[cristuphur]

I've been looking to get a 2013 BMW 328i, but have been hesitant on whether or not to because of how much people criticize them for being unreliable or expensive to maintain. The model I'm looking at has about 55k and I already went to check it out as well as gotten the carfax and it seems clean. I plan on going back to the dealership to test drive as well as generally check it out again, and wanted to know what are some issues to look out for when I go back. I also wanted to get some other perspectives/opinions on things to be aware of when owning a BMW before I actually make a decision so feel free to share your experiences if you've owned one. Could be anything from maintenance cost, reliability, and just general pros/cons and tips when owning one. Thanks! (btw this is my first time posting here and I am unfamiliar so if I am in the wrong subforum please feel free to redirect me)

[MPSdriver]

I'm driving a F30 328xi that was bought new in 2013. I had been driving free of any trouble up to 117k km before I got into trouble:

• At 117k km (73k miles) the transmission had to be replaced as the reverse gear couldn't be engaged anymore.
• At 119k km (74k miles) the transfer case had to be replaced (vibration issues).
• At 127k km (79k miles) the turbo needed replacement due to an oil leak (yellow CEL) and I had both the chain for timing and oil pump replaced due to excessive whining (like a chainsaw )
• Three days after I got the car back the car throws a red CEL for low oil pressure. I got the car towed and diagnosed with a thrust bearing failure. As a result the crankshaft had grinded the engine block so I had a short block installed.

I'm currently at 148k km (93k miles) with only some minor issues since (interior is starting to wear).

I'm definitely one of the less lucky ones when it comes to reliability but I wouldn't buy a second-hand 2013 328i unless it came with serious extended warranty.

[M Smurf]

First off, HIGHLY RECOMEND gettting a PPI, pre purchase inspection from Indy shop. Carfax notoriously unreliable. Worth the $100ish to have a mechanic look over if you're serious.

You'll get a alot of comments about the TC failure in 12-14 N20 cars. It's overblown, insert pun, IMO.

I bought mine at 58k, sight unseen and shipped to me, after PPI. By far the best, most fun, reliable car, I have ever owned. Paid exactly zero in repairs. Sitting now at 112k.

[cfm56d7b]

With higher mileage F3x vehicles equipped with N20 engine, the risks are simply greater if timing chain has not been replaced yet.

I suggest to leave N20 engine behind in favor of B48.

[auburnf30x]

The above two answers are good representations on the spectrum of answers you’ll get. Some people luck out and get a great one, some don’t.

Two big issues with the 2013 328i, neither you’ll really have any way of knowing if they are about to fail, or have been repaired without a thorough inspection (and sometimes even then). The timing chain system is a weak point and known to fail. I believe there is an updated part to fix the issue, but $$$. I don’t see where you mentioned if it was AWD or not, but if it is, the transfer case is a known weak point and has seen frequent failures on this forum. There is an updated part to fix the issue, but again, $$$.

Otherwise, just typical BMW stuff more easily fixed such as oil gaskets.

A lot of people would recommend getting the LCI 2016+ 330i, both of the above were fixed from the factory. I’ve put 11k on mine so far, only issue was a $10 leaky radiator cap.

Any BMW though of that age and mileage, detailed maintenance records are a must for me. I wouldn’t feel confident in its prior care otherwise.

Any BMW is expensive to maintain if you take it to the dealer. Less so from an independent shop, but still higher than most cars. If you do your own maintenance, like many of us here do, it really is not appreciably more expensive than any other.

Biggest thought to take away, the key to making a BMW last is precise and regular maintenance, both before you get it for yourself, and after. If done properly, they’ll hold up extremely well for a long time and are great fun to boot. If not, they can fail somewhat spectacularly.

[sspade]

In addition to what's been said above...

If performance is of any concern, the N20 has proven to be more a more tunable/faster platform than the B48 option (to date). This is absolutely not a personal opinion, but fact.

Ive owned two N20's so far and they have been very reliable overall. As with any vehicle, maintenance is important for longevity.

[cristuphur]

Thanks for the feedback! Yeah I was considering getting the warranty but need to look at what exactly it will be covering. The car has had 4 owners and was "cheap" compared to the others on the lot so I was a bit skeptical.

[cristuphur]

[QUOTE=M Smurf;27680786]First off, HIGHLY RECOMEND gettting a PPI, pre purchase inspection from Indy shop. Carfax notoriously unreliable. Worth the $100ish to have a mechanic look over if you're serious.

Awesome! Great recommendation, I will definitely get a PPI before making a final decision!

[cristuphur]

Originally Posted by auburnf30x

The above two answers are good representations on the spectrum of answers you’ll get. Some people luck out and get a great one, some don’t.

Two big issues with the 2013 328i, neither you’ll really have any way of knowing if they are about to fail, or have been repaired without a thorough inspection (and sometimes even then). The timing chain system is a weak point and known to fail. I believe there is an updated part to fix the issue, but $$$. I don’t see where you mentioned if it was AWD or not, but if it is, the transfer case is a known weak point and has seen frequent failures on this forum. There is an updated part to fix the issue, but again, $$$.

Otherwise, just typical BMW stuff more easily fixed such as oil gaskets.

A lot of people would recommend getting the LCI 2016+ 330i, both of the above were fixed from the factory. I’ve put 11k on mine so far, only issue was a $10 leaky radiator cap.

Any BMW though of that age and mileage, detailed maintenance records are a must for me. I wouldn’t feel confident in its prior care otherwise.

Any BMW is expensive to maintain if you take it to the dealer. Less so from an independent shop, but still higher than most cars. If you do your own maintenance, like many of us here do, it really is not appreciably more expensive than any other.

Biggest thought to take away, the key to making a BMW last is precise and regular maintenance, both before you get it for yourself, and after. If done properly, they’ll hold up extremely well for a long time and are great fun to boot. If not, they can fail somewhat spectacularly.

Yes, the one I'm looking at is the xdrive so awd. I had read a lot of other posts mentioning how those were more or so defective than the other models which is why I'm still hesitant. Putting in money to maintain it over time isn't my concern as much as having to make major fixes or having major malfunctions shortly after buying it, but like another user mentioned, I might get a warranty and PPI to make sure the car is in fine condition. Thanks for the feedback!

[cristuphur]

Originally Posted by sspade

In addition to what's been said above...

If performance is of any concern, the N20 has proven to be more a more tunable/faster platform than the B48 option (to date). This is absolutely not a personal opinion, but fact.

Ive owned two N20's so far and they have been very reliable overall. As with any vehicle, maintenance is important for longevity.

thanks! Ill take that into consideration

[jsouth]

My 2013 (built 7/2012) has been a great car. I bought it in January 2016 with 42k miles. I now have 146k miles on it, so I have driven it more than 100,000 miles.

Very few issues:

• I pre-emptively had the timing chain and guides replaced since I plan to drive the car long-term.
• Same with the Transmission fluid (changed at 105K miles)
• Warranty replacement of drivers side external mirror (wouldn't retract or adjust)
• Hood cable failed

Pros:

• Great driving car
• Superb mileage on the highway
• Good power when passing
• Looks nice.

I love mine and would do it again in a heartbeat.

[cristuphur]

Originally Posted by jsouth

My 2013 (built 7/2012) has been a great car. I bought it in January 2016 with 42k miles. I now have 146k miles on it, so I have driven it more than 100,000 miles.

Very few issues:

• I pre-emptively had the timing chain and guides replaced since I plan to drive the car long-term.
• Same with the Transmission fluid (changed at 105K miles)
• Warranty replacement of drivers side external mirror (wouldn't retract or adjust)
• Hood cable failed

Pros:

• Great driving car
• Superb mileage on the highway
• Good power when passing
• Looks nice.

I love mine and would do it again in a heartbeat.

Nice, I might have to just save up some more and include the cost of replacing things like the timing belt. How much did that cost you?

[M Smurf]

Originally Posted by cristuphur

Thanks for the feedback! Yeah I was considering getting the warranty but need to look at what exactly it will be covering. The car has had 4 owners and was "cheap" compared to the others on the lot so I was a bit skeptical.

4 owners, 8 year old car, 55k miles....seems strange to me

[cristuphur]

Originally Posted by M Smurf

4 owners, 8 year old car, 55k miles....seems strange to me

Yeah definitely.. its not my only option but was the best "deal" I found. Still wanted info in general as I've seen some other nice ones with decent mileage and slightly above or at the same price

[bavarianride]

Originally Posted by M Smurf

4 owners, 8 year old car, 55k miles....seems strange to me

It is not uncommon esp. in CA:

1. dealer loaner
2. 3-yr lease of loaner(3.g. 6 months, 3-6k miles)
3. lease return sold

The above 3 is within 3.5 yrs. Then the 3rd owner sells after 3 yrs to 4th owner.

[deviantspeed]

If it has the pleather seats, check for cracks on the sides when sitting. My 2013 had pleather, in tan, and they goodwilled a new seat cushion. I don't think CPO covered it or something.

Otherwise, mine was rock solid. PPI should bring up any commonly discussed items here like timing chain issues. I would check for sure if aftermarket warranty covers, and what is required if there's a catastrophic failure, like oil changes or more.

Best of luck, let us know how it goes! 4 owners for a 2013 isn't uncommon, but can raise an eyebrow. Also in the bimmer world, there's a huge variance in the cost of a car based on options, packages, etc.

[Randy Johnson]

Originally Posted by auburnf30x

The above two answers are good representations on the spectrum of answers you’ll get. Some people luck out and get a great one, some don’t.

Two big issues with the 2013 328i, neither you’ll really have any way of knowing if they are about to fail, or have been repaired without a thorough inspection (and sometimes even then). The timing chain system is a weak point and known to fail. I believe there is an updated part to fix the issue, but $$$. I don’t see where you mentioned if it was AWD or not, but if it is, the transfer case is a known weak point and has seen frequent failures on this forum. There is an updated part to fix the issue, but again, $$$.

Otherwise, just typical BMW stuff more easily fixed such as oil gaskets.

A lot of people would recommend getting the LCI 2016+ 330i, both of the above were fixed from the factory. I’ve put 11k on mine so far, only issue was a $10 leaky radiator cap.

Any BMW though of that age and mileage, detailed maintenance records are a must for me. I wouldn’t feel confident in its prior care otherwise.

Any BMW is expensive to maintain if you take it to the dealer. Less so from an independent shop, but still higher than most cars. If you do your own maintenance, like many of us here do, it really is not appreciably more expensive than any other.

Biggest thought to take away, the key to making a BMW last is precise and regular maintenance, both before you get it for yourself, and after. If done properly, they’ll hold up extremely well for a long time and are great fun to boot. If not, they can fail somewhat spectacularly.

Do not agree with this statement. BMW are at least twice as expensive to maintain vs. asian cars I've own. Still I knew what I was getting when I bought one.

[bavarianride]

Originally Posted by Randy Johnson

Do not agree with this statement. BMW are at least twice as expensive to maintain vs. asian cars I've own. Still I knew what I was getting when I bought one.

It depends on how many miles are on the BMW, and which models of BMW.

E.g. my F30 328i was sold at 8.5 yrs and 80k miles with total out-of-pocket expense of $2k(after 4-yr/50k miles free maintenance + new car warranty) including:

1. 2 sets of tires
2. 5 dealer oil changes
3. indy spark plugs
4. dealer coolant + brake
5. DIY wiper ($20 a set) + air filter($5) + cabin filter($30) with BMW parts

$0 was spent on ESC.

The F-series esp. the 3-series is relatively repair and maintenance light compared to previous E-series, and is likely at par with most japanese brands.

[M Smurf]

Originally Posted by Randy Johnson

Do not agree with this statement. BMW are at least twice as expensive to maintain vs. asian cars I've own. Still I knew what I was getting when I bought one.

How so? Parts are suprisingly affordable and plentiful and labor cost/hr is roughly the same at an Indy shop.

Transmission fluid replacement is the only cost that raised an eyebrow...so far

[jsouth]

Originally Posted by cristuphur

Nice, I might have to just save up some more and include the cost of replacing things like the timing belt. How much did that cost you?

$2700 USD

[bavarianride]

Originally Posted by M Smurf

How so? Parts are suprisingly affordable and plentiful and labor cost/hr is roughly the same at an Indy shop.

Transmission fluid replacement is the only cost that raised an eyebrow...so far

My local indy charges $500 parts and labor for ZF 8AT with FCPEuro kit, so it is not too bad.

The OFHG is likely $500, rear/front brake pads + rotors $500 per axle.

[bavarianride]

Originally Posted by MPSdriver

I'm driving a F30 328xi that was bought new in 2013. I had been driving free of any trouble up to 117k km before I got into trouble:

• At 117k km (73k miles) the transmission had to be replaced as the reverse gear couldn't be engaged anymore.
• At 119k km (74k miles) the transfer case had to be replaced (vibration issues).
• At 127k km (79k miles) the turbo needed replacement due to an oil leak (yellow CEL) and I had both the chain for timing and oil pump replaced due to excessive whining (like a chainsaw )
• Three days after I got the car back the car throws a red CEL for low oil pressure. I got the car towed and diagnosed with a thrust bearing failure. As a result the crankshaft had grinded the engine block so I had a short block installed.

I'm currently at 148k km (93k miles) with only some minor issues since (interior is starting to wear).

I'm definitely one of the less lucky ones when it comes to reliability but I wouldn't buy a second-hand 2013 328i unless it came with serious extended warranty.

Wow, ZF 8AT, transfer case, engine, those are the most expensive parts of F30! In comparison turbo +TC + oil pump is minor issue ....

Do u track the car?

Is it possible the shop didn't do the TC job right and caused the crankshaft grinding?

And can the transmission job cause issues with transfer case?

You are very brave to still own the car.