e61 545i auto - what to look for / possible problems etc

e61 545i auto - what to look for / possible problems etc

Author
Discussion

DSharp

Original Poster:

270 posts

136 months

Tuesday 23rd September 2014
quotequote all
Hello all,

On the lookout for a quick estate dog-car, and a local garage has a nice looking 545i estate, 2005, 68k miles, FSH, up for £6.5k. There are very few about so is this the right sort of price? I would normally have preferred manual but hen's teeth comes to mind and auto may suit its wafty, v8-vess quite well.

So, are there any key parts to lookout for? Is the auto box pretty good / robust? I've read a few horror stories on line, but then I could probably find such stories about any car with the power of Google.

Any help appreciated,

Thanks! Duncan


p1tse

1,375 posts

191 months

Tuesday 23rd September 2014
quotequote all
having owned a LCI E61 i have to say they are a great car and for that money for a 545i is awesome.

but saying that being a pre LCI, things to look out for:

on these more electricals are in the boot floor so check no water has fried anything

boot hinges have more electrical wires in them so check all electrical works, even the rear glass opening

is it the early ones with a normal key or push button start?

DSharp

Original Poster:

270 posts

136 months

Tuesday 23rd September 2014
quotequote all
Thanks for the info!!
This is the car,.not been to view it yet, but couldnt see tbe.push button start where it was on our old 1 series..

http://www.davidgraves.co.uk/used-cars/bmw-5-serie...


Olf

11,974 posts

217 months

Tuesday 23rd September 2014
quotequote all
I had one. They are gorgeous to drive. Fast, incredibly smooth and comfortable. Pretty fuel efficient, 30 on a long run, never less than 18.

However, electrical gremlins can be testing. Especially due to water ingress from the panny roof - which this hasn't got so hopefully fine. The tailgate issue above would have cost over 800 quid if I didn't have a warranty. Also the alternator is horribly expensive to replace so check that's been done. Get through tyres pretty quick. At this money I don't think you can go far wrong - even better if you can afford the warranty!

s38b36

41 posts

150 months

Tuesday 23rd September 2014
quotequote all
I had one as well, only problem during the year I had it was a leaking auto box oil pan - circa £150 for the fluid and replacement pan.

DSharp

Original Poster:

270 posts

136 months

Wednesday 24th September 2014
quotequote all
Olf said:
I had one. They are gorgeous to drive. Fast, incredibly smooth and comfortable. Pretty fuel efficient, 30 on a long run, never less than 18.

However, electrical gremlins can be testing. Especially due to water ingress from the panny roof - which this hasn't got so hopefully fine. The tailgate issue above would have cost over 800 quid if I didn't have a warranty. Also the alternator is horribly expensive to replace so check that's been done. Get through tyres pretty quick. At this money I don't think you can go far wrong - even better if you can afford the warranty!
Cheers - sounds good!

Will probably just keep some cash to one side for any major problems, so hopefully be OK.

DSharp

Original Poster:

270 posts

136 months

Wednesday 24th September 2014
quotequote all
s38b36 said:
I had one as well, only problem during the year I had it was a leaking auto box oil pan - circa £150 for the fluid and replacement pan.
Thanks, I could live with that!


Ellieb10

63 posts

152 months

Wednesday 24th September 2014
quotequote all
I've got one. They can be expensive if things need replacing so if its fBMWsh it might be worth getting a quote for a mondial/BMW warranty. They also benefit from decent tyres ie ps2s or 3's (then again what doesnt?). Check oil consumption (they do use some normally - there's an allowable number on the N62 BMW bulletin that you can google) and make sure the water pump isnt making noise. As long as the MOT's stack up on mileage it seems like a pretty reasonable deal.

DSharp

Original Poster:

270 posts

136 months

Wednesday 24th September 2014
quotequote all
Ellieb10 said:
I've got one. They can be expensive if things need replacing so if its fBMWsh it might be worth getting a quote for a mondial/BMW warranty. They also benefit from decent tyres ie ps2s or 3's (then again what doesnt?). Check oil consumption (they do use some normally - there's an allowable number on the N62 BMW bulletin that you can google) and make sure the water pump isnt making noise. As long as the MOT's stack up on mileage it seems like a pretty reasonable deal.
Thanks for the tips - it doesn't appear to be fBMWsh from the ad, but will check when I view the car this weekend. The only tyre I can make out from the pictures is Goodyear Eagle NCT5 so at least it's a premium brand (hopefully there's more than 1), I imagine 330bhp could get a bit interesting in the winter on budgets tongue out

Will make sure to check water pump noise, electrics, dampness in boot in addition to the usual stuff.


DSharp

Original Poster:

270 posts

136 months

Tuesday 30th September 2014
quotequote all
Well, managed to strike a good deal, so picked this up last night.

Drives very well (so far) and nothing fell off on the way to work today! I normally get the train but will have a few days making sure it works ok, 19mpg to, which is little worse than my old R32.

Looking through the receipts with the car it appears it had £2.5 spent on the engine last year to solve a 'smoking at idle' problem - top end stripped, heads sent to testing, new valve seals, timing chain tensioners, decoked etc. It's been 10 months and 8000 miles since and all seems OK, so hopefully that's a major issue solved (for a while).

Very happy so far.

jboy72

375 posts

180 months

Tuesday 30th September 2014
quotequote all
DSharp said:
Well, managed to strike a good deal, so picked this up last night.

Drives very well (so far) and nothing fell off on the way to work today! I normally get the train but will have a few days making sure it works ok, 19mpg to, which is little worse than my old R32.

Looking through the receipts with the car it appears it had £2.5 spent on the engine last year to solve a 'smoking at idle' problem - top end stripped, heads sent to testing, new valve seals, timing chain tensioners, decoked etc. It's been 10 months and 8000 miles since and all seems OK, so hopefully that's a major issue solved (for a while).

Very happy so far.
I assume by "this" you mean the linked car? Well done, looked very nice. If your commute takes in a few fast, country roads all the better!

E65Ross

34,946 posts

211 months

Tuesday 30th September 2014
quotequote all
DSharp said:
Well, managed to strike a good deal, so picked this up last night.

Drives very well (so far) and nothing fell off on the way to work today! I normally get the train but will have a few days making sure it works ok, 19mpg to, which is little worse than my old R32.

Looking through the receipts with the car it appears it had £2.5 spent on the engine last year to solve a 'smoking at idle' problem - top end stripped, heads sent to testing, new valve seals, timing chain tensioners, decoked etc. It's been 10 months and 8000 miles since and all seems OK, so hopefully that's a major issue solved (for a while).

Very happy so far.
Awesome, well done. They're good cars, same engine as my 745i. They are known to leak oil and coolant, the coolant being quite a costly fix but they're worth it imo.

DSharp

Original Poster:

270 posts

136 months

Tuesday 30th September 2014
quotequote all
jboy72 said:
I assume by "this" you mean the linked car? Well done, looked very nice. If your commute takes in a few fast, country roads all the better!
Yes, sorry the linked one.

The commute is OK, a few miles of fast country roads, but lots of traffic and then driving into the centre of Leeds, which Is less fun.
Got a 600 mile round trip this weekend from Leeds to Dover, so looking forward to the comfort!

DSharp

Original Poster:

270 posts

136 months

Tuesday 30th September 2014
quotequote all
E65Ross said:
Awesome, well done. They're good cars, same engine as my 745i. They are known to leak oil and coolant, the coolant being quite a costly fix but they're worth it imo.
Cheers! Will be keeping an eye on fluids and giving it a good check over in a couple of weeks when I get chance.

outnumbered

4,067 posts

233 months

Tuesday 30th September 2014
quotequote all
6.5K sounds a bargain for that car, hope it works out well.

If you do suffer any of the tailgate-related issues - e.g. remote un/locking failure, bulb warnings, a good indy may be able to repair the existing loom, rather than the BMW solution of replacing the whole thing. This works out a LOT cheaper...

DSharp

Original Poster:

270 posts

136 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
quotequote all
outnumbered said:
6.5K sounds a bargain for that car, hope it works out well.

If you do suffer any of the tailgate-related issues - e.g. remote un/locking failure, bulb warnings, a good indy may be able to repair the existing loom, rather than the BMW solution of replacing the whole thing. This works out a LOT cheaper...
Cheers, I managed to get a good deal for a px also and knock a bit off the price - so very happy with the purchase so far!

Thanks for the advice, there is a few BMW specialists in the area, I enjoy getting my hands dirty when I get the time, but will be getting it serviced as a specialist to maintain decent history.

DSharp

Original Poster:

270 posts

136 months

Thursday 9th October 2014
quotequote all
Olf said:
I had one. They are gorgeous to drive. Fast, incredibly smooth and comfortable. Pretty fuel efficient, 30 on a long run, never less than 18.

However, electrical gremlins can be testing. Especially due to water ingress from the panny roof - which this hasn't got so hopefully fine. The tailgate issue above would have cost over 800 quid if I didn't have a warranty. Also the alternator is horribly expensive to replace so check that's been done. Get through tyres pretty quick. At this money I don't think you can go far wrong - even better if you can afford the warranty!
'Charging Fault'.... looks to be alternator. haha.

Wasn't too expensive though, ~£180 (after returning my old one) for a brand new OE Valeo one. Now to fit it this weekend if I get time / inclination / weather.

Otherwise, very happy so far. Have done ~750 miles so far, 300mile trip Leeds to Dover on one day, and then back a couple of days later. Was a lovely place to be for the many many hours. Also averaged 28mpg, which I found very impressive.


E65Ross

34,946 posts

211 months

Thursday 9th October 2014
quotequote all
DSharp said:
Olf said:
I had one. They are gorgeous to drive. Fast, incredibly smooth and comfortable. Pretty fuel efficient, 30 on a long run, never less than 18.

However, electrical gremlins can be testing. Especially due to water ingress from the panny roof - which this hasn't got so hopefully fine. The tailgate issue above would have cost over 800 quid if I didn't have a warranty. Also the alternator is horribly expensive to replace so check that's been done. Get through tyres pretty quick. At this money I don't think you can go far wrong - even better if you can afford the warranty!
'Charging Fault'.... looks to be alternator. haha.

Wasn't too expensive though, ~£180 (after returning my old one) for a brand new OE Valeo one. Now to fit it this weekend if I get time / inclination / weather.

Otherwise, very happy so far. Have done ~750 miles so far, 300mile trip Leeds to Dover on one day, and then back a couple of days later. Was a lovely place to be for the many many hours. Also averaged 28mpg, which I found very impressive.
180 isn't too bad, I'm not sure how big a job it is to change.

My 7 is going in for 4 new tyres, new fuel filter, air filter and microfilter in a few weeks. That'll be over £1k so probably my biggest ever single car bill. It also has a shimmy under high speed braking which will get sorted at the same time.... Could get very expensive!

DSharp

Original Poster:

270 posts

136 months

Thursday 9th October 2014
quotequote all
E65Ross said:
180 isn't too bad, I'm not sure how big a job it is to change.

My 7 is going in for 4 new tyres, new fuel filter, air filter and microfilter in a few weeks. That'll be over £1k so probably my biggest ever single car bill. It also has a shimmy under high speed braking which will get sorted at the same time.... Could get very expensive!
Yes - I was expecting much worse for the alternator, found a good deal with a further 15% off, so cheaper than expected. Should only take 2-3 hours IF nothing goes wrong biggrin

Just on the look out for winter wheels and tyres now, so that's probably eat into my home-gym fund further, dammit!!

biggrin


Olf

11,974 posts

217 months

Thursday 9th October 2014
quotequote all
My understanding is it was expensive because you basically have to take the front of the car off to get to the alt. Hope that's not the case and you have a pleasant Sunday morning bathed in autumn sun saving yourself a few bob as you find a way around this...