Who here /bimmer/? I need some advise on what engine I should get on the e90/e92...

Who here /bimmer/? I need some advise on what engine I should get on the e90/e92. I plan on getting a Jb4 with some bolt'ons but probably wont go FBO since it will be my daily and will need it to last 2-3 years.

Should I get an N54 with 73k miles and cross fingers that everything was replaced and fixed and I dont have an 80k miles surprise headed my way. OR should I get the N54 with 100k miles for much cheaper and since the miles is up there I am more confident that the turbos, HPFP, Vanos and other bullshit was already taken care of.

Or since Im not really gonna go balls to the walls with FBO and tune should I just get the more reliable and newer N55 w/ 70k miles for like 1k more.

I heard the N54 is Goat when it comes to tuning but the N55 has reliability on its side. 15k budget.

how do I make my shitty n53 more powerful

The N54 is not bad. My buddy has a 195k mile N54 335i, he has owned it since new, he replaced the spark plugs and some other small things under warranty, now he's running at slightly increased psi, pushing about 360hp, he's very happy with the car.

just buy an e46. tuning is a waste of money.

Why are you bothering with JB4? Get a decent remap instead for less. Or at least do MHD flash so you're not using a piggy back that is lying to the engine ECU. Find a decent tuner instead. N54 is the more tuneable engine compared to the N55.

>n53
>powerful
lol

Just afraid of thev
wallet rape a 2009 N54 will being upon me. One im scoping out has 73k miles with the m sports package

N52/N53 is pretty cool because it uses magnesium in the block construction.

N54 is basically just a turbo'd M54

N55 is also Magnesium. Get it just because of that.

if you get anything with an n54, make sure there are meticulous service records

So N55 is better if I am a pussy and am scared of repair bills?

Again, im not gonna go crazy with the mods since it will be my daily.

>N55 is also Magnesium.
No it isn't.

Hes wondering whether or not he wants an n55 335i or n54 335i

You wont crack 400 whp with an n55 without swapping your turbo. Point blank.

N54s are more bang for buck when it comes to making power when you barely get the car , but upgraded twins are more pricey than buying a twinscroll replacement for the n55. Single turbo prices are the same, but the n54 has a higher power ceiling. Noticing a pattern here? The n54 is capable of more power, generally needs catching up with as the cars are generally older, but nothing too bad. I had my n54 for 8 months. Dme and water pump fixed. Nothing else major. Ive had all the bolt ons for a while and it does not impact reliability once your car is sorted.

Im sitting at low 400s wheel, hope to get it to mid 500s once i get the single turbo kit.

I've posted on these 335i advice threads before, so I'll write the same thing I usually do.

1) These cars are not reliable. If you can wrench, good for you, you might be able to get by...I did all my repairs at a combo of the stealership and a reputable independent shop here in Dallas. I was wise enough to purchase a comprehensive 3rd party warranty when I bought the car. Total cost of repairs (JUST repairs, not maintenance items like oil/brakes/etc.): ~$19.4k. Yep. Nearly $20k worth of repairs for a one-owner 2011 335 that had 38k miles when I bought it. Some of the repairs that were done: water pump (which left me stranded on the highway), entire turbo system, wastegates, low pressure fuel pump (twice), charge air intake, all the oxygen sensors, radio, etc. Cosmetic pieces like the A/C vents (center and driver), cupholders, and rear tailight were replaced by me because the warranty doesn't cover it. Again, if you're handy with repairs, you might be able to get away with it, but think about how much time you're spending repairing your car.

2) I was coming from an SUV and wanted a sporty car when I bought my 335. If you have an itch for a BMW, just go ahead and get it out of the way. Buy the car. A cousin of mine had a problematic E46 out of college and warned me when I mentioned I was in the market for a 335. I wasn't having it, bought it anyways. I wasn't expecting nearly $20k in repairs though.

3) The N54 can put out massive power. There were meetups where guys had N54s that easily/comfortably put out 450 HP. Dinan upgrades might not give you the all out power, but they back their stuff with an extended warranty, not to mention they're recognized by most BMW dealerships in the US.

I might've had a shitty, defective car, so you might have better luck. They're excellent cars to drive, just not worth the headache. Good luck OP.

what about preventative maintenance?

I don't know what that entails. I changed my fluids and stuff regularly and on-time. Still can't stop stuff like the turbo and water pump from grenading on you.

Check e90 post, most of those failures just happen whenever. Nothing you can do about it.

N54 135i, FBO with inlets, JB4 + MHD, straight piped with upgraded LPFP so I can run 50/50 E85. Dyno'd 575 hp/trq @ 21psi. I've owned the car for 4 years no issues at all. Only 40k miles weekend only car. Upgraded turbos are ~4k if you do the install, that would put me in the 600+ club easily.

have you brought it to the drag strip at all? i always hear 335 guys talk about having 400+ wheel on stock turbos but ive never seen a stock turbo 335 break out of the high 12s at the strip. they all seem to trap around 106ish. which is great dont get me wrong, i just expected more out of the ultimate tuning experience™. maybe all the guys ive met at the track are just dummies idk.

N54 135i's have hit 10s on stock turbos. I'm in low 11s on stockers w/ e85

Ah, sorry. With E85 yes. What about on 93?

Rofl your car makes 330hp at best, at the cost of being an even more unreliable turd than it is stock

Spark plugs, Walnut shell blasting to get the carbon deposits out and an oil change for good measure.

If you do get an N54 with higher miles you shouldn't have to spend 20k on repairs like the unfortunate bastard that posed above you since all of that stuff by that time should have already been covered.

If you get a cheap aftermarket warranty you will be fine, the N54 hype is real just make sure you have at least $1,000 tucked away for any emergency repairs. Other than that, the actual engine block itself is really really solid, its just BMW is bad at making cooling and electronics systems.

OP Here, Is this a good deal, I have 15k and I would have a few extra thousands to put away for repairs or a warranty. Has 71k miles w/ sport package and nav. Seems so comfy and a good deal.

I ran a 12 flat on 93, FBO @ 14psi. Got into the 11s on 100oct @ 20psi. Inlets + E85 w/ LPFP upgrade + MHD put me where I'm at now. Upgrades for this car are actually fairly cheap if you do the wrenching yourself. I'm probably 6k deep in performance mods with an 11 second car. Since you can find N54s for under 20k all day it's a great bang for the buck.

And that's in a 135? Not a 335?

Yeah. Same engine, ~ 300 lbs lighter.

Just wish the car didn't look so retarded. I would buy one in a heartbeat if it looked more like the 2 series.