[MrDummy]

After reading more and more of these negative BMW topics, I am thinking of whether or not to keep my 2010 328i...

Water pumps dying, vanos issues, sway bar bushings creaking, vibration at idling issues, over heating etc...

Just keeps worrying me, when will my car have these issues. I have already had a decent amount of problems fixed, only to have another one creep up. Like bushings, I need all of them replaced for the front and rear. Plus a list of other issues needing repairs still...vent knobs breaking, rattles from headliner and windows...

Just freaks me out, I bought a BMW to prevent this crap from happening...I could of bought a Ford or GM if I wanted a car that would be unreliable!


Sorry had to vent...

MrD

[Speedwagon]

I hear you......., but all brands have problems

[LuisBoston]

Originally Posted by Speedwagon

I hear you......., but all brands have problems

False. Some have more than others. ToyHonda owners don't worry like we do.

[Speedwagon]

Originally Posted by lem144

ToyHonda owners don't worry like we do.

So it's not the brand it's the type of owners? I know what you are saying!

[kihun]

i feel you man.. that's why i got a extended warranty.. but its still 150 dollars deductible and i always expect something to go wrong with my bmw

[135Pats]

I think you'd really have to stretch truth to say that BMWs are "reliable". Some things I can excuse (turbo seals), others I tolerate (hpfp), others are close to insulting for an expensive product (waterpumps). These are brilliant cars, but to call them reliable....Nah. People chime in with occasional 100K BMWs as a sign of their reliability, but almost every Toyota on the road will make it to 100K with tires, plugs, and oil changes. And to be honest if a well cared for motor can't make it 100K miles, it's a piece of crap. They're different cars built for different purposes, so again to a degree I can live with it, but I share OP's frustrations sometimes.

[Antartic]

Originally Posted by MrDummy

.....Just freaks me out, I bought a BMW to prevent this crap from happening...I could of bought a Ford or GM if I wanted a car that would be unreliable!

.....

Well, theres your problem. If you bought a BMW becuase you wanted it to be reliable, you obviously didn't do enough research.

If reliability was on top of your list, Lexus shouldve been the car for you.

[Greatdane84]

Lol. To hear people defend the reliability... Then say u should have bought a Lexus is a joke. Also doing your research....prior is a joke. Because the typical buyer doesn't search forums. They search comser reports, reviews, ect... And don't usually end up on a forum.

Last night I see a commercial sayin the 3-series is the whatever
Rated car for 22years straight. Guess what I've read about these issues and have to yet to spend the $ some people have, but owned the car less than 2 months and have bought Vanos Solenoids, unclogged the wiper pump of gunk, and experience rough idles 50% of the time. Let me tell you. What an amazing car. But too bad people that compliment my car, can't see what happens behind the scenes.

So when's the water pump recall going to be announced?

[SwissCheeseHead]

I agree with the OP too. Some of the same issues have been plaguing BMW since the beginning. Water pumps, oil housing gaskets and fuel pumps come to mind. I'm often in disbelief when I read about these kinds of problems...in the e34 forums as well as the e9x forums! You'd think they would have figured it out by now. On the same dime, everyone is always saying go with OEM. Well, sorry to break it to you folks, but OEM is what broke down in the first place!

[BOBKUR]

Originally Posted by Greatdane84

Lol. To hear people defend the reliability... Then say u should have bought a Lexus is a joke. Also doing your research....prior is a joke. Because the typical buyer doesn't search forums. They search comser reports, reviews, ect... And don't usually end up on a forum.

Last night I see a commercial sayin the 3-series is the whatever
Rated car for 22years straight. Guess what I've read about these issues and have to yet to spend the $ some people have, but owned the car less than 2 months and have bought Vanos Solenoids, unclogged the wiper pump of gunk, and experience rough idles 50% of the time. Let me tell you. What an amazing car. But too bad people that compliment my car, can't see what happens behind the scenes.

So when's the water pump recall going to be announced?

That will never happen.

[08AWD335]

No one posts about non issues tho. How relevant would a post be if I said that I drove to work today with no issues, car started up fine. I think you are just psyching yourself out.

[SwissCheeseHead]

Originally Posted by 08AWD335

No one posts about non issues tho. How relevant would a post be if I said that I drove to work today with no issues, car started up fine. I think you are just psyching yourself out.

It's more than just non-issues though. Go to another forum for a vehicle that has a higher reliability and you don't see nearly as many "major" repair topics listed. For example, at mG37.com, you'll rarely see non-start threads or rough idle threads or anything that requires extensive repair. What you will see though (over and over and over, I might add) are exhaust, suspension, wheels, rubber, and other modification threads. With BMW being a luxury brand, you would expect that reliability comes with the territory. They're asking a premium for their product. We as buyers should demand premium quality.

[DFW_M]

Originally Posted by 08AWD335

No one posts about non issues tho. How relevant would a post be if I said that I drove to work today with no issues, car started up fine. I think you are just psyching yourself out.

Totally agree.
On my 4th BMW and the only issues I've had so far were:
- tickets

Comes to -- if you know how to drive and how to maintain this machine, it will be fine

[135Pats]

Originally Posted by 08AWD335

No one posts about non issues tho. How relevant would a post be if I said that I drove to work today with no issues, car started up fine. I think you are just psyching yourself out.

The same could be said for any car forum though, of course no body reports when the car is running well. But still, as a matter of fact, these cars have issues. That’s just the reality across the BMW lineup, if you own one, things will go bad generally speaking. I’m willing to put up with it because BMW makes some wonderful automobiles, but they’re just not very reliable.

[avol3xo]

There are obviously some issues that BMW needs to address, but I think a majority of problems come from buying a car after lease or CPO and the PO didn't maintain the car the way they should have or abused the car knowing they would only have it for a couple of yrs. Then somebody comes along and sees a great deal on a used bimmer and buys it then all the maintenance issues catch up with them later.

[Benstuck]

Before my E92, I drove a 05' RX-8 (New at purchase) and it lasted me to about 135, XXX miles before it failed a compression test and I decided to trade her in for BMW (new at purchase). Up until that time, the RX gave me no problems. Now, I will say that that Mazda forum had as many "Problem Threads" as this forum. My brother drives a 350Z and its the same way on his forum. So I don't think we can butcher BMW quality based on all these threads we see on a daily basis.

[ken1137]

Lexus = reliable
BMW = drivers car

[eric@helix]

Originally Posted by ken1137

Lexus = reliable
BMW = drivers car

Yep. You're not driving a Toyota, but then again, you're not driving a Toyota. Enjoy it: brake in a straight line, turn in, squeeze the throttle at apex and enjoy.

[Fugly M3]

BMWs are lease cars. that's it. do not own past warranty, period. That's basically the conclusion I've come to for the big three german luxury marks- Audi, BMW, MB. Lease, get them to pay maintenance and warranty work and dump it at end of year 3. That was part of the consideration for me in going with a CPO Cayman this time around. I was buying and I wanted value in that. And shockingly, the P-car, with Porsche's great reliability rankings of late, was the better value. I usually am of the opinion that anyone buying for value, necessarily cannot be buying a luxury item. Strangely that oxymoron now applies to me.

[mammothboarderdc]

My 328i is running strong with the only problem being a stuck cup holder.(knock on wood) I think BMW balanced the reliability and performance of their cars well, however some cars are going to have more problems than others.

[williewonkerz]

both my 2009 328 and my 2011 335 have been "reliable" no issues so far.

[135Pats]

Originally Posted by E46M54325Ci

BMWs are lease cars. that's it. do not own past warranty, period. That's basically the conclusion I've come to for the big three german luxury marks- Audi, BMW, MB. Lease, get them to pay maintenance and warranty work and dump it at end of year 3. That was part of the consideration for me in going with a CPO Cayman this time around. I was buying and I wanted value in that. And shockingly, the P-car, with Porsche's great reliability rankings of late, was the better value. I usually am of the opinion that anyone buying for value, necessarily cannot be buying a luxury item. Strangely that oxymoron now applies to me.

P cars are $$$ to fix, but they’re made of granite. My grandfather was a Porsche nut and I remember holding tools for him when he used to work on his cars, in 40+ years of Porsche ownership across over a dozen cars, he only had one major issue. Granted, that issue was his 996 motor grenading, but if I recall that was a design flaw in that particular car. Porsche replaced the motor no questions asked for free, and flew him out to Germany to discuss the failure in depth. I’d feel SO much more comfortable behind the wheel of a Porsche regarding reliability, they stand by their product.

Originally Posted by eric@helix

Yep. You're not driving a Toyota, but then again, you're not driving a Toyota. Enjoy it: brake in a straight line, turn in, squeeze the throttle at apex and enjoy.

Totally agree with you and Ken. It's both good and bad.