Now that the E36 is a classic and E46's are getting harder and harder to find in decent condition, is the E9X the best enthusiast platform by BMW currently?>technologically superior to the E36/E46, and no rear subframe cracks>not as bloated as later cars, still has a manual for every trim>last 3er available with an na straight 6>N54 is a legend, E9X cars powered by it essentially have the same performance as older gen M3s for half the price and modding potential is limitlessso, when are you buying yours?
E90/92 and E87 are the last BMWs that aren't overpriced and have the best feeling. A 128i for example compares very favorably to a BRZ/GT86, but as always keep your options open in today's world...you might be in a place where you can find a $5-7000 128i that you can throw a cool $5-7000 in mods or where it's $8-14,000 for a 128i and you're better off buying a 14-17 BRZ for the same money (which already has a Torsen LSD and weighs 400lbs less)https://youtu.be/KkbbPLpeJB4I like that YouTuber and his opinions/tastes/reviews.
Tell me why I shouldn't trade in my escape and get a 21 m340i
>>27609233Yes, E90 is the last of the best enthusiast platform by BMW peaking before the decline we see now. Euro regs and everything being turbo now, across the board on all manufacturer's, not just BMW. The overuse of tech and ipad screens, everything is gotten cheapened to still bring vehicles to market people can afford. Not sure where you find a 5 or 7k 128i, they usually run higher than a used 3 series on average. And I wouldn't recommend one of the cheaper high mileage 3 series you see sometimes at 6k to 8k. Be Warned! The cheaper the car will be due to low maintenance and enough existing conditions where the seller knows he's pawning off abused junk that will cost the buyer tons if he doesn't know the history of the car. I've paid mine off years ago and has 104k miles. At 80k no start condition = eccentric crank shaft sensor failure, over 3k in repairs, sensor, new valve cover gasket, went ahead and replaced plugs/coil packs, belt and hoses since they were in there, not cheap! The front cooling fans went out, 1700.00 repair. Then cats went out and threw a code, that was 4200.00, then I replaced the oil pan gasket, that's 1675.00. I've replaced OE battery, wasn't too bad. Rear window lift motor replacement, that was over 500. I maintain my car at the dealership, but no doubt, I do not recommend these cars for younger or broke fellas. And that's why they sell cheap, everyone know the repair bill horror stories, nobody want's that headache. I'm used to dumping money into project cars or classics, I'm fine with this. But know what you're getting into. My repairs cost more than some used cars, I know this...Older I get the less I like working on cars, need to reset computers on BMW for so much anyway, I let them mess with it all. Fantastic car, has sport mode, still a better car than 90% of what I see daily around me.. Would do again..
>>27609524>Those labor prices Anon please PLEASE go to a indy BMW shop if you can't work on it yourself. E90/92 are old enough the dealers wont even touch. I wouldn't recommend any old BMW if you're incapable of working on it yourself, buy a car that's not German.
>>27609542I used to go to a BMW only place here, they pissed me off. That was on the cats, dealer was high so I went over there. Quoted a bit lower. Then I asked as I noticed the sea of modded BMW's up front I know these guys are doing mods. I said hey, off the record, what would you guys do if this was you or your crew? I know you guys aren't going OE only. What are you guys using? He replied, oh no, we can only replace with OE, liability, etc. I said fine, go ahead. A week goes by, then another, I call, they say they can't get OE. Would I be interested in another brand? Fuck I hit the roof, mother fuckers! So they charge me OE price for some different brand cats, but the point is I knew you could get other brands but they wouldn't even consider it till it's time to fuck me. Never went back, never going back, fuck them. My other indy shop, I go in, pick up car, that was cooling fans job, they used VDO. But my driver windshield wiper is fucking gone! Missing! I asked, where's my wiper? They said it came in like that! So fuck off with another one, I'm dealer only now. Here's my old white 2004 325i, it got totaled at 133k miles so I got the 328i in 2016.
>>27609233Where's this limitless modding potential you speak of? There's not much I can do with my e90 and expect everything to work properly.
>>27609233>see man riding a german whip.jpgChecked, I remember when that song came out. I sold my E90 a decade ago to get into an E46 instead, and ended up switching to Mercedes after that however.I wouldn't say the E90 is the best enthusiast platform, rather it's the best reasonable/fun enthusiast daily driver still available. Stay away from the N54 models unless you're trying to build a drag car however (that's not going to be a daily). N52s are rock solid (no turbos, non direct-injected, most powerful non-M n/a I6s BMW ever built) while N54s are money pits that can pump out impressive numbers when working. I don't know much about the 335d, but I'd love to have one at the same time
N54 is overrated, you can get as much power from the N55 and it's more reliable, even if just a tiny bit
>>27609233I've been buying up e60's. They're slept on, weigh a much as an e90 and some trims are lighter than e90's, 04/05 525i/530i with the 6 speed manual weighs 44 lbs less than a 6 speed manual 325i/328/330i.
Fuck bmws, too many fucking numbers and letters. Can't keep track of them all. Too expensive, too unreliable.
>>27610267E60 with M57 or M54 and manual is one of the cheapest bmw comfybarges you can buyE90 best engine is M57 but its not a popular engine in burgerland afaik>>27610465Bmw numbers are the only numbers that matter, i know every E/F series but with G and U series i start to struggle
>>27610465Btw I own 3 M cars and have restored a turbo’d a 80’s bmw, have owned like 30 bmws in total, here’s some advice:Stay away from V8 bmws newer than M62/S62 Unless low mileage stay away from N53, N42, N20/N26, N54(unless youre a tuner/fanatic)Stay away from older xdrive bmwsTest the auto gearbox carefully- look for rough shifts from 2-3rd gear at low speeds once engine warmed up, look for “floating” rpms when at cruising speed (60mph) if floating torque converter is fckedStay away from 5 series wagons (yes i know everyone loves wagons)Stay away from air suspension
I've been thinking about a 2020 430i. Is the 4 cylinder turbo that bad? I don't plan on racing, so I don't think I would need the 440i.
>>27610496TLDR: Just avoid bmws?I would be willing to buy one. I'm in the market for a new car soon, saving. But I'd like to get something nice in the 20-30k range that is 08 or newer preferably. But I'm coming from Hondas, I don't think I'm going to want to pay what it costs to upkeep a BMW.
>>27610517For 20-30k you can find a B58 powered bmw which will be nice and reliable. B58 is the mk5 supra engine btw. F30 340i, F32 440i, G30 540i for example. Find a non modified(aka molested) example, the lower the mileage the better.I’m european so i dont 100% understand the US market but i have imported two bmws from america so i’m not completely clueless
>>27610527I needed a modern-ish daily and as stupid as it sounds my best option for the € was an F82 M4 with a manual gearbox.It had lower mileage than other “normal” bmws for the €, next to zero depreciation, cheap maintenance, low fuel consumption
>>27610531Took the m4 on a 5000km trip across europe, drove the Nurburgring, the Alps, drift events, track days, some random “gumball” type events, major car shows, daily driven and drifted on siberia type weather, car takes everything like a champ. replaced: brakes, top mount intercooler, plugs/coils, belts
Older BMW's are great when they are maintained well and aren't broken. They've become really cheap on the used market for a reason. Around here you can get a 1 series hatch or a 3 series base model for like 3 or 4k but I wouldn't buy one
>>27610537-30c
The best BMW is the one I can afford
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeJOG4CwN6I
>>27610481All of my e60's are m54 cars. I'm trying to import an e61 535d from germany.
>>27610562I had a decat/dpf off/egr off/tuned 535d e61, it was quite schnell and did like 7L/100km but I hated all the touring specific problemsThis is what it sounded like https://youtu.be/xhIlGevP-7Q?feature=shared
Z3 is always the answer
>>27609233>not as bloated as later carsMine weighs 4,096 lbs. She's quick, though.
>>27610581>but I hated all the touring specific problemssuch as?
>>27609935There's some 9 second cars running around, the fuel system (DI) limits you to 600 or so whp.
>>27610010My N54 is a daily, weather permitting, makes 500/500 like nothing.>>27610028You don't know what you are talking about, the N55 is a turd.>>27610267Been looking for a 535 but they are ALL x drive here.
>>27610650The trunk wiring harness is a classic, it tends to fray the insulation on the wires and result in a shitload of electrical problems with everything in the general vicinity of the hatch. There is an aftermarket repair kit that permanently fixes it, but it's an annoying job.
>>27610650nta but they have a problem with the wiring harness in the hatch breaking and the keyless entry/fm radio antenna circuit board are external. it lives under a panel on the outside of the hatch and water gets into it.
>>27610732>>27610729This+air suspension issues+pano sunroof leaks and ruins every ecu in trunk
>>27609233I'd say that it is the best enthusiast platform from BMW that you can currently buy for a reasonable price but I'd be biased. >See_man_ridin_a_german_whip.jpgChecked.
I <3 my 1 series.People are sleeping on these.If you're looking for a fast, manual, rwd 2-door car, that's fairly practical, blends in with regular traffic (good for hooning around) and drives fantastic (with a few mods) this is your car.I was looking at 2013-14 mustang GTs, Challenger 392s, Pontiac G8s, & other bmws before getting this.It was, and still is, a good value, although they're going up in price now.You can buy them dirt cheap, even ones modified with single turbos already. DO NOT buy if you are not mechanically inclined, or cannot afford to spend $3-4k at any given time for an emergency repair. Although this car has been very reliable for me, it is still finicky with little things always needing your attention. It's a stimulating car to own for the person that enjoys tinkering, modifying, fixing & improving, but also driving & enjoying, chill or spirited. It is NOT for the person that wants the car to just drive fun from a to b and never look under the hood. 335i & 135i's are essentially the same underneath. With all the suspension, steering, & power mods I've done to this car, I can argue it drives BETTER than most M cars, even after driving tons of fun manual cars.
>>27611069>335i & 135i's are essentially the same underneath.That's why the 1 series is kinda shit, it weighs the same, despite being shorter and they are actually more expensive, at least here. Uglier too. Just get an E92.
>>27611123The 1 Series has a shorter wheelbase and weighs 150lbs less so it handles much better. The YouTuber/Enthusiast crowd discovered them, so now they're getting expensive.
>>27609233hapa bros they keep posting thisalso n54 was KINO. Could take 15 lbs np
>>27609233you are pretty much spot on, but its kinda slowalso fuck the n54>>27611069>>276111511 series is kinda based, but in my experience its feels a lot cheaper compared to e90I had a 120d, but going to a 325i the difference is huge, the e87 felt so stiff compared to the e91 in terms of handling and ride quality, maybe the e82 is betterI fucking love my e91, was gonna put on my eibach prokit springs, but got sick like a dog, trying to cop a set of ET20 style 135s in the meantime
>>27611069>>27609233yeah but look at it , look at that line, that designnobody comes close to e46not your egglike e90 and 1 serieslooks fucking matter as wellyour only arguments are engine
>>27612101F32 is the best looking BMW.
>>27610267Is the E60 becoming classic/sought after now? I've seen pricing moving up and people talk about it more.
>>27612412M5s are still ~12k where I live
>>27612414The E60 M5 reputation will continue to scare people for a long time imo, so that probably explains it.
>>27609233Stop telling normies about the n54/55 powered cars you faggot, keep the price down.
>>27612396Does anyone know if this is a stock color?I can't seem to find it, but I could be looking at the wrong year/model.https://www.carsdirect.com/2018/bmw/4-series/colors
>>27612707Not sure, I like my BMW's how I like my women.Strong, black and bitter...
>>27612101>nothing comes close to the E46>posts the sedan version
>>27614680>muh M3For me, it's gotta be a blue 330ci.h8 red; simple as.
>>27614748my daily is a 328Ci in this exact color, really like this car, i'll probably end up ditching it for the M3 one day
>>27609233>so, when are you buying yours?never lol3 series is overated, i drive all of them from e30 to g20 Same with 5 series i had e34, e60, i drive f10, e28 and g30 and even the new g60. G60 is a joke, in europe we get them only with i4, maybe next year we get them with i6 plug in hybrid.This is how i see it e36>e92>e46>g20>f30 The best 5 series is e34 i still miss my old one. It was the best car i ever had. Now i have e39 because is cheap to run reliable daily. I hate all that modules crap and all engines after M series ages very poorly. All my friend have stupid problems with them, cars i sell have stupid problem, repair lots near my house are full of broken N, S and B engines cars. Next year i'm going to buy e34 again but this time early car. With M20 or m30 engine. 88-90 model years with no options, no AC, crank windows and cloth seats. I will do rust repairs, cover all floor with ship rust proofing paint and drive that ghetto ass shitbox for years. I'm just tired of modern car, i work with them, i sell them and all i want is simple good old inline 6 car with maintenance i can do with my buddy in the garage while drinking beer. TLDR: BMW gong gives me PTSD
>>27615126>TLDR: BMW gong gives me PTSDOh hey the temp dropped during your trip and it's almost freezing outside now, here's a little audible reminder :^)
>>27609233nothey are treated even worse than E46sthey are all overheated because retard third or fourth owners never change the stupid $800 electric water pump the interior and gauge binnacle look cheap as shit compared to the earlier onesE39 is the best but right now
>>27610267I thought E60s had a bunch of dumb electrical problems
>>27615126This resonates with me because I'm an E34 fanboy and despise the E36, E39 and everything after them.
>>27615819Nothing too serious, just easily replaceable modules. They mostly get auto trans issues because everyone believed the "lifetime" trans fluid meme.
>>27610584YES!
