[GTstunna612]

Hello all I'm in the market for a used 335i looking into a 2007 Sport 335i Sedan with 80,000 miles or maybe even more. My question is what are some things I should look for and also would I have to replace any mechanical components, fluids, etc when the N54 gets into the high mileage?

[RaceBlood]

There are a tom of threads on this, but-

Here is what you need to look for on a used BMW-

1- Get the Carfax, though they are not 100% proof of no accidents issues, they do tell the ownership story, and also if there was a accident in some states/cases.

2- Get the BMW service records. The owner should do this for you. A dealer can print out all the warranty/scheduled service and issues repaired on the car via the VIN. As you should know, the HPFP is been beat to death on the 335i, its now covered inder a extended warranty to 120K miles or 10 years from last install/recall. My 335i had 3 prior to me buying the car with 50K miles on it, and then it had another recall in Jan for a new one. I never had a issue with the HPFP or anything else for that matter.

3- Get a dealer/body shop to use a paint meter to see if its had body work, no biggie for scrapes/dings or bumper scratches, but body panels need to be further inspected if repainted.

4-I try to find one owner cars, they tend to take good care of the car and will be honest about the issues they have.

5- I doubt you will find a CPO's one from a dealer, but you may find a CPO from a private owner, the warranty is transferable and offers some good protection to major things on the car, like engine/tranny. major systems and turbos.

6- Take it to a BMW dealer for the 150 point inspection, for $189, good piece of mind, and you will know whats about ready for replacement/repair or also whats been worked on too/had issues in past. BME might also be able tell what codes it last thru in the past.

7-Maintiance

The cars computer will tell you when to do things, but you can do them and have the computer updated by the shop.

At 60K- All fluids should of been changed. A dealer can do this, or a Indy for half the price, or you if you have the know how, there is a great DIY section here.

Brake Flush every two years/24K
Coolant Flush
Fuel Injection cleaner
Transmission Oil/filer changed
Rear Diff fluid changed
Mirco Air filter Changed every year.
Oil/Filter is MFG suggested much longer than most like, I prefer every 7500 miles.

8-Issues with high mileage.

Overall the main issues with a higher mileage 335i is the injectors, solenoids, and some reports of window actuators. A clutch should last at least 120K if driven correctly.

OEM shocks tent to go after 40K, so if not been replaced, consider some aftermarket Bilstiens or similar.

I never had a single issue with the car, for 1 year and 14K miles mostly very aggressive, also lived in City of Chicago which has terrible streets. I did have a Low Boost turbo warning at a track day, but after 2 mechanics inspected, it was due to hard driving/high RPM on the car, its best to shift at 5500 anyway, as the torque peaks then. Live and learn.

9- Mods
Has it had a Juicebox (JB3 or 4)? Or do you plan to add one?
Lots of guys lower the car via new Springs (H&R) and also upgrade shocks/suspension (Coil Overs)

Run Flats- Dump em- ruin the ride and handling IMO, I put on Hankooks but there is a host of good options, TireRack is best for this. I like Continentals/Michelin too.

10-This forum

This forum is excellent for getting good advice and info on the car, but keep in mind many of the issues posted should not be alarmed by, as thats what the forum is for, if nobody had issues, the forum would not be needed. This forum is a great community of folks with a passion for cars and motoring, many track their cars and drive them to the limits.

Lastly, the car-

If you dont have a hellish stop n go commute, to get a lot of enjoyment out of the car like a 335i is to get the 6SP manual, combined with the sport package is heaven, the coupe is even more rare. I suggest the Xenons options too.

Its fun to personalize these cars how every you seem fit, there are a million ways to deck out a 335i looks wise, from wrapped in vinyl, 19" wheels, sport exhaust, you name it.

For me, as an example, I got the Coupe and did the following:

Debadged the rear
Added M3 style spoiler to rear $150
Added M Tech painted front aero spolier $250
Added M Sport pedals/foot rest $50
Bought Track Pads for BMW driving school and events.

Had I kept the car past 66K, I was going to:

Roundabout prices I forget most of it.

Add Bilsteins Shocks $450
HR Springs to lower $300
New 18" wheels ???
Tinted windows $300
Rear M Tech bumper/diffuser $800
Quad exhaust $1800 I think
JB3 $400

Good Luck, I moved to China and sold it, actually for what I bought it for as a dealer was about to take to auction as it has some cosmetic flaws I didnt care about, wanted a solid mechanical car. It wheel rash, some scratches on trunk, and a leather area on door jam worn from a car seat going in n out you could not see, and god bless a dad for having his kid in the back of the 335i

[Joe-]

Originally Posted by 335isWhite

be careful HPFP's warranty expires at 100k miles.

I thought it was 120k miles.

Either way try and find something with less mileage, personally I wouldn't buy a car with that high mileage, I'd look for something more around 50k or less. These cars tend to me a pain in the ass when they start to get high mileage weird stuff happens that just doesn't make sense.

[Bunkei]

Originally Posted by GTstunna612

Hello all I'm in the market for a used 335i looking into a 2007 Sport 335i Sedan with 80,000 miles or maybe even more. My question is what are some things I should look for and also would I have to replace any mechanical components, fluids, etc when the N54 gets into the high mileage?

Honestly, I wouldn't buy any BMW without a great service contract/extended warranty (that at least covers the years the car is financed) unless you have a significant savings purely for repairs.

[Aleksey]

OMFG RaceBlood comment needs to be a "Sticky".

[Bunkei]

Originally Posted by Aleksey

OMFG RaceBlood comment needs to be a "Sticky".

agreed!

[RaceBlood]

I might add, that you should look for a 335i in the 50K-60K ranger IMO, for one, thats more likely to be a 1 owner car, years @ 12K-15K year is normal.

Its also not much of a price difference. Look at the Kelly Bluebook for retial and for trade, you want to buy close to trade. Be patient, if a dealer has the car you want, get the GM card and tell him you will check in time to time, and make a low offer, close to wholesale, after 60 days dealers tend to flip a trade and send them to auction, so dealer may be willing to deal to make their monthly/quarterly sales, as it also cost them to have it picked up and also pay to have it auctioned.

Know what luxury USED car dealers are good, which are bad, many are good, and buy only 1 owner off lease/finance dealer trades, and others buy the worst of the bunch cheap at auction that a dealer could not unload...due to issues possibly.

Check out Carmax, for similar package cars and mileage, use this retail price for your gauge on what is a average retail price. Remember, New car dealers make more money off a trade/used car, than a new car. Many new dealers, even a BMW dealer, have great used car businesses, and also have incentives from a MFG to buy a off lease car in the MFG regional area and sell with low financing, another money maker.

A dealer makes more money off a financed car, than a cash deal, keep this mind when a dealer may not deal, as they know they can sell it and kae money off the trade, and the finance.

This is where some models will sit or be avoided, in some areas of the country, due to demographics, like a coupe vs a sedan, a auto vs manual.

I bought my335i off a Audi dealer, it was traded on a S5 (nice move) and the dealer said he had few bites in 40 days on a coupe and 6Sp in the city,,,and didnt want to put anything else into it to make it perfect, as he didnt see a demand for a coupe with a 6sp. He was honest.

Negotiate- dealers expect this, but be prepared to pull trigger if they agree. They wanted $25.5K for the car in April 2010, I offered $22K (trade in value), they came back with $23.5K, I said $22.5K, they came back with a nice, lets split it, $22.9K, I agreed if the following was met- They pay for BMW inspection, and detail it. They agreed if I wrote a check to hold it for $500 and agreed to close on the deal by end of week, as it was schedule to be picked for Auction that friday afternoon. I left a check and had to go out of town which I told em and would come in Thursday evening and wrap it up if the inspection went well. They called me after inspection and said it needed new brake pads all the way around, rotors were fine, and they would do the work at their service for free as a good will gesture. Cant beat that, but when I picked it up, they told me they had ordered the pads anyway and the GM forgot to tell the salesman, so thats cool.

I put on 16K miles, and also spent $600 on all the fluid changes, and aslo $300 for the Turbo issue. I spent $750 on the tires. Mods was $400.

So I spent $2100 on the car, drove it like a I stole it. and was not planning on selling it but moved to China, so listed it for $23.5K and a guy offered $22.9 and I took it. Back when I bought it, the prices on used 335i and many other cars was low, in March 2011, its jumped like 20% on the car, so it worked to my advantage. I also used the car for work, so able to deduct most the money I spent on it, and depreciate it. I also could write off the sales tax, 9% in Chicago.

I was going to get an extended warranty, god I read and read and read about it till I was expert and should of been selling policies. I came the unsettled conclusion- 1. All the issues I read about Turbos/Wastegates scared me to death, and 2, the aftermarket warranty business is a minefield, even the dealer admitted it, though Fidelity Platinum was a front runner, for $3200, I figured I would just assume hedge the risk with setting aside that money if all hell broke loose. Payouts and qualifications for payout claims are a sham on many companies, so be careful and read up. Also, a lower mileage and newer the model the lower the cost...go figure.

That all said, I did have an uneasy relationship with owning a BMW at first, worrying about possible catastrophic failures, but after a few months driving that baby to Kentucky, the Smokeys, Michigan and Wisconsin on road trips focusing on rural roads and hauling balls ass until I had blisters from shifting (Smokeys switchbacks), I threw caution to the wind. I admit I was bummed with the Low Boost warning at a BMW event at the track, but the was always driveable and only thru a code, never was in limp mode or had a issue. Once I learned from the technician that the 335i early models did have issues with both low boost when heavy load/high rpm was held, and also some pressure lines were easy to get pinched at times, which mine was a tad crimped, he said go drive it like i did at track and see if it repeats throwing the code, so I went to some rural roads, took it 10-100 hard as I could for 15 minutes and it was fine, as I was now shifting at 5500.

OH-ONE MORE THING!

Oil Coolers on 2007 335i some did not have then, or were added after by the dealers per a BMW SB. You can tell if it has one, under the right front wheel well in front of tire, is 4 small vents in the plastic housing, that means it has one, and you want this for sure, especially in hot climates and hard driving.

The turbos are Oil Cooled, so it extends the life of the turbos, also, when driving hard, and the temps creep up, the gauge is the OIL temp, not the coolant temp, so be sure to take it easy for 10 minutes to cool the turbos down and also let the car idle till the needle drops in the normal range. Putting away red hot turbo is not good, even though the 335i will keep the cooling running after the car shuts off when a certain temp is hit.

Okay, that was way too much info...

over and out. I might buy another one this summer, so I loved it.

[GTstunna612]

wow that was a awesome write up!!!...how about any turbo issues? I will do most of the work myself with the DIY guides on this site. I also have a friend who has a Euro Shop to do most of the drastic engine work if need be.

[RaceBlood]

After all my research on turbo failures, its rather rare. If so, you can put in new ones for about $1500 at a indy, dealer charged $3K. Lost guy upgrade at that point though...

[John 070]

Originally Posted by Joe-

I thought it was 120k miles.

It is--so much wrong information and bad advice here. At least it's free.

[GTstunna612]

That's a good thing at least I won't have to worry about changing out Turbos. My only concern will be the HPFP which doesn't look like a big deal to change. In the process of looking for a used 335i Sport Package. Yea this site is very useful when I had my 07 328i

[GTstunna612]

any thoughts on a 2008 335i sport sedan with 110K miles for $17,500 ?

[tibra1]

I would be very careful buying high mileage turbo cars..as others have stated get a CPO or solid warranty

[Kolyan2k]

I would make sure turbos were already replaced. I would not buy 07 335 with 80k and old turbos

perhaps maybe 328 is a better option.....

[GTstunna612]

what are some other worse case scenarios with high mileage 335i's ....are the Turbos hard to replace?

[Soliditude]

I personally wouldn't risk buying one with that much mileage and age, man. More so, just the mileage. If it's too expensive to find something around 30k miles, then the repairs that will potentially arise from high BMW mileage will be unaffordable for you, either. We all know BMWs are not reliable, especially not with high mileage. Some cars run great, but that chance isn't in your favor, you'll have to agree. That's just my opinion on it. My number one determinant in buying a Bimmer is warranty/mileage. If you want something reliable, look into Japanese. Look into the G35/G37 cars. I'm coming from an 2008 G37S and that thing was a beauty. I wouldn't have switched to the 335i if it wasn't for the warranty.

[rickysahota]

Originally Posted by GTstunna612

any thoughts on a 2008 335i sport sedan with 110K miles for $17,500 ?

2011-2008= 4 Years (Assuming Jan. 2008 Delivery) . 110K/4 years = 27.5 K miles per year. Average is 10-15K a year. Driving a car that much is bound to raise problems soon.

[GTstunna612]

yes this one is high mileage how does a 2007 335i with 55k miles sound and sports package for 19,000 ?....but what are some of the problems that can arise how much are replacement turbos without warranty cost? And can most of the maintenance be done just using the DIY guides?

[RaceBlood]

I personally would not a buy a 335i with over 60K. There are plenty out there with 45k to 55k. In fact, the prices seem to have come down in the last few weeks, I think you can get a 2007 loaded for $23K easily, $21K if you work it hard, $19k would be close to trade in if its a 9 in perfection.

[eforty6_m3]

Originally Posted by RaceBlood

I personally would not a buy a 335i with over 60K. There are plenty out there with 45k to 55k. In fact, the prices seem to have come down in the last few weeks, I think you can get a 2007 loaded for $23K easily, $21K if you work it hard, $19k would be close to trade in if its a 9 in perfection.

Great write-up! Wish I would have seen this prior to picking up my '07 335i back in September. Regardless, you're pretty spot-on with pricing. I ended up paying about 22.4 for mine with Cold, Comfort, PDC, iPod integration. Took me almost a year to find the perfect car, but my patience paid off.

[GTstunna612]

yea I'm not in no rush but as soon as I find a good 335i I will have to jump on it asap! getting as much info on the car and motor as possible....this site helps a lot!

[tibra1]

Originally Posted by GTstunna612

what are some other worse case scenarios with high mileage 335i's ....are the Turbos hard to replace?

Its not just the turbos..boosted engines wear quicker than N/A engines..its simple physics..an engine run under many times normal atmospheric pressure will most certainly wear quicker than a comparable N/A engine that runs at atmospheric pressure