BMW 650 - My first BMW
Discussion
Since seeing the E63/64 6 Series on Top Gear about 20 years ago, I've always loved how they look. They're a bit Marmite, and I wouldn't even say pretty but I have always liked them.
When I set out to buy something big, loud and German the V10 M6 was top of the list. The SMG was a sticking point for me and ultimately I bought a Mercedes CLS63 which I still own.
Moved forward through various daily cars and I'd never got round to owning a BMW but I did get a taste for convertibles. My Saab 9-3 was bought for the condition and engine (due to type of driving I was doing) but the folding roof turned out to be a bonus. Being able to stick the roof back on a hot day and my kids thought it was great.
With the Saab almost hitting 150k and me no longer needing/fancying a diesel, I thought I'd change it up and began browsing for 6 series convertibles. Contemplated a 635d as the fuel economy would be respectable and with a map, easily as quick as the V8, I ruled the 630 out as it'd likely feel slower than the Saab it's replacing.
I eventually settled on this. It's a 2008 650 with 64k on the clock, full service history and in very nice condition. It has had a few little changes but nothing wild or naff. The wheels have been repainted shadow chrome, which I quite like buy the finish isn't great and they're clearly painted not powder coated, they'll get redone at some point. It has black grills on the front, which I quite like and the exhaust has been upgraded two two twin pipes. Sounds fantastic without being too lairy.
Managed to get the car cleaned today. Overall it's very tidy, a few little marks but for 18 years old it's great.
[IMG]https://i.postimg.cc/HstWPM4m/1000070556-edited.jpg[/IMG)
I believe the colour is Stratus Grey and when the sun hits it, it's very nice. When the sun is in, it looks almost like a solid grey.
I will admit, I was slightly cautious about a cream interior and despite looking good in the pictures, I appreciate a camera can make things look better than they are. As it happens the interior is in great condition, a little wear on the drivers seat which I'd expect but with a deep clean it has come up really well. I'll be giving the back seats another once over and then I'll apply a dye block to protect them.
Really loving the interior, it's different to my Mercs (obviously) but cleverly laid out and solid.
Couldn't resist giving the engine bay a clean too. It's a fairly modest 360bhp but has plenty of low down torque and in a convertible it's more about the waft than speeding around. Plus with the roof down, I can't wait to hear the engine even more!
So there we have it, my first toe dipped into the world of BMW, so far I'm very pleased. I'll only be putting 5-6k a year on it but every 6-8 weeks do a drive to Surrey and back which is a 260 mile round trip so can stretch it's legs.
When I set out to buy something big, loud and German the V10 M6 was top of the list. The SMG was a sticking point for me and ultimately I bought a Mercedes CLS63 which I still own.
Moved forward through various daily cars and I'd never got round to owning a BMW but I did get a taste for convertibles. My Saab 9-3 was bought for the condition and engine (due to type of driving I was doing) but the folding roof turned out to be a bonus. Being able to stick the roof back on a hot day and my kids thought it was great.
With the Saab almost hitting 150k and me no longer needing/fancying a diesel, I thought I'd change it up and began browsing for 6 series convertibles. Contemplated a 635d as the fuel economy would be respectable and with a map, easily as quick as the V8, I ruled the 630 out as it'd likely feel slower than the Saab it's replacing.
I eventually settled on this. It's a 2008 650 with 64k on the clock, full service history and in very nice condition. It has had a few little changes but nothing wild or naff. The wheels have been repainted shadow chrome, which I quite like buy the finish isn't great and they're clearly painted not powder coated, they'll get redone at some point. It has black grills on the front, which I quite like and the exhaust has been upgraded two two twin pipes. Sounds fantastic without being too lairy.
Managed to get the car cleaned today. Overall it's very tidy, a few little marks but for 18 years old it's great.
[IMG]https://i.postimg.cc/HstWPM4m/1000070556-edited.jpg[/IMG)
I believe the colour is Stratus Grey and when the sun hits it, it's very nice. When the sun is in, it looks almost like a solid grey.
I will admit, I was slightly cautious about a cream interior and despite looking good in the pictures, I appreciate a camera can make things look better than they are. As it happens the interior is in great condition, a little wear on the drivers seat which I'd expect but with a deep clean it has come up really well. I'll be giving the back seats another once over and then I'll apply a dye block to protect them.
Really loving the interior, it's different to my Mercs (obviously) but cleverly laid out and solid.
Couldn't resist giving the engine bay a clean too. It's a fairly modest 360bhp but has plenty of low down torque and in a convertible it's more about the waft than speeding around. Plus with the roof down, I can't wait to hear the engine even more!
So there we have it, my first toe dipped into the world of BMW, so far I'm very pleased. I'll only be putting 5-6k a year on it but every 6-8 weeks do a drive to Surrey and back which is a 260 mile round trip so can stretch it's legs.
Thanks all. I am very taken with the colour.
Having hunted down several big German motors in the last 10-12 it's not often they come in many colours, so always ended up with silver or black. It was nice to find something that's a little different.
It probably won't happen until Spring but I'll look forward to giving it a thorough polish. Until I get some consistent weather, some simple cleaning and protecting will do.
Will check out that kit on Amazon too. I have a few products but I think the inside would definitely benefit from another once over. Black hides a lot of grime but not so much on the light stuff.
Having hunted down several big German motors in the last 10-12 it's not often they come in many colours, so always ended up with silver or black. It was nice to find something that's a little different.
It probably won't happen until Spring but I'll look forward to giving it a thorough polish. Until I get some consistent weather, some simple cleaning and protecting will do.
danb79 said:
That's lovely; bet it has a superb soundtrack too 
For the interior; I'd highly recommend the Furniture Clinic cleaning kit via Amazon - I used that kit for a previous F01 that had an ivory interior and it did a superb job of cleaning it when I got it and then keeping it clean
It does make an excellent noise. With this exhaust, it sounds not dissimilar on a cold start to my CLS55 and that's has a slightly modified exhaust too. Will be great with the roof down that's for sure. For the interior; I'd highly recommend the Furniture Clinic cleaning kit via Amazon - I used that kit for a previous F01 that had an ivory interior and it did a superb job of cleaning it when I got it and then keeping it clean
Will check out that kit on Amazon too. I have a few products but I think the inside would definitely benefit from another once over. Black hides a lot of grime but not so much on the light stuff.
texaxile said:
Stunning OP, just stunning.
Lovely big -engined waftability in a comfy cabin. Great colour as well.
For an 18 year old car it's held up visually, obviously it's been well cared for and still has road presence.
Good call, lovely bit of metal right there.
Thank you, it should make for some comfortable driving and I definitely agree that for it's age it has aged well. As for presence it definitely has that. I mean it is a big car which adds to it but not much out there looks quite like it. Lovely big -engined waftability in a comfy cabin. Great colour as well.
For an 18 year old car it's held up visually, obviously it's been well cared for and still has road presence.
Good call, lovely bit of metal right there.
sinbaddio said:
Fabulous car. Just swapped mine after a number of happy years for a 4200GT
Always good to hear other owners saying good things. I popped outside to clean my Mercs this morning and couldn't resist a few pics of the beading from yesterdays wash.
Have the valve stem seals been done - its a case of when and not "if" - nothing like as expensive as it once was fortunately.
As you know from my Detailing World account I had one for a few years and was pretty painless, mine had the valve stem seals as part of the purchase, they make a lovely cruiser but rear seat passengers get absolutely battered by turbulence
They are a great car and have aged very well - I hated them when they were current but grown to like the shape, the wage line running completely around the car is a lovely design element
As you know from my Detailing World account I had one for a few years and was pretty painless, mine had the valve stem seals as part of the purchase, they make a lovely cruiser but rear seat passengers get absolutely battered by turbulence
They are a great car and have aged very well - I hated them when they were current but grown to like the shape, the wage line running completely around the car is a lovely design element
Fantastic car OP I ran an almost identical 650 coupe to 120,000 miles with no major problems.
It’s absolutely not the case that you are guaranteed to have valve stem problems.
Change the oil regularly (yearly), put in some Millers additive and you’ll probably be fine
Tims BMW You Tube channel is a goldmine of advice even if he’s sold his now.
https://youtube.com/@timmsbmw?si=gs-jiUhpseU-O5k8
It’s absolutely not the case that you are guaranteed to have valve stem problems.
Change the oil regularly (yearly), put in some Millers additive and you’ll probably be fine
Tims BMW You Tube channel is a goldmine of advice even if he’s sold his now.
https://youtube.com/@timmsbmw?si=gs-jiUhpseU-O5k8
Andy665 said:
Have the valve stem seals been done - its a case of when and not "if" - nothing like as expensive as it once was fortunately.
As you know from my Detailing World account I had one for a few years and was pretty painless, mine had the valve stem seals as part of the purchase, they make a lovely cruiser but rear seat passengers get absolutely battered by turbulence
They are a great car and have aged very well - I hated them when they were current but grown to like the shape, the wage line running completely around the car is a lovely design element
I'm not aware of them having been done but I will certainly keep an eye out. I had read it's not as expensive as it was originally. but I know how pricey this big, older German tanks can cost to run haha. As you know from my Detailing World account I had one for a few years and was pretty painless, mine had the valve stem seals as part of the purchase, they make a lovely cruiser but rear seat passengers get absolutely battered by turbulence
They are a great car and have aged very well - I hated them when they were current but grown to like the shape, the wage line running completely around the car is a lovely design element
To be fair, I won't often have people in the back, likely the kids for short stints with the roof down. To be fair they used to get their faces blown off in the back of my old Saab too haha
Pandox2096 said:
Fantastic car OP I ran an almost identical 650 coupe to 120,000 miles with no major problems.
It s absolutely not the case that you are guaranteed to have valve stem problems.
Change the oil regularly (yearly), put in some Millers additive and you ll probably be fine
Tims BMW You Tube channel is a goldmine of advice even if he s sold his now.
https://youtube.com/@timmsbmw?si=gs-jiUhpseU-O5k8
That's reassuring, although I'm prepared, mentally at least haha It'll be serviced yearly regardless of mileage which will be fairly low anyway. It s absolutely not the case that you are guaranteed to have valve stem problems.
Change the oil regularly (yearly), put in some Millers additive and you ll probably be fine
Tims BMW You Tube channel is a goldmine of advice even if he s sold his now.
https://youtube.com/@timmsbmw?si=gs-jiUhpseU-O5k8
I found Tim's Youtube channel and must say it's got an awful lot of information on it. I saw that he was selling and moving on to the next generation 6 series. There are some good videos and reviews on Youtube for the 6, I think I've watched almost all of them now.
Got to actually go for a bit of a drive in the 650 and must say I'm really pleased with it. When it arrived, I was going away within a couple of days so held of taxing until after. Brimmed the tank with V-Power which surprisingly wasn't as much as I expected as it's got a smaller tank than my Mercs. Either way, I suspect this will be a familiar sight...
Quick snap with the roof down. Not getting much sun at the moment, today was the only dry day.
Looks like the previous owner has upgraded the sidelight bulbs as I was expecting to see them as a yellow ring but a nice sharp white was good to see!
Managed to get a clip of how it sounds with the roof down, pretty damn good is my thoughts. Not overly loud but the modified exhaust certainly frees up that V8 noise.
https://youtube.com/shorts/4jxFt9rdf_o?si=JbFXitmK...
Quick snap with the roof down. Not getting much sun at the moment, today was the only dry day.
Looks like the previous owner has upgraded the sidelight bulbs as I was expecting to see them as a yellow ring but a nice sharp white was good to see!
Managed to get a clip of how it sounds with the roof down, pretty damn good is my thoughts. Not overly loud but the modified exhaust certainly frees up that V8 noise.
https://youtube.com/shorts/4jxFt9rdf_o?si=JbFXitmK...
CornedBeef said:
That looks fantastic, I still miss mine and luckily get to see it still as it sold to a friend. Someone once called these 'German Muscle' and you can really appreciate it in those pictures.
I'm so pleased with it, it's more of a special car than I gave credit for. It's good you still get to see your old one, I've sold a couple of cars to a mate and get updates from time to time. As for German Muscle, I think that sums it up. It's not as quick or rowdy as the V10 M6, certainly not slow but it certainly sounds like a muscle car.
Top colour combo. A mate had a facelift 630i coupe in the same colour scheme, which needed a lot TLC so the V8 wouldn’t put me off.
To check for leaking valve stem seals leave it idling for 10 mins when it’s fully warmed up and then give it a big rev. If you get a cloud of blue smoke you know what you’re in for. Like you’ve said it’s not so expensive to do now, and can be done with the heads on. Keep an eye on the oil consumption, when it gets really bad they can ruin the cats, which then get sucked back into the cylinders (these don’t have an EGR, so use the VANOS to keep some exhaust gases on). You should be fine on 67k, though. It’s a risk I’d take for the price these are at currently. The user gf15 on here took one to over 200k!
To check for leaking valve stem seals leave it idling for 10 mins when it’s fully warmed up and then give it a big rev. If you get a cloud of blue smoke you know what you’re in for. Like you’ve said it’s not so expensive to do now, and can be done with the heads on. Keep an eye on the oil consumption, when it gets really bad they can ruin the cats, which then get sucked back into the cylinders (these don’t have an EGR, so use the VANOS to keep some exhaust gases on). You should be fine on 67k, though. It’s a risk I’d take for the price these are at currently. The user gf15 on here took one to over 200k!
Great car, I had a 550 E60 which I used daily for five years.
Was a great car, returned 23 mpg and 30 plus on a run on 99 Tesco unleaded.
In my time and 50k miles it had:
Radiator
Expansion tank
Heater fan
Rocker cover gasket
Brake pipes
Can’t remember what else, it was reliable enough for its age.
It had a Magnaflow exhaust fitted which brought the sound out but wasn’t silly.
Very fond memories of that car, plus I love the E60 shape.
Hope she treats you well.
P.S don’t stick to the ridiculous service intervals. I am convinced the overlong service intervals was the cause of most of this engines problems.
Also, when you change the oil put a new filter housing on as these can fracture.
Was a great car, returned 23 mpg and 30 plus on a run on 99 Tesco unleaded.
In my time and 50k miles it had:
Radiator
Expansion tank
Heater fan
Rocker cover gasket
Brake pipes
Can’t remember what else, it was reliable enough for its age.
It had a Magnaflow exhaust fitted which brought the sound out but wasn’t silly.
Very fond memories of that car, plus I love the E60 shape.
Hope she treats you well.
P.S don’t stick to the ridiculous service intervals. I am convinced the overlong service intervals was the cause of most of this engines problems.
Also, when you change the oil put a new filter housing on as these can fracture.
dbdb said:
Nice car. It looks to be in very good condition.
It does seem to be, couple of imperfections but for 17 years old. spreadsheet monkey said:
Love these.
I'd probably stick with a six cylinder car as I'm a cheapskate, but I'm sure the V8 sounds amazing!
To be fair the 630 is apparently a good drive, not as powerful but there are more around and if you could find a manual that would be quite a lot of fun. The main reason I didn't consider one was that the Saab it was replacing would have likely felt faster. Although diesel it was slightly tweaked so 225bhp vs I think 280bhp but loads of low down torque, I think I'd have felt a bit disappointed. I'd probably stick with a six cylinder car as I'm a cheapskate, but I'm sure the V8 sounds amazing!
But for cruising, comfort and looks the 630 is not to be sniffed at! I'm hugely impressed with the comfort as much as anything. Easily up there with my CLS if not, closer to my CL.
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