[Nolty]

Advice on possibly buying a higher mileage F30 335xi

I work at an Audi dealership and we recently got a 95,000 mile 2014 335xi that was traded in with every package except the M Sport and my manager is giving me a fantastic price barely above cost ($15,000). I currently own a 2003 Mustang GT (111,000 miles) and have already had my fair share of costly maintenance bills so I am prepared for the large bills in the future. I want to get a car my wife can drive too and that has a higher safety rating/gas mileage compared to my Mustang.

Upon inspection the only thing wrong with the car is the oil filter housing gasket which I plan on doing a DIY on along with any other gaskets I will have access to. My question is whether it’s worth buying it at 95k and what is the average life expectancy of these engines/how common are the rod bearing issues that would kill the engine. I am a big stickler on maintenance so anything that needs to be done will be done when it comes up. I was also wondering if it was worth getting it inspected at BMW or an independent BMW specific shop in my area.

I appreciate any feedback and if you all need any other info about the car I would be glad to answer.

[Maximus92]

I'm guessing you are from the States, because that question would never be asked by European 😂.

[Nolty]

Originally Posted by Maximus92

I'm guessing you are from the States, because that question would never be asked by European 😂.

You would be correct sir 😂

[capt_slow]

Fluids for front and rear diffs, xDrive transfer case, and auto tranny are officially lifetime fills. However, it's recommend to replace them at 50-60K, but after that it's not recommended to touch them.

ZF, the OEM of the tranny, does have official guidance on the fluid change, but note that it's been changing over the years. Likely due to pressure from the auto manufacturers. Current recommended interval is 93K miles, so this could be an opportunity to change it out.

ZF 5-, 6-, 8- and 9-speed as well as the ZF 4HP20 automatic transmissions are filled maintenance-free with specially developed semi-synthetic ATF oils. However, due to the many factors influencing the service life of transmissions in individual operation, ZF recommends an oil change after 150,000 km for its transmissions. In operating conditions with high temperatures and loads, or with unknown vehicle use in the past, it can make sense to change the transmission oil at shorter intervals.

[Nolty]

Originally Posted by capt_slow

Fluids for front and rear diffs, xDrive transfer case, and auto tranny are officially lifetime fills. However, it's recommend to replace them at 50-60K, but after that it's not recommended to touch them.

ZF, the OEM of the tranny, does have official guidance on the fluid change, but note that it's been changing over the years. Likely due to pressure from the auto manufacturers. Current recommended interval is 93K miles, so this could be an opportunity to change it out.

Thank you for the recommendation, I want to knock out as much maintenance as I can right away if I get the car so I know that everything is safe and up to date.

[Fredo]

The N55 is a good engine. My 2012 335i has 94k miles. Besides regular maintenance, these items have failed:

Windshield washer pump at 93k miles
Valve cover gasket at 84k miles
A/C compressor at 82k miles
Expansion tank hose at 77k miles

[Nolty]

Originally Posted by Fredo

The N55 is a good engine. My 2012 335i has 94k miles. Besides regular maintenance, these items have failed:

Windshield washer pump at 93k miles
Valve cover gasket at 84k miles
A/C compressor at 82k miles
Expansion tank hose at 77k miles

I might as well do my valve cover gasket then and luckily the expansion tank line cracked during the inspection when the tech barely bumped it so I'm getting a new one of those as well so it won't poop out on me while driving. Thank you

[Chris.let]

I have a 2014 335i RWD. I did tons of research before buying in August 2021. Look, what I have learned is that the rod bearing failures aren't a wide spread issue for cars that are daily driven, tracked cars are more at risk. The engine itself will last as long as it's well maintained. I bought mine with 102 526 miles (165 000 kms) on the clock. Gave it a service (DIY) and I regularly check for OFHG leaks as these can be catastrophic if left unchecked. You could just get a crank seal guard for peace of mind though.

I would say, bit the bullet, I really think you'll enjoy it.

[Nolty]

Originally Posted by Chris.let

I have a 2014 335i RWD. I did tons of research before buying in August 2021. Look, what I have learned is that the rod bearing failures aren't a wide spread issue for cars that are daily driven, tracked cars are more at risk. The engine itself will last as long as it's well maintained. I bought mine with 102 526 miles (165 000 kms) on the clock. Gave it a service (DIY) and I regularly check for OFHG leaks as these can be catastrophic if left unchecked. You could just get a crank seal guard for peace of mind though.

I would say, bit the bullet, I really think you'll enjoy it.

I'm so excited I'm signing for it tomorrow. I'm gonna go ahead and do the Oil pan gasket, ofhg /oil cooler gasket (under warranty at my local Indy bmw shop) and water pump/thermostat