I'm considering buying a 97 328is 5-speed manual. This car seems to be everything i want, decent power, decent mileage, looks good..... my only concern is the maintenance costs. I'm not a car nut and would be doing little, if any maintenance myself. So to anyone with a BMW or in the know...

would you recommend i take this car to the dealership for preventative maintenance and do everything recommended? how much would this typically run a year, barring major repairs?

would I be better off to take the repairs as they come at a non-dealer shop, since this is an older car and assuming I don't know the vehicle history? i realize this would be a bit of a gamble and might have to bite the bullet on big repairs. But in your experience, is this a better bet?

also... oil changes? i've heard every 15,000 miles and they cost you over a hundred.... is that correct?

Any advice is appreciated...

10/20/2005 4:18:06 PM

http://www.stgbmwservice.com/

This place is supposed to be pretty good on the service side. sparky recommended another place to me when I asked him...Maybe he will chime in.

What is the mileage? Does the car that you are planning to buy have a detailed service history? If so, just look through the receipts for the last few years to see what the average cost of ownership has been. Count on it costing more since it is higher in mileage.

Check to see if this one suffers from the plastic radiator necks and thermostat housings that usually crack between 60k-120k. If so, I'd replace the radiator, thermostat housing, and maybe even water pump proactively.

Read through the first few pages of threads at http://bimmer.roadfly.com/bmw/forums/e36/. You'll probably pick up some good info about it there too.

10/20/2005 4:44:33 PM

15,000 mile oil change interval? WTF?

Even with those new super-high-mileage synthetics, going that long just sounds dangerous. That can't be the stock interval.

10/20/2005 4:52:43 PM

It has just over 100,000. I'll look into those threads.

I'm afraid I'll be put off by the thought of way too much hassle to maintain, but thats part of the give and take of having a nicer car.

10/20/2005 5:26:29 PM

i'll chime in. a 97 328is could be a great car for you. i was also a bit worried about maintenance costs when i was shopping for my M3. you need to see the maintenance history or take it to a shop and see if they can tell if the stock radiator and waterpump have been replaced. both those items were know to have high failure rates. i'd recommend either peak automotive or shade tree garage. either of those places will do a pre-purchase inspection for you and let you know what would need to be replaced soon. besides that, from a personal experience, maintenance costs have not be that bad. i do all my own oil changes, they are real easy. i changed my own brakes pads and rotors, another pretty straight forward job. i attempted to replace my own clutch kit but ended up taking it to peak b/c i was having release problems. turned out that the new pressure plate in the clutch kit was defective. i paid peak $800 to replace the clutch kit ( that was with parts and labor) and they did a great job. they even washed my car for me. an e36 is a great car to own. there is all kinds of info on the net (my fav is bimmerforums.com) and you can get all kinds of used and aftermarket parts off the internet for reasonable prices. i'd say that if all checks out in the pre-purchase inspection and you get a good deal then go for it. hit me up if you have any more questions.

10/20/2005 5:30:53 PM

Quote :

"15,000 mile oil change interval? WTF? ....... That can't be the stock interval."

It is.

BTW I do BMW sidework.

10/20/2005 11:58:25 PM

I change mine at about 7,000. Just change the oil yourself. You need a 36mm socket and a BMW code reader/service light reset tool. Pays for itself in no time.

I haven't ran into any maintenance related problems on my 328 that I couldn't easily handle. Definately a great buy.

How many miles on the car? Let me know if you need someone to look over it for you; I'm sure me or MaxxedOut95 could look over it.

10/21/2005 12:16:51 AM

Quote :

"36mm"

sayyyyy whaaattt?

10/21/2005 2:30:31 AM

Quote :

"15,000 mile oil change interval? WTF? "

I could never wait that long. I change mine every 7k to 8k (7 usually). I have an 01 330ci and so far its been real easy on the pockets. I take it to European Performance to get the oil change and since it only runs synthetic It costs around about $75 from them. Also they do Inspections I and II for a real reasonable price. Dealership is WAY too expensive. (Sorry Diggler ) The most expensive thing I had to spend on it has been on brakes and rotors. I went to someone else (holla @ diggler) for that. Other than that, I love that thing. Oh yeah the other most expensive thing I gotten has been a speeding ticket.

10/21/2005 8:31:51 AM

^^ canister style oil filter has a plastic cap, 36mm hex molded into the top - i just used a large crescent wrench on mine

15k might be the interval that the service lights usually expire, but every 5-7K using Mobil 1 is as long as I would ever go. Also make sure you buy a Peake tool for the code reading/oil light reset. This will also let you do any preventative maintenance based on your monthly, or every few months, code reading - it'll tell you anything from which O2 sensor needs to be replaced to if any of the spark/coil readings are off, so on. It's pretty self explanatory.

If you go the dealer route and follow the service lights, there are Service I and Service II procedures that they do depending on milage - both are standard dealer cost - meaning fscking expensive.

Overall though there were two major annoyances that I had with my BMW ( '98 540 sport) - build quality and suspension bushings. There wasn't a week that passed without the thing making some squeaking/creaking noise over potholes/bumps/changing lanes. Ended up putting a grand or so into it in the year I had it swapping out all the random suspension bushings/pieces. Then there were the door seals (though this wouldn't affect the e36's) - you had to leave the driver's window cracked to avoid a constant creaking as well.

The 328 is a fine car, I've driven a couple of them and they seem much simpler than the BMW I chose, thus probably less frustrating for the diy mechanic style.

I highly recommend driving an A4 quattro 5 speed or a C280, hell even a SAAB 9-3. They may not have the image of the 328 if that's what you're going for, but might be a better balance of performance to $ for the average person - especially the SAAB - my GF's 900 turbo coupe is fun yet exceptionally easy to service, and parts are surprisingly cheap.

[Edited on October 21, 2005 at 9:19 AM. Reason : asdf]

10/21/2005 9:15:16 AM

talk to Scottyc he is the bmw guy. oil changes cost no more then any other car. and maintenance is pretty easy. i'm on my 3rd bmw and have loved all of them

10/21/2005 9:49:42 AM

they need all new major mechanical parts at 100k.

10/21/2005 11:11:05 AM

shit that sucks b/c i'm at 127k....maybe i should swap out my engine for a new one as preventative maintenance

10/21/2005 11:59:30 AM

Quote :

"15,000 mile oil change interval? WTF? Even with those new super-high-mileage synthetics, going that long just sounds dangerous. That can't be the stock interval."

nothing wrong with it.

hell i normally go 8-10k on my accord with a 4 quart sump using m1. i don't do it blindly though, since i get my oil analyzed every once in a while. it tells you about what's happening inside your engine.

10/21/2005 12:08:10 PM

^^yeah, probably so.

10/21/2005 12:15:09 PM

^ Don't be such a nigger.

10/21/2005 12:44:55 PM

gg

10/21/2005 3:24:09 PM

^^go play with your mail you damn spoda

10/21/2005 3:30:51 PM

I'm considering buying a 97 328is 5-speed manual. This car seems to be everything i want, decent power, decent mileage, looks good..... my only concern is the maintenance costs. I'm not a car nut and would be doing little, if any maintenance myself. So to anyone with a BMW or in the know...

- I had a 99 3-series. It did cost quite a bit to maintain - transmission, wheel bearings, window motors, a new key made (locked myself out and due to it's locking mechanism, a locksmith can't break in), brake pads and rotors, and a few other small things I never managed to get out of a shop for less than $250. Most of the expense I incurred was replacing the transmission. But since you are looking at a manual, that problem goes away.

would you recommend i take this car to the dealership for preventative maintenance and do everything recommended? how much would this typically run a year, barring major repairs?

- The dealors are way overpriced in my opinion (but I am talking about my local dealor in Louisiana - no clue about Raleigh). I'd find a good local import shop that works on BMW's. When I was in Raleigh I took mine to Behind the Star on Capital Blvd. They are former BMW dealor mechanics. When I was there, they did a great job. Still pricey work though. Parts are just high. I'd definitely change your oil at regular intervals and do normal car maintenance.

would I be better off to take the repairs as they come at a non-dealer shop, since this is an older car and assuming I don't know the vehicle history? i realize this would be a bit of a gamble and might have to bite the bullet on big repairs. But in your experience, is this a better bet?

- See above.

also... oil changes? i've heard every 15,000 miles and they cost you over a hundred.... is that correct?

- I wouldn't recommend going 15,000 unless you have full synthetic. And even that depends on your driving habits. I usually went 10,000 on full synthetic.

10/21/2005 5:04:01 PM

I thought synthetic oil was changed every 5,000 miles.

10/22/2005 2:55:37 AM

SHUT THE FUCK UP

10/22/2005 2:56:06 AM

http://www.adultfriendfinder.com

10/22/2005 2:58:41 AM

not even that can help you

10/22/2005 3:02:26 AM

^SHUT THE FUCK UP

10/22/2005 3:03:53 AM

thanks for the advice so far.

i have found a car i'm interested in having looked at by a mechanic. it was a lease and according to the carfax it was sold at auction at the expiration of the lease. in most cases, does this mean the car wasn't up to snuff to be sold pre-owned at the dealership.... something to be wary of?

putting that aside for now.... do you guys know a good euro mechanic in n. raleigh where i could swing by to have this inspected? I tried to find the one Queti suggested, Behind the Star, but didn't get any search results. The seller is located at the intersection of old wake forest and millbrook. I know most places close at 5 or 6. I can't see the car till 5:30.

Really really appreciate the help.

12/28/2005 8:11:04 AM

I have a 98 323is and I love it. A friend with the same car recommended Janko up on Capital, past 540. Going north on Capital/US1 they are on the right side, past the batting cages/drive range place, if I recall correctly. I haven't checked them out yet since I (my pops) does almost all the maintenance for me, but the friend said they did good work.

12/28/2005 11:08:08 AM

Queti, wasnt your bmw really high mileage that people told you not to get?

12/28/2005 12:16:15 PM

itd be naive to think you wont have to spend much on maintenance. id budget a few grand to replace bushings/mounts and the cooling system if its all stock at that mileage. itll get expensive if youre not doing it yourself.

my '97 M3 already has new shock mounts, shocks, radiator,tstat/housing,waterpump,hoses,belts,plugs done as preventative maint by teh previous owner and i still need to do new rear trailing arm bushings, maybe front control arms/ball joints/bushings up front, and shift linkage bushings before i'll be totally happy w/ its state of repair.

does the car have a good maintenance history/records? those can be worth a lot

12/28/2005 12:46:28 PM

M3's using trailing arms?

12/28/2005 1:09:20 PM

yep, http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=CD93&mospid=47504&btnr=33_1004&hg=33&fg=30

12/28/2005 2:04:30 PM