List of Repairs Leading Me Away From BMW

[bdcanetti]

I'll start off by saying no question the most fun I've ever had driving an SUV. However, after reading this list you may see why I may not be able to buy another one. Also, I buy used since I can't afford a brand new one (military salary and 2 kids) and that means no warranty. Also I'm a decent mechanic so I do most of the work myself with some advice and DIYs from you great people on here.

Bought a 2007 X5 Sport 8 cylinder 4.8i in May 2012 with 58,000 miles. Found it in Scottsdale, AZ and since it was such a great deal, had every option and color I wanted and was a southern car (no rust) I flew out there and drove it cross country to my home in Buffalo, NY.

List of repairs since and currently 113,000 miles:

1. New Tired right away and 4-wheel align (No Biggie, to be expected)
2. New ceramic brake pads and sensors ( Also no biggie, wear item)
3. Oil Cooler thermostat gasket leak. HUGE JOB!
4. New Electric Radiator Cooling Fan. Easy job but $650 part.
5. New Thermostat ( triggered a code)
6. New DTML pump ( triggrred a code )
7. New Water Pump ( Bearing went )
8. New Mechatronic Sleeve ( Leaking ) which led to $225 tranny pan and fluid service.
9. Both Differentials and Transfer Case fluid change. ( TC triggrred a wear code )
10. Bad rear shock connector triggered EDC failure. Quick fix by bypassing connector and hardwiring together.
11. Replaced both sway bar links. Terrible front end rattle.
12. Replaced bad tie rod end.
13. Had a shop replace 2 front end bushings $1100.
14. Two new radiator hoses due to cracked plastic fittings.

Still has bad backup camera I live with, high battery drain message where I have to reset the clock every few days, drivers door comfort access no longer works but other doors do, a few interior rattles, a slight leak in moon roof and needs another $1400 set of tires and who the hell knows what will go next.

Thank God I can do almost all the work myself. This seems like a lot to me. This is my 2nd X5 and the first one wasn't much better. There's no way I can defend BMW anymore as their quality flat out sucks!!

I've owned plenty of other vehicles before and nothing comes close to the poor quality and overly complex systems of a BMW. My family owns Chevy, Jeep, Toyota, Nissan, Honda and Ford and they always laugh at me for the work I have to do to keep mine running.

[texvette]

Problem with BMW is the cost of parts and labor. Things wear on all
vehicles. But most can be taken to any repair shop. Many will
not even look at a BMW

[ard]

Originally Posted by texvette

Problem with BMW is the cost of parts and labor. Things wear on all
vehicles. But most can be taken to any repair shop. Many will
not even look at a BMW

You live in a third world country? Most developed countries can handle 'those newfangled german cars'.

[ard]

1. Tires, brakes and fluid changes dont belong on a list about repairs and quality. IMO

2. I agree that is a significant list. I wouldnt be happy. Did you get a bad hand? Sounds like a slight of an outlier- most are not bitten by every one of these (!) you are not the first to report any of these problems.

3. Nice to be a DIYer. Can you imagine how much it would have cost? Not just the ACTUAL work, but all the other crap they'd have chased after.... 10k? more? new trans?? who knows.

4. There are certainly better cars to own if low maintenance and high reliablity are your primary goals.

5. So PPI was done? No history of any of these issues? No visits to BMW, just the normal maintenance? Or was this car a lease that was beaten on by the first owner with multiple issues? On this last point I will readily admit that hstory at 58k and service records is not a great predictor of what you can expect over the next 30-50k miles.

Im not going to defend BMW- that is a pretty ugly list.

But...OTOH... what else could come up now? You're past the bad stuff now.



I kid, I kid.

[bawareca]

OP, I feel for you and everyone owning BMW, me included. But actually for a 115 k miles first model year car equipped with one of the worst (maintenance wise) engines BMW ever made i would say the list of actual repairs is pretty short. There are real horror stories out there involving 07 4.8i.
Some front end wear is expected at this mileage and #6000 SUV.
The transmission service is normal to be performed at this mileage too, and if performed by a knowledgeable tech the mechatronic sleeve is changed at the same time. $15 part but PITA to change.
This $1100 for (I suppose) the trust arm bushings is really excessive.

[bdcanetti]

Yes I do realize some of this is to be expected and I suppose I'm just venting and I realize it could be worse. Just aggravated that a vehicle with an original sticker price of $74,000 would use parts with better gaskets and seals as in the mechatronic sleeve which is an idiotic design IMO to begin with. The comfort access design is beyond horrible. All the horror stories of handles getting water in them and shorting out causing battery drains. Also incredibly stupid engineering. But my biggest pet peeve so far is the radiator fan. Cheaply made plastic that becomes brittle and breaks and as in my case, instead of unbolting the plastic fan and replacing with a $50 new part, they make it so you have to buy the entire $650 unit. Compete BS money grab design. And just wait until you have to change the oil thermostat gasket on the 4.8 or the alternator bracket gasket AKA "gasket to nowhere" on the 3.0. Horribly made gasket in a nearly impossible to reach spot. Anyway...just expect more from the famous "German Engineering".

[cravin]

Originally Posted by bdcanetti

Yes I do realize some of this is to be expected and I suppose I'm just venting and I realize it could be worse. Just aggravated that a vehicle with an original sticker price of $74,000 would use parts with better gaskets and seals as in the mechatronic sleeve which is an idiotic design IMO to begin with. The comfort access design is beyond horrible. All the horror stories of handles getting water in them and shorting out causing battery drains. Also incredibly stupid engineering. But my biggest pet peeve so far is the radiator fan. Cheaply made plastic that becomes brittle and breaks and as in my case, instead of unbolting the plastic fan and replacing with a $50 new part, they make it so you have to buy the entire $650 unit. Compete BS money grab design. And just wait until you have to change the oil thermostat gasket on the 4.8 or the alternator bracket gasket AKA "gasket to nowhere" on the 3.0. Horribly made gasket in a nearly impossible to reach spot. Anyway...just expect more from the famous "German Engineering".

Just to address some of your points from someone that has had a LOOONG list of repairs himself.

To the original sticker price, a good amount of that money is someone willing to pay to buy into the brand of BMW. I look around where I live, and there are so many BMWs on the road that it's obviously a price that the market is willing to bear. I wouldn't equate the price with quality of parts. My buddy has a Ferrari that is in the shop more than my BMW. Plastic parts are everywhere nowadays. Cheaper to make and lessen the weight to get better gas mileage. Same reason that you have high end retailers like Gucci selling a piece of clothes for $1000 when you can get the piece of clothes at the Gap for $29. Do you think that the high end clothes will be 100x better?

As to the second part of your argument, I agree in part. BMW obviously has a business model to charge a premium for their parts to make high margin on them. That being said, third party parts aren't all that much cheaper either. This is part of the price you pay by buying a luxury brand. Companies will charge what the market will bear. They're also selling lesser quantity of them compared to parts that they would make for a Jeep or something, so that increases their price to us.

[e30cabrio]

Sorry for your troubles but I don't see a huge list & agree wear items are just that & no matter what you drive need to be replaced.

Why are you choosing 1400.00 tires? There are plenty well under that.

My '03 4.4 had 39k 2 years ago when I got it. I drive ALOT, it has 119xxx all I have done was an alternator, battery, a few hoses, an axle (cv boot failed), rear air bags, a water pump, thermostat & overflow tank.

I have also done pads, rotors & tires, but I used them up & IMHO complaining about that is like wondering why I get hungry several times a day.

hope things work out, thank you for your service!

[bdcanetti]

Ok ok. I'm not complaining about the tires and brakes and I shouldn't have even mentioned them.

There are not cheaper tires. I have 20" sport wheels and I buy the continental cross track all-seasons. After purchase, shipping and install ( only BMW and a corvette shop around here has a machine for tires that big) the price comes to $1400. But I get it, all vehicles go through tires, I was just mentioning it.

The list may not be big to some but this is the 13th vehicle I have owned and by far the most things that have malfunctioned of them all. Maybe just bad luck or I've been spoiled with previous good luck.

Yes I have Indy shops here too but still cost $100 an hour in labor so I choose to do most of the work myself. Not to mention I work meticulously and methodically so I trust my own work much more than any shop.

I'll just hope this was a bad spell and she runs great for the next 18 months before I sell it. If not Im on my way to a masters degree on the 2007 X5 4.8i Sport E70 N62 engine!!

[e30cabrio]

Originally Posted by bdcanetti

Ok ok. I'm not complaining about the tires and brakes and I shouldn't have even mentioned them.

There are not cheaper tires. I have 20" sport wheels and I buy the continental cross track all-seasons. After purchase, shipping and install ( only BMW and a corvette shop around here has a machine for tires that big) the price comes to $1400. But I get it, all vehicles go through tires, I was just mentioning it.

The list may not be big to some but this is the 13th vehicle I have owned and by far the most things that have malfunctioned of them all. Maybe just bad luck or I've been spoiled with previous good luck.

Yes I have Indy shops here too but still cost $100 an hour in labor so I choose to do most of the work myself. Not to mention I work meticulously and methodically so I trust my own work much more than any shop.

I'll just hope this was a bad spell and she runs great for the next 18 months before I sell it. If not Im on my way to a masters degree on the 2007 X5 4.8i Sport E70 N62 engine!!

I understand the 20" restriction, I have 19s and need 285 40s which are not cheap but other brands make them and the 20s then Continental and I am sure like the 19s are available for less than 1400. As far as limited places having the machine where are you? I am in Phoenix and know every Firestone, Discount, Big O & many others can install on large rims, hell most big markups are on the blingy 24s nowadays so most places are selling & installing them. (not to me)