One bad day for a customer! CAR WIZARD found TWO insanely unrelated issues at time on '12 BMW 535i

[@craigwall8703]

BMW engineers do an awesome job of designing their cars and parts to fail outside of manufacturers warranty. They make it an art form!

[@seanm3ify]

Jealous you can’t afford a new one?

[@craigwall8703]

No that's not it. I have friends that bought them new and used had nothing but trouble. I've even assisted a mate replacing all the cooling system plastics because they just perished and cracked, that sh!t box had just 96000 kilometres on it.

[@worldhello1234]

@@seanm3ify Whatever bullshit you might come up with doesn't make it less true. 🙄

[@esco819]

@@seanm3ifyso he's jealous that he doesn't want to buy a pos bmw?💩💩💩

[@oldrrocr]

Fords and GM too.

[@prgmr5057]

95% of all BMWs are still on the road. The other 5% made it home.

[@allenleavell2847]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@jerkygutts8386]

When I started reading your comment I was thinking oh here we go a BMW defender. 🤣🤣

[@michaeld2799md]

Me: Laughs in E28😂 one of the last trouble free bmws ever made

[@miguelvega7769]

Laughs in my 2010 x5 xdrive30i 😂😂210,127 miles later with ORIGINAL parts

[@Vincent-ke5zn]

That's hilarious

[@rickbangkok]

"I feel sorry for the customer. Its the holidays. This is the last thing he needs." I like the Wizard because he is a great teacher as a mechanic. The bonus is that he really cares for his customers.

[@chrismemphis8062]

...and charges them $150 an hour LOL

[@doccyboy5018]

@@chrismemphis8062 hes running a business not a charity, more then likely has employees in the background and such, once he pays tax and bills like power and such hes probably only getting a 1/3 in the hand and the end of the day, so think about your comment before you judge others, many mechanics will charge alot more, this guy is humble and understands his customers, most shops will ripp you on the hours then bill you.

[@chrismemphis8062]

@@doccyboy5018 So does the garage where I go! He has insurance, a mortgage, employees and all that comes with it and I'm in the northeast. He's in Kansas!

[@petepenn1]

@@chrismemphis8062 RIGHT! And Magic Mark is dong the work.... Bet Mark is getting less than $40 an hour for his labor..

[@petepenn1]

@@doccyboy5018 Only in the USA can $150 turn into $50 an hour profit. CASH is King!

[@jsun3117]

The videographer, Mrs Wizard, deserves credit for her skills. This particular video really demonstrates the level of comprehensive diagnosis for any viewer to understand the problem. This is better than most auto tech pro schools training videos.

[@jamesstephenson2346]

I never thought of this, but you are ABSOLUTELY right

[@rushnerd]

She does an incredible job.

[@DenverUglies]

When I was much younger, I was really into BMWs. Unfortunately, I owned a few endless money pits. My mechanic told me, if you can’t afford a new BMW with a warranty..you’ll never afford a used BMW without a warranty

[@gulfstream7235]

Yeah, that's what puts me off buying a secondhand one...

[@sunnohh]

Yeah you really have to be able to just dump thousands without caring or really even noticing to own a german car out of warranty. If you can do that a grand a month payment or whatever is probably well within your budget. When I bought my porsche I realized there was no way in hell Id own it long enough for even the warranty to expire more or less actually ever need a repair. 2-3 years till the next one max

[@KeatonDee]

Exactly! I’ve been a BMW enthusiast for 10 years and currently own 2, an E30 and an E39 but you have to be willing to pay the price of ownership. So many people buy old German luxury cars for the “look” or what have you but don’t realize the maintenance on a $6000 BMW is that of a previously $80,000 BMW. The price of parts doesn’t go down in value like the car does.

[@tyromecharleston7580]

I feel sorry for your customer, I’ve own a couple 7 series and a X5. Had problems with both but they were un😅warranty. Wizard isn’t 200K a lot of miles for any car?

[@houseofno]

Most buyers lease these for two or three years then bail out of the lease well before the warranty expires. Many businesses write off the lease cost as a business expense. Additionally, these cars go through multiple owners and most subsequent owners buy these as status symbols but do not possess the financial resources to keep them properly maintained.

[@NorthernChev]

The old, worn out starter failing could be from a brief but extreme exposure to the overheat condition that just tipped it over the edge. I had this same thing happen on a Chevy once. The down side is, it could be a sign of just HOW hot that engine got…

[@raven4k998]

or auto stop start wearing it out over time or just plain bad luck

[@DigiDriftZone]

@@raven4k998 Yes, good idea to code these cars to remember the start/stop setting, so if you turn this feature off, it doesn't turn on automatically next time you drive.

[@wes676]

That is exactly what happened. My 3 series did the same thing. Had issues with my electric cooling fan and the extra heat in the bay caused the starter to fail.

[@slendysmucho]

The best part about Wizards videos is the normal/relaxed energy he has throughout the video, apposed to most car youtubers with almost a crackhead-like unnaturally over excitable vibe. Wizards videos are so much more relaxing to watch because of this XD

[@zarlok5294]

XD? Does that actually mean something? 😅

[@kalinandonov2799]

Yep, yelling seems to be a national sport over there

[@friguy4444]

Yea but the condescending attitude and "Victim mentality" really get s to me after a short while.

[@nononsenseBennett]

I wish all mechanics were like Dave.

[@t5396]

Hey, don't knock crack until you've tried it.

[@dlschgo]

If the starter solenoid DIDN'T fail, he would be needing a new engine now. You know he would try and make it home.

[@philb707]

Yupppppp

[@paulgeorge9614]

My thought exactly

[@hulk-smash-deez-hose.7951]

Yup he purposely ignored the low coolant light, drive up the bill some more to a whole new starter hahahah 😆

[@playstation1331]

ikr

[@petrosaguilar8916]

Divine Providence.

[@cuongong3976]

It is what it is, at 200k , those aren't the only things gonna go bad, those starter usually go out around 100k , the n55 motor is actually pretty reliable

[@joecarlson8171]

I agree…..I mean dam 200k on an Xdrive bravo

[@wallycunningham5090]

Yea this is pretty impressive to see 200k for modern BMW. That's like 400k in toyota miles.

[@andresparrow2971]

I was feeling nervous till he said the car has 200,000 miles on it. I went phew 😮‍💨. Mine only has 92000.

[@iam_myster_e]

@@andresparrow2971that’s what I was thinking!! This dude milked his car to the end!!!

[@hhova29]

So you guys deem a 2011 bmw 535xi a good sedan?

[@Kewrock]

Heat is a killer. Maybe the engine overheating cooked the solenoid. It is mounted to the block at the hottest point of the engine, Under the intake. Probably right next to the exhaust manifold.

[@theundergroundlairofthesqu9261]

Nah. Intake is the cool side of this straight size. Exhaust and turbo are on the other side. Apparently they're just junky starters.

[@cthis4786]

He probably drove it too much distance when the the engine was already overheating. I had a coolant hose burst on my BMW in chilly weather, could see white smoke coming from the front of engine, I pulled over the car and shut the engine off immediately just before the needle reached the red area. The cost of the repair was only $200 for hose, coolant (which bought from BMW dealership), and diagnostics. The thing about these cars or any car is if you catch the issues quickly, you could be saving a lot of frustration and money.

[@chipmunk1631]

@@cthis4786 I don't see any real evidence to blame this exact situation on "because BMWs are junk" And from experience I can say that BMW XDrive is one of the best in the snow and ice. When everyone else is having a hard time getting around, XDrive will get you through it

[@kfm908]

@@chipmunk1631 twice a year!lol.All you need is studded winter tires

[@cthis4786]

@@chipmunk1631 My BMW is super old, doesn't even have xDrive but has planetary AWD (similar system on modern Mercedes AMG vehicles) which is much superior in terms of handling and dynamics, yet handles just well in the snow with all season tires. Just get good Michelin all season's. xDrive destroys the handling on a BMW, a BMW should be rear-wheel drive only, but xDrive sells in colder climates.

[@leescales5216]

Just replaced the starter on my 528xi last month at 175K miles. Not a fun job, but if you scan KZbin, there are plenty of tips to make the job easier. If you're going to own a BMW that's not under warranty, (1.) Make sure that it's not your only vehicle. (2.) Make sure that you can do most of the repairs yourself.

[@king_tut.]

Exactly..

[@zigzag7194]

So what's you second car ? I have 2 volvo's and a vw sharan And I wouldn't even have a visitor park a BMW in my driveway 😂

[@zloychechen5150]

@@zigzag7194 innit? i mean i have an old beat up volvo 940 turbo, which makes twice its factory horsepower, and for sure things go wrong from time to time (although i've never had one of those fuck my brains for reasons other than external intervention, like mods or crash damage), but it's my bmw owner mate who constantly tells me my current ride is shite, while his e92 a)doesn't go as intended; b) guzzles absurd amounts of petrol for no apparent reason; c) has some other quirky issues that need a crystal ball to figure out, but otherwise a beautiful specimen. I guess owning a bmw (in many ways like owning an old volvo) isn't a rational choice, it's a sexual orientation or something.

[@fb1000000]

This is so narrow minded… There’s hundreds of different BMW models out there, it’s so silly to generalise and say what you just said

[@bonda_racing3579]

Luckily my second hand car is a city bus to take me to school. Lol

[@dannyj7618]

I owned 2007 BMW 335i - twin turbo - I installed stage 2 everything, it was a ROCKET. But it always needed something. Some little shit would always brake. I am thankful for that car - I will never buy a BMW again.

[@kingjlinza]

200K miles, dang I’m impressed it lasted that long

[@Mladjasmilic]

My 2012 Fiat Punto has almost that much.

[@Nickos1b]

My 318 E46 from 1999 has 225.000 kilometers and it needs extra attention lately. Overall it has been reliable . But to think that a Fiat Punto is still running at 200.000 miles = 320.000 km is on another level.

[@ShowMeWhatINeedToKnow]

ANY CAR can have a starter go out, oil leaks, and a hose blow off at 200K miles.

[@406Steven]

@@ShowMeWhatINeedToKnow Agreed. I'm not a fan of BMW but by the time something has that many miles on it you've got to expect SOMETHING to fail.

[@pervertfudge]

last week, i seen a bmw 525d xdrive reach 480.000km. on service for timing chaing replacement. still working.

[@sbrown307]

Looks to be a very well maintained, 200,000 mile BMW. Nice and dry under there. Too bad about the hose, seems odd that it would just pop off on its own. Hope the engine survived running without coolant. Sometimes they do... sometimes they don't. Edited to add: I wonder if someone has serviced the coolant recently. I noticed it was green, should be blue (BMW oem). If they pulled that hose to drain the coolant and didn't get it back on correctly, it could explain why it came off.

[@Bleachanna]

agreed something is a little strange there with the coolant but the starter is normal wear and tear.

[@spencerh1813]

Not to mention, as a BMW mechanic for 15 years, always do a full cooling system overhaul every 60-80,000 miles. Avoids 90% of these headaches.

[@Bleachanna]

@@spencerh1813 true, just an actual inspection would help a lot too.

[@ip2networkz81]

@@spencerh1813 Spencer being a BMW mechanic for 15 years would mean drinking ALOT for me

[@WeaponX668]

My Water Pump just went out I drive a 2009 328i with 177k miles on it, I parked the car heard a loud pop and all the coolant leaked onto the floor luckily I was home, ordered a new pump my secret I know a mechanic that's really good and will only charge 200 bucks to install it😄 Cant believe the original pump lasted that long car runs great!

[@frozentundra7446]

As a BMW devote, let's take a step back and review what you said. The 535 has over 200k miles? Was that the original starter? If so, well it lasted 200k miles. I am glad to hear the driver safely pulled over when having car trouble however many times, significant damage is done to a car after overheating and warning lights come on. Upon calling for a tow truck, the owner should have requested a flatbed to insure the car can be towed away. Importantly, as a failsafe, once certain sensors are triggered, it will enable the car not to start so not to cause additional damage to the engine and most importantly passengers. Lastly, electrical parts just fail over time especially when stress and the hose clamp failed due to fatigue thus the coolant leaking out. The owner has a reliable car with over 200k and it is probably paid for so to pay $2k in repairs is more than reasonable especially for a 12-year-old car.

[@patricknesbitt4003]

Understood BUT the inability to put the damned thing in neutral unless you jack it up and crawl underneath with tools is just plain dumb.

[@l042987]

200k and the starter fails on a BMW is good? I gotta old dodge truck 385k on it and the only issue it's had was the ac pump failed lol

[@frozentundra7446]

@@l042987 God luv ya, man! A BMW starter lasting 12 years with over 200k miles will not make me mad by any means!😂😂😂

[@l042987]

@@frozentundra7446 seems a bit soon for such a high standard car company!

[@Barneyrubble241]

As someone who delivers auto parts to independent mechanic shops I can tell you that I've seen starters, alternators, ac compressors, air struts etc all fail on BMW's with way less than 100k miles. I've seen a bunch fail at under 60k. Maybe the starter lasted 200k in this one, but that is HIGHLY and I mean HIGHLY unusual. They are tiny little starters that look like they belong on a go-cart. I still have the original starter in my 02 Silverado with 370k. Didn't have to change the ac compressor until 285k. The alternator lasted until 345k. The entire suspension is original at 370k. You will never get a BMW to that kind of mileage, but if you do, you would have replaced virtually the entire car 2 or 3 times.

[@justinmijnbuis]

1: Push start button or attempt to start the car (even if it doesn't turn over, just push it down anyway 2: Push the lever twice in to N 3: Push the lever to N and hold for 5 seconds 4: Transmission is now disengaged for 15 minutes after which it will re-lock itself.

[@OBrechkin]

Lol what a procedure What would be wrong doing it like every other car 🤷‍♂️

[@adamgraham6265]

@@OBrechkin you mean every other car that switched to a system just as chaotic?

[@philb707]

WTF

[@ahyaan2552]

@Technologically Challenged Tech so you don't accidentally knock it into neutral.

[@TheTotallywolf]

that bald guy in the video is clearly a scammer

[@markahad6583]

Wizard, I truly feel your pain, my friend! Back in the day, I’ve had my share of silly coincidences only to have the customer accuse of me sabotage. That’s a problem I don’t need. You’re fortunate to have an ‘intelligent’ and understanding customer. Keep up the great work 😊

[@foxwithtubesox1075]

If the customer were intelligent, he wouldn't be driving a 10-year-old X-drive BMW.

[@markahad6583]

I’ll say ‘yes’ to that! 😂

[@craigjorgensen4637]

Breaks More Wallets

[@stevelouie5928]

All these expensive repairs paid for his yacht so I doubt he is in any real pain. If everyone drove Toyotas and Hondas, he wouldn't be driving Maseratis and all his other toys.

[@nijhuus]

This is why i bring my BMW 535i ti an BMW garage, they have the tools to diagnose stuff and they dont "hate" BMW like this guy... Never let sombody work on your car who hates the brand...

[@lgunderso2117]

EV Electric motor engineer here- Depending on how hot the engine got (above normal) I could see the starter solenoid/starter winding insulation being near failure, overheating, and dying.

[@seangyimah]

Or coolant on it

[@grahamstevenson1740]

Failure temperature of wiring enamel is nowhere near 105C (typical max coolant temp) and the starter never gets that hot anyway. The engine block won't increase much past 105C due to its large thermal mass even after the coolant is lost.

[@mrtyreus0]

That neutral override is a crazy safety hazard. I can imagine someone on the side of the road on a slight incline. Jacks up a corner of the car to put it into neutral, then the car rolls off the jack...

[@goenitzlopez2076]

Definitely a safety hazard but maybe it's actually such a hassle to get it into neutral it requires someone that knows what they're doing

[@slasher9883]

The idea that you need to crawl under a car to then put it in neutral is the most insanely stupid and dangerous thing I have ever heard of. Imagine forgetting to engage the e-brake, or the e-brake failing? Absolute stupidity.

[@M447DT]

Horrible all around

[@berkeleydojah]

the latest bmws made it EVEN HARDER to reach the neutral override, now its actually a pin that acts like a lever, here is the tool on how to use it..and they show your safety hazard issue..kzbin.info/www/bejne/pYXcZ596lK1lrck

[@EarlFaulk]

Thats actually terrifying....

[@kjprice1443]

I loved my '01 E46 325i when I owned it. It was always leaking from somewhere, mainly coolant. I eventually gave it to my daughter who had constant problems so she sold it after 2 yrs. It was a wonderful car to look at and drive, but too temperamental and expensive to fix.

[@archangel3237]

Be careful with diagnosing starters on bmw's!!! We had one in the shop for a few days that wouldn't start just like yours, the engine was not grounded, the strap had corroded and there was 5v drop between the negative battery terminal and anywhere on the engine block!

[@OleMartinRypest]

Yes, I would also checked the negative from starter

[@johnjubie7144]

Good catch!

[@pascutia]

Did a starter on an E90 330i. Wasn’t a fun job. As the Wizard said, the intake manifold had to be moved to the right. Mine didn’t die completely, but every now and then the motor would rotate slowly (and the battery was fine). Edit: I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, do not get x-drive unless you absolutely need it. It can become a nightmare to maintain, and it makes the handling/ride worse. Gets in the way of everything. When I did the starter job, I also did my WP and thermostat (was getting codes for the WP going bad). The stupid driveshaft made things much more difficult than they had to be.

[@weswest8666]

My e46 x drive isn’t bad, thermostat and water pump was like working on a Chevy truck, water pump was even an ac delco brand…

[@cthis4786]

That is way I still drive a 20 year old BMW with planetary AWD, super solid and none of complexity.

[@nexusyang4832]

Just curious, under what conditions would someone need the x-drive? Is there something special about them that does something special?

[@pascutia]

@@weswest8666 Yup, that was a different system. Seems to be more reliable than x-drive. On the E46, the WP was mechanical, making it more reliable (I think) and cheaper to replace.

[@damilolaakanni]

It would be best to just avoid BMW if you need AWD. If you want luxury and reliable AWD, get a Lexus. Or an Acura.

[@Boxerdad27]

Kudos for not shaming people because they like what they like. You’re a class act!

[@ConstanceCox]

True. He can't alienate his biggest cusomers to fix their garbage. He only said twice that he hates BMW. Overengineered bullshit.

[@bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb77]

thats why i love you ,,you just said you dont like the car because of what it does to your customers ,,,awesome bro ,,most hate em cause the work sucks ,,you rock and you really care

[@sounnder]

I have to comment on this one. I agree it horribly expensive to replace that starter, but the car has held up for over 200K miles. That's exceptional. Anyone operating a car over 150K miles knows they are on borrowed time waiting for the big failure. Just my opinion

[@RussSchoonmaker]

Yeah, i agree. When you divide $1200 by 200,000 miles, it’s not unreasonable, price to pay when compared to any other luxury automotive brand. Sure when compared to the price of a starter replacement on a chevy impala, it looks expensive. But fixing this 10 YO BMW, is far less expensive than it would be to buy a replacement vehicle.

[@JAM2USA2018]

Not if you driving a Toyota Camry,Avalon,4Runner,Honda CRV,Honda Accord, Lexus or Acura. At 150K those cars I mentioned just ready for the road

[@justinlanglais9825]

A well maintained Toyota is just getting broken in at 150k miles !

[@kylemontano228]

@@JAM2USA2018yeah but those cars are far more boring, less powerful, and have less features than this bmw so why compare the 2?

[@TheRidersChoice]

@@JAM2USA2018 yea but they are all appliances that drive like a wet napkin. People still love 5 series decades later, nobody says that about a Toyota

[@randybeard6040]

It should be Mandatory for All Vehicle Engineers to Work on these Hard to Reach Parts like the Starter and Hopefully THEN they would Design Engine Operation Components Placement Differently...

[@doingyamom]

I’m a BMW tech and funny enough, I’d consider the N55 (the engine you’re working on) one of the most reliable engines BMW has ever made. The only thing is that they are reliable as long as they are taken care of properly. I’m working on an almost identical F10 535i right now and you can clearly tell the car has not been taken care of. My personal car has the same engine, except it was taken care of and it’s in very good shape even at 125,000 miles. Also for anyone who is curious, some common issues for the N55 are the turbo chargepipe blowing (mine lasted 110k miles), the water pump will go out around 100-130k miles (mine has not been replaced yet) and the common leaks after a lot of miles or old age. Other than that, it’s a very reliable engine!

[@cthis4786]

He probably did serious overheating damage because he didn't pull over immediately and shut the engine off. People think maintenance are a nightmare, but in fact I find it cheaper to change oil than what a Toyota dealership charges for my friend's Sienna.

[@theslavsyndicate8524]

BMW gets a bad rap because people skip the maintenance because "it costs too much" and than they drop it onto the next owner. Also i do agree with you 100%

[@red58fury]

I had a 2011 535i. The biggest problems I had with it were cooling system and oil leaks. Valve cover leaked, water pump failed at 100k and oil filter housing pump started leaking oil everywhere. In the back of my mind I was always worried about having to replace the turbo. Luckily someone hit me and totaled the car out lol. I think I would prefer the 2011 528i if I decided to buy another F10 in the future because for that one year it was the naturally aspirated N55.

[@Enthusiastlist]

The B58 takes all the great things about the N55 & improves on them. If you’re going to buy a BMW get a B58 powered vehicle. If you look at the tech specs you can see BMW made reliability a much bigger priority with the B58. Coated rod bearings (N55s are notorious for rod bearing issues,) mechanical water pump, almost no gaskets (very rare for a B58 to have an oil leak,) closed deck / entirely forged internals, much stronger charge pipe, etc

[@1983dmd]

@@theslavsyndicate8524 Also because they rent the car for 3-5 years and delete the maintenance

[@warpspeedracer]

BMWs. We have a love hate relationship with them. Wife’s e90 328i is just about the most reliable one out there. We had infamous Dmtl leak. Had to do a smoke test and turned out it was the fuel pump. My f01 750i. Probably the least reliable BMW with the n63. Had to replace the alternator and was quoted $2000 at an independent shop. Got a remanufactered alternator from autozone and did it myself. But it took two weekends of carefully taking apart the car and making sure not to break any plastics. Did the turbo oil return lines while I was in there. I’m thankful for the diy community.

[@GearheadologyGarage]

He’s one of the only techs on KZbin I really watch, gets into detail especially with these newer BMW’s that are Nothing but O-rings & plastic now smh but I wasn’t aware of the starter issues they’re right there next to Honda when it comes to that.

[@markdamstra]

and the plastic parts cost a fortune to fix.

[@WayToManyAssassins]

​@markdamstra what plastic parts?

[@mrmohawkmansir]

I'm a little surprised you even let it in the shop 😆

[@burntnougat5341]

He probably got made fun at for being afraid to work on bimmers

[@TheLootownpunx]

I was thinking the same,he made a stand awhile back on not wanting them to come in. Should have sent this to the ninja

[@EngineMisfire]

Where is the sledge hammer?

[@M447DT]

Heap of trash car 🚗 junk 😑

[@Hempujonsito]

Must be his friend or charging a premium

[@ke0kie]

Not surprising to hear the customer didn't like the report on his 200k mile BMW

[@samholdsworth420]

😂 Lkq pick your part will buy it

[@detreknash4505]

I say c

[@WildWheelzTV]

I had the 2011 BMW 535i xDrive for over 4 years, September 2018-November 2022. I was lucky as this car proved very reliable for me personally, I only had to do regular maintenance and oil changes. I know I am a rare case though lol.

[@hhova29]

How many miles did you put on the bmw while you owned it?

[@WareWolf801]

For a high mile car, that thing looks great. I can see why people grab them. I've had a couple, and they were the 'good' ones. Meaning they were worth the trouble and cost.

[@spazmochad]

200k miles is great for a BMW starter motor. They normally go before half of that.

[@Globbs]

Oh god i hope not... I'm just about at 110k on my mini. Not the worst thing in the world to replace but I'd like to be able to relax on maintenance this month.

[@marshalltito]

Agreed. Expect much less if you let your sister learn how to drive a manual with it.

[@elihernandez330]

They typically last less than half that if you go by the bmw service intervals. Service it twice as often and you'd be surprised. They can actually last twice as long from that alone.

[@Epotheros]

Depends on the number of start ups. That's a 10 year old car with 200k miles. That's pretty average. My 1996 Thunderbird's starter motor lasted 24 years and 150K miles before it went out. It likely did more than double the number of starts as that BMW's considering most of my miles are city.

[@MB-rr1fb]

@@elihernandez330 Maint on a CAR starter ?

[@johnmohanmusic]

When my starter went out on my 2011 BMW 535i, Chicago's most highly rated independent BMW shop (Bavarian Motors) charged me just $600 to replace it. Granted that was four years ago and there has been some inflation since then. But I am mystified why you would charge DOUBLE what another great shop charged for the same repair on the same car. And by the way, in the five years I've owned my BMW, with now over 150,000 miles on it, the starter is the only repair it has needed.

[@timlad123456]

The motor overheated a 200k starter and you can get a new starter for 150 bucks and the intake is super easy to take off. The N55 is a good motor think about 200k miles on any engine you will have problems. I like the fact you took this on wizard and didn't just send it to the ninja. BMW makes the best six cylinder engines in the world, yes I am saying this with first hand experience, you can tune them and make amazing power and they are silky smooth. Now the problem with BMW as a brand is there V8 and four cylinder engines are garbage for some reason they can't make a valve seal or timing set for either that are worth a dam. Your customer could DIY this job for an inexpensive price but he is in good hands and no one really wants to be their own warranty, Excellent content Wizard you make all of us proud your honesty and experience is worth every dollar your customer is lucky to have a tech as good as you are in the area.

[@MrCoverzero]

Wouldn’t say super easy. But easier with practice and it seems Everytime this car has an issue, you’re having to get that manifold out of the way to get to the source.

[@Eldomibori]

Agreed. I love my 535i. I upgraded the charge pipe to aluminum. Brand new coils and plugs. She runs beautifully. Will be doing my oil filter housing gaskets next to save myself a future headache.

[@rogerfroud300]

Sorry, 200K miles is nothing for a decently designed engine, especially a diesel.

[@timlad123456]

@@rogerfroud300 The N55 is a direct injected petrol engine not a diesel and I agree 200k on a diesel is not a lot

[@timlad123456]

@Technologically Challenged Tech Yes I agree the BMW b58 that powers the supra is very reliable , You understand that the germans refined that technology that's why toyota adopted it. It was more cost effective for toyota to use a BMW engine then for toyota to make one from scratch. I can attest to the plastic that fills the engine bay of my ten year old N54 powered BMW that much is true but It makes over 500 hp and is driven daily with over 120k on the odometer and it still runs perfect and I am kicking the pants off of brand new BMW, Toyotas, dodges, cheverolets. The turbos failed at 100k and were replaced along with all the other plastic bits that fail including water pump, thermostat, radiator expansion tube etc. Just look at the new cars they are all plastic no matter what the brand it is and a Toyota will out last a BMW but besides the supra they are boring to drive. The price I paid for a BMW that depreciated 60% of it's msrp was worth the 3,500 investment in parts to make over 500 hp, it is a really fun daily driver

[@TheTardis157]

One thing people forget when you overheat the engine is to change your trans fluid. If you overheat the engine, you cooked the fluid affecting the additives and lifespan of it and the trans too.

[@viktorwarhola1525]

The lack of frustration in his voice when is he says “I don’t know what it is about BMWs and losing coolant and locking up the engine….” Clearly indicates he’s never been stranded by one 😂😂😂😂

[@BMWEnjoyer]

Great video but it's important to note that wizard is a BMW hater, and probably has a skewed perspective on BMW's since he only sees them when they blow up. Also if you're going to daily drive a BMW that's 10 years old with 200k miles, you need to have money in the bank for repairs. I say 200k miles and only a hose going and a starter failing seriously isn't that bad.

[@GLeszega]

Just replaced my starter 2 weeks ago. The Bosch starter was $200 and it took me about 4 hours to replace it going slow. Easy peasy. If you don’t have the budget then you have to be able to turn a wrench. I’m just too cheap lol. Also these starters just don’t suddenly fail, they progressively fail and you have to press the button multiple times until 1 day it just stops starting.

[@Barneyrubble241]

What did you think of the size of the starter?? Little tiny thing isn't it?? The first time I saw one I thought it was a joke. Probably why they fail so often.

[@prawnstar9213]

Yeah this had been a problem from like 2008-2014. When they overheat they won’t start to protect the engine. But you can do massive damage by continuing to try to cool it just until it will start.. then drive.. until the engine dies again. It’s been resolved now though.

[@nognohnoh]

The problem might not be the starter. I think it’s one of the ground wires that is not attached properly. This also can cause the engine not to crank.

[@carljordan4515]

BMW!! Break My Wallet !!

[@paulsandgren8625]

I love my 2011 550i. 165k on the clock and it runs like a champ! However.... I always tell people, I would never own one if I had to rely on someone else to repair it. I have had to do quite a bit of work to it in the past 1.5 years that I have owned it. But only having to buy parts and not paying for labor I only have about $1500 into it.

[@Conekiller29]

What failed if you don't mind me asking ,

[@paulsandgren8625]

@@Conekiller29 most recently I had an oil cooler line burst and lost all my oil. Almost lost the engine. Due to the loss of oil pressure my bank 2 timing chain jumped a tooth and while dealing with that, I notices the top chain guide was broken. After replacing that, a strange ticking I have had since I got the car, suddenly disappeared. I almost missed the fact that it was broken an the broken piece landed on the wiring harness instead of making it down to the floor. The car gods were smiling upon me that day.

[@acs5928]

Yup, you have to be able to wrench.

[@GordonFreeman307]

The Chevy in the background would cost 10k in parts by 200k this guy is a joke

[@pschroeterps]

From a BMW enthusiast, I have to say you're right, absolutely right. The thing that people don't understand about the brand, and yes it's gotten worse since 2005 but really has always been like that, they're built like airplanes. They'll last forever with frequent and preventative maintenance. If you're not a fan of how they drive, don't buy one. If it's just looks and utility you'll always end up frustrated because of what you have to put in. If you're not a DIY person do not buy anything older than 2 years or younger than 20 years (models from back then simple enough for most shops). If you're not willing to deal with the tech in the car, how it works and what it does, don't buy any BMW. When I say airplanes I mean it, just as fragile, needy and expensive but also ultimately the most agile, highest performing and fun cars on the road when theynrun right - most don't. Due to this most components until around 2010 are very lightweight and also wear out sooner than comparable other brands i.e. suspension. Unfortunately, since around 2010 comfort has crept in and there is really no point in buying the brand anymore. A bloated, heavy and expensive car can be had from Mercedes but it's built much sturdier, maintained less and cheaper and rides the same. Additionally, in the late 90sncost cutting went overboard and some decisions wrt materials, electronics, packaging were just plain reckless and eventually lead to planned obsolescence i.e. the car quickly reaches the point of economically being totaled if anything major comes up which it will sooner or later. Finally, the 535 here with 200k miles I'm honestly amazed it got this far, I say that as a fan. Cooling system on this needs to be entirely replaced at 150k miles at the very latest, will then run on to 300k easily. The battery issue, you need BMW diagnostics INPA or the new version it will tell you the order of events. The engine if you can turn it freely is most likely fine but head gasket needs to be checked for condition. We're talking 3k at least, I estimate residual value of 8k in the US market? Simply wrong car for this customer. Buy a Merc or better screw the German brands and go Lexus etc - driving a lot and liking how a F10 drives but unable/willing to deal with the airplane maintenance you will not go back to BMW ever.

[@moonshinefuel]

It makes the case that the starter situation might be related to the overheating, engines can get tight from overheating, probably strained an already weak starter, or there is a more systemic engine problem, so very possibly related in some manner

[@TheFrenchPug]

That's the only thing that makes any sense. I have the 3 version of this non x drive. But I don't have that little coolant box underneath. Very strange for that clip to pop off. Almost seems like sabotage.

[@evoman44]

You reminded me of a mechanic I knew at a Toyota dealership I used to work at that worked on the sales managers 85 MR2 race car. He had mentioned that the starter used to fail on a regular basis because of it's proximity to the exhaust manifold. But after they had wrapped up everything with heat shielding the car never again had a starter fail.

[@davidcooks5265]

They don't want you to get it into neutral, they want you to get it lifted and taken to them 😂

[@yslee1401]

Its designed for the German Tow Truck Operators

[@martinduffy646]

200k miles that's alot of use on the starter. Maybe it's just shagged out. The two occurrences just one of those things gotta be fair it's given the customer good service

[@briangibbs3774]

A wise mechanic said to me many years ago: "If you can't take a joke, don't own a car".

[@alphatrion100]

Don't own a bmw

[@nicholasvinen]

So BMW = joke? As a former (one time) BMW owner I agree.

[@alphatrion100]

@@nicholasvinen I see alot of older ones with suspicious blue smoke coming out the back... Disasters waiting to happen?

[@andrewgarcia3136]

As someone who has owned many cars including BMWs, all cars suck, all cars break. My bimmers have actually been pretty reliable. People bitch about them because specialist German mechanics charge more than people who work on domestic stuff. If you know how to work on cars and know your BMW shit it's not a bad ownership experience at all. When it's bad is when you don't know not to overheat it or else and end up having to pay and wait for an overbooked and overpriced tech to replace your cylinder head. I should have just bought a good engine out of a wrecked car and an engine hoist but i was a kid and knew nothing about cars at the them. The ownership experience with a BMW is solely dependent on the owner and the due diligence they do when purchasing a car

[@nicholasvinen]

@@andrewgarcia3136 my BMW broke more than all the other cars I've owned put together. I probably owned the BMW for 5 years and it broke 10 times,.most of those times leaving me stranded. Of the other cars I've owned for a total of 30 years, including Toyotas, Hondas, Fords and Mazdas, they collectively broke maybe 3 times and I don't think they ever left me stranded. So I don't think you can convince me BMWs aren't worse than average.

[@Xeonerable]

Its a shame, looks like the customer really loves his car, for a 2012 its in really nice condition and he pays attention to know to pull over asap when its overheating. He cares more about the car than BMW itself probably does.

[@99Vood99]

BMW and most of those 'luxury' Euro brands 'engineer' their vehicles to last the duration of the lease and that's it. Beyond that, you need intermediate to advanced mechanical skills as a DIYer or be prepared to shell out major $$$ to a shop.

[@chriskonte1909]

It's unlucky that both of these things happened at the same time BUT this car has 200k miles don't forget that hear, if a starter goes out at that kinda miles on a 10 year old car, I think it's fine

[@AkioWasRight]

@@chriskonte1909 Agreed, 200k is a lot for any starter in any car. However, the difficulty in replacing the starting is inexcusably complicated, typical of a European car.

[@Petrolhead99999]

Sounds like my 04 SVT Focus. I noticed that the car was vibrating a bit, and I also heard a pop when the car shifted momentum directions. Pulled over, and the outer CV joint was sloppy. I gave it a wiggle and shook the axle, sure enough the axle had just given up. No torn boot, I had just done a control arm and saw nothing obvious. I got in the car, started it, and the belt started squealing, something had locked up badly enough to shred the belt. Got out, saw nothing leaking.... Decided to cut the belt and drive the mile home. Turns out that my water pump had chosen that exact moment to shank the bearing. Ball bearings were butted up against the pulley flange. A week and a Rock Auto box later, the car is running flawlessly and drives much better. Love your vids Wizard, I don't have many people that share my passion for cars to tell stories to.

[@ronkemperful]

I had a problem with my 56 VW convertible, during the 70s and early eighties; with my starter failing to reliably turn the engine over in cool or cold weather. The VW dealer replaced the starter 5 times and the ignition switch once. Then at an out of town dealership the problem was correctly diagnosed with the solenoid replaced. The part was only FIVE dollars and though separate from the starter, it was easily replaced.

[@JPK90]

Just bought an older BMW yesterday. I hope it gives me reliable kilometers/miles but inevitably any car will require repair work. I'm very pleased about the idea that basic maintenance and repairs doesn't always involve pulling front bumper partially or fully or worst case dropping the whole engine along with the subframe. What I'm saying is it's not the absolute worst there is to work on.

[@JPK90]

But yeah.. I need to maybe start checking and planning replacement of all the leaky parts before I get comfortable with it.

[@hulk-smash-deez-hose.7951]

Lol 😂 you better get your wrenches and start replacing the entire cooling system

[@Vincent-ke5zn]

I've had my car towed 2x in almost 7 years and I am glad that it's a manual transmission and the tow truck driver was also

[@Wpjgdmtu]

It's really tough to find tow truck drivers with manual transmissions these days!

[@nou8257]

@@Wpjgdmtu The new trucks usually dont even come with the option of a manual trans

[@Vincent-ke5zn]

@@Wpjgdmtu my car was a manual transmission, not the tow truck

[@slagdemon]

I've owned a few BMW vehicles, an X5 with 205k, a 328i wagon, and a 1995 M3. All were exceptional cars, pre i-drive, but still, wonderful cars, easy to work on, and very fun to drive. I think the fun factor is well worth the maintenance cost but they were also relatively simple vehicles without all the bells and whistles the newer ones have. I'd buy another BMW in a heartbeat, but I can also work on them so there's that..

[@majist0]

You aren't working on this one by yourself. Even worse with newer ones.

[@chillmothafuka]

Old BMWs are not the same to work on as the new stuff. My e39 540i is easy enough to work on despite the tight packaging. Tried to work on a friends '19 X1 and that thing was a nightmare. Giant pain in the ass to chase down 1 leaky banjo bolt on the power steering.

[@TheFrenchPug]

@@majist0 I am a DIYer and can replace that starter. I've already done it for a friend. Engine work? No way. But all the other junk is on you tube.

[@SpeCifiC0507]

Same. Have a 06 E90, no iDrive, no Xdrive, dead reliable. I've had a couple early 2000's BMW's, all fantastic cars. The smooth ride, excellent power delivery and frankly unmatched steering is worth it. All my cars have reached over 400k km, (260k miles) with largely no issues, just basic maintenance.

[@frankp.2831]

@@majist0 Why not? It's still held together by nuts and bolts.

[@vanvan143]

Like you say yourself; it just so happened. Two or even three problems at the same time do occur. Dealing with it myself in a different industry but it happens every now and then.

[@martinmicheal4595]

Heat kills starters so it makes sense to me that if the coolant hose blew and the engine bay got extremely hot killing the starter makes complete sense.

[@quicksilver462]

In theory, I would agree.

[@nexusyang4832]

ahhhh.... someone mentioned something similar in that the starter was mounted next to the part of the engine that gets really hot. if the engine wasn't getting cooled properly and got really hot maybe it "fried" the starter as a byproduct of the failure.

[@slasher9883]

I think this is a very plausible explanation.

[@ReadyFreddie5523]

I think really old starters had a starter relay or starter solenoid attached to the outside of the starter motor, that was the part that burned out causing the owner to replace both. I'm sure that still have a similar setup but now next to impossible to remove it.

[@josephmaschak8652]

Great video. Now excuse me while I go outside and give my 4Runner a big hug.

[@davidkeetz]

that differential location.....omg.....a lesser mechanic would just say "nope". I do like the wizard's channel because it brings me back to sanity every time I have a bout of stupidity and start to think about financing a vehicle.

[@bryangonzalvo]

Learned via KZbin to DIY about 3 years ago on my e39 530i. Found it fun, easier than I thought, and cheap compared to the previous 12 years of bringing to shops. When my e39 was sorted, I bought a cheap e46 330xi with same motor. I had to replace the oil pan gasket immediately cause it was leaving a little puddle overnight. That job remains the biggest and hardest job I’ve done (on Jack stands in my garage). But satisfying as I’ve put 15k miles on it (now 206k miles) is not only fun to drive but I take skiing too with snow tires. It’s a great car. I do expect repairs. Replacing hard coolant pipe under manifold on my e39 now and have a new starter on order for the e46 to hitch has the same no crank no start symptoms as the video. Investigated battery, alternator, EWS, gear selector parking switch because I installed a reman Bosch starter just 2 years 2 months ago and couldn’t believe that was the problem. Of course warranty expired just two months ago! Ordered another reman ($166) but this time from FCP Euro for their lifetime warranty. Not really looking forward to removing another intake manifold but the job is totally doable but time consuming. My wife has an e70 x5 3.0 - water pump and thermostat are way more expensive and more difficult. Transmission pan was much more tedious and difficult cause of bolts that were partially blocked. And the AC belt has no tensioner which makes it a pain to install. And that damn FRM Module had to be reprogrammed 3 times when battery went dead. It’s reliable though, luxurious and really a perfect size. I hear the wizard’s argument but 10 year old+ cars with 200k miles do leak and components wear and it assumes that people who buy BMW’s are ignorant of what they are buying which they are not. it’s the people who buy them used and cheap who get screwed cause they don’t do their research and then can’t fix it themselves or afford to have it repaired. Why do you feel bad for those people?

[@thebigmon]

Yeah, let me go buy a shit car so I can have the "satisfaction" of fixing it myself.

[@bryangonzalvo]

Good one

[@bassemzaki4782]

@@thebigmon Well it depends. I bought an 2011 X3 for at least 30% less than a similar age and mileage CRV. Spent about $1000 on parts for maintenance , that is plugs and coils, brakes, tires, filters and filter housing gasket, transmission fluid and transfer case fluid. I work on my cars. The benefits is better handling and performance and interior than a CRV for cheaper. Cons, you're always wondering if something is going to break and resale value.

[@eamonnheffernan6061]

I’ve had numerous BMW’s over the years and I have had a love/hate relationship with them. In this case, a starter needing replacement at 200k isn’t unusual to any car, or the cost of the part. The location of it, along with the $150/ per hour cost is the main problem. People need to be able to work on them, themselves or find a garage with more reasonable rates

[@johnaustin9452]

Wisdom

[@jamesstephenson2346]

Or just dont buy a junk ass car, that is neither luxurious, fast, or classy. It fails at literally EVERY thing it tries.

[@rushnerd]

I'm sorry, but you don't buy a modern BMW to work on them...

[@sokola311]

The starter went out because 1. The auto start/stop was enabled. 2. As the engine started gaining temperature it gradually was harder to start. 3. The driver was not aware it was happening. I cannot make any assumptions as to how or why but those seem like like solid facts to me. I have a 2013 535i XDrive identical to this one and it is going strong.

[@happinesslane7402]

I just bought a 13 BMW 535i XDrive with less than 90k and the the electric themometer and water pump went out. It overheated. I almost feel like selling it with all the horror stories I'm hearing. Ugggghhhh

[@spda242]

I am more baffled that Wizard let at BMW though his door 😱 i am suprised he didn’t kick it all the way to the Car Ninja!

[@david_vash]

Hey Wizard, unfortunately I went through a similar situation on this exact model. I babied the car and took great car of it. Maintenance was taken cared for entirely, only for the rod bearings to slip on me at 130,000 miles. Why? Who the hell knows. Did some research and found that this is becoming a more common problem on these N55 motors that were made within the first few years of their production. Very finicky cars that get you with their looks. Moved onto my sturdy C55 AMG

[@uberenthusiasts]

That M113 is unstoppable. I too moved from BMW from Mercedes, albeit 17 years ago and never looked back. Currently running two W220s, a W215 and X164.

[@TheFrenchPug]

Wow. I have the N54 engine. Still (fingers crossed) going strong at 150k.

[@OBrechkin]

Im still rocking a w124 from 87 car is slow yes but you its comfortable it still descent on gas its still pretty reliable and when it goes pop its not a arm and leg to replace plus its about the easier car in the world to repair Mercedes > BMW

[@TheFrenchPug]

@@OBrechkin I had that car before I had my BMW. Thing drove like a limo and was so smooth riding. Definitely a tank as well.

[@adamgraham6265]

yea the N55 PWG 2011-2013 models was sorta problematic. the N55 EWG from 2014 onward fixed almost all the issues with the N55

[@Vintage-ModelsandEngines]

I never had any trouble with mine, but I do replace components at their estimated fail rate and perform regular maintenance myself. I just turned 194,000 miles. It has never failed me. I absolutely love this vehicle. I understand that they are not made for everyone after the "new" phase. Regular maintenance and inspection is crucial. Also, I'm not sure where this gentlemen is getting his starters from. I replaced mine, OEM new for $289. It didn't cost $1200. His labor rates are also comparable to a dealership. I wouldn't buy this guys sorrowful feelings towards a BMW owner.

[@markcraddock3241]

I can’t even drive my ‘11 335is right now because the CAS module is toast. Can’t get one until next year due to national back order. Gotta try to send off the ECU, CAS, and key to have it repaired. My BMW ownership has also been a sob story of random crap breaking. And mine only has 75k on it. BMWs drive great, but the newer ones are complete junk. I won’t own another.

[@randomcommenter1433]

Here in Balkan, I've seen plenty of these 5 Series models (F10) over the years (whether they're parked or on the road). I can definitely tell that they're some of the more reliable modern BMW models ever produced, as some models I looked at have well over 300k kilometers.

[@williamjones11]

A few months ago, I was hauling down the interstate when I too lost all my coolant through a broken hose element. Fortunately for me, the location of the failure caused the coolant to dump onto my hot engine and throw a jumbo jet contrail behind me. Hard to miss!

[@gudfarfar]

The starter can sometimes be "helped" by knocking it with a hammer. I would try that just to see if you get the engine running before you decide to fork out money on a starter change.

[@CRAPO2011]

Exactly I'd try to get it running at least once 1,200 is way too big a gamble. Customer needs to get a less high end mechanic. Wizard is good/competent but caters more to the price is no issue customers.

[@timbullough3513]

Makes me appreciate my old school solid axle ohv rwd Mustang even more

[@NorthernChev]

Even AFTER you fix the starter the customer will still have this creeping doubt in the back of their mind thinking that you “might” have scammed them. This is an unfortunate consequence of the industry we’re in. This type of stuff happens IRL, and customers don’t fully understand.

[@SwiftGQ]

Beacuse this industry is riddled with fast talking mechanics who 80 percent of the time overcharge and over repair. 8 out fo 10 times I have had mechanics try to misdirect repairs luckily I am a bit more savy and done most the works myself.

[@theremarkablebox3064]

​@@SwiftGQbro there U go the reason why people hate BMW's, not savy enough,bet they don't know they can reset valvetronic adaptations to position 0 and coolant circulation and oil circulation all through the accelerator. Example reseting valvetronic Everything off but ignition stamp accelerator in I think 15 times and you will hear it do it's job,did I mention you can read your fault codes through the integrated computer,art form indeed.also another thing😂 the Germans developed a jet plane literally seconds before getting ass gropped by the Russians and zero finance

[@Random-nf7qb]

That KN sticker on the airfilter box is very suspicious. Just from that, I would say that it's not just bad luck for the hose to come loose, it's just bad maintenance. Probably also changes the oil at 10k miles or more. These cars don't last with neglect.

[@jumpinjojo]

*Filter

[@baldisaerodynamic9692]

the 200k odometer says otherwise

[@tylera5010]

I do love the the look of that car ..beautiful color and shape. I think most Fxx models BMWs are better built than the Exx models. I own three BMWs: E89 and F22 xdrive and F15 xdrive. But yes they do have their weird issues. My 2016 Cadillac CTS has it own set of GM issues. Thank you for the vid.

[@silvanotonini9151]

My wife had a BMW many many years ago, she had it for three years after that experience we both vowed never to buy a BMW ever again.

[@cnorton1us]

I guessed "All 3" for the cause of the coolant loss. I guess I'll keep my Subaru seeing as how it's on the Wizard's "to buy" all wheel drive list. Plus with a manual transmission, there's no guesswork on how to get it in neutral in case it needs to be moved without the engine working.

[@johnamsantiago2580]

many of these problems would have been avoided if it was maintained and not ignored, the n55 engine is good. good video wizard.

[@joesmith9216]

Yes, it was neglected, still made it to 200k!

[@rogerfroud300]

Many of these problems would have been avoided by buying a different brand, one that isn't overrated.

[@johnamsantiago2580]

@@rogerfroud300 it does not matter what brand it is, if maintenance is neglected it will bite you back in the future no matter the brand.

[@fanlaz959]

If possible, start the car with ... another starter, just to see how the engine does. Theese cars are very expensive and should 't have these issues with starters...or, if they must have these problems, starters should be affordable. Also congratulations for you and your outstanding way describing things..

[@shoarectube]

Here is a crazy idea: the engine overheated and partially/temporarily locked due to som dilatation. While in that state, the user tried starting it. This triggers the starting sequence which could have overheated the starter motor until it was gone!

[@Max-sj9sj]

I felt bad until you mentioned 200k miles. No surprise as any car can have issues like this at 200k.

[@arxyann]

I have the same car abandoned in front of my house

[@IkeVMAX4]

😬

[@johna.4334]

Makes a nice lawn ornament...no?

[@arxyann]

@@johna.4334 yea lol but pretty dusty 😂

[@ulilorenz2658]

Most likely the temporary overheating seized the solenoid in it's housing causing the starter to fail. Have this problem quite regularly on my 1974 Lancia Beta. Might be possible to take the solenoid apart, grease it, remove any blockage that might have build up and reinstall it. Don't forget to check it thoroughly before reinstalling.

[@jonsimmons4150]

marelli= run forest run. i had 1 beta volumex rustbucket. just buy a warrantied refurbed starter- to not fuck about with used or shed repairs.

[@md2k8]

The Car Wizard still has to do a buy this, not that video for Saab, as well as a buy this, not that video for Infiniti. Most of these vehicles are reliable, while some of them are not. Let us find out by spring time, at least. We currently have a little less than a month of winter and Spring Break is just around the corner. We need more all-new videos from the Car Wizard.

[@privateer0561]

It appears your customer should've had it towed to Johnny (The Car Ninja) As for starters, I think my Lexus LS400 has this beat: the starter is under the intake manifold. See how much that job costs...

[@goenitzlopez2076]

This is basically the same thing the intake has to come off.

[@luckyyu2004]

Our E39 525IT was pissing coolant right after we replaced the coolant reservoirs. This was after replacing the zf transmission as it keeps going into limbo. Turn out the transmission ECU was bad. Sold that thing for $1.5K and never look back. Been driving Japanese car for about 7 years now. The peace of mind is unreal.

[@tommoon2700]

Japanese cars are amazing and made to be worked on and serviced

[@burntnougat5341]

@@tommoon2700 clearly havent worked on an old bmw. Everything is serviceable

[@tommoon2700]

@@burntnougat5341 your correct I haven't

[@TheJussi77]

Hi Wizard. Love watching your videos all the way from Finland in the Nordic countries. People here think that the German premium brands are somehow saint and holy. Your videos show the exact opposite. Love them!!

[@throttlewatch4614]

Can’t hardly complain about a 200,000 plus mile car

[@stevelouie5928]

Expensive cars have expensive repairs. I wouldn't really complain. If you could afford to own a car like that, 2 or 3k repair jobs is just par for the course.

[@WarriorOfEden3033]

One repair out of that 200k I haven’t had any issues on my Crown Vic with 200k yeah a few maintenance wear items

[@1983dmd]

@@stevelouie5928 Totally agree...200 000 miles !!

[@stevelouie5928]

@@1983dmd We don't even know the repair history. If this was his only big repair over the life of the car, then I'd say bravo for BMW. I have a 2017 BMW now and so far so good. I had a 1993 audi and put 200k miles on it and the biggest repair was a failing heater core that cost 1.5k to repair.

[@Barneyrubble241]

@@WarriorOfEden3033 Those are known to go a million miles as Taxi cabs. Old technology, but very reliable.

[@MrDomestosWC]

Unfortunately the 5ers starting after e39 (from E60) got really complicated, with this particular model (f10) being a massive pain to service. Expensive parts, expensive service, you have to remove half of the vehicle to do a simple task. I've always loved beemers, 5 series E60 in particular. Back in my early 20s I couldn't afford one, they were too new and too expensive. Later on they got affordable but too old, so my dream was gone. I looked at f10, but my good buddy who is a certified bmw technician strongly advised me against it with all the horror stories (he drives brand new fords, always, lol). So I dumped my dream about the 5 series for a while. I couldn't afford being stranded on the road. Later on it got to the stage in my life where I finally could afford a brand new 5 series but I needed a truck, so well... went with the truck. And when finally I decided that I should get a daily runner that is not 15mpg, I looked at BMWs and went with a Tesla. I love my tesla but I still wouldn't mind a good EV or PHEV beemer but I'm afraid of them. BMWs for me are like that girl in early days at school that I fell in love with but I didn't have the balls to ask out...

[@desertguy1362]

Sadly I assume we're both in our forties and same story for me. Didn't have the money when I was young and now the new ones are too complicated to mess around with if you need reliability. Now I drive a Lexus not my first choice in a Luxury sedan but at least it's bullet proof.

[@Jwdude123]

It’s ok. I have a 5 series, I can afford it.

[@markdamstra]

thanks for being so human. welcome to missing the targets in life. lol. u are still doing well. cant be broke and buy a tesla. i want a eighties three twenty I but dont know if i have garage space or money for repairs. I want a whole lot of cars. started with an stang convertible 01 after talking about it for seven years.

[@berkan5578]

I would say just get a cheap one to have fun in. it doesn't need to be your daily driver, BMWs after all are most known for being Fun.

[@DigiDriftZone]

The early F10s yes, but a few years on or the LCI model is pretty reliable, there are examples with hundreds of thousands of miles with minimal issues.

[@sngrytr1]

I was very close to buying a pre owned BMW 6 months ago. I didn’t know anything about BMW’s except they look really great, and they have the connotation of “class”. Then, I did my research on them. I was shocked at the results of my research. And I was SO glad I did my research and did not make an impulse buy.

[@unstablebobgable]

The Car Wizards has the coolest walk on KZbin. I'd love to see a continuous loop video of him just waddling around on his stubby little legs with Pantera's WALK as the background music.

[@burntnougat5341]

Legend. Should be pinned comment

[@Jens_Roadster]

Why do you say this every time lol

[@_brushie]

Roommate has a 2011 528i, I wanna say that specific year is the one to buy. That was the only year it came equipped with an N52 NA straight six. The rest of the 528i's for the model use a 4 cylinder I can't trust with a stick. Has over 100k miles on it and besides the few odd electrical things like a blower motor to the interior, has been real good to us.

[@adamgraham6265]

yea the N20 (4cyl) in those is garbage

[@Jason.cbr1000rr]

N52-n54s are great! Well mainly n52s, not the turbo ones. 2007-2012 n50's are actually great and reliable. With the exception of a short list of things to replace and maintain like the vanos solonoids, vanos filters, ccv/pcv and a few sensors. Not bad for a good looking car tbh.

[@iiplaya]

Yes i’m about to buy a 2011 528i with 75k miles! About to be my 3rd N52 powered bmw, and my 4th BMW (i’ve owned all bmw’s lol)

[@sydneyr0s3]

I have a 2009 328i. 77k miles so far. That is great to hear

[@lbj6attar]

5 hours of labour to replace an N55 starter is highway robbery. A started fails at 200k miles and bro wants to blame bmw

[@FoxSleeping]

I have an SL500 so I learned my lesson about German cars. I’ve spent over $60K in repairs and paid $46k for it in 2010.

[@Jens_Roadster]

60k?!

[@FoxSleeping]

@@Jens_Roadster Convertible top twice, ABC Suspension three times, other suspension components multiple times, transmission plate, charcoal canister, computer parts, modules, etc; etc; etc; Plus everything falls apart because it’s just glued together. Total trash, bad engineering, no longevity. MB, BMW, Porsche, VW - shit cars.

[@Jens_Roadster]

@@FoxSleeping wow, that's alot. Beautiful car though.

[@Eldomibori]

Holy hell…$60k…I’ve heard nightmares about the ABC. Love my BMW though…

[@hayko9272]

As much as informative that your videos are, could’ve mentioned it’s at 200K miles in the beginning rather than the end and not as exaggerate as much. All you had to do was look up F chassis Neutral override there is a way to do it through the gear selector I have done it on F chassis vehicles myself. That started has every right to go out especially with 200K miles and auto start/stop feature. BMW’s In-line 6 especially the N55 is damn near bulletproof. General BMW reliability bashing is a thing of the past look up a B58 or any of their modern designs, damn near bulletproof.

[@Norm100ful]

I recently considered a used xdrive, so am glad I saw this video. To me, a starter failure at 200k is not surprising, as it is to Mr. Wizard. I grew up when we replaced starters and alternators before 100k. It is a testament to the reliability of modern cars. However, my BMW transmission went out at 60k, which cost me $4k, so I was not sad to sell my car.

[@gtrplr778]

Very informative vid, you really put on a master class with this one. You can't guess and replace, you need a solid diagnosis. No substitute for experience. Good job.

[@bbustin1747]

It’s worth 1200 more if you get another 200k miles. Surprised those turbos last that long. That’s a positive !

[@WHTMAN-ei7ik]

Car Wizard is ripping the customer off in this case sadly. It doesn’t take 5 hours to replace the starter. Maybe 2.5-3 hours if you’ve never done it before. On a 2014 535i F10 RWD (which engine bay is the same in terms of starter and removing components from up top) it took my local BMW shop about 2 hours to get it done since I was waiting there while they did it. Removing the intake manifold on the N55 takes maybe 30 minutes once you’ve done it once or if you’ve ever done any N5x engine. I would know since it took me about that long when I walnut blasted that same F10 about 8 months later.

[@MrSpeedysclassics]

@@WHTMAN-ei7ik I’m sure he just charged hours by the book. Just because you can finish a job faster doesn’t mean you charge cheaper.

[@alphatrion100]

Those turbos might be on their way out too now because of the overheating

[@omdcarsandairplanes]

@@MrSpeedysclassics exactly

[@somerandomusernamenobodyhas]

@@alphatrion100 The engine in this car (N55) is a single turbo. They're not really known for turbo failure and I don't think the turbo would've failed as long as it still had oil supply. The owner managed to turn it off before the lack of coolant did any damage luckily.

[@m3talistic]

you should check the harmonic balancer on the crankshaft,it may be the original cause of overheating....

[@altitude9934]

could you have tried striking the starter with something while having someone try to start it just to see if it will start and see how the rest of the motor is? Then replace it after if its worth it

[@aaronbrown6266]

If you can even get to it.

[@FrancDrevlin]

I dont think there is room to do that, the starter motor is under the intake. If you took off the intake to pull out the intake, you should change the starter anyways, just to prevent to have the same issue in a little time. You can try it to see if the starter works again for a bit to check if the engine still working fine, but I dont think its worths keeping the old one

[@mattm2687]

Doesn’t necessarily work for all vehicles

[@Firestorm637]

It’s nice more electric driven awd systems seen in EV’s. No heavy driveshafts, transfer case, clutches, etc. so much weight, complexity, and moving parts that wear out with mechanical awd.

[@infowarzz]

I’ll pass 😂😂

[@pbmworld9933]

Its probably not the starter. What are the odds. Its most likely the ground to the starter. Check the grounding wires and grounding connections.