What I've Learned from 10 YEARS of BMW Ownership

In this video, I summarize my 10 years of BMW ownership. The good, the bad, as well as some helpful resources for new owners. BMW’s can be incredible cars but can also be incredibly frustrating. If you’re able to do some of the work yourself, it is possible to own a BMW on a budget though!

INSTAGRAM @justinbuice

#BMW #F30 #e90

00:00 Intro
01:20 Not for Everyone
02:20 The BMW Way
03:51 Resources
05:35 Where to Buy Parts
07:32 My Frustrations
09:00 Advice for Young Buyers

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[GTAYLOR]

Justin I think you hit the nail on the head about not buying one before you are financially stable. I mean I guess if you are 16 and dad is making 300 thousand a year and paying all the bills it’s ok. But for most people that is not real life.

[hypernovatv]

I am an Audi, fanatic myself. I’ve had five Audis, but I have never been able to explain to anyone why they should buy one. I was so dismayed by peoples questions to me of why should I buy an Audi that I went on Twitter and sent the CEO a message telling him Audi has no brand identity. Their PR department tried to counter with oh but we sell a lot of cars. I don’t care how many cars they sell when someone asks you why should I buy an Audi you should be able to rattle off a bunch of reasons right off the bat if not then that’s a problem for them. I was always puzzled by BMW fanaticism. People who love BMWs always say the same thing I love them I refuse to drive anything else, but they are so expensive to own. Over the years, I have played around with the idea of buying one but my father who is a mechanic and a Mercedes fanatic says that BMWs are garbage. I don’t really listen to him because he hates Audis and I’m a 50 year old man and I make my own choices. Since I was always a DIYer I decided to take the plunge and buy a BMW E 39. There was a kid who had one listed on Facebook marketplace, who seemed desperate to get rid of it, and I bought it from him. I live in the Philadelphia area and I have never seen a car stay on there for more than a week no matter how many problems the car had. Somehow this car had been on there for three weeks and so I was curious so I wanted to take a look. Before I wasted my time, I straight up, asked him what was wrong with the car. He literally ran down a list of problems that would have made the average Joe run away screaming, Instead of doing that, I went on YouTube and typed in BMW DIY and tons of videos, came up about how to fix all the problems that he named. He only wanted $850 for it so I figured why not? After about six months of wrenching on the car myself and $2500 worth of parts I took my first drive in the car and I see why people love BMWs now. I asked an actual mechanic how much work i did and he said about $8000. I wanted to put some racing brake pads and rotors on the car and while he had it up in the air, I asked him to do an inspection and he said that I did a good job. I hope me and my E39 have many years of trouble free driving.🎉😊

[JoRocket]

I own 3 BMWs. Love them. I think they are reliable cars. Cost of ownership is higher but once you get use to driving them there’s no going back.

[michaelwillis]

By far the best review of BMW ownership I have ever seen.

[MBEATS]

BMWs are all smiles and cries. Well stated facts in your video that I think all of us DIYers and enthusiasts go through.

[ginolorenzo]

2017 F30 - No major repairs, no leaks, just routine insurance and change oils. I don't race. I don't push the engine. So far so good.

[jjday]

Got my first E90 335i at age 20. Working as a barista during University. The moment I took possesion of that car, the High pressure fuel pump went. Over the years, I maintained it thoroughly and changed all fluids on time. It got more and more reliable over time.

These are great cars, but I was put in a generous situation in when it broke, I could drive my parents car. If you are young on your own, Justin's advice holds true. These cars are amazing to drive and I had so much fun working on them and driving them however, and when you factor in enjoyment these cars are worth every penny.

[illestprincessforeve]

You did a great job with this babe! It was well thought out and thorough and very good advice! Proud of you and all your hard work making this!

[Carbon_F]

I'm a big fan of your channel and love the content you create. You share a very good perspective on owning a BMW. I was a huge Chevy fan since I was kid and now in my forties bought my first BMW last year. I am fixing a lot of issues, but It's an awesome adventure and the community is one of the best I have ever experienced.

[heistkev]

Great video! I bought a 1999 E46 with 125k miles in 2007 just after graduating from college. I spent a lot (like, a LOT) of money early on, before I started going the DIY repair route. It was stressful being at the mercy of a shop and never knowing what that bill was going to be. I drove and maintained the car for 15 years and put 325, 000 miles on it, and learned an incredible amount in the process. The car is in need of a transmission, but other than that runs very well. Youtube channels and forums were my saviors for DIY work. I recently bought a 2014 335i and have had it almost 2 years. I am much further along in my career and financially stable at this point in my life. That, along with the knowledge and skills to do my own work makes this a (mostly) affordable car to own. Most importantly it is an absolute joy to drive. Cheers!

[barcostudio]

You helped me with my E90 back in 2013. Switched over between five other cars. Just came back to the fam with a 2021 G20 and I’m happy to see you’re still creating content. Thank you. Seriously, thank you.

[rmuckluck]

Great video as always! I have been following you for years. Your videos on your e90 were one of the deciding factors when I bought mine. I still have mine 6 years later. Since then, my daughter has an e46 and my wife has a mini countryman. I have learned some much about BMWs and cars since getting my e90. Thanks for all your videos. Keep up the good work!

[bachsi]

Been following you for so many years now, and I think you share an awesome perspective! It’s exactly how I feel about BMW’s, and I hope that the support for these older 3 and 5 series continues as the years go on. Especially with all these plastics being eaten by aging and acidic fluids 😅. Our family 5 series was still my favorite car to drive, and I can’t wait to get back into another

[dnfrlpc]

Justin - Outstanding video offering a balanced perspective. Love your work. Keep up the great content. Wish you well my friend.

[tyler]

I’ve been a BMW owner for close to 12 years now (age 28-40). When I decided to buy my 2006 E46 330ci ZHP 6MT in 2012, I had made plans to purchase tools to be able to work on it myself. I would not own BMWs if I didn’t do most of the work and maintenance. Total cost since 9/2012 has been about $1100 a year for repairs, maintenance and consumables including tires. I’ve done 90% of the work on it over that time and yet only driven it about 65k miles. It has 125.5K miles. Previous owner had it for 2.5 years and spent 7k in maintenance and repairs taking to a dealer…

My e46 is a garage queen now and my daily is a 2017 f25 X3 xDrive35i I bought in 2021. I certainly wouldnt own it if I didn’t have years of built up knowledge of BMw maintenance needs and repairs. It had 4 months of warranty left on it when I bought it with 29k miles. I had the front brake rotors and pads replaced, leaking oil pan gasket fixed, rear differential replaced, and the bottom seat cover on drivers side replaced under warranty. I work from home so mileage doesn’t go up a ton. It’s at 49k miles now mostly highway miles. Just ordered the 3rd oil change kit (oil changed 4 times since I’ve had it), a drive belt tensioner kit and front and rear wiper blades from FCPEuro. It has a very minor oil leak at the turbo return line that I’m monitoring. I replaced the LCD center display screen after it failed Dec 2022.

The X3 has way more interior rattles than my e46 but the drivetrain, tech, driving dynamics, are so good compared to every other compact SUV I test drove before ending up with yet another BMW. I probably wouldn’t own anything newer than a F chassis BMW out of warranty at this point. For the price I paid for the X3 (27k) which is now less than the average used car price it is a ton of vehicle for the money.

[grunter]

You’re videos have been so helpful I appreciate them immensely I’ve only had my 13 f30 for almost a year now but the joy and satisfaction this vehicle brings is immense yes I have run to a few hiccups but that’s to be expected lol

[limitededition]

I don’t own a bmw nor do I plan on buying one but I often find myself watching your videos because I know the quality is always up there. love the way you narrate and how calming those videos are, you really have your own thing going on and it’s incredible, great video as usual Justin 🥳

[s.s]

This video have really good points 👍🏻 Kudos to Justin

as a car enthusiast, BMW lover & owner. I too was in the same position watching videos like these, doing my research on whether to own a BMW etc

Genuine advise from experience, dont get a BMW if you’re not truly financially ready

Especially for used ones, no matter how great the condition of the car when u are purchasing it. it WILL require fixing and a lot of care and maintenance. It can really add up 💸

Another good tip is to have a spare car. Your BMW cannot be the ONLY car you have available, as it will eventually end up in the workshop or be down for awhile.

Even though how troublesome and how much unnecessary stress my BMW brings me. It actually makes it even more rewarding to drive it whenever it’s running in good condition.

They are super great cars to drive, just remember to always prepare for the worst and have a spare car

[Tht_f]

Good advice Justin. Going into getting my f30 I wasn’t sure if it was a good decision. But the love of BMW pushed me to making it happen and I don’t regret it one bit.

[amalgam]

Taking over a 2009 E90 that’s been parked for a bit. Thanks for the video. Got a feeling I’ll be watching a lot more content in the months to come.