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Thread: How about a 2005 325I?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2017
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    jeep

    How about a 2005 325i?

    I've been keeping my eye out for a good 2006-7 (E90) 325, 328 or 330i, and just today I've run up on a really good looking 2005 325i (sports and premium package) with only 88k miles.

    Do I remember correctly researching the E46s that the used ones will have some kind of transmission problem that you'd better be ready to shell out a couple grand for it you want to keep it rolling? I think that's why I decided a couple years ago not to get into the e46s.

    If I'm mistaken and they don't have that transmission problem, is there any reason performance or maintenance wise I shouldn't be looking at this '05 E46 325i? If I buy it of course I'd like for it to last til around 200k miles if possible. I guess another way to put my question is...what are the major maintenance problems I can expect in the next 100k miles with this car and how much do they cost? (considering I'm a moderately proficient mechanic and do most of the maintenance myself)
    Last edited by bradleyheathhay; 07-22-2017 at 01:12 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2017
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    E90, E46
    I have been balls deep in every BMW from 1996-current and I can confidently tell you E46 is probably the easiest car to work on.
    i personally love E46 and have owned several and wouldn't think twice about owning others.
    The problem is that like all BMWs they are not Toyotas. They require maintenance and repairs frequently BUT I think the ride and comfort outweigh the costs to maintain.
    Earlier E46 had some issues with the trans losing reverse gear and it seemed to be most common on 323 vehicles.
    theres a website Noreverse.org dedicated to the education and evolution of the issue.

    Id say that losing reverse is not super common but it does happen but what people fail to realize is that the average life expectancy of an automatic transmission is about 100K. Some last a lot longer and some fail sooner but as with most things it largely depends on maintaining it and not abusing it. The biggest killer of auto transmissions is fluid that's well beyond its useful life. Heat breaks down automatic transmission fluid and it's slowly loses its lubricant properties. ATF has also has detergents in it which get diluted over time. On the flip side changing the fluid on a 100K car that's never had a trans fluid change is a slippery slope. Some people swear by it and others swear against it but as far as I know there's no hard data either way to correlate fluid exchange with failures BUT in my opinion I probably wouldn't do it, new detergent packages washing your friction plates clean and upsetting the balance your trans has seems like a bad idea.
    BMW and other manufacturers consider most of the trans fluids as "lifetime" which is horseshit as if you research the fluids themselves you'll find recommend change intervals usually based on heat readings, time.

    when properly maintained and repaired E46 is one of the best cars on the road. The sad thing is most people don't want to invest the kind of money required to keep E46 in top condition.
    for example at 100K you have to replace the whole cooling system as it's made of plastic and it's not a bad idea to do your fuel pump at that time as well.
    try not to Ricky racer it around and you shouldn't tear your rear subframe out. At some point you'll have to do the driveshaft carrier bearing, trailing arm bushings and rear subframe bushings but almost nobody does...
    Last edited by SlackTube; 07-21-2017 at 06:52 PM.

  3. #3
    Join Date
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    Big thanks for all the perspective.

    There's a guy on one of my Jeep boards who gave his opinion on why doing a full ATF change out can hurt a trans. Had mostly to do with the new ATF detergent dislodging gunk and where it ended up. Key is to introduce new ATF to the system slowly over many thousands of miles. The Jeep 4.0 engine I'm working with now hasn't hadn't had its ATF changed in something like 110k miles. Draining the pan only gets out 4 of the 9 quarts, so for the foreseeable future every time I change my oil I'll also do the trans, just replacing the 4. As you do more changes the % of detergent slowly goes up until hopefully over time you're able to get most of that old fluid out of there.

    Ok the maintenance points on the E46 sound dooable. So for the out of pocket...what's about the parts cost for doing the whole cooling system and fuel pump? Say this is just an example though? What other kinds of pop ups should I expect, and their cost?

    Overall is it more expensive to maintain an '05 E46 w/ 80k miles or an '07 E90 w/ 110k?

  4. #4
    Join Date
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    E90, E46
    Go to Ecstuning.com, they have a "cooling system refresh kit" which will give a basic idea of cooling system costs...

    Late E46 common issues:

    A lot of these things are to be expected around 100K but it largely depends on how it's cared for...
    (cooling system rebuild )
    Oil filter housing gasket
    valve cover gasket
    oil pan gasket
    power steering intake and return hoses
    vanos oil line leaking
    DISA valve flap breaking
    intake boot torn
    crackcase vent valve
    a,c pillars peeling
    window regulators
    front lower control arms and bushings
    axle boots torn ( if AWD )
    rear coil springs breaking
    trailing arm bushings
    rear subframe bushings


    Early E90 common issues:
    eccentric shaft sensor
    valve cover failing ( vent valve built into it )if N52K engine
    alternator belt tensioner
    oil filter housing gasket
    oil pan gasket
    electric water pump
    ignition coils
    engine mount bolts breaking
    head bolts breaking if N52 engine
    front driveshaft if AWD
    transmission gear selector valve breaking
    rear shocks leaking
    front fuse box melting to the positive cable ( 09-11 )
    evaporator leaking
    transer case motor ( if AWD )


    I'm sure I've missed a few items here or there but overall as with any cars there's common issues. My opinion is bias as I love E46 but I'd say they are cheaper to maintain. I know there is websites that will give average cost to own numbers but I will say that becoming a BMW driver means you WILL have repairs and accept that fact going in...
    best of luck with whatever you choose but make sure to have either one inspected by a dealer or reputable BMW shop PRIOR TO PURCHASE. Not enough people do this and I can't stress the importance enough.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Location
    Metairie, LA
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    My Cars
    2001 325i; 2006 325i
    I have both an E46 and E90 325i. The E46 is arguably easier to work on and cheaper to fix. From a purely driving experience perspective, the E46 feels more responsive and has more of raw road feel to it. The E90 is a slightly bigger car and is probably closer in size to the last generation 5 series than an E46. Don't get me wrong, it handles very well.

    What kind of price difference are you talking about between the E46 and E90? When considering this, you have to keep in mind the maintenance that is going to need to be done at 100k.

    Personally, I love the E46; but at 52 years old I like the slightly bigger car and prefer the E90. Performance wise, the E90 is more along the lines of the E46 330i. If it matters, the E90 also has a bit more of a normally aspirated performance upgrade path.

    Honestly, choosing between an '05 E46 and an '06 E90, considering how close they would be in price (assuming similar condition), I'd go for the E90. On the other hand, an '05 E46 is very good shape that you could get a good deal on is the smarter choice. Easier/cheaper to fix and they are BEAUTIFUL.

    Either way, you can't go wrong. They both handle like demons and will cruise at triple digits on the highway as though they were bored.

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