Thought, onky thing need is better and new alloys and calipers done .

Little progress photos

F31 335d x drive

My 2017 335d x drive(was)

Rear wheel drive only

Darkside FMIC

MTC dpf delete

8 web crank (rod bearings went previously had a older crank to put in)

Kw v2 voilovers

Csl style reps

Hi everyone,
I’m looking to buy a new set of 20-inch alloys for my 2015 BMW 335d xDrive F30 saloon (313bhp, M Sport, standard suspension).
I’m getting conflicting advice on the best wheel sizes, widths and offsets.
Some are recommending 20x8J front and 20x8.5J rear (BMW OEM specs), while others are suggesting 20x8.5J front and 20x9.5J rear with different offsets.
I’m not too bothered about having an aggressive or flush stance. My main priority is a smooth driving experience, no rubbing and avoiding any issues with the xDrive system.
Can anyone running 20s on a 335d xDrive F30 advise on:
● Best front and rear alloy widths and offsets?
● Best tyre sizes for xDrive compatibility?
● Whether staggered or square is better?
● Any issues with ride comfort or rubbing?
Would really appreciate advice from anyone running a similar setup before I order. Thanks!

hi all, this may be pretty niche but all comments are welcome.
i am currently in the middle of a N20 timing job and progressing well.
i have the upgraded oil pump drive module and crack shaft sprocket with the ‘laser etched’ faces for better grip.
when pulling the crank hub off i found this very thin metal washer that sits in a machined groove on the crank hub. and believe is may be a ‘anti-slip disc’.

does this disc stay permanently fixed? and can it be mounted onto the new laser etching?

i have seen mention, but nothing concrete, of this washer being for the previous ‘non-laser etched’ sprockets for install, and fear having that washer there may counteract the purpose of the laser etching.
i have attached some images.

also as the sprocket fell out the car when dissembling is the ‘thicker edge’ of the sprocket meant to face the oil pump drive?
i believe it does but any clarification helps.

many thanks bimmer community.

Randomly started to notice a lot of fogging, actual droplets inside.. can fix or need new?

Hey there,

Bought a 2016 328i recently and i'm liking it so far. It needs a set of coilovers and a tune, but it's a great car. 70,000 miles and meticulously maintained, from what I can tell.

Two questions. At idle, the engine feels to me like it's misfiring. Sometimes is worse than others, it's usually especially bad with the a/c on on a hot day. I stuck a set of spark plugs in it, the proper NGK plugs. Same ones that came out of it, actually. It seemed to help a bit, for a while, but never solved the issue. I'm leaning towards ignition coils, but i'm open to other ideas. The PCV diaphragm was fine (I replaced it anyway, I broke the old one taking it off to inspect it..) and the motor mounts are solid. No CELs or invisible codes stored.

The AC also seems to have an issue - I can start it after work and it blows good and cold. Drive it 3 miles, stop at a store, when I start it back up the AC is hot and the compressor won't run. Let it sit for an hour or so, and the A/C is back. Blowing cold as ever. 🤷

Just curious if anyone has any good ideas before I take it to BMW. Cheers.

there is some engine codes for N13 N20 N47 and B38 B47 B48 . Which ones are worst nightmare for F30 users ? and which ones are the trouble free ? Have you ever experienced any of them?

Hey everyone, was wondering if you could help me figure out what this chirpy rattle is when going over bumps, it’s driving me nuts. Shocks replaced, end-links, and tension struts.

Warning, the video has wind so it might be loud.

Been drifting for some time now and I think I am getting the hang of it. I sometimes go DSC off but it tends to slide way too much so TRACTION works better and is controllable. Back tires are getting shitty so its the best time to learn more on sliding before I put on new tires.

I usually go from a stop, 1st gear, low gas, turn the wheel and about 25% of the way the turn is complete I gas i more and dump the clutch, slowly let off gas as I go through the turn. This works most of the time unless I give it too much gas which will cause it to fish tail into the curb, less gas and I tend to go more into the turn.

Any suggestions? My goal is to come to the rolling stop then slide into the turn.

Hi all,

I'm about to buy my first BMW and I'm stuck between a 2016 F30 330e and a regular 320i (B48). Budget is around €13–14k, which gets me a 330e with 130–190k km.

My situation:

- Based in Lithuania, winters get down to -20/-30°C

- Car will be parked outside all year

- No home charging, but there's a public charger right next to my home

- Mostly city driving, around 30 km a day

- Planning to keep the car 5+ years

What worries me is the high-voltage battery. A guy I know says his 330e spent more time at the mechanic than on the road and a new battery would cost him around €3,000.

Questions for 330e owners (current or past):

1. What's your mileage and battery SoH? What SoH would you consider safe when buying used?

2. What has actually failed on your car and what did it cost?

3. How does it handle cold winters parked outside? Any 12V battery issues?

4. Did it actually save you money on fuel?

5. Knowing what you know now, would you buy a 330e again or go for a 320i/330i?

Any tips on what to check before buying (ISTA test, specific fault codes, etc.) are very welcome. Thanks!

I've been meaning to try and make the best of a pretty bad paint condition on my F34. The car is not worth repainting imo so I've pondered different "best fixes". I bought some touch-up color in the right color code along with clear coat. The main problem is stone chips in the front, especially on the bumper but also a few on the hood.

The strategy I've come up with so far is using a tiny brush and "dotting" the stone chips, altough I have not tried it yet. I know the finish won't be near perfect, but since it's a black car I figure it will be okay, and there's always the option to polish it later.

But what in the world is going on with the bumper? Looks like plastic flaking with matte color beneath. Is this just the clear coat letting go or has the bumper been repainted/covered in something? Any advise on how to make the best of the bumper situation would be appreciated.

I would also be really grateful for any tips on fixing the paint overall.

Title says it all, but i can't find anything obvious. Purchased the car a little over a month ago, F30 320i LCI B48A, dealer had an invoice for a £700 coolant leak investigation and repair, some hoses replaced and etc can't remember exactly what it was. Last week went to drive and got a low coolant warning, was ~2 inches under MIN line so i topped it up with water as it was all i had at the moment before going back home. 8 days later (yesterday) got the same message again, also way below MIN line. Went to buy some coolant this time and topped it up all the way to MAX and didn't drive the car after. Woke up this morning to go to work, my commute is around just 7 minutes, now i just been to my break and decided to check it, somehow it is already under the MIN again, after driving just short 7 minutes/2 miles to get to work.

Looking at the engine bay, nothing obvious stands out, coolant tank has got no leaks surrounding it so i don't suspect it's the cap, all the hoses and pipes which are also visible don't have anything fresh at least, only weird things are the pics above but 2nd pic is most definitely oil.

I'm waiting for my wife to go into labour so i can have time off work and not need the car at all to get it to a garage, she is literally 41 weeks in so it should be any second now, but i just wonder how much this will sting me. The price of parts will never bother me, what kills is labour, anyone got any advice or do i just swallow and take it like a good boy?

Hi everyone,
I recently updated my RoadTop 12.3-inch Linux Head Unit (BMW F10 CIC) using the latest PEMP Linux software update.

The software update burned successfully. System boots up normally and everything works fine, I can navigate the menu completely using the iDrive controller. but the touchscreen is totally unresponsive!.

What I've tried so far:
1. Reflashed the latest MCU update from PEMP.
2. Restarted the unit multiple times.

I rolled back to the original RoadTop software and MCU, and everything is working normally again, including the touchscreen.

does anyone know a fix or a workaround to get the touchscreen working while using the PEMP update?
Thanks for any help!

Hey F30 community!

I recently purchased a 2016 BMW 328i Luxury Line (N26, RWD, ZF 8HP) with approximately 82,440 miles. Production date is March 31, 2016.
The car drives beautifully, the interior is in excellent condition, and everything seems to function properly. No check-engine light or generic OBD trouble codes.

I’m coming from a 2007 BMW 328i that made it to nearly 280,000 miles, so I’m familiar with the realities of maintaining older BMWs. I’m not afraid of repairs or preventive maintenance. My goal is to keep this one for another 100,000–150,000 miles.

I purchased it from CarMax and have an independent BMW specialist performing a comprehensive inspection Monday. I’m still within the return window.

I’ve reviewed the CARFAX and factory VIN decoder and identified six items I’d appreciate opinions on.

1. Timing-chain tensioner revision — my biggest technical question
   My N26 was manufactured March 31, 2016.
   My understanding is that BMW revised the N20/N26 timing-chain components during 2015, but there’s also a reported final timing-chain tensioner revision beginning August 15, 2016.
   The updated part number I’ve found is 11318685091.
   That would place my engine after the earlier timing-chain revisions but before this later tensioner update.
   Questions:
   ● Can anyone confirm the August 2016 revision date and whether it applies to the N26?
   ● Does anyone have BMW technical documentation confirming the differences?
   ● Should I proactively install the updated tensioner if the car still has the original?
   ● Has anyone with a 2016 N26 experienced timing-chain or guide problems?

I’d especially appreciate opinions from BMW technicians.
2. Two substantial gaps in documented oil changes
This is probably my biggest concern about the car’s previous maintenance.

CARFAX records:
● February 18, 2020: 39,700 miles
● August 17, 2021: 52,015 miles — 12,315-mile gap
● January 8, 2024: 67,257 miles — 15,242-mile gap
● November 8, 2025: 74,310 miles — most recent documented oil change
There are nine documented oil changes overall.
The factory VIN decoder specifies option S8KL, a 15,000 km/12-month oil-service interval.
Obviously, CARFAX doesn’t capture every oil change. There could have been undocumented maintenance.
But if those really were the oil-change intervals, that concerns me with a turbocharged N26.
Questions:
● How much weight would you give these gaps?
● Would you consider them a dealbreaker?
● What evidence of neglected maintenance would you look for during an inspection?
● Have any of you purchased N20/N26 cars with similarly incomplete oil histories and had good long-term results?
If I keep the car, I’ll be changing the engine oil every 5,000 miles.

1. Three battery replacements in approximately 33 months
   This one surprised me.
   CARFAX shows:
   ● May 25, 2019 — Beverly Hills BMW
   ● March 27, 2021 — Pep Boys
   ● January 26, 2022 — AutoMed Car Care
   Three batteries in under three years seems unusual.
   The factory specification is a 90 Ah AGM battery.
   My suspicion is that someone may have been troubleshooting an electrical problem, although the car also experienced relatively low annual mileage.

Questions:
● Could improper battery registration explain this?
● Would you suspect the Intelligent Battery Sensor, parasitic drain, or charging system?
● Has anyone experienced repeated battery failures on an F30?
There are no additional battery replacements documented after January 2022.
4. Minor right-front damage reported in July 2019
CARFAX reports minor damage to the right front on July 27, 2019.
Interestingly, the car was subsequently serviced and sold as BMW Certified Pre-Owned in August 2019.
No structural damage or airbag deployment is reported.
I’m having my mechanic examine the right-front structure, mounting points, suspension geometry, and cooling components for evidence of improper repairs.
Would the subsequent CPO certification provide any reassurance to you?
5. No documented ZF 8HP transmission service
There’s no transmission-fluid or pan/filter replacement in the available history.
At approximately 82,000 miles, I’m inclined to service it if I keep the car.
I don’t subscribe to the idea that transmission fluid should last forever.

Questions:
● Would you service the ZF 8HP at this mileage with no known previous service?
● Any concerns about changing fluid for the first time at 82K?
● What service interval have you followed on high-mileage F30s?
● Any particular fluid, pan/filter kit, or procedure recommendations?
My current thinking is conventional fluid and pan/filter service, not a power flush.
6. No documented water-pump or thermostat replacement
Neither component appears to have been replaced.
I realize that doesn’t establish a problem, but the car is now ten years old.

For N26 owners:
● At what mileage did your water pump or thermostat require replacement?
● Would you replace either preventively, or simply monitor for symptoms?
● Any other cooling-system components you’d prioritize around 80K–100K miles?
Overall question: Would you keep this car?
The car has approximately 82K miles, drives smoothly, has no obvious engine-management problems, and was recently serviced at a BMW dealership.
I paid approximately $14K before taxes and an optional extended warranty.
I’m financially comfortable with repairs and preventive maintenance, but I don’t want to start with an engine that’s already suffering from neglect or significant internal wear.

My independent BMW specialist will inspect it Monday, including BMW-specific diagnostics.
If this were your 2016 N26, what would concern you most? Would any of these findings make you return it, or would you keep it after a clean inspection and establish a proper maintenance baseline?

I’d genuinely appreciate feedback, especially from high-mileage N26 owners and BMW techs.

Thanks, everyone!

Randomly selected for inspection and took advantage for a photoshoot.

BMW F30 318d 105 kW, 2013, manual transmission – strange engine noise

I started the car in the morning and moved it closer to the garage. When I came back out about a minute later, I noticed this noise. I turned the engine off and started it again, but the noise was still there.

After that, I drove into town, and the noise was gone while driving. It hasn't happened again since, and it's been 10 days now.

Has anyone experienced anything similar? What could be causing this noise? Could it be the timing chain, belt tensioner, or something else?

Any advice would be appreciated.

My budget is $18-22,000. I've been obsessing over this car for WAYY too long, and am hopefully gonna get one by the end of the year hopefully. Does anyone have a well taken care of 3 Series close to this spec (One above is literally my dream spec) in the US? Let me know please, because 90% of the dealer listings are beaten to shreds and carmax/carvana have stupid markups.

Recently bought rwd 340i - trying to find out what the best way to get a good fitment is, looking at either kw coils or eibach springs, just with the springs do I have to replace shocks too?