Advice on 330i
Discussion
Hi all,
So I'm currently looking for a BMW 330i e92 with nav, and for something sub 10.5k I'm looking at mileage of 90-100k.
What are the things I should be looking out at this mileage? What should have been done at 90-100k ideally?
One thing I've found which is increasingly common is that the garage says full service history in which it has stamps but can't tell me the work that has been done to the car because there is no accompanying receipts? Is this something that should worry me or is the the norm? One garage at the moment is currently going through the book and ringing up the garages to see what work has been done so he can let me know.
Any advice appreciated!
So I'm currently looking for a BMW 330i e92 with nav, and for something sub 10.5k I'm looking at mileage of 90-100k.
What are the things I should be looking out at this mileage? What should have been done at 90-100k ideally?
One thing I've found which is increasingly common is that the garage says full service history in which it has stamps but can't tell me the work that has been done to the car because there is no accompanying receipts? Is this something that should worry me or is the the norm? One garage at the moment is currently going through the book and ringing up the garages to see what work has been done so he can let me know.
Any advice appreciated!
I got receipts for everything done to my car, from the selling BMW dealership who had managed it for the last 3.5 years. But I had to ask for these and I also confirmed all earlier work with the previous dealership who managed the car from it's first registration date.
I'm sure the norm is only to give the service book, but you are right to make your own checks.
I'm sure the norm is only to give the service book, but you are right to make your own checks.
Smuler said:
I got receipts for everything done to my car, from the selling BMW dealership who had managed it for the last 3.5 years. But I had to ask for these and I also confirmed all earlier work with the previous dealership who managed the car from it's first registration date.
I'm sure the norm is only to give the service book, but you are right to make your own checks.
Receipts would fill me with confidence, just wondering whether I am being unreasonable in asking for full receipts! Did BMW reproduce the receipts that they had done the work for?I'm sure the norm is only to give the service book, but you are right to make your own checks.
Defcon5 said:
Is there any reason you are looking at 330 over 335?
I'm looking at upgrading to a larger car and both are on my radar that's all, and are similar prices.
Correct me if I'm wrong but the 335i has two turbos? To me it just sounds like more things that can go wrong with one or both turbo's, swirl flaps etc! I'd just like a nice simple N/A engine, personal preference I guess!I'm looking at upgrading to a larger car and both are on my radar that's all, and are similar prices.
Raju88 said:
Smuler said:
I got receipts for everything done to my car, from the selling BMW dealership who had managed it for the last 3.5 years. But I had to ask for these and I also confirmed all earlier work with the previous dealership who managed the car from it's first registration date.
I'm sure the norm is only to give the service book, but you are right to make your own checks.
Receipts would fill me with confidence, just wondering whether I am being unreasonable in asking for full receipts! Did BMW reproduce the receipts that they had done the work for?I'm sure the norm is only to give the service book, but you are right to make your own checks.
Defcon5 said:
Is there any reason you are looking at 330 over 335?
I'm looking at upgrading to a larger car and both are on my radar that's all, and are similar prices.
Correct me if I'm wrong but the 335i has two turbos? To me it just sounds like more things that can go wrong with one or both turbo's, swirl flaps etc! I'd just like a nice simple N/A engine, personal preference I guess!I'm looking at upgrading to a larger car and both are on my radar that's all, and are similar prices.
This is good practice, because a local garage (and I know the dealer) told me his son's car, which I was considering, had never had an issue. I rang BMW c/services who said different and then went into the main BMW dealer, and he confirmed the HPFP had been replaced! If you are doing this, it's handy got have last 7 digits of VIN number in case BMW don't have a record of car's registration, say, it was once on a private plate.
@Defcom, I have a 335i : excellent car
Well from what I can make out there are 2 engine options for an E92 330i.
The earlier ones (roughly 56 and 07 plates) use the N52 engine, all later ones have the N54 engine.
The later engine has a form of direct injection so reportedly can have issues with High Pressure Fuel Pumps and injectors, and has been said to sound a bit like a diesel! The main advantage is it is a band lower for Road Fund Licence, if that really matters!
I have a Z4 Coupe which has the N52 engine and it is fantastic!
In your situation I would probably look for a lower mileage N52 model rather than a more leggy N54, but either way you are getting something a bit special - one of the last naturally aspirated straight 6 BMW's!
The earlier ones (roughly 56 and 07 plates) use the N52 engine, all later ones have the N54 engine.
The later engine has a form of direct injection so reportedly can have issues with High Pressure Fuel Pumps and injectors, and has been said to sound a bit like a diesel! The main advantage is it is a band lower for Road Fund Licence, if that really matters!
I have a Z4 Coupe which has the N52 engine and it is fantastic!
In your situation I would probably look for a lower mileage N52 model rather than a more leggy N54, but either way you are getting something a bit special - one of the last naturally aspirated straight 6 BMW's!
Mr Tidy said:
The main advantage is it is a band lower for Road Fund Licence, if that really matters!
I have a Z4 Coupe which has the N52 engine and it is fantastic!
In your situation I would probably look for a lower mileage N52 model rather than a more leggy N54, but either way you are getting something a bit special - one of the last naturally aspirated straight 6 BMW's!
The later engines are also (apparently - I also have an N52 so can't confirm!) significantly lighter on fuel, which might be important to the OP I have a Z4 Coupe which has the N52 engine and it is fantastic!
In your situation I would probably look for a lower mileage N52 model rather than a more leggy N54, but either way you are getting something a bit special - one of the last naturally aspirated straight 6 BMW's!
Mr Tidy said:
Well from what I can make out there are 2 engine options for an E92 330i.
The earlier ones (roughly 56 and 07 plates) use the N52 engine, all later ones have the N54 engine.
The later engine has a form of direct injection so reportedly can have issues with High Pressure Fuel Pumps and injectors, and has been said to sound a bit like a diesel! The main advantage is it is a band lower for Road Fund Licence, if that really matters!
I have a Z4 Coupe which has the N52 engine and it is fantastic!
In your situation I would probably look for a lower mileage N52 model rather than a more leggy N54, but either way you are getting something a bit special - one of the last naturally aspirated straight 6 BMW's!
N54 is the 335i engine. All E92 330i's are the N53 engine. They introduced it earlier in the E92 than the E90 for some reasonThe earlier ones (roughly 56 and 07 plates) use the N52 engine, all later ones have the N54 engine.
The later engine has a form of direct injection so reportedly can have issues with High Pressure Fuel Pumps and injectors, and has been said to sound a bit like a diesel! The main advantage is it is a band lower for Road Fund Licence, if that really matters!
I have a Z4 Coupe which has the N52 engine and it is fantastic!
In your situation I would probably look for a lower mileage N52 model rather than a more leggy N54, but either way you are getting something a bit special - one of the last naturally aspirated straight 6 BMW's!
The difference is in the 325i - some early cars are 2.5 N52's whereas later cars are 3.0 N53's in a detuned state.There was a bewildering range of 2.5/3.0 engines available at one point. They were offering the 2.5 N52 in the Z4 as the sdrive23i, a 3.0 detuned N52 in the 125i and a detuned N53 in the 325i.
My 2008 330i N53 has done 110,000 miles - I can see from the service history that it's had a number of recalls in the past, but the only thing it's cost me over and above normal servicing since I got it in 2012 is one injector. It's also dead silent at idle - no diesel like noise at all.
I have a 2008 E93 330i with the N53 engine. Before buying the car I rang all the dealers that have worked on the car to see what work was done and any recall work carried out.
It had 55k miles when I bought it in early March, and so far it had the major issues sorted or replaced earlier in its life. That includes injectors, coil packs and HPFP.
The engine is great so far, it does sound very faintly like a diesel on idle but only if you hear it from outside; within the cabin its very quiet and refined. This is only at idle though, as soon as you step on the throttle you are greeted with that lovely, smooth straight-six sound that BMWs are known for!
I would advise you to get the BMW dealers/garages to look up the history of your car using the last 7 digits of your VIN (if you have it) and send you a .pdf copy of the results, just so you have paper evidence of the work carried out.
It had 55k miles when I bought it in early March, and so far it had the major issues sorted or replaced earlier in its life. That includes injectors, coil packs and HPFP.
The engine is great so far, it does sound very faintly like a diesel on idle but only if you hear it from outside; within the cabin its very quiet and refined. This is only at idle though, as soon as you step on the throttle you are greeted with that lovely, smooth straight-six sound that BMWs are known for!
I would advise you to get the BMW dealers/garages to look up the history of your car using the last 7 digits of your VIN (if you have it) and send you a .pdf copy of the results, just so you have paper evidence of the work carried out.
I bought an E92 325i a few weeks back with the N52 2.5 engine. Unfortunately several things went wrong at once and it had to go back. The main issue was the ABS hydro pump failing after just 2 days which resulted in losing ABS and DSC and half the warning lights coming on, apparently a common issue with the E9x series so you may want to check if this has been done. There was also an issue with the electric steering lock. If you google these there will be plenty of info, as far as I'm aware these are the main non engine related issues with these cars. All problems fixed now and the car runs like new, good luck with the search.
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