E36 Reliability in Question

[downeaster1]

Okay all...this is somewhat of a rant...
I know that the E36 has some reliability issues. Some people have E36's that will run perfectly for 180k miles while others will leave them stranded 5 miles from when they bought it, and I realize that this is all based on how they were maintained.
But does anybody think that the reliability of the E36 has been blown slightly out of proportion? I mean seriously, How many board members come on to tell us all that their cars are running perfectly with no problems...
Though the few that do are awesome to hear!

/rant


cheers
fred

[fastasleep]

Cars that run perfectly with no problems - does such a thing exist?
I have found that it's not just BMW but all cars have reliability issues. If they built them perfectly auto companies would go out of business pretty quick.

I would tell you how my car is running but that would just invite some bad ju-ju

[RobHacker]

Keep in mind this is a forum of cars that are 8 years old at the youngest, and as old as 16 years....

Find another car that's 16 years old without it's fair share of issues....

And all things considered, we are lucky most of our problems are well known, pretty easy to fix and parts are readily available.

Talk to some Alfa Romeo Spider owners....those guys got issues!!

[downeaster1]

i also stumbled across an Aston Martin forum...seems like they have electrical bugs up the wahzoo...

[karlow]

Humm, my 1990 full size chevy trunk runs perfict, it's got 150K on it and it has only failed once. The coil was failing while towing my boat, and it bearly made it home! The AC has failed (low pressure switch). The headliner is falling, the paint is crap, Other than that it runs perfict, but I onle use it about 2K mile per year and I have never had to put any real money into it. I had a M3O 125K to about 135K. No problems. M30 85K to 100K no problems it neede shocks, and it had the famous brake light failure problem. It was a dam nice car, but not sporty at all. It got 16 mpg. I had a 94 S10 75K to 140K, AC failed, anti lock brakes failed, heater core failed, a solenoid inside the auto trans failed. It always ran great! I have a 94 S10now 60K to 89K no problems at all OK there is a something squelling.
I have a 93 325IS, nothing has gome wrong with it so far after about 4K miles. The point is unlike the other cars, & trucks, I have never stoped working on the E36. Typically I will buy a vehical, do some maintance, fix it up and drive it for 10K-60K and sale it. I typically do not have to do any real maintance after the initial mainatanace on a vehical that I pick up. to date, I have spent about $2500 on the E36, and the head liner needs work, the stearing wheel still shakes too much, I need to "work on the panit". It looks good, but not great!

[Riick]

OP is right.
So far have found the following items that are designed to fail on my 328ic.

(1) Top uses cotton stitching to hold canvas to bows - Cotton fails due to UV exposure.
(2) Radiator made with a plastic such that the necks deteriorate - never happened on my Toyotas or Nissans, with similar age & mileage.
(3) Climate control has a capacitor that regularly fails. They don't know this?
(4) Infamous plastic water pump impeller - 'nuff said
(5) Should be infamous plastic thermostat cover - designed to crack and fail.
(6) Electricals seem designed by LUCAS Lighting. A firm laughingly called "The Prince of Darkness". If the Japs can get electrics right, the Germans can too; but not profitable enough.

Here's a thought: Henry Ford (back in the days of the Model-T) was quoted as saying that if the government would give him a Monopoly on selling the replacement parts, he would give the CARS away for Free!

--- and you thought GM thought-up Planned Obsolescence

....Still and all, it's a fun car to drive, and the difference between boys and men is the cost of their toys

[FierySphere]

Talk to some Alfa Romeo Spider owners....those guys got issues!!

Or anything French. Or anything English built by BMC/Leyland, Or anything American built between the early 70's to late 90's...