[Mtl128_25]

I had a 2008 coupe 328i and the car was always at the dealer. It had 100k miles when i sold it (got fed up). I ended up getting to know everyone there! I changed anywhere from:

Engine valve cover gasket
Oil pan gasket
Heater blower
Starter
Leather seat cover (heated seat burned leather)
Coils
Waterpump
VANOS
Engine lifters
And the list goes on....

I really think that the E90/E92 generation was the least reliable as my experience with BMW was different in the past. Lets hope that my 2 series convertible will be a different story.

[chrisny]

Originally Posted by sethwas

Considering there's only 1 car in the class I hope it won

Read the fine print. "*No other car in this segment performs at or above segment average." There are plenty of other small luxury cars.

Doesn't mean it's the only car in the class. And the i3 is also listed, so it isn't the only one "at or above segment average" either.

[Mavus]

Originally Posted by Mtl128_25

I had a 2008 coupe 328i and the car was always at the dealer. It had 100k miles when i sold it (got fed up). I ended up getting to know everyone there! I changed anywhere from:

Engine valve cover gasket
Oil pan gasket
Heater blower
Starter
Leather seat cover (heated seat burned leather)
Coils
Waterpump
VANOS
Engine lifters
And the list goes on....

I really think that the E90/E92 generation was the least reliable as my experience with BMW was different in the past. Lets hope that my 2 series convertible will be a different story.

my e90 is the most reliable car and I had 3 Acura tl's.

Part of reliability comes from doing required maintenance with quality parts and addressing known failure points proactively.

Also, this car is working harder than any other car I had and still continues to run like a champ at 116k.

[Jklad]

Originally Posted by MassNerd

And BMW as a brand finished 8th overall.

So makes you wonder where BMW gets the reputation that it's cars aren't reliable. Is it the expense of the repairs that eventually happen? Or is it BMWs are problem free while under warranty, but fall apart by 100K miles (This study follows 3 year old cars)?

It's exactly the latter. Parts on These cars and seals start to fall apart after 60k, from 70k to 120k miles you will spend a fortune in upkeep from random things breaking. That's why resale value is in the gutter for 3-4 year old used Bmw. Nobody want to deal with that bs once youve been through it before. 3 year reliability is pretty meaningless, of course they will be fine during the first few years of a lease, and the car is under warranty anyways if something does break.

[noushy]

All I can say is I drive some of the most complex and advanced high performance BMWs and none have every left me on the side of the road. A 600+ hp car as a daily driver with 50000 miles in 3 years is a testament to a well built vehicle. I can say this about my 3 M6s, my 2 B7s, my X5M (tuned), and my M8 (so far). This also applies to the many others I have owned like the X5 M50i and the X3M.

Noushy

[noushy]

Oh and I kept a X5 to 125000 miles and it did fine. Yes needed maintenance and expensive parts and labor like timing and belts but it ran great and for what I paid $70k and sold 6 years later for $21k is not bad.

Noushy

[bkfastwagon]

IMO BMWs are not unreliable, rather not as resilient to user errors/abuses than say Toyota/Lexus. If taken care of with regular services and high quality gas (many people put in the cheapest gas they can find), I'm confident these cars are reliable as any.

[Unknown_Car]

Originally Posted by Smooth 330i

my e90 is the most reliable car and I had 3 Acura tl's.

Part of reliability comes from doing required maintenance with quality parts and addressing known failure points proactively.

Also, this car is working harder than any other car I had and still continues to run like a champ at 116k.

I agree I am on the second E90 n54 and no problems wats so ever. My first one only had water pump go out on me at around 70k. I sold it to a guy at about 80k now he is at 130k and no issues. All I know I will be keeping my 2nd one for a long long time. Nothing new from BMW excites me. But I do think about c7 z06 sometimes haha.

[Schmitz]

Originally Posted by MassNerd

And BMW as a brand finished 8th overall.

So makes you wonder where BMW gets the reputation that it's cars aren't reliable. Is it the expense of the repairs that eventually happen? Or is it BMWs are problem free while under warranty, but fall apart by 100K miles (This study follows 3 year old cars)?

The n54, the m5, the n20 (timing chain)... The n54 and n20 make up a very large portion of bmws sold in the last 10 years.

[Mavus]

Originally Posted by Roma_335i

I agree I am on the second E90 n54 and no problems wats so ever. My first one only had water pump go out on me at around 70k. I sold it to a guy at about 80k now he is at 130k and no issues. All I know I will be keeping my 2nd one for a long long time. Nothing new from BMW excites me. But I do think about c7 z06 sometimes haha.

yeah if you know the car and can maintain it regularly there is nothing new that ca replace it. I believe it is one of the best cars ever designed when you consider just the right size, packaging, performance and utility.

The only optional improvements it needs are lsd, m3 bits incl rear sfb and it becomes the ultimate dd.

At the cost of around $15k now it is tremendous value.


OP sorry we went in a rabbit hole ...

[Teutonic]

Originally Posted by Sportstick

I suspect that a good portion of any negativity comes from lingering reputation of old experiences when BMW did not have as good a quality performance as well as forums, almost by definition, invite a disproportionate amount of complaints. We now have four BMWAG corporate products from 2015-2018 model years (five, if I count our son's), and all have been stellar...only the most minor couple of issues across all of them.

I have a very deep connection with BMW tech world.
BMW's are good. Never excellent, and way far from stellar!

[Teutonic]

Originally Posted by DistantTea

I personally think most major market cars have similar reliability in the 5 year 70k mile range and greater longevity is mostly a case of proper maintenance and limited abuse.

Right, I maintained mine like no other with oil changes at 5000 km (not miles) and everything way before BMW suggested something, not to mention I am replacing things for very minor flaws.

My engine died exactly at 80.015 km. And I never abuse my cars.

Just saying..

[LakeSurfer]

Originally Posted by MassNerd

And BMW as a brand finished 8th overall.

So makes you wonder where BMW gets the reputation that it's cars aren't reliable. Is it the expense of the repairs that eventually happen? Or is it BMWs are problem free while under warranty, but fall apart by 100K miles (This study follows 3 year old cars)?

I'm not a BMW guy I just wanted a hardtop vert 6mt with a V8 and nothing American. So my only option was the E93 M3. I'm glad it was my only option because I love the car.

people tend to think BMW's are not so reliable because they don't understand what they're getting. non BMW folks look at the cars as a premium brand and if you pay premium prices (in my case $80k new) one would think nothing could or should ever go wrong. Components on my car are pushed to the max and therefore wear out quicker then a Toyota Corolla and are almost always more expensive. Just did plugs, tires, brakes, throttle actuators, fuel vent valve and a few other things this month at a cost of over $5,000. And only have 42k on the clock. Gotta flush and change fluids way more often too. some would put these maintenance items in the reliability category. And yes this car has, as well as the m5 rod bearing problems. My brother in law has an E46 M3 that's down for the winter to do valve adjustments, subframe reenforcement, vanos rebuild and rust repair. A friend has a modified 335 and has to do the walnut blasting and has vanos problems as well and the turbos could go out at anytime. So in my case from the outside I see 3 cars, each with there own issues and I think this is all some people can see. They don't realize that high strung cars that produce power need a certain owner. Also people tend to just repeat what others have said. Soooo IMO it's not really a BMW thing as much as it's a luxury sports car thing.

[SFM2C6MT]

A contractor of mine swears by 500 series benzes. His opinion of bmw is that they are unreliable. His opinion was formed when the shocks and suspension wore out in his 1985 3 series convertible. He hasn't owned one since. I also know a woman who has been daily driving her 1987 3 series convertible since 1987.

Most people base these opinions on nothing more than rumor or one experience on one model years ago. Many people are also not savvy on preventive maintenance and beat the shit out of their cars.

[doug_999]

Originally Posted by MassNerd

And BMW as a brand finished 8th overall.

So makes you wonder where BMW gets the reputation that it's cars aren't reliable. Is it the expense of the repairs that eventually happen? Or is it BMWs are problem free while under warranty, but fall apart by 100K miles (This study follows 3 year old cars)?

Well... they are terribly unreliable - or at least were. Look at the previous gen 3-series (e90) and all the issues they have there, look at the previous gen 5/6/7 series with the V8 (N63 and N63tu).

BMW did some really horrible things with many of those cars. They just started getting their act together recently and that will take lots of time to show up. The F80 M3 is a great example of all the things they fixed vs. the old one - which you never would want to own as a "reliable" car.

Here is a great video that shows some of the changes that were made

[Teutonic]

Originally Posted by LakeSurfer

I'm not a BMW guy I just wanted a hardtop vert 6mt with a V8 and nothing American. So my only option was the E93 M3. I'm glad it was my only option because I love the car.

people tend to think BMW's are not so reliable because they don't understand what they're getting. non BMW folks look at the cars as a premium brand and if you pay premium prices (in my case $80k new) one would think nothing could or should ever go wrong. Components on my car are pushed to the max and therefore wear out quicker then a Toyota Corolla and are almost always more expensive. Just did plugs, tires, brakes, throttle actuators, fuel vent valve and a few other things this month at a cost of over $5,000. And only have 42k on the clock. Gotta flush and change fluids way more often too. some would put these maintenance items in the reliability category. And yes this car has, as well as the m5 rod bearing problems. My brother in law has an E46 M3 that's down for the winter to do valve adjustments, subframe reenforcement, vanos rebuild and rust repair. A friend has a modified 335 and has to do the walnut blasting and has vanos problems as well and the turbos could go out at anytime. So in my case from the outside I see 3 cars, each with there own issues and I think this is all some people can see. They don't realize that high strung cars that produce power need a certain owner. Also people tend to just repeat what others have said. Soooo IMO it's not really a BMW thing as much as it's a luxury sports car thing.

So... you are listing a bunch of problems, yet, they are reliable because "it's a luxury sports car thing".

I have other luxury sports cars with more power and one of them never had a problem. Never.
BMW is not where it supposed to be based on their image claim and price point. Not even close.
And stop blaming the owner. The majority maintain their cars to high standards and take care of them. Generically speaking, they are expensive cars and people acknowledge that. Maybe many don't know to do things on their own but they go to the dealership when supposed to. And that should be enough from reliability point of view.
Is hilarious that you start blaming the owner. Everyone is guilty in some form, except BMW! Pathetic.
I had many and all had some problems and the last one let me really sour with a blown engine at 80.000 km ((that's 50,000 miles). I am a fan but will not hide facts.
Not to mention, all other brands have similar owners and score better.

[Unknown_Car]

Originally Posted by Smooth 330i

yeah if you know the car and can maintain it regularly there is nothing new that ca replace it. I believe it is one of the best cars ever designed when you consider just the right size, packaging, performance and utility.

The only optional improvements it needs are lsd, m3 bits incl rear sfb and it becomes the ultimate dd.

At the cost of around $15k now it is tremendous value.


OP sorry we went in a rabbit hole ...

I agree, that's exactly how I feel.

[Sportstick]

Originally Posted by Tracus

I have a very deep connection with BMW tech world.
BMW's are good. Never excellent, and way far from stellar!

May I please introduce you to mine? Four cars....one rattle and one loose wire connection on a seat among all four since 2015. If not "stellar", what then?

I think a case can be made that BMW's process is not yet as robust as we might wish, as are many Japanese and increasingly Korean sourced vehicles. BMW does seem to have had more variability. I may have gotten four "good ones", but these have been whatever word you wish for outstanding quality.

[Germanauto]

This thread is a fanboy echo chamber.

BMWs are a lot of things, reliable is not one of them. Reasonable maintenance costs aren't one of them either.

[Germanauto]

Originally Posted by Smooth 330i

my e90 is the most reliable car and I had 3 Acura tl's.

Part of reliability comes from doing required maintenance with quality parts and addressing known failure points proactively.

Also, this car is working harder than any other car I had and still continues to run like a champ at 116k.

My E90 has been in the family since brand spanking new. It has 80k miles and always taken to the dealer for maintenance, whether it be scheduled or unscheduled.

I've spent several thousand dollars on maintenance and just last week the entire gauge cluster went out. Unfortunately as much as I love how the car drives, I simply cannot justify holding onto it anymore. It has to go.

The E90 has a well-earned reputation for not being reliable. Your car is one of the few lucky ones that bucks the trend, but that doesn't speak for the E90 as a whole.

Then there's my brother's 2012 E70 which just got hit with $2500 repair bill. If anybody is looking for a one-owner E90 or E70 hit me up.

[Teutonic]

Originally Posted by Sportstick

May I please introduce you to mine? Four cars....one rattle and one loose wire connection on a seat among all four since 2015. If not "stellar", what then?

I think a case can be made that BMW's process is not yet as robust as we might wish, as are many Japanese and increasingly Korean sourced vehicles. BMW does seem to have had more variability. I may have gotten four "good ones", but these have been whatever word you wish for outstanding quality.

No need. Beside many BMW tech and managers friends (including in almost all luxury brands field), I have my own personal experience. Every car I own has its own binder with what was done since day one (I only buy new). I can provide the whole history of every vehicle I bought. Maybe one day your engine will blow too at 80,015 km and 8 years (so no warranty left -regardless I also bought $4000 extra warranty for 6 years or 120.000 km-) and need to buy one new engine and spend $27,000 to avoid throwing the car in the garbage.

I am one of the crazy 1% that are insane when it comes to maintenance. I am that guy that is replacing under vehicle shields and parts just because they have a scratch or buy new wheels for a little chip. I am the guy who puts only the best gasoline, has the oil changed at 5000 km, replaces all the filters, sparkplugs every spring regardless of low mileage (10-12.000km/year), replace tires at every 75%, etc., and has the car repaired by the same shop foreman tech only as I am extremely demanding and want every car to be looked after only by the same tech as he knows me and what he did on the vehicle.

Please find that quality word that defines a blown overly maintained engine.

And as a note:
BMW did nothing and refused to do something until I was forced to start a judicial process. Only after that battle I received what should have been -to begin with- a quiet, smooth and considerate process. Try my experience and come back with your thoughts and pompous words.
People leave a brand for much less problems.. So, I must be a fan...

[Mavus]

Originally Posted by Germanauto

My E90 has been in the family since brand spanking new. It has 80k miles and always taken to the dealer for maintenance, whether it be scheduled or unscheduled.

I've spent several thousand dollars on maintenance and just last week the entire gauge cluster went out. Unfortunately as much as I love how the car drives, I simply cannot justify holding onto it anymore. It has to go.

The E90 has a well-earned reputation for not being reliable. Your car is one of the few lucky ones that bucks the trend, but that doesn't speak for the E90 as a whole.

Then there's my brother's 2012 E70 which just got hit with $2500 repair bill. If anybody is looking for a one-owner E90 or E70 hit me up.

well sorry to hear that but that's the risk we all take with cars out of warranty.

what year and model is your e90? stick?