no amount of servicing will make the ZF auto shift better short of a rebuild. Youll need to get the pan and the ZF lifegaurd fluid. Do not use anything other than the ZF fluid!

Manual Transmission Fluid - I would only recommend using BMW fluids, in general they last for ages and give you very slick shifts. MTF LT3 for the N54 gearbox, and MTF LT5 for the N55 gearbox (includes BMW 1M)

Oil filter housing gasket - This is an extremely common leak point and is worsened by the fact that these cars have changed hands many times over the years, resulting in poor repairs. This is a critical gasket and even if the procedures are followed exactly, it can still result in leaks in rare cases. A lot of times the bolts have been over tightened by the previous mechanic, or copious amounts of RTV silicone has been used to seal it. To do it properly you will require both the oil filter housing seal (11428637821), thermostat seal (11428637820) and 2 oring seals for the oil cooler (17222245358). You will also want to buy an aluminium cylinder head fitting, as the original one is plastic and prone to cracking.

TIMEFRAME: LONG TERM MAINTENANCE GOALS

Turbochargers - Eventually the turbos will fail, a lot of the 2006-2007 cars and some of the later cars are prone to wastegate rattle. The only proper way to fix these are to remove the turbos and replace the wastegates or the turbos themselves. The installation costs are quite high so not worth throwing the old turbos back in imo. Brand new turbos would be the best option, instead of stuffing around with reconditioning. Aftermarket turbos have a very poor reliability record, so don't buy them unless you can afford to replace a set of smoking turbos.

Injectors - These injectors are expensive and not very reliable, if you plan on keeping your car for a long time then budget in a set of Index 12 injectors at some point. Faulty injectors can be the cause of rough cold starts and misfires. Unfortunately these are very expensive, so just bearin mind this is something that will have to be done eventually.

Oil pan (11137548031)- These are now starting to go after these cars are close to 10 years old. Make sure you buy a new set of aluminium bolts (11132210959). The gasket and bolts are cheap but its quite labour intensive. A lot of cars will be leaking from the oil pan, near the transmission, it starts off as a very slow leak then gets progressively worse over time.

Valve cover - These will leak eventually. You can get the gasket on its own but it is not recommended unless you have a relatively new cover. They are prone to cracking and the removal sometimes requires a bit of force to unstick the gasket, resulting in the valve cover being stressed. Might not crack immediately but would probably end up replacing the valve cover later. Just do it once and do it right. Normally you'll get plenty of warning that the gasket is leaking

Suspension - Shocks will have lost a lot of performance by 90k kms, front upper control arm bushings will tend to leak as well, these are hydraulic filled bushings which will fail eventually. best to start looking at aftermarket suspension options

VANOS Solenoids (11367585425) - These will be the cause of various VANOS check engine lights, some that may be very hard to reproduce. You can clean the solenoids but most of the time only a replacement will fix it.
Drive belt (11287628652) - Worth doing to avoid a shredded belt.

Fluids
- You will want to keep on top of the fluids as they hardly ever get changed by owners. Power steering (CHF11S), brake fluid (DOT4), trans fluid, diff fluid and coolant should all be done eventually

Turbo oil drain seals
- These are common to weep oil, the flat oval shaped seal (11422246091) is a common leak source.

Gear selector shaft seal (23128677736) - This seal is a common failure point on the manual gearbox. It weeps oil and leaks onto the shifter (has a foam bushing in it), which is the cause of a sloppy shifter. Worth replacing this and the shifter bushes at the same time. This requires a special tool to remove, removing it with tiny screwdrivers is possible with enough fortitude and swearing but not worth it.

Automatic/DCT
- These leak at the oil pan and mechatronics seals on high km examples. Highly recommend servicing the ZF 6AT early on to prolong its life. The ZF AT generally starts to deteriorate in feel past around 120-140k or so, if it hasn't been serviced in the past, usually a service will not make it much better. DCT boxes have a side seal on it that tends to leak on high km examples. This unfortunately needs the transmission removed to fix the leak, as there is no space in the transmission tunnel to get it out
Uh that's a hefty post, but thanks for re-sharing it!
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      12-15-2019, 04:45 PM   #39
BM3Rrrr
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Just keep those short term and long term items in mind.
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