35is reliability after 15 years?

[sunnydays]

Looking to get back in to the z4 35is fold, this will be my fourth lol. Looking at a early 2010 car, it's already had a fair bit of work done. Provided the injectors, coils, sparks plugs, valve cover, and water pump have been done. Is there anything else I need to watch out for? The car has circa 60k miles and is a 2010.

What's a reasonable price for a 2010 via private sale?

Thanks!

 

[Gingerlomax]

HPFP i just changed mine at 90k and a 2010 reg. Just about to change the PCV valve and then the water pump.

 

[Chippie]

The adaptive dampers are known to leak.

 

[B21]

Turbo wastegates..turbo seals, turbo o rings, DCT leaks from 4 places, maybe HPFP, usual OFHG etc, dampers as suggested..

Plus wear and tear on suspension and brake parts due to age/weight/power..

£10k-£11k seems mid range private sale..enjoy!

 

[sunnydays]

Thanks guys, are parts for repairs etc still easily available?

 

[matsmith749]

Pretty much available from the dealer & loads of 3rd partys. Some of the unique e89 parts are harder to come by (rear inidcators!!), but alternatives available.

 

[B21]

Thanks guys, are parts for repairs etc still easily available?

Simple answer is yes..the n54 engine was widely used in many BMW 'performance cars'..from 2006 onwards..so a few 'bugs' had already materialised by the time the Z4 got this engine in 2009..

So for most 'issues' there are the options of BMW OE parts, third party copies of OE parts and third party 'uprated' versions of OE parts, plus 'upgrades'..

Careful shopping around if time affords is the key..

For example a pair of OE turbo chargers from BMW are: £2,500 ish each..so £5,000..

However you can buy the pair of Mitsubishi turbos from their suppliers (identical part) for around £1,200..if your willing to wait and your turbos are not completely shot then a UK refurb can be had for around £500 -£700..

Major gearbox failures, adaptive dampers, injectors are the ones that are a struggle to get low cost alternatives..

Each Index 12 injector is around £300-400... you need at least 3 if the bank you're looking at is pre Index 11.

So the bad news is that the N54 is more problematic than the N52, N55 or N20 and some parts are much more expensive..but parts with some exceptions are readily available..FWIW rear lights are now in stock and plentiful..

Many 'faults' tend to appear when people re-map them as this then pushes them over the edge..on mine the coils failed once I did a MHD V9 stage 1+ re-map for example.

 

[sunnydays]

Thanks guys, are parts for repairs etc still easily available?

Simple answer is yes..the n54 engine was widely used in many BMW 'performance cars'..from 2006 onwards..so a few 'bugs' had already materialised by the time the Z4 got this engine in 2009..

So for most 'issues' there are the options of BMW OE parts, third party copies of OE parts and third party 'uprated' versions of OE parts, plus 'upgrades'..

Careful shopping around if time affords is the key..

For example a pair of OE turbo chargers from BMW are: £2,500 ish each..so £5,000..

However you can buy the pair of Mitsubishi turbos from their suppliers (identical part) for around £1,200..if your willing to wait and your turbos are not completely shot then a UK refurb can be had for around £500 -£700..

Major gearbox failures, adaptive dampers, injectors are the ones that are a struggle to get low cost alternatives..

Each Index 12 injector is around £300-400... you need at least 3 if the bank you're looking at is pre Index 11.

So the bad news is that the N54 is more problematic than the N52, N55 or N20 and some parts are much more expensive..but parts with some exceptions are readily available..FWIW rear lights are now in stock and plentiful..

Many 'faults' tend to appear when people re-map them as this then pushes them over the edge..on mine the coils failed once I did a MHD V9 stage 1+ re-map for example.

I can DIY the injectors no problem, I have done those before. In terms of gearbox failures, are these common? What are the options if this occurs? It is a getrag box right which isn't repairable?

 

[B21]

Thanks guys, are parts for repairs etc still easily available?

Simple answer is yes..the n54 engine was widely used in many BMW 'performance cars'..from 2006 onwards..so a few 'bugs' had already materialised by the time the Z4 got this engine in 2009..

So for most 'issues' there are the options of BMW OE parts, third party copies of OE parts and third party 'uprated' versions of OE parts, plus 'upgrades'..

Careful shopping around if time affords is the key..

For example a pair of OE turbo chargers from BMW are: £2,500 ish each..so £5,000..

However you can buy the pair of Mitsubishi turbos from their suppliers (identical part) for around £1,200..if your willing to wait and your turbos are not completely shot then a UK refurb can be had for around £500 -£700..

Major gearbox failures, adaptive dampers, injectors are the ones that are a struggle to get low cost alternatives..

Each Index 12 injector is around £300-400... you need at least 3 if the bank you're looking at is pre Index 11.

So the bad news is that the N54 is more problematic than the N52, N55 or N20 and some parts are much more expensive..but parts with some exceptions are readily available..FWIW rear lights are now in stock and plentiful..

Many 'faults' tend to appear when people re-map them as this then pushes them over the edge..on mine the coils failed once I did a MHD V9 stage 1+ re-map for example.

I can DIY the injectors no problem, I have done those before. In terms of gearbox failures, are these common? What are the options if this occurs? It is a getrag box right which isn't repairable?

Most failures on the gearbox are just labour intensive…oil leaks on the side /top/gland involve dropping the box..so it’s a £1k exercise for an Indy..if the box itself goes south then it’s v difficult ..need a v good DCT expert..not many in the Uk..repairs start at £2k and go upwards rapidly..the 35i Getrag box is unique so you can’t use a M version for example..

Failures per se seem uncommon..leaks with age and time are very common..mostly from the sump and pressure filter area so do-able by a home mechanic..like all things on these cars..’do you feel lucky’?…some folks had racked up £10k-£15k warranty claims very rapidly..some of sucked up failures like turbos at £5k..others , mostly little used or newer lower mileage have been ‘lucky’..

 

[sunnydays]

Simple answer is yes..the n54 engine was widely used in many BMW 'performance cars'..from 2006 onwards..so a few 'bugs' had already materialised by the time the Z4 got this engine in 2009..

So for most 'issues' there are the options of BMW OE parts, third party copies of OE parts and third party 'uprated' versions of OE parts, plus 'upgrades'..

Careful shopping around if time affords is the key..

For example a pair of OE turbo chargers from BMW are: £2,500 ish each..so £5,000..

However you can buy the pair of Mitsubishi turbos from their suppliers (identical part) for around £1,200..if your willing to wait and your turbos are not completely shot then a UK refurb can be had for around £500 -£700..

Major gearbox failures, adaptive dampers, injectors are the ones that are a struggle to get low cost alternatives..

Each Index 12 injector is around £300-400... you need at least 3 if the bank you're looking at is pre Index 11.

So the bad news is that the N54 is more problematic than the N52, N55 or N20 and some parts are much more expensive..but parts with some exceptions are readily available..FWIW rear lights are now in stock and plentiful..

Many 'faults' tend to appear when people re-map them as this then pushes them over the edge..on mine the coils failed once I did a MHD V9 stage 1+ re-map for example.

I can DIY the injectors no problem, I have done those before. In terms of gearbox failures, are these common? What are the options if this occurs? It is a getrag box right which isn't repairable?

Most failures on the gearbox are just labour intensive…oil leaks on the side /top/gland involve dropping the box..so it’s a £1k exercise for an Indy..if the box itself goes south then it’s v difficult ..need a v good DCT expert..not many in the Uk..repairs start at £2k and go upwards rapidly..the 35i Getrag box is unique so you can’t use a M version for example..

Failures per se seem uncommon..leaks with age and time are very common..mostly from the sump and pressure filter area so do-able by a home mechanic..like all things on these cars..’do you feel lucky’?…some folks had racked up £10k-£15k warranty claims very rapidly..some of sucked up failures like turbos at £5k..others , mostly little used or newer lower mileage have been ‘lucky’..

Thanks for the info! Didn't even realise there were specialists that could repair DCT's in the UK. Chances are it will be fine. I have had 3 35is cars now and all ran great minus the usual n54 issues lol

 

[Busterboo]

The biggest problem with my 106,000-mile 35iS, in which I've done 85,000, may have no solution - replacing it. There's nothing on the market that's as good.