e89 35i MSport DCT

[Rj2e]

Hi Everyone, hope you're all doing well.

I'm new to the forum as I'm looking at becoming part of the Z4 community, i've been on the lookout for a e89 35i M Sport DCT.

Saw a lovely modded 35i on youtube and fell in love with it immediately. Saw the fact you can swap a modern car play into them and instantly been checking the ads looking for the right kind of milage, spec etc.

Example:

Keep me posted if you know of any going.

Sometimes see the "iS" models around, not sure if it's worth the extra really. Seems like you can tune the 35i to similar power etc.

 

[Mr Tidy]

Welcome to the forum and good luck finding the right 35i.

 

[Rj2e]

Anyone aware of any good "buyers guides". Things to look out for. Common problems to watch for etc

 

[RAYK47]

welcome and good luck in your search. Yes you can add an MMI box which is a game changer for the entertainment system.

 

[B21]

Anyone aware of any good "buyers guides". Things to look out for. Common problems to watch for etc

I'm writing one but it won't be published till next year!

For E89s generally

Check via VIN which options are fitted

check service history / mot history

Buy BMW specific fault code reader and check codes of potential purchase

Check all electric functions..especially roof..operate the roof on the fob and interior buttons without the engine running

Check PDC, radio, heates screen, air con etc

Look for cambox leaks and misting around oil filter area.

Check tyres for who-flung-dung Chinese low grade tyres /inside wear /cracking

Check discs for scoring

Ideally check inside of alloy wheels for cracks /repairs

Seat bolsters for wear

For N54 specfically

Check for oil leaks from turbo area

Check gearbox for leaks if DCT

Check dampers if for misting

You can't easily check but

injectors can be an issue

coils n plugs are replaced as a matter of routine

HPFP can fail

coolant pump and themostat fail between 60k and 100k

turbos can leak / fail

 

[RAYK47]

Anyone aware of any good "buyers guides". Things to look out for. Common problems to watch for etc

I'm writing one but it won't be published till next year!

For E89s generally

Check via VIN which options are fitted

check service history / mot history

Buy BMW specific fault code reader and check codes of potential purchase

Check all electric functions..especially roof..operate the roof on the fob and interior buttons without the engine running

Check PDC, radio, heates screen, air con etc

Look for cambox leaks and misting around oil filter area.

Check tyres for who-flung-dung Chinese low grade tyres /inside wear /cracking

Check discs for scoring

Ideally check inside of alloy wheels for cracks /repairs

Seat bolsters for wear

For N54 specfically

Check for oil leaks from turbo area

Check gearbox for leaks if DCT

Check dampers if for misting

You can't easily check but

injectors can be an issue

coils n plugs are replaced as a matter of routine

HPFP can fail

coolant pump and themostat fail between 60k and 100k

turbos can leak / fail

Reading this makes me wonder why I brought one. But the smile it puts on your face reminds me, especially when the sun is shining.

 

[B21]

Anyone aware of any good "buyers guides". Things to look out for. Common problems to watch for etc

I'm writing one but it won't be published till next year!

For E89s generally

Check via VIN which options are fitted

check service history / mot history

Buy BMW specific fault code reader and check codes of potential purchase

Check all electric functions..especially roof..operate the roof on the fob and interior buttons without the engine running

Check PDC, radio, heates screen, air con etc

Look for cambox leaks and misting around oil filter area.

Check tyres for who-flung-dung Chinese low grade tyres /inside wear /cracking

Check discs for scoring

Ideally check inside of alloy wheels for cracks /repairs

Seat bolsters for wear

For N54 specfically

Check for oil leaks from turbo area

Check gearbox for leaks if DCT

Check dampers if for misting

You can't easily check but

injectors can be an issue

coils n plugs are replaced as a matter of routine

HPFP can fail

coolant pump and themostat fail between 60k and 100k

turbos can leak / fail

Reading this makes me wonder why I brought one. But the smile it puts on your face reminds me, especially when the sun is shining.

People who flew the Space Shuttle thought similarly…

 

[Fady]

Anyone aware of any good "buyers guides". Things to look out for. Common problems to watch for etc

I'm writing one but it won't be published till next year!

For E89s generally

Check via VIN which options are fitted

check service history / mot history

Buy BMW specific fault code reader and check codes of potential purchase

Check all electric functions..especially roof..operate the roof on the fob and interior buttons without the engine running

Check PDC, radio, heates screen, air con etc

Look for cambox leaks and misting around oil filter area.

Check tyres for who-flung-dung Chinese low grade tyres /inside wear /cracking

Check discs for scoring

Ideally check inside of alloy wheels for cracks /repairs

Seat bolsters for wear

For N54 specfically

Check for oil leaks from turbo area

Check gearbox for leaks if DCT

Check dampers if for misting

You can't easily check but

injectors can be an issue

coils n plugs are replaced as a matter of routine

HPFP can fail

coolant pump and themostat fail between 60k and 100k

turbos can leak / fail

Love these lists and can see that they have substance. However outside of an official pre purchase inspection, I wonder who is going to let someone for example plug in a code reader then twiddle every conceivable knob and press every button?

If I'm selling a car privately, people are going to need to take my word for most of the items as not letting someone I don't actually know get that close! Likewise if buying, I expect the same and just go along with a list of questions having already got a car check report, done the VIN check and looked at MOT history. Then you want to see that the car has bona fide service history and pick up a vibe from inspecting the car, also from the seller, surrounds and responses to the questions.

Same applies from buying from a dealer though you tend to find that they are much less knowledgeable about what they are selling since it's just one of umpteen models that goes through their hands. At least there you get some sort of short term warranty built into the price, though can be a pain trying to get them to actually honour this. Privately you are paying less, so you factor in having to do stuff with the money saved.

Having hopefully mitigated against most of the risk through diligence, it's then just fingers crossed since car are cars and made up of thousands of components, so you hope it's not your turbo that goes pop!

 

[B21]

Well each to their own in terms of methodology…

FWIW all the 35i I looked at were ok with me plugging a code reader in..at the end of the day it’s a code reader not a programmer..

Mine had 135 errors..the dealer allowed me to clear them and we were left with just 3…

A lot of sellers be they private or dealers are unaware of the issues their car may have..look for example at how many E89s fail / scrape through MOTs with shot tyres, leaking suspension units etc..

There are lots of these cars sticking on the market in some cases now for years..if you can’t exercise every switch that is in the handbook then move on to a more receptive seller..

Even if you do that you can still get caught out as by now a lot of owners have resorted to bodged repairs cause the ‘proper’ repair is too expensive..

In my case one of the injectors was replaced with a newer one which is not allowed ..it has to be a whole bank,.

Often with now 6+ owners who knows who did what when…a full BMWSH is rare these days..great if you can find one ..

 

[coldel]

Great list up there! I *might* be thinking about one of these after selling my E85

And I would disagree, I happily let the recent buyer of my car plug his code reader in clear the codes and then take it for a drive before reading it again. He also checked all the switches and everything. Why would I not let him do this?

 

[Fady]

Great list up there! I *might* be thinking about one of these after selling my E85

And I would disagree, I happily let the recent buyer of my car plug his code reader in clear the codes and then take it for a drive before reading it again. He also checked all the switches and everything. Why would I not let him do this?

Obviously your car, so can do as you wish

So many different scams going around , that I will always err on the side of caution. Read this for example from the MBClub UK forum that I also frequent.

 

[coldel]

Great list up there! I *might* be thinking about one of these after selling my E85

And I would disagree, I happily let the recent buyer of my car plug his code reader in clear the codes and then take it for a drive before reading it again. He also checked all the switches and everything. Why would I not let him do this?

Obviously your car, so can do as you wish

So many different scams going around , that I will always err on the side of caution. Read this for example from the MBClub UK forum that I also frequent.

He used a well recognised code reader, if he was plugging in a laptop and fiddling then thats a different matter
And would have been interesting to see how they would have cloned a physical metal key with me present.

At the end of the day any car can be stolen multiples of ways, turning up, and plugging in a code reader is probably 1023th on the list

 

[Fady]

Great list up there! I *might* be thinking about one of these after selling my E85

And I would disagree, I happily let the recent buyer of my car plug his code reader in clear the codes and then take it for a drive before reading it again. He also checked all the switches and everything. Why would I not let him do this?

Obviously your car, so can do as you wish

So many different scams going around , that I will always err on the side of caution. Read this for example from the MBClub UK forum that I also frequent.

He used a well recognised code reader, if he was plugging in a laptop and fiddling then thats a different matter
And would have been interesting to see how they would have cloned a physical metal key with me present.

At the end of the day any car can be stolen multiples of ways, turning up, and plugging in a code reader is probably 1023th on the list

1023 ways.

That is exactly my point...

 

[B21]

Hi Everyone, hope you're all doing well.

I'

Sometimes see the "iS" models around, not sure if it's worth the extra really. Seems like you can tune the 35i to similar power etc.

You can re-map a 35i to the same power levels as a 35is..in European markets the 35i and 35is have identical engines (apart from DME) and almost identical chassis..the 35is is a bit of marketing fluff with a slight re-map

In the US the 35i has smaller brakes than the 35is..same sizes as 30i and 28i

 

[coldel]

Obviously your car, so can do as you wish

So many different scams going around , that I will always err on the side of caution. Read this for example from the MBClub UK forum that I also frequent.

He used a well recognised code reader, if he was plugging in a laptop and fiddling then thats a different matter
And would have been interesting to see how they would have cloned a physical metal key with me present.

At the end of the day any car can be stolen multiples of ways, turning up, and plugging in a code reader is probably 1023th on the list

1023 ways.

That is exactly my point...

Well no, its my point
Why worry so much over something so unlikely to happen.
Do people guard against all the other 1022 things before worrying about that? I doubt it.

If someone really wants your car, there will be easier ways to get it and they will get it. Plugging a 50 quid code reader into the ODB2 port is not going to contribute to your E85 getting stolen. At all.