Every BMW sold in significant numbers in Southern California — from the sport sedans Simi Valley commuters drive daily to the SAVs that handle the 23 to Malibu on weekends — covered by generation, engine code, and known failure pattern.
The most common BMW in the Simi Valley and Conejo Valley. The E90 330i and 328i are the most frequently seen used examples. Generation-specific engine codes (N52, N54, N55, B46, B48) each have their own maintenance profile and failure pattern. The 3 Series is also the entry point for most BMW VANOS conversations.
Read the 3 Series guide →The executive sedan. E60 models with the N52 are now old enough to have well-documented failure patterns. F10 535i units with the N55 are in their peak used-market years — the right ones are strong buys, the neglected ones are money pits. G30 530i and 540i are increasingly turning up in the Ventura County used market.
Read the 5 Series guide →Shares its engine and chassis DNA with the F30 3 Series. The 435i and 440i are the performance picks; the 428i and 430i are the daily driver variants. G22 M440i xDrive with the B58 is among the more reliable modern BMW builds available in this body style.
Read the 4 Series guide →The flagship. Loaded with technology that requires diagnosis when it misbehaves. The N63 V8 in F01 models has documented reliability concerns BMW addressed through an extended warranty program. Air suspension is standard on most trims. Worth owning with complete service records; a liability without them.
Read the 7 Series guide →The performance division's full lineup. S55 M3/M4 rod bearing concerns. S58 cooling system improvements over the S55. M5 with the S63 V8 and its twin-turbo heat management requirements. M-DCT dual-clutch fluid service. Carbon ceramic brake ownership. All covered for Ventura County M owners.
Read the M Series guide →BMW calls them SAVs. The ownership profile is the same as the sedans — excellent handling, more cargo space, and a maintenance schedule that rewards attentive owners and punishes neglectful ones.
The compact SAV. F25 xDrive28i and xDrive35i are the most common Simi Valley examples. G01 xDrive30i with the B46 represents BMW's most refined small SAV to date. Transfer case fluid service is frequently neglected on used examples.
X3 guide →BMW's most popular and most repair-documented SAV. Four generations, multiple engine families, and a well-catalogued list of failure patterns. Oil leaks, cooling system weakness, air suspension on higher trims, and transmission fluid service are the top conversations for X5 owners in the 805.
X5 guide →BMW's chassis codes tell you more than the model year. An E90 and an F30 are both called "3 Series" but share almost nothing mechanically. The model guides here are organized by chassis code — if you're not sure which one applies to your car, the VIN decoder in the Owner's Guide section can tell you in seconds.
Read the Owner's Guide →E46 = 3 Series 1999–2006 · E60 = 5 Series 2004–2010 · E70 = X5 2007–2013 · E90 = 3 Series 2006–2013 · F10 = 5 Series 2011–2017 · F15 = X5 2014–2018 · F25 = X3 2011–2017 · F30 = 3 Series 2012–2019 · G01 = X3 2018+ · G05 = X5 2019+ · G20 = 3 Series 2019+
For diagnostics, repairs, or a pre-purchase inspection on a used BMW before you sign — we refer to German Auto Doctor, an independent specialist serving the 805 since the beginning.
Service by German Auto Doctor · 521 E Los Angeles Ave, Simi Valley CA 93065