Discussion
I'm thinking of freeing up some cash by selling my Focus and buying a £1000-£1500 BMW 5 Series...
Something like this...
Am I looking at an expensive car to run? Obviously it'll get looked after by independent local mechanics so I wont be paying absurd BMW servicing rates....
Any advice gratefully received.
Something like this...
Am I looking at an expensive car to run? Obviously it'll get looked after by independent local mechanics so I wont be paying absurd BMW servicing rates....
Any advice gratefully received.
Edited by Marty Funkhouser on Tuesday 21st September 23:27
Ah... old German cars. If you get a good one it'll go on so long you'll end up selling it just to stop it being the only car you ever drive. If you're prepared to put up with niggles or do your own investigation into electrical problems (they're usually minor things like a short from some chafed insulation or a plug coming loose) then it'll last forever cheaply, too.
Buy at the top of the market or something with an obvious up-front reason for being cheap like high miles, unpopular colour, or bizarre choice of trim levels. Not worth anything else on an old car, you'll erode your savings on little jobs that need doing a few weeks after getting it home otherwise. (Not major stuff, but the little things that a warranty company will consider fair wear and tear on a 13 year old car.) I'd also on hard-won experience avoid any dealer marketing themselves as "THE CHEAPEST" - at this end of the market the way they do it is by having abysmal standards of prep and presenting auction-sourced cars with obvious faults until they get a punter who doesn't notice or doesn't know any better.
Far better to go with someone who charges a few hundred quid more and takes their time sourcing cars and making sure they're up to scratch. (Or a good private sale, the typical warranty cover on a car of that age/price may not cover much.) You'll save it in the first year and have a much nicer car as a result.
Buy at the top of the market or something with an obvious up-front reason for being cheap like high miles, unpopular colour, or bizarre choice of trim levels. Not worth anything else on an old car, you'll erode your savings on little jobs that need doing a few weeks after getting it home otherwise. (Not major stuff, but the little things that a warranty company will consider fair wear and tear on a 13 year old car.) I'd also on hard-won experience avoid any dealer marketing themselves as "THE CHEAPEST" - at this end of the market the way they do it is by having abysmal standards of prep and presenting auction-sourced cars with obvious faults until they get a punter who doesn't notice or doesn't know any better.
Far better to go with someone who charges a few hundred quid more and takes their time sourcing cars and making sure they're up to scratch. (Or a good private sale, the typical warranty cover on a car of that age/price may not cover much.) You'll save it in the first year and have a much nicer car as a result.
Edited by Timberwolf on Tuesday 21st September 23:57
Marty Funkhouser said:
I'm thinking of freeing up some cash by selling my Focus and buying a £1000-£1500 BMW 5 Series...
Something like this...
Am I looking at an expensive car to run? Obviously it'll get looked after by independent local mechanics so I wont be paying absurd BMW servicing rates....
Any advice gratefully received.
I had one. I mean a 523iSE, 1997 model year on a P reg.Something like this...
Am I looking at an expensive car to run? Obviously it'll get looked after by independent local mechanics so I wont be paying absurd BMW servicing rates....
Any advice gratefully received.
Edited by Marty Funkhouser on Tuesday 21st September 23:27
Things which went wrong with it in 2 years and about 26K miles:
- waterpump (early ones had plastic impellers, which eventually fall off. later (and replacement) pumps are metal). This failed on day #1 and was replaced by the trader.
- passenger side airbag sensor (which is a plastic mat embedded in the seat - pig of a job to get at)
- radiator burst (this could have happened to a brand new car as it was stonechip damage)
- faulty rear electric window (who cares?!)
- new clutch & dual mass flywheel (It did a valiant job getting to 119k miles by itself)
I got the car for £2600 and sold it for £1800 iirc. Best value car I've ever had.
One piece of advice I'd give is that it's relatively straightforward to do a compression check on these engines (M52B25). The actual engine itself had a nasty problem with the coatings on the bores (it's Nikasil, which gets eaten by sulphuric fuels) - a compression check can allay fears that there's something nasty lurking in there. I had mine done on day #2 (after it had come back with a new water pump) and with everything checked out I didn't worry about it thereafter. I mention this because the internet is full of scare stories about it, and BMW have stopped giving out free replacement engines.
C
I can respond to this as I traded down my new Focus ST & bought a BMW 523i SE.
That was just over 2 years ago now and the only thing to fail was the fuel pump...I have put 25000 miles on it so now has 108,000 miles, and she runs superbly.
All this nicasil stuff was a fair few years back when petrol had higher sulpher content, even then I believe parts of the country affected... I had a compression check along with changing the oil in the auto box (even though supposed to sealed for life), anyway compression check was absolutely fine.
Check front steering bushes aren't knackered, quite common with age and miles.
Never had a single dash pixel disappear, but supposedly quite common.
If it has the business stereo, makes sure the cd auto changer is in the boot!
All in all a bloody good car for little cash, but do your checks as like any car there be dogs out there!
It's got to the point now where I was thinking of changing, yet I'm struggling....I keep coming back "my car ticks all my boxes - why change"
if you do go 523 6 cylinder it is a big heavy car for the engine. She can get up and strut her stuff if you put the pedal down but it is a little under powered...but I'm used to it & it doesn't really bother me now.
I seem to average 30 mpg ish...better on longer journeys.
That was just over 2 years ago now and the only thing to fail was the fuel pump...I have put 25000 miles on it so now has 108,000 miles, and she runs superbly.
All this nicasil stuff was a fair few years back when petrol had higher sulpher content, even then I believe parts of the country affected... I had a compression check along with changing the oil in the auto box (even though supposed to sealed for life), anyway compression check was absolutely fine.
Check front steering bushes aren't knackered, quite common with age and miles.
Never had a single dash pixel disappear, but supposedly quite common.
If it has the business stereo, makes sure the cd auto changer is in the boot!
All in all a bloody good car for little cash, but do your checks as like any car there be dogs out there!
It's got to the point now where I was thinking of changing, yet I'm struggling....I keep coming back "my car ticks all my boxes - why change"
if you do go 523 6 cylinder it is a big heavy car for the engine. She can get up and strut her stuff if you put the pedal down but it is a little under powered...but I'm used to it & it doesn't really bother me now.
I seem to average 30 mpg ish...better on longer journeys.
Some excellent advice there OP
I would like to echo the points about niggles though - you will have to put up with a few as there will be compromises. That said if you are a bit handy then it can be fun sourcing SH parts and fault finding.
Even if the engine is as sweet as nut the whole car will be old; rubber perishes and seals shrink. Take a good mech with you if you are not confident as this cheap car could work out expensive and defeat the objective.
I would like to echo the points about niggles though - you will have to put up with a few as there will be compromises. That said if you are a bit handy then it can be fun sourcing SH parts and fault finding.
Even if the engine is as sweet as nut the whole car will be old; rubber perishes and seals shrink. Take a good mech with you if you are not confident as this cheap car could work out expensive and defeat the objective.
JFDI. They are brilliantly resiliant and very comfortable, presentable cars.
What few parts you'll need are barely any more expensive than Ford equivalents.
If it's still going in 2 years it'll be worth pretty much what you paid for it, and if it dies it'll be worth £500 in parts and scrap.
What few parts you'll need are barely any more expensive than Ford equivalents.
If it's still going in 2 years it'll be worth pretty much what you paid for it, and if it dies it'll be worth £500 in parts and scrap.
Buy on condition. As per the above they are heavy old cars so expect the usual failures regarding suspension springs etc. all are usually cheap to fix if you've got a set of compressors and some balls.
Re: Nikasil. If it hasn't failed yet it probably never will. Unless it's a noticable b
d to start from cold or uses obscene amounts of fuel I wouldn't worry about it. Nikasil liners can theoretically outlive petrol equivalents. If it starts and runs fine I wouldn't worry personally.
5 series is a good trade down car IMO if you want a comfortable barge. I've had my eye on one for some time now but can't seem to bring myself to get rid of my current shed!
Re: Nikasil. If it hasn't failed yet it probably never will. Unless it's a noticable b
d to start from cold or uses obscene amounts of fuel I wouldn't worry about it. Nikasil liners can theoretically outlive petrol equivalents. If it starts and runs fine I wouldn't worry personally.5 series is a good trade down car IMO if you want a comfortable barge. I've had my eye on one for some time now but can't seem to bring myself to get rid of my current shed!
BarnatosGhost said:
JFDI. They are brilliantly resiliant and very comfortable, presentable cars.
What few parts you'll need are barely any more expensive than Ford equivalents.
If it's still going in 2 years it'll be worth pretty much what you paid for it, and if it dies it'll be worth £500 in parts and scrap.
JFDI?What few parts you'll need are barely any more expensive than Ford equivalents.
If it's still going in 2 years it'll be worth pretty much what you paid for it, and if it dies it'll be worth £500 in parts and scrap.
Marty Funkhouser said:
BarnatosGhost said:
JFDI. They are brilliantly resiliant and very comfortable, presentable cars.
What few parts you'll need are barely any more expensive than Ford equivalents.
If it's still going in 2 years it'll be worth pretty much what you paid for it, and if it dies it'll be worth £500 in parts and scrap.
JFDI?What few parts you'll need are barely any more expensive than Ford equivalents.
If it's still going in 2 years it'll be worth pretty much what you paid for it, and if it dies it'll be worth £500 in parts and scrap.
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