Discussion
How long is a piece of string?
They're not a bad old thing but you may want to avoid main dealers and take it to a good specialist. Oil and filter changes are the key to long engine and turbo life so ignore the service schedule and have an oil and filter change every 8-10'000 with a proper fully synthetic. At 60'000 miles, it may not be a bad plan to have the gearbox oil changed as well. The way I run cars, I do oil and filter every 7000 miles, coolant once a year and things like pads etc when the warning light comes on.
Discs and pads are much cheaper aftermarket and you'll still be using decent quality stuff. They are a bit of a gamble, but they're certainly a lot of car for 10 grand.
They're not a bad old thing but you may want to avoid main dealers and take it to a good specialist. Oil and filter changes are the key to long engine and turbo life so ignore the service schedule and have an oil and filter change every 8-10'000 with a proper fully synthetic. At 60'000 miles, it may not be a bad plan to have the gearbox oil changed as well. The way I run cars, I do oil and filter every 7000 miles, coolant once a year and things like pads etc when the warning light comes on.
Discs and pads are much cheaper aftermarket and you'll still be using decent quality stuff. They are a bit of a gamble, but they're certainly a lot of car for 10 grand.
iSore said:
How long is a piece of string?
They're not a bad old thing but you may want to avoid main dealers and take it to a good specialist. Oil and filter changes are the key to long engine and turbo life so ignore the service schedule and have an oil and filter change every 8-10'000 with a proper fully synthetic. At 60'000 miles, it may not be a bad plan to have the gearbox oil changed as well. The way I run cars, I do oil and filter every 7000 miles, coolant once a year and things like pads etc when the warning light comes on.
Discs and pads are much cheaper aftermarket and you'll still be using decent quality stuff. They are a bit of a gamble, but they're certainly a lot of car for 10 grand.
Good advice. I have a 2005 730d with 90k miles now and it's been fine. Parts are certainly no more pricey than any other make and they stand up to abuse well so of you come across a shoddy one you know it's been really hammered. Overdo it on the servicing side and use only OEM parts from somewhere like Eurocarparts. They're exactly the same as you get from a stealer except they don't come in a box with a BMW sticker! Also the advice to find a good indy is spot on. You don't want to be in the hands of a stealer with a 7 Series as to them you're like an ATM walking in the door. They're not a bad old thing but you may want to avoid main dealers and take it to a good specialist. Oil and filter changes are the key to long engine and turbo life so ignore the service schedule and have an oil and filter change every 8-10'000 with a proper fully synthetic. At 60'000 miles, it may not be a bad plan to have the gearbox oil changed as well. The way I run cars, I do oil and filter every 7000 miles, coolant once a year and things like pads etc when the warning light comes on.
Discs and pads are much cheaper aftermarket and you'll still be using decent quality stuff. They are a bit of a gamble, but they're certainly a lot of car for 10 grand.
Overall a huge amount of car for the money and if you find a sweet one you'll be laughing. 40mpg all day long, smooth 6cyl derv, no run flats. JDI!
matt
tson said:
tson said: 40mpg all daylong!? Really? whats a 200mile motorway run likely to achieve?
I've been running a 2006 730d for about 6 months. My best tank has been 44.5mpg over 243 miles (mway to the lakes) and the worst was 29mpg over 204 miles (more town driving). Overall average is 37.8mpg over 14k miles. These are worked out using the odometer, brimming the tank and a calculator (not the computer). The computer has been about 0.5 to 1mpg out on each tank (it's been slightly pessimistic vs. reality).The 3.0 straight 6 turbo diesel engine is the same of as in the 330d and 530d's of course, and therefore has the same swirl flap/egr valve/vortex type crank breather jobs as in those cars, but a little preventative maintenance should see you right on those things. Also means that the service items are a similar cost to on those cars, since it's the same engine. Some stuff is different though, for example the 730d has two pollen filters, but the 330d only has one. There's probably other stuff, but the engines themselves are the same. Brakes and tyres and stuff like that will be more on the bigger car, but using an indy rather than a main dealer will reduce the cost to something I consider to be very reasonable for the type of car.
PS - I think you'll be lucky to find a 60k example in decent nick for £10k. Either you'll need to accept more miles (not an issue on these cars IMO) or you'll need to increase your budget.
PPS - I'm enjoying mine - it's a great place to cover motorway miles.
Edited by mrmr96 on Friday 29th June 15:45
most i've viewed have shown an average of 36-39mpg on their trip computers
yeah 730d's are good on lease but nearly £500 pm with nothing to show for it is too much imho. £300 pm inc vat for a c class coupe that will do 55mpg is better value in my opinion.
obviously the 730d is a better car but hey ho
yeah 730d's are good on lease but nearly £500 pm with nothing to show for it is too much imho. £300 pm inc vat for a c class coupe that will do 55mpg is better value in my opinion.
obviously the 730d is a better car but hey ho
mrmr96 said:
I've been running a 2006 730d for about 6 months. My best tank has been 44.5mpg over 243 miles (mway to the lakes) and the worst was 29mpg over 204 miles (more town driving). Overall average is 37.8mpg over 14k miles. These are worked out using the odometer, brimming the tank and a calculator (not the computer). The computer has been about 0.5 to 1mpg out on each tank (it's been slightly pessimistic vs. reality).
The 3.0 straight 6 turbo diesel engine is the same of as in the 330d and 530d's of course, and therefore has the same swirl flap/egr valve/vortex type crank breather jobs as in those cars, but a little preventative maintenance should see you right on those things. Also means that the service items are a similar cost to on those cars, since it's the same engine. Some stuff is different though, for example the 730d has two pollen filters, but the 330d only has one. There's probably other stuff, but the engines themselves are the same. Brakes and tyres and stuff like that will be more on the bigger car, but using an indy rather than a main dealer will reduce the cost to something I consider to be very reasonable for the type of car.
PS - I think you'll be lucky to find a 60k example in decent nick for £10k. Either you'll need to accept more miles (not an issue on these cars IMO) or you'll need to increase your budget.
PPS - I'm enjoying mine - it's a great place to cover motorway miles.
think i agree with you on the budget, but i'm just reluctant to spend more, if i can't get one cheapish then i'll lease a merc c220 cdi or poss a lexus is220d if I go down the dirt cheap route!The 3.0 straight 6 turbo diesel engine is the same of as in the 330d and 530d's of course, and therefore has the same swirl flap/egr valve/vortex type crank breather jobs as in those cars, but a little preventative maintenance should see you right on those things. Also means that the service items are a similar cost to on those cars, since it's the same engine. Some stuff is different though, for example the 730d has two pollen filters, but the 330d only has one. There's probably other stuff, but the engines themselves are the same. Brakes and tyres and stuff like that will be more on the bigger car, but using an indy rather than a main dealer will reduce the cost to something I consider to be very reasonable for the type of car.
PS - I think you'll be lucky to find a 60k example in decent nick for £10k. Either you'll need to accept more miles (not an issue on these cars IMO) or you'll need to increase your budget.
PPS - I'm enjoying mine - it's a great place to cover motorway miles.
Edited by mrmr96 on Friday 29th June 15:45
jonah35 said:
most i've viewed have shown an average of 36-39mpg on their trip computers
yeah 730d's are good on lease but nearly £500 pm with nothing to show for it is too much imho. £300 pm inc vat for a c class coupe that will do 55mpg is better value in my opinion.
obviously the 730d is a better car but hey ho
Yes, I agree. But there are some stonking PCP deals on 18 month old 15'000 mile cars which have already halved in value down to around 30 grand. Thing is, because the 5 Series is so good, there's not much demand for the 7 anymore. The C Class Coupe is quite a smart thing but it's not in the same league as a 7 Series which is a big wafty old thing.yeah 730d's are good on lease but nearly £500 pm with nothing to show for it is too much imho. £300 pm inc vat for a c class coupe that will do 55mpg is better value in my opinion.
obviously the 730d is a better car but hey ho
I wouldn't really entertain an old leggy E65. Timing chains are a known weak spot on these in high mileage but it's most likely due to the ridiculously long service intervals.
In terms of fuel economy, here's what I get on my commute, which is a mix of A-roads, motorway, country lanes and some stop start town stuff at the end. I rarely see much under 40mpg.
And for a laugh, the numbers from when I do the journey in my wife's E92 325i.
I'd happily have another one. After 90k miles and nearly five years mine still drives and looks like it did the day I got it when it was only 23 months old.
It's hard argue with the pull of a no-hassle lease car for the same money, but £3600 for 3 years and nothing at the end is worse than £10k for a tidy E65 that will still be worth, say £5k if you look after it and is arguably a nicer motor. Decisions, decisions, eh?
And for a laugh, the numbers from when I do the journey in my wife's E92 325i.
I'd happily have another one. After 90k miles and nearly five years mine still drives and looks like it did the day I got it when it was only 23 months old.
It's hard argue with the pull of a no-hassle lease car for the same money, but £3600 for 3 years and nothing at the end is worse than £10k for a tidy E65 that will still be worth, say £5k if you look after it and is arguably a nicer motor. Decisions, decisions, eh?
jonah35 said:
Thanks chaps. Its that or lease a new c class coupe amg sport for £298 pm hassle free. Trying to work out which is cheaper.
The merc will have warranty and more mpg and no depreciation but obviously the regular monthly cost.
No depreciation? The monthly cost is the depreciation, mainly!The merc will have warranty and more mpg and no depreciation but obviously the regular monthly cost.
bennyboydurham said:
In terms of fuel economy, here's what I get on my commute, which is a mix of A-roads, motorway, country lanes and some stop start town stuff at the end. I rarely see much under 40mpg.
And for a laugh, the numbers from when I do the journey in my wife's E92 325i.
I'd happily have another one. After 90k miles and nearly five years mine still drives and looks like it did the day I got it when it was only 23 months old.
It's hard argue with the pull of a no-hassle lease car for the same money, but £3600 for 3 years and nothing at the end is worse than £10k for a tidy E65 that will still be worth, say £5k if you look after it and is arguably a nicer motor. Decisions, decisions, eh?
That's really high average speed!! I have only been averaging between 17 mph and 22 mph each year during the last decade!! And for a laugh, the numbers from when I do the journey in my wife's E92 325i.
I'd happily have another one. After 90k miles and nearly five years mine still drives and looks like it did the day I got it when it was only 23 months old.
It's hard argue with the pull of a no-hassle lease car for the same money, but £3600 for 3 years and nothing at the end is worse than £10k for a tidy E65 that will still be worth, say £5k if you look after it and is arguably a nicer motor. Decisions, decisions, eh?
I averaged 22mpg in town on my W220 S320L CDI so I can only assume 730d to average 25mpg at best in town driving ... Having said that, 70mph average speed cruise was around 45mpg so again I assume the 730d can do better than that.
Gassing Station | BMW General | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff