1990 BMW 3 Series ix review from North America

Front axles! - $800 (could have been worse)

Radiator - $250.

Heater control valve - (coolant on my feet - took some time to sleuth)

Water in the trunk from bad seal around antennae.

Thermostat.

Power-steering hoses leaking.

Cruise.

Power window and mirrors.

Shocks (I know it's a maintenance item, but $120 for the cheapest front shock!)

Oil leak.

Buying this car was a mistake and I will never buy without a pre-purchase inspection again! It was obviously abused early on, so many of the problems above aren't "quirky, quality" things for me to complain about. However... the cost to repair them was insane! I had gotten so far into this car within a month of owning it that my head was spinning.

It is absolutely true about how well these IX's perform in the snow. The car handles like it's on rails and performs amazing (5sp is MUCH better than auto). You won't be disappointed with its performance.

These AWD BMW's are more expensive to maintain than the 2WD ones - don't kid yourself. Find one that has been well taken care of, get a pre-purchase inspection, and be meticulous about maintenance and you'll have a great car. Don't buy a stinker like I did and $3000 of mechanic bills later regret it.