General advice about buying a BMW 3-series
Discussion
As a newcomer to these forums, I apologise if the info. I want is already available here (I have looked !).
I really would appreciate any useful advice regarding buying a used BMW 3-series.
It is for my son who has been driving for 4 years but has only driven small cars (he currently has a Peugeot 206) and has never driven a rear-wheel drive car.
He wants something bigger, more comfortable, able to do M-way cruising and he wants a petrol automatic saloon and has decided on a BMW.
I have been trying to do as much research as makes sense for someone who is not a car mechanic, has never owned a BMW and who has not driven a read-wheel drive car for some years.
The price range is in the £4K to £6.5K range and while there seem to be a number available in that range I wonder if there are any good general guidelines that would help us narrow down the choice.
I know that most people advise trying to find a 6-cyl model (325 or 330) with a FSH from a BMW dealer but they don't come up that often and, to be honest, I am not that keen on my son getting into a 2.5 or even 3L auto with rear-wheel drive after coming out of a Peugeot 206.
(He has driven my Ford Focus 1.8 TDCi and he is a good driver but I hope you know what I mean).
So I am looking for a BMW 3-series E90 and ideally one with 2L but I'd appreciate any advice re. what would be considered high mileage and what sort of bills could I be looking at if I was unlucky.
I know that in general one should be wary of old cars with low mileage and by the same token, a 6-cyl E90 with high mileage could be good for many more 10Ks of motoring if it has been properly maintained.
So having said all that, there seem to be a range of 318i, 320i 2L auto petrol saloons within the price range with a range of mileages and car age and I wonder if anyone can give me some good general guidance to buying ?
Have you any advice on, for example, how to decide between - say a 57 plate 2L 318i SE auto with 44K miles @ £5400 and an 05 plate 2L 318i SE auto with FSH, one owner and 24K miles @ £6K ?
Does the one owner and FSH swing it despite the fact it is an older car ?
24K miles on an 05 plate is less than 2K miles a year and that seems really low but maybe it is ok for a 4-cyl.
Are there key things to watch for with a 4-cyl E90 or expensive servicing coming up at - say - 60K miles ?
I know that this is a bit like "how long is a piece of string ?" so I hope you'll forgive my ignorance but any help you can give would be much appreciated.
I really would appreciate any useful advice regarding buying a used BMW 3-series.
It is for my son who has been driving for 4 years but has only driven small cars (he currently has a Peugeot 206) and has never driven a rear-wheel drive car.
He wants something bigger, more comfortable, able to do M-way cruising and he wants a petrol automatic saloon and has decided on a BMW.
I have been trying to do as much research as makes sense for someone who is not a car mechanic, has never owned a BMW and who has not driven a read-wheel drive car for some years.
The price range is in the £4K to £6.5K range and while there seem to be a number available in that range I wonder if there are any good general guidelines that would help us narrow down the choice.
I know that most people advise trying to find a 6-cyl model (325 or 330) with a FSH from a BMW dealer but they don't come up that often and, to be honest, I am not that keen on my son getting into a 2.5 or even 3L auto with rear-wheel drive after coming out of a Peugeot 206.
(He has driven my Ford Focus 1.8 TDCi and he is a good driver but I hope you know what I mean).
So I am looking for a BMW 3-series E90 and ideally one with 2L but I'd appreciate any advice re. what would be considered high mileage and what sort of bills could I be looking at if I was unlucky.
I know that in general one should be wary of old cars with low mileage and by the same token, a 6-cyl E90 with high mileage could be good for many more 10Ks of motoring if it has been properly maintained.
So having said all that, there seem to be a range of 318i, 320i 2L auto petrol saloons within the price range with a range of mileages and car age and I wonder if anyone can give me some good general guidance to buying ?
Have you any advice on, for example, how to decide between - say a 57 plate 2L 318i SE auto with 44K miles @ £5400 and an 05 plate 2L 318i SE auto with FSH, one owner and 24K miles @ £6K ?
Does the one owner and FSH swing it despite the fact it is an older car ?
24K miles on an 05 plate is less than 2K miles a year and that seems really low but maybe it is ok for a 4-cyl.
Are there key things to watch for with a 4-cyl E90 or expensive servicing coming up at - say - 60K miles ?
I know that this is a bit like "how long is a piece of string ?" so I hope you'll forgive my ignorance but any help you can give would be much appreciated.
Have you checked the BMW Approved Used website , there might be examples albeit most likely at top end of budget?
If your son could accept a 1 Series , I’m sure there would be. You would ,if you bought Approved Used , have a very comprehensive warranty to cover most eventualities. Plus breakdown recovery.
If buying outside the BMW network , I would still be cheeky and see if you can test drive an Approved Used car ; that way you should be able to get a feel of how a decent one drives. And also ask to see it’s service book as a benchmark. The E90 has condition based servicing so you’ll see a book with lots of spaces for ticks. On the car itself there will also be countdowns to when next service items are due. When deciding if a car is good value for money this may be a factor as even consumables cost and possibly more on a BMW than other cars.
I’d say a car you can judge is in good condition (check MOT history too) with full service history is more important than low mileage although , from the other perspective, petrols can tolerate lower mileage. If it is a 1 owner car st this age then subject to the above points being met I think that’s attractive.
I don’t know of specific faults on the 4 cylinder petrols. But the newest are 6 years old , the oldest 12 so they are a risk if you buy with no warranty.
On a simpler note If it comes with run flats be aware these can be expensive to replace so better in long run to have normal tyres.
If your son could accept a 1 Series , I’m sure there would be. You would ,if you bought Approved Used , have a very comprehensive warranty to cover most eventualities. Plus breakdown recovery.
If buying outside the BMW network , I would still be cheeky and see if you can test drive an Approved Used car ; that way you should be able to get a feel of how a decent one drives. And also ask to see it’s service book as a benchmark. The E90 has condition based servicing so you’ll see a book with lots of spaces for ticks. On the car itself there will also be countdowns to when next service items are due. When deciding if a car is good value for money this may be a factor as even consumables cost and possibly more on a BMW than other cars.
I’d say a car you can judge is in good condition (check MOT history too) with full service history is more important than low mileage although , from the other perspective, petrols can tolerate lower mileage. If it is a 1 owner car st this age then subject to the above points being met I think that’s attractive.
I don’t know of specific faults on the 4 cylinder petrols. But the newest are 6 years old , the oldest 12 so they are a risk if you buy with no warranty.
On a simpler note If it comes with run flats be aware these can be expensive to replace so better in long run to have normal tyres.
Hyy said:
I would avoid the 4 cilinders petrol engines of the E9X era.
Not the most reliable, not quite fast and uses as much fuel as the 6 cilinders.
If going 6 cilinders, N52 is more reliable than the direct injected N53.
I’d agree with this - N52 is the “best” engine IMO. The 2l engines (either fuel) aren’t exactly world beaters in the reliability stakes.Not the most reliable, not quite fast and uses as much fuel as the 6 cilinders.
If going 6 cilinders, N52 is more reliable than the direct injected N53.
In terms of the two cars you mentioned, it’s hard to tell without seeing them/ pictures, but spec. & colour can make the car (or not). When I had an e92, it was LeMans blue, but with cream leather seats, & door card uppers, black carpets & black lower dash/panel (below the door handles) with maple “wood” finishing trim. It looked a million times better than the usual all black interior with aluminum/‘technical’ trim. Of course, opinions vary, but everyone who ever rode in it remarked how much more special it felt compared to the usual fare.
More toys can mean more to go wrong, but in terms of useful stuff, the 6FL option will let you plug in an ipod (combox for bluetooth audio is in later models than you’re suggesting). If you’ve iDrive, some will call it slow & dated, compared to current systems, but it still does the job. Basic sound system is poor, look for one with “professional” audio or logic 7 instead of “business” audio, if you can find one that’s had the Alpine upgrade, that’s a win too.
17” wheels are comfortable, 18” OK, 19” I would avoid (although I do love the 225M wheels - still got a set in the shed!)
At the end of the day, there’s a lot of 3-series about (admittedly mainly Diesel), but this means you can afford to be a bit choosy.
HTH.
Many thanks for all your helpful replies.
Now I have another one on the subject of FSH from BMW. This seems to be generally good advice, especially on cars with highish mileage. The problem, as I know, is that FSH doesn't necessarily mean what you would expect - namely that it really has got a Full Service History - i.e. evidence that it has been serviced at all recommended intervals.
Can anyone point me to any sort of BMW service interval site where I can, for example, see the recommended service intervals for - say - a 58 plate 320i 3-series ?
Thanking you all in advance
Now I have another one on the subject of FSH from BMW. This seems to be generally good advice, especially on cars with highish mileage. The problem, as I know, is that FSH doesn't necessarily mean what you would expect - namely that it really has got a Full Service History - i.e. evidence that it has been serviced at all recommended intervals.
Can anyone point me to any sort of BMW service interval site where I can, for example, see the recommended service intervals for - say - a 58 plate 320i 3-series ?
Thanking you all in advance
BMW have been ‘CBS’ (conditional based servicing) for a long time now.
It used to be the ‘blobs’ disappearing from the dash, now it’s all messages in the check-control.
If you get one with idrive, you can view these messages on screen. If not, it’s done using the indicator stalk (bit fiddly, but OK when you get used to it).
Easiest way to do it though - pop the reg. # in here and “make up” some mileages.
https://www.bmw-service.co.uk/
It used to be the ‘blobs’ disappearing from the dash, now it’s all messages in the check-control.
If you get one with idrive, you can view these messages on screen. If not, it’s done using the indicator stalk (bit fiddly, but OK when you get used to it).
Easiest way to do it though - pop the reg. # in here and “make up” some mileages.
https://www.bmw-service.co.uk/
djf1961 said:
Many thanks for all your helpful replies.
Now I have another one on the subject of FSH from BMW. This seems to be generally good advice, especially on cars with highish mileage. The problem, as I know, is that FSH doesn't necessarily mean what you would expect - namely that it really has got a Full Service History - i.e. evidence that it has been serviced at all recommended intervals.
Can anyone point me to any sort of BMW service interval site where I can, for example, see the recommended service intervals for - say - a 58 plate 320i 3-series ?
Thanking you all in advance
I doubt there’s such a site, so my advice to benchmark with reliable sources such as dealership cars still stands. Now I have another one on the subject of FSH from BMW. This seems to be generally good advice, especially on cars with highish mileage. The problem, as I know, is that FSH doesn't necessarily mean what you would expect - namely that it really has got a Full Service History - i.e. evidence that it has been serviced at all recommended intervals.
Can anyone point me to any sort of BMW service interval site where I can, for example, see the recommended service intervals for - say - a 58 plate 320i 3-series ?
Thanking you all in advance
I had a 2009 335i so to give you a starter.
You’ll want to see evidence of oil services every 2 years but mileage in that interval shouldn’t be much higher than 18k
Brake fluid changes were every 2 years
A vehicle check seemed to come around 30-40k miles (or a date I think around 3 years)
Front and rear brake pads really depend how the car’s driven ; I think I got around 30k
All these intervals are shown on the iDrive if car has Nav or within the system otherwise.
They are shown as specific symbols to be ticked in the service book.
But when you look at a service book , you will see various other symbols ticked or unticked for the various filters , spark plugs etc. depending on whether these were needed at the time.
That’s why if you really want to be thorough it’s worth looking at the books of cars you can be satisfied were fully serviced as your benchmark.
As a final note it’s possible the style of service book changed during the lifetime of the E90, but I think the symbols remained the same.
Once again many thanks for your latest replies. I am now convinced that, in general, an N52 engine would be a better bet than an N46 although it all depends on how well it has been maintained. So I am now searching for 2.5L and above and within my price range (£4K - £7K) there are a number of possibilities and what I would appreciate is some sort of 1st pass (possibly fairly crude) at narrowing down the possibilities.
Are there any guidelines for miles per year range that would help ?
I have been told that an FSH from a BMW dealer would be a big plus but I haven't seen one of those for a while. I know that some people claim these 6-cylinder engines are almost bulletproof but there must be some things that experienced BMW folk would be wary of.
I'm just looking for some helpful pointers so thanking you all in advance.
Are there any guidelines for miles per year range that would help ?
I have been told that an FSH from a BMW dealer would be a big plus but I haven't seen one of those for a while. I know that some people claim these 6-cylinder engines are almost bulletproof but there must be some things that experienced BMW folk would be wary of.
I'm just looking for some helpful pointers so thanking you all in advance.
Well BMWs of this era work on what BMW call "Condition Based Servicing".
When you start the engine the display in the speedo displays the miles until the next service for a few seconds before it reverts to the recorded mileage display.
My Z4 Coupe with the 3 litre N52 engine was serviced in June 2017 and has done almost 3,000 miles since then, but is still showing 13,550 until the next service. But it's a weekend toy so tends to do decent runs outside of rush hours! If you use them stuck in stop/start traffic and/or for numerous short trips the mileage between services will be much lower - as my sister found out with her BMW Mini that she uses to do local deliveries for a pharmacy! But they shouldn't go more than 2 years between services, regardless of mileage.
If you are going for an N52 engine from what you have said about your son's driving history a 325i would probably provide him with enough excitement! And it's easy to tell if a 325i has the N52 engine because it will have a 2.5 litre engine. The later N53 engine fitted some time in 2007 is a 3 litre even if the car is designated as a 325i (BMW confusion in action). The N53 engine is the one that has issues with the High Pressure Fuel Pump, Injectors and carbon build up.
But the N52 has a couple of idiosyncrasies.
The first is there is no dipstick - oil level can be checked using a button on the dash and an electronic sensor!
The other is it has an electric water pump, which tends to just fail rather than the old mechanical ones that tend to leak long before they stop altogether. The electric ones are quite expensive - up to £300 from somewhere like Euro Car Parts (or £500 from BMW)!
If your son does get an N52 325i try to borrow it - they love to rev round to the 7,000 rpm limit! (Maybe not tell him though).
I'm hoping to look at an N52 engined 325i Touring this week - so yes, I like that engine.
Hope that helps a bit, and good luck.
When you start the engine the display in the speedo displays the miles until the next service for a few seconds before it reverts to the recorded mileage display.
My Z4 Coupe with the 3 litre N52 engine was serviced in June 2017 and has done almost 3,000 miles since then, but is still showing 13,550 until the next service. But it's a weekend toy so tends to do decent runs outside of rush hours! If you use them stuck in stop/start traffic and/or for numerous short trips the mileage between services will be much lower - as my sister found out with her BMW Mini that she uses to do local deliveries for a pharmacy! But they shouldn't go more than 2 years between services, regardless of mileage.
If you are going for an N52 engine from what you have said about your son's driving history a 325i would probably provide him with enough excitement! And it's easy to tell if a 325i has the N52 engine because it will have a 2.5 litre engine. The later N53 engine fitted some time in 2007 is a 3 litre even if the car is designated as a 325i (BMW confusion in action). The N53 engine is the one that has issues with the High Pressure Fuel Pump, Injectors and carbon build up.
But the N52 has a couple of idiosyncrasies.
The first is there is no dipstick - oil level can be checked using a button on the dash and an electronic sensor!
The other is it has an electric water pump, which tends to just fail rather than the old mechanical ones that tend to leak long before they stop altogether. The electric ones are quite expensive - up to £300 from somewhere like Euro Car Parts (or £500 from BMW)!
If your son does get an N52 325i try to borrow it - they love to rev round to the 7,000 rpm limit! (Maybe not tell him though).
I'm hoping to look at an N52 engined 325i Touring this week - so yes, I like that engine.
Hope that helps a bit, and good luck.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
That looks OK, subject to the MOT history being viewed (plate has been removed as it’s not showing as valid - i.e. has been taken by previous owner onto new car - or dealer thinks they can make some £ on it as “boss”...)
Not the best stereo, but the rest of the spec looks ok (And rear blinds are very rare!). Might be worth ringing the dealer to get the ‘new’ reg & check that.
This one does NOT look as good, and I’ve never seen a sports seat destroyed like that in 45k miles... useful for reference though.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
(For what it’s worth, my seat didn’t look that bad at 140k miles).
This looks OK to me:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
If the history on the first checks out, that’d be the one I’d go for.
That looks OK, subject to the MOT history being viewed (plate has been removed as it’s not showing as valid - i.e. has been taken by previous owner onto new car - or dealer thinks they can make some £ on it as “boss”...)
Not the best stereo, but the rest of the spec looks ok (And rear blinds are very rare!). Might be worth ringing the dealer to get the ‘new’ reg & check that.
This one does NOT look as good, and I’ve never seen a sports seat destroyed like that in 45k miles... useful for reference though.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
(For what it’s worth, my seat didn’t look that bad at 140k miles).
This looks OK to me:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
If the history on the first checks out, that’d be the one I’d go for.
OP, reading your last two responses makes me think if you can save on the overall purchase price the 325 should be Best Buy.
And also that whichever you buy , you are going to need a slush fund for repairs as something on cars this age will go awry.
In your position I’d consider increasing budget to pick up a BMW AU car with warranty or see if you can cherry pick a mint one from a private sale : private sales being lower , then if mileage less than 60k maybe consider a warranty or just put surplus into slush fund.
And also that whichever you buy , you are going to need a slush fund for repairs as something on cars this age will go awry.
In your position I’d consider increasing budget to pick up a BMW AU car with warranty or see if you can cherry pick a mint one from a private sale : private sales being lower , then if mileage less than 60k maybe consider a warranty or just put surplus into slush fund.
Mr. Tidy, Prinny and Smuler, Many thanks for your extremely prompt and helpful replies and thanks for your tolerance of what might seem like stupid questions.
But Mr. Tidy and Prinny raise a question re. mileage which I'd like to check.
Mr. Tidy has an N52 which has done 3K miles in the past 8 months or so and Prinny refs an Autotrader 330i (which I had seen and isn't a million miles away from where I live !) which is a 2006 model with 55K miles on the clock.
The naive advice I was trying to follow is that 6-cyls love cruising and so high mileage should not necessarily be a turn-off and could almost be seen as desirable.
Yet Mr. Tidy uses his as a weekend run-about and the 330i has averaged about 5K miles a year (and I do more in my Ford Focus !).
My son's motoring is going to be very much like Mr Tidy's with the car stationary (or possibly nipping down to the shops) most of the week leaving the weekends to give it a decent run.
Any comments ?
But Mr. Tidy and Prinny raise a question re. mileage which I'd like to check.
Mr. Tidy has an N52 which has done 3K miles in the past 8 months or so and Prinny refs an Autotrader 330i (which I had seen and isn't a million miles away from where I live !) which is a 2006 model with 55K miles on the clock.
The naive advice I was trying to follow is that 6-cyls love cruising and so high mileage should not necessarily be a turn-off and could almost be seen as desirable.
Yet Mr. Tidy uses his as a weekend run-about and the 330i has averaged about 5K miles a year (and I do more in my Ford Focus !).
My son's motoring is going to be very much like Mr Tidy's with the car stationary (or possibly nipping down to the shops) most of the week leaving the weekends to give it a decent run.
Any comments ?
djf1961 said:
Mr. Tidy, Prinny and Smuler, Many thanks for your extremely prompt and helpful replies and thanks for your tolerance of what might seem like stupid questions.
But Mr. Tidy and Prinny raise a question re. mileage which I'd like to check.
Mr. Tidy has an N52 which has done 3K miles in the past 8 months or so and Prinny refs an Autotrader 330i (which I had seen and isn't a million miles away from where I live !) which is a 2006 model with 55K miles on the clock.
The naive advice I was trying to follow is that 6-cyls love cruising and so high mileage should not necessarily be a turn-off and could almost be seen as desirable.
Yet Mr. Tidy uses his as a weekend run-about and the 330i has averaged about 5K miles a year (and I do more in my Ford Focus !).
My son's motoring is going to be very much like Mr Tidy's with the car stationary (or possibly nipping down to the shops) most of the week leaving the weekends to give it a decent run.
Any comments ?
I wouldn't be concerned about low-mileage, low usage for straight six n/a engines. But Mr. Tidy and Prinny raise a question re. mileage which I'd like to check.
Mr. Tidy has an N52 which has done 3K miles in the past 8 months or so and Prinny refs an Autotrader 330i (which I had seen and isn't a million miles away from where I live !) which is a 2006 model with 55K miles on the clock.
The naive advice I was trying to follow is that 6-cyls love cruising and so high mileage should not necessarily be a turn-off and could almost be seen as desirable.
Yet Mr. Tidy uses his as a weekend run-about and the 330i has averaged about 5K miles a year (and I do more in my Ford Focus !).
My son's motoring is going to be very much like Mr Tidy's with the car stationary (or possibly nipping down to the shops) most of the week leaving the weekends to give it a decent run.
Any comments ?
I bought a near 14 year old 325 of previous generation as a daily to keep miles of my M3. It had done 63k in those years, old codger doing little trips and holidays.
It was mint. I racked up 12.5k in less than 9 months. It handled that perfectly. So they can do both.
Agree with Smuler - it’s not a problem to do low mileage (hell, both of mine average 3-4k each last couple of years).
That said, they’re still going to be 10+ year old cars. If you can find one with big mileage that’s had a suspension refresh, it’s worth trying that (not to buy), but to feel what ‘good’ suspension can feel like. (Admittedly the e9x won’t ever win awards for the standard suspension, but you know what I mean... )
That said, they’re still going to be 10+ year old cars. If you can find one with big mileage that’s had a suspension refresh, it’s worth trying that (not to buy), but to feel what ‘good’ suspension can feel like. (Admittedly the e9x won’t ever win awards for the standard suspension, but you know what I mean...
)Dear all.
Since the location of the first car (the 330i) referenced is only an hour's drive away from me, I'm going to see it and drive it tomorrow.
I will ask about the registration since I can't get any history for it but just as has been suggested, I'd like to see what it looks like, feels like to drive and check the service history.
It is a while since I drove either a read-wheel drive car or an automatic, but I am certain I'll be able to get a good feel for it. I just hope it doesn't have 18" wheels. I will let you know how it goes. Any other things anyone can think of that I should look out for ?
Since the location of the first car (the 330i) referenced is only an hour's drive away from me, I'm going to see it and drive it tomorrow.
I will ask about the registration since I can't get any history for it but just as has been suggested, I'd like to see what it looks like, feels like to drive and check the service history.
It is a while since I drove either a read-wheel drive car or an automatic, but I am certain I'll be able to get a good feel for it. I just hope it doesn't have 18" wheels. I will let you know how it goes. Any other things anyone can think of that I should look out for ?
djf1961 said:
Dear all.
Since the location of the first car (the 330i) referenced is only an hour's drive away from me, I'm going to see it and drive it tomorrow.
I will ask about the registration since I can't get any history for it but just as has been suggested, I'd like to see what it looks like, feels like to drive and check the service history.
It is a while since I drove either a read-wheel drive car or an automatic, but I am certain I'll be able to get a good feel for it. I just hope it doesn't have 18" wheels. I will let you know how it goes. Any other things anyone can think of that I should look out for ?
They 99.9% look like 17 inch wheels to me, think it's style 158. I got them for a set of winters for my 335i. With Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres it was a great combo. Since the location of the first car (the 330i) referenced is only an hour's drive away from me, I'm going to see it and drive it tomorrow.
I will ask about the registration since I can't get any history for it but just as has been suggested, I'd like to see what it looks like, feels like to drive and check the service history.
It is a while since I drove either a read-wheel drive car or an automatic, but I am certain I'll be able to get a good feel for it. I just hope it doesn't have 18" wheels. I will let you know how it goes. Any other things anyone can think of that I should look out for ?
If it were me, I'd get them to email me V5, VIN, Service book and clarity on registration before I go so I can peruse those in comfort of me own home, so to speak, and thus concentrate on the driving experience.
reg is funny, it seems like a peronalized plate cos of BOSS. But the B indicator would suggest first reg'd in Birmingham but the check I did (still not MOT history) came up as first registered in Oxford which would be O
I'd ideally like it started cold and warm, listen to it idling and rev. Make sure no misfiring, nothing smoky in the exhaust. check oil levels, I think as someone said these are e/dipstick so possibly has to be driven and then check in the appropriate idrive screen.
have a quick google on y/tube to see an idrive in action and use this to check where it's presently at on service requirements (only if you might buy).
when driving, make sure you try with gear lever to left (sport auto mode) and use paddles and in sport auto mode use stick (forward and back) to ensure you're happy with the full use of auto box.
Seems a fairly recent acquisition as it's pictures were 9 Feb. Didn't seem that clean
No, I wouldn't worry too much about mileage. Condition and history are more important.
My Z4C has done 85K miles, and the 325i I'm hoping to see has done 120K!
Although my Z4C is an occasional car, when I do use it I tend to do at least 50 miles - it never goes to the shops because that's a job for my daily!
My Z4C has done 85K miles, and the 325i I'm hoping to see has done 120K!
Although my Z4C is an occasional car, when I do use it I tend to do at least 50 miles - it never goes to the shops because that's a job for my daily!
So your son wants to go from a cheap hatchback to a premium German car
Nothing wrong with that but the running costs will easily double
Make sure you really have your eyes open before comitting.
A 8 year old BMW will likely need money spending on it some time soon and decent spare parts are expensive
A few years I ran an older 5-series E39 with the older M54 3.0 engine but most of my observations will be equally valid for a E9x
Lots of the cooling system including radiators, water pumps, expansion tanks etc are made of plastic which tend to fail at around 10 years old
Suspension - shocks get tired and worn bushes are common at this age, when I got my immaculate one-owner 530i (7 years old at the time) it was soon apparent the suspension was very tired. Not hard to do yourself if so inclined but can be expensive if you need to get someone to do it
Lots of parts look cheap on ebay (suspension arms etc especially) but the vast majority of cheap bits are chinese copies and are rubbish. I know this from experience. It's only worth buying OEM quality parts, eg Lemforder, Meyle, Behr, Hella etc as these will be cheaper in the long run
Not sure how different the N52 engine is to the M54 but blocked breather pipes and oil leaks are common, not impossible for the keen DIY'er though
Coils are a common failure and cost around 25 quid each, bear in mind there are 6 of them
Economy will be poor for short journeys, well under 20mpg if doing short hops from cold although 35mpg on a run is possible with care.
If you get a BMW get a diagnostic cable and software (INPA) set up on a laptop as the first thing you do, before you get problems. You will need it at some point. Good news is that it's easy and cheap to set up and loads of advice on the internet
I love BMWs and wouldnt want to put anyone off getting one. All the above is based on my real life experience over 7 years ownership of a E39 and the last few years in a F30
But don't think it's going to be like running a Peugeot
Nothing wrong with that but the running costs will easily double
Make sure you really have your eyes open before comitting.
A 8 year old BMW will likely need money spending on it some time soon and decent spare parts are expensive
A few years I ran an older 5-series E39 with the older M54 3.0 engine but most of my observations will be equally valid for a E9x
Lots of the cooling system including radiators, water pumps, expansion tanks etc are made of plastic which tend to fail at around 10 years old
Suspension - shocks get tired and worn bushes are common at this age, when I got my immaculate one-owner 530i (7 years old at the time) it was soon apparent the suspension was very tired. Not hard to do yourself if so inclined but can be expensive if you need to get someone to do it
Lots of parts look cheap on ebay (suspension arms etc especially) but the vast majority of cheap bits are chinese copies and are rubbish. I know this from experience. It's only worth buying OEM quality parts, eg Lemforder, Meyle, Behr, Hella etc as these will be cheaper in the long run
Not sure how different the N52 engine is to the M54 but blocked breather pipes and oil leaks are common, not impossible for the keen DIY'er though
Coils are a common failure and cost around 25 quid each, bear in mind there are 6 of them
Economy will be poor for short journeys, well under 20mpg if doing short hops from cold although 35mpg on a run is possible with care.
If you get a BMW get a diagnostic cable and software (INPA) set up on a laptop as the first thing you do, before you get problems. You will need it at some point. Good news is that it's easy and cheap to set up and loads of advice on the internet
I love BMWs and wouldnt want to put anyone off getting one. All the above is based on my real life experience over 7 years ownership of a E39 and the last few years in a F30
But don't think it's going to be like running a Peugeot
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