Time for frugality: E60 530d

[CarPrintGuy]

Having always prioritised bhp over mpg, what I eventually realised was that mpg = freedom.

Over the years I've run everything from a Ph1 Clio 172 to a 480 bhp Saab 9000, a Lexus LS400, Saxo VTS and more recently a W211 E55.



I always felt beached in the E55 as to drive to the end of the country, or any big road trip would've cost me an arm and a leg.

I've never had a diesel or a fast diesel for that matter and liked the idea as you get huge chunks of torque and great mpg.

My E55 was up for sale for 4 months and I had loads of timewasters offering me 6k to 7k, and eventually, the right buyer came along and we shook hands on 7500 plus his E60 530d.

It's an 04 auto with 226k miles and has an amazing spec:

Heated and cooled seats
Heated steering wheel
Harmon Kardon sound system
BlueTooth
Remapped by Ecotune to around 280 bhp and 442 lb-ft / 600 NM
DPF and swirl flaps removed
New turbo in March
Staggered 540i wheels
Full service history
20-way adjustable seats
Folding rear seats
Bilstein dampers and sports suspension
New brake discs and pads
Gearbox serviced
New oil and filters

Previous owner's thread: http://www.backroads.ie/forums/showthread.php?3051...




Despite the high mileage, it's really been taken care of.

Since I've had it I've had the headlights refurbished:





And more recently I took it to a local enthusiast who's into his BMW diagnostics and plugged his laptop into the OBD port. He coded out the Airbag Warning Light error.

The only issues I've found with the car are:
- tyre pressure warning - checked and all tyres were holding 36 Psi so perhaps it needs a new sensor?
- fuel economy is a little disappointing; around town no more than 25 mpg and on a long run, up to 40 mpg, which is around 5 and 10 mpg down on what some owners can achieve (same model year and auto).
- the car takes a little while from cold to start, which could be down to the battery, IBS sensor and cable needing replacing
- all temperatures are fine but gearbox might need the 'VW stat mod'
- gearbox is slippy and doesn't lock up until 6th gear and 60 mph, perhaps some mpg are escaping here - could need a refreshed torque converter and low mileage gearbox as clutch pressures are reading low:



PB on the way home from swapping the E55 for the 530d:



Can't remember how I managed this, was most likely short-lived:



Just ordered:

- New Exide AGM battery: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Exide-019-017-EK950-AGM...
- IBS sensor (and cable): https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/6PK-010-562-911-HELLA-S...
- Heater resistor (stops working occasionally): https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5HL351321211-HEATER-RES...
- Aux water pump: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0068MT208/
- Pollen/panel filters with carbon(?): https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pollen-Cabin-Filter-Pai...
.. which should tide me over until MOT in March.

Future plans:
- Front and rear bumper respray or find replacements
- Wheel refurb
- Machine polish all round
- Gearbox and torque converter overhaul

Other than that, I can't think what else comes close to the price in terms of performance, handling and economy. 0-60 in not much more than 6 seconds, herculean torque and great road trip potential. Once we are allowed to visit Germany I think this'll be the perfect tool for driving to the Nürburgring, potentially on 1 tank.

Edited by CarPrintGuy on Thursday 29th October 07:53

[GH421]

Hi

I've had one of these and it has certainly bit me in the bum with regards to maintenance and repairs. I've changed nearly everything on my 530d during my 7 year ownership. I bought at 100k and sold at 220k.

I risked the swirl flaps and spent a pretty penny fixing a scored piston and bent valves.

TPMS - Mine didn't use the new type sensor but it would measure the tyre circumference, I used to get the TPMS warning sensor all the time and this was due to a buckled alloy. the stock rims on these (and pretty much every BMW) are pretty dire and coupled wit run flats you're looking for a world of stress. Ditch the RFTs if you can.

There is a hidden menu on this car which will show you the water temp. Check this as poor MPG is known due to faulty thermostat as it's always open

Good luck.

Edited by GH421 on Tuesday 27th October 10:46

[Jimmy No Hands]

Nice barge! I pray it's good to you. My PD115 has averaged a real world 57 mpg over 18,000 miles. Bit of a revelation being able to do Yorkshire - Glasgow - Yorkshire on £45 and have some miles left.

[CarPrintGuy]

GH421 said:

Hi

I've had one of these and it has certainly bit me in the bum with regards to maintenance and repairs. I've changed nearly everything on my 530d during my 7 year ownership. I bought at 100k and sold at 220k.

I risked the swirl flaps and spent a pretty penny fixing a scored piston and bent valves.

TPMS - Mine didn't use the new type sensor but it would measure the tyre circumference, I used to get the TPMS warning sensor all the time and this was due to a buckled alloy. the stock rims on these (and pretty much every BMW) are pretty dire and coupled wit run flats you're looking for a world of stress. Ditch the RFTs if you can.

There is a hidden menu on this car which will show you the water temp. Check this as poor MPG is known due to faulty thermostat as it's always open

Good luck.

Edited by GH421 on Tuesday 27th October 10:46

Thanks, run-flats are off thankfully. I'll check water temp, I think the engine temps all get up to 90+C quite quickly, I wonder if it is the gearbox that's causing the poor mpg. What kind of mpg did you get out of yours before and after sorting the thermostat? What car have you moved onto since?

I love the idea of a 335xd touring with a map and downpipe, 0-60 in under 4 sec and 50+ mpg on a run: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dR4_AX5m3gc

[CarPrintGuy]

Jimmy No Hands said:

Nice barge! I pray it's good to you. My PD115 has averaged a real world 57 mpg over 18,000 miles. Bit of a revelation being able to do Yorkshire - Glasgow - Yorkshire on £45 and have some miles left.

Thanks - that's unreal, I am very tempted by a PD VW, amazing fuel economy and impressive performance when mapped. Driven hard I reckon this 5er will use double the amount of fuel as your PD, crap really.

[JWH]

A couple of thoughts on mpg.....

I'm sure the non lock up on the torque converter is costing you something, if you're not aware thermostat failure is also common causing cool running, slow warm up and poorer fuel economy. Check the coolant temp is hitting high 80's once warm.

I've got a manual 330d with the 245 bhp N57, generally a more economical engine than the M57. It's done 220k miles, over the last 160k of those it's averaged 43mpg, vast majority on the Mway.
It's my opinion that the folks claiming 50mpg out of these engines are effectively quoting 'hyper miling' figures. I've never achieved 50mpg over a whole tank even driven very gently. In mixed use and with a normal driving style I'd be very happy to average 38ish mpg out of yours.

[CarPrintGuy]

JWH said:

A couple of thoughts on mpg.....

I'm sure the non lock up on the torque converter is costing you something, if you're not aware thermostat failure is also common causing cool running, slow warm up and poorer fuel economy. Check the coolant temp is hitting high 80's once warm.

I've got a manual 330d with the 245 bhp N57, generally a more economical engine than the M57. It's done 220k miles, over the last 160k of those it's averaged 43mpg, vast majority on the Mway.
It's my opinion that the folks claiming 50mpg out of these engines are effectively quoting 'hyper miling' figures. I've never achieved 50mpg over a whole tank even driven very gently. In mixed use and with a normal driving style I'd be very happy to average 38ish mpg out of yours.

Thanks, if the vast majority of my driving was on the motorway I'd average around 38 mpg, but when combined with round town it's more like 29 mpg 50/50. £1000 for a gearbox and torque converter overhaul would be worth it for an extra 9 mpg overall, but much less and it'd be a bit pointless as I'd need to drive many many tens of thousands of miles just to break even. Tough one.

[JakeT]

I agree with JWH's thoughts. I had a 204BHP E46 330d manual, and the best I did out of that (with brand new BMW thermostats) was 46 to the gallon. I had a very miley E39 530d manual that would do about 48 on a long run, but it was slow as.

The M57 '30d' engines were never the absolute in fuel economy, but their smoothness, and longevity wins out for me.


I'd leave the gearbox until it goes bang. Those 6HP 'E clutches' are known to give issues. As you say, it's also a lot of money for a small improvement in fuel economy.


Nice spec though, very nice. Dynamic drive on E60s here is rare. I'm sure the ACC can be sorted easily. There's plenty of mobile BMW coders out there.

[CarPrintGuy]

JakeT said:

I agree with JWH's thoughts. I had a 204BHP E46 330d manual, and the best I did out of that (with brand new BMW thermostats) was 46 to the gallon. I had a very miley E39 530d manual that would do about 48 on a long run, but it was slow as.

The M57 '30d' engines were never the absolute in fuel economy, but their smoothness, and longevity wins out for me.


I'd leave the gearbox until it goes bang. Those 6HP 'E clutches' are known to give issues. As you say, it's also a lot of money for a small improvement in fuel economy.


Nice spec though, very nice. Dynamic drive on E60s here is rare. I'm sure the ACC can be sorted easily. There's plenty of mobile BMW coders out there.

Thanks, agreed re gearbox. Found a local coder, he found all the above such as battery, IBS etc. needing replacing. I guess if a lighter manual can do 46 mpg on a run then 40 on a run in an auto is liveable. 50 would be nicer still..

The best I ever got out of my E55 was 25.5 mpg on a run, so 40 is nice. The least I ever got out of the Merc was 9 mpg, 15 in the BM.

Re Dynamic Drive, the handling is brilliant, if a little nose heavy when really pushing on. I 'get' now why BMWs are regarded as drivers' cars. The Merc was a bit of a one-trick pony whereas this BM has a broader range of talents.

[greeneggsnsam]

My dad had one of these for a few years, it was such a good car. It rode so well and was really quiet on long trips. If I was in the market for a barge I'd definitely be looking for an E60.

[Martin996]

I had the estate version of this car and it gave me no end of trouble. The exhaust manifold cracked, several of the studs then needed helicoiling, the self levelling suspension was always on the fritz, and the electrical gremlins were constant.

However, it had great road presence and was fast for a big estate, and handled pretty well. The wife loved it. If they were available without the crummy reliability then I'd have another one like a shot. However, I've had three auto BMWs and they all burned me in some way. As soon as I can justify it again I'll be going with another fast estate though.

[CarPrintGuy]

greeneggsnsam said:

My dad had one of these for a few years, it was such a good car. It rode so well and was really quiet on long trips. If I was in the market for a barge I'd definitely be looking for an E60.

The ride is brilliant and there is very little road noise. If I could average 40 mpg I'd probably keep it for years. I guess even if it averages more like 30 it owes me nothing and would be cool to get it up to 300k miles.

[CarPrintGuy]

Martin996 said:

I had the estate version of this car and it gave me no end of trouble. The exhaust manifold cracked, several of the studs then needed helicoiling, the self levelling suspension was always on the fritz, and the electrical gremlins were constant.

However, it had great road presence and was fast for a big estate, and handled pretty well. The wife loved it. If they were available without the crummy reliability then I'd have another one like a shot. However, I've had three auto BMWs and they all burned me in some way. As soon as I can justify it again I'll be going with another fast estate though.

Sounds like a nightmare, was it tuned? Can you remember what it was like on fuel?

[joropug]

I had a facelift m sport 530d bought on 80k sold on 115k.

Both thermostats were gone on purchase unbeknownst to the previous owner I would expect. Luckily I realised and the DPF did an almighty regen after they were replaced, saving it.

My gearbox would lock in every gear , they are known for it and it felt a lot more connected and less floaty than my merc.

That said, on cold days it took an age to warm up (gearbox) and would not lock for the first 10 minutes. I couldn't put any power down joining slip roads etc.

My friend had the same car on the same mileage and on the same day his would not do this, I too had my gearbox oil changed , new filter etc and clutches adjusted properly. It made the shift way smoother but didn't stop the cold lack of lock up.

The tell tale sign the torque converter is dead is the 'cattle grid effect' where it wavers at cruising speed.

I would recommend a Carly adapter and app purchase, or just an obd 2 Bluetooth adapter and torque app to monitor the temperatures owing to the lack of temp gauge.

[CarPrintGuy]

joropug said:

I had a facelift m sport 530d bought on 80k sold on 115k.

Both thermostats were gone on purchase unbeknownst to the previous owner I would expect. Luckily I realised and the DPF did an almighty regen after they were replaced, saving it.

My gearbox would lock in every gear , they are known for it and it felt a lot more connected and less floaty than my merc.

That said, on cold days it took an age to warm up (gearbox) and would not lock for the first 10 minutes. I couldn't put any power down joining slip roads etc.

My friend had the same car on the same mileage and on the same day his would not do this, I too had my gearbox oil changed , new filter etc and clutches adjusted properly. It made the shift way smoother but didn't stop the cold lack of lock up.

The tell tale sign the torque converter is dead is the 'cattle grid effect' where it wavers at cruising speed.

I would recommend a Carly adapter and app purchase, or just an obd 2 Bluetooth adapter and torque app to monitor the temperatures owing to the lack of temp gauge.

Interesting, if I floor it at pretty much any speed, the revs rise more than the road speed, eventually the revs match the road speed.

Can you remember what yours was like on fuel?

Will look into Carly BT, thanks.

[cossy400]

OP if your on Facebook there is 2 e60/e61 groups very knowledgeable etc and helpful to boot.

[Don Roque]

CarPrintGuy said:

Interesting, if I floor it at pretty much any speed, the revs rise more than the road speed, eventually the revs match the road speed.

Can you remember what yours was like on fuel?

Will look into Carly BT, thanks.

That definitely sounds like a lockup issue. I had a similar issue with my old XJ, if you tried to accelerate hard from a steady speed the revs would flare and then fall to match the rising road speed.

[CarPrintGuy]

cossy400 said:

OP if your on Facebook there is 2 e60/e61 groups very knowledgeable etc and helpful to boot.

Cheers, yeh I've joined a couple, some really, really knowledgeable folk on there.

[CarPrintGuy]

Don Roque said:

That definitely sounds like a lockup issue. I had a similar issue with my old XJ, if you tried to accelerate hard from a steady speed the revs would flare and then fall to match the rising road speed.

Ok thanks I might have a go at getting it sorted next year at some point. Once sorted did you notice an improvement in fuel economy?

[cologne2792]

I drove an E60 525d SE lci auto this year and was surprised by just how nice it was.
I think they're only around 190 bhp but it just felt very nicely sorted and refined.
Most enjoyable.