Which is cheaper to maintain, the BMW 325i or the BMW 325i?

Based on 5-year routine maintenance labor at a $150/hr indie shop rate, the BMW 325i is cheaper to maintain — about $1,174 less over 60,000 miles. Parts cost is not included.

What's the labor difference between the 2.5L I6 and the 3.0L I6 N52?

Across 37 common maintenance jobs, hours vary by drivetrain and engine layout. See the side-by-side table on this page for each job's labor hours and estimated cost.

Are there any active recalls on the BMW 325i or BMW 325i?

The BMW 325i has 0 open NHTSA recalls. The BMW 325i has 3 open recalls. Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer.

1989 BMW 325i vs 2009 BMW 325i — Labor Times, Costs & Recalls

Specifications

Year

1989

2009

Engine

2.5L I6

3.0L I6 N52

Drivetrain

RWD

Transmission

manual

automatic

Fuel

gas

Cost of Ownership

5-Year Maintenance

$12,862

0.21 $/mi

★ WINNER

5-Year Maintenance

$11,688

0.19 $/mi

🏆

ADVANTAGEBMW 325i — Saves you $1,174 over 5 years (9% less in routine maintenance labor)

Routine maintenance only. Cost = labor hours × $150/hr × estimated 5-yr frequency. Parts cost not included.

Maintenance Breakdown

Hours per common service. Lower is faster (and cheaper) at the shop.

Oil & filter change

0.5 hrs$1,380 / 5yr

M20 Cylinder Head & Valve Seal Failure

— hrs$1,950 / 5yr

— hrs

Front brake pads

1.6 hrs$640 / 5yr

Rear brake pads

1.6 hrs$620 / 5yr

Tire rotation

0.5 hrs$600 / 5yr

Automatic Transmission Oil Cooler Failure (Internal to Radiator)

— hrs

— hrs$1,085 / 5yr

Rear Main Seal & Oil Pan Gasket Leaks

— hrs$1,040 / 5yr

— hrs

Differential fluid

1.3 hrs$470 / 5yr

Cooling System Cascading Failures

— hrs$715 / 5yr

— hrs

Cooling System Plastic Component Failure

— hrs

— hrs$715 / 5yr

Front Control Arm Bushings and Ball Joints

— hrs

— hrs$715 / 5yr

Brake fluid flush

1.0 hrs$330 / 5yr

Wiper blades

0.3 hrs$300 / 5yr

Valve Cover Gasket and Oil Filter Housing Gasket Leaks

— hrs

— hrs$585 / 5yr

12V battery

0.5 hrs$275 / 5yr

Fuel filter

0.7 hrs$270 / 5yr

Cabin air filter

0.4 hrs$255 / 5yr

Spark plugs

1.0 hrs$230 / 5yr

Water pump

3.3 hrs$215 / 5yr

Intake manifold gasket

3.9 hrs$203 / 5yr

Coolant flush

1.0 hrs$200 / 5yr

Oil pan gasket

4.6 hrs$185 / 5yr

Engine air filter

0.4 hrs$180 / 5yr

Transmission & Differential Mounts Collapse

— hrs$358 / 5yr

— hrs

Fuel System Age-Related Issues

— hrs$315 / 5yr

— hrs

Electrical Gremlins & Wiring Harness Degradation

— hrs$315 / 5yr

— hrs

Serpentine belt

0.8 hrs$155 / 5yr

Alternator

2.0 hrs$150 / 5yr

Valve cover gasket

2.0 hrs$144 / 5yr

Timing Belt & Tensioner Wear

— hrs$280 / 5yr

— hrs

Power steering flush

0.7 hrs$125 / 5yr

CCV (Crankcase Ventilation) Valve Failure

— hrs

— hrs$245 / 5yr

VANOS Solenoid and Eccentric Shaft Sensor Failures

— hrs

— hrs$227 / 5yr

Electric Water Pump Failure

— hrs

— hrs$227 / 5yr

Starter motor

2.0 hrs$100 / 5yr

PCV valve

0.5 hrs$95 / 5yr

Thermostat

1.0 hrs$67 / 5yr

Active Recalls

★ WINNER

Open NHTSA Recalls

CLEAR

Open NHTSA Recalls

3 open

🏆

ADVANTAGEBMW 325i — 3 fewer open recalls from the NHTSA

Fluid Capacities

BMW 325i

ac_refrigerant · R-12

brake1.00 qt · FMVSS 116 DOT 4 / ISO 4925 Class 4

coolant12.00 qt · BMW N 600 69.0

engine_oil5.30 qt · API SG/SH or BMW LL-98

power_steering1.10 qt · BMW 82 11 9 407 758

rear_diff1.20 qt · API GL-5

transmission_manual1.80 qt · API GL-4

washer6.30 qt · windshield washer fluid concentrate or premix

BMW 325i

ac_refrigerant · R-134a

brake1.00 qt · BMW Brake Fluid DOT 4 LV

coolant9.50 qt · BMW N 600 69.0 (GG-40)

engine_oil6.90 qt · BMW Longlife-01 (LL-01)

power_steering1.10 qt · CHF 11S

rear_diff1.60 qt · BMW SAF-XO or API GL-5

transmission_auto9.50 qt · ZF Lifeguard 6

washer6.30 qt · windshield washer fluid

The Verdict

🏆

THE WINNER

2009 BMW 325i

3.0L I6 N52

BMW 325i is cheaper to maintain (saves ~$1,174 over 5 years)
BMW 325i has 3 fewer open NHTSA recalls

Based on objective maintenance and recall data. Driving feel, looks, brand loyalty, and ownership experience are separate (and very valid) considerations.

Open the full dashboard for either truck

Labor times, torque specs, fluid capacities, DTC codes, repair procedures, recalls, common platform problems.