izyoku: I bought it direct from the auction with dents to just the bumpers and front headlamps nothing serious got it fixed in the USA and certified by Florida state transport dept before shipping to nigeria. Keeping it for my personal use. Tips and advice please its my first BMW its a 2008 328i 50000miles on ODO

izyoku: Guys what do you guys think am bringing in this 328i inline 6cylinder bmw directly from the USA 2008 model simple engine no turbos any advice?

Dats a 3.0l engine I6 E90 naturaly aspirated with 230hp sleeping rocket u av there bro. Since its usa, am sure it must carry the N52B30 engine.very fuel efficient.

U shld have no issue wit d car being ur first beema if and only if u r not careless. Careless people dont drive BMW.

The engine and transmission are very expensive to replace wen u r careless with d car.

Tips for u
Neva allow non bmw specialist to work on it
Neva ignore any warning sign
Neva lend/borrow ur bmw out to non bmw owners
Neva listen to advise frm non bmw owners
Neva allow any1 to remove ur thermostsat. As dat might be d begining of ur problem.
No trial & error in dis model. Always run scan b4 attempt
Use recomended fluids wen servicing and changing(expecially atf)
Be prepared to spend moni to take care of care as parts are nt as cheap as toyota & honda.
The car is low, careful on bad roads
Lik i said earlier, its a sleeping rocket. Match gently

Good luck

Emperoh: Ok guys, here is a knotty issue.

Just imported a 2006 BMW 525i with 98k miles on it.
Car was cleared and taken out of the port yesterday but kept shooting up overheating.
Parked it somewhere safe since we can't tow.

This morning, we discovered the radiator hose is pulled.
Reattached it and yet it won't solve the problem.
We bled the radiator to see if it solves the issue but no shenow.
We had to eventually tow it to my place in Festac and then ran a scan.
Partner didn't give me any codes as yet but says we need to change thermostat. I suspect it is stuck.
But i will need a second scan to confirm what is wrong. However, i suspect two thing. A bad electrical component of the water pump which means changing the water pump or a stuck radiator. A

But can anyone guide me on what other likely issues to look at before another scan.

Again, where is the battery located? We only saw a terminal in the engine.
My suspicion told me it is in the trunk.
But i am not there physically and my guy tells me it's not where i suspected it to be.
A quick help will do.

This is a picture of the car

@emperoh

Also check for gasket leakage. Look properly arround the engine compartment for oil spills and also ur coolant reservour for oil.
If u find any, replace gasket. They r not expensive.
If no oil spill, and ur fan is functioning. Then ur water pump and thermostat are the culprit.

Pls word of advise
If the person with ur car is not a BMW specialist, quickly run and take the car away from them.
Only and only a BMW specialist should be allowed to touch ur car

Best of luck

Emperoh: Ok guys, here is a knotty issue.

Just imported a 2006 BMW 525i with 98k miles on it.
Car was cleared and taken out of the port yesterday but kept shooting up overheating.
Parked it somewhere safe since we can't tow.

This morning, we discovered the radiator hose is pulled.
Reattached it and yet it won't solve the problem.
We bled the radiator to see if it solves the issue but no shenow.
We had to eventually tow it to my place in Festac and then ran a scan.
Partner didn't give me any codes as yet but says we need to change thermostat. I suspect it is stuck.
But i will need a second scan to confirm what is wrong. However, i suspect two thing. A bad electrical component of the water pump which means changing the water pump or a stuck radiator. A

But can anyone guide me on what other likely issues to look at before another scan.

Again, where is the battery located? We only saw a terminal in the engine.
My suspicion told me it is in the trunk.
But i am not there physically and my guy tells me it's not where i suspected it to be.
A quick help will do.

This is a picture of the car

Ur battery is in d trunk on the passenger side.
There is a cover on it which you have to open before you see it.
Thats d best E60 u can get. I bet u will enjoy it when the issue is resolved.

As for the over heating, is your fan working?
If it is, run a complete scan again. But i suspect ur water pump. Also check ur radiator properly.

I hope u solve this soonest

Best of luck

Gloryroad:

Thanks

I want to go for the 2005 525i or 530i

From Experience Pls Give the nod once more

The 2005 E60 will surely be a very good buy for you. The '05 carries d N52B25 engine which is the same engine in the e39 but a little more poweful. It cheaper and easier to maintain, does not regularly give issues.

07 and above E60s carries the N53 B30 engine which is very expensive to replace when damaged either by carelessness of by carefulness. Its also not cheap to care for cos its more advanced tech wise.
After market sales for BMW is so poor compared to other car manufacturers, but that does not mean its a no go area.

If this is ur first bmw, pls for heavens sake b4 u take delivery of it, look for a very good mech/ tech and get close to them. Ask questions visit the workshop during ur spare time.

U need to start working on ur heart condition b4 d car arrives, so u wont regret buying and develop heart attack.

Its very easy to get convinced and confussed by non bmw users when u start having minor issues, but with a sound mech/tech, u will be jst fine

Always remember the ffg
Careless people dont drive bmw
Dont listen to advise frm non bmw users
Keep bmw users as pal even if its for the sake of d car only
Never borrow or lend ur bmw out to a friend to use(he wont knw d value and care for it)
Dont ever ignore any warning sign as it might lead to chain reation
Lastly bmw is only for those who have passion for it, and not those who just which to buy.

Gloryroad:

Thanks so much for the response, in Lay man Language which 5 series are the E39s? eg maybe 525i etc

All bmw 5 series made between 1996 to 2003
It cld be 2.0, 2.5, 2.8, 3.0, 3.5 or 4.0L engines

yungboss: Thanks Xerotop,
I learnt a few things from you.
what would you pick between a '97 m3 & an e39 540i?

Mr youngboss,
Seriously i neva had any of d Ms. But was opportuned to test drive d E46 m3 with smg transmission in canada.
The E36 m3,i shld think has a natutally aspirated engine which looks like the m50 engine(am not sure). But a 3.2L I6
Imagine such a large and powerful engine in a small E36
The E39 540i will be my desired choice based on d ffg reasons
Technical know how here in naija
Availability of parts
Bad road network cos the m3 is low
Cost of replacements when broken
E 39 still looks more modern than the E36(ppl might still give u a lil more respect cos of size)
And when used for long distances, u will be shocked at d mpg. But not as d smaller engines.

And when it comes to performance, the E39 will not disappoint.

Gloryroad: Pls what major issues does 2005 BMW 545I Have, which 5 series is most advisable

A 4.4L engine V8 E60 beast. No major issues except fuel efficiency and expensive parts. The engine costs a arm and leg when u need replacement. If u can av a v8 engine ride, then fuel shld not be ur issue. Very fast and can be mistakenly taken for the M5 on d road except for quad exhaust of d M5.
Almost same maintenance as d regular E60s.
And i can tell u dat d E60s r more reliable than the E46.
The E39s are d most reliable 5 series. Parts are so much cheaper than E46. They dont give issues and are very quiet. Very fuel efficient also. U can actually drive an E39 for months without having to do anything on it. And when u need to. U spend less.

But always remember; careless people dont drive BMW.

april4mee: Anybody familiar with the 320i 2001 model? I need advices on possible pros and cons. Tanx

A 2.0L engine I6 E46. Only diff with d others is d engine size and most of them does not carry more than 1cd loader. Mostly fabrics seats. Slower than the 323 and the 325 but more fuel efficient than them. U dont even need the speed cost there r no good road network to test d strenght
For maintenance, expect same as the 323 and 325. Only when you need a replacement engine, its cheaper then the 2.5.

@ eyop
Am so sorry if am a bit harsh sir,jst disturbed d way our dealers make things difficult for car buyers. At times when i look @ cars prices on d auto section, it gives me goose pimples. Someone planning to make over 2million on d sale of 1 car? Haba. Greed of d highest order.
Pls accept my appologies never meant to be harsh on u sir.

Eyop: Exactly but the problem is that due to greed some people will still fall for that. Take for instance if someone should tell you that he can get you a 2008 C300 with a mileage less than 100K at #2.5million which we know that the vehicle sells for about #5million or more for a good one,will you believe such a person?

Pls Stop decieving people. Greed is d major problem with most car dealers.
How can a 2008 c300 cost over 5m? All dis dealers and greed.
I bought my 2009 c350 for $15000 and shipping cost with all expenses is about $1500. I have called some clearing agents on nairaland here and i have been told to budget about 700k naira.
Pls do the calculatn.
Thats a c350,2009. So how on earth will 2008 c300 cost 5m.
The problem wit most dealers is putting all there lifes pronlem on selling jst one car

Emperoh: No one is being practical here.
maybe i need to do my own findings.

Owners, what does it cost to keep any of the two cars??
if the benz is cheaper to keep, trust me, i am dumping the few more torque and responsiveness of the bmw for the benz
And if it's the bmw? Well, God must have buttered my bread. Heads of tail, i win. . . . . . . ok, unless fixes and spares turn out to be expensive and i mean, more expensive than the normal Jap mobile!

@emperor
To be more realistic and tell u d truth. D c class is a cheaper to maintain than d E46.
U don't need any1 2 choose for u.just take a look around u and see d conditions of d 2 cars in question. The benz give more peace of mind.
Technical know how is another thing to consider. How many competent bmw technicians do u have arround u?
Also availabily of parts and affordability. D benz is better.
Also check dis out, u will find more people with cclass using their ac than the E46, Y?
Another example, when my E46 had transmission issue. I was told d price for replacement was about 160k cos it was 20 pin.
A friend had transmission issue on his c class and got areplacent for 70k. Check out d diff.
I have had 6 of those bmws and I will still have more by Gods grace. So this is not book review and fantasies. I have also had 2 c class benz. So I can tell d diff.
Bmw is my childhood fantasy so I can let go but am taking a break for a while for benz.
My advise
Go to parts market and find out things for ur self.
Then make ur decision from what u get and find out from people who have those 2 cars and not people who people who read reviews.

The e46 is a wonderful ride,so enjoyable and a beast on the road.very comfortable, very swift, very compact, sleek,smooth, balanced, and very expensive to maintain. Parts are available but expensive. Far more expensive than the benz of all classes.
But, if its goin to be ur daily ride, be prepared to give what belongs to caesar to him.
Like my mechanic always say " e46 always smile @ u while eating ur money"
I had wonderful experience with them while i had them. But i have finally ported to merc. I was tempted to go 4 bmw 335i, but i had to consider my mechanic now turned cotonou dealer not messing me up and also spending my weekend with my family and not mechanic workshop.
Expecting my delivery of 2009 c350 sports by Gods grace.

ping2ping: Who knows about Avensis Verso? Is it a later model of Picnic or different type of minivan entirely? It looks classy. Any idea of the cost of 2001 model with auto tranny?

Avensis versoo is an improved and refined picknic on an avensis platform. U can also say its a picknic. It was introduced in 2001 and was improved in 2003.
This mpv is so expensive and that the price will buy you a 2008 toyota camry.
My wife wanted one for her biz but i was so shocked when i heard the price.
Cost price from europe was about 6000 euros. I told to 4 get it that i will get her a camry muscle instead of this bus. And she belived me.
I can bet you its d best amongst all the mpvs u av listed so far.

If u av d money, dont think twice, just go 4 it

Any1 who says he or she enjoys his or her work is simply decieving himself. Except u are self employes or an enterpreneau. Nobody who is an employee does. Truth is bitter.
U only enjoy what u pay for, not what u r being paid to do.

If u truely enjoy ur work? Then u should be paying ur employer.
For giving you the opportunity to do what u enjoy.

Wake up from poverty dream and. Mentality and stop enjoying slavery.

U enjoy watching football game. It is either u go to viewing centre and buy drink or pay gate fee, or u pay dstv to give u access.

U enjoy drinking beer, u must pay

U enjoy beautiful women. Na money

U enjoy driving exotic cars? U pay

U enjoy better food and soup? U pay

U want to enjoy ur wife? U go marry and pay dowry.
U go even pay to maintain d women.

U enjoy clubbing? Gate fee and pay for beer and babes u carry.

So how can u enjoy ur work when u r being forced to do it by recieving salary?

flexya: why r fx45s cheaper than fx35s (in registered/toks form) generally speaking.

Is the issue of low octane in our petrol more damagin to the 45s than the 35s or is there any reason why one shouldnt pick a 45 above a 35 (other than the slightly higher fuel consumption)?

thks

I personally do not think there is any reason for picking a 35 over 45.
Low octane rating if it will have any effect on the car will definetly have to do with both engines.
I think its just the mentality of wanting to drive a powerful and big car, and not wanting to buy fuel.
I read frm a forum that d diff in mpg is not up to or more than 2 mpg.
And come to think of it, u can not compare wot u will get ind 45 to dat of 35.
More options, more power and lots more.

Peolple tend to run away wen they hear and see that its a v8.
Even ur family and friends will discourage you.
But i bet u people who drive v8 engine car will not want to drive anything less.

Of what use is the hybrid when normal cars e.g honda civic can do 27/36?
My wifes honda civiv does 25 city and over 34 hwy. a 1.6lL I4.
Now lets do some maths,
Honda civic hybrid frm this thread 44/44. Which is not up to 2 times what my woman' s civic consume.
45 ltrs thank, filled 2X monthly if i dont travel with it.

Now lets compare dis with a civic hybrid of 44/44 with a very expensive repair waiting for you wen the inverter gets drained. Hybrid parts not readily available in nigeria.and still do 44 mpg compared to my 34 notmally?
Is it worth it? NO.

Someone once posted he spent 720k on importing toyota highlander inverter. How much be d car sef?

Y will people want to buy car and not want to buy Fuel?

U av money to buy a car worth millions of naira but u dont have money to buy fuel
Dem force u buy car?
My conclusion;
All dis cars r not hybrid until they start doing about 2000 mpg city and 4000 mpg hwy.

May be till then i will get one. Lols

nissparts: Octane booster does not work.
The bubble dash affects all the FX models especially the ones with black trim.
It is majorly caused by using dashboard "shining" products and heat.
Avoid using the shining products and you should be fine.

@ nissparts, thx 4 d response. I saw ur posts on a nissan thread. I cld conclude u have a garage for nissan and infinity repairs & mtnce. its good to av u around just in case. Lols.

Back to the discussion, if octane booster will not work, whats d way out of fuel not meeting the standard. As u know d FX45 needs a minimum of 93% octane rating.
Kindly suggest wot to do.

KA24DETT:

When the car interior temp heats up , the bubble dash appears. If you are careful where you park your car and buy a windscreen sun reflector., you can reduce it .
It's a pain but eventually it gets you .

What's the octane rating for the fuel in Nigeria? You can't add octane booster when you don't know your starting point.

Octane rating in nigeria is btw 89 and 90.
Definetely needs boosting if i want to enjoy my '45. I think

Also for correction purpose;

Atf needed for fx45 is nissan matic J and not nissan matic s as i ealier stated above. It was a typo.

yungboss:
I mentioned the 330i...the 335i is a 3.0 twin turbo 300bhp and 300lb-ft of torque...which is much quicker than the VQ35...do you have idea how much the 2006 G35 5AT will cost or the 2006 FX45?
I also heard they have transmission issues too.

yungboss:
but what about dash-bubbles on the FX? I heard it's common.

The FX is not know with transmission failures. At least from a fews friends dat owns them for some years now. Also from reviews av read. As long as regular maintenance is done and with recomemded ATF. I read dat recomended atf is nissan matic S.
as 4 bubble dash, read its common in the first generation FX. One of d reasons i decided to go 4 the '06 model which is d introduction of the 2nd generation FX.

My concern now is how to get premium unleaded with recomended octane rating.
I learnt i can alway use octane booster.
I guess problem solved

yungboss:
BMWs are great cars, i do not think i'm ready to "port"...i haven't driven the M3s, the 335i, the e39 540i and the 2001 740il (the list goes on...)
i test drove the infiniti G35 and it was cool, kind of liked it. I'm replacing the engine of my e46 323ci with a 330i...just wondering how the 330's 3.0l I6 215hp will match up with the G35's 3.5l V6 270hp...
What i know about the fx 45 is that it is very fast. 4.5s from 0-60mph, faster than the 4.4 v8 BMW X5.

av had great experience with d BMW brand. av had 6 BmWs of which r 5 diff models.
av also driven virtually all series execpt the M5, m6, x6 and x5m.
am not really a fan of SUVs but i think am in love with the FX45.
also considering wot am goin thru in d hands of my mechanic, for me d fx is way to go.
a very powerful V8 engine with 320hp for the '06 model? wow!
very lovely and serene interior? more luxurious than the X5.
20' wheel, rear camera, 10 way adjustable driver seat,
the power and the exhaust notes trips me, the chaether look is fascinating.
very reliable frm wot i heard frm a few folks dat owns 1.
the Fx45 is powerful and i bet a test drive will blow you away.

only down part is a small trunk and low gas mileage.

BMW is still my brand anyday, may be when i can afford to repair @ coscharis.

i need to always spend my weekends and holidays with my family and not @ my mechanics place

am seriously considering PORTING from my childhood fantasies(BMW) to an infinity FX45.
probably a 2006 model. am being frustrated by my mechanic.
av been carrying out so much research abt the FX. av discovered so much abt them.
and i think am going to PORT very soon.
you hardly find the FX in garages lying fallow.
for the fuel aspect of the FX, i think God will take care of dat

infinity gurus in the house, kindly shed more light on the FX especially the 45 as am so interested in that beast of a crossover

Gee2728: got me a W202 2000 C230kompressor, its a brillient car. Before the check engine lights came on it was superb. I once did 237kmp on a strech 2 abuja from kaduna. But lately I notice a delay in trottle respons have tried several mech with diagnostic machine no one seems to know the fault I even strogle to go pass 180kmp lately. Please any 1 knows somthing abt this or a good mech to help fix this fault.

God is purposely helping you with delayed trottle response, so u wont commit sucide.
please leave the car alone. but if u insist, go 4 a scan, but i suspect ur super charger. may be wearing out

Isn't that the fastest means of 'legally' committing suicide?

i luv dat man

mxxpunkxx!:


I don't push a wow car. I posted the specs sometimes ago (as below);
but one thing I know for sure; you'd never see my brake lights . . .

Make: NISSAN
Model: ALTIMA
Model year: 2003.
Engine size: 2,5 S

. Wake up frm ur drms mr. Even a nissan 350z will be in 4 a real showdown. Ur 4 cylinder altima against an e46 bmw i6. Ur altima is not even turbo charged. There is an addage in ma place that whoever has not been to some else's fathers farm will say his own fathers farm is d biggest. Fact dat dats d fastest car u av had does not make it d fastest car on land. Next time don't dare a BMW. Word of advise

yungboss:
Audi's A8 vs BMW's 740i...i'l check the numbers later...why go for the 323/5? The 330i is faster...if you are worried about the consumption, the difference isn't much. The 323 gets 12l/100km, the 325 should be the same...i can hold up with the V8 Audi in a 335i, trust me. Siena knows this...

the bmw 335i is fast, but i dont think it can put up with the audi a8.
u r talking abt a 4.2 ltr v8 twin turbo against a 3.0 ltr I6 twin turbo.
u dont stand a chance mr youngboss.
i once had a race with a friend from bauchi to jos with my e46 '01' 328i and his '05 accord EOD v6. the accord flawed my e46 on a staight line, but for the bends on jos road frm bauchi, he couldnt cope.
bmws r made for the curves, and dats y i wont drive anything else.
my friend wld av been late if he had not accepted his fate.

but i tell u those japs r fast especially the v6, germans all d way

i just read an uninformed post on this thread that bmw and benz consume so much fuel, that is absolutely untrue. i once has an e46 325i 2002 which did a 9 hr journey frm bauchi to owo in ondo state with a 73 ltr tank. if not for not destroying my fuel pump with low level fuel in my tank, i woulnt have topped it up after ibilo in edo state. also my once 1999 c 230 kompressor frm lagos @ full thank was topped up just b4 abaji on my way to gombe. what more can u want with fuel efficiency in acar. whereas a friends EOD came to jos with full thank from lafia in nassarawa state and d guage is on quater to empty, for just a 3 hr drive. pls always get ur facts right b4 saying german cars consume fuel.

When u drive a BMW, it feels like u r driving on a rail. Stable, balance , sporty, comfortable, sweet, interesting, abeg make una borrow me more English to use.
I av owned 2 c class and 6 BMW models. Once u start, u Neva stop. Except if our Nigerian mechanics frustrate u. Benz is also very sweet but not as BMW. If u own a BMW and all u do is sit in owners corner for a driver to drive u? I tell u, u dey miss. Cos it's a drivers car. A car dat interacts wit u? Wot more can u want in a car?

car ; bmw e 46
model ; 328i
year ; 2001

car jerked all through saturday when downshifting. also jerked terribly when ever i slow down and gear reduces from 4 to 3 to 2.
i read on e46 fanatics yesterday about the problem and someone suggested a software upgrade.
another person suggested a battery reset.
this morning i just removed my battery head, waited for 5 mins and fixed it back.
all day long, no signs of jerks, cars moves smoothly as expected.

note;

battery reset is only a temporary solution.

@youngboss, talk about e39, I once had a 528i. Very classy interior stable and balance on d road, feels lik u r drivin on a rail. But I dislik d car cos of its front shape. Not nice @ all bonnet looks longer and shapeless. Also if u travel a lot , d headlight bocomes shaky and starts looking downwards in d nite.replaced it and same happened again. But I bet u, d e39 is one of d most reliable BMW ever made. It never dies, strong and powerful.

I test drove a friends father 2006 750i. Never tried any like dat. My e46 was not even any where close. Felt like heaven. Was confused @ first cos of d gear. Its mounted on steering, so small u won't even notice it. D 7 series is lik a car for d rich old and retired folks. For young guy of my age? Naaah. Except in political position. Lol

Won't even try dat if I have d chance again. My wife angrily abandon her car on the road and took a cab home while I was teaching and screaming @ her. Its way back 2009 anyway. I had 2 pally her and register her in a driving school. Now she's an expert, even correcting me on d road at a point.

I still strongly think I av to stick to my bmws they will only continue to steal bmw with dis tech abroad.I initially wanted to change to h
onda cos of my mech inability to stay in one place, but Its betta for me to keep my self alive than drive camry muscle or accord and die frm bullets of robbers. I stay in d northern part of nigeria. And robbery attacks on toyota and hondas are on a very high side. In d last 2 weeks now, about 3 ppl av been killed just in my area,even with dia camrys and accord stolen. 2 days ago my broda inlaw narrowly escaped death, but his 2010 camry gone. B4 any one will snatch ur bmw in naija, they will think twice because it doesn't move in d market. Its bad market for dem.

@ young boss
I will try and upload d pix. I stay in d northern part of nigeria.dat might pose alil diffiCulty if u r not around the north.