AUTO|DUDE

BMW E Codenames: 

BMW E3 (above) 2500/2800 saloons, 1968-1977 BMW E9 2000-2800 coupés, 1968-1974 BMW E12 1st-gen 5-series, 1975-1981 BMW E21 1st-gen 3-series, 1976-1983 BMW E23 1st-gen 7-series, 1978-1987 BMW E24 1st-gen 6-series, 1977-1989 BMW E25 Turbo concept car, 1972 BMW E26 M1 supercar, 1978-1981 BMW E28 2nd-gen 5-series, 1982-1988 BMW E30 2nd-gen 3-series, 1984-1992 BMW E31 8-series, 1989-1999 BMW E32 2nd-gen 7-series, 1986-1994 BMW E32/2 2nd-gen 7-series LWB, 1987-1994 BMW E34 3rd-gen 5-series, 1989-1995 BMW E36 3rd-gen 3-series, 1992-1999 BMW E36/5 3-series Compact, 1994-2000 BMW E36/7 Z3, M Roadster, M Coupé, 1995-2002 BMW E38 3rd-gen 7-series, 1994-2001 BMW E38/2 3rd-gen 7-series LWB, 1994-2001 BMW E38/3 3rd-gen 7-series armoured, 1998-2001 BMW E39 4th-gen 5-series, 1996-2004 BMW E46 4th-gen 3-series, 1999-2005 BMW E46/5 2nd-gen 3-series Compact, 2001-2004 BMW E52 Z8, 2000-2003 BMW E53 1st-gen X5, 2000-2006 BMW E60 5th-gen 5-series, 2004-2010 BMW E61 5th-gen 5-series Touring, 2004-2010 BMW E63 2nd-gen 6-series Coupe, 2003-2011 BMW E64 2nd-gen 6-series Cabriolet, 2003-2011

BMW E65 4th-gen 7-series, 2001-2008 BMW E66 4th-gen 7-series LWB, 2002-2008 BMW E67 4th-gen 7-series armoured, 2001-2008 BMW E68 4th-gen 7-series hydrogen BMW E70 2nd-gen X5, 2007-2013 BMW E71 1st-gen X6 2008-2014 BMW E81 1st-gen 1-series 3dr, 2004-2011  BMW E82 1st-gen 1-series 5dr, 2004-2011 BMW E83 1st-gen X3, 2003- BMW E84 1st-gen X1, 2009-2016 BMW E85 1st-gen Z4, 2003-2009 BMW E87 1st-gen 1-series Coupe, 2004-2011 BMW E88 1st-gen 1-series Convertible, 2004-2011 BMW E89 2nd-gen Z4, 2009-2016

BMW E90 5th-gen 3-series saloon, 2005-2011 BMW E91 5th-gen 3-series Touring, 2005-2011 BMW E92 (below) 5th-gen 3-series coupé, 2005-2011 BMW E93 5th-gen 3-series convertible, 2005-2011

BMW F Codenames: 

BMW F01 (above) 5th-gen 7-series, 2008- BMW F02 5th-gen 7-series LWB, 2008- BMW F03 5th-gen 7-series armoured, 2008- BMW F06 1st-gen 6-series Gran Coupe BMW F10 6th-gen 5-series saloon, 2010-

BMW F11 6th-gen 5-series Touring, 2010- BMW F12 3rd-gen 6-series convertible, 2011- BMW F13 3rd-gen 6-series coupe, 2011- BMW F15 3rd-gen X5 replacement, 2014- BMW F16 2nd-gen X6 replacement, 2014- BMW F20 2nd-gen 1-series five-door, 2011- BMW F21 2nd-gen 1-series three-door, 2011 BMW F22 2nd-gen 1-series coupe (badged 2-series), 2013- BMW F23 2nd-gen 1-series cabriolet (badged 2-series), 2014- BMW F25 2nd-gen X3, 2011- BMW F26 1st-gen X4, 2014- BMW F30 6th-gen 3-series saloon, 2011- BMW F31 6th-gen 3-series Touring, 2012- BMW F32 3-series coupe replacement (badged 4-series), 2013- BMW F33 3-series convertible replacement (badged 4-series), 2014- BMW F34 3-series Gran Turismo, 2013- BMW F35 4-series four-door coupe, 2015- BMW F36 4-series Gran Coupe BMW F44 1-series Gran Turismo, 2014- BMW F45 2-series Active Tourer, 2014- BMW F46 2-series Gran Tourer, 2015- BMW F47 X2, 2018- BMW F48 2nd-gen X1, 2015- BMW F52 1-series Sedan BMW F82 M4 GTS  BMW F87 M2 Coupe  BMW F90 M5 saloon 2017 

 BMW G Codenames: 

 1-   Car History: 

 When that used car attracts your attention, you have to pay attention to its CarFax history which should be very straightforward. 

From accidents, to liens on it. A clean CarFax is a thumbs-up as a first criteria to take home that used car! 

 2-   Fame/Body: 

 Okay so after checking the history of that used car, we need to start our investigation (preferable with an expert from each relevant field whether bodywork garage or a mechanic) 

- Firstly you need to check the body, Take a walk around that car for sale and search for rust, having rust patches on the paint is not that big of a deal, but if you see some spots where the metal is completely rusted through, then you might want to reconsider the deal. 

- What you need to inspect second is the frame itself which every component of that car is bolted on. Search for any anomalies that might catch your eye, an example of hanging material from the undercarriage. 

Check inside the trunk, under the fabric, around the spare tire if there is damage. Used cars could be stored in a place next to the sea where there is a lot of oxidation in the air, leading to metal corrosion. 

Another place to check is under the hood, between the wheels and the engine compartment. If the car is an old model or was not well maintained, the undercarriage protective plastic cover could be missing for example.

When the owner of that car uses it, especially on a wet road, there is a risk to get humidity onto that area. The same area holding the engine and the steering system in place. 

 Covering the aesthetic and structural part let us move to the good stuff!! 

 3-   Engine/ Mechanics

In a car, the engine believes it or not is a very important component. Without it you would have a ton worth of chunk of metal which has seats in it. 

-Oil:  What keeps everything running smoothly in a car is the oil, this type of maintenance ought NOT to be NEGLECTED nor FORGOTTEN. With proper viscosity and the right amount that used car should be running in excellent condition. 

After taking the dipstick from the engine, if the oil is at the proper level and is not discolored, you can cross that from your list. 

 -Leaks:  With the oil running inside the engine which in turn is made from several compartments, you are not only buying a used car, but you are taking a depreciated engine which you know nothing about. 

Check for oil leaks or sludge under the car where it is parked. The sludge under the engine is caused by road dirt sticking to the oily underside of the car. 

Check around the engine for other leaks. The leaks are usually brown, or black depends on the engine. 

Steering fluid is usually reddish while the coolant is green or pink. Transmission fluid should be pink or red. 

Usually oil leaks in used cars are caused by gaskets which will be worn with the heat of the engine and other factors. 

Hoses and belts should also be a stop while inspecting a used car. Where the engine is turned on, it needs a fueling and a cooling system the one way to circulate these fluids through their hoses. 

Once the engine starts running it needs to convert the combustion energy into a mechanical one, hence the belts. 

Just like maintaining the oil, belts, hoses, and sparks need to be maintained depending on the mileage of the car. 

Another point to remember when checking the engine of that used car, the color of the fumes coming out of the exhaust.

Blue smoke means the engine, yes the same oil from the cylinder. It could indicate a blown head gasket or problems with the internal engine seals. Either way the bill will get close to the price of that used car itself! 

White smoke is not good as well, indicating head gasket failure, this time it will be the coolant entering the cylinders and being burnt with fuel 

Black smoke is usually caused by the engine burning way more fuel than needed. Easier to rectify than the other cases but there are some variables to take into consideration. In all cases the car needs to be inspected by a certified mechanic. 

 4-   Transmission: 

What will put that used car that you are inspecting into motion is the transmission, after checking the fluid you need to test it. Taking it for a spin should do the trick. 

 Whatever gearbox that car has it should engage all gears smoothly, and quietly. If it does not, there is a problem. 

 When testing a manual car, the clutch pedal should be smooth while pressing it and should engage in the middle of pedal’s travel. Resistance or grinding noises also pinpoint an issue in that car’s transmission. 

 As far as for an automatic gearbox, make sure you engage all gears, and that the kick-down option works. The kick-down allows you to shift down when pressing the gas pedal all the way to the floor, “Pedal to the Metal!” 

 5-   Tire Wear 

The four tires on that used car should match in pattern. Any uneven wear from one of the tires might indicate poor alignment which could mean issues in the steering, suspension, or even frame issues. 

IF you checked the tires and the car still pulls to one of the sides check Tire Pressure at the nearest gas station. 

 6-   Mileage/ Electronics 

-Checking the miles on that used car is important. Cars do not age by the number of years, rather by their mileage. Hop into the driver’s seat and turn on the ignition. If the car’s odometer is digital. 

PAY ATTENTION of “CLOCKED MOTORS”, if the pedals, seats, and gear-stick have excessive wear inconsistent with the odometer, there is a probability that the mileage has been tampered with. 

 -After making sure that that car has a proper mileage, while at it, start flicking those buttons on the dashboard. Sound system, all the lights are working, turn signal lights, some might need to be changed if their light is dimmed. Turn on the A/C and see if everything is okay. 

Most used cars nowadays are packed with electronics. Any car 20 years ago started to use that technology which allows you to reach the central system of the car. 

Using a code reader code find potential problems that do not show on for some reason(a professional mechanic could help you with that).

 7-   The Test Drive 

That car passed all the required criteria, now is time for the real fun! GETTING BEHIND THAT STEERING WHEEL!

Test that car with your might, it needs to pass your desires in driving just like when it passed its aesthetic standards when you first saw it. Listen to the engine noise, irritating rattles, test its maneuverability, acceleration, braking, and suspension. 

Drive the car at different speeds and push it for a short period just to make sure that everything is alright. Remember if that used car is automatic make sure the kick-down is working.  

But whoever owned a BMW would relate to this following section, PERFORMANCE!

This is not to discuss the various aspects of what a BMW engine can do, rather than the BMW romance we are sharing

So back to that matter…

Under her hood had a relatively Bavarian 4-Cyl inline engine with a capacity of 1.8 Liter. BMW made it simple on all levels, causing the drive to be interesting and intimate since she had a manual gear box with a soft clutch. BMW is known for power… After being used for more than 20 years showed promising efficiency and reliability.

Personally  old BMW’s are raw machines which were not yet affected by the overstatement of high tech involvement to boost the cars performance.

Old school chassis, with power steering, an engine, a transmission, four tires, and some stiff suspension ( just enough to properly feel the road) are the best ingredients for an orgasmic recipe.