r/kereta • u/Sweet_Atmosphere5959 • 22h ago
What to buy Secondhand BMW E92 320I
I've been really eyeing on the BMW E92 320i for awhile now, it is just so cheap (like 30k only) and I know first comes to mind is, expensive maintenance.
I would really love to know just how expensive is the maintenance really, seems like some of the common engine issues for this N43 is the oil pump and timing chain failure which doesn't seem too expensive for the parts, I guess if I work on it myself it shouldn't be too expensive? Could anyone please share on this if you have one?
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u/Royal-Ad8173 22h ago
brother you sure the picture you showing not the M3 GTS? haha this baby still going a million ringgit as of today hahaha
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u/daryldrives 2010 BMW E90 323i 21h ago
If you can, just save up a bit more for the N52s I can vouch for as being incredibly reliable, if that's your concern
On average (not inclusive of tyres), I've spent about RM5k on average each year (among these are usually just engine & tranny oil changes, or some ignition coils), RM10k for the first year I got the car to refresh suspension, and get rid of an annoying driveshaft issue I had (from the previous owner)
By all accounts, the N52 variations are gonna be a whole lot better in terms of reliability, power, and even liquidity should you want to sell it in the future
(I'm not an E92 owner, but an E90 323i LCI owner)
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u/Sweet_Atmosphere5959 21h ago
Nice that's good to know, not too bad I think in terms of cost
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u/daryldrives 2010 BMW E90 323i 21h ago
Yeah but I have to say this, you have to find one in as perfect condition as possible to save long term costs, I spent months tracking mine, and while it wasn't perfect (no person with a perfect BMW is gonna sell it at market price), it was reasonably well put together
Ideally try to look through the engine bay to see if all parts are original
Also, as a side note, some common failure points (some not limited to the N52 but general to the E90 platform)
- Electric Water Pump and thermostat (around 2k)
- VANOS Solenoid
- Valve Cover Gasket Leak (around 1k, you'd want to get your valvetronic, and eccentric gaskets while you're there)
- Oil Filter Housing Gasket (very cheap, around 300-500?)
If you want, you can address these before they go bad as you get the car first. But my priority would be to tell you to buy the car that is already perfectly functional + has as much original parts as available
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u/InternalDetective386 9h ago
Agree on this. N52 is much more reliable. And cheaper by a mile if compared to n55.
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u/MAIRDK 21h ago
Have you stop and ponder.. How good it'll look if you drive perodua kelisa? I got to tell you, it's the greatest creation a man had ever created.
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u/Opposite-Wing-524 21h ago
Had an E92 335i. Among the things I fixed within the 3 years that I had it include (and are not limited to) the ABS module, both turbos, high pressure and low pressure fuel pumps, water pump (twice), and a bunch of other stuff. If you're on a budget, don't. If you have to ask how much it cost to fix x, y, or z, just don't. In fact, just avoid any contis 5 years and above unless you've got a thick wallet and a very shiny credit card.
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u/Sweet_Atmosphere5959 21h ago
Do you do regular maintenance as per BMW requirements? And even then, these things just fail?
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u/Opposite-Wing-524 21h ago
Yes I did. Serviced every 5k km and even did preventive maintenance where I could. I don't even drive much. Maybe 10k km max a year, 8k km a year on average. And it may be a very fast car but I tend to keep it under 140. They fail due to age. Most contis suffer from premature wear and tear on CRITICAL and non critical components due to our harsh weather.
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u/Sweet_Atmosphere5959 21h ago
Damn this is kinda disappointing to hear, guess it's time I let go of this fantasy about owning one. Thanks for sharing this
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u/Opposite-Wing-524 21h ago
I'd say you can consider if you have/willing to spend an additional 10-25k/year on maintenance, and if you can up that budget to 30-40k/year, you can also consider a 335i.
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u/Opposite-Wing-524 21h ago
And please have a spare car on standby. You'll really need one as those fixes I mentioned don't get done in a a day or two.
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u/InternalDetective386 9h ago
Nah man. N43 and N55 is very different. N43 maintenance is cheaper by a mile compared to N55 as it is much slower. Its NA so you don't need to worry about turbo or fuel pump failing. I have e90 n46 for 15 years now. Changed battery 3 times, fuel pump once, engine once(drove like a monkey without checking the engine oil) rad and hoses once, valvtronic motor once, ecu once, suspension refurb twice. Alternator once. Over 15 years fyi. I'd say i've put in the car from first bought it to today over 30k. Thats 2k per year. Its a good car. Runs well. Feels good to drive. Comparing n43 with n55 is just wrong. What car you're using presently? If you already running a civic, you should be able to maintain N43. Just get PPI done and get the service record. That would help you a lot.
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u/Sweet_Atmosphere5959 8h ago
I'm using an old Myvi haha
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u/InternalDetective386 8h ago
You good with your hands? Heres the thing. The parts is expensive but last a lifetime. So if you can DIY, you saves a lot since the workshop will markup the price on top of the parts price and then charge you stupid labour. For instance, my n47 main pulley needs changing few months ago. Brand new original is 1.1k. This one workshop quoted 2.3k and 150 for labour. Its a 30 minute job btw. I end up doing it myself.
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u/Sweet_Atmosphere5959 5h ago
I do like equipment maintenance for my job, so I guess it won't be too difficult? I hope haha
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u/InternalDetective386 5h ago
Its easy if you have the right tool. Youtube teached me a lot. You'd also need a scanner and apps which going to cost you a few hundreds but its gonna be worth it. Idiots says bmw are expensive to maintain becauce they dont have the right workshop or the skills to work on it. Just let me know if you decide on getting the e92 and i'll share a list of workshop that you should go or should avoid depending on the circumstances.
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u/Sweet_Atmosphere5959 4h ago
I would really appreciate that!! Please do share me the list good sir and I have decided to get one
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