advice on buying used

[Zoogleboogle]

Hello there!

I am selling my X1 and moving up to a Z4, I am looking at the 35i version with a stick (hence not the is), and am looking to buy used.

I am curious if there is anything to look for that can be an issue when inspecting ones I go look at. I am looking at anything under 40k, so a few may have some miles on them if theyre newer.

thanks!

[jparnes1]

I'm sure others will chime in, but any Z4 after 2011 will have the updated high pressure fuel pump. Earlier ones may have had the newer one put in, but you'll have to ask or see documentation. Bmw put a 10 year/120k mile warranty on this part. The other known issue is a leaky automatic tranny oil pan, but that won't affect you.

[Zoogleboogle]

Originally Posted by jparnes1

I'm sure others will chime in, but any Z4 after 2011 will have the updated high pressure fuel pump. Earlier ones may have had the newer one put in, but you'll have to ask or see documentation. Bmw put a 10 year/120k mile warranty on this part. The other known issue is a leaky automatic tranny oil pan, but that won't affect you.

so 2012+ or 2011 and newer? thanks!

[t612]

Originally Posted by Zoogleboogle

so 2012+ or 2011 and newer? thanks!

JParnes1 is referring to 2012+ Keep in mind E89 LCI was 2013. It's a matter of preference, but I would personally go for 2013 or newer.

[paris1]

Something else to look for that I've learned is a more common issue than I would have thought (and recently afflicted my 2013 at about the 40k mile mark) is oil filter housing gasket failure which allows oil to infiltrate the cooling system. It's easy enough to check for, just remove the cap from the coolant overflow tank and inspect both the cap seal and the contents of the tank for any signs of oil contamination. I caught mine just before it went out of factory warranty and the dealer took care of what would have otherwise cost me about $1k!

[fmorelli]

Not really, insofar as purchase. These cars eventually may need walnut blasting to clean the intake (all N54's are like this). The real question is whether the car has been well maintained or abused. Good news is, at $70k new, they were not bought by punks ... and most are not yet owned by them. On buying a $30k car, I don't worry about $500 expenses here and there ... noise.

Filippo

[paris1]

Originally Posted by fmorelli

Not really, insofar as purchase. These cars eventually may need walnut blasting to clean the intake (all N54's are like this). The real question is whether the car has been well maintained or abused. Good news is, at $70k new, they were not bought by punks ... and most are not yet owned by them. On buying a $30k car, I don't worry about $500 expenses here and there ... noise.

Filippo

Spoken by someone who spent $40k on a cream-puff E89 and then commenced to drop $30k worth of mods on it (perhaps to bring it back up to it's MSRP value?). C'mon Filippo, be real. Not all buyers of used Z4s have the deep pockets you obviously have. Most of us try to minimize the $500-$1k surprizes going in!

[fmorelli]

Originally Posted by paris1

Spoken by someone who spent $40k on a cream-puff E89 and then commenced to drop $30k worth of mods on it (perhaps to bring it back up to it's MSRP value?). C'mon Filippo, be real. Not all buyers of used Z4s have the deep pockets you obviously have. Most of us try to minimize the $500-$1k surprizes going in!

No. Spoken by someone with lots of experience buying used cars. When you buy a $60-70k new car at half its price, 5-years old, it is unrealistic to expect to have no expenses. Expect to have an expense or two in the $500-1000 price range, factor it in to what you can afford, and buy accordingly.

Filippo

[jts1981]

Originally Posted by fmorelli

No. Spoken by someone with lots of experience buying used cars. When you buy a $60-70k new car at half its price, 5-years old, it is unrealistic to expect to have no expenses. Expect to have an expense or two in the $500-1000 price range, factor it in to what you can afford, and buy accordingly.

Filippo

I agree 100%

Fillippo and I may have dropped cash into modding, but regardless if you're buying a used car, especially the N54 you should be prepared to do the regular maintenance. Its common knowledge that a 40k mileage car should have a walnut blast. In general when buying a used car you should look into changing fluids, check plugs, etc. Especially on turbo cars. Thats just taking care of your investment.

[paris1]

I said nothing about normal or expected maintenance expenses. I was referring to "surprises" such as the blown filter housing gaskets I mentioned or cracked 19" wheels which can be avoided with a thorough pre-purchase inspection.

[NoQuarter]

Originally Posted by jts1981

I agree 100%

Its common knowledge that a 40k mileage car should have a walnut blast.

Funny... I was just writing about this on an E60 thread. While I agree it is common knowledge, I don't agree that it is as big a deal as the forums lead one to believe.

I have 5 of these engines in the family. 4 of them are over 100,000 miles and one of them is at 145,000.

Only one car has exhibited any symptoms for me to clean the intake. The only symptom was a rough idle - that's it! This car has a Stage 2 tune on it and has no problems with performance.

Yes the engine feels smoother. No doubt, after 120,000 miles the intake was pretty bad. But the forum wisdom of how bad this affects the engine is often over exaggerated based on my experience.

[fmorelli]

Originally Posted by paris1

I said nothing about normal or expected maintenance expenses.

Walnut blasting intakes isn't common maintenance for most cars, or even most BMW's. Just these late model turbo BMW's, and hence why I brought up to this gentleman.

As I said the key is to find a car that has been well-taken care of. Like my "cream-puff."

Originally Posted by paris1

I was referring to "surprises" such as the blown filter housing gaskets

Every BMW since the early nineties has been prone to this issue. Having bought 15 used BMW's in my life, I've done several of these, and they are a bit of a PITA because one has to pull the alternator and power steering pump, and a handful of other things to replace a $2.50 gasket and slather on some Permatex or your favorite sealant product. But it is uncommon for lower mileage BMW's, including the N54, and should not be a concern unless you are looking at 100k mile examples, in my experience.

Originally Posted by paris1

I mentioned or cracked 19" wheels which can be avoided with a thorough pre-purchase inspection.

Yup.

Unfortunately inspections do not make a car new. Especially if you don't have lots of cash laying around, plan to have some repair expenses on a used BMW. If you don't have them, great, money in the bank. If you do, you've been wise to plan ahead. BMW's are reliable but they are not Hondas. Stuff breaks, and it costs money. Best to be prepared and factor that into the purchase.

Best of luck in your search!

Filippo

[Bob20124]

Best advise is to find a properly maintained vehicle with complete service records. Common problems are leaky valve covers (gasket or cracked/warped cover), oil pan leak, and oil filter housing gasket (not a surprise common problem). Drop the belly pans and look for leaks. Expect to replace water pump and thermostat any where from 50k mi and up.

[Zoogleboogle]

Originally Posted by fmorelli

No. Spoken by someone with lots of experience buying used cars. When you buy a $60-70k new car at half its price, 5-years old, it is unrealistic to expect to have no expenses. Expect to have an expense or two in the $500-1000 price range, factor it in to what you can afford, and buy accordingly.

Filippo

My budget is $50,000

Which is why im looking at 35 ish cars and planning on mods/repairs to pop up here and there

[distinctperson]

Hello, and welcome to the club!

As a consumer of 4 Z4s (1 E85, 1 E89 35i and 2 E89 35is'), who happens to not be a mechanic, I'm going to share with you the issues that I've discovered with the E89 platform.

Foremost, if your budget is $50k, then DEFINITELY get an LCI model (2014+). Having owned 2 pre-LCIs and my current 2014 35is, I'm in a unique position here (perhaps there are others who have this experience here that I'm unaware of) to share that power output is distinctly different between the 2. Stock pre-LCI notably lags in torque behind stock LCI in my experience, as well as in the experience of another person who's owned both models and has written a review to this effect somewhere (I have to do a Google search to find it, but I'm too lazy atm).

Power aside, the LCI model comes with a few other worthy cosmetic upgrades as well as a helpful structural reinforcement (convertible rooftop mechanism) that makes the vehicle more "modern" looking, IMO.

As far as mechanical issues go, here are the fixes that were necessary for me:
'09 35i : Waterpump failure, sparkplugs and ignition coils, failed alternator, and rooftop tray bracket replacement (a common issue). (All of those issues manifested around 85k miles btw.)

'12 35is : Leaky transmission oil pan (slow leak, occurred around 50k)

'14 35is : None so far

Apart from mechanical issues, you are going to hear squeaks and noises in the cabin in both models (I presume the noises emanate from loose part(s)), so don't expect a 7-series-like muted atmosphere inside), and the built-in stereo system (and I'm referring to the upgraded one) is sub-par.

And on a side note, I suggest you drive an IS version with the DCT first without disqualifying it. It is the same one used in the M3 models and is VERY different from the one present in other non-M cars (such as your listed X 28i -- if you had DCT in it.) Suffice to say that it is a veritably competent transmission -- don't take my word for it, try it out first and then you have make your executive decision.

Good luck!

[kosd]

I'd recommend two additional items to those already mentioned. Put the top halfway up and look closely at the hydraulic lines for any signs of wear. Also, the BMW business (I. E. Lowest level audio system) is horrible. Can't even hear it with the top down unless you add an Amp and upgrade speakers.

[bobmos]

And note as well that the manual transmission option ended in 2014. I have a 2015 35i with DCT and I traded a 2011 manual to get it. While the '15 has an improved measure of road handling, and better steering feel, I still wish it were manual. The DCT is sluggish off the start as it can not duplicate the manual meshing that a human can do. It may be faster to 60, but definitely not to 30 or 40.

When I bought my '11, I knew instantly that I would drive it for a year and look for a long term newer to keep... but I only found out later on (much to my chagrin) that there were no more manuals in '15 or '16.

[NoQuarter]

Originally Posted by bobmos

AThe DCT is sluggish off the start as it can not duplicate the manual meshing that a human can do. It may be faster to 60, but definitely not to 30 or 40.

Owning both you are more an authority than myself, however, this seems like too much a generalization without supporting conditions. For example, both cars in manual mode, sport mode, etc.

I have no doubt you believe this to be true, but it does not seem plausible.

You have given me an interesting topic to read up on however.

[bobmos]

Let me elaborate. Hand on shift, left foot on clutch, right foot ready for the gas... light changes, you go into action and the car springs forward (assuming you know how to properly drive a manual). I can state with absolute certainty that flooring my DCT with toggle in sport or sport+ and shifter in S or M mode I cannot get away from the corner anywhere near as fast as I was able to in manual on my old car, especially with the toggle in sport. I can almost sense the transmission doing what my feet used to do, but it does so with precision, economy and self-preservation. I have the same engine in automatic in my X5, and have had it in numerous 5 series autos over the years, and they all had a quicker immediate response than the DCT.

Don't get me wrong, once its fully engaged and past 2000 rpm it moves like a wildcat.

My BMW dealer service foreman has driven the car several times and pronounced it fit as a fiddle. He basically said to tap the lever over to the left and keep it there.

On another note, with toggle in sport and lever in manual mode, the car can be a lot of fun... I love the way the throttle blips on the downshift from second to first.

Despite the response issue, I have to say that the '15 is a superior car to the '11 that I had, so it must be because of the LCI changes in 2013.

[NoQuarter]

Great description. Thanks!

I wonder if the M3 manual vs DCT guys have had a similar conversation.

Not gonna try to read about that though. Too much "Need my therd peddle!" bashing in those discussions

[paris1]

Originally Posted by bobmos

... so it must be because of the LCI changes in 2013.

Do you know of any post that lists exactly what changes were involved in LCI?

[Shartibartfast]

Originally Posted by NoQuarter

Great description. Thanks!

I wonder if the M3 manual vs DCT guys have had a similar conversation.

Not gonna try to read about that though. Too much "Need my therd peddle!" bashing in those discussions

I have owned both M3s: the 6-speed and the DCT. I can tell you without a doubt that the DCT in that car can get you off the line much faster than can the 6-speed, and it surprised me as actually being more fun to drive than the 6-speed, since I have always been a manual guy.

Unfortunately, I have yet to drive an E89 DCT, so I'm not sure how it compares to M-DCT. I can tell you that the Porsche PDK is nowhere near as interesting and fun as the M-DCT (it likes to pretend it's a slushbox auto), but it shifts just as fast and smoothly in the sport modes (although still not as fun).

So I feel certain that the emotional value is all in the programming, and perhaps some tuner can make the E89 match the M-DCT in feel.