A friend is thinking of buying a secondhand 2018 or so X3 (around $30k).
Any thoughts from this forum as to value, serviceability and reliability?
Reliability of Secondhand BMWs
Ashok Wilmington on 24/10/2024 - 12:18
Last edited 24/10/2024 - 13:51 by 1 other user
Last edited 24/10/2024 - 13:51 by 1 other user
Comments
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BMWs start having issues with their electricals around 10 years old.
Servicing costs and parts are also expensive.
When out of Sydney parts can be very difficult to source.
A freind on mine has a similar X3 and had to wait 6 months for the required parts to arrive.
Thats if you can find a mechanic willing to work on a BMW
Hence why their resale value declines so quicklySo this BMW is about 6 years old.
If your friend buys it tell them to get rid of it as soon as there are any hints of problems.
But then again that is may be why the current owner is selling it.As always the best advice is to stick with good old reliable Japanese cars
If your friend buys it tell them to get rid of it as soon as there are any hints of problems.
DidYouKnow, the person you replied to is not OP, is @Ozbar Gain’s friend buying one too?
Heaven forbid @HeWhoKnows lowered themselves to reply and create their own independent comment chain. Just poor etiquette.
Just poor etiquette.
Some may call it rude, others call it attention seeking, and others might believe its ignorance, but no body really knows why it happens. One of OzB’s greatest mysteries…
But I thought ICE cars are well supported into old age? I thought there were parts galore?
If you can’t afford a new BMW, you certainly can’t afford a used, out of warranty BMW.
whole load of non-sense. no, they're not as reliable as a Toyota/Honda on average and will generally cost more to fix if things do go wrong - but they're more reliable than most people give them credit for.
I think you’re right mate. I think this website leans more towards Japanese / Korean shitboxes. I drive a 10 year old euro. I know plenty of people with beamers about the same age. Don’t flog em and they’re great!
I wonder how many people who are giving advice here actually own a BMW.
probably not many because the site is called ozbargain and not ozgottoomuchmoneytoburn
Recently ticked over 300K kms on my ole 2015 X5 Diesel. I only had to buy an intercooler hose for it (outside of oil/filters etc). Still drives amazing compared to my Japanese Pajero of the same age. More things have gone on that thing (it's at 230k km).
/thread
How many kms? We bought a 2nd hand BMW 09 X3 a number about 7 years ago and it was a great car until 200,000kms, after that started to cost a bit.
Are bmw/ european good to usually 100000 km?
Im liking the g29 with b58 engine, was it co developed with toyota aswell?
Not co developed. Bmw engine adopted by toyota.
The b58 engine is incredible and there are a lot of naysayers but my bmw I bought from 2020 and has not skipped a beat yet .. it's up to 80000 KMS. I don't even have the b58.. (although the m340 will likely be my next car.)Thanks. Nice.
Yes the B58 is the bomb.
Any BMW after 140k and 10 years is just asking for radiator/gasket/oil leaks/ replacement parts.
@CalmLemons: Which is ok, other cars also need those things even if they stretch out a little longer.
My m340i is on the market. Has been faultless. Pm me if interested.
I got an M340i back at the start of July (ordered in Feb). Absolutely loving it so far.
Are bmw/ european good to usually 100000 km?
We never had an issue until it really got the 200,000kms mark, before that it was just usual stuff like any other car.
Nice thanks! Dont remember where i read jap was good to 2- 300000km , european to 100000km
Also what parts started failing after 200km
Not so much "failing" but needed replacing. Like Glow Plugs (it was a diesel) required changing and that needed to be done by BMW because of computer programming, that was like $3k all up plus a few other bits they found like a air inlet duct had gotten hot, melted a bit, needed replacing. BMW were good, they even sourced aftermarket pipe because BMW Genuine was like $2k, aftermarket was $750.
Just started to add up with a few issues. We eventually got rid of it when it developed an oil leak, it was dropping oil the size of a 50c piece on the garage floor. Our mechanic couldn't find it, so we traded it in and got a new car. Still got $7k trade in for though vs $3k for my commodore which was the same age and same number of kms.
Thanks for detailed reply!
The whole car
Unless they’re mechanically minded*, friends don’t let friends buy out of warranty BMWs
*If they’re asking you for advice on a used X3 I would assume they’re not
A friend
Good friends don't let friends buy secondhand BMWs
I'm sure you can give them good advice on a skin care regime though.
Slay all day
at least the indicator will be brand new!
Don't forget to include Panadol on you budget.
And lube.
Don't do it. Family ran a limousine company with a fleet of 7 series. They might get lucky and get a good one but otherwise these cars are not made to last, its a higher risk than say a Mazda. They're made to be beautiful for the warranty/lease period and thats it. This is why values drop off a cliff once they're more than 5 years old. Same for any German manufacturer.
Side note, there really isn't much difference between those brands and regular cars anymore, I remember over 20 years ago when my dad was bringing home cars with GPS & TV it was like a spaceship. Now something like a Mazda drives as well, is more reliable, has the same features and is better value.
All they'd be buying is badge snobbery, some nicer interior trims, higher cost and higher risk.there really isn't much difference between those brands and regular cars anymore
I think this applies to reliability too. They probably arent significanlty less reliable than other brands - outside individual model faults. The difference is the parts pricing and difficulty of repairs.
No it doesn't. Brands such as BMW, Merc etc. do condition based servicing where they will say that it is perfectly fine to go 25,000km's between an oil change which for longevity of an engine is completely insane.
I bought my BMW at 30,000 km and sold it at over 260,000km, maintenance never became an issue.
Biggest cost was rear suspension bushes at over 200,000km.
Biggest gripe was how brittle some plastic bits got.Great ride, plenty power from straight 6, awesome auto transmission, glad I had the privilege of owning it for so many years.
Now I drive a Rav4 - completely different, but less than half the fuel cost and more practical than a 2 door coupe.You also get a laugh out of ignorant jealous folk making comments.
Fun fact - my neighbour had an Toyota avalon around the same time and sold around the same time, the Toyota devalued more than the BMW. If fact selling BMW was much easier in comparison.
325c?
330Ci
M54 non turbo straight 6 is one of BMWs most reliable. Not surprised you had no issues.
Like every brand, there's good ones and bad ones.
Unfortunately, for the OP, if you're not cluey into specific engine and transmission combos, you could get something very unreliable.
@andyfc: I have been there with a Mazda , got it new and after warranty expired the auto kept failing and mazda kept fixing $$$$. It was a nightmare. I would get anxiety that the car would switch to limp mode again.
E46 and E39 was the pinnacle for BMW.
Your neighbour picked a car that has the rare privilege of being uglier than an AU falcon.
For 30k there are so many better cars out there than a six year old BMW.
For 30k there are so many better cars out there than a six year old BMW.
name 3 for us?
If it’s SUV you are after, same age Subaru Forester, Toyota Kluger, Mitsubishi Pajero, or a Rav4 depending on the needs.
You could also buy a within warranty Skoda Karoq, CX5, Outlander.
If SUV is not a must, the list is significantly longer.
There was an era in the 2000s where BMW quality fell off a cliff. The company cut manufacturing costs across the range and implemented new cars like the 1 series that was really built down to a price.
2010s cars are meant to be better. No word yet of course on 2020s models, but there are concerning signs that BMW, Mercedes, and especially VW are experiencing a collapse in sales in their largest market: China. Another round of cost cutting may be coming.
😂
Which engine?
N54
Here's a 2020 with an expensive list of repairs at only 125,000km.
Here's a 2020 with an expensive list of repairs at only 125,000km.
You can find that with any car.
even if you are right, is the cost of the parts the same?
Haha Jerry Sells. I watch his videos too.
It will depend on which engine you're talking about. If it's got a B58 or the earlier variant… and a full and genuine service history then you should be absolutely fine.
B58 is my favourite BMW engine. I have an 8 year old 440i which I've owned since new, 54k on the clock and it still drives like a new car.
54,000KM is nothing, it should bloody run like new. Try gauging it again at 200,000KM… that's when you really know if you've got a good car or not.
But then that B58 should be absolutely fine at 200,000KM given it's been serviced properly.
Lol true! BMW keep trying to sell me a new 440i and I keep saying I can't justify it, the one I have is still so good!
Check out ReDriven's review of Top 5 Worst SUV's under $30k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lZogmYzcwwand their review page here
https://redriven.com/cheat-sheets/used-bmw-x3-g01-review/Barely anyone drives a BMW or has bought a second hand BMW, so 98% of comments on this thread will be 'I have a gut feeling that it will be bad' or 'my friend had one and it was expensive', which is just an anecdote without context.
Bottom line is that older cars, especially 7yrs+, need more maintenance and more things will go wrong. BMWs are more expensive when they go wrong and ongoing maintenance can be more expensive (although local garages will tend to charge the same regardless for basis servicing). It doesnt mean BMWs will be worse or have more issues than a Toyota or Kia, they may have fewer issues depending on the specific car. However, on average roughly the same amount of maintenance will be required but it will be more expensive to do that maintenance.
Whether that is worth it for the benefits of the BMW or given the purchase price is up to the buyer.
Most sensible answer
True for basic service and repairs - if you know what to replace.
But BMW often add sensors and controls that can only be diagnosed with equipment that regular repairers don't have.
e.g. the system that monitors and controls the amount of current goes into the battery for optimised charging and battery life. I've paid three time the money to repair the monitor/control system than the battery itself.But BMW often add sensors and controls that can only be diagnosed with equipment that regular repairers don't have.
Audi's are a no go for non Audi workshop.
At least make sure they do a $2 PPSR
Saw someone recently considering buying one from a small dealer… Yep, repairable write-off
I was going to take a look at a T-Roc from a dealer. Priced pretty well, but not out of the ball park cheap.
https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/welshpool/cars-vans-utes/202…
$2 saved my time, and potentially a massive headache. IMO you need to pay the $2 before you even look at a car.
I03C [Impact | Driver side | Heavy structural]
I04D [Impact | Driver rear | Light structural]
I37G [Impact | Suspension (driver rear) | Minor mechanical damage]
I39A [Impact | Airbag side | Heavy panel]
I41A [Impact | Seat belt pre-tensioner | Heavy panel]Yep, had a customer looking at an X5 from here… Repairable write off
Describing a written-off car as "practically brand new", should be against some sort of regulation or code of conduct.
In WA, does a dealer have to disclose the car is a repairable write off?
If you go ahead with this purchase you will soon be on first name terms with the service department.
Ok, I personally have direct experience with this, across two separate older Beemers, noting that I do all my own spannering.
Do. Not. Do. This.
BMWs look cool, go well and handle great with intricate engineering.
They are an absolute Bastard to maintain or repair.
If you NEED to own a BMW, buy one new and get rid of it will before the 10 year mark.
Trust me on this.
Ok, I personally have direct experience with this, across two separate older Beemers
Older being………..
2012 - E8x models.
BMW are money pit once out of warranty
We have an old (2008?) BMW 535D M Sport sedan with 370,000 kms on the clock. Still going strong! Built like a tank.
But if (when) something major does go wrong, it will probably make a one way trip to the wreckers.
370,000km, that's amazing.
The BMW 6 cylinder diesels are fantastic as long as you don't do all city driving.
If you cant afford to buy and maintain a new BMW you definitely cant for a second hand one!
My wife has a 2020 BMW X3 (don't look at me - I drive a little Subaru). Nice to be inside, but it's a big heavy thing to get around in every day, and I only like it for long trips on the highway. I do like that the X3 sold in Australia is built in South Africa. Relatively similar climate origin to Australia, but probably means nothing really.
When buying new, BMW has a deal where servicing is included at no extra cost for several years if you work for certain employers. When that runs out, you can opt to pay a servicing fee upfront to cover the next few years, or you'll probably be up for a lot more if you approach it service by service. That's really the market these things are intended for. Wouldn't want to be without that protection. Standard BMW stuff like runflat tyres wear out faster and are more expensive to replace, but the target audience for new BMWs doesn't care because they're insulated from it.
On the other hand, my boss used to drive a very old BMW from the 1980s that had already lived through everything that could possibly go wrong, and it was fine.
The corporate program included almost every company you can name it. And the sales person didn't even ask us for proof.
Ive had a G01 X3 for over 5 years now and havent had any major problems with it bar the electronics on the handbreak button failing. BMW replaced that even though it was out of warranty though. The usual brakes, tyres, wipers, aircon stuff does cost a little more than the Japanese and Korean cars but if you go to a non dealer, its marginal. A friend has the 2018 F25 model and they've had less issues than me.
think have the same electronic issue with handbrake - which BMW dealership fixed it even out of warranty?
I went to the Doncaster dealership. If you had BSI when you bought, i would recommend just taking the car to the one that has serviced your car and they will replace it. I didnt even have to ask, they offered to do it for free. Apparently the handbrake electronics is a known problem on the earlier G01 models.
X1 with park brake warning have bsi with glen dealership but have had a number of bad experiences with them with repair/service. Will be looking for 3rd party service/chnage vehicle once bsi over
@garbagetnt: U can do your service at any BMW dealership with BSi. I bought my car from Melb City. Did one servcie with them, and moved to Doncaster since year 2.
Mate bought a powerful used BMW. It was a great car, until it wasn't. He had fun with it though while it lasted.
1980s and 90s ok… Later no
Don't do it.
My BMW 520D (2nd hand) was going great until the electrinics started to fail. Battery sensor, indicator/braking lights, then HUD (it was projecting up side down before dying completely). These problems are very costly to fix even if you use a 3rd party repairer. There could be 50+ error codes at any given time. The dealer repair quote for the HUD was x2 the car's value at the time. I was lucky to off load it via a trade-in for $8k in the end. The plate was deregistered according to Service NSW a few months later.
Our mini cooper (brand new) had a computer fault 2 months out of warranty. The repair quote was nearly $8000.
We ended up ording the main computer module from BMW Germany as it had to be coded to the VIN. Then a local BMW coder to help with the install and reprograming. This brought the car back to life for about $3k and we sold it straight away.Things I love about the BMW and Mini - Good engine and solid body e.g. sounds great when you slam the door shut. But none matters when the electronics goes.
2nd hand BMW is a status symbol.
Great as a Status Symbol.
And good to spend $$$ on servicing and fuel.
Try buy a newer one still in warranty, if possible!
Visit Redriven and read the X3 cheat sheet for a comprehensive guide.You'll get unbiased information opposed to the ozbargain forums
All euro cars drop in value dramatically after warranty period ends because fixing engine, transmission, faulty wiring etc is extremely expensive and usually only done properly by specialists that charge for their precious time.
Almost everyone who buys a second hand euro finds out the first time they do why they were so cheap to begin with.
You could get lucky and nothing will go wrong. You could also end up with a $12,000 bill for faulty transmission a week after purchasing.
tell your friend its fine to have thoughts of buying a second hand BMW and leave it at that. Rephrase the statement to unreliability of second hand BMW's. it is only the exception to the rule you will get a reliable model. What do you realistically think is the chance your friend will be the exception. If he is really keen, tell him to see if he can lease it, that way when it goes bad he can return it without issue. He'll lose the same amount of money without the nasty headache at the end.
You'd be nuts to buy a 6 year old BMW with probably close to 100k, no warranty when you could buy a brand new MG4 electric for the same money 0KMS and with 10 year warranty and much, much cheaper running costs.
and what if OP doesn't want Chinese or Electric crap?
My friend doesn’t mind electric crap hahaha
I have a 2005 BMW 330i E90 (N52) and have never had any major issues. Most recent repair was a failed starter motor which is reasonable given the age of the car. A few months ago I also went to the wreckers and retrofitted radar cruise control to my car, which was a rare option.
2018 you should be ok. But these cars are using a lot of plastics inside and around the engine.
20 years of age and heat cycles. Especially if permanently parked outside. Just like the 80s and 90s cars now. They will be crumbling apart if not taken care of and garaged.
I have a used condom - interested?
People keep used condoms? lol
I sell them to people buying Euro cars out of warranty.
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There's a reason why they're cheap when used