As a BMW guy, let me just say FCP Euro lifetime replacement parts even on fluids! I have eight BMWs ranging from 80s to 2007. The only reason they're still on the road is because of them! Not an ad I'm just really really happy with the lifetime warranty and customer service 🤘
FCP euro is amazing I got the rubber windscreen seal for my e92 for 40 bucks took 5 minutes to install. And they shipped it in this crazy box with crazy protection.
Great tip I'm getting either a 135i or 335i which would yall get? One thing that surprised me is the 335i gets better gas mileage and its heavier, dont make sense lol
I have a n54 135i m sport manual. Running jb4 automap and bolt ons, pump gas. I do a lot of spirited driving and I get 22.5 mpg consistently. Not too bad for how quick the car is. And it always puts a smile on my face! Been searching for an upgrade for years but it’s hard to find anything as good for the price. It would be the ultimate car if it were a bit more reliable and it had LSD. I personally didn’t have any issues so far!
I love to watch a person who REALLY knows what they're doing. I'm not a BMW fan, but if I had to drive one, Ninja is the guy I'd take it to for service and repairs. He truly loves those things!!!
Have a 135I 2013 N55 engine. I love it. Hasn't blown up yet....but I do hit all the maintenance regularly. Fix it up, take care of the N54 and it will be a blast.
Same here, 2013 135i. Bought it at 62k and I'm at 72k with no issues yet. Watch your coolant level, these cars drink coolant keeping the turbo cool. And the sensor doesn't let you know until you're down like 3/4 of a gallon.
Love their faces at 18:00 after Hoovie accelerated and they look st each other smiling. 👍🏼 The exact reaction you want, but rarely see from your wife when she is the passenger...
If they haven't been upgraded yet, rear subframe bushings could also be contributing to the rear end "wiggle" that is synonymous with these cars. I put poly bushings from AKG on my 1 series and the wiggle is gone! No increase in NVH either. Another option is to do solid aluminum bushings as well.
The "wiggle" in the back is your rear subframe bushings. They are quite soft and flex a lot once you add power. The easy fix is white line or power flex bushing inserts, or you can go with revshift solid mounts. Just did mine on my car.
"BMW is making their cars ugly to try and sell more suvs" wow I've been wondering for years why BMW was doing it and Tyler nailed it on a single 20 minute video
Hoodie: “Of course I’m going to take this to the track and probably immediately blow this thing up” Ninja: “ok” Ninja was like yeah just let me know when it blows up so I can rebuild it. So casual
I have an 08 135i with 200000kms but well maintained. I've done 15000 kms of spirited driving . Has stage 1plus tune . Dual cone air intake. And have not had a single issue . I believe the key is keeping up with the maintenance
@17:00 - The rear end is going side to side because you have an open diff. and the traction is engaging the brakes back and forth to keep you from going sideways.
People have different tolerances for crap... you might think anything short of a block cracked in 12 pieces is perfectly OK. Others usually find $10k in 'normal maintenance' unacceptable, even if the block is "bulletproof" as you say.
@@bgee461 it was literally a $30 coil that fixed his misfire issue due to the prior owner throwing a bunch of mods but skimping on proper maintenance. A new set of coils would have cost $150 and takes the average person (non-mechanic) 30 minutes to replace. Not even close to $10k. Most of the quoted $2k comes from a bad rear shock and typical oil leaks from a 13 year old car.
@@bgee461 the block doesn't crack unless it's seeing 700hp+. Least of the N54s problems. My wastegate actuators broke at 95k and I drove around with zero boost for 5k miles but the car always ran no problem.. just felt like 200hp tops lol. It got pure stage 2 a few months back
probably not the most tuneable one, but if it is maintained, it lasts. You might have to have an Autobahn near you to warm it up once or twice a week 😊
@@hotpuppy1 Back in 2009 I put one on mine to tow a small trailer for tires and tools for track events. It's not as easy as the truck and car hauler but it worked!
Have had one of these for about a year now, tracked and lightly modded by previous owner - I am reasonably throttle heavy myself (track vids on channel can attest) and no issues so far. Rattle is from the wastegate arms getting loose, its a pain and you lose boost but its not going to blow up or anything. Most of the common issues that come up on these seem to be manageable or preventable.. Unlike say getting smoky exhaust on a VTEC I owned once. Super happy with it so far, may or may not blow it up at the track soon.
Car ninja seems like a really good guy, amazing how highly competent honest mechanics are rare like unicorns but there's ninja working in the same town as Car Wizard
Your stupid is showing bro lol car made up to 2013 at least i think. Doesnt matter when the original was sold. It was sold into the next decade. Its a part of this last decade. It just sold in between 2 decades if thats how you want to look at it. And if its 08 to 13 well shit it had 3 years into this last decade over 2 for the prior. Sooo hes not wrong
I’ve spent $5,000 dollars on my 135i on just the engine alone but it puts the biggest smile on my face every time I drive it :) Worth the money. Feels like I legit have a small super car lol. Nice content! Keep it up!
The n54 is able to reliably produce more than 700 hp. BMW's are just usually bought by people who don't have money to properly maintain them. This car is wonderful!
I have a 128i "M Package" so not the "real deal", but better reliability. Did change 6 coils, but I as DIY, not so bad. (les than 30K miles when I bought it). Really fun to daily drive, even in the snow , I like that there is no screen and minimum technology inside, feel like a analogue car.
Ive had my 128i for almost a year now, ive put 15k miles on her so far and she’ll be crossing 160k miles soon. Same red on black spec. She has yet to let me down. Take care of your bmw, and your bmw takes care of you.
Without Hoovie, we won’t see the real world problems after warranty these car manufacturers trying to hide. Plus the actual cost of fixing them and expose stealerships. Keep it up, you are helping thousands of car enthusiasts. Salute!!
This one hit close to home. I had a 2007 335i with the N54 engine. As soon as you said "misfire", I knew it was the coil. In the 4 years I owned it, I replaced all 6 coils, the HPFP, the water pump, a couple of window regulators, and a couple of other miscellaneous things. When I sold it at 120k miles, it was dripping oil out the tailpipe. I never bothered to figure out whether it was turbo seals or head gasket. It was the best and worst car I ever owned.
My 08 335 with n54 is very reliable actually. Had a jb4 and fbo. 105k miles. I’ve only replaced a crank sensor inn3 years of ownership. I regularly bounce it off there’s limiter to get some pops. Still runs like a dream
So excited you finally featured these. I've had mine for 5 years with relative reliability making a lot more power. Suggestions.. Get rear subframe bushings to reduce the wobble, don't bother replacing turbos unless you can't make boost (new ones won't take long to start rattling), ditch the JB4 tuner for MHD which is an Android app. Those rear shocks look like KW or STA so call them up advising that its failed and they should help you out. Injectors replace if they are causing you problems. You can chase your tail forever with maintenance on these or just enjoy them...
This guys a dope, the N54 is the most over ENGINEERED engine block BMW ever put out, yeah so you have to deal with water pump, injectors. Few other bolt ons but your actual engine is fucking BULLET PROOF you doofus, how you think guys make 1000+ hp with just bolt on on a stock block ? If you leave it around 600 its bullet proof
"It really is amazing that we, as car enthusiasts, are willing to put up with this amount of abuse when it comes to our cars..." Speak for yourself, Tyler.
@John Stone it was actually a pretty decent grad school car/autocross prepped car. Yes the climate and lack of indoor storage living in a city took it's toll somewhat but the bones are quite good, it is very fast, and handles well (and those coilovers have a lifetime warranty, so Tyler should be able to get the part covered). If you noticed, the only engine issue was a separated coil boot which is a $40 part.
what you're feeling in the rear end is the crazy soft rear subframe bushings. originally the car had run-flats. Once you add normal tires and stiffer suspension all that energy gives at the subframe bushings. The best thing to do is add solid aluminum bushings. TC Kline is a good recourse for these suspension-wise. Also might as well go with some pure turbo upgrades as well.
I cry very softly, when I see how much taxes go through our company. I measure the boatloads of money in cars. I think last year it could have even been a (very!) used Lear Jet. All straight from customer to government.
@@drewp.weiner2473 living in Europe, the American tax level, even the "higher" plateau suggested by the Democrats would be better than what we have here. The price of fuel at the pump (I am in the fuels business) is made up of mainly taxes. VAT is at roughly 20% and goes on top of excise duty (about the cost of the fuel on top). The remaining 35% (what the distributed fuel actually costs) lands in the hands of the "rich oil business". Trading fuel only earns you narrow margins, in your language: a handful of cents to a gallon, depending on the fuel and the volume sold. The company making money off the sales gets taxed to about 20%. If as an owner, you want to get your money back from your company you get taxed another 30%. At a certain salary level, taxes, health and social insurance make up about 45% of your income. So about half of your earnings in total go to the govt, in addition to aforementioned taxes collected on their behalf. tl;dr in order to get thousands into your pockets, you must make the govt millions. So much for subsidised fossil fuels 😂
1er owner here: the rear springs looks aftermarket, probably lowered. Replace the rear upper shock mounts with the Dinan rear upper shock mount kit, it makes a world of difference if you lowered a 1er. If you don't replace that bushing, the softest thing in the rear suspension becomes the bushing and you'll feel all the small bumps but none of the big bumps.
Totally enjoyed this post! I agree with almost everything Hoovie had to say about the N54 135i. In the past I’ve owned both an E46 M3 and an E92 M3. I currently have a 2009 135i, and even after 7 years still absolutely love it. To me it’s the perfect sweet spot between the two M3s. It’s all the plastic bits under the hood that drive me crazy. Just would add that the N54 is a remarkably durable engine when you consider it can deliver near super car power levels with just a moderate investment in bolt-on upgrades and maintenance. I doubt there are any other comparable engines that perform so well at high mileage. In addition the OEM and aftermarket space is incredible for E9x’s and E82’s currently. It is a labor of love to own one of these. IMO it is really only feasible if owners are willing and able to take on the repairs and maintenance themselves. If you can’t, you probably should avoid.
I have a 2009 335ix N54 6spd manual - It’s had all of the standard breakdown items, incl. fuel injectors, water pump, and hp fuel pump. BMW did recalls for water pump and fuel pump, and improved the injectors over time. My dealer replaced the fuel pump for free, but I missed the recall timeline for the water pump. Injectors, I was able to easily replace myself, with the help of pirated diagnostic/calibration software. VVT solenoids also flaked out, but it was surprisingly easy to fix them for free. I left the engine un-modded, and it’s lovely as is. Same for steering, brakes, and wheels. Mine only has 48k miles and is in good shape, but resale calculators say it’s practically worthless, which is all the more reason I wouldn’t want to part with it. Any recco for an updated iDrive/infotainment (eg Car Play) would be most welcome.
I'm currently rebuilding a bmw E93 with the n52 engine and all I can say is that those cars are a pain in the butt !! Don't get me wrong BMW's are beautiful but is so hard to work on them, nothing is easy , you have to disassemble almost half an engine just to change a starter and don't let me get started on the electric water pumps and oil leaks from the valve cover, but other then that bmw's are beautiful and they are pretty solid cars !
As a e87 owner i can agree that a Bit of work Comes with owning a bmw of this gen.I for example had random abs light pop ups with the check engine light while turning the steering wheel that I can’t get fixed (its pretty much stock). I have done brake tests the car shifts drives corners and brakes completely fine.I have replaced the steering rack as the codes indicated an issue in that area.Didn’t help and I have now continued driving it for a year without any issues.I figured that it is just a quirk of my beemer. It’s the kind of stuff you learn just to live with.
@@JD-eo7dr I'm not even talking about turbo cars only - he tends to do that to his other cars. I know those are his cars, he is entitled to do whatever he wants with them, it just hurts me ;D
I can tell you that you definitely shouldnt be doing pulls on an N54 when the OIL temp is at 120! You need to let these cars warm up, especially those turbos.
If maintained properly it is a really reliable engine. Nothing can beat it for the price and power you can get out of them. The value on them started to go up a bit too especially on the 1 series here in CA. The looseness is from the subframe bushings, there's a reason why they are soft. If you want that wiggle gone you'll need to replace them with the m3 ones or solid.
Actually the most reliable BMW platform I've worked on extensively. I've owned many different N54s I can say with pride that I currently still have two N54s making over 600whp and both have had 0 issues only regular maintenance things done. Of course they're single turbo, walnut blasted recently, all seals done on time, early fluid changes, all stock garbage parts have been upgraded, lots of stuff removed or replaced for reliability and performance. Never had a bad N54 block they're just plagued with the same issues as other great BMW engines, poorly engineered/designed electronics.
Couldn't agree more. I have a 125i N52 that I drive through hell on a daily basis and that platform has never given me a single issue. the more I hear about the n54 the more people say its insanely reliable and strong.
What? The N54 is one of BMW's best ever engines. Yes, the High-Pressure Fuel Pumps are known to fail, but it isn't that expensive to fix. (It is a $500 part). The N54 has won 5 consecutive "International Engine of the Year" awards. (Full disclosure... I have owned an E88 135i convertible for years and it still runs like a dream)
$500 before labor seems like a lot, at least coming from a Pentastar that has cost $35 over 190k miles. I had my eye on a BMW years ago, but I couldn't help but recall what a nightmare my parents had with their Audi. They haven't had a German car since. It's a bit of a hard pill to swallow, considering that I'm half German.
I got myself an 09' 128i 10 months ago because I wanted something more reliable. So far i've only had general maintenance and a battery replacement, the car has been great to me, super fun to drive. Part of me regrets not getting a 135i because at times i do feel like the car should be faster - but then i'm unsure of whether or not i would be happy with the 135i in terms of maintenance. Does anyone here have a positive experience daily'ing a 135i?
Great vid ! I had an 07 335i coupe with the manual . Did the same mods . Great , great car to drive. Addicting torque just as hoovie is showing. Side by side to some of the newer v8 mustangs and camaros .
I've lusted after a BMW 1 series for a long time. It's maybe only in the last 6 months I thought maybe instead of getting a n55 or 135i I should maybe go with a 128.
Goes to show all the gauges are not directly connected. I had a car with an oil pressure gauge which was false, it was there for aesthetics only, there wasn’t even a oil pressure sensor fitted to the car. When you put your foot down on the accelerator the oil pressure gauge always moved in the same way, probably connected to the ECU.
It's always cyl 3 or 4 that toasts plugs + coils for a couple reasons: 1. They're right next to the filler cap causing any spill to seep into the sparkplug wells and fowl the coil/plug. 2. There's also a stress point for the plastic valve cover right between the filler cap and cyl 3 which results in a crack that will inevitably cause a leak...right onto cyl 3 and 4. It's a good idea to upgrade the valve cover to a billet (they're only around $250) and redo the valvecover gasket at this point if you notice oil pooling up next to 3 and 4.
Get that oil filter housing fixed! Oil leaks onto the serpentine belt, and then the belt breaks and gets sucked up through the front crankcase seal and then you have to spend a fortune having your engine taken apart to get pieces of belt removed (don't ask me how I know). Wonderful engineering!
@@OverlandCamry All of his handheld shots are way louder on the left channel, probably because he holds the camera in his right hand and records in stereo
Ah yes, the old Aftermarket tune that disables the CEL.... Immediate red flag! (or at least it should be to any sensible person!) 😆 That being said, $2k-ish to fix all the issues sounded very reasonable considering it is tuned and those turbos are working extra hard.
You will 100% not blow a stock N54 literally ever unless you let the HPFP fail and it somehow keeps chugging along long enough to run *stupid* lean for a long time. Forged crank and rods, BEEFY pistons, strong block. This motor isn’t fragile. Its accessories are another story.
The Bosch comment was classic! The love/hate relationship with German car owners and Bosch is infamous! We Audi (B5 S4) owners LOVE their injectors but HATE HATE HATE their MAF sensors! Audi itself even switched to Hitachi for that part in later versions... 🤷🏼♂️
The N54 engines are one of the best to me bmw has ever made. I own a 135i n54 with upgraded turbos and a lot of performance upgrades and it runs like a charm. You really just need to keep up with the maintenance and you will be fine
Yes mate n54 best the normal man can get hold of it upsets me the stupidity of people saying shit about it full bolting 19ts meth she is no joke when she wants to give her all lol
By "maintenance" you must mean replacing all oil gaskets, ignition coils and plugs, vacuum lines, water and fuel pumps every 2-3 years? and don't forget the "regular" maintenance of radiator and thermostat every 4 years 🤣 I owned a 07 335i I know...
@@ALE5six1 and for about $1000 you can change all of that. all the oil gaskets you should change every 5 oil changes since it costs less than $200 and takes 2 hours to do all of them.
Owned, modded and raced two N54 for 10yrs. Autoclear is for running cat less downpipes. Hoovie “highly modified” nah this is FBO. $1k labor parts for turbo swap. You need an LSD upgrade and do m3 rear subframe bushings at the same time. ST/kw coilovers nice for street. Youll be back after the track day for index12 injectors. 5gal of e85 and set it to autotune map. 265rwhp stock to 420rwhp. Next step is pick up hybrid turbos from Pure if you want more power.
Hoovie: “I’ll take it to the track and totally blow it up”
Ninja: “okay”
😂
He knows he wont be able to blow it up. As long as he doesn’t race a cold engine he will be fine.
It was Epic haha
That was the best part of the video.
If you listen closely you can hear a cash register noise coming from the Car Ninja.
Kaaaaa---. Chinnnggg!!!!
The older Hoovie gets, the longer "the last decade" lasts
I still think 1990 is 10 years ago
I still have trouble believing y2k was over 20 yrs ago.
@@longjohn77 No! Ugh!
for some reason I'm stuck in the year 2000.
@@mikewallace8071 I'm stuck in 2010-2013 as my frame of reference.
Hoovie never makes the same mistake twice. He makes it an infinite number of times.
"It was fast until it started misfiring" could be an honest advertising slogan for BMW
@dolita windo same shop*
Lmfao
Omg best comment I ever seen. But damn I'm in that realm I have e39 m5 and I just bought 09 128i I feel little bit better
And damn are parts expensive for m5 omg glass for passenger mirror is $800 . China part it is
Hoovie: "I'm taking it to the track."
Ninja: "I'm going to Fiji!"
N54 owner here. Injectors, plugs, coils, and a walnut blast and she'll be good to go
“These stock blow at 80-120k” I’ve literally never heard a bigger lie. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about lmao
how many miles on each part.
Idk where he gets the idea that hey blow up randomly... the block is rock solid, its just all the accessories that go out
Being from the UK we know how to properly care for European cars I've seen these on over 200k and most are way over 100k with big remaps
@@user-wk7wv8rn8h 🤣. "Being from the UK..." There are tons of these with over 200k and more in the states.
Welcome to N54 ownership!! Love my 6mt 335i. Maintenance is the what keeps these engines as great as they are🙏🏻
As a BMW guy, let me just say FCP Euro lifetime replacement parts even on fluids! I have eight BMWs ranging from 80s to 2007. The only reason they're still on the road is because of them! Not an ad I'm just really really happy with the lifetime warranty and customer service 🤘
FCP euro is amazing I got the rubber windscreen seal for my e92 for 40 bucks took 5 minutes to install. And they shipped it in this crazy box with crazy protection.
FCP is the only reason I still have an e93 manual trans
I can't imagine owning my m235i without FCP euro's warranty and price
Not an ad, but you sold me.
Great tip I'm getting either a 135i or 335i which would yall get? One thing that surprised me is the 335i gets better gas mileage and its heavier, dont make sense lol
I have a n54 135i m sport manual. Running jb4 automap and bolt ons, pump gas. I do a lot of spirited driving and I get 22.5 mpg consistently. Not too bad for how quick the car is. And it always puts a smile on my face! Been searching for an upgrade for years but it’s hard to find anything as good for the price. It would be the ultimate car if it were a bit more reliable and it had LSD. I personally didn’t have any issues so far!
I love to watch a person who REALLY knows what they're doing. I'm not a BMW fan, but if I had to drive one, Ninja is the guy I'd take it to for service and repairs. He truly loves those things!!!
Have a 135I 2013 N55 engine. I love it. Hasn't blown up yet....but I do hit all the maintenance regularly. Fix it up, take care of the N54 and it will be a blast.
Blast is the right word here. As in that's what the engine will do soon.
@@Hotlog69 Maybe...my wife as a 3 series N54 with 80k. No issues...but again...we take care of it.
Same here, 2013 135i. Bought it at 62k and I'm at 72k with no issues yet. Watch your coolant level, these cars drink coolant keeping the turbo cool. And the sensor doesn't let you know until you're down like 3/4 of a gallon.
Love my N55. Same leaks as hoovies, just keep after them.
The N55 fixed most of the N54 issues but it’s not as tunable of course.
Love their faces at 18:00 after Hoovie accelerated and they look st each other smiling. 👍🏼
The exact reaction you want, but rarely see from your wife when she is the passenger...
17:58 when they look at each other, classic!
Jonny the Car Ninja is jsut such a cool, knowledgeable dude! Love his confidence when working on these Bimmers.
Amazing mechanic! I wish I lived near his shop.
This was exactly what I was thinking when watching hoovies videos. Never has a bad word to say and always highly professional.
@@blaketindle4703 I live in Utah but shipped my 2 BMW’s to German Motor Works so Johnny could work on them. Best guy in the business!
If they haven't been upgraded yet, rear subframe bushings could also be contributing to the rear end "wiggle" that is synonymous with these cars. I put poly bushings from AKG on my 1 series and the wiggle is gone! No increase in NVH either. Another option is to do solid aluminum bushings as well.
The "wiggle" in the back is your rear subframe bushings. They are quite soft and flex a lot once you add power. The easy fix is white line or power flex bushing inserts, or you can go with revshift solid mounts. Just did mine on my car.
"BMW is making their cars ugly to try and sell more suvs" wow I've been wondering for years why BMW was doing it and Tyler nailed it on a single 20 minute video
Every family has either a truck or SUV.. not every family has a BMW sedan.. it's not rocket surgery 🙃
Not true. Whatta nonsense you just said.
The suvs are ugly too to my taste
They don't need any help selling SUVs! (At least not in the US.)
LoL. Almost like BMW are trying to copy Lexus with the big ugly front grill. (I own an older RX350 before the ugly grill).
I love how Car Ninja has the biggest smile on his face when you both get in the car and start belting up. Its almost as if that man loves his job.
He loves his BMWs.
He loves the $$$$ he's about to make
I think Jonny is gonna end up buying that car.. did you see the grin on his face when hovie was doing those pulls.. yeah thats love right there
Hoodie: “Of course I’m going to take this to the track and probably immediately blow this thing up”
Ninja: “ok”
Ninja was like yeah just let me know when it blows up so I can rebuild it. So casual
Ninja just thinking “excellent another mortgage payment for me”
Who’s Hoodie?
@@po.russki that’s Hoovies twin brother.
@@po.russki 😂
@@po.russki its the gangster version of Tyler
I have an 08 135i with 200000kms but well maintained. I've done 15000 kms of spirited driving . Has stage 1plus tune . Dual cone air intake. And have not had a single issue . I believe the key is keeping up with the maintenance
@17:00 - The rear end is going side to side because you have an open diff. and the traction is engaging the brakes back and forth to keep you from going sideways.
The n54 isn’t the most unreliable engine ever! It’s great, my 335i has just been parked for the past year... uhhh... to keep the mileage low.
People have different tolerances for crap... you might think anything short of a block cracked in 12 pieces is perfectly OK. Others usually find $10k in 'normal maintenance' unacceptable, even if the block is "bulletproof" as you say.
@@bgee461 it was literally a $30 coil that fixed his misfire issue due to the prior owner throwing a bunch of mods but skimping on proper maintenance. A new set of coils would have cost $150 and takes the average person (non-mechanic) 30 minutes to replace. Not even close to $10k. Most of the quoted $2k comes from a bad rear shock and typical oil leaks from a 13 year old car.
@@bgee461 the block doesn't crack unless it's seeing 700hp+. Least of the N54s problems. My wastegate actuators broke at 95k and I drove around with zero boost for 5k miles but the car always ran no problem.. just felt like 200hp tops lol. It got pure stage 2 a few months back
probably not the most tuneable one, but if it is maintained, it lasts. You might have to have an Autobahn near you to warm it up once or twice a week 😊
@@SpartanArmy117 most upgraded turbos have reinforced wastegate actuators so I'm hoping it never comes up again
Alright I'm tuned in 🍿
Lol same. You seem to know a thing or two
Same here bro ! Lol
I’m riding your wave and funneling some bmw enthusiasts to my channel... hi
Actually psi knows the thing or 2. He just learned it from them
He really said worst engine ever 😐
Love the tow hitch at the end 😂
WHYYYYYY? Going to pull an Airstream with it?
@@hotpuppy1 Back in 2009 I put one on mine to tow a small trailer for tires and tools for track events. It's not as easy as the truck and car hauler but it worked!
@@hotpuppy1 Utility trailers, motorcycles, skidoos, seadoos, etc..I've pulled all sorts of stuff with my shitbox focus.
Hell yeah gotta tow my camper trailer with my bmw coupe lol
Am I the only one that noticed the tow hook in the front bumper?
Have had one of these for about a year now, tracked and lightly modded by previous owner - I am reasonably throttle heavy myself (track vids on channel can attest) and no issues so far. Rattle is from the wastegate arms getting loose, its a pain and you lose boost but its not going to blow up or anything. Most of the common issues that come up on these seem to be manageable or preventable.. Unlike say getting smoky exhaust on a VTEC I owned once. Super happy with it so far, may or may not blow it up at the track soon.
Car ninja seems like a really good guy, amazing how highly competent honest mechanics are rare like unicorns but there's ninja working in the same town as Car Wizard
Cars that hoovie ever owned:
60% not running trashcans
15% old cool cars
15% rare stuff
10% normal running cars
And 100% reason to remember the name...
As high as 10%? That's a bit optimistic. 😏
That 10% is generous
And one of out 1,000 he can drive without it breaking!
I think we need a further breakdown of the 60% because I see overlap
"The best BMW made in the last decade!" referring to a 13 year old car...
Thank you....
Previous decade
They were made until 13 but the N54 was not in the 11-13 135i's, the n55 was
I mean I was the last decade he’s referring too not the current decade... just realized it’s a 2008 so nvm 🤦🏽♂️
Your stupid is showing bro lol car made up to 2013 at least i think. Doesnt matter when the original was sold. It was sold into the next decade. Its a part of this last decade. It just sold in between 2 decades if thats how you want to look at it. And if its 08 to 13 well shit it had 3 years into this last decade over 2 for the prior. Sooo hes not wrong
"Now were gonna get an email from Bosch saying what the hell are you talking about" Hahahahah that was great
What's your naaaame?
But turns out that coil was a Delphi, so fair enough Bosch'll be calling him out!
@@DiscoFang 4l6
Don't bring my mother into this!
I’ve spent $5,000 dollars on my 135i on just the engine alone but it puts the biggest smile on my face every time I drive it :)
Worth the money.
Feels like I legit have a small super car lol.
Nice content! Keep it up!
What tunes you did to it by now?
The n54 is able to reliably produce more than 700 hp. BMW's are just usually bought by people who don't have money to properly maintain them. This car is wonderful!
LMAO @ 17:59 when you both look at each other and nod in approval
Ha 😂😂😂
The loose feeling when you’re on it is the rear subframe bushings, people usually replace them with poly ones for better power transfer
Hoovie's fleet surprisingly reliable of late, not breaking down enough to provide content. *buys BMW*
When you rely on your cars breaking for content, there's nothing more reliable than a BMW.
@@CarterLoose I see what you did there....and I like it!
Thats because BMW started making cars in the USA. Guaranteed to be crap
I have a 128i "M Package" so not the "real deal", but better reliability. Did change 6 coils, but I as DIY, not so bad. (les than 30K miles when I bought it). Really fun to daily drive, even in the snow , I like that there is no screen and minimum technology inside, feel like a analogue car.
Ive had my 128i for almost a year now, ive put 15k miles on her so far and she’ll be crossing 160k miles soon. Same red on black spec. She has yet to let me down. Take care of your bmw, and your bmw takes care of you.
Without Hoovie, we won’t see the real world problems after warranty these car manufacturers trying to hide. Plus the actual cost of fixing them and expose stealerships. Keep it up, you are helping thousands of car enthusiasts.
Salute!!
Gotta love Ninja. Always smiling. 1st when he saw the car, he loved it. Then the test drive, because fun and increased income is always nice.
Reckon the Car Ninja is a proper sound bloke....sure knows BMW’s.....and loves them.
Hes my favorite of Hoovies mechanics
This one hit close to home. I had a 2007 335i with the N54 engine. As soon as you said "misfire", I knew it was the coil. In the 4 years I owned it, I replaced all 6 coils, the HPFP, the water pump, a couple of window regulators, and a couple of other miscellaneous things. When I sold it at 120k miles, it was dripping oil out the tailpipe. I never bothered to figure out whether it was turbo seals or head gasket. It was the best and worst car I ever owned.
My 08 335 with n54 is very reliable actually. Had a jb4 and fbo. 105k miles. I’ve only replaced a crank sensor inn3 years of ownership. I regularly bounce it off there’s limiter to get some pops. Still runs like a dream
"It drove really well... Until it broke" - hoovie 2021
So excited you finally featured these. I've had mine for 5 years with relative reliability making a lot more power. Suggestions.. Get rear subframe bushings to reduce the wobble, don't bother replacing turbos unless you can't make boost (new ones won't take long to start rattling), ditch the JB4 tuner for MHD which is an Android app. Those rear shocks look like KW or STA so call them up advising that its failed and they should help you out. Injectors replace if they are causing you problems. You can chase your tail forever with maintenance on these or just enjoy them...
All good info, and I hope he realizes his rear end wobble is likely just the car struggling to put the power down.
This guys a dope, the N54 is the most over ENGINEERED engine block BMW ever put out, yeah so you have to deal with water pump, injectors. Few other bolt ons but your actual engine is fucking BULLET PROOF you doofus, how you think guys make 1000+ hp with just bolt on on a stock block ? If you leave it around 600 its bullet proof
The 135 is a BEAST of a little car
Is that stuck up guy
Hello Randy!
When Ninja smiles, it means he's counting those dollars from Hoovie
That's why Hoovie calls the 'check engine' light, the 'money' light 🤣🤣🤣
"The wastegate rebuild kit's only 150 bucks *smiles* "and 15 hours of labor."
was going to say. That smile was priceless. Made me think of Captain slow... "GOOD NEWS! ITS THE NEW DACIA SANDERO!"
“I can’t think of why they’d make the cars ugly on purpose” 😂😂😂 So true Tyler
BWM mechanics are always smiling because they know they will never be out of work.
Jonnys face always says “I’m getting paid today”
"It really is amazing that we, as car enthusiasts, are willing to put up with this amount of abuse when it comes to our cars..."
Speak for yourself, Tyler.
Hoovie: "I need to be better about my money after I bought these lamborghinis"
Also Hoovie: "I bought another BMW"
I bought this before the Lambos
And a corvette and whatever is red under the cover at wizards
@@HooviesGarage on cars and bids! Didn’t think you were going to reveal it 😆
Are you going to purposely destroy this one too?
@@HooviesGarage excuses, excuses
Buy another real driving machine, a Porsche
Glad you love it, Hoovie! Keep my old baby safe :-D
its in the best hands im sure lol
Any cars hoovie and the wizard touches, its over
@John Stone it was actually a pretty decent grad school car/autocross prepped car. Yes the climate and lack of indoor storage living in a city took it's toll somewhat but the bones are quite good, it is very fast, and handles well (and those coilovers have a lifetime warranty, so Tyler should be able to get the part covered). If you noticed, the only engine issue was a separated coil boot which is a $40 part.
Proof or it didn't happen.
@@djyems1021 carsandbids.com/auctions/rNJJWMGE/2008-bmw-135i-coupe
Any one else notice how Hoovie just nonchalantly side stepped the tow hook on the front bumper? He definitely knew it was there!!
what you're feeling in the rear end is the crazy soft rear subframe bushings. originally the car had run-flats. Once you add normal tires and stiffer suspension all that energy gives at the subframe bushings. The best thing to do is add solid aluminum bushings. TC Kline is a good recourse for these suspension-wise. Also might as well go with some pure turbo upgrades as well.
Maybe. But I tend to think it the Traction control he's not turned off.
“Uhhh theses taxes im gonna have to sell a car or two” - Hoovie, “Here’s another pile of junk i just bought” - also Hoovie
He bought this last year if you listened
@@justindurney890 and last year's taxes are due around this time of year, dingus...lol.
I cry very softly, when I see how much taxes go through our company. I measure the boatloads of money in cars.
I think last year it could have even been a (very!) used Lear Jet.
All straight from customer to government.
@@daszieher how do Americans actually ask for more government extortion(taxes)
@@drewp.weiner2473 living in Europe, the American tax level, even the "higher" plateau suggested by the Democrats would be better than what we have here.
The price of fuel at the pump (I am in the fuels business) is made up of mainly taxes. VAT is at roughly 20% and goes on top of excise duty (about the cost of the fuel on top). The remaining 35% (what the distributed fuel actually costs) lands in the hands of the "rich oil business".
Trading fuel only earns you narrow margins, in your language: a handful of cents to a gallon, depending on the fuel and the volume sold.
The company making money off the sales gets taxed to about 20%. If as an owner, you want to get your money back from your company you get taxed another 30%. At a certain salary level, taxes, health and social insurance make up about 45% of your income. So about half of your earnings in total go to the govt, in addition to aforementioned taxes collected on their behalf.
tl;dr in order to get thousands into your pockets, you must make the govt millions. So much for subsidised fossil fuels 😂
The ninja will start shopping for villas in Monaco
For the summer
And a huge lodge in Aspen for the winter
lmao
Yeah, Wizzard has already done it.
These cars are pretty reliable, just tedious round the clock maintenance.
BTW, got upgrade state 3 pure turbos since you're tracking it. Top mount will be too laggy.
No one else like this!!!
"The 1M is overpriced and overhyped"
*Doug Demuro wants to know your location*
1er owner here: the rear springs looks aftermarket, probably lowered. Replace the rear upper shock mounts with the Dinan rear upper shock mount kit, it makes a world of difference if you lowered a 1er. If you don't replace that bushing, the softest thing in the rear suspension becomes the bushing and you'll feel all the small bumps but none of the big bumps.
Totally enjoyed this post! I agree with almost everything Hoovie had to say about the N54 135i. In the past I’ve owned both an E46 M3 and an E92 M3. I currently have a 2009 135i, and even after 7 years still absolutely love it. To me it’s the perfect sweet spot between the two M3s. It’s all the plastic bits under the hood that drive me crazy. Just would add that the N54 is a remarkably durable engine when you consider it can deliver near super car power levels with just a moderate investment in bolt-on upgrades and maintenance. I doubt there are any other comparable engines that perform so well at high mileage. In addition the OEM and aftermarket space is incredible for E9x’s and E82’s currently. It is a labor of love to own one of these. IMO it is really only feasible if owners are willing and able to take on the repairs and maintenance themselves. If you can’t, you probably should avoid.
The lighting in your garage is so good it makes the scratched up car look shiny and beautiful even though it’s banged up
They're not bad engines when they work. Too bad they weren't designed to be used as engines.
You know you're at the right channel when the tow hook is already installed at the beginning of the video 😂😂
Got a 128i M Sport in May. I've had a few issues with it mechanically so far, but regardless of that, I couldn't be happier!
I have a 2009 335ix N54 6spd manual - It’s had all of the standard breakdown items, incl. fuel injectors, water pump, and hp fuel pump. BMW did recalls for water pump and fuel pump, and improved the injectors over time. My dealer replaced the fuel pump for free, but I missed the recall timeline for the water pump. Injectors, I was able to easily replace myself, with the help of pirated diagnostic/calibration software. VVT solenoids also flaked out, but it was surprisingly easy to fix them for free. I left the engine un-modded, and it’s lovely as is. Same for steering, brakes, and wheels. Mine only has 48k miles and is in good shape, but resale calculators say it’s practically worthless, which is all the more reason I wouldn’t want to part with it. Any recco for an updated iDrive/infotainment (eg Car Play) would be most welcome.
Jonny's smile makes me think that that car is definitely worth fixing.
It's the. Bill....🤕🤕🤕🤕🤕🤕🤕🤕🤕🤕
@@rsprockets7846 Let's compromise. 30% because he liked the car and 70% because he likes the green.
100% because its the bill.
@@greggraham2642 How about 99% green 1% car?
Deal.
Every time i see a notification from Hoovies i can't wait to get comfy and watch the latest vid! Love from the UK
I love how the tow hook is screwed in the front bumper. Be prepared, lol.
Hoovie wizzard and ninja should go partners in a row service in area called. HOOPTIES
And don't walk around it in a hurry. Those hooks leave bone bruises.
I'm currently rebuilding a bmw E93 with the n52 engine and all I can say is that those cars are a pain in the butt !! Don't get me wrong BMW's are beautiful but is so hard to work on them, nothing is easy , you have to disassemble almost half an engine just to change a starter and don't let me get started on the electric water pumps and oil leaks from the valve cover, but other then that bmw's are beautiful and they are pretty solid cars !
Love how Hoovie says, going to take it to the track and maybe blow it up , and Ninja gives a nonChalant, Okay....
I swear, Tyler just uploads at this time to make me be late to work! 🤣
Or to give me something to watch when I'm at work
"How can one engine have so many faults?" Idk maybe because so many mods have been done to it lol?
No, it's that so many mods have been done to it instead of maintenance
haha Johnny didn't even ask hoovie what was wrong, went straight for the hood latch
“Take this to the track and totally blow it up.” Johnny - “ok!” Thinking I’ll start pricing that up for you.
As a e87 owner i can agree that a Bit of work Comes with owning a bmw of this gen.I for example had random abs light pop ups with the check engine light while turning the steering wheel that I can’t get fixed (its pretty much stock). I have done brake tests the car shifts drives corners and brakes completely fine.I have replaced the steering rack as the codes indicated an issue in that area.Didn’t help and I have now continued driving it for a year without any issues.I figured that it is just a quirk of my beemer. It’s the kind of stuff you learn just to live with.
The engines rarely fail. It is coils, injectors and fuel pumps that fail and they have got much better over time.
Yeah no kidding. But he will eventually spin a bearing revving it like that with a cold engine
As much as I love Hoovie, I hate him a lot for doing pulls on cold engine :(((( it just hurts
That's why they blow up giving a bad rep need to warm before drive cool down before switching off or get turbo timer
@@JD-eo7dr I'm not even talking about turbo cars only - he tends to do that to his other cars. I know those are his cars, he is entitled to do whatever he wants with them, it just hurts me ;D
Bmw slow car u gotta treat like a race car lol
I can tell you that you definitely shouldnt be doing pulls on an N54 when the OIL temp is at 120! You need to let these cars warm up, especially those turbos.
If maintained properly it is a really reliable engine. Nothing can beat it for the price and power you can get out of them. The value on them started to go up a bit too especially on the 1 series here in CA.
The looseness is from the subframe bushings, there's a reason why they are soft. If you want that wiggle gone you'll need to replace them with the m3 ones or solid.
Actually the most reliable BMW platform I've worked on extensively. I've owned many different N54s I can say with pride that I currently still have two N54s making over 600whp and both have had 0 issues only regular maintenance things done. Of course they're single turbo, walnut blasted recently, all seals done on time, early fluid changes, all stock garbage parts have been upgraded, lots of stuff removed or replaced for reliability and performance. Never had a bad N54 block they're just plagued with the same issues as other great BMW engines, poorly engineered/designed electronics.
Amen
Couldn't agree more. I have a 125i N52 that I drive through hell on a daily basis and that platform has never given me a single issue. the more I hear about the n54 the more people say its insanely reliable and strong.
100 percent a man that knows what he is talking about . And others should listen to
What? The N54 is one of BMW's best ever engines. Yes, the High-Pressure Fuel Pumps are known to fail, but it isn't that expensive to fix. (It is a $500 part). The N54 has won 5 consecutive "International Engine of the Year" awards.
(Full disclosure... I have owned an E88 135i convertible for years and it still runs like a dream)
$500 before labor seems like a lot, at least coming from a Pentastar that has cost $35 over 190k miles. I had my eye on a BMW years ago, but I couldn't help but recall what a nightmare my parents had with their Audi. They haven't had a German car since. It's a bit of a hard pill to swallow, considering that I'm half German.
The N54 engine is an amazing engine. Definitely fun when it works lmao
I love how he keeps saying in the last decade.... Haha its been longer then that sense 2008 Hoovie!!!! We are all getting old...
I got myself an 09' 128i 10 months ago because I wanted something more reliable. So far i've only had general maintenance and a battery replacement, the car has been great to me, super fun to drive. Part of me regrets not getting a 135i because at times i do feel like the car should be faster - but then i'm unsure of whether or not i would be happy with the 135i in terms of maintenance. Does anyone here have a positive experience daily'ing a 135i?
Great vid ! I had an 07 335i coupe with the manual . Did the same mods . Great , great car to drive. Addicting torque just as hoovie is showing. Side by side to some of the newer v8 mustangs and camaros .
Woah, didn't expect the Van Halen flag at ninja's, god bless him 🙌
trash taste
The guts of the engine are actually good, it just has a troublesome supporting cast. I'm a big fan of the N52 from the 128i.
Had my 128i for about 10 months now. Love the car im never getting rid of it :)
I've lusted after a BMW 1 series for a long time. It's maybe only in the last 6 months I thought maybe instead of getting a n55 or 135i I should maybe go with a 128.
That tune using the factory gauges for all that info is so cool
Jb4 is great
It’s not cool
Goes to show all the gauges are not directly connected.
I had a car with an oil pressure gauge which was false, it was there for aesthetics only, there wasn’t even a oil pressure sensor fitted to the car. When you put your foot down on the accelerator the oil pressure gauge always moved in the same way, probably connected to the ECU.
It's always cyl 3 or 4 that toasts plugs + coils for a couple reasons:
1. They're right next to the filler cap causing any spill to seep into the sparkplug wells and fowl the coil/plug.
2. There's also a stress point for the plastic valve cover right between the filler cap and cyl 3 which results in a crack that will inevitably cause a leak...right onto cyl 3 and 4.
It's a good idea to upgrade the valve cover to a billet (they're only around $250) and redo the valvecover gasket at this point if you notice oil pooling up next to 3 and 4.
At 17:58 when Hoovie and The Ninja looked at each other, smiled and nodded their heads, that cracked me up lol. Keep up the great content Mr. Hoovie
The tow hook on the front tells you a story😀
That’s the first thing I noticed too!
Burger Tuning used to allow to auto clear the CEL. Newer versions of the firmware disabled that feature.
As soon as i saw the 1 series i instantly thought...this is what the 3 series should be! Love it!
2,000 for a coil change and a shock changed… jesus man thats why you work on your own car folks🤘🏽
Get that oil filter housing fixed! Oil leaks onto the serpentine belt, and then the belt breaks and gets sucked up through the front crankcase seal and then you have to spend a fortune having your engine taken apart to get pieces of belt removed (don't ask me how I know). Wonderful engineering!
So there’s a few things that are destined to break on these * proceeds to read off all the features of the engine*
A new Hoovies video! My left ear will enjoy this
Wtf does that mean? “My left ear will enjoy this”.
@@OverlandCamry All of his handheld shots are way louder on the left channel, probably because he holds the camera in his right hand and records in stereo
Your comment is so irritatingly stupid...why??
@@Jdalio5 who? me or trusty?
Lmao^
Ah yes, the old Aftermarket tune that disables the CEL.... Immediate red flag! (or at least it should be to any sensible person!) 😆 That being said, $2k-ish to fix all the issues sounded very reasonable considering it is tuned and those turbos are working extra hard.
You will 100% not blow a stock N54 literally ever unless you let the HPFP fail and it somehow keeps chugging along long enough to run *stupid* lean for a long time. Forged crank and rods, BEEFY pistons, strong block. This motor isn’t fragile. Its accessories are another story.
The Bosch comment was classic! The love/hate relationship with German car owners and Bosch is infamous! We Audi (B5 S4) owners LOVE their injectors but HATE HATE HATE their MAF sensors! Audi itself even switched to Hitachi for that part in later versions... 🤷🏼♂️
Proud owner of a 2009 MSport in 6MT!
@Sloth the engines really aren't that bad tbh if you know how to maintain them
@@billylongdick3192 That's just it. My guess is that most who comment here have no clue what to do or how to do it.
The Ninja is such a cool guy 💯💯💯💯
The N54 engines are one of the best to me bmw has ever made. I own a 135i n54 with upgraded turbos and a lot of performance upgrades and it runs like a charm. You really just need to keep up with the maintenance and you will be fine
Yes mate n54 best the normal man can get hold of it upsets me the stupidity of people saying shit about it full bolting 19ts meth she is no joke when she wants to give her all lol
By "maintenance" you must mean replacing all oil gaskets, ignition coils and plugs, vacuum lines, water and fuel pumps every 2-3 years? and don't forget the "regular" maintenance of radiator and thermostat every 4 years 🤣 I owned a 07 335i I know...
My man someone talking sense and understands 👏chris
@@ALE5six1 and for about $1000 you can change all of that. all the oil gaskets you should change every 5 oil changes since it costs less than $200 and takes 2 hours to do all of them.
@@Mp-jw1qg Not everyone is a mechanic…maintenance wise its pretty expensive imo.
“With the worst engine” my friend keep up with maintenance and you have yourself the best engine they’ve ever build especially for its time
Owned, modded and raced two N54 for 10yrs. Autoclear is for running cat less downpipes. Hoovie “highly modified” nah this is FBO.
$1k labor parts for turbo swap.
You need an LSD upgrade and do m3 rear subframe bushings at the same time.
ST/kw coilovers nice for street.
Youll be back after the track day for index12 injectors.
5gal of e85 and set it to autotune map. 265rwhp stock to 420rwhp.
Next step is pick up hybrid turbos from Pure if you want more power.