[ergoknight903]

Hey guys, I am looking into getting a bmw e90 with 91k miles and I am only 20 years old so I need to save as much money as I can.

The only experience I have with working on a car is an auto shop class I took in high school where I pretty much did absolutely nothing. i did learn the process to a few maintenance things like oil change and spark plug power testing but I did not actually do them. I also love to fix things but I really do not want to mess anything up and make things worse.

I used to own an e46 and I had put almost $3000 in for repairs and maybe half was for labor. If i do end up getting this car, which I most likely will, do you guys think I can learn how to fix my bmw when things go wrong. Ex: changing spark plugs, oil changes, thermostat, water pump and maybe even head gasket.

Also what are the easiest repairs that you think I can definitely do on my own?

[mweisdorfer]

Originally Posted by ergoknight903

Hey guys, I am looking into getting a bmw e90 with 91k miles and I am only 20 years old so I need to save as much money as I can.

The only experience I have with working on a car is an auto shop class I took in high school where I pretty much did absolutely nothing. i did learn the process to a few maintenance things like oil change and spark plug power testing but I did not actually do them. I also love to fix things but I really do not want to mess anything up and make things worse.

I used to own an e46 and I had put almost $3000 in for repairs and maybe half was for labor. If i do end up getting this car, which I most likely will, do you guys think I can learn how to fix my bmw when things go wrong. Ex: changing spark plugs, oil changes, thermostat, water pump and maybe even head gasket.

Also what are the easiest repairs that you think I can definitely do on my own?

I think you have the base for becoming a DIYer for a BMW.

You have the interest. The question is do you have;

1) Money for tools and parts
2) A garage to work in
3) Research skills to find DIY's on the net
4) Mechanically inclined
5) Patience

e90's are a fun car to work on and they give one a lot of satisfaction when you can fix a BMW on your own. Most people who dont know much about cars, automatically think a BMW would be really hard to work on. Fact is they are probably one of the easiest cars to work on. I would trade working on a BMW vs any GM car hands down.

Parts on an E90 will be more money than an e46.

[Torgus]

Originally Posted by ergoknight903

Hey guys, I am looking into getting a bmw e90 with 91k miles and I am only 20 years old so I need to save as much money as I can.

The only experience I have with working on a car is an auto shop class I took in high school where I pretty much did absolutely nothing. i did learn the process to a few maintenance things like oil change and spark plug power testing but I did not actually do them. I also love to fix things but I really do not want to mess anything up and make things worse.

I used to own an e46 and I had put almost $3000 in for repairs and maybe half was for labor. If i do end up getting this car, which I most likely will, do you guys think I can learn how to fix my bmw when things go wrong. Ex: changing spark plugs, oil changes, thermostat, water pump and maybe even head gasket.

Also what are the easiest repairs that you think I can definitely do on my own?

There are plenty of DIYs and you tube videos. You should be fine. Just take your time, don't rush.

Dealership wanted $1800 to do my buddies valve cover. We did it in 2 hours and he paid $400 for it from BMW. Just buy some decent tools, not snap on but if you can avoid harbor freight that would be good.

edit: oh yeah in general I find these cars easy to work on for the most part. Granted I have yet to play with the twins but every job I have tackled has not been hard.

[Wolf 335]

Originally Posted by mweisdorfer

I think you have the base for becoming a DIYer for a BMW.

You have the interest. The question is do you have;

1) Money for tools and parts
2) A garage to work in
3) Research skills to find DIY's on the net
4) Mechanically inclined
5) Patience

e90's are a fun car to work on and they give one a lot of satisfaction when you can fix a BMW on your own. Most people who dont know much about cars, automatically think a BMW would be really hard to work on. Fact is they are probably one of the easiest cars to work on. I would trade working on a BMW vs any GM car hands down.

Parts on an E90 will be more money than an e46.

And

6) Time

[rsyed07]

I started off with a e46 and started DIY'ing after I got hit with my first repair bill of $1200 when my cooling system blew due to a bad water pump (2 months of ownership, NYC, no drive way, had no choice but to get it towed to a shop). It's honestly not that bad, you just gotta have the right tools, patience, youtube videos and the forums as guides. Now I DIY most tasks and leave the shops to do anything out of my capability. But I find the e46 chassis to be easier to work on compared to the e9x.

[ergoknight903]

Originally Posted by mweisdorfer

I think you have the base for becoming a DIYer for a BMW.

You have the interest. The question is do you have;

1) Money for tools and parts
2) A garage to work in
3) Research skills to find DIY's on the net
4) Mechanically inclined
5) Patience

e90's are a fun car to work on and they give one a lot of satisfaction when you can fix a BMW on your own. Most people who dont know much about cars, automatically think a BMW would be really hard to work on. Fact is they are probably one of the easiest cars to work on. I would trade working on a BMW vs any GM car hands down.

Parts on an E90 will be more money than an e46.

Thank you so much I appreciate it. Money for tools may be an issue but in the end the tools will be worth it because it's still less then constantly paying for labor. As far as a garage, I may have to clean my parents garage out and try to work in there and i can definitely do the research especially with youtube and the forum.

Also I agree, if I can actually do more to my car then just clean it all the time it will be very satisfying. My sister also has an e90 (07 328i with 100k miles) so doing the work on both cars will help me learn and save double the money.

[ergoknight903]

Originally Posted by Torgus

There are plenty of DIYs and you tube videos. You should be fine. Just take your time, don't rush.

Dealership wanted $1800 to do my buddies valve cover. We did it in 2 hours and he paid $400 for it from BMW. Just buy some decent tools, not snap on but if you can avoid harbor freight that would be good.

edit: oh yeah in general I find these cars easy to work on for the most part. Granted I have yet to play with the twins but every job I have tackled has not been hard.

WOW you saved $1400 just for 2 hours of work, that is awesome. Yeah good tools are definitely guna be pricey but its worth it. and that is good cause I was worried with all the electronics it would be hard. thank you so much for your help

[ergoknight903]

Originally Posted by rsyed07

I started off with a e46 and started DIY'ing after I got hit with my first repair bill of $1200 when my cooling system blew due to a bad water pump (2 months of ownership, NYC, no drive way, had no choice but to get it towed to a shop). It's honestly not that bad, you just gotta have the right tools, patience, youtube videos and the forums as guides. Now I DIY most tasks and leave the shops to do anything out of my capability. But I find the e46 chassis to be easier to work on compared to the e9x.

Yeah the e46 cooling systems are shit, the $3000 i spent was for thermo, water pump, all new tubing, and radiator. and true in NYC its very difficult. That you for the advice

[the dope steez]

Originally Posted by mweisdorfer

I think you have the base for becoming a DIYer for a BMW.

You have the interest. The question is do you have;

1) Money for tools and parts
2) A garage to work in
3) Research skills to find DIY's on the net
4) Mechanically inclined
5) Patience

e90's are a fun car to work on and they give one a lot of satisfaction when you can fix a BMW on your own. Most people who dont know much about cars, automatically think a BMW would be really hard to work on. Fact is they are probably one of the easiest cars to work on. I would trade working on a BMW vs any GM car hands down.

Parts on an E90 will be more money than an e46.

What he said - I don't mind a DIY project but for a while I was condo living away from my home town, so if the job couldn't be done on jack stands in the public parking lot then it couldn't be done, not to mention I couldn't afford a nice set of tools, so I just ended up taking the car in for most things beside oil changes and simple jobs.
Now I live back in my hometown, and my dad has built this mega-shop with two lifts, gantry crane etc. and has every tool you could think of. We get the YouTube tutorials going on the big screen in the shop, crack a couple beers and can get through just about everything.
Bottom line is with these cars, you need the right tools and a good level of patience and organization. Working on this car is actually not terribly difficult, things generally fit back together as they should if you keep track of what you're doing and don't break/lose any little parts.

[Efthreeoh]

I'd like to chime in here. So just to qualify, I'm a pretty serious DIY'er (spent $40K building and outfitting a shop), and have worked on BMWs for the better part of 30 years. I've posted several DIYs here, and contributed to several more. I know the E90 chassis with the N52 quite well. IMO, there are some repairs that are not for the novice home mechanic who is under-tooled. Brakes, oil changes, and fluid changes are very easy on these cars. Oil pan, valvecover, clutches, are quite difficult for a novice. These cars require an assortment of special tools not normally found in a novice home mechanic's tool box. Using the Bentley repair manual is almost a must for this car and I find it lacking in a lot of respects. You have to be careful in choosing DIY procedures on the net as some can be not helpful or show bad practice. These engines use aluminum bolts, which are easily broken and most novices over-torque bolts because they don't understand the purpose and physics behind the use of bolts. I've seen novices break steel bolts, so using aluminum makes it even worse.

The most important tools to get first off are a set of 4 high-quality jackstands and the proper floor jack that fits under the car and reaches the center jack points. When lifting the E90, always set it on 4 jackstands. A comprehensive set of Torx, E-Torx, Allen, and metric sockets are a must. As are numerous extension bars and universals. Also a must is a BMW scan tool and OBDII scan tool. And you must have several sizes and types of Torque wrenches.

If you have little mechanical aptitude, not meaning little experience, but actual aptitude, it might be better to let professionals work on your car.

My advice... 2 cents worth.

[ssdara]

Originally Posted by ergoknight903

Hey guys, I am looking into getting a bmw e90 with 91k miles and I am only 20 years old so I need to save as much money as I can.

The only experience I have with working on a car is an auto shop class I took in high school where I pretty much did absolutely nothing. i did learn the process to a few maintenance things like oil change and spark plug power testing but I did not actually do them. I also love to fix things but I really do not want to mess anything up and make things worse.

I used to own an e46 and I had put almost $3000 in for repairs and maybe half was for labor. If i do end up getting this car, which I most likely will, do you guys think I can learn how to fix my bmw when things go wrong. Ex: changing spark plugs, oil changes, thermostat, water pump and maybe even head gasket.

Also what are the easiest repairs that you think I can definitely do on my own?

E90 with 91k miles on it, you should pass. Lots of work needed by that point. DIY's are more time consuming than difficult and you need almost every tool in the book. Also, I would never buy a used 335i seeing the way people abuse their cars with tunes on here. You have no idea on the longevity on the engine at that point. If it's not a 335i you're probably okay.

[Welcome to NBA Jam]

Yes, you can be a DIYer. It's not too bad, and the resources are plentiful. The most important thing you can have is a good set of versatile tools. You want all of the right tools. They don't need to be Snap On, but they need to be able to get the job done in a variety of situations. Extensions, wrench sets of varying lengths, ratchets, and good handheld tools are key.

[lichtgelb]

BMW are good vehicles to learn on. They are not overly complicated, contrary to popular belief, and the engineering is pretty easy to get your head around if you have the mechanical aptitude. You can do a lot with jack stands, torx, e-torx, and some quality hand tools. With air tools and some experience you can work as fast as a pro.

This weekend I'm going to be pulling the valve covers on a 2008 Ford F-150 to change out VCT solenoids. On a BMW these would be known as the VANOS solenoids and they are a quick job right at the front of the engine. I could be in and out on this job with my E-90 in an hour if I took my time. I'm setting aside most of the day on my Ford.

[jt335i]

If you have the confidence and have the will to learn, you can do it.
I am a basic DIYer on simple stuff like oil changes, A/C recharging, and doing a coolant flush, but if I had more time I'd like to do a little more complex things like a complete brake job (i.e. pads, rotors, flush) or tune up.

[ctuna]

They gave you no hands on that kind of sucks.
Besides having a nice set of tools your attitude and mindset
when repairing things may be the biggest thing you have
to overcome or learn. First of all never force or gorilla things.
Overtighting and cross threading is the biggest nubys mistake and now that we have alumminum fastners using a torque wrench in all the critical area's is almost a must. Usually a 90 degree turn past finger tight is enough for the non critical areas.
Plan your job in advance and have all the parts and tools you need
before starting to take things apart.
Read all the DIY's you can find sometimes one will have the approach
that makes things a lot easier or will get you past a trap you would
not otherwise been aware of.
Do the easy stuff first like oil, fluids and filter changes to develop
some feel . Always use the right tool for the job.

[ergoknight903]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

I'd like to chime in here. So just to qualify, I'm a pretty serious DIY'er (spent $40K building and outfitting a shop), and have worked on BMWs for the better part of 30 years. I've posted several DIYs here, and contributed to several more. I know the E90 chassis with the N52 quite well. IMO, there are some repairs that are not for the novice home mechanic who is under-tooled. Brakes, oil changes, and fluid changes are very easy on these cars. Oil pan, valvecover, clutches, are quite difficult for a novice. These cars require an assortment of special tools not normally found in a novice home mechanic's tool box. Using the Bentley repair manual is almost a must for this car and I find it lacking in a lot of respects. You have to be careful in choosing DIY procedures on the net as some can be not helpful or show bad practice. These engines use aluminum bolts, which are easily broken and most novices over-torque bolts because they don't understand the purpose and physics behind the use of bolts. I've seen novices break steel bolts, so using aluminum makes it even worse.

The most important tools to get first off are a set of 4 high-quality jackstands and the proper floor jack that fits under the car and reaches the center jack points. When lifting the E90, always set it on 4 jackstands. A comprehensive set of Torx, E-Torx, Allen, and metric sockets are a must. As are numerous extension bars and universals. Also a must is a BMW scan tool and OBDII scan tool. And you must have several sizes and types of Torque wrenches.

If you have little mechanical aptitude, not meaning little experience, but actual aptitude, it might be better to let professionals work on your car.

My advice... 2 cents worth.

Thank you so much for your advice I really appreciate it. This is very useful.

[ergoknight903]

Originally Posted by ssdara

E90 with 91k miles on it, you should pass. Lots of work needed by that point. DIY's are more time consuming than difficult and you need almost every tool in the book. Also, I would never buy a used 335i seeing the way people abuse their cars with tunes on here. You have no idea on the longevity on the engine at that point. If it's not a 335i you're probably okay.

Yeah if it was 335i i wouldn't. It is a 330i, but i am still worried. check this out if your interested.

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1285105

or

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1284981

[ergoknight903]

Originally Posted by ctuna

They gave you no hands on that kind of sucks.
Besides having a nice set of tools your attitude and mindset
when repairing things may be the biggest thing you have
to overcome or learn. First of all never force or gorilla things.
Overtighting and cross threading is the biggest nubys mistake and now that we have alumminum fastners using a torque wrench in all the critical area's is almost a must. Usually a 90 degree turn past finger tight is enough for the non critical areas.
Plan your job in advance and have all the parts and tools you need
before starting to take things apart.
Read all the DIY's you can find sometimes one will have the approach
that makes things a lot easier or will get you past a trap you would
not otherwise been aware of.
Do the easy stuff first like oil, fluids and filter changes to develop
some feel . Always use the right tool for the job.

Yeah I was pretty mad it was a waste of time taking that class. Thank you very much for the advice. I think it is a good idea to start off slow with simple repairs and work my way up.

[Torgus]

Originally Posted by ssdara

E90 with 91k miles on it, you should pass. Lots of work needed by that point. DIY's are more time consuming than difficult and you need almost every tool in the book. Also, I would never buy a used 335i seeing the way people abuse their cars with tunes on here. You have no idea on the longevity on the engine at that point. If it's not a 335i you're probably okay.

I am going to have to disagree 100% with this post.

I own two modded and tuned N54s for 6 total years and around 90k total miles combined and they are still going strong. The E90 has 140k on it. If you turn your own wrenches they are not expensive. There is no car on the market in terms of performance that can match the bang for your buck of an N54. Literally nothing.

I hate my NA E91 wagon. The NA BMW engines are underpowered given the weight of the car. Throw in an auto and AWD and they are dogs.

Longevity of the engine? This is an engine which can hold 850 unopened 600 all day long. The last thing I would worry about would be the engine. Buy one that has not been modded if you are worried. If ytou want to take a bit of a risk buy a modded one. This is the same with any modded cars. What is nice about the N54 is with 1k in mods you can be sitting at around 400/450 on 93 pump.

[Mashman]

There has been a lot of good advice given on this thread, but I think there is one other thing to consider. I would not recommend buying a car you will need to maintain yourself, unless you have another vehicle that you can use while it's being worked on.

Many DIY's require a lot of time, and patience, and almost always take longer than expected - at least the first time. So, if you start a project, and you have a hard deadline, because you need to be able to drive somewhere, there's a good possibility that you will rush the job, and screw something up.

I recently replaced the rear shocks, front struts, and the water pump, no of it was very hard, but it was on jack stands in the garage for 3 days. The main reason it took so long, is because I didn't want to rush it, and make a mistake. Whenever I reached a point I wasn't certain about, I'd take a break, and research it until I was 100% certain I wasn't going to screw something up.

Also, a little advice, the number one way to tell you are about to screw something up, is that it appears to be too difficult. When you catch yourself about to say something bad about German engineers, and how stupid a design is, that's when you are probably just about to screw something up, and it's time to step back and do a little more research.

[natedog7700]

You cant be a DIYer. Only i can and maybe a few others. Your not allowed.

In all seriousness, you sure can just educate yourself on the basics and get some experience working on things so you gain more knowledge. Done.

[STRMTRPR]

Youtube helps a lot