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BMW warranty questions and reliability?
- Thread starter CZp-01
- Start date
she will soon find out way or the other... she could have had this vehicle years ago. I told her she would be responsible for the repairs... she bought a terrain. That car totaled recently and here we are. We are in a good place in life... she has a heavy down payment and a small financing note...
With BMW the brake rotors wear with the pads. So when you replace pads, the rotors must be replaced as well. Mercedes used to be that way also, not sure about the current models. Brakes end up costing a lot more if you are paying someone else to do the work. Only use good German replacement rotors, usually Bosch or similar. The regular aftermarket ones suck. The oil filter is a cartridge type, not your typical spin on filter. Costs more because its Bavarian Motor Works. They looked like a cheap cardboard filter to me.
The stability sensors like to take a shit around 140K. The cam advance gear on I6 engines likes to fail around 100K +/-. Not a cheap repair for that. Coil packs take a shit frequently. Usually 1 or 2 at a time, so when one fails it's best to change them all at the same time. These are just the common things I am aware of and I didn't work on many when I was a tech. My buddy told me about the cam gear failures and showed me how to change them and offered to loan me the special tool to retime if I ever needed to do that job.
Germans are great at mechanical engineering and building, electrical not so much. Audi, BMW, Volkswagen and Mercedes all have weird electrical issues. That has been my experience with German vehicles overall.
The stability sensors like to take a shit around 140K. The cam advance gear on I6 engines likes to fail around 100K +/-. Not a cheap repair for that. Coil packs take a shit frequently. Usually 1 or 2 at a time, so when one fails it's best to change them all at the same time. These are just the common things I am aware of and I didn't work on many when I was a tech. My buddy told me about the cam gear failures and showed me how to change them and offered to loan me the special tool to retime if I ever needed to do that job.
Germans are great at mechanical engineering and building, electrical not so much. Audi, BMW, Volkswagen and Mercedes all have weird electrical issues. That has been my experience with German vehicles overall.
This is true of most vehicles nowadays (especially since it's getting difficult to find a shop that will turn used rotors). I just did rotors + pads at all four corners of the wife's Flex - cost about $600 for 40,000 miles of commuting (might have gone longer if the previous owner had used better parts). Not exactly the sort of expense that would have me contemplating a service plan.
If the point of buying a new or late-model used vehicle is to get something that's reliable and dependable, then feeling compelled to buy addition coverage for service and repair would be a huge blazing sign that maybe it's time to consider other vehicles.
I just bought a new Tacoma and there was one douche bag from the finance department who thought he would be able to salesman bully me into the service plan and extended warranty, combined for almost another $10k. He shut up when I asked him “I’m sorry, I thought Toyotas were reliable, is there something more I need to know about?” I then told him I used to do sales too and he sucks at knowing his customer.
Not much of a *tech* if you think Bosch makes the brakes on a BMW (or any other car for that matter).
Try again sweetheart.
BTW, I still have the little tool required for BMW techs to have that checks the brake pad thickness w/o removing the wheels.
Guess who it's made by ?
$600 ???
Perhaps you should actually NOT buy at the corner mom and pop parts store....
Not knowing what year this *Flex* is, here's a generic
2015 FORD FLEX 3.5L V6 Rotor & Brake Pad Kit | RockAuto
RockAuto ships auto parts and body parts from over 300 manufacturers to customers' doors worldwide, all at warehouse prices. Easy to use parts catalog.
www.rockauto.com
I wasn't a BMW tech. Never claimed to be a BMW tech.
I was a Toyota and ASE master tech then left to build race cars and trucks. I was a smog technician for CA too well before they hired Monkey's to do the job. I went to school with a couple of guys that ended up at Crevier BMW and another good friend that is still a BMW tech to this day. I worked on a few BMW's and sorry I fucked up on which German brand made the rotors. I sourced them for a supply house in HB or maybe it was Costa Mesa that specialized in German car parts. It's only been 20+ years since I have looked at a box that had rotors for a BMW inside. Maybe they were white with blue lettering instead of yellow for the Bosch. Either way I don't really care. I know the coils were Bosch for sure.
Was my basic info correct? Yes. Don't use cheap Chinese or other sub par made rotors on a BMW.
So politely eat a dick with your comment about me not being much of a tech.
Cheap chinesium rotors lick balls, as do some posters…..
- Nov 3, 2010
- 9,701
- 20,396
Yeah, $600:
I understand that math is difficult for you, but a calculator should make this math simple enough. Quality parts tend to add up pretty quickly.
Go buy the stuff from Durango and Dynamic Friction (whoever the fuck they are) from the "Economy" section for your own stuff if you wish. I've got other areas in which I'd rather save that money. The difference works out to be less than a penny per mile, assuming the cheap stuff lasts as long (which it won't).
Warranty? Shit!! I get offers almost every day to extend the warranty.
I can hook you up. Just pm me your number and I'll refer you.
I can hook you up. Just pm me your number and I'll refer you.
I’m agree with not buying to ultimate care but having difficulty with your math.
$846 for an oil change and wipers? They always wash and vacuum for “free” with any service if you ask. There had to be more done than that. It doesn’t make sense.
I have 140k on mine. BMW X5 3.0 turbo. Oil change and a water pump three months ago is all I’ve ever done. Literally the best car I’ve ever owned. I will own another. The 3.0 has better reliability in my readings. The v8 may have issues past 100k, but there are still lots on the road. All cars need maintenance.
“I need to file a warranty claim on my turn Signals…” Said no BMW owner ever.
Sirhr
Sirhr
I understand that logic is difficult for you.
I could give a flying fuck if you spent double the price you should have and then feel you need to justify it .... because...well....I fucking don't care why.
Do you, for even 1 second, think that Ford did NOT source Chinese made brake components as OEM parts on that vehicle ?
I have plenty of shit to sell you if you think something is special about the things in a Ford/Motorcraft box.
C'mon, justify it some more, please.
Thats what I am saying...
I never got a receipt or whatever, but I had to sign the "estimate" which I wasnt paying for anyway due to having the Ultimate Care +... I SWEAR the "estimate" said something like 845 or something like that... and I was like "what in the fuck for an oil change and windshield wipers"... I honestly dont care what they bill out, but the number was stupid high that I saw...
They charged me $5 for the printed bill the first time I got service (not ultimate care)! It had my oil change and a quote for Michelin PSC2 run flats for $500/piece they recommended.
You want so badly to get respected as a gearhead around here, but you get so much shit wrong and then try to justify buying cheap brake parts
There's more to quality than where the parts are made. There's more to life than saving pennies - things that fit the first time and work properly and last longer provide greater value.
If you must have a BMW car or SUV, lease it. That way, they get it back way before it becomes a money pit to you.
I was approached by a close friend a few years back about changing an electric water pump on his 3 series. Internet sources said they usually go out every 50k miles on that engine. I took the splash shield off the bottom and looked at what it would take to change it. It looked like at least a 3 hour job with antifreeze dripping in your face throughout the whole ordeal. I put the splash shield back on and told him aw hell no. If engineers had to serve internships, you wouldn't see such nightmare maintenance tasks like that.
BMW motorcycles are legit, though. Definitely a different engineering mindset on their motorcycles versus what you see on their cars and SUVs. I've had a few BMW boxer engine bikes through the years. Simple to maintain and they handle rather instinctively. I only traded up every so often for the technological advances on the newer models.
I was approached by a close friend a few years back about changing an electric water pump on his 3 series. Internet sources said they usually go out every 50k miles on that engine. I took the splash shield off the bottom and looked at what it would take to change it. It looked like at least a 3 hour job with antifreeze dripping in your face throughout the whole ordeal. I put the splash shield back on and told him aw hell no. If engineers had to serve internships, you wouldn't see such nightmare maintenance tasks like that.
BMW motorcycles are legit, though. Definitely a different engineering mindset on their motorcycles versus what you see on their cars and SUVs. I've had a few BMW boxer engine bikes through the years. Simple to maintain and they handle rather instinctively. I only traded up every so often for the technological advances on the newer models.
I probably have more years as a mechanic than you have as living.You want so badly to get respected as a gearhead around here, but you get so much shit wrong and then try to justify buying cheap brake parts
There's more to quality than where the parts are made. There's more to life than saving pennies - things that fit the first time and work properly and last longer provide greater value.
You couldn't even look up the parts very well...
Is there something wrong with a upgraded kit from a very reputable manufacturer for a few hundred less than you paid ?
Oh, you couldn't figure out a simple website.
You're recommended *drilled* rotors now? Doesn't matter, those are the wrong parts for this application. For 2013-up, only the base SE model with FWD and the naturally aspirated motor got those brakes. Was your comment about not being able to look up parts deliberately ironic, or just a continuation of your deep history of inserting your foot in your mouth?
Don't really care how long someone has been doing a job wrong.
Don't really care how long someone has been doing a job wrong.
Get a Mazda. Arguably just as fun to drive and fantastic quality and reliability.
while not a BMW, Mini's are BMW owned,
I had 2 Coopers, both S's and both had the extended service warranty,
the extended service warranty is basically paying in advance, with a discount, for all service requirements up till 100K, and it worked out for me
drove both like I stole them, and when I took them in for service, I would get loaners to try out different models,
my 2010 was traded at 65K on a 13, the only cost out of pocket besides tires was one motor mount bushing $167)
I had 75K or so on the 13 when a jackass in a GMC rear ended me and totaled it, (I was sitting still in traffic, he was going 60+, booted me off the road, all I got was a bruised back from slapping the seat back the seat belt pulled me back)
my plan was to get rid of that car after 100K, since that was when the tended to get expensive (friend had an 09 that started to nickel and dime her about the 105 mark)
now, not sure if BMW's now are like Coopers,
Coopers are mixmasters, my S's both had French motors, Japanese Transmissions, and English built body\\chassis, wht some other stuff from here and there as well,
when I had my first Cooper, the BMW dealership and the MINI dealership were in the same building, and from what I could gather, there was very little issue with any BMW , as in all seemed to be in for routine service, and when I asked the service writer (he is a gun nut, so conversations varried) he told me there were no major issues with any of them, even offered one up for a loaner (I stuck with the Mini)
I had 2 Coopers, both S's and both had the extended service warranty,
the extended service warranty is basically paying in advance, with a discount, for all service requirements up till 100K, and it worked out for me
drove both like I stole them, and when I took them in for service, I would get loaners to try out different models,
my 2010 was traded at 65K on a 13, the only cost out of pocket besides tires was one motor mount bushing $167)
I had 75K or so on the 13 when a jackass in a GMC rear ended me and totaled it, (I was sitting still in traffic, he was going 60+, booted me off the road, all I got was a bruised back from slapping the seat back the seat belt pulled me back)
my plan was to get rid of that car after 100K, since that was when the tended to get expensive (friend had an 09 that started to nickel and dime her about the 105 mark)
now, not sure if BMW's now are like Coopers,
Coopers are mixmasters, my S's both had French motors, Japanese Transmissions, and English built body\\chassis, wht some other stuff from here and there as well,
when I had my first Cooper, the BMW dealership and the MINI dealership were in the same building, and from what I could gather, there was very little issue with any BMW , as in all seemed to be in for routine service, and when I asked the service writer (he is a gun nut, so conversations varried) he told me there were no major issues with any of them, even offered one up for a loaner (I stuck with the Mini)
Powerstop is the Savage of brakes. Those who buy them swear by them and won’t shut the fuck up about their badass drilled and slotted rotors on daily drivers, while everyone else has brakes that actually work and are actually quiet.
Slotting rotors for the street is fine. I ran them on a lightly upgraded Mustang I used to own. It helped make my brakes last longer because I drove like a madman and turned the local streets into a giant road race course for myself. Young and dumb but it was a lot of fun. I had a local place that could do slotting on stock rotors. I used that option and it was night and day better. I used the heavy duty type Bendix pads made for taxi's and police cars (at the time). No issues. I changed to rear disc on that car from the stock drum brakes. Cool cheap upgrade using Thunderbird parts and axles from a Ford Ranger.
Drilled rotors start to crack. Fine for a race car, not so much for the daily driver. The same with pads. There are some really good pads that handle high heat well, but they need to be heated up to work like they should. They would tend to suck when they were cold or make a lot of noise. Other options just wear out quickly and/or tear up rotors. but sure make a huge difference in performance. Now they have carbon rotors and special pads for those.
You might need to ask the real tech for clarification on what is best for your needs.
Drilled rotors start to crack. Fine for a race car, not so much for the daily driver. The same with pads. There are some really good pads that handle high heat well, but they need to be heated up to work like they should. They would tend to suck when they were cold or make a lot of noise. Other options just wear out quickly and/or tear up rotors. but sure make a huge difference in performance. Now they have carbon rotors and special pads for those.
You might need to ask the real tech for clarification on what is best for your needs.
So sorry to upset you. I'm just old, fumble fingered, and didn't bother to proof read my post. I will try to do better in the future so you can understand.
You clearly don’t have what it takes to make it in the public sector.
So you're trying to dig on me about the exact model of vehicle you have (that you NEVER mentioned other than just "edge" ) ?
Who gives a flying fuck ? Not me.
You got burned, bad, and feel you need to place the blame on me.
Heh....again, I don't give a fuck, you're the played, not the player here.
I didn't mention anything about you needing water cooled 6 pot AP calipers....well, because you don't need them and you're not smart enough to know how to install them, let alone operate them.
Yea, I know, you're hanging your head in shame but feel the need to be a keyboard commando to (in a very weak attempt) strut your nothingness.
Strut away big man while you weep in the shadows.
Ford crown Vic brakes were impressive. Stock brakes made it 50k. Anything from Napa would last 20-25k for 70% of the price. Take it to Ford for motorcraft brakes and they'd last 50k again.
This was being used by highway patrol. So not super hard on brakes, but hard enough (the speed limiters were tested quite frequently back then).
I have bought stuff that said GM on the box after getting 3 bad parts from the regular sources. It cost 3x as much but lasted like the stock stuff.
I go Akebono anytime they make brakes that fit what I’m fixing. They’re also often the OEM supplier for anything Jap brand and I can get them at a third of what the dealership asks.
Hey man, I get your frustration. You stepped into the conversation without understanding the basic thrust of what was happening (a discussion amongst adults on the value of paying thousands of dollars for a service plan instead of hundreds of dollars on parts), sidetracked the thread by offering an uninformed opinion (you admit you aren't familiar with the vehicle being discussed), and kept digging the hole deeper by stanning for crappy parts (Powerstop) in pursuit of a bad concept (going cheap on brake parts). That's gotta hurt, and I feel sorry for you and your ego that's so clearly in need of a stroke.
Looking forward to our next chat!
I personally will never again buy a German made vehicle ever again.
Both of my BMW 3 and 5 series had issues preventing them from even being rolled to a safe place off the street when they failed and the 5 series only had 50k miles and failed to start for more 3 times including an instance after a brand new battery replacement. Lots and lots of Xmas tree lights constantly going off and on the dashboard too. If you plan to own a BMW please be sure to have a Toyota as a spare since you will definitely need a spare car whenever the BMW is in the shop for repairs and when you get stuck bit able to even start the car. Whoopteedoo you got an extended warranty sure need it since it's gonna be in the shop more than you think.
Good news about BMWs they are probably the best most fun to drive family sedans ONLY WHEN THEY ACTUALLY WORK.
Same with the Audis I owned most fun to drive but had problems stuck after parked wouldn't start many times in for repairs I got suck of it. Audi TT AWD Turbo in the shop more than a KIA and too bad that was a really fun car to drive.
VW had couple of Beetles the misses liked but everything brike off or fell apart in the interior and transmission quit on two of them.
Even had a MINI Cooper what a POS rubbish car that one was. It's a BMW believe it or not with VW low quality fall apart interior and exterior.
Had a couple of Mercedes E320 and C supercharger coupe and nothing but problems too. ML350 horrible SUV always had a strong gasoline smell inside that wouldnt go away interior falling apart, got this one used cost just to replace spark plugs/coils I paid a mechanic $2000.00 just for a tune up yikes. In fact there weren't a single German made vehicle I ever owned that was trouble free.
These German cars are far cry from the super reliable boring Toyotas I previously drove. At least I never had any issues nor ever gotten stranded and unable to start like a of the German cars I owned. Never again.
My advice if you or the spouse really insist on buying a German made car, only buy them brand new never a used one and be damn sure to trade them in before 30k miles. My BMW 5 series started to have serious issues once it hit 40k miles including transmission failure warning on the onboard computer warning data history then followed by totally dead car and nothing I tried would get it started.
Smart these German auto makers really are, who planned to have them fail past 40k miles so rich folks keep on buying and trading them in every year or 2.
I wouldn't recommend buying a used Lexus at least not the early 90's models either even if they're fancy Toyotas. I had an ES 300 and LS 400 early 90's bought in the 2000's all kinds of problems and super expensive to fix. Not as bad as the totally stranded no start German cars though. The later Lexus models are fine to buy certified pre owned from with one owner history with clean Carfax though. The 98-2002 ES300 and 99-2000 LS400 models were excellent reliable cars when bought with under 100k miles. I didn't like the 2003-04 ES300 and 2001-05 LS 430 by comparison though.
I'd recommend buying a new top of the line Toyota Camry with the V6 before they're gone forever or the Lexus version.
Something that has worked well for me in the past, (a little time consuming) is to observe where the dealer mechanics buy their lunch. Striking up a conversation and buying a burger for a tech or two, has given me valuable info in the past.
Various electronic/electrical component failure and spun big end bearings seem to be likely on that Beemer.
Had an ex that wanted an old Alfa Romeo, despite the likelihood of it being unable to drive out of sight without breaking down. I bought it for her, and a gold subscription to a breakdown service including rental car and hotel cover. Three weeks later I get ‘the call’, it’s shit the bed. ‘Look in the glovebox honey, you’re ok’. She was happy, I scored sandwich and nookie points, and got to trade it on a nice Honda Accord Euro not long after that.
Various electronic/electrical component failure and spun big end bearings seem to be likely on that Beemer.
Had an ex that wanted an old Alfa Romeo, despite the likelihood of it being unable to drive out of sight without breaking down. I bought it for her, and a gold subscription to a breakdown service including rental car and hotel cover. Three weeks later I get ‘the call’, it’s shit the bed. ‘Look in the glovebox honey, you’re ok’. She was happy, I scored sandwich and nookie points, and got to trade it on a nice Honda Accord Euro not long after that.
Everyone has their opinion. Get what you like and can afford. I had a 2002 BMW E39 M5 for 20 years. Great car!! Got rid of it because I got tired of fixing all the rust spots after 20 years in Michigan winters. Now have a 2022 M550i which is incredible. The wife’s 2020 X5 has been awesome much better than our last two Acura MDX’s!! Sons X2 also has been awesome!! Nothing drives like a BMW-I will always drive BMW. I do use a local friend/BMW mechanic once out of warranty saving a lot over dealership costs. Good luck within your decision.
