Possibly buying my first BMW

[Mbin903]

Hello everyone.
New member with my first post and was hoping to get a little input. I’m looking at a 2011 M3 convertible, about 75k miles for around 24k. Looks like a nice car.
I haven’t looked at it yet but might today. Is there anything in particular I should pay attention to? Look at?
I’ve been reading on here a little and noticed a lot of talk about main bearing issues. Is that really a big problem with these cars? I’ve never owned a BMW before and know nothing about them. And not that it really matters, I’m going to be trading in a nice 2012 CTS V coupe, so I know I’m going to be losing a little bit of power.
Any input would be greatly appreciated

[timothy2001]

Welcome...what you will lose in HP and power will more than be made up for in driving pleasure. Love the CTS V though, I have always been a fan. Main bearings are not so much the issue as are rod bearings and throttle actuators but do a search and you will get more information than you would expect.

$24k appears to be priced right and possibly a bit low so do your normal due diligence when purchaisng a used car. Try to get the maintenance history and the warranty history if possible. Not having the rod bearings or actuators done should not be a deal killer, I did my bearings a few months ago on a 2011 with 60k miles and they looked fine and I have not replaed my actuators and won't until they fail....if they fail. On the other hand, some bearing caps come out looking like crap and people feel fortunate they caught it in time.

IMO these cars are reliable in general and for a performance car are a huge bang for the buck. Spend some time on this forum reading through the threads and you will learn a lot as this is one of the best sources of information on our platfrom.

There are always indicators of the previous owners care and attention.

Good luck.

[Mbin903]

Timothy
Thank you for the reply and information. I’m trying to read up on here as much as I can. And plan on checking out as much as I can when/if I go look at it.

[LakeSurfer]

I was thinking $24k seems a little low as well. Borderline suspiciously low?

Most will tell you to do the rod bearings so take $2k for that and maybe $1500 for the throttle actuators. Can't remember the price on the TAs though. Mine failed at 40k miles and left me stranded but some last 100k. The general consensus is that they all will fail. But I would just go ahead and have them on a shelf in the garage. My car has 54k miles and I've replaced the belts, wheel speed sensors, a coupe fuel sensors a few other sensors, TAs, rod bearings, tires and breaks a couple times and a bunch more. I've never cared this much about a car so I try to take care of it as best I can. I wouldn't say they are "reliable" cars and most people will argue. I'm not a BMW supporter or hater so I'm not to biased. I wanted a V8 hardtop vert with a six speed manual transmission. As far as I could find the E93 is the only one. I would say they are "high maintenance" and a little needy. You can jump in it every day and dive the snot out of it but at some point you're gonna have to pay to play. I've had 20? Cars in my life and this one has demanded the most money out of my pocket by far but BMW has its own price point for everything and I'm not gonna put cheap tires on it like I would on my truck.

Look for obvious things. Panel alignment and gaps. But don't worry about the front bumper as BMW did an awful job from the factory. Look for over spray or "hallos" in the paint as evidence of a respray. Look at as many screw heads as possible. If paint is chipped off it, then most likely the panel was removed, why was it removed? Look in the engine bay in all the hard to see areas for evidence of oil leaks, valve covers, oil filler thing. Try to get under it and check for fluid leaks. Check the color of the fluids if possible. BMW should, I believe use blue coolant. I understand that the DCT has a history off leaking. Mines a manual E93 though so I'm ignorant to the DCT. Operate the top a few times. There are a few clunky spots but it generally it should be smooth operating. For the vert there is some chord/rope material that hold and help move a panel around on the c pillar while the top is moving. Check for fraying of those chords while the top is halfway up/down. Mine snapped and ended up damaging the rear side panel. Most ebay replacements have that same damage and a new panel is in the hundreds to replace.

[Mbin903]

Yea I’m not sure what the deal is with the price. It looks like they got it in their inventory around 5-19 and had it for 27 something. Then for some reason dropped it to 23,900. The carfax looks good, but that can be deceiving as well.
I’ve had zero problems with my V, but guess I’m just bored and want something else. Lol
I’ve had a few convertibles over the years (boxster s, 370z, corvette) but they’ve all been soft tops and thought I’d try the hard top. But now I’m wondering if I should just keep what I’ve got. I don’t really want to buy someone else’s headache. But the M3 looks like a nice car on their site, so I don’t know.

[Richneerd]

Should check this post out! - https://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1418410

Tackle maintenance before mods!

[Mbin903]

What year models of the M3 have the dual clutch transmission?

[jd501]

Originally Posted by Mbin903

What year models of the M3 have the dual clutch transmission?

E9X and F8X?

2008-2013, 2015-2020.

[Cmassey3]

I'd prepare for $10k in maintenance in the first year at that mileage. Definitely see what you can get for maintenance history before buying, you'll have an idea of what you're getting into from there.

I bought at a similar mileage and I've done about $15-$20k in servicing over two years but I'm about clean for another 100k now.

Here's everything I've done or had done:

• Rod bearings + motor mounts
• DCT mechatronics seal leaking - reseal transmission
• Alternator failing - replace alternator
• Throttle body actuators failed - replaced both
• New spark plugs + 2 new ignition coils
• All new fluids - power steering/rear diff/main oil (consumables)
• All new pads/rotors (consumables)
• Fixed headlight washer leak
• Cosmetic repairs: headliner, various trim, front undertray

[Mbin903]

Wow, it sounds like you have to plan on spending a ton of money on one before you even get to buy it. Almost makes me scared enough to not even get one

[Binary420]

Rod bearings should be replaced around 75k miles or sooner, so see if that has been done,
otherwise, factor another $3000+ into the purchase price and have it done right away (unless you do it yourself, then its like $1200 for bearings and bolts)

Also, the throttle actuators go out like clockwork at about 75-85k miles. That issue is not an if but when, so if those have yet to be replaced, I would factor another $1000+ (DIY)

beyond that, the S65 engine is quite reliable generally speaking. There are a few more common failure points, but nothing catastrophic besides the bearings unless your really unlucky.

Is it DCT or Manual?

[Mbin903]

Binary..
It’s a DCT. And the thing is, buying a used car from a dealership that bought it from another dealership, you have no way of knowing what’s been done to it. Not sure if something like that would show up in it’s carfax, but if it did, it’s not on there.

[tbuck]

Originally Posted by Mbin903

Wow, it sounds like you have to plan on spending a ton of money on one before you even get to buy it. Almost makes me scared enough to not even get one

That is the reality with all M-cars. They are somewhat maintenance whores, and so you have to plan ahead and do lots of PM to keep things going smoothly.

Here is a rule of thumb that has applied to these cars, and most other performance cars, for as long as I have been driving M's. Figure at a start the base cost of a well maintained and fully up to date E9x M3, and for this we will say $40k for a middle miles (<80k) example in good physical condition. This will have had RB's done and maybe TA's as well. Lots of records have been kept, interior and exterior are clean and in good condition. In all, this is what an average example in this condition will cost you.

SO, you find one for $30, but it has not been as well looked after. No records so we don't know if RB's or TA's have been done, or anything else for that matter. Body may be reasonably clean but will need a good detail. Tires, brakes and other wear items will need to be addressed in short order. After having taken care of all of that to the tune of around $10k you have now brought that car up to the base level of $40k.

So going in, you have to be prepared to either handle yourself all of the things required to keep an M-car going long term, or be prepared to spend extra up front to get a car that has already been taken care of. In the end, your cost will usually work out to be about the same.

Bottom line, these cars do have a higher TCO than an average BMW or any other regular premium brand car. The offset to that is nothing will give you as much back in smiles-per-mile as one of these. They are a blast to drive, on the street or on the track, and more than make up for the need for regular $$$ maintenance and looking after. You want low TCO, buy a honda. You want your face to hurt from smiling after a spirited drive through the curvies, then buy an M3.

Good luck with your search.

[neilum]

Originally Posted by Mbin903

Wow, it sounds like you have to plan on spending a ton of money on one before you even get to buy it. Almost makes me scared enough to not even get one

You really have to pay to play with these cars. They are extremely well built and last a long time but that comes at a much higher cost than most cars.

[nick3753]

How are your mechanic skills? If your pretty good with a wrench, then the cost isn't that terrible unless you're terribly unlucky.

[Mbin903]

Tbuck…. Thank you for the info and insight. I see what you’re saying about getting one that either has everything done or getting one cheaper and having it done. Mainly I was getting one because I like the way they look and wanted another convertible, and a hardtop at that. I hardly ever drive my V coupe…7k miles in 2 years, and I’m sure this car would be about the same. Not looking for a car to take to the track or just drive the hell out of. Even though, I have put my foot in my V a time or too. Lol

Neilum….I know what you mean about paying to play. I just didn’t realize the M cars were that way because I’ve never knew anyone that had one.

Nick…yes I’d like to think I was fairly good mechanically. When I had my boxster S I actually did quite a few things to it. Replace the purge valve under the plenum on the motor, took the starter off to have it repaired, which had to be accessed from behind the seats and through the front of the motor..and a few other things. But never really interested in taking the bottom of the motor apart. Lol

[neilum]

Originally Posted by Mbin903

Tbuck…. Thank you for the info and insight. I see what you’re saying about getting one that either has everything done or getting one cheaper and having it done. Mainly I was getting one because I like the way they look and wanted another convertible, and a hardtop at that. I hardly ever drive my V coupe…7k miles in 2 years, and I’m sure this car would be about the same. Not looking for a car to take to the track or just drive the hell out of. Even though, I have put my foot in my V a time or too. Lol

Neilum….I know what you mean about paying to play. I just didn’t realize the M cars were that way because I’ve never knew anyone that had one.

Nick…yes I’d like to think I was fairly good mechanically. When I had my boxster S I actually did quite a few things to it. Replace the purge valve under the plenum on the motor, took the starter off to have it repaired, which had to be accessed from behind the seats and through the front of the motor..and a few other things. But never really interested in taking the bottom of the motor apart. Lol

If it was me I would buy a more expensive example and you have a greater chance of not having any problems. If you only drive a few thousand miles a year you may be fine, but at $24K you are buying a very cheap M3 and you know, you get what you pay for haha.

That's all I am saying, you will pay one way or the other with these cars.

[2turbz]

As others have said that falls in the pretty darn cheap for the miles range which I would expect to spend a little on the maintenance. The big drop makes me wonder if the dealer would honor the price or if it's a bait and switch kind of thing. They are great cars and sound amazing. Read up on the forum and *definitely get a ppi from a reputable shop* it could save you a lot of money. Good luck with your search!

[Wmf80]

For a convertible at that mileage w DCT the price is very fair. Try to get the VIN and play around the internet with it. Maybe you’ll find it on the forums or FB. That could save you some $$ and give you great piece of mind. I’m also in the market for a M3 (only looking for e90s) and looking for examples that have rod bearings and TA done with proof. I don’t want to purchase a vehicle and now look for shops and spend money while it’s out of commission.
Best of luck on ur search !

[Binary420]

I know what you mean regarding the lack of maintenance history, however, being that you are buying it from a dealer, while the Carfax may not show everything, anything done at any BMW dealership will, its worth asking if you haven't already. They will print you out a full report of all maintenance performed at any dealership.

Regardless, if you havent already done so, its worth asking for, as it'll at least show anything done while the car was still under warranty, even if maintenance was done elsewhere since then

[Denny347]

I've owned my 2008 E90 M3 since 2019. Before that, I owned a 2006 330i for 9 years. I do my own mechanical work. Excluding the money I spent to have a M specialist replace my rod bearings, I haven't spent any more for my M than my 330i. Solid cars with solid engines.

[Mbin903]

I wanted to thank all you guys for your help and posts full
Of great information. I don’t know if I’ll buy one or not. I’m going to just think about it a little longer.