The cost of maintaining a 90’s BMW 325i (…aka “e36″)

…is high. Yeah. It’s true.

So it’s also true that it’s absolutely, just really a fantastic thing to drive, but OEM parts are spendy. Labor costs can manifest the definition of outrageous at the dealer, so avoid work from them like the plague. In fact, just don’t even go near there, because I promise that there will be something newer and fancier sitting in the body shop that will make you unbelievably jealous.

New M3 getting $4000 worth of BBS rims. New M5 in an accident. New M6 needs wipers. Porsche anything.

It’s guaranteed. It happens to me every time.

Anyway, here’s a summary:

Spending so far this year (but this is mostly deferred maintenance type of stuff, so “to be fair,” I should really retroactively depreciate it since about 2005…) :

• Oil change: $75 for BMW synthetic fluid and filter
• Coolant change: haven’t done it yet. I’m still evaluating options.
  
• Brake rotors (4), pads (4), fluid, bolts, and sensor wires: $450
• BMW M-Contour rims (beautiful!), used (17×7.5f, 17×8.5r) and Kumho Ecsta MX (sticky!) tires: $800
• Replacement BMW roundel for hood, with grommets: $35
• License plate lights (2): $3
• PIAA wiper blades (2): $50
• Windshield washer pump and nozzles (2) :$35
• The infamous “Brake Light Switch”: $13
• Bilstein HD Rear Shocks (2): $140
• Bilstein HD Front Struts (2): $300
• Rear upper shock mounts and RSM reinforcement plates: $50
• Other items (CG-LOCK, zeolite packets for cabin and trunk, clutch pedal pad, fluids): $100

Total spending: $2300, give or take (from tax and shipping).

I expect to incur another $1000 (…and maybe up to $2000…) next fall for headlights, M3 swaybars, another set of Bridgestone Blizzak winter tires, maybe M3 tan/black vader seats or other sport seats, and maybe a 3.23:1 limited slip differential; from this list, only an oil change, the winter tires and the headlights are truly essential.

More just FYI: the mileage is at about 70k, so I’m expecting the radiator neck to crack and require replacement within 20-30k miles. I’ve already replaced the water pump, as every other e36 has or will have to very soon. A clutch replacement kit is about $300 for parts, if and when I need it (…hopefully FAR in the future).

Doing the “back of the napkin” calculations, this comes to about $300 a month for the privilege of parking the thing in the garage downstairs, including the purchase cost of the car minus my conservatively estimated resale value in a year or two, as well as some body work and a “cheap” repaint from an eminently reasonable local guy, and at that price, it beats the hell out of a new Hyundai or Chevy.

Sheer driving pleasure value of the f&#$ing decade, right there.

——–

Update: ~6 month evaluation of suspension mods, tires, and brakes

1) I’m less than impressed by the brakes.  A lot of money on new rotors, fancy pads, and ATE fluid, all for what has amounted to minimal (possibly even negative) change in pedal feel. I guess I’d have to say that it seems like it’s only worth spending a lot of money on brakes–don’t even bother with the supposedly performance-oriented pads/rotors. It still seems plausible that the fluid might be worth it, but I don’t track the car…so I’ll probably never know.

2) Wow. The Bilstein HD shocks and struts are ultra-stiff, when taken in concert with reduced sidewall of the tires on the 17″ rims. OK, I know it’s not “race car stiff” and it’s not yet a uniformly “harsh” ride, but there is no way you want these shocks if you primarily drive around in a town with bad roads. You will feel every imperfection in the road surface with this setup. Every imperfection!

I may try replacing the rear shock mounts, adding the Z3 reinforcement plates, and going to a thicker (~18 mm) rear sway bar…if I can find a mechanic that doesn’t want $1000 to swap these little parts out.

3) Kumho Ecsta MX tires have giant blocks of flat rubber. Sticky, sticky, sticky…but they seriously promote tramlining.  I feel every bump in the road and have to constantly actively correct the car through the steering wheel as this suspension/tire setup wants to follow the dips and ruts in the road…so be aware of this before you buy them. More OEM-style, small tread block tires might really make you happier if you’re not tracking the car.

Here’s a list of valuable BMW d.i.y. resources, at least for similarly happy E36 owners:

1. www.dtmpower.net
2. www.bimmerforums.com
3. www.bimmerboard.com/forums/e36
4. www.bmwe36blog.com/

• http://moodle.student.cnwl.ac.uk/moodledata_shared/CDX%20eTextbook/dswmedia/steersusp/steersusp.html
• http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/tech_white_papers.shtml
• http://home.jtan.com/~joe/KIAT/kiat_1.ht
• http://ask.metafilter.com/23596/Why-do-German-cars-use-lug-BOLTS-instead-of-lug-NUTS
• http://www.kouki.co.uk/Utilities/tyresizer.asp
• http://www.pelicanparts.com/BMW/techarticles/tech_main.htm
• http://www.garageboy.com/bmw/brakefaq.html
• http://www.garageboy.com/fahrt/index.html
• http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp_brakebiasandperformance.shtml
• http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp_brakesystems_upgradeselections.shtml
• CD Changer installation instructions (and a potential fix for CDs that skip: the H/V tab)

…and these instructional links from Pelican Parts: