Man buys 2 BMWs for $1,500 each including rare diesel model before discovering wild repair costs more than the cars
- A Kansas-based car enthusiast bought two BMWs for $1.5K each
- One was a rare diesel BMW 335d
- However, its repair costs were an unpleasant surprise
Published on Jan 24, 2025 at 5:22 PM (UTC+4)
by Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
Last updated on Jan 27, 2025 at 12:05 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
A Kansas-based car enthusiast bought two BMWs – including an über-rare diesel BMW 335d for a bargain price – but the costs to repair the coveted model could make it a costly mistake.
The YouTuber paid just $1,500 per car.
One was in such bad shape that it didn’t even make it back to his house.
Likewise, the price of repairing the BMW 335d might exceed the cost of the car itself.
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The rare diesel BMW 335d
Tyler Hoover of Hoovie’s Garage thought he’d struck gold when he paid just $1,500 each for the diesel BMW 335d and the 2004 BMW 330i ZHP with a manual transmission.
Sadly, the 2004 BMW 330i ZHP didn’t make it home under its own steam.
The coveted 335d car was the gem, however, sold in the U.S. between 2009-2011.
Despite it having 330,000 miles on the odometer, a slew of exterior flaws, and mechanical issues rendering it totaled – Hoover thought he could do a complete 180.
Let’s jump in at the deep end.
The repair costs
First up the Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) tank and heater need to be replaced, costing over $5,000 to keep the engine starting.
Multiple other issues under the hood include a coolant flange that needs replacement and a suspected valve cover gasket leak.
Sadly, the iDrive knob is completely non-functional, making the infotainment system defunct – much like the now abandoned ‘gesture control’.
Despite its high mileage leading to rock chips, faded paint, and bumper damage, it runs and drives well for now.
However, worn motor mounts cause the car to vibrate when braking.
Uneven tire wear could be an ominous symptom indicating alignment issues or suspension wear.
Last but not least, the undertray is severely worn and chewed up meaning some panels need to be removed to avoid causing noise while driving.
All in, fixing all the major issues of the mechanically totaled 335d that also needs expensive emissions-related repairs would cost around $7,500, more than eclipsing the $1,500 purchase price.
Verdict: Hoover decides to junk the cars rather than invest in expensive fixes – because while a fix on a totaled car is possible sometimes the investment in time and cash simply isn’t worth it.
All Supercar Blondie contributors undergo editorial review and fact-checking to ensure accuracy and authority in automotive journalism. After gaining her BA Hons in French and English at the University of Nottingham, Amelia embarked on a vocational diploma from the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ). This led to numerous opportunities, from interning at Vogue to being on the small team that launched Women’s Health magazine in the UK, which was named the PPA Consumer magazine of the year for three years running. As Health, Beauty and Fitness editor, Amelia personally received a Johnson & Johnson Award and was shortlisted for both PPA and BSME titles. Since then, Amelia has created content for numerous titles and brands, including the Telegraph, 111 Skin, Waitrose, Red magazine, Stylist, and Elle, as well as being Head of Content at Vitality and Editor in Chief at INLondon magazine. “My superpower is translating technical jargon about the mechanical workings of a supercar into a relatable story you’ll want to share with your friends after you’ve read it.” After joining the SB Media family as a senior journalist in September of 2023, Amelia’s role has evolved to see her heading up the SEO output of the editorial team. From researching the most ‘Google-able’ key terms to producing evergreen content - it’s been a time of hard work, growth, and success for the editorial team and the Supercar Blondie website. “I like to think of myself as a ‘method journalist’. In other words: I live and breathe whatever I am writing about. When writing about fitness, I trained as a personal trainer, and as a beauty editor, I completed an ‘expert’ in scent diploma with the Fragrance Foundation. “During my tenure at Supercar Blondie, however, I did something I never thought possible: I passed my driving test at the age of 36. One day I’d love to train as a mechanic to better understand what happens under the hood, too. “My sweet spot is providing readers with a ‘takeaway’ (read: something new they didn’t know before) after reading every one of my stories. While I don’t claim to be an expert in the automotive world, I know the experts and bodies in the field to rely on to provide our readers with an informative and thought-provoking story every time they visit the site.”
