E90 - what to look out for?
- Thread starter The_Abyss
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![[TW]Fox](/data/man-of-honor/2009.png){kind=avatar}
Soldato
- Joined
- 17 Mar 2004
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- 8,259
[TW]Fox;16596623 said:
Don't have much confidence in the marque do you
I’ve had my E91 for three years since new and haven’t really found many issues. What I have found is:
- The bonnet catch can seize up, so check that you can open the bonnet (according to the dealer this is common issue)
- My handbrake sometimes sticks slightly and I can hear the rear brakes ‘squeak’ when I’m moving off slowly. The dealer said this would require a strip down and clean, but that wasn’t done and it hasn’t caused any issues.
- Oil. This isn’t something you;d be able to check, but my digital oil level meter has been frustratingly inconsistent, leading me to slightly overfill a while ago. (It read as 2/3rds full, then on return journey it read empty. Next day is was back to 2/3rds and then went to empty for more than a day. I filled with 500ml of Oil and then meter then went to 100%, sigh)
- The bonnet catch can seize up, so check that you can open the bonnet (according to the dealer this is common issue)
- My handbrake sometimes sticks slightly and I can hear the rear brakes ‘squeak’ when I’m moving off slowly. The dealer said this would require a strip down and clean, but that wasn’t done and it hasn’t caused any issues.
- Oil. This isn’t something you;d be able to check, but my digital oil level meter has been frustratingly inconsistent, leading me to slightly overfill a while ago. (It read as 2/3rds full, then on return journey it read empty. Next day is was back to 2/3rds and then went to empty for more than a day. I filled with 500ml of Oil and then meter then went to 100%, sigh)
Oops, yeah forgot about the bonnet catch, mine seized up too.
I went out looking for E90s recently, in the end I decided on an E60 because you just seem to get so much more for your money and I can't stand the rear on the pre-LCI E90. Also the E60 seems to be much better built inside, it might be the size difference but sitting in them both was barely comparable.
I've had some really crappy cars in my time (including a couple of Renault nails) and never had the bonnet catch seize in 20 years of driving.
You'd think that the 'Ultimate driving machine' would've had that really tough piece of engineering sorted by now.
Still has a dip stick yeah?
The LCI E60 is a much better car than the pre LCI E60 IMHO.
No, electronic dipstick only.
[TW]Fox;16597294 said:
I agree on this, and the LCIs remain frustratingly out of reach, hence looking at the E90 instead. Same case with their LCI too, but there seem to be some good 2005/6 SE models with really good spec for decent cash.
Other than oil and the bonnet catch, nothing seems to be jumping out at me?
You reckon? There's not a great deal of difference is there?
externally no
but the differences elswhere (like the idrive for example) are quite significant
Thanks for all the advice. I drove 3 of them in the end over the weekend, and was very surprised how different they all felt given that they were very similar. One of them also had both the bonnet catch and washer problem - the lemon the basket I suppose.
I only took one of them seriously, and was a little shocked at the attitude of the dealer (a Ford dealer). Firstly, he knew very little about the car - thought it was a V6. Secondly, he kept talking to me constantly whilst I was driving - about everything other than the car. Makes me think he wanted me to think about something else.
But the real shock was his attitude to the price. From the starting point of £13,500, he dropped just £200, and also got a little bit annoyed about it too. I don't consider myself an expert motors negotiator, but I do a fair bit of media buying negotiation for my job. Perhaps this doesn't lend itself well to motors.
The search goes on.
I only took one of them seriously, and was a little shocked at the attitude of the dealer (a Ford dealer). Firstly, he knew very little about the car - thought it was a V6. Secondly, he kept talking to me constantly whilst I was driving - about everything other than the car. Makes me think he wanted me to think about something else.
But the real shock was his attitude to the price. From the starting point of £13,500, he dropped just £200, and also got a little bit annoyed about it too. I don't consider myself an expert motors negotiator, but I do a fair bit of media buying negotiation for my job. Perhaps this doesn't lend itself well to motors.
The search goes on.