Bavarian Money Waster? Burn My Wallet? The BMW marque has always been associated with performance and cutting-edge engineering, and sometimes that can mean expensive repair bills.
Despite the way that some people want to vilify the famous German automaker, it’s not only possible but straightforward to buy a well-sorted BMW. What’s important is to inspect the car before your purchase, or have a qualified professional inspect it for you. A good pre-purchase-inspection (PPI) might cost you $100, and if you’re serious about buying the car that’s a small price to pay for peace of mind.
Recalls, Leaks, and Rust
Certain things need to be checked on any car before you commit to a purchase. Your local BMW dealership can look up your car’s VIN number and give you a rundown of recalls that have been carried out on your car, and any that are outstanding. Don’t buy a car with a major outstanding recall due unless you’re prepared to have it carried out right away, as many BMW recalls can involve sensitive engine internals that can cause catastrophic failure if they go unattended too long.
Obvious signs of negligence from the prior owners are the next thing to check for. Is the car leaking oil or other fluids from the engine and drivetrain? Are there signs of a repaint on any of the car’s body panels? Check the door sills and underhood for overspray. Put the car on a lift, and look for signs of oxidation and rust.
Have the car’s tires, air filter, clutch, and other wear items been well-kept? Was the radio left on 107.3 The Facemelter? These could all be red flags. A Carfax or Autocheck report is worth getting to speak to whether the car was crashed, ask if the seller has one.
Car-Specific Issues
Because BMW’s are such particular cars, you’ll want to have a thorough knowledge of the model you’re looking to buy when you go into your inspection.
Check out owners’ forums, and if you’ve got a knowledgeable BMW buddy, ask them to lend their expertise. The brand has a healthy following, which means that unless you’re buying a brand-new car, someone else has probably documented the issues that are specific to the model you’re looking at.
For example, diesel-powered BMWs are stout highway cruisers that deliver loads of torque, but they require an expensive service every 70,000 miles or so to remove buildup from fuel degradation.
The deposits left by degraded diesel fuel are removed using walnut blasting, and it’s safe to allocate around $2000 for the head-off service. Cars that have had fuel left sitting for too long can suffer from diesel fuel degradation, which can lead to poor engine performance and lots of smoke from your tailpipe.
The popular M line of high-performance BMWs are some of the most high-maintenance cars as you might expect, and both the M3 and M5 platforms have had engine issues that might require a rod bearing recall or VANOS (the car’s valve-timing system) rebuild to avoid putting your bimmer out to pasture.
But the good news is that BMW’s fixes for these issues have typically worked, and once performed you should not have to think about these things for a long time.
So, has this article frightened you out of your potential BMW purchase. Hopefully not, as any marque has its share of challenges, and BMWs can be fun and rewarding cars to own. If you’ve got advice for our readers about what to look for on a pre-owned BMW, let us know in the comments section!