That’s what I love about my Club Sport- in addition to the nanny-free analog driving experience I can beat on it like a red-headed stepchild without risking a ticket. Except for that time in 1996 when I didn’t pay attention to what my V1 was telling me…
New BMW X3 M40, INSANE power delivery (2024)
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JHZR2
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As a past E30 318i M42 driver/enthusiast, I agree 100%.
Right. Just like I said, it doesn't do anything but "smooth out the experience a bit". As to the added complexity, etc. I really haven't heard of anyone having issues with it. I do think the later implementation within the ZF8 is far superior to the belt drive model though, which preceded it in BMW's, for sure! Mazda was smart to at least design their transmission like the ZF8 in this manner for the CX90.
I haven't bought a BMW or owned one, but to whit, my neighbor has an X3 (2016? 17?) and they had an oil leak on the top of the engine. I do not know if it was valve cover or what it was, but they say over time it ruined some wiring and ultimately had to go to the dealer to the tune of about $3500 in repairs.
They turned around and bought a new X5 with the hybrid design 45e, I think?
So they like them, but yes, they are complex machines that need a true specialty shop or dealer-only service, IMO. Really nice cars, but yes, you better be doing A/B correctly and on time. That's my main complaint about the Germans, they do not give one care about cost after the fact, nor are they shy about charging $1500 for options others include in mid-level models/packages "for free". I think BMW is the worst for this latter, and MB the former. VAG just likes to break a lot and offer interiors that used to be amazing but are now "just another option".
...and then we have the older BMW and MB's (1980-2000s), which are more like Toyotas than Toyota is, today. Except stuff like the M5's V10, etc, which was horrific.
But anyway, yeah, BMW needs TLC as does MB, and if given properly, they should outlast most things out there.
Depending on the engine, could be OFHG which on N-generation engines can leak on the serpentine belt and then make the belt snap, belt wraps around the harmonic balancer (oversized) bcs. cannot escape its size, and gets sucked into the engine.
$37 for gasket, 3 e-torx screwes.
Any car when neglected is expensive, still cheaper than the trunk lid on my Sienna (just $3,200 for door) bcs. it hit the bike on my rack while closing or stuck sunroof that goes in above $5,000 in Toyota dealership.
So far my BMW that I track was cheaper to maintain than Sienna. So, whatever.
It had the 3.0 I6 in it, whatever generation that was, I dunno. It wasn't the performance model. That said, I have never once seen a car torpedo itself with an oil leak like that before. My Dad drives stuff into the dirt, and doesn't even bother fixing oil leaks, and never once. I do not know how much he drove, 1-2 hundred thousand miles per year typically I think. I recall cars lasting 2-3 years and he split use between them (Drove for a living). I've seen head gaskets blown, water pumps, alternators, transmissions, all sorts of stuff die and get swapped out, but never once did an oil leak do anything to any of our cars except prevent rust, lol! BMW needs lots of love. But it does return the favor, IMO, if you sack up and buy a true M model. Even then "iffy M" stuff like the M340 and M40 are legit nowadays. Way better than Audi S-Line body kit trash. IMO, the only reason to buy a BMW is to buy a performance model, otherwise it just comes off as pretentious and like you hate money.
Numerous engines can torpedo themselves bcs. numerous stuff. A leak on OFHG is very easy to spot! When on does not, it is bcs. negligence.
Still, they do not torpedo themselves like KIA stinger etc. just bcs. they are KIA/Hyundai.
I generally do not hate money. For example, my condo in downtown San Diego or one in Chicago could buy several very good vehicles. I drive what I drive bcs. that is what I want to drive. I do not need M3 or Sorento to compensate for other stuff.
Are you a BMW owner? Any V8s with rod bearing issues, injector issues? How about that pesky Vanos system? Oil leaks? Better yet coolant tank leaks? None of my Mercs ever had any of these problems
Different companies have different issues.
Camshafts, head bolts, leaking valve covers, cracked manifolds etc. Please man, you are driving C63, a vehicle that like no other can grenade differential on track, probably bcs. it takes 30 minutes to warm up fluid as thick fluid was a band-aid. That is why you can see AMG on track every leap year, maybe.
It's actually pretty reliable on the track. It eats tires and brakes, but its a good car. Intercooler upgrade, tune, and a pair of pure 900s only upgrades I've got. Now I used to own a F10 M5 and that **** thing was a easy 10 second car, but always broke. Always. Finally dropped an injector, bent a rod, and ditched it after a full engine rebuild......car had 48k when I finally grenaded the engine.
Generally, N/S63 were horrible engines. New versions are much better, but it took time.
I always say: if one wants to see how strong a vehicle is, go to the track and see what people drive, and track is owned by Mazda Miata and BMW 1 (E82) and 3 series. Everything else is sporadic.
911s and Vettes hold up well. But Miatas dominate for sure.....even the Miatas with V6 upgrades are reliable
I'm not a fan of H/K ICE vehicles, but their EV's are proving to be pretty awesome. Noone but Tesla and Koenigsegg is making similar motors.
Miatas rule. But, 911 and Vettes are generally among folks that have means. Miatas and 1&3 series can be as old as 20yrs. Cheaper to maintain, lots of fun etc. BMW's in general do not require a lot of investment to make them good track machines, or no investment at all (besides tires and brakes).
I drive kids to school in mine, I ski 1-2 times a week in it, a go to work and I track it. Few cars can do all that reliably.
Don’t a bunch of C63’s have head bolt stretch problems?
The M177 doesn't........M177s the block is reliable to about 900hp with stock hardware.
MB is nice, but the B/S58 engines are where it's at for easy power.
None, other than they're fat, numb, and can be ugly.
That said, the current new BMW I'd be most likely to consider is actually the i4 M50. Might as well have the performance if all the traidtional BMW traits are no longer present, it's a reasonable size, and has reasonable utility. Don't see the buck teeth from the driver's seat, and not bad around BMW's UDE mini course.
I tend to keep my vehicles long term, so any complexity that adds more risk, or potential cost down the line isn't something I embrace. Have a front-end boo-boo now, and you're not only replacing a radiator or condensor, but also an intercooler, and an aux radiator. Li-ion batteries have finite lives, and that will have to be replaced at some point, but probably not before tripping warning lights/messages, whether true or false.
But that's not unique to BMW, and pretty much the nature of the game nowadays. I prefer old school analog BMWs, and the people in that group I know of have held onto their old cars, buy used ones that still reasonably resemble them, or have fled to other marques, like used P-cars, if looking for performance.
We own a couple Bimmers and a couple Beemers.
The Bimmers have the S85 in the M6, and the S63B44T4 in the X6 M Competition.
The internet tells me they are both ticking timebombs. No issues with either yet.
So you like Classic cars. Nothing wrong with that. My Dad is just finishing up his '67 Mustang with stroked 408W, forged crank, AFR heads, etc. It will never get older. Just cooler.None, other than they're fat, numb, and can be ugly.
That said, the current new BMW I'd be most likely to consider is actually the i4 M50. Might as well have the performance if all the traidtional BMW traits are no longer present, it's a reasonable size, and has reasonable utility. Don't see the buck teeth from the driver's seat, and not bad around BMW's UDE mini course.
I tend to keep my vehicles long term, so any complexity that adds more risk, or potential cost down the line isn't something I embrace. Have a front-end boo-boo now, and you're not only replacing a radiator or condensor, but also an intercooler, and an aux radiator. Li-ion batteries have finite lives, and that will have to be replaced at some point, but probably not before tripping warning lights/messages, whether true or false.
But that's not unique to BMW, and pretty much the nature of the game nowadays. I prefer old school analog BMWs, and the people in that group I know of have held onto their old cars, buy used ones that still reasonably resemble them, or have fled to other marques, like used P-cars, if looking for performance.
Anyway, here is where the i4 M50 stacks.
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