Hello from London! Aspiring to be a 530d owner
Discussion
Hi all! Just thought I would introduce myself.
I am looking to be a first-time BMW owner within the next month.
I am currently looking for an E60 530d (will consider a 525d or 520d too) around the London(UK) area either from private or trade sellers.
I have spent the last month reading up about the E60s and have decided to take the plunge
despite reading about the issues with swirl flaps/butterfly valves and the EGR.
This will be my first BMW and I want a car I can look after to ensure it lasts me the next 10 years or so.
If you have any tips/advise/experience you want to impart on me I would be more than grateful!
Looking forward to being an active member of this community
Si
I am looking to be a first-time BMW owner within the next month.
I am currently looking for an E60 530d (will consider a 525d or 520d too) around the London(UK) area either from private or trade sellers.I have spent the last month reading up about the E60s and have decided to take the plunge
despite reading about the issues with swirl flaps/butterfly valves and the EGR.
This will be my first BMW and I want a car I can look after to ensure it lasts me the next 10 years or so.
If you have any tips/advise/experience you want to impart on me I would be more than grateful!
Looking forward to being an active member of this community
Si
WOW, didn't realise I had hit a forum nerve with the word "aspiring"...
So perhaps I should give you the low-down on why I use that word:
1st Car: 1988 Vauxhall Astra 1.3 DOHC Mk2 <--- rust bucket, ragged, cared for (did all the work: servicing, electrics, body repairs, belts and alternator, brake pad/caliper/discs/fluid/master cylinder, distributor and carb repairs, engine rocker cover repairs, exhaust manifold repairs, clutch replacement and shock replacement), first (ridiculous) sound system installed (sub, 16x9s, tweeters +6 CD changer) and passed onto sibling at which point it was stolen and burnt, melted to the ground, by some *@"!#~** in Bristol
2nd Car: 1992 Citroen ZX 1.9 Turbo Diesel Volcane <--- S**t box, again did all the work needed to it to maintain but had a major issue with oil leak from the turbo that neither I or mechanics could find, exhaust smoked like a '80s pub when on boost (turbo likely roasted from lack of lube) eventually written off (bumper and left wing pushed back 1 inch, is that really a write off? insurers?) because that car does not brake quickly enough to avoid idiots stopping in the middle of a 40mph road for no reason right in front of you...
3rd Car: 1992 Pug 205 1.1 Zest <--- Lovely little (very basic) runner, used like a tourer, maintained and loved... driven from London to Scotland and Wales several times, driven to France, Belgium, German and Netherlands, probably still going now but traded out for the "comfort" of the next car...
4th Car: 1996 Ford Escort Mk6 1.6 EFi Zetec <--- This is a soldier...it just keeps going! Keeping the ol' girl going with love and parts, driven to the North several times, Isle of Sky and back, Wales, Cornwall, 60k covered in 3yrs on just weekends and holidays
5th Car: Never happened...was to be a Mitsubishi Sigma 3.0 V6 1992 with TC and adjustable ride height, but could not get it running, something not right with the fuel system and needed a rebuild from the tank to the injectors...not worth the hassle, so, still on the 4th car
This, ladies and gentlemen, is a sad and pathetic car history. Time to step up the game a little.
rb5er: Yes, a BMW 530d is an aspiration in comparison. An M3/M4/M5 would be nice but are not in my budget and not applicable to my current situation; next 2 cars after this will be an S-Line Audi Q5, and then a Maserati Grantourismo. Ultimate aspiration would be an Aston Martin Rapide S and a 1966 AC Shelby Cobra 427 ... don't ask me why. I don't think anyone should have to explain why they want their top choice
Djtemeka / rb5er: I do a lot of leisure miles living on the edge of London (14-18k/year min) and driving to holiday destinations. The diesel fuel efficiency is better on short journeys but I will do more than enough long journeys to clear out the DPF if that is what you are worried about? I would drive to the Alps more for Skiing and snowboarding but it is not worth the cost and extra time.
cerb4.5lee / dave_s13: Thanks for the note! I am looking at an '07 520d E60 tomorrow, purely because it is low mileage and in impeccable condition in and out but it is grating me that I am considering it instead of sticking to my guns on a 530d or a 525d
Broaders: Looking at doing the swirl flap delete and inlet manifold clean myself, doesn't look difficult. Looking for an Auto so the missus can drive it as well
Spanglepants: Cheers for the tips, one of the reasons I am considering the 5-series diesels is because they have great economy while giving power and comfort, I am looking for one with working Bluetooth but it is not a make/break option.
dave_s13: I agree, E60/1 are "proper" cars, build for chewing miles. I will probably move on from it when the car gives up from the miles...my current and previous above "cars" are A->B runners only and not really comfort for long distances. Noting wrong with them on that level but they are just for utility, not pleasure.
So perhaps I should give you the low-down on why I use that word:
1st Car: 1988 Vauxhall Astra 1.3 DOHC Mk2 <--- rust bucket, ragged, cared for (did all the work: servicing, electrics, body repairs, belts and alternator, brake pad/caliper/discs/fluid/master cylinder, distributor and carb repairs, engine rocker cover repairs, exhaust manifold repairs, clutch replacement and shock replacement), first (ridiculous) sound system installed (sub, 16x9s, tweeters +6 CD changer) and passed onto sibling at which point it was stolen and burnt, melted to the ground, by some *@"!#~** in Bristol
2nd Car: 1992 Citroen ZX 1.9 Turbo Diesel Volcane <--- S**t box, again did all the work needed to it to maintain but had a major issue with oil leak from the turbo that neither I or mechanics could find, exhaust smoked like a '80s pub when on boost (turbo likely roasted from lack of lube) eventually written off (bumper and left wing pushed back 1 inch, is that really a write off? insurers?) because that car does not brake quickly enough to avoid idiots stopping in the middle of a 40mph road for no reason right in front of you...
3rd Car: 1992 Pug 205 1.1 Zest <--- Lovely little (very basic) runner, used like a tourer, maintained and loved... driven from London to Scotland and Wales several times, driven to France, Belgium, German and Netherlands, probably still going now but traded out for the "comfort" of the next car...
4th Car: 1996 Ford Escort Mk6 1.6 EFi Zetec <--- This is a soldier...it just keeps going! Keeping the ol' girl going with love and parts, driven to the North several times, Isle of Sky and back, Wales, Cornwall, 60k covered in 3yrs on just weekends and holidays
5th Car: Never happened...was to be a Mitsubishi Sigma 3.0 V6 1992 with TC and adjustable ride height, but could not get it running, something not right with the fuel system and needed a rebuild from the tank to the injectors...not worth the hassle, so, still on the 4th car
This, ladies and gentlemen, is a sad and pathetic car history. Time to step up the game a little.
rb5er: Yes, a BMW 530d is an aspiration in comparison. An M3/M4/M5 would be nice but are not in my budget and not applicable to my current situation; next 2 cars after this will be an S-Line Audi Q5, and then a Maserati Grantourismo. Ultimate aspiration would be an Aston Martin Rapide S and a 1966 AC Shelby Cobra 427 ... don't ask me why. I don't think anyone should have to explain why they want their top choice
Djtemeka / rb5er: I do a lot of leisure miles living on the edge of London (14-18k/year min) and driving to holiday destinations. The diesel fuel efficiency is better on short journeys but I will do more than enough long journeys to clear out the DPF if that is what you are worried about? I would drive to the Alps more for Skiing and snowboarding but it is not worth the cost and extra time.
cerb4.5lee / dave_s13: Thanks for the note! I am looking at an '07 520d E60 tomorrow, purely because it is low mileage and in impeccable condition in and out but it is grating me that I am considering it instead of sticking to my guns on a 530d or a 525d
Broaders: Looking at doing the swirl flap delete and inlet manifold clean myself, doesn't look difficult. Looking for an Auto so the missus can drive it as well
Spanglepants: Cheers for the tips, one of the reasons I am considering the 5-series diesels is because they have great economy while giving power and comfort, I am looking for one with working Bluetooth but it is not a make/break option.
dave_s13: I agree, E60/1 are "proper" cars, build for chewing miles. I will probably move on from it when the car gives up from the miles...my current and previous above "cars" are A->B runners only and not really comfort for long distances. Noting wrong with them on that level but they are just for utility, not pleasure.
Viewed and drove a 520d w/M-Sport pack today, nice example, a little wear and tear to the leather interior/exterior but not unexpected. I see what people mean with the 520d vs 530d, the uptake is nice and quick but it runs out of guts far quicker than expected, but nice when cruising. Engine sounded nominal, a little turbo whistle when revving stood still from cold but was not there when taking up to 60 on dual-carriageway. Cracking in-tread off-side run-flat on non-BMW alloys, rumbled a little around roundabout
£7k , 100K, 11/2007 registered . Worth it?
14-7: I am sure he was only trying to help in his own "unique" way
£7k , 100K, 11/2007 registered . Worth it?
14-7: I am sure he was only trying to help in his own "unique" way
dave_s13: Thanks for the assist but that is a little out of my budget, I also know someone with a 2008 525i petrol who has warned me that it drinks fuel. I had discounted the petrol for this reason and that previously having looked at the official and unofficial consumption figures. I love the sound of the petrol engine though.
Think more along the lines of this: http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...
I am looking at the £5-7k mark to allow me some money to do additional maintenance within the 1st year or possibly get a warranty/GAP insurance. Anyone got advice on if this is worth it? Some of the trade sellers have a crap warranty (covers some items like turbo or suspension but no engine failure) and others seem to have a fully comprehensive one for up to £600
Think more along the lines of this: http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...
I am looking at the £5-7k mark to allow me some money to do additional maintenance within the 1st year or possibly get a warranty/GAP insurance. Anyone got advice on if this is worth it? Some of the trade sellers have a crap warranty (covers some items like turbo or suspension but no engine failure) and others seem to have a fully comprehensive one for up to £600
For those of you about to tell me to google the N47 engine based E60 for timing chain failures, I have read about that. "N47 / N47D20A" (PUMA 13588845-03 registered issue) engines timing chain catastrophic failures. Even without the failure the work to get it changed and re-calibrated is silly money (£3k+). It is one of the reasons I originally discounted the 520d and decided on the 530d/525d .
When I booked the test drive they told me this was an 07 reg vehicle, so it is possible it could have been M47 or N47. On this test drive I specifically listened to the engine at idle, 1500rpm, 3000rpm and at all cruising speeds including hard and light acceleration.
That said, I still think that I would like a bit more poke in the drive anyway so I will most likely stick to a M57 based E60, power and economy
When I booked the test drive they told me this was an 07 reg vehicle, so it is possible it could have been M47 or N47. On this test drive I specifically listened to the engine at idle, 1500rpm, 3000rpm and at all cruising speeds including hard and light acceleration.
That said, I still think that I would like a bit more poke in the drive anyway so I will most likely stick to a M57 based E60, power and economy
Edited by th3h1ghlander on Sunday 20th September 20:32
Smuler: These cars, 5-series diesel, should do 240k at least before they become too much maintenance hassle (I hope) although I plan to drive it into the ground. Up to 18k is correct although some years may be less (depends on how much time I have to take holidays). Last three years I have done 12k, 6k, 17k approx. Up to 10 years is also correct, realistically I will probably be considering an upgrade by yr 6-7 but depends on how much I love driving the car.
I wanted something with a little more prestige than a 3-series (although this is where I started my search) and so I have settled on the 5-series.
I regularly drive up to Lincoln, Brigg and Beverley so I will do
I wanted something with a little more prestige than a 3-series (although this is where I started my search) and so I have settled on the 5-series.
I regularly drive up to Lincoln, Brigg and Beverley so I will do
dave_s13: You are right, I won't get the LCI for my budget, so I will have to settle for an '06 pre-LCI 25/30d as a compromise.
The LCI 20d is the model that had the timing chain issue which is why there are so many '07 around for sale with good mileage. Sounds like the 520d is only safe to get with the M47 engine which is 2003-2007 (early reg only), I think the one I saw today was a late reg so probably at risk of timing chain issue.
The LCI 20d is the model that had the timing chain issue which is why there are so many '07 around for sale with good mileage. Sounds like the 520d is only safe to get with the M47 engine which is 2003-2007 (early reg only), I think the one I saw today was a late reg so probably at risk of timing chain issue.
One thing I did notice with the auto LCI 520d I test drove, the down-shift on kick-down was what I would think of as laggy or slow to react. Is this a result of the smaller engine model or a possible issue I need to look out for?
ZX10R NIN: Cheers. I already have a few of those saved already for further investigation and am reviewing a full AutoTrader search every day for new listings. Majority of LCI models are out of my current budget except for a few 520d and higher mileage 525/530d. So I would rather go for a lower mileage 05/06 . Sticking with Auto models so the missus can drive it.
Vee: Will be doing enough miles and planning to put aside £600-750/year for servicing and wear+tear although I will be servicing myself if not under warranty (where possible)
halo34: I take most trolling as containing some level of constructive criticism, doesn't bother me anyhow. I am glad of any input that will help me avoid a mistake in judgement, especially when I comes to parting with a chunk of cash. Considered the petrol but the MPG is not appealing (probably why they are garnering a lower price) enough until you get to the very new models. 530d is still my goal. If/when I do decide to remap to increase the *ahem* "fuel efficiency" should I tell the missus? I think the 530d will be more than enough fun until I upgrade again
ZX10R NIN: Cheers. I already have a few of those saved already for further investigation and am reviewing a full AutoTrader search every day for new listings. Majority of LCI models are out of my current budget except for a few 520d and higher mileage 525/530d. So I would rather go for a lower mileage 05/06 . Sticking with Auto models so the missus can drive it.
Vee: Will be doing enough miles and planning to put aside £600-750/year for servicing and wear+tear although I will be servicing myself if not under warranty (where possible)
halo34: I take most trolling as containing some level of constructive criticism, doesn't bother me anyhow. I am glad of any input that will help me avoid a mistake in judgement, especially when I comes to parting with a chunk of cash. Considered the petrol but the MPG is not appealing (probably why they are garnering a lower price) enough until you get to the very new models. 530d is still my goal. If/when I do decide to remap to increase the *ahem* "fuel efficiency" should I tell the missus?
I think the 530d will be more than enough fun until I upgrade againSmuler: Actually I had not considered BCA, I will check it out. Only auctions I was looking at were ebay and I was ignoring the actual auctions and checking through the classifieds only. I was ignoring the auctions as there is a time pressure to them and direct competition to purchase. I don't want to force myself into buying something for fear I will miss a deal. For me, that mentality is fine for cheap or brand new items but for anything more than a cheap car I am not sure I could risk it unless it was an actual ex-dealership shifting stock situation.
rb5er / ZX10R NIN: OK...so what do you guys consider "High mileage"? UK average is 10k miles a year right? So for a 10y/o car 100k miles is not high mileage, and not what I would consider high mileage. (I would think more of 130k+ to be high mileage). That said, mileage is more of a killer to car parts than age (as long as they are regularly used and maintained) so what is the point in me considering an 07/08 vehicle if it has the same mileage as the 05/06 and paying £3-4k more for the privilege? Yes, I know the newer LCI models "should" mean that issues with the original design are ironed out but as seen with the 2.0L diesel engines BMW refreshed this is not always the case.
It is a given that any half-decent modern car is expensive to repair, any modern BMW is unlikely to buck this trend. I had the (mis?)fortune of assisting in the regular maintenance of a Mazda RX8 231 (filters,brakes,clutch,gearbox,alternator,starter and numerous push-starts due to engine flood issue) and anything wrong with it cost through the nose for parts (I don't need to tell you that they are not cheap cars to drive/maintain in general). Jap and German cars/parts are not cheap but you would hope that the price tag comes with their famed reliability and durability. Cheap Korean/Euro/Eastern Euro built cars, from non premium brands, may be cheap and cheerful, but they feel cheap too, they are also not really cheaper on labour time if something big goes wrong.
I am hearing what you are saying and I am taking it seriously.
So...I guess I must really sound naive. Looks like you know better than I do:
ZX10R NIN: Your recommendation is to go for a petrol BMW 5-series LCI/facelift with low milage (50k?) ?
rb5er: Your recommendation is to give up, stick with my crappy Ford Escort, keep spending a mediocre amount to keep it on the road, save up and aspire to something more worthy of your praise? But seriously, any suggestions on a real alternative, you are saying you recommend sticking to a petrol non-BMW as well?
What are you suggesting the hefty bills will be on, if I stuck to my original?
Engine / turbo / manifold / DPF failure?
Random electronic/sensor error needing extensive investigation only to find the cause is a £30 sensor (e.g. Passenger occupancy sensor)?
Suspension / Chassis / Alloy damage/failure?
IF, after advice (scaremongering?), I still go with a 530d, after giving it a full once-over, the first work I would do would be removing as much risk of catastrophic failure as possible e.g. a swirl flap delete and inlet manifold clean and ensure that oil change and filter changes have been done.
If I am missing the point, let me know (it is early in the week and brain is not turning over yet)
It is a given that any half-decent modern car is expensive to repair, any modern BMW is unlikely to buck this trend. I had the (mis?)fortune of assisting in the regular maintenance of a Mazda RX8 231 (filters,brakes,clutch,gearbox,alternator,starter and numerous push-starts due to engine flood issue) and anything wrong with it cost through the nose for parts (I don't need to tell you that they are not cheap cars to drive/maintain in general). Jap and German cars/parts are not cheap but you would hope that the price tag comes with their famed reliability and durability. Cheap Korean/Euro/Eastern Euro built cars, from non premium brands, may be cheap and cheerful, but they feel cheap too, they are also not really cheaper on labour time if something big goes wrong.
I am hearing what you are saying and I am taking it seriously.
So...I guess I must really sound naive. Looks like you know better than I do:
ZX10R NIN: Your recommendation is to go for a petrol BMW 5-series LCI/facelift with low milage (50k?) ?
rb5er: Your recommendation is to give up, stick with my crappy Ford Escort, keep spending a mediocre amount to keep it on the road, save up and aspire to something more worthy of your praise? But seriously, any suggestions on a real alternative, you are saying you recommend sticking to a petrol non-BMW as well?
What are you suggesting the hefty bills will be on, if I stuck to my original?
Engine / turbo / manifold / DPF failure?
Random electronic/sensor error needing extensive investigation only to find the cause is a £30 sensor (e.g. Passenger occupancy sensor)?
Suspension / Chassis / Alloy damage/failure?
IF, after advice (scaremongering?), I still go with a 530d, after giving it a full once-over, the first work I would do would be removing as much risk of catastrophic failure as possible e.g. a swirl flap delete and inlet manifold clean and ensure that oil change and filter changes have been done.
If I am missing the point, let me know (it is early in the week and brain is not turning over yet)
Calm down chaps, no need to get yer feathers ruffled.
ZX10R NIN: I did actually see your original post of potentials and I replied with the following earlier in the day:
RWD cossie wil: Glad to see you have had good experiences with the 530d thus far, good luck with your search (I did chuckle at "bellendery" XD ) I have always been fond of the E46 M3, 3 contractors I work with all have one, but I would never convince the missus it was the right choice for us (I can cream though). I am far more likely to be able to (quietly) mod the car I get to put it over the "fun" line.
rb5er: As I said before, your points are noted, but I am still interested in what empirically you think will incur the hefty bills (see my previous post)? If you read my previous posts, I am planning to put aside £600-750/year for parts and maintenance, if repairs outstrip this I will not be happy but I accept the possibility (most people it comes to as a complete shock). If repairs in the 1st 2yrs outstrip the £2k mark you can reserve the right to quote "Told ya" and we can all go on with our lives happy that you can give The Pythia a run for her money. Owzat?
ZX10R NIN: I did actually see your original post of potentials and I replied with the following earlier in the day:
th3h1ghlander said:
ZX10R NIN: Cheers. I already have a few of those saved already for further investigation and am reviewing a full AutoTrader search every day for new listings. Majority of LCI models are out of my current budget except for a few 520d and higher mileage 525/530d. So I would rather go for a lower mileage 05/06 . Sticking with Auto models so the missus can drive it.
I admit that I misunderstood the spirit of your last line about the naturally aspirated petrol engined cars and otherwise large repair bills, apologies. Your points are most welcomed and I appreciate the time you took to provide suggested motors. These are on my list of considerations.RWD cossie wil: Glad to see you have had good experiences with the 530d thus far, good luck with your search (I did chuckle at "bellendery" XD ) I have always been fond of the E46 M3, 3 contractors I work with all have one, but I would never convince the missus it was the right choice for us (I can cream though). I am far more likely to be able to (quietly) mod the car I get to put it over the "fun" line.
rb5er: As I said before, your points are noted, but I am still interested in what empirically you think will incur the hefty bills (see my previous post)? If you read my previous posts, I am planning to put aside £600-750/year for parts and maintenance, if repairs outstrip this I will not be happy but I accept the possibility (most people it comes to as a complete shock). If repairs in the 1st 2yrs outstrip the £2k mark you can reserve the right to quote "Told ya" and we can all go on with our lives happy that you can give The Pythia a run for her money. Owzat?
dave_s13: Nice one, thanks for the tip. The other day when I had a look at one I tried to get some more in depth diag info but couldn't find it, guess this is why.
Smuler: I guess I should think of initial wear and tear part replacement separately: £800 for tyres (non-crappy-run-flats), £200 for brake pads (front/back), £200-300 for other buts and bobs like fluids and filters. After this is taken into account, then I should set aside the £750/yr for unexpected. I guess I can mitigate my own wear and tear.
Smuler: I guess I should think of initial wear and tear part replacement separately: £800 for tyres (non-crappy-run-flats), £200 for brake pads (front/back), £200-300 for other buts and bobs like fluids and filters. After this is taken into account, then I should set aside the £750/yr for unexpected. I guess I can mitigate my own wear and tear.
Smuler: my budget is up to £7k but I can push that envelope if absolutely necessary. I am looking at M-Sport models and am going to stick to the 525/530d unless I see something really worthwhile. I am probably being dumb here but what is a AU car and why would it come with a warranty? (Something like an approved affiliate BMW dealer some comes with BMW extended warranty?) Cheers for the sytner link!
Tonberry: Great post, extremely useful for me. I will try to stick to LCI models if possible but then the budget becomes quite tight, but from the sounds of everyone's advice this may save some maintenance costs. Thanks for the "items of note" list, this is useful to verify what I have read elsewhere. I will try to find some sort of workshop manual (Haynes?) for them and have a good ol' read to see what I can and cannot do myself realistically. I am avoiding SE cars and am primarily looking at only M-Sports, and I am only looking at Autos.
What I have read on the items of note:
Swirl flaps- Get them removed ASAP,not a difficult job
Turbo- Failure due to lack of oil/filter changes, swirl flap components, expensive to replace. Listen for noise or whistling that indicates failure, or excessive smoking from exhaust (will most likely kill the DPF
Injectors- not read about this yet
EGR- Some people bypass them,as they cause soot build-up in the inlet and exhaust manifold as well as chucking more crap into the engine and oil, I would probably leave it
EGR Cooler- not read about this yes
Inlet Manifold- these get coated in thick soot due to EGR, require cleaning. These also crack, people have to replace with a cast inlet manifold. I would take it off and clean it out with a steam/pressure cleaner
Glow plug module- not read about this yet
DPF- People doing short mileage kill these, this will not be an issue for me although I will need to keep an eye out for issues. Would probably attempt a DPF clean or replacement myself.
Tonberry: Great post, extremely useful for me. I will try to stick to LCI models if possible but then the budget becomes quite tight, but from the sounds of everyone's advice this may save some maintenance costs. Thanks for the "items of note" list, this is useful to verify what I have read elsewhere. I will try to find some sort of workshop manual (Haynes?) for them and have a good ol' read to see what I can and cannot do myself realistically. I am avoiding SE cars and am primarily looking at only M-Sports, and I am only looking at Autos.
What I have read on the items of note:
Swirl flaps- Get them removed ASAP,not a difficult job
Turbo- Failure due to lack of oil/filter changes, swirl flap components, expensive to replace. Listen for noise or whistling that indicates failure, or excessive smoking from exhaust (will most likely kill the DPF
Injectors- not read about this yet
EGR- Some people bypass them,as they cause soot build-up in the inlet and exhaust manifold as well as chucking more crap into the engine and oil, I would probably leave it
EGR Cooler- not read about this yes
Inlet Manifold- these get coated in thick soot due to EGR, require cleaning. These also crack, people have to replace with a cast inlet manifold. I would take it off and clean it out with a steam/pressure cleaner
Glow plug module- not read about this yet
DPF- People doing short mileage kill these, this will not be an issue for me although I will need to keep an eye out for issues. Would probably attempt a DPF clean or replacement myself.
to3m: Spreadsheet is a great idea. If I can be bothered (and find the time) I will bash together a quick phone app/mobile web page to easily log mileage, cost, rate and item (fuel/part/labour), something that can output to a spreadsheet afterwards
dave_s13: Perhaps you will get another one again some day? I am considering the Tourer model as well (for some reason they seem to be the same price second hand as the saloon but seem to have higher specs (more bells and whistles). Tourer is better for convenience but I think the saloon looks better. (I am not looking at getting big dogs as well, if I was the Tourer would be my choice)
dave_s13: Perhaps you will get another one again some day? I am considering the Tourer model as well (for some reason they seem to be the same price second hand as the saloon but seem to have higher specs (more bells and whistles). Tourer is better for convenience but I think the saloon looks better. (I am not looking at getting big dogs as well, if I was the Tourer would be my choice)
cerb4.5lee: that is a lovely motor and I would consider one for me like that if it was the 3.0l TD and had cream leather and wood trim (actually, almost exactly like this one but with lower milage and a M-Sport model, not the SE:
http://www.raccars.co.uk/used-bmw/5-series/details... )
smuler: I will keep an eye on the AU. There is not much of interest to me at the moment on Autotrader/ebay/motors.co.uk/vcars/raccars .There are one or two to consider but a lot of the good ones I was keeping an eye on are gone. There is always another eh?
Labs prefer Fords, French Bulldogs prefer BMWs (M4s to be specific )
Wills2: Pot noodle? Don't you mean a Ginsters or Rustlers? XD
(actually, almost exactly like this one but with lower milage and a M-Sport model, not the SE:http://www.raccars.co.uk/used-bmw/5-series/details... )
smuler: I will keep an eye on the AU. There is not much of interest to me at the moment on Autotrader/ebay/motors.co.uk/vcars/raccars .There are one or two to consider but a lot of the good ones I was keeping an eye on are gone. There is always another eh?
Labs prefer Fords, French Bulldogs prefer BMWs (M4s to be specific
)Wills2: Pot noodle? Don't you mean a Ginsters or Rustlers? XD
Here is a stupid question for all of you following this thread. Anyone attempted a 5-series turbo replacement on their own? I can see there are plenty of companies offering a turbo rebuild or replacement turbos, and the replacement instructions do not seem too difficult (although there are a lot of caveats). I have been told by others that you need full diagnostic equipment and rolling road to tune ecu to a new Turbo but I am sceptical.
Likewise, anyone done DPF replacement? It looks pretty easy, DPF is around £300 and yet I hear that people pay around £3k to get them replaced. Shouldn't they just bolt out and in on the exhaust coupling? (also just unplug and re-plug the sensors)
Likewise, anyone done DPF replacement? It looks pretty easy, DPF is around £300 and yet I hear that people pay around £3k to get them replaced. Shouldn't they just bolt out and in on the exhaust coupling? (also just unplug and re-plug the sensors)
Edited by th3h1ghlander on Saturday 26th September 22:31
Gassing Station | BMW General | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff