E61 V8 Bearding

[hornetrider]

SPT28 said:

Been keeping an eye on this thread for quite some time and am sorely tempted to go and take a look seeing it's local. Might help reduce the fleet a little.

Looks a reasonable place to be inside so ticks replacing the 330 box, but whether it would do towing/part hauling duties quite as well as my L200 donkey is another thing.

Begs the question what's wrong with my old one? It's 1500 cheaper, has a manual gearbox (arguably better for towing) and has a detachable towbar already fitted.

[SPT28]

I daresay absolutely nothing asides me being too tied up of late to take a day to go and look.

You make a good point about the manual for towing, definitely easier when manoeuvring compared to my limited experience of towing with an auto 520d.

[eliot]

ATM said:

550i M Sport Touring 5dr
2005
87,500 miles
£9,495

http://www2.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

I would still like a 550, but the price of them pushed me onto 750's - there seemed to be more to choose from and a better spec.
I paid £5200 for a 110k 2005 e65 750, which was facelift yet pre april tax rise. To be fair i had to do the valve stem seals, but they are all susceptible at that age/miles.

[ATM]

eliot said:

ATM said:

550i M Sport Touring 5dr
2005
87,500 miles
£9,495

http://www2.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

I would still like a 550, but the price of them pushed me onto 750's - there seemed to be more to choose from and a better spec.
I paid £5200 for a 110k 2005 e65 750, which was facelift yet pre april tax rise. To be fair i had to do the valve stem seals, but they are all susceptible at that age/miles.

Who did the valve seals for you?

[eliot]

ATM said:

Who did the valve seals for you?

I did them myself.
http://www.mez.co.uk/page128.html

[leefee]

Here are some pics after a bit of a clean.

much better!

[bmwmike]

What do the 550i tend to get to a tank? I know it's highly personal depending on usage but with a run can they see 300 miles ?

[philmots]

On a motorway run it's quite easy.

Mine did 260ish living on B roads driven properly.

[VerySideways]

550i SE with comfort seats in that colour combo.
Superb.

(though if it was mine I'd probably de-badge to complete the look)

[hornetrider]

bmwmike said:

What do the 550i tend to get to a tank? I know it's highly personal depending on usage but with a run can they see 300 miles ?

Really? I saw 550 miles on a long run. 350 from a tank with no drama or conservative driving.

[bmwmike]

My driving style I used to get 260 to a tank from an e46 323i and get 300 to 350 to a tankful in my f10 530i.

I've never seen more than 390 miles to a tank in any BMW six pot petrol. By that I mean at the point the light is on. Not guestimating what you'd get at the point it runs out of fuel.8

So a 8 pot e60 can get 550 miles to a tank? What were you driving at 50mph ona straight road ?

Edit 70 litre tank so 550 usable miles has to be approx 37 to 40mpg.. impressive for a large displacement v8.

Edited by bmwmike on Saturday 25th February 16:40

[smashie]

bmwmike said:

What do the 550i tend to get to a tank? I know it's highly personal depending on usage but with a run can they see 300 miles ?

I have at best got 300 miles out of a tank, but no more than that.
I am in the process in looking at LPG conversions for it as I would like more range. Currently looking at about £2k for the conversion, but as it is a keeper and I need the range for towing the caravan, it should be worth it.
Should also make back the costs quite quick. Made it back on Range Rover 4.6 I used to have in under a year.

[JakeT]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...


Another 550i manual. Spec doesn't look too bad, not excellent but some options. Years ticket, too!

[bmwmike]

smashie said:

bmwmike said:

What do the 550i tend to get to a tank? I know it's highly personal depending on usage but with a run can they see 300 miles ?

I have at best got 300 miles out of a tank, but no more than that.
I am in the process in looking at LPG conversions for it as I would like more range. Currently looking at about £2k for the conversion, but as it is a keeper and I need the range for towing the caravan, it should be worth it.
Should also make back the costs quite quick. Made it back on Range Rover 4.6 I used to have in under a year.

Yeah that's more like what I'd expect. Range not drastically less than my 530i.

[hornetrider]

bmwmike said:

So a 8 pot e60 can get 550 miles to a tank? What were you driving at 50mph ona straight road ?

I used to do a few early morning runs from South Wales to Leeds. I'm an mpg geek sometimes so stuck it at 65 on cruise. Mine was a manual as well. That's not the norm by any means, as I said 350 was more the day to day reality.

[hornetrider]

JakeT said:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...


Another 550i manual. Spec doesn't look too bad, not excellent but some options. Years ticket, too!

It's not another one. It's my old one.

[JakeT]

It seems I am a bit of a fool then. Thought I recognised it for some reason. What's the reason for selling?

[hornetrider]

JakeT said:

It seems I am a bit of a fool then. Thought I recognised it for some reason. What's the reason for selling?

You'll have to ask the seller

I sold it last year because after a house move I started doing nearly 30k a year. The current owner bought it off me.

[JakeT]

It seems I am even more of a fool. Sound reason for selling, mind you. I thought you still had it, your profile says so!

[hornetrider]

JakeT said:

It seems I am even more of a fool. Sound reason for selling, mind you. I thought you still had it, your profile says so!

Ha! I'm too ashamed to update it with my current diesel stwagon