Not Planning Maintentance Sucks - WAS... 'BMW's Suck'

PhilFausz · **Posted:** Tue Feb 19, 2008 8:34 am

So I've owned countless Honda's and we've had our 4Runner now for nearly 130k with no troubles. The M3 has 109k and after yesterday, I've replaced
- all 75k items
- Fan, fan clutch, water pump (yes, again)
- power steering hoses
- transmission mounts
- PS rack
- tie rods (inner/outer)
- front control arms & bushing
- Rear trailing arm bushing
- who knows what else I'm missing
- F/R brakes and rotors

I've still got things like O2 sensors (there not quite toast yet), a noisy passenger window, and engine mounts still on the list. After reading Marcus's list of parts he's replaced, it makes me second guess this car. I'm hoping one of our upcoming events will make that thought go away!!!

Oh yeah, the soft brake pedal issue was NOT due to air in the lines. After driving the car for a short time, I noticed the pads were not contacting on about an inch of the rotor. When I replaced the rotors and pads, the brakes are much stronger than they've ever been.

By the way, what does BMW stand for? The first two letters are certainly Bring Money, but what's the "W"?

Kevin Allen · **Joined:** Thu Aug 28, 2003 6:42 pm **Posts:** 3479

Yeah... I've been wanting/periodically looking for an E36 M3 for awhile, but after seeing all these repair threads & hearing about all the flimsy/poorly-engineered crap, I think I'll be sticking with Subarus. :lol:

Maybe for reliable RWD fun I'll try a Mustang.

Arthur McDonald · **Joined:** Fri Aug 29, 2003 1:54 am **Posts:** 2052

Wilhelm?

In defense of the car, it is 10 years old. Many of the things you mention are either wear items, or made of rubber, which deteriorate over time.

They only said it was the Ultimate DRIVING machine.

Stacy King · **Posted:** Tue Feb 19, 2008 9:15 am

Arthur McDonald wrote:

In defense of the car, it is 10 years old. Many of the things you mention are either wear items, or made of rubber, which deteriorate over time.

Sorry for you troubles Phil... but I'd also add to Arthur's statement that if you pushed your hondas and toyotas as hard as I assume you push the Bimmer, don't you think you'd be replacing the same things? I feel it's more of a use/wear issue rather than a manufacturing issue. Comes with the territory of autocrossing and tracking your car... especially one as capable as the M3.

You can find countless identical threads about every make/model.

DanDurusky · **Joined:** Sun Apr 10, 2005 7:31 pm **Posts:** 686

I would hope that list would be completed on ANY 10yr+ 100kmile+ track car.

Don't get me started on what needs to be replaced on a TWENTY year old 200kmile+ track car

Matt McGrain · **Posted:** Tue Feb 19, 2008 9:56 am

Wanker?

Phil, I'm having second thoughts about selling my R at the end of the season for an M3 due to all the things you're mentioning. Plus, all the negative things I read about the M's on m3forum.net don't make me feel any better.

I absolutely love the torque, raspy sounding exhaust and cosmetics of the E46's but between the maintenance and the probability of getting whooped by the S2ks in AS and the $1200 R-comps, I'm having a few doubts.

I just want to be one of the guys on there that claims they've had their M3 for 70k+ without a single issue, not one of the guys with a laundry list of things replaced at 30,000 miles.

steve remchak · **Posted:** Tue Feb 19, 2008 9:58 am

certainly an acquired taste. sorry to hear of your frustration Phil.

the used BMW purchasing rule of thumb............. Mr. Whitney?

DanDurusky · **Joined:** Sun Apr 10, 2005 7:31 pm **Posts:** 686

My advice would to be to buy a clean (rust free) 125kmilish '96+ E36 M3 from an owner who just did all the 100kish maint including the cooling system and maybe some bushings/suspension.

Finish the remaining bushings and control arms yourself if needed. Maybe do it over the course of a few months/a year if theyre in ok shape.

The drivetrain will last forever. a 150k BMW is still a baby

It needs basically a plastics/rubber overhaul at 100k and its born again.

clinehall · **Posted:** Tue Feb 19, 2008 10:08 am

Econ 101:

Utils of pleasure. You have to personally base your pleasure purchase on a benchmark to determind if something is worth the price. Perhaps you say " I gain great pleasure from a fine meal that costs $50" so now you base everything off of that basis, that is one util of pleasure. Will a $200 expenditure give you 4 utils of pleaure ? if so, then it is worth it.

Basically, the more fun something is, the more it costs. I can guarantee that the M3 on the track (and assocaited expenses) will give you far more pleasure than 130k trouble free miles on a 4runner.

PhilFausz · **Posted:** Tue Feb 19, 2008 10:18 am

Hey, it's just a rant. Like I said, we'll see what I think about it after autocrossing again. I also agree that I should have expected replacing parts and I should have budgeted for replacing parts, which I didn't. This is honestly the biggest sore spot, which certainly falls on my shoulders.

I agree with Dan, the E46 from what I've heard has a few areas where it requires more (or more often) maintenance. Of course, I don't think it has the cooling issues that the E36's do.

MikeWhitney · **Joined:** Wed Aug 20, 2003 9:15 pm **Posts:** 4724

steve remchak wrote:

certainly an acquired taste. sorry to hear of your frustration Phil.

the used BMW purchasing rule of thumb............. Mr. Whitney?

Not so much for the M3, but my rule of thumb for an E39 is: don't buy one unless you are fascinated by things going wrong.

Phil, sorry but wah-fricking-wah. There is plenty of info out there that says if you want to make a 100k mile BMW feel like new, you need to replace a couple grand of shit on it. Nothing you listed as having replaced was broken or kept you from driving down the road.

Find another 3000 lb RWD 240hp car with a proper rear suspension that is more reliable, less complex, has lots of racer support, and cheap parts -- and I'll ditch the BMW camp with you.

Matt McGrain · **Posted:** Tue Feb 19, 2008 11:59 am

MikeWhitney wrote:

Find another 3000 lb RWD 240hp car with a proper rear suspension that is more reliable, less complex, has lots of racer support, and cheap parts -- and I'll ditch the BMW camp with you.

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/car/578314127.html

$25k 'asking price' for an '07 with 5k miles. Wow!

It's a shame these aren't as track worthy being a vert.

Karl Shultz · **Posted:** Tue Feb 19, 2008 12:00 pm

I'm actually hoping more people buy E36 BMWs. 13 threads on the front page of the Tech section isn't nearly enough.

BretLuter · **Posted:** Tue Feb 19, 2008 12:10 pm

Bring Wads of Money

Well, you get the point.

Yes, M3's are POS's- I'll do you a favor and take it off your hands for $500..........

Your Hondas and Toyota probably "needed" many of the parts you mentioned too- but you didn't find out about it because you probably didn't use them for track duty.

And, like Mike said in his brake (break?) post, the level of things wearing/breaking goes up exponentially the harder you push a car on track, and even though you *think* you are pushing it as hard as it will go when you first start doing these things, I guarantee there is someone out there who can push harder.

Bret.

clinehall · **Posted:** Tue Feb 19, 2008 12:13 pm

ON the s2000-Besides the Convert. issue I heard the are horrible about snap-spinning is why you don't see alot of them at the track. Anybody know if that's true.

THSCC Forums

Not Planning Maintentance Sucks - WAS... 'BMW's Suck'

Who is online