Thinking of a 2000 - 2003 BMW 3 or 5 series - heard maint was way expensive??

[ezbtr]

they're affordable and I want the 3.0L I6 auto or stick fine, engines appear to last a longggg time, heard bad things bout one of the auto trannys, and a harsh 2nd gear in the 5 or 6 speed manuals? Also I can do most of the maint myself I think, any experiences here?

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: Thinking of a 2000 - 2003 BMW 3 or 5 series - heard maint was way expensive??

Anything to do with a beemer is expensive, I have owned a couple of them over the years, you better have a pretty well equipped shop to avoid the $150 per hour shops on those!

 

[arks]

Re: Thinking of a 2000 - 2003 BMW 3 or 5 series - heard maint was way expensive??

I've had an '01 530i M-Sport with a 5 speed since 2006. The 3.0 (M54) engine is truly a work of art and the car has almost perfect balance. IMO the '01 thru '03' 530i's were the best. Very comfortable for 4 adults yet fun to drive. Buy the newest one you can afford. With a few Dinan upgrades, I've boosted the engine to 245HP while geting 25MPG around town and 32-36 on the highway.
Don't fall for the V8 540i because they get poor mileage, have recirculating ball steering, and are front-heavy. The automatic transmissions are sturdy but have 'lifetime' fluid, so most didn't typically get serviced at regular intervals. Also, if you like to shift, forget about the steptronic tranny- it's an automatic that can be shifted- NOT the same!

Maintenance costs can be up there, but there are lots of good aftermarket parts suppliers that save 15-30% from OEM.
My car mechanic works on all brands, but occasionally the BMW has a problem he can't diagnose. When that happens, I go to another shop that specializes in BMW's but is not a dealership, saving 20% in labor (compared to the 'stealership').
Hey, it's a premuim car- expect to pay a little more to maintain it. My car is currently at 185K and running like a top.

BMW 5 Series (E39) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[drrpm]

Re: Thinking of a 2000 - 2003 BMW 3 or 5 series - heard maint was way expensive??

The E46 (1999-2006) 3 series are fine cars. The cooling system is weak point and there were some problems with the rear subframes on the early ones. It has a reputation as being reasonable to DIY most repairs. Bimmerfest: BMW Forum, BMW News, BMW Research, BMW European Delivery, 335, M3 has lots of info and links to videos and descriptions of just about every repair. I drive a 2004 330 Ci now and had a 1992 325 IS for 15 years. Both of them were pretty reliable and excellent overall cars. A manual transmission is the way to go with these cars.

 

[stackz]

Re: Thinking of a 2000 - 2003 BMW 3 or 5 series - heard maint was way expensive??

parts themselves are expensive. if you can do the work yourself you'll be ahead of the game.

$400 for an a/c compressor...just to install at dealer would be over $2k lol.

 

[Dam2009]

Re: Thinking of a 2000 - 2003 BMW 3 or 5 series - heard maint was way expensive??

I owed one before getting an Acura. The upholstery started to crack 5 years in. I though about getting the X5, but didn't like the way it handled.. super stiff.

 

[ezbtr]

Re: Thinking of a 2000 - 2003 BMW 3 or 5 series - heard maint was way expensive??

is the 2.5 I6(198 hp) or 3.0 I6 (225 hp)or 3.2 I6(240 hp) better, more reliable?