The 5 Cheapest, Reliable, High-Performance BMWs You Can Buy Right Now
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- čas přidán 13. 06. 2024
- ►High-performance BMWs are typically the ones wearing an M badge. They come with motorsports pedigree, exotic engines, and big price tags to match. Look a little harder, though, and you can find more than a few BMWs with plenty of performance without the M treatment.
You can find good performance from a handful of different models with the right engine. The E9X 335i models came equipped with massive power potential but some suspect reliability. Other models, like the E82 128i and E46 330i ZHP, have less power potential but have sublimely balanced chassis and the reliability to make up for any lack of oomph. Even a manual-equipped E83 X3 3.0i can give a thrill when set up the right way. Check out why we love these models right here on Top Picks.
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00:00 - Intro
00:43 - BMW E90 335i
03:13 - BMW E46 330ci/i ZHP
06:11 - BMW E36 M3
08:51 - BMW E83 X3 3.0si
10:50 - BMW E82 128i
12:38 - Wrap-Up
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I think the E39 5-Series with M54 is a good choice. 528 and 530
The e36 just stands out. Looks are classic yet timeless. Quick enough for fun, handles and brakes so balanced. Address the common concerns and this car will outlive any sports car.
Loving these lists, thanks as always to the guys at FCP!
Thank you for watching!
Depends on how much performance you want; an e9x 330i is quite quick and the n52b30 engine is super reliable. Just not that much tuning potential, but plenty quick.
In my opinion, the best engine BMW ever made. Rock solid, plenty of power, and surprisingly high gas mileage. I pulled 33mpg cruising at 90mph on I-5 from Sacramento to LA
@@erichenry1472 a lot of people share your opinion. I have an e91 n52b25 manual. Quicker than most other cars on the road and I get 28 mpg with quite a heavy foot :)
I think there is a huge difference between "reliable" and "reliable for a BMW", and some of these cars def. fall under the latter category.
Reliable fullstop = keep up with fluid changes and brakes and it will last forever
Reliable for a BMW = all of the above plus changing cooling system components(esp. waterpump+T-stat) every 60k mile, ignition coils every 60k miles, bunch of gaskets every 90k miles, replacing ton of cheap plastic components as they break
Even the most reliable car on that list, the 128i can only be considered "reliable for a bmw"
Cheap, reliable, high performance. You know that saying, pick two out of the three options. Well when it comes to BMW, you only get to pick one cheap/reliable/high performance.
Maybe we should have prefaced that😂
Maybe we need an asterisk after re-lie-able…
@@petrol818 Really any car can be reliable or unreliable depending how it was previously maintained. I had a 2000 camry and it was a complete nightmare.
Hey there, the level of expertise and value of your channel is off the charts. After watching your series on Porsche Cayenne's i bascially got hooked to this channel as i am about to purchase my first car (ever) I am 36 years old and it took me a while to do my drivers license and now i am obsessed with driving possibly trying to catch up on some mileage ;) In Germany the market seems to be packed with BMW's, as its on top of the list of my favourite car brands i was looking for a Guide that would revolve around BMW 1 Series. If you find the time and think it would make sense to make a Video or Series about the 1 Series of BMW, you would make me very happy. Hope there are others out there that would be interested in that as well. Thanks for your amazing work !
Great list! I love my 128i Sport!
Good choice!
Amen
*N55* E82 135i. Over 300hp stock, RWD, Coupe, Small, nice interior, Manual or Dual Clutch, 6cyl +Turbo, amazing sound.
Expensive tho
Couldn't agree more!
@@fcpeuro I'm biased because I own one, worst thing about it is that you never want to stop driving it once you get in. Most the miles I put on it are solely from joyriding.
Acted fast a year ago and scored an E82 128i 6 speed manual transmission titanium silver for $6200. 175k miles on the clock it runs like a new car, it's a perfect daily driver. Of course maintenained correctly with FCP euro parts.
And that is exactly why it made the list! At that price especially a no brainer.
i need a deal like that to come up near me 😂
in EU I have the e87 130i. Its 5door hatchback with n52b30 and 258hp. I just added torsen LSD. My wife drives it as compact hatch arround town with kids. the engine is smooth and torquy in low rpm for her with just enougj performance. I drive it for fun and go up to 7k rpm, the car is great fun on the dry, wet and snow;-)
oh and the 130i with valvetronic has about the same throtle response as my e46 M3 with individual throtle bodies;-)
Nice! I just had the OS Giken Superlock installed and chipped the N52B30 to about 265 hp.
Excellent choices… glad to see 2 out of the 5 options have the N52 engines… I’d equate this engine to the VW 2.5 5 cyl (last forever) and a Honda K20/K24… 👍👍
thank you for including the 128i. they are so underrated. They are a joy to drive as well as easy to work on. They are reliable making it a great choice for those who wants to get into BMW but are worry about reliability. the N52 engines are bullet proof. Highly recommended.
We could not agree more with you, Anthony!
N52B30 for the win! Twice in this list. Love my euro spec 125i-three-stage-manifold-no-charcoal-filter-K&N-cone-airfilter-NA-machine !! Chip this puppy with the right bolt ons and you are having major fun.
Straight 6 NA for life!
My son is looking for an X3 but didn’t want to get too old of a model. His budget is up to $25k all in. With the high price of used cars today, is there a top range for mileage on an X3 that you would recommend not going past in order to get about 5 years of good driving out of it before moving on to another car?
I love my 07 z4 3.0si fast top down summer fun :)
Summer cruising 😎
Having an automatic 128i, I'm not thrilled, but also don't feel it's as big a penalty as many automatics out there. Thanks to the gearing difference out back, it's still plenty quick, and still tickles the 7,000 rpm mark (sometimes).
Now to have a manual with the rear end gearing and three stage intake manifold swap... that'd be most peoples dream for these things.
For what I need, and as a first BMW, it's been better than the Mazda6 manual wagon I had a few years ago, even with the water pump and thermostat (which I knew were a risk, so I expected them around my mileage), window regulator, and now I see a small leak at the entry to the radiator-- that just means reassurance after changing it all, including an aluminum Mickey Mouse.
I really wanted an E91 and had already done the research here at FCP. When a 128i plopped into our inventory at work, and it filled my want for a small rwd coupe like a BRZ, it gave me the BMW experience I'd been craving. Not as practical as the wagon, but I've used the rear seat, and the fold down seats have proven themselves for hauling a 2021 Silverado front valence and some Wrangler side steps to our surprise. Not to mention very few small coupes have over-the-shoulder visibility like the E82. Audi TT is probably the next closest.
I just bought an n55 e92 and its overall fun and reliable other than the gaskets every car has their issues that come from factory. But honestly if you buy a bmw my best advice is to make it as reliable as possible before doing the fun mods.
Hi, you might wanna add @smokingtire at the citation at 4:07.
All the best!
I have a 2000 323i, yes, a 323i sedan that has a 450HP M52TU supercharged.
Sound like a ripper!
Bought my 2005 Orient Blue 330i ZHP the day this video came out. Didn’t even need to watch this beforehand😂
Woooh!
No love for N52 Z4s?
FCP is good at mind reading. Minutes before getting this notification I was thinking how sick I am of the body roll & chassis slop in my c207 even after literally being about 40% away from a brand new car underneath (including new rear subframe). W204-W212'S undoubtedly are more rigid, but I think it's getting close to BMW 'o clock for me. I NEED a properly tuned chassis!! A c207 w/ pano roof is NOT it.
It’s hard to deny the turn key performance chassis’s that BMW has put out and the community continues to support. Looking into our crystal ball, we see you sitting happily in an e9x👀
@@fcpeuro hahaha I can get on board with that!
Good
Thanks!
E36 M3 was by far the most reliable BMW I've ever owned... I sold it with 240k miles and since upgraded to an E46 M3 with 70k miles :) Now the E36 M3 may have gotten the 'watered down' engine compared to its EU counterparts, but its still a zippy fast car and looks amazing. Low mileage, 'clean title' ones are hard to find cheap $ so you may have to settle for the higher miles and potential 'salvage' titled ones.
We love our E36's here, certainly can't imagine how great they are with the EU drivetrain!
Look, the GM GL45 6AT is not that bad. The gear ratios are similar to manual, the computer shifts fine enough and holds in Sport Mode, its fine!
No problem no problem!
no mention of the e34???
they are just to old now unfortunately..
I've literally seen 2 or maybe 3 e34's for sale in the past 2 1/2 yrs of consistently looking.
It’s almost as if they made this video in 2019 and forgot to upload it, prices are way higher now. Show me a clean manual e92 n54 335i for 10 grand.
Certainly won’t be a clean one, and they’ll need some love, but nothing a few FCPEuro parts can’t fix. Agreed though as they have become more popular, driving the prices up on nice examples.
focus on N55 engine , no major issues, one turbo twin , just some fuel pump or oil leak but all are located on the top and easy to to fix
I know some people talk about S55 or S58 but 2 turbos and no more space and double the the price to fix
an for sure if you want to make investment , go , go , FAST to the B58 engine , before BMW and ecologists will ruin your dreams .
I have one B58 . you know guys one twin turbo is not as powerful as Ms , but you have a lot of space ! to replace it for a BIG one , a car for life ....
E46 325ti compact, m2 before m2
Maybe an X3 as a chase for our other BMW'S.?...💪. Actually, I would really like the wife (she deserves it) to have Mercedes GLE but the pocket book tight as of late.
Buy an X3 and slap a MB badge on it if it makes you feel better 😂
@@fcpeuro Tell her I bought a Hybrid....😝
Never had a problem with my 2008 E90 335i. New coil packs at 80k and water pump, shocks, and oil pan gasket at 120k. Typical maintenance stuff. My 2004 E46 M3 on the other hand. Nothing but issues. Left me stranded calling a tow truck on 3 different occasions.
Only three times!? We’re happy the E90 has treated you well, unlike the E46.
What were the failures that left you stranded?
@@marccusumano1138 1. A spun rod bearing. 2. Misfire relating to one of the four oxygen sensors that malfunctioned 3. Another misfire related to no compression on cylinder 5. I don't know what caused number 3. I got rid of the car after that, luckily with a profit.
It was nothing I did. I kept up with maintenance. The car inherently has problems from the factory like rod bearing needing to be changed at about 80k miles. But, geezus was that car fun to drive!
@@samozary thanks
What about 06 325i
Excellent car with the well loved N52!
Regarding the X3: might just as well get an E91 if you are after more interior volume but same performance as the E90/92/93 you mentioned first :D
Got a full M-Package, manual transmission E91 325i with the N53B30 (good to live in Europe, eh?) last July. Converted to the 330i 3-stage intake manifold (which already does wonders for torque on its own), gonna get the corresponding tune soon for the full, delicious 270-280 hp naturally aspirated straight six package. Also in the process of overhauling the suspension with M3 components, new top-mounts (rubber instead of foam in the rear), new lower mount for the rear and adjustable Koni shocks. Currently sitting at 240.000 km and according to records it has needed barely anything aside from regular maintenance.
Probably one of the best daily drivers one can own at this point in my opinion :D
Brb ..... headed out to buy an e91. You are on point Acoustic Gearhead, super valid option!
put aside $2500-$3000 for a manual conversion of ZF or getrag gearbox you will be fine with any of these models
A manual in any of these completely levels up the field.
I just don’t understand why you avoid the n54 like a plague. That is until you mention the 1m you even called it a super car killer. Why knock the n54b30. Cheap check, big power check, reliable: that depends on you doesn’t it. Keep up with maintenance and your golden. You said it yourself, piezo injectors. Enough said
way to make fcp a ton of money in parts and oil
i regret selling my 335i 😢💔
To be honest, you Americans didn't get some of the best and most reliable BMW's, the diesels. My E46 330CD (3l diesel), stock 204BHP, now, with just a remap and running premium diesel, 295BHP and 425lbft. Basically it's the same as a 330CI, but diesel, with monster torque, no DPF and just as fast as an E46 M3, whilst also getting miles better MPG. Hell it even sounds good for a diesel.
We can't argue with that!
The 335i e90 is no longer a good value. With the injectors being $3k and not available
I had high hopes for this video, but it's misleading. 3 out of the 5 cars featured aren't ones that I would consider as cheap, reliable AND high performance.
- An E9x 335i may be "cheap" to buy, but it's not cheap to own by any means and it's hardly considered reliable for the reasons you listed in the video. Cheap? Yes. Reliable? Meh. High performing? Can be
- The ZHP prices have skyrocketed in recent years and would not consider these cheap by any regard. A nonZHP or nonM E46/E90 330i would fit the bill here. Cheap? Absolutely Not. Reliable? Yes, it's an E46. High performing? Yes
- E36 M3 is also the same. I bought my estoril blue M3 for $8k back in 2017. Now you'd be lucky to see a 5 speed E36 M3 with 200k+ for anything under $12k. You can blame the age, the covid market, whatever reason, but you can't deny the fact that E36 M3s are no longer "bang for buck" cars. Cheap? No. Reliable? Outside of common E36 quirks yes. High performing? Sure
That's a perfect summary, sir.
Just as you said, a non ZHP non M e46/e90 330i is probably the only thing that would truly fit the theme of this vid.
I have definitely seen 200k + mi e36 M3's selling for (at least asking for) mid 20's.
Before I bought my Benz E coupe, I was looking for e92 328i's to get my feet wet with the brand, & there were n54 335i's for sub $5k ALL day. But I was shopping for a daily, & wasn't trying to instantly put another 5k into it the 1st month of ownership in order to feel safe daily'ing it, along with whatever else I'd have to do as a result of having it as a daily.
I've also seen plenty of people asking for E9x M3 money for their ZHP's before prices became what they are now.
Certainly hard to find something that is 100% in all three categories, would love to hear your top five picks that fit the bill!
Eh you can still get decent mileaged examples of all the cars in the video if you look. Remember, literally everything has become more expensive these past few years. Sure, the cream of the crop examples are pretty highly priced but that’s with any desirable “enthusiast” car. I picked up my 05 ZHP for 9500 this past weekend, 143k on it and no mechanical issues. They’re out there
@@KG-rk7qu don't get my hopes up! Hahah, no you're right. I have seen a good amount of older AMG's for surprisingly good prices in driving condition for example.
Guess I should start to widen the search a little further from home. Even finding non xdrive anything around me can be very difficult at times.
Bmw and cheap don’t got together let alone performance.
Love all these except for the E83 X3. The ugliest car in history IMHO.
Harsh Miki😢
Ill lease a BMW!! Will never buy one or finance one.
Why?
318i with m-sport package to look like you're driving some horsepowers!
Leasing, I've always paid for everything in cash. I've never even had a credit card in my name. I hate that this easy money ponzi system rewards debt & people who go through items annually like iphones with "financing". It's not sustainable. You're playing into the "you will own nothing" model, financing/subscription for everything
If you lease you are financing and many times at a higher rate than you'd pay on a purchase.
@@jimmichaud7950 It may or may not be a higher percentage rate BUTT...my point was...u don't own the car. So if something goes wrong with the car ..the dealer takes the smack in the face.