Leggy E65 730d. Ruinous?
Discussion
I have an 06 E65 B7 as a play thing with just over 120k on the clock and it's the most reliable, solid and confidence inspiring BMW I've had the pleasure to own. It puts the F10 550 I bought at a fresh 19k to shame 
The E65 wasn't built on the cheap so provided there's plenty of history suggesting it has been well looked after then I'm sure it will do you proud.
I guess all the typical caveats of high mileage diesel power units apply though.
The E65 wasn't built on the cheap so provided there's plenty of history suggesting it has been well looked after then I'm sure it will do you proud.
I guess all the typical caveats of high mileage diesel power units apply though.
Crombers said:
I have an 06 E65 B7 as a play thing with just over 120k on the clock and it's the most reliable, solid and confidence inspiring BMW I've had the pleasure to own. It puts the F10 550 I bought at a fresh 19k to shame
The E65 wasn't built on the cheap so provided there's plenty of history suggesting it has been well looked after then I'm sure it will do you proud.
I guess all the typical caveats of high mileage diesel power units apply though.
Hmm. I guess mine will be more than a play thing, I will use it daily. I'd be putting anything up to 20k on it and hope to keep it for 3 years.The E65 wasn't built on the cheap so provided there's plenty of history suggesting it has been well looked after then I'm sure it will do you proud.
I guess all the typical caveats of high mileage diesel power units apply though.
Age, mileage and (if you don't mind spilling the beans) how much?
As a general observation however they're great cars and so much better that 5's / A6's / E Class et al IMHO. You can see where the extra money went when building these things and it translates into a very nice place to be. People may comment that it's not the most nimble but I suspect it'd keep up a 530d round the twisty bits but in the end that's not what it's bought for. Just do the usual checks.
As a general observation however they're great cars and so much better that 5's / A6's / E Class et al IMHO. You can see where the extra money went when building these things and it translates into a very nice place to be. People may comment that it's not the most nimble but I suspect it'd keep up a 530d round the twisty bits but in the end that's not what it's bought for. Just do the usual checks.
pointedstarman said:
Age, mileage and (if you don't mind spilling the beans) how much?
As a general observation however they're great cars and so much better that 5's / A6's / E Class et al IMHO. You can see where the extra money went when building these things and it translates into a very nice place to be. People may comment that it's not the most nimble but I suspect it'd keep up a 530d round the twisty bits but in the end that's not what it's bought for. Just do the usual checks.
2006, 116k, and under £10k.As a general observation however they're great cars and so much better that 5's / A6's / E Class et al IMHO. You can see where the extra money went when building these things and it translates into a very nice place to be. People may comment that it's not the most nimble but I suspect it'd keep up a 530d round the twisty bits but in the end that's not what it's bought for. Just do the usual checks.
I'm hopeful anything horrific has happened already and that the big bills are minimal but i have a wee voice in my head that's shouting 'gearbox!'. I had an E60 525d and it was brilliant, the straight 6 really is sublime.
The changes should be very smooth on the box including kickdown. If not there may be a problem. If there's no indication of gearbox oil change then it's apparently worth doing post 70-80k. Does your car have the upgraded (full) bluetooth that was a change around 2006 (earlier cars had a phone in the drawer in the dash that required its own SIM card, if not and it's really important to you it may be worth waiting). These cars also had many nice bits of tech as standard and the only item I would miss from mine that's not standard to the base car is the heated seats. One other thing I'd check is the status of the DPF as shown on the OBC - they're supposed to last circa 120k so, given its north of £1k to fix, it's worth checking.
pointedstarman said:
The changes should be very smooth on the box including kickdown. If not there may be a problem. If there's no indication of gearbox oil change then it's apparently worth doing post 70-80k. Does your car have the upgraded (full) bluetooth that was a change around 2006 (earlier cars had a phone in the drawer in the dash that required its own SIM card, if not and it's really important to you it may be worth waiting). These cars also had many nice bits of tech as standard and the only item I would miss from mine that's not standard to the base car is the heated seats. One other thing I'd check is the status of the DPF as shown on the OBC - they're supposed to last circa 120k so, given its north of £1k to fix, it's worth checking.
That's very useful. Thank you.No mention of upgraded bluetooth but it does have bluetooth.
Davie_GLA said:
That's very useful. Thank you.
No mention of upgraded bluetooth but it does have bluetooth.
It's not so much of an upgrade rather a change in the functionality, older cars have a built in phone that needs it's own SIM (an therefore a dedicated number) but newer cars have full bluetooth. The change took place in 2006 hence my vagueness and wasn't done at the same time and the 2005 facelift which seems odd to me given 2005 3 / 5 series have the more modern system so it was available.No mention of upgraded bluetooth but it does have bluetooth.
pointedstarman said:
It's not so much of an upgrade rather a change in the functionality, older cars have a built in phone that needs it's own SIM (an therefore a dedicated number) but newer cars have full bluetooth. The change took place in 2006 hence my vagueness and wasn't done at the same time and the 2005 facelift which seems odd to me given 2005 3 / 5 series have the more modern system so it was available.
So if it has the old system i couldn't pair my phone with it?Im genuinly not being funny ....after 30 years of driving mostly company cars and many varieties that exact car is the only one that made me feel car sick....the standard suspension not m sport is the one im thinking of but not sure if you can get msport....up and down like a ferry crossing the channel
smashy said:
Im genuinly not being funny ....after 30 years of driving mostly company cars and many varieties that exact car is the only one that made me feel car sick....the standard suspension not m sport is the one im thinking of but not sure if you can get msport....up and down like a ferry crossing the channel
Failed hydraulic subframe bushes? My E39 Touring would rock like a boat when they packed in.I do a lot (5 or 6 times a week) of short journeys taking the kids to nursery / going to the shops etc - about 4 or 5 miles round trip so the engine doesn't get properly warmed up. On weekends we often go out for the day so it gets a run of, say, 50 miles or so and we occasionally go a decent distance on motorways etc. I average about 30 mainly knocking about and can easily get late 30's on a run. I've had it over 45 mpg going on hols at a steady 75mph. This said I'm having the thermostats done (under warranty ) as I'm not convinced they're working properly as the car takes an age to warm up and the hidden menu indicates circa 75C as its normal running temp which is on the low side.
What you get will depend on driving style - I'm not a slow driver but neither do I want to overtake everything in sight.
MPG isn't noticeably different from the 530d's and 330d's I've had.
) as I'm not convinced they're working properly as the car takes an age to warm up and the hidden menu indicates circa 75C as its normal running temp which is on the low side.What you get will depend on driving style - I'm not a slow driver but neither do I want to overtake everything in sight.
MPG isn't noticeably different from the 530d's and 330d's I've had.
pointedstarman said:
I do a lot (5 or 6 times a week) of short journeys taking the kids to nursery / going to the shops etc - about 4 or 5 miles round trip so the engine doesn't get properly warmed up. On weekends we often go out for the day so it gets a run of, say, 50 miles or so and we occasionally go a decent distance on motorways etc. I average about 30 mainly knocking about and can easily get late 30's on a run. I've had it over 45 mpg going on hols at a steady 75mph. This said I'm having the thermostats done (under warranty ) as I'm not convinced they're working properly as the car takes an age to warm up and the hidden menu indicates circa 75C as its normal running temp which is on the low side.
What you get will depend on driving style - I'm not a slow driver but neither do I want to overtake everything in sight.
MPG isn't noticeably different from the 530d's and 330d's I've had.
Thanks. I think it's a done deal. Deposit paid and pending insurance stuff etc. i'll get a readers car thread up. ) as I'm not convinced they're working properly as the car takes an age to warm up and the hidden menu indicates circa 75C as its normal running temp which is on the low side.What you get will depend on driving style - I'm not a slow driver but neither do I want to overtake everything in sight.
MPG isn't noticeably different from the 530d's and 330d's I've had.
The wife is DEAD CHUFFED at £300 a year tax. Honest.
So, Man of Pointed Stars. What do i need to know about the car?
I had an E60 525d a while back and used the hidden menu to diagnose dodgy thermostats in that and i got a small increase in MPG's. What's the normal operating temp? It's about 85deg c if i remember rightly?
D.
Davie_GLA said:
Thanks. I think it's a done deal. Deposit paid and pending insurance stuff etc. i'll get a readers car thread up.
The wife is DEAD CHUFFED at £300 a year tax. Honest.
So, Man of Pointed Stars. What do i need to know about the car?
I had an E60 525d a while back and used the hidden menu to diagnose dodgy thermostats in that and i got a small increase in MPG's. What's the normal operating temp? It's about 85deg c if i remember rightly?
D.
About 85C is what I'd expect - you can access the menu in much the same way as the 5 series. Videos for the E65 are available online as I'm sure you know.The wife is DEAD CHUFFED at £300 a year tax. Honest.
So, Man of Pointed Stars. What do i need to know about the car?
I had an E60 525d a while back and used the hidden menu to diagnose dodgy thermostats in that and i got a small increase in MPG's. What's the normal operating temp? It's about 85deg c if i remember rightly?
D.
Post a couple of pics when you can but in the meantime congrats on the purchase - my OH loves our car; it's an incredibly comfortable car to be a passenger in.
There's not a ot else to say if you're already familiar with the 5 - the idrive is slightly different but easy enough to suss out. Use this address:
http://www.bmwarchive.org/vin/bmw-vin-decoder.html
to find out what spec is on your car as in my experience dealers don't have a clue and you may be in for a nice surprise or two!
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