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I own a 1990 BMW 325i.(yeah i know-my first mistake) I needed a car and got it for $800. Runs great, little rusty. Has 361,000 miles. I have all the records from the 1 owner. Lots of things have been replaced. The timing belt was replaced along with the water pump and a few other things at 305k. Now I'm being told I'm over due for a timing belt. I'm told these cars need it replaced every 40-50k. I think that's BS. I have had several cars and have easily gotten over 100k between timing belt changes. I only need the car until December or so. I don't see the logic in putting $400-$500 into a car this old, with this many miles, that i only gave $800 bucks for.
What are some of your opinions on how mechanics or automakers decide this?
I have a few friends with cars over 200k with the original timing belt.
This is definitely an interference engine. The actual aging mechanism for the belt is time at temperature, depending on how you run the car, if you make a lot of short trips or mostly long trips. Factory recommendation is 60K miles
I had an 89, essentially the same engine. Doing the timing belt on it is not all that hard, it's time consuming, but you don't need anything but the parts and normal hand tools. Look at Bavarian Auto's website.
To do the timing belt, you don't technically *have* to pull the radiator, but it's the way to do it.
If you pull the radiator, replace the big coolant hoses, replace the V-belts, replace the water pump and timing belt, assuming the rest of the car is in good shape, you have a dependable car for the next 50-60K miles of driving. If you don't - you take your chances - but if the belt breaks, the car is probably junk at that point.
Also different belts may have varying lifespans. VW recommended at 40-50k on a 2000 I had. Later they came out with an 80k belt that replaced the original.
With that many miles and so little $$ invested in it, I'd just drive it as is.... Most likely it won't break until December and if it does, you don't have much money invested in it... What it would cost to replace the timing belt and water pump in that car is over 50% of the value of the whole car, just doesn't make sense financially.
If your car only has problems when you are within coasting distance from a repair shop that specializes in old BMWs and does things cheaply and quickly, then yeah I'd suggest driving it until it breaks. But otherwise if it could somehow put you in a bind if were to happen at some sort of innopportune moment, it might be wise to do some preventative maintenance.
If your car only has problems when you are within coasting distance from a repair shop that specializes in old BMWs and does things cheaply and quickly, then yeah I'd suggest driving it until it breaks. But otherwise if it could somehow put you in a bind if were to happen at some sort of innopportune moment, it might be wise to do some preventative maintenance.
First sentence does not take account that the M20 small inline BMW 6 is an "interference" engine, if you break the cam belt, you will at best bend several valve, I think it's usually the intake valves, although I may be confusing it with a 16V VW engine. But, coasting into a repair shop will still mean the head has to come off as part of the repair, and the cost of repair would probably be more than makes sense on a car that was bought for $800 (this must be a really rough old rat of an E30).
Second sentence makes a good point. Stuff like this always finds an inopportune time to break.
On the 89, 90, and 91 cars the big high-torque bolt on the front end of the crank does not need to come off as part of the cam belt change. Anyone with decent skill and ordinary hand tools can do this job in a weekend. The $99 Craftsman tool set almost certainly has everything you will need - a thin wrench, I think it's a 32mm, to unscrew the fan clutch (left hand thread) is handy to have, but not strictly speaking necessary.
The big thing is to make damn sure no one tries to start the car with the cam belt off. If you co-habitate with a numbskull, take precautions (disconnect battery ground strap)
With that many miles and so little $$ invested in it, I'd just drive it as is.... Most likely it won't break until December and if it does, you don't have much money invested in it... What it would cost to replace the timing belt and water pump in that car is over 50% of the value of the whole car, just doesn't make sense financially.
That's my thoughts as well. With the rusty rocker panels and the transmission downshifting hard and the 361k I just don't see the logic in doing this replacement. I've had it for about 3 months and it has zero centimental value, I was in a bind n needed a running car quick and i kinda bought it on a whim. I'm just gonna drive it til something big goes out then do what another poster suggested, sell it for scrap. Thanks for all your input, help, and opinions
So if it fails you're out almost no money. At that price (and mileage) maybe even oil changes are not worth it.
> That engine also appears to be an interference design
So if it goes you will be dead on the side of the road with a worthless vehicle. Would this be a problem for you? Are you a betting man? Do you feel lucky?
4runner with 220,000 miles offroading, highway, and city miles. When I say offroading, think of the most rocky,bumpiest road possible, in the middle of no where. Only major things replaced, outside of normal maintenance, was the timing chain, master cylinder, and a couple fuel injectors. The only reason he replaced his timing chain was because his engine was making a funny noise, it wasn't squeeling or acting weird, just noticed it was making a weird noise.
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