[BMWMusician]

Just was curious, to the average consumer of a 335i, I’ve seen people say they’ve paid $5k and up to replace their turbos that tend to go out within 100k miles. I’m wondering has the market for replacing become economical, or are we still getting fucked?

If the answer is the latter, what are some economical solutions out there? I know some will say DIY, but correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe there is some welding and considerable labor involved. Not sure what people are doing nowadays?

Seems like a great car to drive once you kick out the mishaps and do the maintenance. Would love to hear your thoughts.

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

Originally Posted by BMWMusician

Just was curious, to the average consumer of a 335i, I’ve seen people say they’ve paid $5k and up to replace their turbos that tend to go out within 100k miles. I’m wondering has the market for replacing become economical, or are we still getting fucked?

If the answer is the latter, what are some economical solutions out there? I know some will say DIY, but correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe there is some welding and considerable labor involved. Not sure what people are doing nowadays?

Seems like a great car to drive once you kick out the mishaps and do the maintenance. Would love to hear your thoughts.

Just obtained a 335is ~ a month ago and asked the same thing in an existing thrad.

The answer was pretty much the latter. If your turbos go out either upgrade to single turbo or if you want OEM performance doesn't seem to be something with better reliability. So seems to be get the OE Mitsubishi turbos and most of the cost for the work is the labor. I beleive both turbos are about 1500$ for both. Main thing again, is labor which ends up with a bill of about ~ 4000$ if you don't DIY I think.

Still a newb but seems to be the gist of it. Might be wrong on pricing but looking at rock auto, fcp euro and ECS tuning 1500$ for both seems to be average.

I was like you to, hoping must have gotten some new cheaper turbos. I mean maybe the price went down from when the car came out to and I'm not realizing that.

Also welding I believe is it you want to repair wastegate without changing the whole turbo.

[nsjames]

welding is only if you're repairing the bushings for the wastegates on your turbos.
replacing entire turbos doesn't require any welding.

You can buy a pair of reman turbos for under 2K.
or you can spend a little more and just go single turbo.

[neilvan]

I payed around $2000 CDN to do it myself (2 new turbo cores, waste gates fixed, water pump and coolant hoses replaced(except heater hoses))

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

Originally Posted by neilvan

I payed around $2000 CDN to do it myself (2 new turbo cores, waste gates fixed, water pump and coolant hoses replaced(except heater hoses))

Oh wow 2000$ CAD not to bad. Where did you order all your stuff from?

[neilvan]

Originally Posted by TheMidnightNarwhal

Oh wow 2000$ CAD not to bad. Where did you order all your stuff from?

RB Turbo cores, Turbo lab waste gates+ local shop to punch out/weld, OEM gaskets/pump/hoses parts mixed from ECS/FCP and autocamping. Its around 2K give or take a few hundred. I did a few other upgrades while I was at it.

[ZerenDip]

I just paid $5k USD for my PS2 High Flows installed and out the door. I got some other stuff fixed but you shouldn't be spending 5k on OEM replacements (installed and ready to go) imo. More like around the 3k mark seems reasonable.

[IISevv]

You can get a set of complete remanufactured turbos for $1000-$1500 from Vargas or RB depending on if you want stock specs or any upgrades. Labor is $1000 Max at an Indy shop, and I’ve seen receipts for $650-$700. Could be a little higher depending on the shop labor rate but one is a complete fool to spend $5000 in today's market.

[mweisdorfer]

Originally Posted by BMWMusician

Just was curious, to the average consumer of a 335i, I’ve seen people say they’ve paid $5k and up to replace their turbos that tend to go out within 100k miles. I’m wondering has the market for replacing become economical, or are we still getting fucked?

If the answer is the latter, what are some economical solutions out there? I know some will say DIY, but correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe there is some welding and considerable labor involved. Not sure what people are doing nowadays?

Seems like a great car to drive once you kick out the mishaps and do the maintenance. Would love to hear your thoughts.

You can DIY it yourself, if you are good/great with a wrench and have the right set of tools. OEM or set of aftermarket turbos like Rob Beck's RB 1's will run you around 1800 to $2000.00 in parts. Then there's the fluid changes of new oil & filter, plus new coolant.

If you can't DIY it, you are probably looking at $4,000 or more from a local, independent shop that specializes in European Autos. I'd never take it to the stealership.

[IISevv]

Originally Posted by mweisdorfer

You can DIY it yourself, if you are good/great with a wrench and have the right set of tools. OEM or set of aftermarket turbos like Rob Beck's RB 1's will run you around 1800 to $2000.00 in parts. Then there's the fluid changes of new oil & filter, plus new coolant.

If you can't DIY it, you are probably looking at $4,000 or more from a local, independent shop that specializes in European Autos. I'd never take it to the stealership.

Rebuilt OEM turbos are not $1800-$2000. They’re around $1000. Brand new turbos from Mitsubishi (yes they’re Mitsubishi turbos) are $1700 on ECS. Absolutely no way it’s costing $4000. A shop who knows what they’re doing can do it in 6-7 hours at ~$100 an hour plus let’s say $250 for new fluids and gaskets. Including shipping and taxes that’s less than $2500 out the door on the absolute high end and if you have a relationship with a shop you can get it done for closer to $2000 if not less because they get massive parts discounts.

[ahlbe1cl]

Learn the lingo...instead of saying 2008, it’s known as an N54 around here.

[ctuna]

https://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sh....php?t=1295023

If you have the time and patience to sit through this video you will
understand why its so expensive.

[JingChai]

Check out this video:

[mweisdorfer]

Originally Posted by IISevv

Rebuilt OEM turbos are not $1800-$2000. They’re around $1000. Brand new turbos from Mitsubishi (yes they’re Mitsubishi turbos) are $1700 on ECS. Absolutely no way it’s costing $4000. A shop who knows what they’re doing can do it in 6-7 hours at ~$100 an hour plus let’s say $250 for new fluids and gaskets. Including shipping and taxes that’s less than $2500 out the door on the absolute high end and if you have a relationship with a shop you can get it done for closer to $2000 if not less because they get massive parts discounts.

I think it would be silly to put OEM rebuilt turbos on an n54.

[AandSC]

I went with the Rob Beck CHRAs to fix my leaking turbos. Car is running like new again. I’m not looking for more HP though. Cost me less than $1,000 but it looks as if the price of RB CHRAs went up.

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

Originally Posted by mweisdorfer

I think it would be silly to put OEM rebuilt turbos on an n54.

If you want the car to feel like it did before and not do more HP what would you go for?

[Wolf 335]

Originally Posted by TheMidnightNarwhal

If you want the car to feel like it did before and not do more HP what would you go for?

OEM new turbos

[IISevv]

Originally Posted by mweisdorfer

I think it would be silly to put OEM rebuilt turbos on an n54.

If you’re looking for a budget solution, there’s no reason not to. As far as I know all of the rebuilt options include upgraded Wastegate assemblies and all turbos will eventually leak, it’s just the nature of the beast. Sure, you can spend a few hundred dollars more and get upgraded turbos with billet internals and what not but his question seemed to be about finding a solution for stock turbos. If you’re subscribing to the mindset of “it’s a BMW and I only want all genuine new parts”, the N54 was mind-blowing when it came out but there are now more complicated Nissan engines.

[mweisdorfer]

Originally Posted by TheMidnightNarwhal

If you want the car to feel like it did before and not do more HP what would you go for?

I would get Rob Beck RB 1's. That's what I will put on once my car once my OEMs take a crap. Right now they have 156,000 on them, and they are still going strong.

I just like the fact that all the internals are upgraded on his RB 1's, and you can get SS waste gate upgrades too.

To my knowledge, Mitsubishi has never rectified the wastegate issue on their OEM turbos. So, if you go that route, you'll be getting more of the same.

If you can get a way better turbo using the OEM shell, for about the same money, that is tried and true why wouldn't you?

[TemjinX2]

The majority of the cost is in labor, obviously diy is the cheapest...but just depends on your market. if you live in a area with lot of bmw tuner shops like socal, its around $800-1000 to install.

if you live in the sticks...i've seen people mention $2-3k

i think the book time on it, is suppose to be 10hrs.

[Silent9n54]

i think its pretty silly to say that the job takes 6-7 hours ...more like 16-17 hours and while you are in there im sure you'd want to change a couple of seals and other parts while its easily accessible

[mweisdorfer]

Originally Posted by shanker604

i think its pretty silly to say that the job takes 6-7 hours ...more like 16-17 hours and while you are in there im sure you'd want to change a couple of seals and other parts while its easily accessible

Agreed. Even if you had a lift, it would take 6 hours just to get it apart, and that's assuming you know exactly what you are doing.