Question about used 35is

S

szatras

Member
 Switzerland / Poland - Warsaw
Hi everyone :)

I've decided to search for a 35is on german market. I would like to buy about 3 years old one, with BMW warranty.
The problem is: there are a lot of stuff excluded from warranty such as, exhaust, sealings, headlights, water leaks, wheels, rattles... So those are the most common failures in e89. I'm starting to have serious doubts about buying it... Or am I getting paranoid? :rofl: I've already started to think about searching for M235i instead but oh my... I've enjoyed my ex-e85 roadster so much. Are those e89 faults really so common? Or am I reading too much posts about problems with those cars?;) Should I just shut up and follow my heart? :lol:
 
Hi szatras,

Could you not buy a better warranty from warranty wise etc?

Regarding the mentioned issues, wheel cracking depends on the wheel type, as far as I know 18 inch rims are fine, but not 100% on that. Exhaust should be fine for another 4,5, 6 yrs or so. No probs with headlights I don't think. What 'sealings' are you talking about? The boot seals can fail letting water in but Maniac on here for example has almost certainly sorted that problem. Some owners have described rattling interiors but a lot of this seems to be from the roof mechanism which again has been largely diagnosed on here with some strategically placed felt pads. I'm certainly no expert on all this but I don't think I'm far off with it, I'm sure someone else will be along with a view as well.

Any car can be a problem and the E89 is not perfect by any means but the problems are not major ones and a solution is usually available.

Go roadster, the 35is is IMO a great car. :thumbsup:
 
szatras said:
Hi everyone :)
Click to expand...

Hi!

szatras said:
Should I just shut up and follow my heart? :lol:
Click to expand...

I've had my 35is for almost a year now. It's FANTASTIC. If I don't drive it for a day or two, I get withdrawal symptoms. If a 2 seater works for you from a practicality point of view, I cannot think of a better car to buy.

Buy one!
 
I have a Combi-Diesel which serves well as a practical car ;) 4 seats in a second vehicle would be a waste for me ;)

I'm well aware of maintenance costs of 35is and it's not an issue. I'm just afraid of random huge bills when something goes wrong with retractable top. As I've read on German forum, there are a lot of people complaining about it. The worse case was the malfunction of hydraulic hoses, which has caused the oil to spit all over the interior :cry: Few people had it :thumbsdown:
 
the only minor issue ive had with mine in the last 8 months is the passenger speaker started to crackle. bmw replaced it under warranty and other than that, ownership has been everything it should be
 
I've had a few issues with mine - the first one was rejected after letting me down 4 times in 3 months and spending a month in the garage. The second one is in the garage today for the second time in a month but both times has been minor issues with this car. The fact I got a second after the issues with the first says how much I like them ! The car is special ... and all cars have issues. Drive one and you will be hooked.
 
Well don't get me wrong;) I don't expect the car to be bullet-proof;) I've replaced hydraulic-motor with my own hands in my e85 :) But it doesn't had any impact on driving fun :driving: It was a great car.
One question - is it worth getting LCI? I know about visual changes - but in terms of reliability were there any improvements?
 
The E89 hasn't really had any issues. Apart from the visual updates, the LCI will allow you to put the roof up and down whilst the car is moving. The pump was supposedly upgraded where as the previous generation could only go up and down whilst stationary. You can add the smart top to a non LCI to get the same effect but not sure how happy BMW would be to replace a roof motor under warranty when a smart top has been installed.
 
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