As a guy who used to work in a German car repair shop, admittedly decades ago, it wasn't that the German cars aren't reliable, it's what they cost when they do need repairs. I remember more than one young woman, talked into getting a BMW or Audi by her male relatives, shocked into speechlessness when presented with repair estimates. And we were not the most expensive shop in town. If you're going to keep a car past the 80-100k mark, a German car is not the best choice IMO. Or a Land Rover. Looking at you Tommy.
If you use OEM parts, German cars are extremely expensive to repair. Good aftermarket, parts are available for the most part and the cars are no harder to work on than an American or Japanese car. If you maintain a European car it will last twice as long as an American or Japanese car. The LR3 like Tommy has is super easy to work on and very reliable, the worst part about his is probably the Ford V6, the Jaguar V8 is much better.
@krover01 I have a '05 LR3 HSE with 185k myself, best SUV I have ever owned and the cheapest and easiest to maintain. I do have springs in mine, but it still rides great. It's absolutely ridiculous how good it handles in the snow for the size and weight of it!
in my audi experience the repairs are a huge factor. once the car hit 50-60k miles things just started going even though it always had regular maintenance. its super fun to drive but when you end up with a 4-8k repair bill every 1-2yrs it sucks. i like driving the audi but these things have made me cross shop now that its time for something newer. probably end up ina bmw now.
@Perplexed1185 My parents needed a cheap car a while ago and I found them high mile '06 A6 3.2 Quattro for under $5k, it ended up getting hit a short time ago so they don't have it anymore, but it was a very good car for them, a couple little electrical glitches, that seems to be the thing with old Audi's. They replaced it with a '12 Mercedes C350 which has been rock solid for them.
The key with these luxury German cars I think is to just get them properly regularly serviced - you're a testament to that! The Germans love spending lots of money so their car is in perfect nick for the Autobahn. In America the car cuture's different and many Americans buy luxury cars without first calculating the running costs, then they're surprised when they can't really afford the more expensive regular servicing and maintenance.
As a long time Luxury German car owner (Mercedes Benz mostly and one BMW in the past), the key is to edit OUT all of the complex electro-mechanical doo-dads that come as options on these cars. Stick to the standard product, add in anything else that is not adding electro-mechanical complexity, and the car will go for a million miles with no problems. Of course needing to do regular maintenance diligently, goes without saying. I donated my MB ML320 at 245K, with zero glitches or problems during ownership. My current 2 MB products also show the same trend, since I follow the above mentioned guidelines, of editing out from the options list, anything that adds needless complexity, when buying the products.
Congratulations on your BMW experience. I've owned multiple BMW's over the last 25 years, and with the exception of one car, I've had virtually no major repairs outside of maintenance. That said, it's expensive to maintain BMW's, but that's the cost of a GREAT driving experience.
I think the X3 M40i would be an excellent replacement. I'm genuinely surprised to hear that you haven't experienced any issues, but I can't believe you haven't had to replace the valve cover gasket and oil filter housing gasket on a BMW with 100k yet!
I had a couple of Used BMWs and they are great cars, awesome to drive, good looking and not badly priced, just maintain them and buy it from someone who did the same and your good to go, just don’t go buy a 730i or one with the v8.
I enjoy the video not only because of the car, and your dog, but it gives we the viewer a chance to get to know you better. Much better than when you are trying to squeeze a word in between the others
My uncle loves Beemers, but he has not had the same experience as you. That said, he keeps buying them, so there must be something that seals the deal every time. Anyway, good job on the vid and it's great that you've had a positive ownership experience.
I have owned a 2003 Z4 (no major issues), 2007 335i (a million issues, constantly breaking down), and a 2017 330i (1 minor issue, but was great otherwise). That said, they're so expensive to maintain even for normal maintenance, especially as the miles start to pile up.
Instead of an SUV, what about a wagon? I love the looks of BMW wagons. They will have the same space as an SUV and since they are lower to the ground be much easier for your pup to get in and out of.
I thought BMW sedan based wagons were discontinued he U.S. some years ago. Past ones were pretty cool. We had planned to get a 5-series wagon for European delivery in summer 2002 to drive while visiting an Iowa niece who was going to be a camp counsellor at a summer camp for children of people in U.S. foreign service/military. But 9/11 happened, tlhe camp was cancelled and we didn't go. A memorable feature of the 5-series "Touring" we were planning on was its optional slide out cargo tray.
@@H2SO4H20 You are correct they were discontinued but she seems to want a used vehicle. That said I thought I read that BMW was finally bringing the M5 Touring to the US market next year. Not that I would ever be able to afford one but it's cool that it might be sold here.
Cool video! Thanks Jen!. for those that dont believe her about how much she has spent on maintenance: I have a third gen VW touareg that i got from the dealer, its almost up to 90,000 miles and i have not had to spend any money on it apart from the maintenance (oil changes, spark plugs, coil packs, trans fluid, etc). So hate away lol
Based off her story, she followed the secrets of allowing a BMW to be "reliable". She kept the car on the road and tracked it. She put the car through its paces that it was designed for. The 335i and any other European car are geared for high speed Autobahn cruising. What she did here in the states was keeping it on the highway at 75-80MPH speeds at 2-4 hours at a time. 5 road trips to Chitown from Metro Denver and a trip to California, Yes! She did right with it. As I can see her 335i is well kept and that's a good thing for a fragile Euro car. Mercedes, Bimmers and Audis are built for the road folks. They are not built to sit and look cute in the garage of a stucco mansion.
Keeping up with regular maintenance (and budgeting for same) is the way. I've driven 100,00 miles in my 2012 Range Rover with no issues, just regular maintenance using reputable / capable technicians.
@@rqstaffan First, if your 2012 Range River has only 100,000 miles in over 12 years of service, it's obviously been behind bars and not used or you've been and then roughly used until you believe it had no issues. It's ok, we are here for you
@@bawintermage8351 In truth I picked it up 7 years ago at 15,000 miles from the original selling dealer. The previous owner was a UK executive with a chaufeeru service for their day-to=day commuting needs. Still, it's showed no signs of neglect from those early, slow, years.
There not bad if you take care of the car, I added up the cost of maintenance cost on our Toyota Camry vs my BMW and the BMW was just as expensive to maintain as the Camry
I now have 2 German products: 1) A 2022 Mercedes Benz E450 All-Terrain Wagon 2) 2024 Mercedes Benz GLE450 SUV I also have a 2019 Honda Fit with a Stick-shift The All-Terrain has now crossed 30,000 absolutely pleasurable and completely trouble-free miles. Matches my reliability benchmark, which is my Honda Fit, for absolute trouble-free operation. Also matches the trend from my former Mercedes ML320, which was donated at 245K miles, with zero issues, other than replacing tires, wipers and brake-pads. The 2024 GLE is still new. The key to buying German cars, is to aggressively edit out all of the unwanted electro-mechanical doo-dads that come as options on the car, and which will cost an arm and a leg to fix, if things go wrong. None of these are even available as options on the Japanese or Korean products. I opted to keep the standard Mercedes selectable damper, double-wishbone front/multi-link rear suspension and NOT get the Airmatic or the E-ABC (Electronic-Active body control) suspensions. I opted against getting the "soft closing doors". Opted against the massaging seats. Opted for the high-end burmester sound system, the Panoramic moon-roof and the better sound-deadening via the thicker glass. And called it a day. Hopefully, should be able to beat the 245K that my prior ML320 got.
I bought a 2012 BMW X3 35i new. I kept it until this spring and sold it to get an X5. I had the X3 for over 12 years and outside of oil changes, brakes and normal Maintenace It cost me about $2500 in repairs. I had to replace the water pump, the coolant overflow tank, and something with the ABS. Overall super reliable and great to drive.
Jen all you have to do is change the settings for how the doors unlock to fix your problem with leaning in to unlock doors. The setting can open all doors when you open on approach or just the door your at
I miss my 2014 328d sedan rwd as I came upon 100,000 miles my left brake light would burn out often or just need to be jiggled. I replaced the whole housing and it helped for a little while. I got very good at taking out the light to play with the bulb. I bought mine Certified and about a month after an X3d came in. I really wish I had not seen my sedan, but I did get 48-52 on long drives.
@@cliffh8486 none. There was a recall a few years ago on some emissions component, but it was fixed for free, and they extended the warranty on the emissions equipment to like 120k miles.
My X5 50i just had the engine take a crap after 120k miles. I will buy another BMW but without a V8 this time around. I was told by my mechanic to pick a BMW with literally any other engine than a V8
I have had a V8 2007, and now have 2016, and a 2021 V8. All have one thing in common: 5-6 k mile oil services. The 2007 and 2016 were wildly notorious for valve stem seal failures. 189k and 134k on those with no oil usage between 5k oil changes. The 2007 had one oil leak at the gasket for oil cooler adapter/alternator bracket at 145k. Long oil changes even with more oil capacity and synthetics is an invitation to seal hardening and cam drive component troubles. Auto transmissions need a fluid service every 50-60 and the life of those goes way up.
Good friends have a '15 328i that has given them zero trouble and it's their primary road car. (It had a weird little central-locking glitch early in their ownership that required a dealer re-flash of that and has not recurred). Car has at least as many miles as yours now. These reviews of well-used cars are too rare online and are so helpful. Thanks.
Something that I have noticed as an automotive technician is that the owners who do the recommended PMCS on their BMWs have fewer to no problems. The problem BMWs are the ones that are so neglected that they are rolling piles of junk. Usually, they are bought used from shady dealers. There has been serveral that comes into the shop for tires, brakes, oil filters, air filters, and plugs. Things like that. No horrendous issues.
Get a used X3 M40I. With the B58 engine they are a riot to drive and have all the stuff you are looking for. Bigger Back Seat thats flat and more room but with a little more tech.
As the owner of an S-class and a BMW 1 series, I actually find the BMW seats more comfortable for the simple reason that they are more supportive. Over long distances the Merc is better but I ache when getting to my destination, the seats are too wide and provide no support. You slide all over the place when going round corners. It's an awkward situation. BMW seats (and suspension) are much nicer.
Your experience may vary but seats that hold you in exactly one position are generally not what you want for consecutive hours of comfort in the seat. You want to be supported but also able to move a little bit. Most people held in exactly one position will be sore after several hours.
I owned this same make/model/year. I only had two problems. The drivers side door lock stopped working so I replaced it myself, and the second was the tensioner started failing but that could have been due to mine being stage 2. So yeah roughly 100k relatively problem free miles.
I have a 2020 430i. 169k miles. No repairs at all! Just maintenance. Oil, brakes tires fluids. Headlight angel eye was out since i got it. Windshield cracked. I never had any major issues with any bmws ive owned. Now my toyotas have left me stranded. Celica gts cooling issue. Tubdra motor started knocking. Got rid of both of them.bought another tundra that just crossed 200k. No major problems yet. However it does have a strange ticking noise no mechanic can seem to figure out. Keeping fingers crossed.
The only BMW I ever owned stating turning into a money at one-third the mileage of the Lexus, Honda, or Toyotas I have owned. Loved the car, but reliability is my top priority!
You can NOT compare a German car to a Japanese car. SMH If reliability was your priority, wtf would you buy a BMW If I wanted a sporty luxury car I sure in the hell wouldn't buy a Japanese car.
I actually went with a 2024 X1 m35i (actually downsized from a truck lol), and I think it's a great compromise for a small SUV. Still enough space for a small family, but zippy and fun in the twisty's. Also I personally think one of the better looking newer BMWs without the massively oversized grill. Hoping it has a little problems as you encountered with the 3-series.
I had a similar experience with the two daily-driver BMWs I've owned. The first was a 2001 330Ci convertible that still had two years worth of warranty / maintenance coverage (bought it December 2003). I sold it 4 years later when I got the 2007 3-series X-drive coupe (now is the 4-series). Purchasing when they still have a couple years of warranty / maintenance coverage, and following all of the service criteria was key for me.
I owned a 2007 BMW 335i about 10 years ago, and while it was an amazing car to drive, my ownership experience had more issues than what’s mentioned in this video. I got the car with about 77,000 miles, and over the next three years, I faced frequent engine overheating problems and water pump failures. Maintenance costs were steep-oil changes alone were around $150 back in 2015-2016. Premium gas requirements only added to the cost of ownership. While I loved the driving experience, the high maintenance and repair costs ultimately made me reconsider luxury internal combustion cars like BMW. Great car, but definitely not for the faint of wallet!
My 2011 bmw 328i sedan 4 door with over 126,000 miles is still kickin. I do my own repairs and maintance/oil changes which saves me alot so it helps to do it yourself. Don't plan on getting rid of it cause it keeps me from a car payment!!
I enjoyed your video. Well presented. Still too much music though. Probably a good choice to get rid of that car, let the next owner handle the huge bills that are coming. Suspension rebuilds, plastic pipes failing, water pump. Fun stuff
I owned a 2016 328i 6MT for many years and had zero issues. Sold it for what I paid for it too. That was during the crazy times. It was literally 1 of 2 manuals for sale in all of North America.
I have 150.000 miles on my 2013 BMW and running strong. I love my car ! it's like driving for free paying only $50 of gas a week because i drive each way 20 miles to work every day.
BMWs aren't THAT unreliable. I bought a 2012 Jag XJ SC with 50K miles 5 years ago, and its at 108K now, and I replaced the water pump and engine fan. That is supposed to be one of the most "unreliable" cars on earth and I spent about $1200 in repairs. I expect ANY German car to get me to 100K without issue; getting to 200K and beyond? No, I don't expect that. I generally expect 150K out of my American cars, 200K out of my Japanese ones, and 100K from any Euro---with *normal* maintenance , wear-n-tear only. Of course I can pay to make even the German go 250K, but who the heck would do that??
I love having you on the show. As a fellow Chicagoan living in Castle Rock, I can't wait to see your next car choice. If you need more space, maybe a 5 Series or check out the Lexus models.
I have a 2014 535i mstyle I got in 2016 with 117k miles. I’ve had a couple quirky things with electronics that just kindof fixed themselves. Twin turbo v6 started to loose a little oil. I asked mechanic how to fix, he was like add a quart between oil changes. 😂. Totally works. Nice car drives great
Thank you for the review Jen - very much appreciated! Since you ask, and an SUV you desire - I'm going to vote for the Grand Highlander Hybrid for your next rig. Let us know where you land! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Yikes! The first owner took a 36k depreciation hit (more, probably, since the 26k you paid was probably retail meaning the trade-in value given was less), meaning 60% value loss for 33k miles? OUCH! Seems like a great value for you. Honestly, I think this path is much better than buying new since you get to use the majority of the car's life but at a steep discount.
Right? Most cars go 100k without too much fuss. It's the 100k-200k range where $hit typically starts to hit the fan with mechanical problems. If you're lucky its things like starter and alternator. If you're not so lucky it's engine and/or transmission problems.
Here is my issue with adding women to the TFL Team! It's not that they are not just as knowledgeable about cars as a man if not more knowledgeable! It's that it's a cheesy low class way to get more clicks from pervs that just want to check out the women! Keep it about cars and keep it classy TFL! I'll admit I'm wrong as soon as they hire an overweight 50 year old women! But we all know why that will never happen! And so does TFL
The 4 series Coupe would be my recommendation..it's a fantastic look, moderately priced between the 3 series and 5 series so you get better value for money..I also like the new X1
A Jen a family member of mine has a Mazda cx-5, which they love, Cx-50 now a hair bigger but also a good choice , My 2023 mini countryman all 4s has 19 k, no issues for 2023 a consumer reports recommended buy, plenty of room in the back seat for you dog, & people , awd of course! With the price of new vehicles these days, whatever you pick go CPO, better warranty than new and you will save depreciation when you drive off the lot . Just stay away from Nissan, Volvo& Audi to name a few. I am a car guy for a long time , great addition to the TFL team also with Mary! Happy Holidays to you!
I have a 2016 328i with the 4cyl that I bought for commuting and have done regular oil chg at 5k mi and the only repair that has been needed was a front strut and brakes every 40k or so. I drive it pretty aggressively and it handles really quite well with excellent gas mileage when I do behave myself. 39mpg from northern CA to San Diego, about 500mi. I bought this as a bit of an experiment to see how far I could go without issues and currently at 121k. I'll end my exp around 150k probably unless its still going good. I recommend for your next Next SUV Audi SQ5 with the 3.0 V6 not a regular Q5 with the 2.0.
Loosing 11k is a lot of money with proper maintenance; sold my Laguna Seca E46 M3 after 14 years of ownership and parts are definitely similar if OEM to my 4Runner but I save a lot in labor fixing it and resell value is much higher.
The 3.0L I6 TT engine is the best engine BMW makes/made in the last 20 years. These 335i's with manuals last forever and respond well to mods. You can make a lot of HP with this engine without making it unreliable.
Interesting video. It reminds me of my 2013 Audi A4 Allroad that I sold in 2020. I miss that car, and it was a great, reliable ride. Best of all, my Doberman Shepherd, who just this month turned 11, really loved it. It was the best blend of utility and sporty handling. You might consider going that route. Maybe even an A6 Allroad as that is an option these days.
Great video, I have the same issue with Bluetooth song titles in my subaru. I figured it was just Bluetooth since it's sooo buggy no matter which car I'm in. I'd love to get a Beemer, just not willing to commit to the what-ifs at the moment depending on the model. Now do this video with a used Alfa :)
I have an 13' f30 335i manual rwd got it from an owner who did not do proper maintenance( in the Bronx). I was aware of the issues the car had but kinda wanted to wrench on it/diy it. Car had 64,000 miles when I bought it back in 2019 I immediately had to do a charge pipe, front cranckshatft seal, heater core, drain turbo line. Around the 90,000 I had to do water pump+ thermostat. Valve cover gasket, replace the turbo waste gate (it was binding). Suspension shocks and oil pan gasket. But when I removed the oil pail I saw piece of plastic and upon checking everything under there the oil pump chain tensioner was broken this tiny pistonlooking thing had popped out and was hitting the engine wall instead of tensioning the chain. So I had to do the trimming chain. And a few months ago I replaced my turbo. Recently I drove over some deep water by mistake and now my steering is making weird noises at low speed.currently I am at 105,000mil I Love the car but I I'll have to do front control arms complete front end, rotors and breaks the next summer I think. So there is that
Both BMW and MINI are now among the best for reliability. At least if you buy one 2015 and newer. I don't know what BMW did to improve their reliability but I hope they keep it up. Now only if MB, and Audi would do the same.
I hope that’s true! I’m huge on reliability and have mostly only owned Toyotas. I had to get rid of my Prius because I decided to go back to college and needed something cheap and now have a stupid Honda fit. When I graduate, I eventually one day want to get a more premium brand car at least once in my life. Actually let me rephrase, I want to try a German brand at least once in my life. I know I can get a Lexus and have both premium and reliability but I do love the looks of BMW’s for some reason. However I think to be “smart” yet financially stupid I would probably just lease one to keep my mind at ease.
I'm on my second Audi. Owned a 2018 S5 Sportback for 6 years with zero issues. Im now in a 2024 RS5 Competition, only owned it since May, but so far so good.
Great video… what was your maintenance routine with this car.. like oil changes, transmission services, etc.. would be interesting to know intervals and who performed the work. Thanks.
Jen, you got lucky, especially with that turbocharged 6….. You must change your oil more frequently than BMW suggests. I’ve seen way too many of these at dealer auctions that have serious turbo issues whether it’s oil leaks or needing replacement, etc. etc.. You should entertain a used Lexus RX 350. They are super luxurious and amazingly comfortable for road trips.
Yep have had many bmw over the years. E46 E39 N55 F22, all straight 6 engines. I am willing pay extra for OEM parts fix them right when they need it, doing as much DIY as I am comfortable with. The extra cost is worth it for driving experience especially on the windy Norcal roads I drive daily. Never had an issue with drivetrain just general maintenance and rubber bushings gaskets which will eventually fail on anything except maybe my 3rd gen 4runner 😂
The people who find that BMW, and German cars in particular, unreliable are generally the ones who do not follow the maintenance plan. If they say this or that needs to be done at a certain time, it's not a suggestion.
Awesome video on your rig! Next one? M5 Touring, of course! Just make sure you have extra padding for Mr. Blueberry when the mood finds you burying your foot into the carpet 😅
BMWs are not that horrible in terms of reliability if you take care of them. They're just expensive to take care of. In terms of a next car, an Audi SQ5 or X3 M40i would be the optimal replacement.
I’ll keep my 2006 x3 six speed manual. It has the cold weather package. It’s so much fun to drive. I relocated to California in 2020 and drove it from NY with 46k on it without worry. I’ve spent very little outside regular maintenance. I had the windshield washer motor and rear passenger window regulator go from non use. I replaced the regulator myself. Now with 65k I can’t imagine replacing it…because I really can’t with a manual. That’s all I driven for 40 years. My x3 also has the unlock button in the center. It is quite annoying if you don’t have the key fob handy. The one consistent thing I’ve gotten in California is a lot of chips in my windshield. Unfortunately most of my driving is on the freeway so that’s the consequence I have to deal with.
Bought '15 430i with 25k miles, 5 years later traded it in at 99k miles, various & multiple repairs cost $13,000 and I traded it in with a $4,000 oil pan gasket replacement and a $3,500 infotainment "head unit" replacement needed, $7,500 total repairs that were not done. Never again.
You should check out a Mazda CX-90 Turbo S Premium Plus or a CX-70 if you do not need three rows. It is the reasonably priced SUV you buy when you want a sports sedan but need an SUV.
Honestly, I would recommend getting a Chevy Tahoe or suburban with the 6.2 V8 in it. Yes, it's gonna hog a bit of gas. But the 6.2 is an extremely well built engine. They hardly have any issues, and the 10 speed transmission that comes with it is fairly robust. They don't like doing burnouts, but I highly doubt she would be driving it like a race car. She would retain the power of the bmw obviously will not handle corners like one, but it will at least be quick in a straight line with a reliable drivetrain.
Get a 2023+ Pathfinder Platinum, great bang for your buck, very spacious, reliable and decent on gas. Just wish Nissan had a hybrid version that gave you like 40mpg.
Careful wishing it had a manual transmission. I love manual transmissions and ordered my 330i (this was a few years ago) with that w/o actually having driven one with it. I figured - it’s a BMW, it’s going to be great. But occasionally it was super balky - sometimes it would shift smoothly, other times not. And it did not have a solid feel, but was a bit rubbery. The manual trans in my M Coupe was way better. The manual trans in my old Wrangler was better because the feel was consistent! Never great, but never poor, always the same. So anyway, try before you buy. It made me wish I ordered my 330i w the auto.
DO NOT follow BMW recommended oil change intervals! They told me every 10,000 miles, anything more would be wasteful. I choose the wasteful option and changed it myself every 5,000. N20 will eat itself if follow the BMW recommendation.
Subscription-based heated seats and steering wheel? Anyway, good to hear that it’s been trouble-free. Especially since I’ve heard the N55 put the “suck” in successor to the N54. Those are, in theory, the perfect vehicle (size, performance, luxury wise, IMO) so throw in reliability and…
Same thing for my 2023 Elantra. 0 cost except a new battery at 65k. Just maintenance and tires. Maintenance was done by dealers till 36k. Oil changes are just $50. I'm happy 😊
If you wonna stick wth bmw performance and blend and comfort of perfect daily highly recommend the bmw x3 m40i when i had mine and swapped out the run flats for Michelin Pilot Sport night and day difference
BMWs are generally great up to about 100K. It's after that when everything falls apart (bushings, cooling system, vanos, coil packs, oil pan leaks, valve cover leaks, oil filter housing gasket, belt tensioner, etc).
I feel your pain. I also did not like that center unlock feature. My car drove beautiful. 300,000 km on it and it required lots of maintenance. Sadly I sold it.
The thing is she probably has a friend that takes cares and service it well when needed. And unlike a lot of enthusiasts she doesn't drive the snot out of it, you know beat up on it. That's just my prediction before watching the video. Fyi BMWs are more reliable now. Not saying they are the best but they are holding their own. Too bad maintenance cost has gone up even more so.
If you want an SUV and feeling bold, the BMW X3 is on the same platform. Otherwise, Genesis has sporty SUVs with rear-biased AWD and lots of power. If you want large, take a serious look at Mazda CX-70. It's a straight six with rear-biased AWD.
I totally get what you’re saying and that’s awesome. But I’ve owned a Acura TL Type S that got to 222K miles and a RDX that got to 170K miles before wanting something new and never had major issues. I do think people expect a BMW or any brand to get to 100K miles but it’s when you get even higher when things are questionable. Since you like the BMW performance… I’d imagine you’d look at a X3 or X5, maybe with some M options. I really like the look of an Audi so I’d consider those. I also could see you going to a previous generation Forester XT. The turbo in those are fun and you’d have AWD and plenty of space. Not as luxurious though.
Kinda surprised an N series engine is doing that well, then again that would have been at the end of that engines time and late model anything will last longer/have less issues.
A friend of mine and I both had similar 3 series cars for about 5 years and it cost both of us nothing but maintenance. I feel like all those complaints about “unreliable BMWs” might be over exaggerated. Maybe by people that don’t follow maintenance schedule. Or maybe by people that sell extended warranties. It maybe by people that sell Japanese cars. Who knows 🙂 Or maybe BMW got better over the last 15 years.
As a guy who used to work in a German car repair shop, admittedly decades ago, it wasn't that the German cars aren't reliable, it's what they cost when they do need repairs. I remember more than one young woman, talked into getting a BMW or Audi by her male relatives, shocked into speechlessness when presented with repair estimates. And we were not the most expensive shop in town. If you're going to keep a car past the 80-100k mark, a German car is not the best choice IMO. Or a Land Rover. Looking at you Tommy.
If you use OEM parts, German cars are extremely expensive to repair. Good aftermarket, parts are available for the most part and the cars are no harder to work on than an American or Japanese car. If you maintain a European car it will last twice as long as an American or Japanese car. The LR3 like Tommy has is super easy to work on and very reliable, the worst part about his is probably the Ford V6, the Jaguar V8 is much better.
291k on my Land Rover lr3. All original drivetrain. Still my daily driver. Still on air suspension. And repairs are expensive IF you pay a shop.
@krover01 I have a '05 LR3 HSE with 185k myself, best SUV I have ever owned and the cheapest and easiest to maintain. I do have springs in mine, but it still rides great. It's absolutely ridiculous how good it handles in the snow for the size and weight of it!
in my audi experience the repairs are a huge factor. once the car hit 50-60k miles things just started going even though it always had regular maintenance. its super fun to drive but when you end up with a 4-8k repair bill every 1-2yrs it sucks. i like driving the audi but these things have made me cross shop now that its time for something newer. probably end up ina bmw now.
@Perplexed1185 My parents needed a cheap car a while ago and I found them high mile '06 A6 3.2 Quattro for under $5k, it ended up getting hit a short time ago so they don't have it anymore, but it was a very good car for them, a couple little electrical glitches, that seems to be the thing with old Audi's. They replaced it with a '12 Mercedes C350 which has been rock solid for them.
The key with these luxury German cars I think is to just get them properly regularly serviced - you're a testament to that! The Germans love spending lots of money so their car is in perfect nick for the Autobahn. In America the car cuture's different and many Americans buy luxury cars without first calculating the running costs, then they're surprised when they can't really afford the more expensive regular servicing and maintenance.
As a long time Luxury German car owner (Mercedes Benz mostly and one BMW in the past), the key is to edit OUT all of the complex electro-mechanical doo-dads that come as options on these cars.
Stick to the standard product, add in anything else that is not adding electro-mechanical complexity, and the car will go for a million miles with no problems. Of course needing to do regular maintenance diligently, goes without saying.
I donated my MB ML320 at 245K, with zero glitches or problems during ownership. My current 2 MB products also show the same trend, since I follow the above mentioned guidelines, of editing out from the options list, anything that adds needless complexity, when buying the products.
Congratulations on your BMW experience. I've owned multiple BMW's over the last 25 years, and with the exception of one car, I've had virtually no major repairs outside of maintenance. That said, it's expensive to maintain BMW's, but that's the cost of a GREAT driving experience.
Maintenance isn't expensive at all if you do it yourself
I think the X3 M40i would be an excellent replacement. I'm genuinely surprised to hear that you haven't experienced any issues, but I can't believe you haven't had to replace the valve cover gasket and oil filter housing gasket on a BMW with 100k yet!
I had a couple of Used BMWs and they are great cars, awesome to drive, good looking and not badly priced, just maintain them and buy it from someone who did the same and your good to go, just don’t go buy a 730i or one with the v8.
I enjoy the video not only because of the car, and your dog, but it gives we the viewer a chance to get to know you better. Much better than when you are trying to squeeze a word in between the others
Keep on simpin'
@ with luck you will survive into adulthood
My uncle loves Beemers, but he has not had the same experience as you. That said, he keeps buying them, so there must be something that seals the deal every time. Anyway, good job on the vid and it's great that you've had a positive ownership experience.
Best part about the car is it doesn’t have the huge ugly grills that the newer ones have.
The kidney bean grill 🫘
To be fair, the grill in a normal 3 series is ok. It's the M versions that you have to get used to since they're too overdone.
I have owned a 2003 Z4 (no major issues), 2007 335i (a million issues, constantly breaking down), and a 2017 330i (1 minor issue, but was great otherwise). That said, they're so expensive to maintain even for normal maintenance, especially as the miles start to pile up.
Instead of an SUV, what about a wagon? I love the looks of BMW wagons. They will have the same space as an SUV and since they are lower to the ground be much easier for your pup to get in and out of.
I thought BMW sedan based wagons were discontinued he U.S. some years ago. Past ones were pretty cool. We had planned to get a 5-series wagon for European delivery in summer 2002 to drive while visiting an Iowa niece who was going to be a camp counsellor at a summer camp for children of people in U.S. foreign service/military. But 9/11 happened, tlhe camp was cancelled and we didn't go. A memorable feature of the 5-series "Touring" we were planning on was its optional slide out cargo tray.
@@H2SO4H20 You are correct they were discontinued but she seems to want a used vehicle. That said I thought I read that BMW was finally bringing the M5 Touring to the US market next year. Not that I would ever be able to afford one but it's cool that it might be sold here.
I bought a 2020 BMW X5 X-Drive off its lease at $34,000.
It had 21,000 miles and it has been great for another year since then. Great Car!
Cool video! Thanks Jen!. for those that dont believe her about how much she has spent on maintenance: I have a third gen VW touareg that i got from the dealer, its almost up to 90,000 miles and i have not had to spend any money on it apart from the maintenance (oil changes, spark plugs, coil packs, trans fluid, etc). So hate away lol
Based off her story, she followed the secrets of allowing a BMW to be "reliable". She kept the car on the road and tracked it. She put the car through its paces that it was designed for. The 335i and any other European car are geared for high speed Autobahn cruising. What she did here in the states was keeping it on the highway at 75-80MPH speeds at 2-4 hours at a time. 5 road trips to Chitown from Metro Denver and a trip to California, Yes! She did right with it. As I can see her 335i is well kept and that's a good thing for a fragile Euro car.
Mercedes, Bimmers and Audis are built for the road folks. They are not built to sit and look cute in the garage of a stucco mansion.
Keeping up with regular maintenance (and budgeting for same) is the way. I've driven 100,00 miles in my 2012 Range Rover with no issues, just regular maintenance using reputable / capable technicians.
@@rqstaffan First, if your 2012 Range River has only 100,000 miles in over 12 years of service, it's obviously been behind bars and not used or you've been and then roughly used until you believe it had no issues. It's ok, we are here for you
@@bawintermage8351 In truth I picked it up 7 years ago at 15,000 miles from the original selling dealer. The previous owner was a UK executive with a chaufeeru service for their day-to=day commuting needs. Still, it's showed no signs of neglect from those early, slow, years.
@@rqstaffan Well then congratulations 🎉🎉🎉🎉, you have the ONLY working Range Rover outside of Torchwood, enjoy it!
Zero dollars in repairs on a 100,000 mile BMW? How do you respectfully call a lovely woman a liar?😅
an influencer
Lol y'all will find anything to be mad about. Why can't you accept that there is a reliable BMW on the road?
There not bad if you take care of the car, I added up the cost of maintenance cost on our Toyota Camry vs my BMW and the BMW was just as expensive to maintain as the Camry
That’s what I was thinking
Total joke of a review
I feel it depends on the owners and how they are maintaining it regularly or irregularly@@tylerfitzgerald266
I now have 2 German products:
1) A 2022 Mercedes Benz E450 All-Terrain Wagon
2) 2024 Mercedes Benz GLE450 SUV
I also have a 2019 Honda Fit with a Stick-shift
The All-Terrain has now crossed 30,000 absolutely pleasurable and completely trouble-free miles. Matches my reliability benchmark, which is my Honda Fit, for absolute trouble-free operation. Also matches the trend from my former Mercedes ML320, which was donated at 245K miles, with zero issues, other than replacing tires, wipers and brake-pads.
The 2024 GLE is still new. The key to buying German cars, is to aggressively edit out all of the unwanted electro-mechanical doo-dads that come as options on the car, and which will cost an arm and a leg to fix, if things go wrong. None of these are even available as options on the Japanese or Korean products.
I opted to keep the standard Mercedes selectable damper, double-wishbone front/multi-link rear suspension and NOT get the Airmatic or the E-ABC (Electronic-Active body control) suspensions. I opted against getting the "soft closing doors". Opted against the massaging seats. Opted for the high-end burmester sound system, the Panoramic moon-roof and the better sound-deadening via the thicker glass. And called it a day. Hopefully, should be able to beat the 245K that my prior ML320 got.
I bought a 2012 BMW X3 35i new. I kept it until this spring and sold it to get an X5. I had the X3 for over 12 years and outside of oil changes, brakes and normal Maintenace It cost me about $2500 in repairs. I had to replace the water pump, the coolant overflow tank, and something with the ABS. Overall super reliable and great to drive.
I am on the same path as you. 2014 X3 and thinking to buy an X5 in the next year or so.
many of those 35 engines needed major engine repairs due to the turbo design, to the tune of total replacement of engine!
I love driving my wife's 2019 X3 M40i. If you haven't driven one yet, I highly recommend you do so before making the decision on your next car.
Jen all you have to do is change the settings for how the doors unlock to fix your problem with leaning in to unlock doors. The setting can open all doors when you open on approach or just the door your at
I have a 2017 328d that I bought new. It's almost at 100k miles. Same. Just basic maintenance. No problems at all.
And I have a 2014 328d and same here, no major problems. 135000 miles. I only use quality diesel. No brand X fuel.
@@richmausnermy 328d was always in the shop for something.
I miss my 2014 328d sedan rwd as I came upon 100,000 miles my left brake light would burn out often or just need to be jiggled. I replaced the whole housing and it helped for a little while. I got very good at taking out the light to play with the bulb. I bought mine Certified and about a month after an X3d came in. I really wish I had not seen my sedan, but I did get 48-52 on long drives.
No emissions issues?
@@cliffh8486 none. There was a recall a few years ago on some emissions component, but it was fixed for free, and they extended the warranty on the emissions equipment to like 120k miles.
My X5 50i just had the engine take a crap after 120k miles. I will buy another BMW but without a V8 this time around. I was told by my mechanic to pick a BMW with literally any other engine than a V8
Give that v8 one more chance. This time try BMWs ultimate care plus warranty. It’s been a positive experience for us.
Don't forget to skip the 4 cylinder models, too.
I have had a V8 2007, and now have 2016, and a 2021 V8. All have one thing in common: 5-6 k mile oil services. The 2007 and 2016 were wildly notorious for valve stem seal failures. 189k and 134k on those with no oil usage between 5k oil changes. The 2007 had one oil leak at the gasket for oil cooler adapter/alternator bracket at 145k. Long oil changes even with more oil capacity and synthetics is an invitation to seal hardening and cam drive component troubles. Auto transmissions need a fluid service every 50-60 and the life of those goes way up.
Not only does Jen do awesomely well done reviews.. she is totally 🔥🔥😎😮
Good friends have a '15 328i that has given them zero trouble and it's their primary road car. (It had a weird little central-locking glitch early in their ownership that required a dealer re-flash of that and has not recurred). Car has at least as many miles as yours now. These reviews of well-used cars are too rare online and are so helpful. Thanks.
Something that I have noticed as an automotive technician is that the owners who do the recommended PMCS on their BMWs have fewer to no problems. The problem BMWs are the ones that are so neglected that they are rolling piles of junk. Usually, they are bought used from shady dealers. There has been serveral that comes into the shop for tires, brakes, oil filters, air filters, and plugs. Things like that. No horrendous issues.
Get a used X3 M40I. With the B58 engine they are a riot to drive and have all the stuff you are looking for. Bigger Back Seat thats flat and more room but with a little more tech.
As the owner of an S-class and a BMW 1 series, I actually find the BMW seats more comfortable for the simple reason that they are more supportive. Over long distances the Merc is better but I ache when getting to my destination, the seats are too wide and provide no support. You slide all over the place when going round corners. It's an awkward situation. BMW seats (and suspension) are much nicer.
Your experience may vary but seats that hold you in exactly one position are generally not what you want for consecutive hours of comfort in the seat. You want to be supported but also able to move a little bit. Most people held in exactly one position will be sore after several hours.
I’m so glad to hear that your pup, Mr. Blueberry, is a good reason to get a new car.
I owned this same make/model/year. I only had two problems. The drivers side door lock stopped working so I replaced it myself, and the second was the tensioner started failing but that could have been due to mine being stage 2. So yeah roughly 100k relatively problem free miles.
I have a 2020 430i. 169k miles. No repairs at all! Just maintenance. Oil, brakes tires fluids. Headlight angel eye was out since i got it. Windshield cracked. I never had any major issues with any bmws ive owned. Now my toyotas have left me stranded. Celica gts cooling issue. Tubdra motor started knocking. Got rid of both of them.bought another tundra that just crossed 200k. No major problems yet. However it does have a strange ticking noise no mechanic can seem to figure out. Keeping fingers crossed.
The only BMW I ever owned stating turning into a money at one-third the mileage of the Lexus, Honda, or Toyotas I have owned. Loved the car, but reliability is my top priority!
You can NOT compare a German car to a Japanese car. SMH
If reliability was your priority, wtf would you buy a BMW
If I wanted a sporty luxury car I sure in the hell wouldn't buy a Japanese car.
@KevinUrban-u1z no you can't, German cars are throw aways!
I actually went with a 2024 X1 m35i (actually downsized from a truck lol), and I think it's a great compromise for a small SUV. Still enough space for a small family, but zippy and fun in the twisty's. Also I personally think one of the better looking newer BMWs without the massively oversized grill. Hoping it has a little problems as you encountered with the 3-series.
I had a similar experience with the two daily-driver BMWs I've owned. The first was a 2001 330Ci convertible that still had two years worth of warranty / maintenance coverage (bought it December 2003). I sold it 4 years later when I got the 2007 3-series X-drive coupe (now is the 4-series). Purchasing when they still have a couple years of warranty / maintenance coverage, and following all of the service criteria was key for me.
I’m not surprised. My 2018 x3 2.0 has 150000km and still runs amazing with no issues.
I have an f30 335i as well and i love it. I recently had an issue with the valvetronic in it and had to get that fixed which was expensive.
Servo motor?
@@Blamblam400shot eccentric shaft
@@Blamblam400shot and eccentric shaft motor
I owned a 2007 BMW 335i about 10 years ago, and while it was an amazing car to drive, my ownership experience had more issues than what’s mentioned in this video. I got the car with about 77,000 miles, and over the next three years, I faced frequent engine overheating problems and water pump failures. Maintenance costs were steep-oil changes alone were around $150 back in 2015-2016. Premium gas requirements only added to the cost of ownership. While I loved the driving experience, the high maintenance and repair costs ultimately made me reconsider luxury internal combustion cars like BMW. Great car, but definitely not for the faint of wallet!
My 2011 bmw 328i sedan 4 door with over 126,000 miles is still kickin. I do my own repairs and maintance/oil changes which saves me alot so it helps to do it yourself. Don't plan on getting rid of it cause it keeps me from a car payment!!
I enjoyed your video. Well presented. Still too much music though. Probably a good choice to get rid of that car, let the next owner handle the huge bills that are coming. Suspension rebuilds, plastic pipes failing, water pump. Fun stuff
You are not wrong.
I owned a 2016 328i 6MT for many years and had zero issues. Sold it for what I paid for it too. That was during the crazy times. It was literally 1 of 2 manuals for sale in all of North America.
412k on my German made VW Jetta TDI. 1.9 liter 2003. I have owned it since new. Regular maintenance and oil changes.
Fun stuff, more of a get to know ya video that happens to be vehicle adjacent.
See you down the road Jen! TeamTFL 🤙🏼
I have 150.000 miles on my 2013 BMW and running strong. I love my car ! it's like driving for free paying only $50 of gas a week because i drive each way 20 miles to work every day.
BMWs aren't THAT unreliable. I bought a 2012 Jag XJ SC with 50K miles 5 years ago, and its at 108K now, and I replaced the water pump and engine fan. That is supposed to be one of the most "unreliable" cars on earth and I spent about $1200 in repairs. I expect ANY German car to get me to 100K without issue; getting to 200K and beyond? No, I don't expect that. I generally expect 150K out of my American cars, 200K out of my Japanese ones, and 100K from any Euro---with *normal* maintenance , wear-n-tear only. Of course I can pay to make even the German go 250K, but who the heck would do that??
Thanks for that objective real life experience review. Much more objective then on so many other UA-cam channels.
I love having you on the show. As a fellow Chicagoan living in Castle Rock, I can't wait to see your next car choice. If you need more space, maybe a 5 Series or check out the Lexus models.
I have a 2014 535i mstyle I got in 2016 with 117k miles. I’ve had a couple quirky things with electronics that just kindof fixed themselves. Twin turbo v6 started to loose a little oil. I asked mechanic how to fix, he was like add a quart between oil changes. 😂. Totally works. Nice car drives great
You should look at the Lexus GX I think you would like it.
Best all wheel drive I have seen.
Thank you for the review Jen - very much appreciated! Since you ask, and an SUV you desire - I'm going to vote for the Grand Highlander Hybrid for your next rig. Let us know where you land! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Do another 100k. Any car can do the first 100k with no problems at this point.
Yikes! The first owner took a 36k depreciation hit (more, probably, since the 26k you paid was probably retail meaning the trade-in value given was less), meaning 60% value loss for 33k miles? OUCH! Seems like a great value for you. Honestly, I think this path is much better than buying new since you get to use the majority of the car's life but at a steep discount.
It was almost certainly a lease return.
Can't wait to see what you choose for your next vehicle !
First 100k is expected/easy
Do this video again at 200k.....thought not
Right? Most cars go 100k without too much fuss. It's the 100k-200k range where $hit typically starts to hit the fan with mechanical problems. If you're lucky its things like starter and alternator. If you're not so lucky it's engine and/or transmission problems.
133.594 and absolutely no problems, a reliable companion for everyday life
Good review just got a 2018 bmw 540i x drive i love it
Depends on the engine variants. The 3 series inline 6 has been known for its reliability. Everything else is a wild card.
She's a great addition to the channel..easy to listen to, knowledgeable and pretty ..
Thanks, she's pretty great!
@TFLcar salute from laredo, Tx
Here is my issue with adding women to the TFL Team! It's not that they are not just as knowledgeable about cars as a man if not more knowledgeable! It's that it's a cheesy low class way to get more clicks from pervs that just want to check out the women! Keep it about cars and keep it classy TFL! I'll admit I'm wrong as soon as they hire an overweight 50 year old women! But we all know why that will never happen! And so does TFL
The 4 series Coupe would be my recommendation..it's a fantastic look, moderately priced between the 3 series and 5 series so you get better value for money..I also like the new X1
A Jen a family member of mine has a Mazda cx-5, which they love, Cx-50 now a hair bigger but also a good choice , My 2023 mini countryman all 4s has 19 k, no issues for 2023 a consumer reports recommended buy, plenty of room in the back seat for you dog, & people , awd of course! With the price of new vehicles these days, whatever you pick go CPO, better warranty than new and you will save depreciation when you drive off the lot . Just stay away from Nissan, Volvo& Audi to name a few. I am a car guy for a long time , great addition to the TFL team also with Mary! Happy Holidays to you!
I have a 2016 328i with the 4cyl that I bought for commuting and have done regular oil chg at 5k mi and the only repair that has been needed was a front strut and brakes every 40k or so. I drive it pretty aggressively and it handles really quite well with excellent gas mileage when I do behave myself. 39mpg from northern CA to San Diego, about 500mi. I bought this as a bit of an experiment to see how far I could go without issues and currently at 121k. I'll end my exp around 150k probably unless its still going good. I recommend for your next Next SUV Audi SQ5 with the 3.0 V6 not a regular Q5 with the 2.0.
Loosing 11k is a lot of money with proper maintenance; sold my Laguna Seca E46 M3 after 14 years of ownership and parts are definitely similar if OEM to my 4Runner but I save a lot in labor fixing it and resell value is much higher.
Your doggy is beautiful I love mr blueberry and this is the first time I’ve seen him 😆
The 3.0L I6 TT engine is the best engine BMW makes/made in the last 20 years. These 335i's with manuals last forever and respond well to mods. You can make a lot of HP with this engine without making it unreliable.
A new Chevy traverse or Tahoe z71, Jeep Grand cherokee newer, or a Toyota land cruiser.
Btw love your bmw
Interesting video. It reminds me of my 2013 Audi A4 Allroad that I sold in 2020. I miss that car, and it was a great, reliable ride. Best of all, my Doberman Shepherd, who just this month turned 11, really loved it. It was the best blend of utility and sporty handling. You might consider going that route. Maybe even an A6 Allroad as that is an option these days.
I have a 2020 BMW X5 and had ONE unexpected problem, $1200 starter motor replacement. I have 107,000 miles on it and it still drives like it's new!
Great video, I have the same issue with Bluetooth song titles in my subaru. I figured it was just Bluetooth since it's sooo buggy no matter which car I'm in. I'd love to get a Beemer, just not willing to commit to the what-ifs at the moment depending on the model. Now do this video with a used Alfa :)
Why not a x3m40i? They are reasonably priced has the notorious B58 and is a small SUV while still being sporty.
Jack from Savagegeese just heard you type B58
@@billseiler4952Jack has a Google search set up to search for B58 and Savage Geese. We just double-pinged him. 😂
I have an 13' f30 335i manual rwd got it from an owner who did not do proper maintenance( in the Bronx). I was aware of the issues the car had but kinda wanted to wrench on it/diy it. Car had 64,000 miles when I bought it back in 2019 I immediately had to do a charge pipe, front cranckshatft seal, heater core, drain turbo line. Around the 90,000 I had to do water pump+ thermostat. Valve cover gasket, replace the turbo waste gate (it was binding). Suspension shocks and oil pan gasket. But when I removed the oil pail I saw piece of plastic and upon checking everything under there the oil pump chain tensioner was broken this tiny pistonlooking thing had popped out and was hitting the engine wall instead of tensioning the chain. So I had to do the trimming chain. And a few months ago I replaced my turbo.
Recently I drove over some deep water by mistake and now my steering is making weird noises at low speed.currently I am at 105,000mil I Love the car but I I'll have to do front control arms complete front end, rotors and breaks the next summer I think. So there is that
Changing a turbo on Be Em Troubleyou is called regular maintainance.
Both BMW and MINI are now among the best for reliability. At least if you buy one 2015 and newer. I don't know what BMW did to improve their reliability but I hope they keep it up. Now only if MB, and Audi would do the same.
Glad to see someone state this. I’m so tired of all Toyota fanboys.
Depends on why Mercedes you’re buying. That V8 twin turbo they have is pretty reliable.
I hope that’s true! I’m huge on reliability and have mostly only owned Toyotas. I had to get rid of my Prius because I decided to go back to college and needed something cheap and now have a stupid Honda fit. When I graduate, I eventually one day want to get a more premium brand car at least once in my life. Actually let me rephrase, I want to try a German brand at least once in my life. I know I can get a Lexus and have both premium and reliability but I do love the looks of BMW’s for some reason. However I think to be “smart” yet financially stupid I would probably just lease one to keep my mind at ease.
I'm on my second Audi. Owned a 2018 S5 Sportback for 6 years with zero issues. Im now in a 2024 RS5 Competition, only owned it since May, but so far so good.
@@Lukkas1996 Try for an an older AMG they really are actually nice and elegant.
Great video… what was your maintenance routine with this car.. like oil changes, transmission services, etc.. would be interesting to know intervals and who performed the work. Thanks.
Jen, you got lucky, especially with that turbocharged 6….. You must change your oil more frequently than BMW suggests. I’ve seen way too many of these at dealer auctions that have serious turbo issues whether it’s oil leaks or needing replacement, etc. etc.. You should entertain a used Lexus RX 350. They are super luxurious and amazingly comfortable for road trips.
Yep have had many bmw over the years. E46 E39 N55 F22, all straight 6 engines. I am willing pay extra for OEM parts fix them right when they need it, doing as much DIY as I am comfortable with. The extra cost is worth it for driving experience especially on the windy Norcal roads I drive daily. Never had an issue with drivetrain just general maintenance and rubber bushings gaskets which will eventually fail on anything except maybe my 3rd gen 4runner 😂
The people who find that BMW, and German cars in particular, unreliable are generally the ones who do not follow the maintenance plan. If they say this or that needs to be done at a certain time, it's not a suggestion.
That is a general statement that is typically VERY true. That also applies to many American vehicles.
Awesome video on your rig! Next one? M5 Touring, of course! Just make sure you have extra padding for Mr. Blueberry when the mood finds you burying your foot into the carpet 😅
BMWs are not that horrible in terms of reliability if you take care of them. They're just expensive to take care of. In terms of a next car, an Audi SQ5 or X3 M40i would be the optimal replacement.
Wow, reliable, very intresting. Thank you for the share!❤❤❤
I’ll keep my 2006 x3 six speed manual. It has the cold weather package. It’s so much fun to drive. I relocated to California in 2020 and drove it from NY with 46k on it without worry. I’ve spent very little outside regular maintenance. I had the windshield washer motor and rear passenger window regulator go from non use. I replaced the regulator myself. Now with 65k I can’t imagine replacing it…because I really can’t with a manual. That’s all I driven for 40 years. My x3 also has the unlock button in the center. It is quite annoying if you don’t have the key fob handy. The one consistent thing I’ve gotten in California is a lot of chips in my windshield. Unfortunately most of my driving is on the freeway so that’s the consequence I have to deal with.
Bought '15 430i with 25k miles, 5 years later traded it in at 99k miles, various & multiple repairs cost $13,000 and I traded it in with a $4,000 oil pan gasket replacement and a $3,500 infotainment "head unit" replacement needed, $7,500 total repairs that were not done. Never again.
You should check out a Mazda CX-90 Turbo S Premium Plus or a CX-70 if you do not need three rows.
It is the reasonably priced SUV you buy when you want a sports sedan but need an SUV.
Honestly, I would recommend getting a Chevy Tahoe or suburban with the 6.2 V8 in it. Yes, it's gonna hog a bit of gas. But the 6.2 is an extremely well built engine. They hardly have any issues, and the 10 speed transmission that comes with it is fairly robust. They don't like doing burnouts, but I highly doubt she would be driving it like a race car. She would retain the power of the bmw obviously will not handle corners like one, but it will at least be quick in a straight line with a reliable drivetrain.
Get a 2023+ Pathfinder Platinum, great bang for your buck, very spacious, reliable and decent on gas. Just wish Nissan had a hybrid version that gave you like 40mpg.
Careful wishing it had a manual transmission. I love manual transmissions and ordered my 330i (this was a few years ago) with that w/o actually having driven one with it. I figured - it’s a BMW, it’s going to be great.
But occasionally it was super balky - sometimes it would shift smoothly, other times not. And it did not have a solid feel, but was a bit rubbery. The manual trans in my M Coupe was way better. The manual trans in my old Wrangler was better because the feel was consistent! Never great, but never poor, always the same.
So anyway, try before you buy. It made me wish I ordered my 330i w the auto.
DO NOT follow BMW recommended oil change intervals! They told me every 10,000 miles, anything more would be wasteful. I choose the wasteful option and changed it myself every 5,000. N20 will eat itself if follow the BMW recommendation.
Subscription-based heated seats and steering wheel? Anyway, good to hear that it’s been trouble-free. Especially since I’ve heard the N55 put the “suck” in successor to the N54. Those are, in theory, the perfect vehicle (size, performance, luxury wise, IMO) so throw in reliability and…
Signals still work? Haha c'mon Jen who's kidding who? 😂 Really enjoying your videos!!
Same thing for my 2023 Elantra. 0 cost except a new battery at 65k. Just maintenance and tires. Maintenance was done by dealers till 36k. Oil changes are just $50. I'm happy 😊
2023 anything shouldnt have problems yet
@70qq car has 86k miles and the temp variations in Houston would do it
I'd be looking at an X5 40i. It's a bit bigger, a bit taller and pretty much as fast in day to day traffic.
If you wonna stick wth bmw performance and blend and comfort of perfect daily highly recommend the bmw x3 m40i when i had mine and swapped out the run flats for Michelin Pilot Sport night and day difference
That’s surprising, all I ever hear is that BMW don’t last. You got a good one! Cheers Kirk
Sick car. I didn't understand until I drove one, but BMWs just drive different. That poor 'ol girl just needs detailed.
BMWs are generally great up to about 100K. It's after that when everything falls apart (bushings, cooling system, vanos, coil packs, oil pan leaks, valve cover leaks, oil filter housing gasket, belt tensioner, etc).
I feel your pain. I also did not like that center unlock feature. My car drove beautiful. 300,000 km on it and it required lots of maintenance. Sadly I sold it.
I’m saving up for a 23 or 24 Explorer ST, I would recommend it to you Jen!
The thing is she probably has a friend that takes cares and service it well when needed. And unlike a lot of enthusiasts she doesn't drive the snot out of it, you know beat up on it. That's just my prediction before watching the video. Fyi BMWs are more reliable now. Not saying they are the best but they are holding their own. Too bad maintenance cost has gone up even more so.
If you want an SUV and feeling bold, the BMW X3 is on the same platform. Otherwise, Genesis has sporty SUVs with rear-biased AWD and lots of power. If you want large, take a serious look at Mazda CX-70. It's a straight six with rear-biased AWD.
I totally get what you’re saying and that’s awesome. But I’ve owned a Acura TL Type S that got to 222K miles and a RDX that got to 170K miles before wanting something new and never had major issues. I do think people expect a BMW or any brand to get to 100K miles but it’s when you get even higher when things are questionable.
Since you like the BMW performance… I’d imagine you’d look at a X3 or X5, maybe with some M options. I really like the look of an Audi so I’d consider those. I also could see you going to a previous generation Forester XT. The turbo in those are fun and you’d have AWD and plenty of space. Not as luxurious though.
There's always a used Porsche cayenne, but maintenance will be pricey. You can ask Roman how his experience was with the one TFL had.
Kinda surprised an N series engine is doing that well, then again that would have been at the end of that engines time and late model anything will last longer/have less issues.
You're killin' it, Jen!! 👍
If you still want some sport in your SUV, with AWD for the winter, how 'bout the Ford Explorer ST?
A friend of mine and I both had similar 3 series cars for about 5 years and it cost both of us nothing but maintenance. I feel like all those complaints about “unreliable BMWs” might be over exaggerated. Maybe by people that don’t follow maintenance schedule. Or maybe by people that sell extended warranties. It maybe by people that sell Japanese cars. Who knows 🙂
Or maybe BMW got better over the last 15 years.