Questions and Answers

Buying A Bimmer Q. Mr. Ciulla, I would very much like to purchase a new BMW. I really like the new X5 and have head good things about the 3.0 M54 engine. Even though I do not know how rebuild an engine or transmission, I like to perform most of the light maintenance on my vehicles.

I have an electronics technology background and have a fairly good understanding of electronics and mechanical systems. I even subscribe to Motor Magazine and SAE's Automotive Engineering International to try and keep up with the new technologies.

Whenever I purchase a new car, one of the first things I like to do is purchase all of the factory service manuals. I have never owned a BMW before, so I don't know to what extent their stuff is proprietary or difficult to maintain. I don't like depending on dealers or independent shops to change the oil and perform most of the routine maintenance on my vehicles.

Even in situations where I have to take a vehicle in for maintenance, I like to at least have a very educated idea on what the problem might be. I am afraid that I might not be able to maintain the vehicle due to lack of information being made available to me or a lot of special tools being required to perform the simplest of jobs, (ie. brake pad changes, oil filter changes, etc.).

I once called a BMW dealership and asked if they sold the Service Manuals and the guy told me it would not do me any good since you need an $180,000.00 machine to be able to interface with the system and troubleshoot problems. I want to be able to extract ECM codes during "check engine" indications and need electrical diagrams to be able to troubleshoot simple electrical problems.

To what extent am I faced with difficulties in being able to obtain the information I need to maintain the vehicle? Is it true one cannot get the service manuals? Are there a lot of special tools required? I hear BMW's are very complex, but I don't think they are any more complex than a Honda or an Isuzu?

I know the EPA is forcing all manufacturers to make a lot more information available, such as emissions related service information and tools. What is your opinion about all this? What diagnostic tool (brand name) would you recommend that would allow access to OBD-II information?

One final question. I have the impression that BMW's tend to experience a lot of electrical problems and they don't fare very well in hot weather (such as summers in Texas). Is this true in your opinion, and if so, why do you think causes this?

Thank you kindly for your time and response.
Alex

A. You ask some really good questions Alex and I'll do my best to answer them for you.

First of all BMW makes a fine car, they have for many, many years. Buying one would not be a bad thing to do. However they are quite complex and not easy to understand sometimes. You might be able to buy Factory Service Manuals from the dealer but the manuals the service depertments use are on microfiche and now are switching over to computers. You can also subscribe to an online database such as Alldata. Alldata would be a good choice since the subscription does include all the factory service bulletins and service manual corrections and complete wiring diagrams.

You can also join the BMW Car Club of America (BMWCCA) who provides many services to BMW owners including Technical Service Advisors and Ombudsmen to settle a dispute with BMW should one arise. The BMWCCA is a professionally run organization that has been around for many years and is well respected. I have met some BMWCCA members who knew as much about their cars as most BMW Technicians.

As for that "$180,000.00 machine", I have used it and it is an impressive machine for diagnosing problems. But it does much more then you will ever need as a DIY. You can get a good scan tool that will do everything you need as far as diagnosing problems. My article Scan Tool Daignostics will give you information about scan tools.

Special tools are always a part of a dealers arsenal to troubleshoot and repair a vehicle. And BMW has more than it's share of them. Particularly in the electrical department. They have special "breakout" boxes that plug into a system and allows a technician to take readings while the system is in actual operation. By comparing these readings to specifications they can determine where and what is causing a problem.

As for basic maintenance, BMW is not much different from other cars. If you can change the oil or replace brakes on a Chevy, you'll have little problem doing it on a Bimmer and tools are basic.

Bimmers do have a bit of a problem in hotter climates and tend to overheat. I guess it's because Germany doesn't really get as hot as it does here in the southern part of the country. So you'll have to pay particular attention to cooling system maintenance.

Additional Information provided courtesy of ALLDATA