Good 10 year old 3 Series Touring for 5k?

[tms996]

I don’t have a car right now, gave mine back to the finance company two months ago when I lost my job. Probably won’t have one for a while either with what is happening now. But when I do, I don’t want to finance a new one, just get a runaround.

Got about £5k or so aside to buy something with. I’ve always liked the style of these and they seem to be plenty about still, but I don’t know anything about them. Ideally I need a small estate car that can do some motorway work as well as back roads and an enjoyable drive. Prefer a petrol but not a dealbreaker.

Think of something like this..
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2009-BMW-3-Series-2-0-3...

Any advice on spec and problems appreciated. Any other suggestions welcome. Are they a good used buy at this age or should I stay well away?

[StuntmanMike]

Don’t know much about them, used BMWs can be a nightmare so yeah, you need to know what to look for.

Just posting to say I hope st gets better for you.

[tms996]

Cheers. Got to plan ahead a bit.

[Smuler]

Advert contradicts itself , 1 former keeper at the top and 2 previous owners lower down.
Such “attention to detail” would make me ask to see service history in full before any viewing.
The E90 generation had various service variables and I’ve seen a few without full documentation.
The touring (estate) is a decent car, practical and a nice size overall.
I don’t know the 318 , so can’t comment directly on engine , but I do read issues here about unreliability of the 4 cylinders. I also find the ride and seats of a SE poor (lack of support , wallowy) compared to a M Sport model.

I’d go for petrol too, but within budget are there any 325s or 330s? ; you will pay more (maybe not as much as expected) on petrol but get a better car and a straight six is a stronger engine, so a makeweight against buying one with higher mileage and I would say a lower risk on maintenance.

[aaron_2000]

Avoid the 4pot. If you're gonna buy a BMW for £5k, get the 6 cylinder, otherwise you'd be better off with a Mondeo or a C Class. For that money I would want it to be a 6 pot, otherwise I'd just go for the newer shape. A 4 cylinder petrol BMW isn't any fun to drive, certainly no more than a Mondeo or a C Class. The 320d has a good amount of grunt, but for your budget you can get the newer shape or a nice 330d/330i/335i. I'd seriously avoid the 4 cylinder if you're looking for any sort of enjoyment, especially when you can very easily get a good 6 pot for your budget that won't break the bank. A few to look at:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

[d_a_n1979]

aaron_2000 said:

Avoid the 4pot. If you're gonna buy a BMW for £5k, get the 6 cylinder, otherwise you'd be better off with a Mondeo or a C Class. For that money I would want it to be a 6 pot, otherwise I'd just go for the newer shape. A 4 cylinder petrol BMW isn't any fun to drive, certainly no more than a Mondeo or a C Class. The 320d has a good amount of grunt, but for your budget you can get the newer shape or a nice 330d/330i/335i.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

^^^ This

Stay away from 4 pots; 6 pots only

Consider an E39 5 series maybe; or an early E61 touring - M54 3.0 engine

[aaron_2000]

Some other stuff to consider:

520d
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

535d
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

550i
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

Alpina D3
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

X3 3.0sd, same engine as the 535d
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

If you fancy straying away from common sense
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

[tms996]

Great thanks. 6 cyl it is. Any issues with the gearboxes?

[aaron_2000]

tms996 said:

Great thanks. 6 cyl it is. Any issues with the gearboxes?

Depends which gearbox. The early 5 speeds that came on the E46 and E39 weren't the greatest, but the later gearboxes were much better. Not heard the horror stories on them that you heard from the early ones. They were made to cope with the 535d so weren't too stressed on the lower end models. The X3 3.0sd is a good value for money car, and the boot is massive but it still drove just as good as the 3/5 Series.

[aaron_2000]

If it was my £5k, I'd put it into this. A nice low mileage LCI 530d. It's in the right colour, good spec, pro sat nav, tow package, clean MOT history and it's for sale at what seems to be a reputable dealer and it comes with a warranty.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

If you're hellbent on a 3 Series, then this would be my choice. They're very mappable, this one is an LCI with a good spec

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Edited by aaron_2000 on Saturday 18th April 18:43

[tms996]

Good suggestion, looks nice and solid.
I’ve just had two Lexus, one saloon and the RX, both great for their age. Just a little thirsty and not too exciting to drive. Before that too many years of VAG. So I d like a bit of fun again, with a decent estate that can fit four.

[Mr Tidy]

I'd just echo what others have said.

When I was looking to replace my E46 325ti Compact my BMW Indy (who is ex-Sytner) recommended 6 cylinders and preferably petrol. So I got an E91 325i, but found it felt a bit lifeless so last year I replaced it with an E90 330i that is great.

It is an SE, but I don't mind the standard "Sport" seats in what is my daily.

Hope you find the right one.

[aaron_2000]

tms996 said:

Good suggestion, looks nice and solid.
I’ve just had two Lexus, one saloon and the RX, both great for their age. Just a little thirsty and not too exciting to drive. Before that too many years of VAG. So I d like a bit of fun again, with a decent estate that can fit four.

The X3 is a riot being way quicker than it has any right to be, but an LCI 530d would in reality be the best all rounder and the safest bet. The 335i or 550i would be the most fun; the 335i is actually not bad on fuel economy. I've spent long journeys in a 340i that's seen mid 40's from a very similar engine and I've heard the 335i isn't really any different.

[g3org3y]

As I said on another thread:

g3org3y said:

4 Cylinder engines are usually bullst.

BMW = 6 cylinders imo.

[nomis36]

I’ve had 7 older BMW’s and am currently in a 56 plate E92 330d. When I was looking to buy an E9x I wanted a petrol but wasn’t too fussed if I ended up with a diesel, had an E39 530d years ago so I knew how good the m57 3.0 was. As others have said, buy a 6 pot for performance, sound and reliability. Both the m57 (diesel) and the m54 (petrol) are very strong engines. Generally, the problems people get with these engines are related to emissions and vacuum leaks. If you are handy with the spanner’s non of these issues are major problems.
Mines done 150,000 miles and still pulls like a train, being mapped helps with that!
In summery, get a 330i for the sound or get a 330d for economy (mine easily averages 40mpg) and performance when mapped. There’s a lot of luck in buying a 10+ year old car so good luck with your search.

[Spitfire2]

I have the same car albeit a saloon with 120k miles on it and it drives great.

Don't want to jinx my luck here but the general advice with this engine is to keep well on top of oil changes and do them much more often than BMW's very long recommendations. I try to do every 6-7000 miles.

That said, if buying again I'd probably follow the advice above and get a 6-pot but will keep plugging away with the 318i for a good bit longer. No rush to change it but I would like another 5-series at some point

[d_a_n1979]

tms996 said:

Great thanks. 6 cyl it is. Any issues with the gearboxes?

You'll hear all sorts of stores about them (some good, some bad), but like any gear box; look after it and service it and it'll do fine

I've owned BMWs now since 2011, all of them auto and never once have I had any issues with any of the autoboxes; but when I've bought them, I've had them serviced (oil & filter) ASAP for peace of mind; even if the previous owner said they had it serviced etc. My local autobox specialist - Automatic Transmissions Preston - is bit of a guru, so with his servicing on the box; I know it'd been done properly etc as it's not really a DIY job

So, ideally, find a car that's had the box serviced, if not, but it drives perfectly (through all gears, reverse and in Sport mode) then budget c£350 for a service (oil & filter)

And for me, I'd personally go for an E39 over the E6x range; there's less to go wrong electrics wise and the E39s a doddle to work on, more so the M54 3.0 engine etc... The 530D with the M57 engine is highly regarded too, but if things go pop, they're a lot more expensive to fix over their petrol counterpart

I like the E6x range; it's grown on me, when I sold my previous E39 530i and decided to look at a diesel touring, I considered a few local 530D and 535D E61s, but they felt too platicky inside and not put together as well as the E39. Ended up buying an E65 730D, which was a superb car, but it did have a few issues that made me fall out of love with it very quickly (one it being a diesel and secondly, it kept chucking up niggling electrical issues that I spent more time chasing and fixing, for only another to crop up etc).

If you're brave enough, an 06 upwards facelift 730D could be within your range, if you want a derv

I'm now lucky to have a 2002 Jap import E39 530i Sport touring with 92k miles on and zero rust/corrosion; don;t get me wrong, it wasn't cheap and it's cost me a fair whack of £££ to sort, but as lot of it has been preventative maintenance with only a little bit of necessary maintenance etc; but that's my personal choice on how to look after my car

Build is here FYI (if you're bored and want a read) - https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

Edited by d_a_n1979 on Sunday 19th April 11:00

[tms996]

I was wondering about a diesel X3 as well, had a couple as hire cars in the past which were excellent. just not too sure if they might be a bit leggy at my price range?
I don’t really need the size and bills of a 5 for now.

Edited by tms996 on Sunday 19th April 13:18

[d_a_n1979]

tms996 said:

I was wondering about a diesel X3 as well, had a couple as hire cars in the past which were excellent. just not too sure if they might be a bit leggy at my price range?
I don’t really need the size and bills of a 5 for now.

Edited by tms996 on Sunday 19th April 13:18

Any 3 or 5 series in this price range will crop up with the same costs/bills IMO... They're all going to be of a similar age & mileage etc...

Have you looked on relevant BMW forums and Facebook groups to see if well maintained/cherished/looked after by an enthusiast cars are for sale (obviously to sort after the lockdown has been lifted)?

IMO that's about the best way to go; unless a local dealer has one that you like and has the paperwork/bills/histroy to show it's been looked after?

[tms996]

That was going to be my next step. Any suggestions for the better forums? As it’s BMW there’s a lot out there.

This sort of ticks all the boxes. Seen a lot of these with MOT failures due to springs, is that just age or an X3 issue?
https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...

Edited by tms996 on Sunday 19th April 14:38