[MFitz_NH]

Good morning,

Recently I picked up an ’07 335xi with ~70k on the odometer. The deal included both the maintenance package and the extended warranty through BMW; good until 100k miles. I’ve put ~7k miles on the rig since I bought her and am contemplating making an appointment for service. Tulley BMW is very local to where I work but I purchased the car at Stratham BMW. I’ve heard wonderful things about Stratham’s service; just the opposite about Tulley. Might anyone be able to refute or substantiate this? The rig is 100% stock save for a set of 19” rims and to the best of my knowledge has never had a tune, exhaust modifications, etc…
The items I’m concerned with are:

1) Hesitation and misfire under light load. Very slight, but definitely visible on the tachometer. Appears to be worse at 1800-2000 rpm in fourth gear; cruising speed at ~35mph. Occasionally can feel it at highway speeds (55mph-65mph) in sixth gear. Realizing it wouldn’t help clean the intake valves, I have run two bottles of techron through her in an effort to clean up the injectors a bit. No difference evident.

2) Power delivery doesn’t appear smooth under hard throttle applications. Definite areas of hesitation during merging in third gear that aren’t severe enough to throw oneself forward in the seat, but certainly something is up.

3) Shocks and bushings in the front end sound and feel as if there is play when going over bumps. Suspension response isn’t sold. No side to side play or clunking noises when steering side to side.

4) Squeak from the rear driver side when the suspension is unloaded.

5) Oil consumption. Approximately 1.2 quarts in ~7k miles. Blue smoke evident on one occasion at initial startup after sitting for ~8 hours at work.

6) The car is equipped with rain sensing wipers. Maybe BMW really likes their windshield to be free of raindrops, but I’m pretty minimalist when it comes to how often the wipers need to swipe. Regardless of where the delay switch is set, the automatic windshield wipers are much too frequent. I’m wondering if the delay switch is actually doing anything. Either the resolution is really low between a high and low setting or I just can’t see a difference.

7) Is there any chance these folks will shut off the seat belt chime? I don’t mind wearing the belt, but don’t need to be reminded that I’m not when waiting in line at a drive thru…

8) Wastegate rattle at idle.

I’m thinking #’s 1 & 2 may be due to buildup on the valves or potentially the injectors. I believe there’s a tech bulletin for the injectors and don’t think they’ve been done yet. Is there somewhere I can go to check this?
I’ve convinced myself that she needs shocks in the front end but it could also be a stock suspension that was purposely designed to be underdamped. There’s no evidence of leaking oil, how else could I tell? #4 is simply a bushing that either needs to be lubed or replaced; probably rear swaybar.
I’ve read online that the N54’s do consume a bunch of oil and I honestly wouldn’t be alarmed if I hadn’t seen the puff of blue smoke at start up. Something to be concerned about?
I searched a bunch but wasn’t able to come up with other complaints about the rain sensing wiper delay online. Would the car throw an error if the adjustable delay switch wasn’t working?
#7 is simply me whining.
#8 – I’m not sure what version software the car is running on but if it’s not on the latest, I think I would prefer to have them adjust the wastegate rod instead of flashing the car due to the noted turbo lag issues. Is this something that can be requested?

Thanks for your time!
Fitz

[jopa489]

I would definitely go to Stratham for service over Tulley. Software update could potentially address 1, 2, and 8, and it's likely 1 and 2 are related (and probably injectors). Not really sure about 3 since it's difficult to have an opinion on that one without seeing/driving the car, but 4 should be fixable. For 5, BMW's idea of normal oil consumption is ludicrous; I believe 1qt per 1000/mi is considered "within spec" for them.

I have the exact same complaint about 6, the wipers. I also subscribe to the minimalist wiper frequency and would honestly rather do it myself (which is impossible). But it's unlikely there is any issue with the car, and the design is probably more likely due to lawyers than anything.

For 7, being in NH is your only chance with this one - since it's legal to drive without a seatbelt, maybe they would do it for you. I doubt any dealer in MA would be willing, and the NH dealers may not want the potential liability either. The only other way to get that done would be to have it coded out.

[Mr. BMW]

WOW you bought an 07 with 70K miles???? I hope you got a sweet deal.

Anyway, I've been going to Stratham for service for a few years now, after having some issues with BMW of Peabody and I am very happy with them.

Since you bought the car there I would think you could also get a loaner from them, where Tulley would probably not give you one...

[ska///235i]

you can do a search for each issue and there should be some talk about them

good luck

[1flossedm3]

This thread makes me think a 335i may not be a good daily...

70kmi on an 07 isn't that high...

[ska///235i]

not the mileage but how the previous owner treated the car....what if it was a lease and he/she never cared and didnt use premium gas..etc

[MFitz_NH]

Thanks for the advice folks. Nashua couldn't get to the car for a few days and as Mr. BMW mentioned, they were unwilling to provide me with a rental car in the mean time. I called Stratham and they had a slot open for Monday and provided a loaner free or charge.

I dropped the car off on Saturday and spoke with John. Nice enough guy. Picked up a 2011 328i and back home I went. The official list of things I asked to be looked at was:

1) Hesitation and misfire under light load. Very slight, but definitely visible on the tachometer. Appears to be worse at 1800-2000 rpm in fourth gear; cruising speed at ~35mph. Occasionally can feel it at highway speeds (55mph-65mph) in sixth gear. Realizing it wouldn’t help clean the intake valves, I have run two bottles of techron through her in an effort to clean up the injectors a bit. No difference evident.

2) Shocks and bushings in the front end sound and feel as if there is play when going over bumps. Suspension response isn’t solid. No side to side play or clunking noises when steering side to side.

3) Starter spun up last week twice but the motor failed to turn over. It was almost as if the starter didn't engage the flywheel. Rocked the car and she fired right up.

4) Clutch began to slip 2-300 rpm when rolling on the throttle in 4th or 5th gear while merging on the highway.

John called me back this afternoon. They checked the injectors and the fuel pump. Both had been replaced however there was some carbon build up in the intake tract so that was disassembled and cleaned. The Tech also found some issues with the starter and replaced it. Supposedly the shocks and suspension bushings were OK.. "probably just noisy due to cold temperatures." ..... and the clutch wasn't slipping.

I let him know that I wasn't sure about the starter or the carbon build up but that I was very sure about the clutch. They're going to keep her over night and take another test ride in the morning. It's easily duplicated, happens regardless of temperature and is fairly obvious. I hope I don't have to take an ~80 minute ride out there to demonstrate the issue only to climb back in the loaner and return home.

Thus far, no complaints though. All warranty.

Fitz

[MFitz_NH]

*Update*

Received a call this morning from John and was told the car was set to go albeit without any clutch work. Left work around three to make the trek over to Stratham. When I arrived I asked to go for a ride with someone. Brian, one of the technician's joined me. Rolled on the gas and the rpm's jumped about 300rpm..... upshifted a gear... gave the CDV a chance to settle and then rolled on her again in 5th... same thing. Brian sniffed... yep... slipping clutch.... turned around and headed back to the dealer. Part isn't in stock. They may have it by Thursday. Back into the loaner car I went for the trek home.... *shakes head*....

Fitz

[Tiago@VRSF]

Looks like they are taking pretty good care of you so far

First few issues sound like injectors. Consuming that much oil isn't a huge deal with these cars since a lot of it gets circulated through the intake tract. A catch can can help with some of that but it's very difficult to eliminate it all together. All that excess oil causes the injectors to get a bit gunked up.

Were the turbos ever replaced? Every case I've seen with a bit of white/blue smoke at idle on cold start are usually related to slightly leaky turbo seals.