A comparison on reliability, cost of maintenance, fuel economy and resale value....contributions are welcome

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smartchoice: A comparison on reliability, cost of maintenance, fuel economy and resale value....contributions are welcome

a subjective opinion:
in my +one year of owning a '96 c220, I had few issues:
replaced the gearbox,because of sudden jerk from shifting gears,e.g, R to D (forgotten the cost),
Alternator relacement;
fan belt replaced,snapped in motion;
vacuum issue (sluggish acceleration)
propeller pad change;
wire harness was on its way out,broke down on one of my highway trips, communicated this to the potential buyer;
a few other regular items (brake pads, tie rods etc),
ac evaporator replaced twice;

wow... my predicament wit w203 has given birth to a new thread. before I purchased the w203, I was also considering the 2005 bmw 3 series and 2005 audi a4. I made a little research on the availability of spare parts in my locality (kano) and the benz seems to win in that regards. it's my only car so I can't afford to leave it at a mechanic garage while I scout for replacement parts. well, lemme leave for folks who have driven both the benz c class and bmw 3 series to share their experience.

An Historical Overview:

The rivalry between BMW and Mercedes-Benz dates back to 1959. On December 9, Daimler-Benz tried, via the Deutsche Bank, to take over BMW, which was on the brink of bankruptcy. But the minor shareholders, the dealers, and the unionized workforce prevented the takeover at the eleventh hour. Over the next few years, the Quandt family bought a majority stake in BMW, but even with fresh cash, it took the company until the early 1970s to establish a truly competitive model range. From that point to the present day, Mercedes-Benz and BMW have been fighting each other in the marketplace. Instead of aiming at gaps in the enemy's product portfolio, each would invariably challenge the other head-on. The current lineup still reflects this eternal duel: 1-series vs. A/B-class, 3-series vs. C-class, 5-series vs. E-class, 6-series vs. SL, 7-series vs. S-class, X3 vs. GLK, X5 vs. ML, Z4 vs. SLK, Mini vs. Smart, M division vs. AMG, Rolls-Royce vs. Maybach, BMW Sauber vs. McLaren-Mercedes. Both makes ventured downmarket by teaming up with a volume brand, and both failed: while the Bavarians almost went under together with Rover, the Swabians can still feel the aftermath of the Chrysler debacle. BMW hasn't followed its rival into trucks and buses, and Mercedes has steered clear of motorcycles.

Read more: http://www.automobilemag.com/features/news/0909_mercedes_benz_vs_bmw_great_rivalries/#ixzz2kpdNQ4ZR

From my technician friends its advised that one stay away from w202 C220....they stated the reasons but can't remember now but will ask again.

yungboss:
a subjective opinion:
in my +one year of owning a '96 c220, I had few issues:
replaced the gearbox,because of sudden jerk from shifting gears,e.g, R to D (forgotten the cost),
Alternator relacement;
fan belt replaced,snapped in motion;
vacuum issue (sluggish acceleration)
propeller pad change;
wire harness was on its way out,broke down on one of my highway trips, communicated this to the potential buyer;
a few other regular items (brake pads, tie rods etc),
ac evaporator replaced twice;

smartchoice: A comparison on reliability, cost of maintenance, fuel economy and resale value....contributions are welcome

Nice, but u may add the Audi 80(B5) Tiger to the list.
This is going to be interesting.

During my one year ownership of the BMW, '93 320i, I had a few issues from the 10th month:
ECU replacement as a result of a leak from somewhere on the rooftop, it happened over a long period before it eventually broke down. Cost of replacement was N8000, this resulted to cam sensor replacement too for N2,500.
the seller told me the car over heated as a result of stuck thermostat, thermos failed once again and I replaced it;
the car was slightly better on gas albeit a 6 cyl 2.0 engine...this was what I first noticed on my first 190km trip from port Harcourt to warri (this was one of its PoS to me).
then regular maintenance cost. Brake pads replacements;tie tods replacements;
these parts seem prone to failure...
in my second year:
I had the entire exhaust replaced (I noticed the mid cat pot had been opened), I needed a new one- N26,000;
evaporator replaced;
both front windows' regulators replaced;
had issues with the carbon canister, i had it unplugged and the black puffy fumes emitted from the exhaust ceased (haven't replaced it till date) and the car runs great.
fuel pump replaced (caused by the canister failure).
when I sit back to look at the problems with these cars, the BMW's been the more friendly to me.
this is just from my personal experience.

Forgot I also had problem with the fan clutch in the Mercedes, it caused a cooling situation once.
also, changed some part in the engine,like a shock absorber... the instrument cluster malfunctioned too...
had to switch to BMW later, and subsequently owned an e46, a way of gratification to the e36...

While the E36 is a reliable car, like any vehicle it's not without it's faults, So we have compiled a list of things to look out for.

Engine.
A common problem with some E36's is the water pump, BMW fitted some of the pumps with a plastic impeller to pump around the coolant, which unfortunately failed prematurely resulting in no coolant flow and over heating,It doesn't get much better as many replacement pumps come with a plastic impeller, BMW do a composite type which is meant to be better or you can get a aftermarket metal impeller,the choice is yours.
The best prevention is to fit a new one and a guide can be found here,http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/tech...water-pump.htm.

A common source of oil leaks from a BMW engine is the cam cover gasket, any leaks down the cylinder head are the majority of the time from here,If you smell burning oil it could well be where it drips onto the hot exhaust, Also the Double Over Head Cam engine can leak oil into the spark plug wells so if you do find oil in there when going to change the spark plugs you know what to do!
A guide for the 6 cylinder engine is here,http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/tech...alve-Cover.htm.

Got a rattling from the chain area on your 6 cylinder? Before you query the Vanos(fitted generally from 92 onwards) it's worth looking into the timing chain tensioner, It will rattle on deceleration and could grow louder after time,becoming noticeably louder at slow speeds, Have a read here for info and a DIY guide, http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/tech...er-Upgrade.htm.
If you do suspect the Vanos unit then here's the DIY for it, http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/tech...aft-Timing.htm.
The M42 and the M44 can also have noisy chains which can be down to the tensioner or the guides being worn/broken.

Complete loss of oil pressure, Can be down to the oil pump nut working loose and then the gear falling off from the pump,While not such a common problem it is something that can crop up on the e36 6 cylinder,more on this problem is detailed here, http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/tech...d-Bearings.htm

The car cutting out or trying to cut out at junctions can be down to a air leak, will also cause rough running and possible engine revs hunting or poor performance, check for any split vacuum pipes,engine breather pipes or induction pipes.

A rough idle/lumpy tick over can be attributed to a dirty Idle Control Valve, this can be cleaned out with throttle body cleaner.Some M44 engines are known to have a bad idle control valve causing difficulty in starting or non start of the engine, this is due to a incorrect tolerance between the rotary valve and the housing of the idle control valve, causing a whistling sound when running, the uprated Idle control valve has the part number 13 41 1 435 846.

Another cause of rough running/non start can be from flooding of the DME compartment, this is a known fault with the early e36s (pre July 94 but I've seen later so be warned) especially after heavy rain or taking the car through a car wash, more information is in this guide here http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/tech...DME-Repair.htm

Early M42 engines (93 and earlier) suffered with a profile gasket that failed prematurely, this is quite a problem as the cylinder head has to be removed to replace the gasket with a upgraded one, and is quite a cost for just a relatively small bit of rubber gasket!

Some e36 m52 engines (323i,328i generally before model year 98)suffer from premature bore wear and low compression caused by high sulphur petrol eating away the special Nikasil lining of the aluminium bore, the only remedy is to replace the engine block. A compression test will identify if you have such a problem. Later engines had steel liners in the aluminium block thus solving the problem.

The standard radiator top pipe is a common point for breaking/cracking as over time the heat cycling weakens the plastic, the same problem can be said of the plastic thermostat housing which can also crack, You can get aluminium replacement thermostat housings which are cheap and reliable.

Transmission.
Difficulty in changing gear can be attributed to the dowels between the engine and gearbox, If the gearbox has previously been removed for any reason then failure to replace any missing or damaged dowels can lead to clutch shake,making it difficult to change gears and a noise from the gearbox, It can also lead to premature failure of the torque converter bearing on Autos.
Clutch pedals can squeak due to the bushing wearing out at the pivot point, Aftermarket uprated bushes are readily available.

The flex disc,also known as the guibo can perish and crack,causing a knocking sound under the hand brake area when the "cords" come out or a "thudding" sound under acceleration. A DIY can be found here,http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/tech.../E36-Guibo.htm.

Clutch judder isn't uncommon when the car gets hot when selecting 1st or 2nd gear,usually when being driven in stop and go traffic for long periods, This is because of the non asbestos lining of the clutch plate, BMW are supposed to have a new lining but similar problems have been reported.

Transmission mounts are common for perishing/splitting causing excessive vibration and movement,and can also result in missed shifts. Uprated mounts are available.

If you have a squeaking clutch pedal or movement in the pedal from side to side then it's time for new pedal bushes, aftermarket ones are readily available.

A slow to engage clutch when driving is most likely due to the Clutch Delay Valve(CDV), not all e36s had them, but the 328i has. A guide is here http://www.zeckhausen.com/CDV.htm

Rear differential bolts have been known to come loose causing a knocking noise from the rear when taking up drive/slowing down on the gearbox and diff bushes and subframe bushes can also cause the same symptoms when the bushes get weak.

SMG gearbox, My advise, stay away, if it goes wrong it can be expensive to fix, many places don't like to get involved in them and can't/don't want to fault find them. If you are going to get a M3 Evo then get a proper manual box.

Suspension.
Front Lower Control Arm Bushes. The rubber bushes which isolate unwanted vibration during braking perish much like the rear shock mounts. They start to develop small tears and cracks, then progress to completely breaking out of their mountings. The normal symptom is vibration in the steering wheel under light braking. If left it will result in uneven tyre wear. Larger than standard tyres/wheels amplify the symptoms.

Front lower swivels, these are rubber mounted and common after time for the rubber bonding to come detached from the metal collar that surrounds it,they then drop onto the metal "bridge" that sits under the swivel, it then causes a knocking noise and excessive play from the front wheels. A special tool is required to replace them unless you like making work for yourself.

Knocking from the front suspension when going over bumps, or when throwing the car from side to side can be worn out front anti roll bar links, a cheap and easy fix.

Rear Shock Mounts. The upper shock absorber mounts are a normal wear item. As they age and get more mileage on them they perish and split, their condition goes from being slightly cracked(nothing to worry about yet) to completely broken out (causing rattling or banging going over bumps). Also the metal around where the rear shock top bolts to can split and eventually break through, leaving the shock to flail around, Strengthener plates are available.

Rear Trailing Arm Bushes. If the rear of the car feels unstable over bumps or when cornering hard and is accompanied by a knocking sound then checking the rear trailing arm bushes out is a good idea, over time they get weak/perish and split away from the mounting(s), resulting in excessive movement of the rear trailing arm(s).

Rear suspension springs are common for breaking, if your car looks excessively low on the rear from one side or both sides then you could well have a broken spring(s). Not a big job to do, a relatively easy DIY for the home mechanic.

Steering.
Power steering reservoir, it's common for the reservoir to weep from the pipes underneath it, replace the clips that hold the pipes on with jubilee clips.

If there is fluid leaking from a steering rack gaiter or both then you need a new steering rack, the rack seals have gone and can't be replaced. Slight weeping from the power steering pressure pipes where they are crimped to the hoses is common though, new pipes would be required to remedy the problem.

Worn track rod ends and/or tie rods can cause shimmying from the steering wheel and a inability to hold a straight line without continual correction of the wheel, in extreme circumstances you may get a clunk from the steering aswell.

Windows.
It's common for the sliders to break that holds the window to the regulator, leaving you with either a tilted window or no window because it drops inside the door, fortunately the sliders are cheap and relatively easy to change.

If the electric windows and sunroof intermittently work and then not work on your pre 1994 e36 then it's most likely down to the "Comfort relay", this can be replaced for cheap from the main dealer.

http://www.bimmerforums.co.uk/forum/f92/bmw-e36-common-problems-things-look-out-t3652/

Truth is, the car upon which adequate preventive maintenance has been done will serve better.
everything else follows this.

While the E36 is a reliable car, like any vehicle it's not without it's faults, So we have compiled a list of things to look out for.

Engine.
A common problem with some E36's is the water pump, BMW fitted some of the pumps with a plastic impeller to pump around the coolant, which unfortunately failed prematurely resulting in no coolant flow and over heating,It doesn't get much better as many replacement pumps come with a plastic impeller, BMW do a composite type which is meant to be better or you can get a aftermarket metal impeller,the choice is yours.
The best prevention is to fit a new one and a guide can be found here,http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/tech...water-pump.htm.

A common source of oil leaks from a BMW engine is the cam cover gasket, any leaks down the cylinder head are the majority of the time from here,If you smell burning oil it could well be where it drips onto the hot exhaust, Also the Double Over Head Cam engine can leak oil into the spark plug wells so if you do find oil in there when going to change the spark plugs you know what to do!
A guide for the 6 cylinder engine is here,http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/tech...alve-Cover.htm.

Got a rattling from the chain area on your 6 cylinder? Before you query the Vanos(fitted generally from 92 onwards) it's worth looking into the timing chain tensioner, It will rattle on deceleration and could grow louder after time,becoming noticeably louder at slow speeds, Have a read here for info and a DIY guide, http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/tech...er-Upgrade.htm.
If you do suspect the Vanos unit then here's the DIY for it, http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/tech...aft-Timing.htm.
The M42 and the M44 can also have noisy chains which can be down to the tensioner or the guides being worn/broken.

Complete loss of oil pressure, Can be down to the oil pump nut working loose and then the gear falling off from the pump,While not such a common problem it is something that can crop up on the e36 6 cylinder,more on this problem is detailed here, http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/tech...d-Bearings.htm

The car cutting out or trying to cut out at junctions can be down to a air leak, will also cause rough running and possible engine revs hunting or poor performance, check for any split vacuum pipes,engine breather pipes or induction pipes.

A rough idle/lumpy tick over can be attributed to a dirty Idle Control Valve, this can be cleaned out with throttle body cleaner.Some M44 engines are known to have a bad idle control valve causing difficulty in starting or non start of the engine, this is due to a incorrect tolerance between the rotary valve and the housing of the idle control valve, causing a whistling sound when running, the uprated Idle control valve has the part number 13 41 1 435 846.

Another cause of rough running/non start can be from flooding of the DME compartment, this is a known fault with the early e36s (pre July 94 but I've seen later so be warned) especially after heavy rain or taking the car through a car wash, more information is in this guide here http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/tech...DME-Repair.htm

Early M42 engines (93 and earlier) suffered with a profile gasket that failed prematurely, this is quite a problem as the cylinder head has to be removed to replace the gasket with a upgraded one, and is quite a cost for just a relatively small bit of rubber gasket!

Some e36 m52 engines (323i,328i generally before model year 98)suffer from premature bore wear and low compression caused by high sulphur petrol eating away the special Nikasil lining of the aluminium bore, the only remedy is to replace the engine block. A compression test will identify if you have such a problem. Later engines had steel liners in the aluminium block thus solving the problem.

The standard radiator top pipe is a common point for breaking/cracking as over time the heat cycling weakens the plastic, the same problem can be said of the plastic thermostat housing which can also crack, You can get aluminium replacement thermostat housings which are cheap and reliable.

Transmission.
Difficulty in changing gear can be attributed to the dowels between the engine and gearbox, If the gearbox has previously been removed for any reason then failure to replace any missing or damaged dowels can lead to clutch shake,making it difficult to change gears and a noise from the gearbox, It can also lead to premature failure of the torque converter bearing on Autos.
Clutch pedals can squeak due to the bushing wearing out at the pivot point, Aftermarket uprated bushes are readily available.

The flex disc,also known as the guibo can perish and crack,causing a knocking sound under the hand brake area when the "cords" come out or a "thudding" sound under acceleration. A DIY can be found here,http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/tech.../E36-Guibo.htm.

Clutch judder isn't uncommon when the car gets hot when selecting 1st or 2nd gear,usually when being driven in stop and go traffic for long periods, This is because of the non asbestos lining of the clutch plate, BMW are supposed to have a new lining but similar problems have been reported.

Transmission mounts are common for perishing/splitting causing excessive vibration and movement,and can also result in missed shifts. Uprated mounts are available.

If you have a squeaking clutch pedal or movement in the pedal from side to side then it's time for new pedal bushes, aftermarket ones are readily available.

A slow to engage clutch when driving is most likely due to the Clutch Delay Valve(CDV), not all e36s had them, but the 328i has. A guide is here http://www.zeckhausen.com/CDV.htm

Rear differential bolts have been known to come loose causing a knocking noise from the rear when taking up drive/slowing down on the gearbox and diff bushes and subframe bushes can also cause the same symptoms when the bushes get weak.

SMG gearbox, My advise, stay away, if it goes wrong it can be expensive to fix, many places don't like to get involved in them and can't/don't want to fault find them. If you are going to get a M3 Evo then get a proper manual box.

Suspension.
Front Lower Control Arm Bushes. The rubber bushes which isolate unwanted vibration during braking perish much like the rear shock mounts. They start to develop small tears and cracks, then progress to completely breaking out of their mountings. The normal symptom is vibration in the steering wheel under light braking. If left it will result in uneven tyre wear. Larger than standard tyres/wheels amplify the symptoms.

Front lower swivels, these are rubber mounted and common after time for the rubber bonding to come detached from the metal collar that surrounds it,they then drop onto the metal "bridge" that sits under the swivel, it then causes a knocking noise and excessive play from the front wheels. A special tool is required to replace them unless you like making work for yourself.

Knocking from the front suspension when going over bumps, or when throwing the car from side to side can be worn out front anti roll bar links, a cheap and easy fix.

Rear Shock Mounts. The upper shock absorber mounts are a normal wear item. As they age and get more mileage on them they perish and split, their condition goes from being slightly cracked(nothing to worry about yet) to completely broken out (causing rattling or banging going over bumps). Also the metal around where the rear shock top bolts to can split and eventually break through, leaving the shock to flail around, Strengthener plates are available.

Rear Trailing Arm Bushes. If the rear of the car feels unstable over bumps or when cornering hard and is accompanied by a knocking sound then checking the rear trailing arm bushes out is a good idea, over time they get weak/perish and split away from the mounting(s), resulting in excessive movement of the rear trailing arm(s).

Rear suspension springs are common for breaking, if your car looks excessively low on the rear from one side or both sides then you could well have a broken spring(s). Not a big job to do, a relatively easy DIY for the home mechanic.

Steering.
Power steering reservoir, it's common for the reservoir to weep from the pipes underneath it, replace the clips that hold the pipes on with jubilee clips.

If there is fluid leaking from a steering rack gaiter or both then you need a new steering rack, the rack seals have gone and can't be replaced. Slight weeping from the power steering pressure pipes where they are crimped to the hoses is common though, new pipes would be required to remedy the problem.

Worn track rod ends and/or tie rods can cause shimmying from the steering wheel and a inability to hold a straight line without continual correction of the wheel, in extreme circumstances you may get a clunk from the steering aswell.

Windows.
It's common for the sliders to break that holds the window to the regulator, leaving you with either a tilted window or no window because it drops inside the door, fortunately the sliders are cheap and relatively easy to change.

If the electric windows and sunroof intermittently work and then not work on your pre 1994 e36 then it's most likely down to the "Comfort relay", this can be replaced for cheap from the main dealer.

http://www.bimmerforums.co.uk/forum/f92/bmw-e36-common-problems-things-look-out-t3652/

Waooh. Thanks for the info