BMW 328I 1997 pro's /con's - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

deportes · #1 03-02-2006, 09:07 PM

Well since I am still working on my 380SL and my MR2 is ill and old, don't want to rush the 380 valve job, I have the opportunity to buy at trade in value from a friend a BMW 328I 1997 with 154k miles, in great condition, regularly serviced etc.
Any one has experience with such, I know is not a MB but I need another vehicle to add to my collection of old cars.

What are the poroblems with these cars? and the good's if any.
Thanks.

trueog · #2 03-02-2006, 09:26 PM

If your getting it for a great price do it. I'm a BMW fan, their good cars. The 92-93 3 Series have some known problems with the computer i've heard. I'm sure by 97 that model of 3 Series was perfected. Its a great car, and they sure do hold their used value pretty well. I'd get it if I were you.

deportes · #3 03-02-2006, 11:36 PM

thanks, Kelly Blue Book trade in value in Good condition $ 5345.00
The car is very clean and pampered by a co worker, I will have to assume the risk of smogging and 80 bucks, it but it shouldn't be a problem. I Hope.

suginami · #4 03-02-2006, 11:42 PM

What state are you in?

In California, the seller is responsible for it passing smog and providing the certificate.

deportes · #5 03-02-2006, 11:52 PM

Suginami, that is correct, but she is going to go to a dealer and trade the car in and asking for the KBB trade in value, I am just jumping in before that occurs therefore the smog is on me. I'm in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Any BMW forums that compare to this great forum, any members that have BMW can reccomend.

DuckMuck · #6 03-02-2006, 11:58 PM

I've had good experience with the E36...I would recommend it...but many of the used E36's on the market have been "riced" or "modified"...I would tend to avoid those...

deportes · #7 03-03-2006, 12:18 AM

Thanks, this specimen is untouched and looks like new, the lady has pampered this beauty. Regular maintenance. She fixed the seat belt mechanism that clears the dash light i guess, for the driver side and a few month's later she has to fix the passenger side, to the tune of 350 bucks, she is ready for a new car. I wish it was a manual tranny though.

Ethan · #8 03-03-2006, 08:08 AM

don't the E36's have the issue with the rear suspension subframe pulling loose? or is that just M3 versions?

and I read an article in UK's 'CAR (Jan. issue?)' about something to the effect that coolant/water pump/head isseues can terminate an engine in comparison the same problem in the comparable mercedes engine is cost effective repairable. I don't recall the article exactly, and it may have been about diesel punp failure.

I see plenty of these cars on the road and know there very nice and handle GREAT.

shane83SD · #9 03-03-2006, 09:49 PM

"and I read an article in UK's 'CAR (Jan. issue?)' about something to the effect that coolant/water pump/head isseues can terminate an engine in comparison the same problem in the comparable mercedes engine is cost effective repairable. I don't recall the article exactly, and it may have been about diesel punp failure. "

I've seen many late model 328i with cracked heads. Without a doubt, some of these cars are abused with a marginal cooling system. The cracked heads maybe repairable, but the cost is very high for a well equiped specialty shop. Most often, a new bare head is bought and all the valves and cams are transplanted ($$$$). The GM auto is another sore spot in these cars. Get a manual if you can.

tvpierce · #10 03-04-2006, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shane83SD

The GM auto is another sore spot in these cars. Get a manual if you can.

And the GM auto tranny is considered the "good" one compared to the ZF, right?

The ZF auto tranny issue seems to be well documented with these cars. But it seems that every one that's craped out has not been serviced properly. It's my understanding that if you change the tranny fluid every 20K miles (with synthetic) that these autoboxes will last as long as any other tranny on the market.

jp

cmac2012 · #11 03-04-2006, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deportes

Suginami, that is correct, but she is going to go to a dealer and trade the car in and asking for the KBB trade in value, I am just jumping in before that occurs therefore the smog is on me. I'm in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Any BMW forums that compare to this great forum, any members that have BMW can reccomend.

I've had some good luck with bimmerfest.com.

shane83SD · #12 03-04-2006, 02:27 PM

"The ZF auto tranny issue seems to be well documented with these cars. But it seems that every one that's craped out has not been serviced properly. It's my understanding that if you change the tranny fluid every 20K miles (with synthetic) that these autoboxes will last as long as any other tranny on the market."

The ZF's auto box runs at very high pump pressure. Other than this design "feature", it is very good. Average life say 175K miles. The newer GM auto with life time trany fluid probably has average life of 75K miles. Maybe the claim regarding the life time trany fluid has a new twist, because you'll need a new trany before you need to change the trans fluid.

tvpierce · #13 03-05-2006, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shane83SD

Average life say 175K miles.

That's a disgrace! I don't consider 175K miles to be a "good run" for a tranny.
That's about the average milage of a car when I BUY it, not when I sell it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by shane83SD

The newer GM auto with life time trany fluid probably has average life of 75K miles. Maybe the claim regarding the life time trany fluid has a new twist, because you'll need a new trany before you need to change the trans fluid.

Yeah, they never say whose "lifetime" they're talking about. But that's about what I would expect from GM.

jp