School me on 3 series BMW trade in 993

[johnsjmc]

I have hurt my left knee and even after 9 yrs it is only getting worse.
Not so bad I would consider surgery ,just sore enough I find a clutch a pain.
I turned my 993 over to my wife as her daily so we would keep it and now I still am the only one driving it.
She wants a BMW and I know almost nothing about them(last one I owned was a 1971 2002.)
looking at 2wd 3 series between about 2005 and 2010. automatics
What are the problem areas and is one year better or worse than another ? I am not looking at anything newer because I want some cash back because I know I will feel like I downgraded no matter how new the BMW is.

[McLovin]

I have an 07 328i that my wife has driven since 09.

It's been a great car. No problems, just routine maintenance. It handles nicely, good power, etc. No complaints.

I've done all the work on it since it's been out of warranty, it's easy to work on and all parts that I've bought so far are inexpensive.

If you're looking in those year ranges, check out the 06 330i (I think they made in 05 also).

The 330i is a higher line car, it comes loaded with all the options and has more power too. Nicer wheels, nicer (IMO) trim on the outside, and a bunch of other things. They don't cost much more these days.

[Christien]

We just got rid of an 05 325ci convertible. My biggest complaint was that it was boring, especially with the automatic transmission. No sense of fun, not particularly fast, decent handling but nothing compared the Cooper S we had before. Decent cruiser with the top down.

If you don't get the x-drive, get snow tires - traction was miserable last winter. I lost count of how many times I pushed that car. Ours had an issue with a leak in the a/c somewhere, a bad rear-view mirror (self-dimming function went and it was half dark, half clear - looked like a glass half full of tea), worn suspension (140k km) and when the battery in the key dies, you have to replace the whole key. The battery is soldered onto the circuit board and I almost destroyed it trying to change it out, unsuccessfully.

I really wouldn't recommend the car to anyone who enjoys driving. What about an automatic 964? Then you'd still have a fun car that doesn't hurt you to drive, plus plenty of cash left in your pocket.

[RANDY P]

Stay away from turbo. 335 is problematic.

[TGTIW]

E90 BMW's aren't what I would consider reliable.

Common weak points:
Electrics
Thermostats
Water pumps
Valve cover leaks
oil filter housing leaks
Heater cores (mine needed to be replaced at 28,000 miles!)

[wolds]

I've got an 05 330ci ZHP coupe in Monaco blue that I'm putting up for sale this spring. It's a six speed car so it would probably not work for you. What are you looking to get out of the 993?

[johnsjmc]

993 C2 is a US car presently in Toronto area, so easily reimported. 113 k mi.
Polar Silver, black leather ,ABD ,sunroof. Bilstein PSS9s, FVD mufflers, m030 sways new clutch with about 50 mi,(new battery, plugs and wires along with valve cover and chain case gaskets same time.
Tires ,brakes (pads/rotors), Walrod bushings up front done about 3 years ago at about 110k. Car has a newer Alpine CD stereo. (still have original)
paint is still mostly original ,was touched up while engine was out resprayed bumper covers and painted over the cracking/yellowed rear wheel well clear plastic films.
Car has no reported accidents on carfax but there was some paintwork on the drivers door done by PO.
partial records ,the car came from the NYC area and I was able to determine the steering rack was replaced at about 85k by the Manhattan dealer. No record of topend but uses no oil and does not smoke at startup even after sitting all winter. Can,t really say what price but probably ask 30-35 USD

[johnsjmc]

Originally Posted by TGTIW

E90 BMW's aren't what I would consider reliable.

Common weak points:
Electrics
Thermostats
Water pumps
Valve cover leaks
oil filter housing leaks
Heater cores (mine needed to be replaced at 28,000 miles!)

I can deal with valve cover and other oil leaks after owning 911,s since the early 70,s
Heater cores are a PITA. What year/engine is your E90 car?

[HardDrive]

What about Cayman S with a tiptronic? I had a tip in my 997 and loved it. No way I'm going back to manual in a street car.

[johnsjmc]

Originally Posted by HardDrive

What about Cayman S with a tiptronic? I had a tip in my 997 and loved it. No way I'm going back to manual in a street car.

With 2 small grandchildren ,my wife is insisting on a back seat .

[HardDrive]

Mercedes C350 sport? C350 4matic?

Lexus IS350? No, they're not quite a 3 series yet, but it seems like the automotive press is splitting finer and finer hairs to make the BMW come out on top. And the reliability is off the charts. My wife has a 2004 Lexus RX330. Very reliable car. Still looks great after 11 years.

[MysticLlama]

Sounds like it's time for an SMG M3. Still get to change gears, but no clutch pedal. The issues are documented and fixable, and even after taking care of those, like the subframe reinforcement, you'll still be $15k or so ahead easily.

[wildthing]

Get an 08 or later M3.

Meanwhile sell me your 993.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by TGTIW

E90 BMW's aren't what I would consider reliable.

Common weak points:
Electrics
Thermostats
Water pumps
Valve cover leaks
oil filter housing leaks
Heater cores (mine needed to be replaced at 28,000 miles!)

Radiators, interior parts, fuel pumps, suspension bushings, SMG, VANOS, automatic transmissions, basically the entire car.......

Being that it is for your wife, could you sell her on an Infiniti G37 or Lexus IS instead? You'd get an exponentially more reliable car, nicer interior, and probably 90% of the BMW driving experience. Newer Mustang is also a great option, they have decent back seats and are pretty fun to drive when properly equipped.

[johnsjmc]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

Radiators, interior parts, fuel pumps, suspension bushings, SMG, VANOS, automatic transmissions, basically the entire car.......

Being that it is for your wife, could you sell her on an Infiniti G37 or Lexus IS instead? You'd get an exponentially more reliable car, nicer interior, and probably 90% of the BMW driving experience. Newer Mustang is also a great option, they have decent back seats and are pretty fun to drive when properly equipped.

She,s very picky (stubborn) I can,t even get her to test drive a Mini and we had a 2012 Boss 302 she hated. I will need to look at the Infinity and Lexus. She only drives about 2000 mi a year if that these days BUT is insisting on having her OWN car again because of the sense of independence it provides .

What about a newer VW ? She had a loaded Jetta TDI around 2000 she remembers fondly (Except for it,s 5 speed and diesel (It,s 2 best assests as I recall.
The best BMW I,ve seen now looks like a 2011 323 off lease CPO at about 15k$

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by johnsjmc

She,s very picky (stubborn) I can,t even get her to test drive a Mini and we had a 2012 Boss 302 she hated. I will need to look at the Infinity and Lexus. She only drives about 2000 mi a year if that these days BUT is insisting on having her OWN car again because of the sense of independence it provides .

What about a newer VW ? She had a loaded Jetta TDI around 2000 she remembers fondly (Except for it,s 5 speed and diesel (It,s 2 best assests as I recall.
The best BMW I,ve seen now looks like a 2011 323 off lease CPO at about 15k$

You are a glutton for punishment my friend. Mini is a budget BMW and even more poorly built. VW is no better. If she wants something nice and sporty, I would definitely try to push her towards the premium Japanese brands. Personally I won't let my wife drive an unreliable car, because I know it will eventually make my life miserable when it breaks down and leaves her on the side of the road.

[TGTIW]

Originally Posted by johnsjmc

I can deal with valve cover and other oil leaks after owning 911,s since the early 70,s
Heater cores are a PITA. What year/engine is your E90 car?

The valve cover and filter housing leaks are a pretty simple fix, as is the water pump though it's a bit pricey.

I have a 2010 328i N52, the heater core was a complete dash out job. Center console, dash, steering column, everything. Luckily I was still under warranty, but I don't expect a heater core to clog on any car with that low mileage.

[HardDrive]

I would vote a solid NO to a modern VW. Perhaps as a lease, but I would never own one without a warranty. Oh hell no. They look good, and are indeed fun to drive. But holy hell are the parts cheap plastic JUNK. In my opinion, the VW dealerships are criminals.

[campbellcj]

I have not been a fan of the lower-range BMW interiors in many years. I've had several short-term for loaners/rentals and the cars drive nicely but boring in terms of character compared to any Porsche.

[Noah930]

A business acquaintance with 2 young children is very happy with his Lexus ISF. Obviously the top of the line ISF a lot more than you're looking to spend, but the underlying IS chassis seems really good. He came from an M3 (E92 chassis) which he hated for the reliability (or lack thereof).

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