New to the e90's and have questions... Thanks!

So, right now I own a 135 and have been daily driving it for quite a while, and its been incredibly reliable, even with a couple redline pulls a day. But I am really looking into buying an e9x m3 to have. So for all the people who daily theirs with some spirit I would love to hear your experience and most importantly how reliable they are with 100-200k miles. Much appreciated

Edit:
And I have seen the DCT prices to replace are absolutely insane, I would prefer a 6MT but are the DCT trans unreliable and as expensive as I have heard.

Jhonea002 wrote

So, right now I own a 135 and have been daily driving it for quite a while, and its been incredibly reliable, even with a couple redline pulls a day. But I am really looking into buying an e9x m3 to have. So for all the people who daily theirs with some spirit I would love to hear your experience and most importantly how reliable they are with 100-200k miles. Much appreciated

Edit:
And I have seen the DCT prices to replace are absolutely insane, I would prefer a 6MT but are the DCT trans unreliable and as expensive as I have heard.

The DCT is very reliable, the only issue is the pan is made of plastic and will eventually leak resulting in replacing it. As for overall reliability my 6MT is stilling at 176k miles on the original clutch. These cars are very reliable if they are well taken care of. Just be prepared to spend a little(a lot) more on maintenance, the M tax is a real thing.

Shiza wrote

The DCT is very reliable, the only issue is the pan is made of plastic and will eventually leak resulting in replacing it. As for overall reliability my 6MT is stilling at 176k miles on the original clutch. These cars are very reliable if they are well taken care of. Just be prepared to spend a little(a lot) more on maintenance, the M tax is a real thing.

My dad owns an e36 m3, has 160k on it now and hes started having to spend some money on bushings and such but its not bad, and I have a couple friends with e46 m3s and they also have been crazy reliable after they did rod bearings and vanos.

What have you had to spend money on maintenance for your car?

They're reliable in a sense that once you take care of the bearings, there really aren't any other major failures to worry about. There are little things that tend to add up if you care about keeping the vehicle in top condition. I bought my e90 with 60k miles. I now have 80k and have done the following repairs/preventative maintenance:

- rod bearings
- spark plugs (x2)
- replaced one coil pack (though in retrospect I think this was a misdiagnosis)
- motor mounts
- oil filter housing gasket
- valve cover gaskets
- fuel breather valve
- thermostat (preventative, since it's easy to change when doing the oil filter housing gasket)

All of that plus regular maintenance (fluids, brakes, tires) and coilovers, and I've probably put an extra $12-15k on top of the original $25k purchase price.

So in my experience, reliable? Yeah. Cheap to own? Hell no. Worth it? 1000%

You're maintaining an older $70-$80K German car, regardless of your purchase price. Budget accordingly. If something goes wrong, it can be very expensive if you cannot handle the work yourself.

But for me, it's still much less expensive than buying or leasing any other car that I'd actually want right now. So the expense is not much of a concern...

Jhonea002 wrote

So, right now I own a 135 and have been daily driving it for quite a while, and its been incredibly reliable, even with a couple redline pulls a day. But I am really looking into buying an e9x m3 to have. So for all the people who daily theirs with some spirit I would love to hear your experience and most importantly how reliable they are with 100-200k miles. Much appreciated

Edit:
And I have seen the DCT prices to replace are absolutely insane, I would prefer a 6MT but are the DCT trans unreliable and as expensive as I have heard.

Pretty much what everyone has already said. The only thing I can add is, are a blipper? If you are not a blipper it's pointless to own one of these in 6MT. I blip every day and night.

When people hear it, their eyes open wide and start turning their heads. WTF IS THAT.

This morning I was blipping.

Highway patrol exited off with me, pulled up alongside, and gave me a thumbs up!

I'll be blipping when I go home today after work.

The car overall is extremely well built. Obviously you should know about the 2 most common issues being the Rod Bearings and Throttle Actuators. Other minor stuff as stated above ^

The DCT is incredibly reliable and for many (myself included) the better option in the e92 platform. Personally dislike BMW manuals and think the DCT is amazing in this car. On my 2nd e92 m3 in DCT and absolutely love it.

They have plenty of high mileage 200k DCT examples that still run flawless. Both work for their individual drivers but to answer your question. The DCT is a very reliable unit.

Richneerd wrote

Pretty much what everyone has already said. The only thing I can add is, are a blipper? If you are not a blipper it's pointless to own one of these in 6MT. I blip every day and night.

When people hear it, their eyes open wide and start turning their heads. WTF IS THAT.

This morning I was blipping.

Highway patrol exited off with me, pulled up alongside, and gave me a thumbs up!

I'll be blipping when I go home today after work.

Of course I am, I have got quite good at heal and toe and blipping after owning my 128 and 135 for a while now.

nawalvicky wrote

The car overall is extremely well built. Obviously you should know about the 2 most common issues being the Rod Bearings and Throttle Actuators. Other minor stuff as stated above ^

The DCT is incredibly reliable and for many (myself included) the better option in the e92 platform. Personally dislike BMW manuals and think the DCT is amazing in this car. On my 2nd e92 m3 in DCT and absolutely love it.

They have plenty of high mileage 200k DCT examples that still run flawless. Both work for their individual drivers but to answer your question. The DCT is a very reliable unit.

I have driven a dct 135 actually and I definitly liked the manual much more than the auto. Do the auto 135 and m3 feel about the same? Obviously much different cars but the transmissions?

Eja144 wrote

They're reliable in a sense that once you take care of the bearings, there really aren't any other major failures to worry about. There are little things that tend to add up if you care about keeping the vehicle in top condition. I bought my e90 with 60k miles. I now have 80k and have done the following repairs/preventative maintenance:

- rod bearings
- spark plugs (x2)
- replaced one coil pack (though in retrospect I think this was a misdiagnosis)
- motor mounts
- oil filter housing gasket
- valve cover gaskets
- fuel breather valve
- thermostat (preventative, since it's easy to change when doing the oil filter housing gasket)

All of that plus regular maintenance (fluids, brakes, tires) and coilovers, and I've probably put an extra $12-15k on top of the original $25k purchase price.

So in my experience, reliable? Yeah. Cheap to own? Hell no. Worth it? 1000%

Wow 12-15 just on those parts? Seems expensive but maybe not. I luckily have a couple lifts in my shop and have always done all work myself. Just did some s54 rod bearings about 2 weekends ago. Another thing I guess i didn't mention is that I did just turned 20 last month. I do work full time, and am a full time college student but between my 2 jobs I have made plenty of money to afford and maintain a 2011 jeep wrangler that I crawl quite a bit and my 135 that I have tracked a couple times and daily. But what I am getting at is it reliable enough if i were to drive it a couple days a week, and take the occasional road trip in it... if I were to get the bearings and actuators sorted?

Jhonea002 wrote

Of course I am, I have got quite good at heal and toe and blipping after owning my 128 and 135 for a while now.

That's what I'm talking about! blip on brother!

Jhonea002 wrote

Eja144 wrote

They're reliable in a sense that once you take care of the bearings, there really aren't any other major failures to worry about. There are little things that tend to add up if you care about keeping the vehicle in top condition. I bought my e90 with 60k miles. I now have 80k and have done the following repairs/preventative maintenance:

- rod bearings
- spark plugs (x2)
- replaced one coil pack (though in retrospect I think this was a misdiagnosis)
- motor mounts
- oil filter housing gasket
- valve cover gaskets
- fuel breather valve
- thermostat (preventative, since it's easy to change when doing the oil filter housing gasket)

All of that plus regular maintenance (fluids, brakes, tires) and coilovers, and I've probably put an extra $12-15k on top of the original $25k purchase price.

So in my experience, reliable? Yeah. Cheap to own? Hell no. Worth it? 1000%

Wow 12-15 just on those parts? Seems expensive but maybe not. I luckily have a couple lifts in my shop and have always done all work myself. Just did some s54 rod bearings about 2 weekends ago. Another thing I guess i didn't mention is that I did just turned 20 last month. I do work full time, and am a full time college student but between my 2 jobs I have made plenty of money to afford and maintain a 2011 jeep wrangler that I crawl quite a bit and my 135 that I have tracked a couple times and daily. But what I am getting at is it reliable enough if i were to drive it a couple days a week, and take the occasional road trip in it... if I were to get the bearings and actuators sorted?

If you have the time, space, and tools to DIY a lot, then the costs will be much less. A lot of my costs are from labor, since I don't really have the time or space to work on the car beyond simple stuff like oil and spark plugs. Stuff like the oil filter housing gasket ends up being costly because even though it's a $20 part, you have to rip the whole front end apart and fabricate a special tool to remove 1 bolt from behind the harmonic balancer just to get the housing off the block. You're either paying in cash or time. Up to you how much your time is worth.

Edit: to answer your actual question - yes it's definitely reliable enough for what you're looking for. Once you take care of the bearings, it's very unlikely you'll have any other major issues - just annoying little things here and there, throttle actuators, etc. And it seems like you're mechanically inclined, which greatly reduces maintenance costs.

Eja144 wrote

If you have the time, space, and tools to DIY a lot, then the costs will be much less. A lot of my costs are from labor, since I don't really have the time or space to work on the car beyond simple stuff like oil and spark plugs. Stuff like the oil filter housing gasket ends up being costly because even though it's a $20 part, you have to rip the whole front end apart and fabricate a special tool to remove 1 bolt from behind the harmonic balancer just to get the housing off the block. You're either paying in cash or time. Up to you how much your time is worth.

Edit: to answer your actual question - yes it's definitely reliable enough for what you're looking for. Once you take care of the bearings, it's very unlikely you'll have any other major issues - just annoying little things here and there, throttle actuators, etc. And it seems like you're mechanically inclined, which greatly reduces maintenance costs.

Id be willing to spend the time for an e92 m3 haha. Thank you for all your feedback

Sold my old E92 with 121k on the clock. Only things outside of maintenance that went wrong was DCT pan, and one throttle actuator. First owner put 109 on it, I did the rest along with 8 track days.

I've put 100k on the e9x platform and spent less than a couple thousand on maintenence. A lot more on mods, tires and other stuff though. With that said this isn't a car you should own if you aren't comfortable overpaying mechanics and dealerships to do work. Unless you are the type of person who is capable of wrenching and troubleshooting most issues yourself or at least having a basic understanding to know if someone is taking advantage of you. For example a simple fix like a vacuum pressure sensor might cost $17 on Amazon but will be $250 at the dealer and another $250 for installation. Add a few problems like that + mechanics and dealers breaking stuff/being dishonest and it turns a few hundred or thousand in repairs over a few years to 10k-12k

E91 328xi with 140K miles, E92 M3 with 104K miles heavily tracked along with daily use. Single biggest advice I give people that want these cars is to learn how to do as much as you can yourself. This is huge. Very reliable cars, but as everyone says, they require preventative maintenance. Valve covers I did myself. Dealer wanted $3K. Remanufactured throttle actuators with great warranties I did myself. Dealer wanted $4K…. List goes on. I've probably saved $20K+ in labor just going on YouTube and learning to take it on myself. They're easy cars to work on with an extensive support/parts/DIY community. Jump in!

Everything I Wish I Knew Before Buying A E9X M3:
https://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1418410
.
High Mileage E9X M3's You Out There:
https://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1634764
.
High Mileage '08's Report In:
https://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=682601
.
Built To Last:
https://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1184983
.

I took home my 2013 E92 M3 Comp back in December. Coming from an 07 Carrera S, and an 07 Cayman S prior to that. The M3 is not a Porsche by any means, but I've always wanted to own an M. This is my first M, first V8, and first DCT of all the cars I've owned, and after experiencing it for a few months, I get it now. I get why this platform is so beloved among all enthusiasts, especially this allure that surrounds the E9X chassis and this engine. It has grown on me incredibly fast, and I'm grateful I get to enjoy it as a daily.

I got my Cayman at 77k miles, and the Carrera S 2.5 years later at 98k miles, so like some have mentioned above. Don't be apprehensive to the higher mileage cars, history and maintenance is key. Any car, regardless if it's "expensive european" or otherwise, neglected, they all can be expensive. Plus, my last model year 2013 is nearing 10 years old, time will continue to "age" the car. That ratio of low-mileage cars will only continue to shrink down and warrant more $$ to obtain.

I paid 38 in December, and it had 51k miles, I consider myself lucky to get in at a reasonable point in the market, since from what I've seen, values have gone up. First order for me was to address the priority items, so inevitably I did spend a couple more grand to dress the engine appropriately. Rod bearings and studs, all the seals including the valve covers, oil pan, oil filter housing, upper timing cover, front and rear main seal, water pump, etc. There was also a slight weep found from a small o-ring, I forget the name, that sits on top of the DCT, I had that replaced as well.

Point being I chose to invest in the beginning so I can soundly enjoy the car with no worries, backed by the shop's warranty on all that work. And I can just address things moving forward either proactively or as needed.

Now I can throw in my own sauce, to make modifications to make the car my own, and that I am highly looking forward to.

I will say for the OP, since you currently own a 135i, when I sold the 911 and began shopping, I test drove a 135i with the intent to find a good example, save some monies and have fun making a project out of it as I've always liked that platform and they have huge potential to pull some serious power and fun out of that car. Going to the M3 to have this engine, the handling, the looks and the added dare I say "luxury" niceties, I wouldn't have gone any other way. I am confident I will have this thing for a long long time.

Some media visuals for APEX Race Parts:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CbvGbgspWIr/?utm_medium=copy_link

perry_dg wrote

I took home my 2013 E92 M3 Comp back in December. Coming from an 07 Carrera S, and an 07 Cayman S prior to that. The M3 is not a Porsche by any means, but I've always wanted to own an M. This is my first M, first V8, and first DCT of all the cars I've owned, and after experiencing it for a few months, I get it now. I get why this platform is so beloved among all enthusiasts, especially this allure that surrounds the E9X chassis and this engine. It has grown on me incredibly fast, and I'm grateful I get to enjoy it as a daily.

I got my Cayman at 77k miles, and the Carrera S 2.5 years later at 98k miles, so like some have mentioned above. Don't be apprehensive to the higher mileage cars, history and maintenance is key. Any car, regardless if it's "expensive european" or otherwise, neglected, they all can be expensive. Plus, my last model year 2013 is nearing 10 years old, time will continue to "age" the car. That ratio of low-mileage cars will only continue to shrink down and warrant more $$ to obtain.

I paid 38 in December, and it had 51k miles, I consider myself lucky to get in at a reasonable point in the market, since from what I've seen, values have gone up. First order for me was to address the priority items, so inevitably I did spend a couple more grand to dress the engine appropriately. Rod bearings and studs, all the seals including the valve covers, oil pan, oil filter housing, upper timing cover, front and rear main seal, water pump, etc. There was also a slight weep found from a small o-ring, I forget the name, that sits on top of the DCT, I had that replaced as well.

Point being I chose to invest in the beginning so I can soundly enjoy the car with no worries, backed by the shop's warranty on all that work. And I can just address things moving forward either proactively or as needed.

Now I can throw in my own sauce, to make modifications to make the car my own, and that I am highly looking forward to.

I will say for the OP, since you currently own a 135i, when I sold the 911 and began shopping, I test drove a 135i with the intent to find a good example, save some monies and have fun making a project out of it as I've always liked that platform and they have huge potential to pull some serious power and fun out of that car. Going to the M3 to have this engine, the handling, the looks and the added dare I say "luxury" niceties, I wouldn't have gone any other way. I am confident I will have this thing for a long long time.

Some media visuals for APEX Race Parts:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CbvGbgspWIr/?utm_medium=copy_link

Nice, I might have seen this car on 880 or 680