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Crustashio posted:Personally I couldn't keep my ZHP when I knew I'd be better off just getting an e36 m3, which is exactly what I did. Don't E36 M3s have clutch type LSDs? What's their typical life span?
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Jul 19, 2013 14:21
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Noggin Monkey posted:Which wheels are those? Style 135
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Jul 19, 2013 14:28
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omgitstheinternet posted:Well, I drove this home today: Unffff, I want the Z4M so badly. You made a GREAT choice! Those things are awesome to drive and the coupe is very eye catching. I've got a 3.0i roadster so it's down on power but it's plenty for cruising/everyday things.  Enjoy it!I forgot there was a BMW thread so I guess I'll dump my pictures in here:    
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Jul 19, 2013 16:44
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Part of the front end repair covered by insurance includes replacing the headlights. The shop is ok with me paying the difference and getting some Angel Eyes. I'm covered up to $430 per lamp and am willing to go a little over. What products should I look at?
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Jul 19, 2013 16:46
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Noggin Monkey posted:Part of the front end repair covered by insurance includes replacing the headlights. The shop is ok with me paying the difference and getting some Angel Eyes. Orion v2's are what most people have. Weisslicht AE's are also pretty good. I don't know of any that come pre-installed, so maybe someone else can chime in with an option there.
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Jul 19, 2013 17:28
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Noggin Monkey posted:Which wheels are those? destructo posted:Style 135 So close  They are Style 220M. I am putting together a square 19x9.5 setup for my car, 275/30/19 PSS are on order!!Bahamutsrage posted:Unffff, I want the Z4M so badly. You made a GREAT choice! Those things are awesome to drive and the coupe is very eye catching. I've got a 3.0i roadster so it's down on power but it's plenty for cruising/everyday things. I love your car. Or those VMRs?
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Jul 19, 2013 17:30
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concise posted:Water pumps seize, coolant expansion tanks explode, fuel pumps die, rear coil springs snap, all suspension rubber is shot, valve cover gasket leaks, VANOS rattles and its seals are shot, oil filter housing gasket leaks, auto trans is in dire need of a fluid and filter change, final stage resistor is wonky. I'm pretty new to buying used cars. Ideally maintenance records of course, but what if there are none? Is there a way to tell if these things were done by popping the hood? How much does each of these things run to replace/do and which are feasible at home for a newb/which need to be done at a shop? Sorry for being dumb, thanks for the help.
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Jul 19, 2013 18:08
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GrAviTy84 posted:I'm pretty new to buying used cars. Ideally maintenance records of course, but what if there are none? Is there a way to tell if these things were done by popping the hood? How much does each of these things run to replace/do and which are feasible at home for a newb/which need to be done at a shop? Sorry for being dumb, thanks for the help. Unfortunately I'm one of the least experienced guys on here I think, but the standard advice is to take a vehicle you're interested in to a reputable shop and have them do a pre purchase inspection. I didn't get a PPI done when I bought mine because the owner had very complete records, he was clearly a meticulous owner, and I brought a friend who has worked on E36's and E46's for a long time to help me check things out. As for repairs, I've found that an E46 is a great way to learn how to work on your own car. There are tons of DIY writeups online and plenty of videos on youtube (of varying quality) for just about any job you want to do. With a Bentley manual the right tools you can just about any job done on your own. You will probably need to budget around $2-3000 for repairs in the first year as a worst case scenario. I haven't totaled my repair costs up since March, but I figure I'm sitting at right around $2500 at most, and that includes a set of Continental DWS tires. Parts aren't always cheap, but pelicanparts.com has a fairly complete selection at decent prices. As far as I'm concerned, a well cared for E46 with good options at 100k miles for under $10k is a bargain for what you get.
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Jul 19, 2013 18:58
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coolskillrex remix posted:One of the best looking bmws ever created in my opinion, and probably ridiculously fun to drive as well. About 2 years ago I couldn't find one for less than $35k, now they are down a bit, and most seem to be going between $28k-$32k, which is pretty much KBB value. I paid $24,700 with 55k miles, which still seems like a silly low price compared to all the other ones I looked at. Bahamutsrage posted:Unffff, I want the Z4M so badly. You made a GREAT choice! Those things are awesome to drive and the coupe is very eye catching. I've got a 3.0i roadster so it's down on power but it's plenty for cruising/everyday things. Your car is gorgeous, what wheels are those?
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Jul 19, 2013 19:03
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GrAviTy84 posted:I'm pretty new to buying used cars. Ideally maintenance records of course, but what if there are none? Is there a way to tell if these things were done by popping the hood? How much does each of these things run to replace/do and which are feasible at home for a newb/which need to be done at a shop? Sorry for being dumb, thanks for the help. Generally with most BMWs you want to get a Pre-Purchase inspection done by a trusted shop. It'll run you $100-200, but it'll give you a list of everything that needs to be done. For DIY stuff, the cooling system is pretty easy and fuel pumps/filters are fairly easy. VANOS can be replaced with a Dr Vanos unit or you can do the seals yourself. I don't do my own suspension stuff, but I don't think it's that hard. I wouldn't touch an automatic transmission so that would go to the shop. E46s are DIY friendly if you're comfortable turning a wrench, and generally they're put together well enough to not be a complete pain in the rear end to work on.
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Jul 19, 2013 19:06
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omgitstheinternet posted:About 2 years ago I couldn't find one for less than $35k, now they are down a bit, and most seem to be going between $28k-$32k, which is pretty much KBB value. I paid $24,700 with 55k miles, which still seems like a silly low price compared to all the other ones I looked at. Those are HRE P40s, or a reasonable facsimile. I love HRE wheels for their looks but they start at 19" and just weigh too much for my liking.
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Jul 19, 2013 19:17
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Silver E46 M3 with want it so bad from a few pages back; dealership finally got back to me (subject line of email: "M3 Safety") after their initial mechanical inspection: Safety related issues with this car: l/f wheel bent, tires have bad shoulder wear/alignment issue rear trailing arm bushings badly worn, this gives the floating effect rear body were sub frame attaches is cracking, needs a reinforcement kit, common on M3’s, Big Job l/f turn signal out Other issues, Engine light on for catalytic converters and secondary air system fault, I cleared them, they will probably come back needs some service, engine oil, brake slush, coolant, belts cracked and a few minor oil leaks It also has Dinan software Ridden hard and put away wet. And the fucker traded it in on an E90 M3.  I had already decided that I was going to run based on advice from fellow BMGoons, but now I know I can trust my dealership too.
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Jul 19, 2013 21:34
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If the car was March 03+ build then BMW would cover the subframe tear but, yeah, you've done the right thing by running. Cat/Secondary o2 could mean the thing has an aftermarket header on it.
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Jul 19, 2013 21:38
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Are they covering the tearing still? I thought they only offered up a limited time period a few years ago where they would inspect and repair any cars found with tearing and after that the door was closed.
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Jul 19, 2013 21:41
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Egh that poor car. I wish I had space for it, I'd tell em to knock 5k off the price and do the work in my spare time.
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Jul 19, 2013 21:42
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Viper_3000 posted:Generally with most BMWs you want to get a Pre-Purchase inspection done by a trusted shop. It'll run you $100-200, but it'll give you a list of everything that needs to be done. Sorry for quite possibly the most common newb question ever but... Is the cost of maintenance really that much different from something like a Civic or Corolla? Does DIY'ing it make up for it at all? All I hear from people are horror stories about how they're money pits and it's scary :/ oddly enough, it's usually from people who don't actually own them. All the bimmer owners I know say: "Find a good indy mechanic or do it yourself and it's not bad and totally worth whatever little price difference is left" Is that true with your guys' experience, too?
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Jul 19, 2013 21:58
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GrAviTy84 posted:Sorry for quite possibly the most common newb question ever but... Is the cost of maintenance really that much different from something like a Civic or Corolla? Does DIY'ing it make up for it at all? Parts are going to be more expensive, but not that much more. If you can DIY most stuff it's not that bad at all, go to pelicanparts.com or something and check out the prices for common stuff like pads/rotors/etc and compare. You are going to want to be more aggressive with your preventative maintenance since the cars do not handle neglect as well as Japanese cars do, but something like an E46 can be downright reasonable if you're willing to get your hands dirty.
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Jul 19, 2013 22:01
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GrAviTy84 posted:Sorry for quite possibly the most common newb question ever but... Is the cost of maintenance really that much different from something like a Civic or Corolla? Does DIY'ing it make up for it at all? All I hear from people are horror stories about how they're money pits and it's scary :/ The biggest problem people have is buying one that's already in maintenance debt. They think they are expensive to own because they end up paying for the last 4 years of deferred maintenance from the previous owner(s) in the first 6 months they own it. Yes, they cost more to maintain than a Camry. Yes, they require more maintenance than a Camry. But it's not that much more and it's not that much more expensive save a major failure (which is typically brought on or made much worse due to deferred maintenance). This is why everyone is telling you to get a PPI from a trusted mechanic and either learn what needs to be done and DIY or bring it to your trusted mechanic and TAKE THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS. This is not unique to BMWs. It is all very typical for anything that is not a driving appliance.
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Jul 19, 2013 22:03
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I'd still like to see a spreadsheet showing how a 2002 E46 330 and 2002 Camry stack up for year by year 2002-2013 expenses. I don't see BMW parts as horribly overpriced compared to other brands and at least they are available at so many wonderful internet sites now as well. In comparison, I had to pay almost $200 through the web (dealer was more) for the windshield tray for my Mom's Ford Escape ($90 BMW), and Chevy wanted $500 for a single side mirror on my old 2002 Tahoe (ughh looks like E46 including glass and motor pushes $600 doh). The other good thing about BMW's are the vast amounts of DIYness and internet forum posts for at least the pre-2007 models nobody does that poo poo for Camry/Accord/Lexus ES etc. This reminds me that I am probably pushing my luck still running the Duralast 49DL I put in the E46 back in 2008 huh? Keyser_Soze fucked around with this message at 22:34 on Jul 19, 2013 |
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Jul 19, 2013 22:20
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Keyser S0ze posted:In comparison, I had to pay almost $200 through the web (dealer was more) for the windshield tray for my Mom's Ford Escape ($90 BMW), and Chevy wanted $500 for a single side mirror on my old 2002 Tahoe. When I helped my brother replace the pre-cat O2 sensor on his 2004 Honda Civic (that failed at only ~70k miles, btw), I was shocked that the part alone cost about $250 for one that didn't require splicing. OEM was something stupid like $300+. The pre-cat O2 sensor on my 2004 330 is ~$150 for OEM, or about $80 for a non-OEM without splicing required. With places like Pelican, Rockauto, Tischer, ECS, and many others BMW parts really are not any more or less expensive on the whole than any other brand in my experience, especially if you aren't buying the cheapest poo poo at Autozone.
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Jul 19, 2013 22:29
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On top of all of that, if you buy the right BMW*, you end up with something that you actually want to drive instead of something that's just a bit better than walking. *M or anything with a stick and mid range or better engine. Also the sport package depending on what it gets you (seats). Galler fucked around with this message at 23:41 on Jul 19, 2013 |
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Jul 19, 2013 23:33
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GrAviTy84 posted:I'm pretty new to buying used cars. Ideally maintenance records of course, but what if there are none? Is there a way to tell if these things were done by popping the hood? How much does each of these things run to replace/do and which are feasible at home for a newb/which need to be done at a shop? Sorry for being dumb, thanks for the help. Walk away. Get a PPI to find out what the owner hasn't told you, and if it doesn't match the maintenance records exactly, also walk away. If there are no maintenance records, then obviously there can't be a match so just don't do it. Don't buy one without records, because for one thing, you'll never be able to sell it.
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Jul 19, 2013 23:35
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BlackMK4 posted:If the car was March 03+ build then BMW would cover the subframe tear but, yeah, you've done the right thing by running. BMW doesn't cover the tearing anymore. That deal went away a few years back. You're looking at 3k to do that job right and that's on the cheap end. Running is the correct option here.
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Jul 19, 2013 23:59
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everyone posted:
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Jul 20, 2013 00:07
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GrAviTy84 posted:Thanks for the wisdom, everyone. Really helps a ton. I am looking for something in a 328i or 330i preferable E46 but I suppose I'm not above an E36 if it's in really good condition. Sedan, preferably, manual transmission definitely. I'm seeing listings anywhere from $5k up to like $15k for an E46 330i. What's a realistic price for a good condition, reasonable mileage, E46 saloon? Again, it depends on the options and your location. Generally though you can get a well sorted E46 from around 6-8k depending on the area. This is a car that it pays to buy from an enthusiast that has maintenance records. I waited 3 months to find my 323, drove an hour to get it and paid slightly more than market in my area, but I know exactly what's been done, what's coming up, and have a stack of receipts for what's been done previously. I'm unfortunately finding some minor things that he's done improperly, but it was still overall a good buy.
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Jul 20, 2013 00:30
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GrAviTy84 posted:Thanks for the wisdom, everyone. Really helps a ton. I am looking for something in a 328i or 330i preferable E46 but I suppose I'm not above an E36 if it's in really good condition. Sedan, preferably, manual transmission definitely. I'm seeing listings anywhere from $5k up to like $15k for an E46 330i. What's a realistic price for a good condition, reasonable mileage, E46 saloon? A year or so ago a friend of mine bought an 02 or 03 (I can't remember) 330Ci sport package for $6,000 with around 75k miles in truly mint condition. The car was owned by a very old woman who was selling because she doesn't drive anymore, had every service record for the car since like 2005 when she bought it as the second owner. He's now at around 110k miles and has had no major issues at all, although I'm sure the cooling system will be problematic in the near future. Basically, the cars and deals are out there, but finding them will mean a lot of sitting on craigslist and checking it a few times a day. He found the car about 15 minutes after it was posted, I drove him to look at it 15 minutes after that, and he bought the car on the spot; the car was literally up for sale for a total of an hour.
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Jul 20, 2013 01:04
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Das Volk posted:Those are HRE P40s, or a reasonable facsimile. I love HRE wheels for their looks but they start at 19" and just weigh too much for my liking. Pretty sure those are gunmetal VMR I have the very similar 718s. 
Chinatown fucked around with this message at 01:44 on Jul 20, 2013 |
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Jul 20, 2013 01:41
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Chinatown posted:Pretty sure those are gunmetal VMR Are you posting from your phone? Those spokes are about half the width of the HREs.
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Jul 20, 2013 01:50
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Sorry that my photo isn't up to your standards. The only real difference between 710s and 718s is that the 718s have an additional spoke and are thus skinnier. The 718s are basically a combination of traditional CSLs and the 710s with more concave.
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Jul 20, 2013 01:57
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GrAviTy84 posted:Sorry for quite possibly the most common newb question ever but... Is the cost of maintenance really that much different from something like a Civic or Corolla? Does DIY'ing it make up for it at all? All I hear from people are horror stories about how they're money pits and it's scary :/ They really aren't money pits if they aren't neglected. People always say corollas/civics are cheap to maintain, but have you ever SEEN a well maintained civic or corolla? No one bothers to maintain them to the level they do with BMW's and such, so they're seen as being giant money pits. Yes you need to be more aggressive with preventative maintanence. Yes parts are going to cost a bit more. But I personally think that a well maintained BMW is more reliable than its Honda/Toyota counterpart, it's just that the Honda/Toyota will put up with neglect a lot better and the truly bad ones rust away into nothingness sooner. That said e46's tend to always be in a state of disrepair when they're on craigslist/used car lot/etc. There are a few expensive repairs on these cars and a lot of people neglect a ton of small repairs on them. It's simply the mentality a lot of people who own older luxury cars have.. They won't foot $1000 to fix their old car so they'd rather sell it in disrepair and buy a new car. This leaves a LOT of garbage, but it's great for DIYers who know e46's because it brings the value of them down. An e46 is worth less than an e30 of similar condition in my area, and they're about 100x easier to find on craigslist/used car lots/etc. Back when I was in the market for a good condition e30, everyone wanted to sell me an e46. They're dime a dozen, which is nice because you can probably find hundreds to look at in your area if you're interested, and you can afford to be picky about options paint color etc. Drunken Lullabies fucked around with this message at 02:48 on Jul 20, 2013 |
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Jul 20, 2013 02:46
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Yeah, car lot auction/trade in cars will never have a folder of paperwork with repairs/maintenance and the buyer will have to get up to speed quick on what fails on these cars as well as get a PPI. These cars tend to be cheaper than privately owned cars in a lot of cases but sometimes there is a reason for that. I'll be in the same boat when I do get around to selling my E46 as I have a huge folder and lots of upgrades that nobody but an enthusiast would care about so it will probably take a while to find it a new home.
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Jul 20, 2013 03:04
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omgitstheinternet posted:Well, I drove this home today: Amazing dude. Hope to buy it from you soon
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Jul 20, 2013 03:25
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Keyser S0ze posted:I'd still like to see a spreadsheet showing how a 2002 E46 330 and 2002 Camry stack up for year by year 2002-2013 expenses. More interestingly, I'd like to see it compared to an IS300 of the same year. As far as I can tell IS300s seem to need nothing other than timing belts every once and a while. So you just buy em and drive em... No cooling system nonsence.
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Jul 20, 2013 05:51
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Ziploc posted:More interestingly, I'd like to see it compared to an IS300 of the same year. As far as I can tell IS300s seem to need nothing other than timing belts every once and a while. So you just buy em and drive em... No cooling system nonsence. Until you drive an IS300... dear god. I always wanted one of those things until I drove one.
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Jul 20, 2013 06:31
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BlackMK4 posted:Until you drive an IS300... dear god. I always wanted one of those things until I drove one. I was a bit of a Lexus/Toyota fanboy when I was younger, owning an SC400 I thought I'd like the IS300. I drove it then an E46 because my roommate wanted one at the time, and I decided to see what the fuss was about. I pretty much never gave Lexus another thought. Edit: I still think about wanting to drive an E46 330 years after selling mine, even with the E92. There's just something about those cars that feels so right. Das Volk fucked around with this message at 15:10 on Jul 20, 2013 |
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Jul 20, 2013 15:07
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omgitstheinternet posted:...but finding them will mean a lot of sitting on craigslist and checking it a few times a day. Set up one rule to send you an email based on your craigslist search string. Set up a second rule to send you and SMS based on the same thing, so the ad for your perfect car doesn't sit in your email box for hours at a time. I've got one looking for a '67 Impala (sedan) for my girlfriend. She's a hella-nerd. =) Kenny Rogers fucked around with this message at 19:54 on Jul 20, 2013 |
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Jul 20, 2013 19:50
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BlackMK4 posted:Until you drive an IS300... dear god. I always wanted one of those things until I drove one. 215hp and 19mpg on a good day.
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Jul 20, 2013 20:46
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The IS350 is fast as hell in a straight line, but I wasn't impressed with the handling compared to the E90 era BMW's around at the same time. I haven't driven an F30 335 to compare against a newer IS350 but it doesn't look like they've changed much on them so I'd expect similar results. IS300 was completely outclassed by its E46 counterparts, $500 plastic cooling system replacement needs every 5 years or not, and I found it quite boring to drive. It was a great step for Lexus to get into performance cars though.
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Jul 20, 2013 21:01
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ugh finding a manual sedan 330i is a lot harder than it seems like it should be. Who the hell is buying all these autos? edit: anyone in the Inland Empire, Los Angeles, Orange County, or San Diego have one they're selling by any chance? GrAviTy84 fucked around with this message at 22:38 on Jul 20, 2013 |
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Jul 20, 2013 21:07
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BlackMK4 posted:Until you drive an IS300... dear god. I always wanted one of those things until I drove one. Oh my god I drove one today. I'm no longer looking at them. How do you make throttle response THAT BAD.
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Jul 21, 2013 01:58
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