BMW ownership
This past spring I scratched an itch and purchased a 2006 325i BMW with 67000 miles. I have always wanted to own a BMW and figured the best way to find out if I will like them is to buy a good used one and see how it is. So far so good!! The drive is great!! Sporty, fun, relatively economical on gas and comfortable. It is the base model so no iDrive and the complimentary creature comforts but I didnt purchase this car for all of the options. I feel like I did well at $13500 even with the minor blemishes of a 6 y/o car.
Ownership of these lil boogers is interesting. It seems they are a tinkerers car in the later stages. Obviously that wouldn't apply to buying a new example or a CPO at the BMW dealership. But for those of us without warranties :help :eyecrazy
The coolant light light up at the beginning of the week. So I do some poking around on here and find out that the reservoir has a float and when it doesnt float high enough the warning lamp comes on. Ok coolant is easy to add but ummm does it have "BMW blue" in it from the factory or might it have been changed to green at some point in its life? After checking it still has BMW blue so off to the stealership to pay $25 for a gallon of coolant :mad
A day later the sunroof indicator came on :confused Fortunately the reset procedure is very easy and worked like a champ. But what caused this in the first place?? Just came up out of nowhere!!
The right rear window has a glitch in it I cannot figure out. If I roll the window up automatically it goes all the way up and then rolls halfway back down. If I roll it up without clicking it into automatic it rolls up and stays up :help None of the reset procedures I have read fix it. But I dont like paying labor costs at a dealer ( or anywhere for that matter ) so I can live with it I guess.
Shortly after my purchase I found out the washer fluid system didnt work. It sounded like it did but no water coming on the windshield. Well after I took the right front wheel off, the inner fender liner and part of the under carriage liner off I got to the pump and reservoir. After getting the pump out I found the nastiest smelly gunk at the bottom of the reservoir and in the pump filter. I got it all cleaned up and workin but it appears now I didnt get the pump sealed up good in the reservoir because now it is leaking :mad So now I will have to go back in
Oil changes are not a cheap endeavor!! $90 at the Stealer or $60 DIY Not to mention it's not easy getting ander a 325 for a fat ass like me!!! However I love where the oil filter is!!! Never seen an oil filter so easy to change!!
Air filter changes are VERY fun!!! I went ahead and put a K&N in it but I have never had to take the airbox out swap an air filter out.
I am now an expert on resetting the TPMS system. I had a nail in the right rear about 3 weeks ago. It would fall to 30lbs and set off the TPMS system. But filling the tire isn't enough :shifty There is a reset procedure that I am now near and dear to!! I think I reset it 4 times before I had time to get a patch put into the tire.
Wipers were $46!!!!! But easy to change once you have figured em out.
The coating on the front of the cup holders, on the side of the console and on the driver side door pull is peeling off. This isn't a biggie to me but it is aggravating AND surprising that BMW would produce something that would peel like this.
I know this all sounds like a rant but it's not. I actually love this little car and will likely give it to my son in a couple of years. But then that begs the question...do I upgrade to a 335 or a 535?? Whichever it ends up being it will be under warranty!!!!
Ownership of these lil boogers is interesting. It seems they are a tinkerers car in the later stages. Obviously that wouldn't apply to buying a new example or a CPO at the BMW dealership. But for those of us without warranties :help :eyecrazy
The coolant light light up at the beginning of the week. So I do some poking around on here and find out that the reservoir has a float and when it doesnt float high enough the warning lamp comes on. Ok coolant is easy to add but ummm does it have "BMW blue" in it from the factory or might it have been changed to green at some point in its life? After checking it still has BMW blue so off to the stealership to pay $25 for a gallon of coolant :mad
A day later the sunroof indicator came on :confused Fortunately the reset procedure is very easy and worked like a champ. But what caused this in the first place?? Just came up out of nowhere!!
The right rear window has a glitch in it I cannot figure out. If I roll the window up automatically it goes all the way up and then rolls halfway back down. If I roll it up without clicking it into automatic it rolls up and stays up :help None of the reset procedures I have read fix it. But I dont like paying labor costs at a dealer ( or anywhere for that matter ) so I can live with it I guess.
Shortly after my purchase I found out the washer fluid system didnt work. It sounded like it did but no water coming on the windshield. Well after I took the right front wheel off, the inner fender liner and part of the under carriage liner off I got to the pump and reservoir. After getting the pump out I found the nastiest smelly gunk at the bottom of the reservoir and in the pump filter. I got it all cleaned up and workin but it appears now I didnt get the pump sealed up good in the reservoir because now it is leaking :mad So now I will have to go back in
Oil changes are not a cheap endeavor!! $90 at the Stealer or $60 DIY
Not to mention it's not easy getting ander a 325 for a fat ass like me!!! However I love where the oil filter is!!! Never seen an oil filter so easy to change!!Air filter changes are VERY fun!!!
I went ahead and put a K&N in it but I have never had to take the airbox out swap an air filter out.I am now an expert on resetting the TPMS system. I had a nail in the right rear about 3 weeks ago. It would fall to 30lbs and set off the TPMS system. But filling the tire isn't enough :shifty There is a reset procedure that I am now near and dear to!! I think I reset it 4 times before I had time to get a patch put into the tire.
Wipers were $46!!!!!
But easy to change once you have figured em out.The coating on the front of the cup holders, on the side of the console and on the driver side door pull is peeling off. This isn't a biggie to me but it is aggravating AND surprising that BMW would produce something that would peel like this.
I know this all sounds like a rant but it's not. I actually love this little car and will likely give it to my son in a couple of years. But then that begs the question...do I upgrade to a 335 or a 535?? Whichever it ends up being it will be under warranty!!!!
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You might foul up your MAF (mass air flow) sensor ($325+) with K&N filter. I went back to OEM air filter.
Erm uh heh ya...the car is 6 years old the warranty is long gone dude. :dunno:
All that statement meant was that if the car was under warranty I wouldn't be messing with any of it myself.
All that statement meant was that if the car was under warranty I wouldn't be messing with any of it myself.
Well thats not what I wanted to hear!!
I can confirm that the K&N air intake filters can be dangerous. This is the case with their air intake filters for any car because they're "the last filter your car will ever need" meaning they can be washed, cleaned out, and reused. Because of this, the filters are often over oiled, and it's this excess oil that causes a MAF issue. Food for thought... I would avoid K&N, but if you must, soak up some of that excess oil so it hopefully doesn't cause you any issues. :thumbup:
Well thats not what I wanted to hear!!
A much much better ride's at the end of a set o'mods. Couldn't stand the limits of stock 335i handling....changes cured that in a big way. Since you're out o'warranty, not much to stop you.
That said, like a 911 much more. But, retractable hard top seduced....rides tight now, have to say. Wife likes. When she decides she really likes, I remove the cap from my pen and wait for the check amount....
That said, like a 911 much more. But, retractable hard top seduced....rides tight now, have to say. Wife likes. When she decides she really likes, I remove the cap from my pen and wait for the check amount....
Erm uh heh ya...the car is 6 years old the warranty is long gone dude. :dunno:
All that statement meant was that if the car was under warranty I wouldn't be messing with any of it myself.
Cal in no way am I taking away from modding a Bimmer and what I am about to say is going to be a HUGE bummer for most of you but the 325 is my work car. A work car that I will hand down to my son in two years. Dont get me wrong I get it but I dont need to get the mod bug with this car. I have a Truck and a motorcycle that I am modding regularly a third regular project would put a big hit on the bank account.
The funniest thing is it's the wife that puts the cap BACK ON the pen around here!!!
The funniest thing is it's the wife that puts the cap BACK ON the pen around here!!!
Aha! We have much in common - my Superduty sports air suspension, lot o'trouble early-on due to truly bad build quality, 3rd party vendor. Once was chipped but, discovered quick the 6.0 diesel's engineered close to the edge....chip caused head to lift a micro ammt, allowing exhaust gas to enter the cooling sys, overflowing the reservoir. Deleted chip; now 410k+ mi & counting, all mine.
Cycle's my old BMW R100 CS, sadly neglected & not ridden in some years. A restoration project to be.
Along with my beloved YJ Wrangler. That's an ambitious project - frame-up restoration & invention, not much progress - still refining E93, hoping to finalize a DIY.
Busy hands = happy hands they say....think I'm in a state of bliss. Wife has her own take....and her own car!
![Yellow Purple Smile]()
Cycle's my old BMW R100 CS, sadly neglected & not ridden in some years. A restoration project to be.
Along with my beloved YJ Wrangler. That's an ambitious project - frame-up restoration & invention, not much progress - still refining E93, hoping to finalize a DIY.
Busy hands = happy hands they say....think I'm in a state of bliss. Wife has her own take....and her own car!
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