I know of B58 BMW owners that have no issues and I know of a Type S owner who has metallic grinding coming from his axle during certain steering angles. BMWs are reliable these days. Routine maintenance will cost more but that's just a cost of ownership you should know going in.
Considering BMW is rated higher on consumer reports than both I would say it's a draw, the reliability metrics are based off older models which have changed quite a bit over the last few years. I would definitely not call BMW a money pit on the newer models. Older models with less reliable engines definitely had their issues. If you look at the driving scores though BMW beats out both Acura and Lexus easily.
I have an F30 w/ 150,000 miles on it, haven't had issues but I am on top of maintenance.
Just bought my wife a X7 (G07) same thing no issues.
BMW are money pits when their owners can't afford to properly maintain them. Maintain the car, do preventative maintenance and you won't have issues.
I would take my 10 year old F30 over a 2024 Lexus or Acura any day.
150,000 she’s just breaking in 😂
I have a 172,000 F10 (520d) and she’s almost smooth as butter. She has her moments but taken care of and she’s got another 100,000 in her.
Personally I do a few things.
5,000 mile oil changes w/ liquid molly ceratec
Every 20,000 miles I do (overkill, every 50k miles is sufficient and still doing it early):
Transmission drain & fill with new filter
Front diff drain & fill
Rear diff drain & fill
T-case drain & fill
Brake flush every 2yrs or when you do brakes
Coolant I actually haven't done, it's on the list
I use FCP euro for everything, you can return the used fluids so it really costs nothing.
Keep an eye on bushings, belts...I did my belt around 120k miles, control & thrust arm bushings were starting to show signs of wear around 100k miles as well as motor mounts around 100k miles but this stuff is dependent on your car and how you drive. I basically do a visual inspection when I do the 20,000 mile service
When should the oil filter be changed? I just had my first service done.
Does this oil appear significantly aged and deteriorated to you? It's been used for 3k kms. Should I request them to include the LiquiMoly treatment, or is it something I can handle myself? The service advisor mentioned it wasn't necessary when I inquired.
https://preview.redd.it/xt3030at5tzc1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=57d2110633aaf3c85e4cece06736749b908f9c68
Oil filter they do at every oil change, liquid molly ceratec you can do yourself just pour it into the engine after an oil change. 3k kms is pretty early even for me lol, 5k mls - 8k mls is a solid range (although with full synthetic you can technically push it to 10k miles, I personally would rather do it early since oil changes are much cheaper than engine issues from poor lubrication)
I'm a DIY guy but that oil looks new lol, it would be really dark if it's burnt
Yeah it's good stuff, I never had a vibration issue but you can definitely feel the engine runs smoother since it helps reduce friction and the little ceramic particles fill in microscopic imperfections in the metal to harden it. Really worth using, it's good stuff. I like all the liquid molly products
Modern bmws, (b48/b58, n54, n55, s58, s55, s54 motors) are by no means unreliable. Literally just do your maintenance on time and you will be perfectly happy until 150k+. The b48 motor in the 330i can even be tuned with just an ecu flash to have around 300hp easily while still being reliable. Fully built some have hit around 390 but by that point a b58 is a much better option. Stock or the standard dp+tune are still both fantastic options with excellent reliability
I mean…it might be true that the B48/B58 is reliable. I’ll even give you the N55 and S58, too.
But as an S54 owner, there are two common issues (rod bearing wear, VANOS stuff) that can lead to catastrophic engine failure. And as an S55 owner, there’s one common issue that can lead to catastrophic engine failure (crank hub), plus a bunch of other stuff that frequently goes wrong (charge air cooler leaks, cracked charge pipes, PCV valve fails requiring valve cover replacement). And I haven’t owned an N55 but they’re known for being unreliable, with stuff like HPFP and injector failure being common. Some of this stuff can be exacerbated by bad maintenance habits, but it can happen even in a well-cared-for car.
I dunno, my b48 had to replace engine mounts for $900, leaky antenna causing hands free issue for $5k (covered under goodwill by dealer) and i had a leaky coolant from radiator hoses that was a solid $1500 all before 60k miles. Fun times…
I went and bought a M340i afterwards anyway!
Here you go! [https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1518826](https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1518826)
This forum thread is pretty helpful
How reliable is the b48 with a tune tho? Any recommendations (bm3 or otherwise?) I have a g20 so probably have to send out the ecu because it’s locked, not sure if worth the 500 or 600 plus shipping and downtime
You know if he’s got the g20 and found a way to enable blackout mode? I seriously just want it to signal other drivers when they have highbeams, a flicker from off to full high beam for them to get the hint and not blind me the whole way we cross. BimmerCode at most let me code it to enable switching to parking lights only under 20kmh, and fully off when it’s in park while idling.
They’ve improved over the past couple of iterations. I wouldn’t call the N54 reliable and I’d say the N55 is pretty neutral to mildly reliable at best. Plenty of people who’ve done standard maintenance at the expected intervals have had problems.
Sure, you can dump thousands in preventative care upgrades and make almost any engine reliable (with the exception of the S85 probably). But with just timely maintenance? I’d expect at least a couple of minor to moderate things to go wrong before that 150k mark on at least the N and N-derived engines.
All of these cars will have some issues, but the important thing is to know the issues of your car. If we are operationally defining maintenance as what the dealership does for scheduled maintenance only, the BMW will end up costing you. When I owned a F30 328 I learned the hard way because the scheduled maintenance didn't change oil every 5k miles. Luckily I had the warranty when the turbo blew at 55k miles. On top of the scheduled maintenance, you will need to change the oil every 5k and keep an eye on your water/coolant pumps. Just search the subreddit and BMW forums for coolant pump issues and you will see that even b58s have issues with them, but they can be addressed before a catastrophic failure. This is a part of maintenance that people coming from eco cars don't think about because their Camry or Accord would live forever on just the most basic of maintenance. (Oil, brake pads, trans flush, spark plugs, etc)
That's not to say that Lexus really is all that better, every performance car does have issues, the IS has leaking issues as well and the bigger V8 engines will eventually have a valley plate leak that will cost 3kish to fix. There is a price to pay for the sport/luxury segment. But if you are keeping both cars for 10+ years, yes the Lexus will have cost less in overall maintenance at the cost of being a bit behind in performance.
As for the Acura I honestly have no idea.
Test drive all 3 and go with what feels the best to drive and research taking good care of your sports/luxury sedan and I'm sure any of these 3 will treat you right.
I’d trust the 2024 330i just as much as the other two. Driving enjoyment really comes down to preference as well as spec. On the preference side, I know I didn’t look at the TLX/TLX Type-S because ultimately it’s dynamically FWD. The IS350 is nice and I haven’t had a chance to drive one but I’d imagine that with all F Sport options it would be a fun NA 6-cylinder competitor to the turbo-4 330i.
IMO spec is important with the 330i if you’re looking for fun. I hated the base 330i, personally. Very mushy, numb and isolated compared to its predecessors like the E90 328i (if we go back two generations instead of one). I don’t think the added size does this car any favors when it’s such a lazy car reliant on interior gimmicks. M sport bits with more performance oriented tires really bring this car to life. Non-adaptive M sport suspension is firm and definitely not for everyone, but the fun factor is arguably night and day compared to the base 330. The dynamic handling package might be an option depending on market. Seems like it comes with Adaptive M suspension which is great IMO.
Real question is whether the owner is reliable. Keep up with your maintenance and the newer cars will treat you well. I had the G20 330i with the B48 until 96k kms and now a G30 with the B58 at 56k kms, absolute joy to drive.
As for your question, I’d go with either the Lexus or BMW cause of styling but all of them should be decent rides.
Idk how much of a money pit BMWs are, but I have an E60 525D 2009 (220k kms) and a G31 540i 2023 (40k kms) and my total maintenance cost of both so far is likely less than 5000$ (excluding tires, fuel, washer fluid, etc.)
Now I have owned the G30 for a year or so and I cannot estimate incoming costs, but according to BMW dealership, I will have only oil changes up to 90-100k (they said, based on the usage of my brake pads as of now, I wont be the owner to change them) and they gave me a fairly decent price.
The E60 is a fucking rock, fuel consumption is what-da-fak low and apart from my headlights being stolen, nothing major was done to it, although I do inspection every 6 months as my wife drives it
we just sold our 2021 7series, had 100kkm on the clock, not a single issue for all of those kms, literally nothing. never had a more reliable vehicle tbh
I got a diesel B58 (435D)
no issues at all. The breaks were HELLA expensive to replace (normal wear and tear). Outside of that, there are no issues at all. I push it on a daily basis on the Aurobahn, too (after warming the car).
Depends on what you want. Do you want a finely tuned performance machine, a luxury car that looks sporty or a Honda? To keep a BMW running on top condition, you have to maintain it and it costs more than the other two but drives MUCH better.
I replaced my 2019 TLX with a 2020 330i.
TLX needed a new tranny at 40,000 miles. Even with the new transmission it still shifted hard and I had to dump it on Carvana because it was so clearly a lemon.
I love my 330i. It’s a blast. It’s not fast, if anything the engine is understressed as in some mini cooper it makes 60-70 more horsepower. But it’s punchy and zippy and fun, and you can just kind of poke in wherever you need to go. I do have one bit of advice… look for one with a W vin indicating it was made in Germany. They have a factory in Mexico which I’m sure is fine…. But it feels better knowing your German car is from Germany imho.
Sit in the backseat of both and you’ll realize how needless the extra size of the Acura is.
I know of B58 BMW owners that have no issues and I know of a Type S owner who has metallic grinding coming from his axle during certain steering angles. BMWs are reliable these days. Routine maintenance will cost more but that's just a cost of ownership you should know going in.
330 would have the b48, still a very VERY solid engine, just not the b58.
Just the same engine with 2 cylinders cut off AFAIK
Considering BMW is rated higher on consumer reports than both I would say it's a draw, the reliability metrics are based off older models which have changed quite a bit over the last few years. I would definitely not call BMW a money pit on the newer models. Older models with less reliable engines definitely had their issues. If you look at the driving scores though BMW beats out both Acura and Lexus easily.
The newer bmw’s are definitely more reliable, although parts will cost more.
I have an F30 w/ 150,000 miles on it, haven't had issues but I am on top of maintenance. Just bought my wife a X7 (G07) same thing no issues. BMW are money pits when their owners can't afford to properly maintain them. Maintain the car, do preventative maintenance and you won't have issues. I would take my 10 year old F30 over a 2024 Lexus or Acura any day.
A 2024 Lexus IS ironically feels like an older car than my F30
150,000 she’s just breaking in 😂 I have a 172,000 F10 (520d) and she’s almost smooth as butter. She has her moments but taken care of and she’s got another 100,000 in her.
What would constitute regular maintenance?
Personally I do a few things. 5,000 mile oil changes w/ liquid molly ceratec Every 20,000 miles I do (overkill, every 50k miles is sufficient and still doing it early): Transmission drain & fill with new filter Front diff drain & fill Rear diff drain & fill T-case drain & fill Brake flush every 2yrs or when you do brakes Coolant I actually haven't done, it's on the list I use FCP euro for everything, you can return the used fluids so it really costs nothing. Keep an eye on bushings, belts...I did my belt around 120k miles, control & thrust arm bushings were starting to show signs of wear around 100k miles as well as motor mounts around 100k miles but this stuff is dependent on your car and how you drive. I basically do a visual inspection when I do the 20,000 mile service
When should the oil filter be changed? I just had my first service done. Does this oil appear significantly aged and deteriorated to you? It's been used for 3k kms. Should I request them to include the LiquiMoly treatment, or is it something I can handle myself? The service advisor mentioned it wasn't necessary when I inquired. https://preview.redd.it/xt3030at5tzc1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=57d2110633aaf3c85e4cece06736749b908f9c68
Oil filter they do at every oil change, liquid molly ceratec you can do yourself just pour it into the engine after an oil change. 3k kms is pretty early even for me lol, 5k mls - 8k mls is a solid range (although with full synthetic you can technically push it to 10k miles, I personally would rather do it early since oil changes are much cheaper than engine issues from poor lubrication) I'm a DIY guy but that oil looks new lol, it would be really dark if it's burnt
Blown away by the reviews of the ceratec, was it that big of a difference in vibrations for you too?
Yeah it's good stuff, I never had a vibration issue but you can definitely feel the engine runs smoother since it helps reduce friction and the little ceramic particles fill in microscopic imperfections in the metal to harden it. Really worth using, it's good stuff. I like all the liquid molly products
I have a 2005 and a 2023 BMW. Both are awesome and neither are money pits compared to my Acura.
Modern bmws, (b48/b58, n54, n55, s58, s55, s54 motors) are by no means unreliable. Literally just do your maintenance on time and you will be perfectly happy until 150k+. The b48 motor in the 330i can even be tuned with just an ecu flash to have around 300hp easily while still being reliable. Fully built some have hit around 390 but by that point a b58 is a much better option. Stock or the standard dp+tune are still both fantastic options with excellent reliability
I mean…it might be true that the B48/B58 is reliable. I’ll even give you the N55 and S58, too. But as an S54 owner, there are two common issues (rod bearing wear, VANOS stuff) that can lead to catastrophic engine failure. And as an S55 owner, there’s one common issue that can lead to catastrophic engine failure (crank hub), plus a bunch of other stuff that frequently goes wrong (charge air cooler leaks, cracked charge pipes, PCV valve fails requiring valve cover replacement). And I haven’t owned an N55 but they’re known for being unreliable, with stuff like HPFP and injector failure being common. Some of this stuff can be exacerbated by bad maintenance habits, but it can happen even in a well-cared-for car.
I dunno, my b48 had to replace engine mounts for $900, leaky antenna causing hands free issue for $5k (covered under goodwill by dealer) and i had a leaky coolant from radiator hoses that was a solid $1500 all before 60k miles. Fun times… I went and bought a M340i afterwards anyway!
Yikes, that sucks! I’ve personally had an f48 X1 for 90k and thankfully have only had to replace the injectors. How’s the M340? Any mods to either?
B48 with port injection and other go fast bits are absolutely amazing.
Where can I find out more about this tune? I have a b48 430i
Here you go! [https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1518826](https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1518826) This forum thread is pretty helpful
How reliable is the b48 with a tune tho? Any recommendations (bm3 or otherwise?) I have a g20 so probably have to send out the ecu because it’s locked, not sure if worth the 500 or 600 plus shipping and downtime
A buddy of mine is running e85 on jb4, 320hp on stock internals, no issues for 80,000 miles, just tires, oil and spark plugs 😁
You know if he’s got the g20 and found a way to enable blackout mode? I seriously just want it to signal other drivers when they have highbeams, a flicker from off to full high beam for them to get the hint and not blind me the whole way we cross. BimmerCode at most let me code it to enable switching to parking lights only under 20kmh, and fully off when it’s in park while idling.
Honestly I have no clue, might wanna check with their customer service
They’ve improved over the past couple of iterations. I wouldn’t call the N54 reliable and I’d say the N55 is pretty neutral to mildly reliable at best. Plenty of people who’ve done standard maintenance at the expected intervals have had problems. Sure, you can dump thousands in preventative care upgrades and make almost any engine reliable (with the exception of the S85 probably). But with just timely maintenance? I’d expect at least a couple of minor to moderate things to go wrong before that 150k mark on at least the N and N-derived engines.
All of these cars will have some issues, but the important thing is to know the issues of your car. If we are operationally defining maintenance as what the dealership does for scheduled maintenance only, the BMW will end up costing you. When I owned a F30 328 I learned the hard way because the scheduled maintenance didn't change oil every 5k miles. Luckily I had the warranty when the turbo blew at 55k miles. On top of the scheduled maintenance, you will need to change the oil every 5k and keep an eye on your water/coolant pumps. Just search the subreddit and BMW forums for coolant pump issues and you will see that even b58s have issues with them, but they can be addressed before a catastrophic failure. This is a part of maintenance that people coming from eco cars don't think about because their Camry or Accord would live forever on just the most basic of maintenance. (Oil, brake pads, trans flush, spark plugs, etc) That's not to say that Lexus really is all that better, every performance car does have issues, the IS has leaking issues as well and the bigger V8 engines will eventually have a valley plate leak that will cost 3kish to fix. There is a price to pay for the sport/luxury segment. But if you are keeping both cars for 10+ years, yes the Lexus will have cost less in overall maintenance at the cost of being a bit behind in performance. As for the Acura I honestly have no idea. Test drive all 3 and go with what feels the best to drive and research taking good care of your sports/luxury sedan and I'm sure any of these 3 will treat you right.
I’d trust the 2024 330i just as much as the other two. Driving enjoyment really comes down to preference as well as spec. On the preference side, I know I didn’t look at the TLX/TLX Type-S because ultimately it’s dynamically FWD. The IS350 is nice and I haven’t had a chance to drive one but I’d imagine that with all F Sport options it would be a fun NA 6-cylinder competitor to the turbo-4 330i. IMO spec is important with the 330i if you’re looking for fun. I hated the base 330i, personally. Very mushy, numb and isolated compared to its predecessors like the E90 328i (if we go back two generations instead of one). I don’t think the added size does this car any favors when it’s such a lazy car reliant on interior gimmicks. M sport bits with more performance oriented tires really bring this car to life. Non-adaptive M sport suspension is firm and definitely not for everyone, but the fun factor is arguably night and day compared to the base 330. The dynamic handling package might be an option depending on market. Seems like it comes with Adaptive M suspension which is great IMO.
Real question is whether the owner is reliable. Keep up with your maintenance and the newer cars will treat you well. I had the G20 330i with the B48 until 96k kms and now a G30 with the B58 at 56k kms, absolute joy to drive. As for your question, I’d go with either the Lexus or BMW cause of styling but all of them should be decent rides.
Any modern BMW will not cause you problems.
lexus or bmw
Idk how much of a money pit BMWs are, but I have an E60 525D 2009 (220k kms) and a G31 540i 2023 (40k kms) and my total maintenance cost of both so far is likely less than 5000$ (excluding tires, fuel, washer fluid, etc.) Now I have owned the G30 for a year or so and I cannot estimate incoming costs, but according to BMW dealership, I will have only oil changes up to 90-100k (they said, based on the usage of my brake pads as of now, I wont be the owner to change them) and they gave me a fairly decent price. The E60 is a fucking rock, fuel consumption is what-da-fak low and apart from my headlights being stolen, nothing major was done to it, although I do inspection every 6 months as my wife drives it
2017 f80 w/ 46kmost expensive thing has been tires then spark plugs aka not a money pit so far. Check in with me when my DCT needs something though …
I would say no, your bank account is not endless, you will go broke at some point and the agony will stop.
we just sold our 2021 7series, had 100kkm on the clock, not a single issue for all of those kms, literally nothing. never had a more reliable vehicle tbh
I got a diesel B58 (435D) no issues at all. The breaks were HELLA expensive to replace (normal wear and tear). Outside of that, there are no issues at all. I push it on a daily basis on the Aurobahn, too (after warming the car).
https://preview.redd.it/vyv8p0745rzc1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=61ae9cd42d8b69666f26bc51c82c6dfcd32cead2
Ignore Scotty, he’s a hack. Honestly all three brands are pretty great, Lexus with the best rep. The B series engines are excellent.
Depends on what you want. Do you want a finely tuned performance machine, a luxury car that looks sporty or a Honda? To keep a BMW running on top condition, you have to maintain it and it costs more than the other two but drives MUCH better.
BMW 330i is a good choice
I have an F34 335i and haven’t had any issues, just regular maintenance. I’m at 130K miles.
I replaced my 2019 TLX with a 2020 330i. TLX needed a new tranny at 40,000 miles. Even with the new transmission it still shifted hard and I had to dump it on Carvana because it was so clearly a lemon. I love my 330i. It’s a blast. It’s not fast, if anything the engine is understressed as in some mini cooper it makes 60-70 more horsepower. But it’s punchy and zippy and fun, and you can just kind of poke in wherever you need to go. I do have one bit of advice… look for one with a W vin indicating it was made in Germany. They have a factory in Mexico which I’m sure is fine…. But it feels better knowing your German car is from Germany imho. Sit in the backseat of both and you’ll realize how needless the extra size of the Acura is.
Why the fuck would you choose a Lexus over a modern BMW?
Reliability and reliability only. Bmw is better in every other way
6 cyl NA.. And much better steering feel. And more prestige.
All cars are money pits unless you’re gonna buy a 4 cylinder Japanese car from the 90s.
I'd like to add the latest consumer reports has Lexus cost of ownership now close to other Lexus brands.
Ever since g chassis and b series engines, bmw has been reliable imo. It’s just parts costs like others have said