2006 BMW 630i

[Deep Thought]

Court_S said:

Deep Thought said:

Yeah i guess i just need to bond with the car.

I'm fortunate in that theres a really good BMW indy a mile up the road from us who looks after our other cars, and 4 miles the other direction is the BMW indy who has looked after this car since it was 3 years old.

As you say, they're a known quantity so i cant imagine i'll ever hit a problem that there isnt a known fix for.

And learn to trust it. Took me a while to trust the 125i we bought in January. Her previous 116i 2as easy to trust because her mum and dad had owned it since 2008.

Yes indeed. Have had it out for a few runs, starting to enjoy it.

[Deep Thought]

Did some updates / refreshes in the last week or so.

Was getting three "pings" every time i started it and every time i stopped it and the i-drive helpfully told me it was rear number plate bulb out and parking light bulbs front. Those are the angel eye bulbs so took the opportunity to upgrade them with LED white light replacements. These get well rated on the forum groups..

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/282566046659

Will see how they look this evening when it gets dusky.

Rear number plate light replaced.

Replaced the centre console trim which had got a bit scratched.

Ordered a new CD player knob (has faded to pale grey).

Ordered a new genuine BMW gear knob.

Think there might be a slight water leak so while its at my mechanics checking that hes doing the steering wheel trim.

Getting the 330i ready for sale. Swapped the regs over, new number plates made up. Need to get the wheels swapped off too. Still looks a very impressive car IMHO. Will be quite sad to see it go

[cerb4.5lee]

Your 330i looks like such a lovely example. Someone will get a very nice car there I reckon.

[Deep Thought]

cerb4.5lee said:

Your 330i looks like such a lovely example. Someone will get a very nice car there I reckon.

They will indeed. It really needs for nothing.

No need at all for me to be changing it other than i just fancied a change.

It will be a good car for someone.

[Cloudy147]

Nice fleet, and nice looking garage.

6 series wasn't that good of a looker at launch, but it has aged really well and I think they look great now, and look modern to my eye too.

Great choice, be interesting to see how you get on with it. :-)

[g3org3y]

g3org3y said:

Looks to me that you don't have the ProHiFi. I think all the E63 dashboards have the grill for the speaker, but only Pro HiFi has the speaker underneath.

ProHiFi option is 677 = "HiFi System Professional DSP".

Option 216 Servotronic = Active Steering
Option 5AC Autom. High-beam Headlights Control = Looks like High Beam Assist.

Done more research on this.

Turns out Servotronic and the proper Active Steering are different.

According to a brochure I've looked at:
Servotronic (Option S216) is standard on 6. It varies the power assistance depending on the road speed (so more assistance/lighter steering at low speeds and vice vera).

Active Steering actually varies the steering ratio depending on road speed. This was an additional option (could be spec'd on its own or part of the Dynamic Drive Package which also included Dynamic Drive (active anti-roll bars).

So apologies for the wrong info. Neither of our cars has Active Steering.

[Deep Thought]

g3org3y said:

g3org3y said:

Looks to me that you don't have the ProHiFi. I think all the E63 dashboards have the grill for the speaker, but only Pro HiFi has the speaker underneath.

ProHiFi option is 677 = "HiFi System Professional DSP".

Option 216 Servotronic = Active Steering
Option 5AC Autom. High-beam Headlights Control = Looks like High Beam Assist.

Done more research on this.

Turns out Servotronic and the proper Active Steering are different.

According to a brochure I've looked at:
Servotronic (Option S216) is standard on 6. It varies the power assistance depending on the road speed (so more assistance/lighter steering at low speeds and vice vera).

Active Steering actually varies the steering ratio depending on road speed. This was an additional option (could be spec'd on its own or part of the Dynamic Drive Package which also included Dynamic Drive (active anti-roll bars).

So apologies for the wrong info. Neither of our cars has Active Steering.

Interesting. Yes that sounds and feels more like what it has.

[g3org3y]

Deep Thought said:

Interesting. Yes that sounds and feels more like what it has.

Silver lining: one less thing to go wrong

[Anonymous-poster]

g3org3y said:

Done more research on this.

Turns out Servotronic and the proper Active Steering are different.

According to a brochure I've looked at:
Servotronic (Option S216) is standard on 6. It varies the power assistance depending on the road speed (so more assistance/lighter steering at low speeds and vice vera).

Active Steering actually varies the steering ratio depending on road speed. This was an additional option (could be spec'd on its own or part of the Dynamic Drive Package which also included Dynamic Drive (active anti-roll bars).

So apologies for the wrong info. Neither of our cars has Active Steering.

My 645 has the dynamic drive pack and the steering takes a bit of getting used to if going from one car to another but the active anti roll bars make the car corner very flat no discernible lean in the corners!
Welcome to the 6 club DT, they used to be really big cars but as cars have grown they seem quite small now.

[Deep Thought]

Anonymous-poster said:

My 645 has the dynamic drive pack and the steering takes a bit of getting used to if going from one car to another but the active anti roll bars make the car corner very flat no discernible lean in the corners!
Welcome to the 6 club DT, they used to be really big cars but as cars have grown they seem quite small now.

Thank you

[ST270]

Deep Thought said:

Did some updates / refreshes in the last week or so.

Was getting three "pings" every time i started it and every time i stopped it and the i-drive helpfully told me it was rear number plate bulb out and parking light bulbs front. Those are the angel eye bulbs so took the opportunity to upgrade them with LED white light replacements. These get well rated on the forum groups..

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/282566046659

Will see how they look this evening when it gets dusky.

Rear number plate light replaced.

Replaced the centre console trim which had got a bit scratched.

Ordered a new CD player knob (has faded to pale grey).

Ordered a new genuine BMW gear knob.

Think there might be a slight water leak so while its at my mechanics checking that hes doing the steering wheel trim.

Getting the 330i ready for sale. Swapped the regs over, new number plates made up. Need to get the wheels swapped off too. Still looks a very impressive car IMHO. Will be quite sad to see it go

Interested on your verdict for the angel eye bulb upgrade - my NS went this weekend and need to source some replacments... Are they easy to fit?

With ref to any water leaks - depending on where the leak appears in the cabin there could be multiple things to check;

1. drainage channels under the cabin filters in engine compartment - easy to remove to check (there is a stadrd fit rubber grommet which is badly designed and just collects debris resulting in blockages

2. If the carpet is wet alongside the sill plate between sill and seat or on the rear footwells then it could be the moisture seal on the inside of the door - if the sealant has failed then water runs down the outside of the window into the door and through the failed sealant then into the cabin rather than the drainage channels. It is a door card off job to sort it but not difficult.

[Deep Thought]

ST270 said:

Interested on your verdict for the angel eye bulb upgrade - my NS went this weekend and need to source some replacments... Are they easy to fit?

With ref to any water leaks - depending on where the leak appears in the cabin there could be multiple things to check;

1. drainage channels under the cabin filters in engine compartment - easy to remove to check (there is a stadrd fit rubber grommet which is badly designed and just collects debris resulting in blockages

2. If the carpet is wet alongside the sill plate between sill and seat or on the rear footwells then it could be the moisture seal on the inside of the door - if the sealant has failed then water runs down the outside of the window into the door and through the failed sealant then into the cabin rather than the drainage channels. It is a door card off job to sort it but not difficult.

Yes the angel eye upgrade was very worthwhile. Its quite tight to get your hands down in to the back of the headlights but perfectly doable.

These are the ones i went for.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/282566046659

The water leak - sorry i should elaborated - its under the engine and its definitely coolant.

[ST270]

Deep Thought said:

ST270 said:

Interested on your verdict for the angel eye bulb upgrade - my NS went this weekend and need to source some replacments... Are they easy to fit?

With ref to any water leaks - depending on where the leak appears in the cabin there could be multiple things to check;

1. drainage channels under the cabin filters in engine compartment - easy to remove to check (there is a stadrd fit rubber grommet which is badly designed and just collects debris resulting in blockages

2. If the carpet is wet alongside the sill plate between sill and seat or on the rear footwells then it could be the moisture seal on the inside of the door - if the sealant has failed then water runs down the outside of the window into the door and through the failed sealant then into the cabin rather than the drainage channels. It is a door card off job to sort it but not difficult.

Yes the angel eye upgrade was very worthwhile. Its quite tight to get your hands down in to the back of the headlights but perfectly doable.

These are the ones i went for.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/282566046659

The water leak - sorry i should elaborated - its under the engine and its definitely coolant.

Ah! understood - well hope the coolant leak is a simple fix! The 6 series are renowned for the water ingress - good practice to check the drainagle channels anyway!

Thanks for the update on the bulbs - can i ask how the brightness is with the ones you chose? Many look quite "aftermarket" that i have seen... can they be changed from above engine bay or is it a wheelarch liner off job?

Cheers!

[Deep Thought]

ST270 said:

Ah! understood - well hope the coolant leak is a simple fix! The 6 series are renowned for the water ingress - good practice to check the drainagle channels anyway!

Thanks for the update on the bulbs - can i ask how the brightness is with the ones you chose? Many look quite "aftermarket" that i have seen... can they be changed from above engine bay or is it a wheelarch liner off job?

Cheers!

Their little before / after pic in their advert is fairly representative. They arent bright during the day and would be hard to see but once it gets a little dusky you can start to see the difference. They are a proper white colour and definitely stronger than standard.

Probably in line with whats seen in the video clip below.

I like them. The original lights are yellowy by comparison.

You tube clip explains how to do it. Its done from above and doesnt require any trim remove (but its hard to get your hand down in)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xaXNQWpatU

Edited by Deep Thought on Monday 10th May 15:10

[Deep Thought]

Water leak traced to a cracked pipe near the oil cooler. Seems to have been dripping back on to the engine tray then hitting the ground in the middle of the engine. Pipe on order, arriving Monday / Tuesday.

Bottled out and got my mechanic to fit the steering wheel trim as he had the car anyway. Will post pics of the old and new when i get the car back.

Ordered a new gear knob, hasnt arrived yet but thats an easy pull off and replace job.

Looking forward to taking it for a good run when i get it back. Had been a little bit cautious because of the leak.

[Court_S]

I’ve seen your 330 on eBay. Good luck with the sale.

I’m currently looking at these as an option because the bids on my 140i are so good. I’m seriously thinking about getting shot of it and running something older / cheaper for a while. My car hasn’t moved again this weekend so it’s really starting to feel daft having it and not moving it.

I haven’t really focussed on a model, the prerequisites are a six cylinder engine which means it’ll no doubt be a BMW of some sort.

[Deep Thought]

Court_S said:

I’ve seen your 330 on eBay. Good luck with the sale.

I’m currently looking at these as an option because the bids on my 140i are so good. I’m seriously thinking about getting shot of it and running something older / cheaper for a while. My car hasn’t moved again this weekend so it’s really starting to feel daft having it and not moving it.

I haven’t really focussed on a model, the prerequisites are a six cylinder engine which means it’ll no doubt be a BMW of some sort.

I hope not! Its not on ebay

I've it on Facebook and autotrader currently. Autotrader was £4.95 was six weeks. Seemed a bargain. Facebook usually delivers though you have to sift through the "whats your best price for cash mate" brigade. It seems to be attracting a disproportionate amount of young blokes - 20 somethings. Invariably they cant justify the insurance cost / fuelling costs so i try to weed them out before they waste my time and theirs viewing and test driving it.

Yes, i must admit i've had a search set up for "engine size 3.0 litres, or greater, petrol, automatic (my preference) within 60 miles (so covers all of Northern Ireland)." Theres various options with that engine size. 3 series coupe / saloon might yield a 335i in your area?

Our M140i like yours is doing very little at the minute too. We kind of plan to keep it 10+ years and we know it will get more use at some point so just holding on to it, though with trade prices on the up its tempting to let it go. I think you're seen my posts over on the other thread about prices anyway but heres how ours has went...

Did my monthly price check on the 2019 M140i with 17K miles.

21-Nov-19 £20,500
20-Mar-20 £12,270
10-Apr-20 Declined to offer
10-May-20 Declined to offer
08-Jun-20 £18,000
22-Jun-20 £19,000
14-Jul-20 £19,500
29-Jul-20 £21,000
2-Aug-20 £21,500
19-Aug-20 £21,680
4-Sep-20 £23,000
14-Sep-20 £23,000
30-Sep-20 £22,000
7-Oct-20 £21,570
23-Oct-20 £21,710
5-Nov-20 Declined to offer
19-Nov-20 £20,790
15-Dec-20 £21,340
18-Jan-21 £20,210
24-Feb-21 £20,410
06-Mar-21 £19,445
18-Apr-21 £21,405
08-May-21 £23,240




Quite amazing for a car we gave £28,200 new for 2 years and 2 months ago.

I'm "getting away with" the older six cylinders at the moment as a second car but i'll have to see how that pans out. My usual requirement for a second car is to start first time on a Monday morning @ 04:30, take me to the airport, sit there for 3-4 days then start first time and get me home. Not terribly strenuous but if a car starts to need maintenance its a bit of a juggling session to get it done / get to the airport. I'd a Volvo S40 2.5T T5 a couple of years back and it ended up off the road for three weeks. Was a real ball ache as had to get taxis to the airport etc.

BUT, working from home this past year and likely going forward so not so much of an issue.

[Court_S]

Sorry, yes it’ll have been AT I saw it on. I’ve spent so much time browsing cars online the last few days that they all blur into one!

I’ve been following the other thread and it was that which prompted me to look into it, which then snowballed because the offer was strong (£23,500) and Sytner were just under £24k. As you said pretty impressive for a car I paid £28k for just under two years ago.

I like me 140i but I’m not sure I love it. It’s very fast but very effortless too and I can’t help thinking I want more drama. An M car is out of the question because the values are bloody mental at the moment. I checked the AUC site this week and up to £30k, nationally there were the choice of four M4’s. All 2014 cars at nearly £30k. Even last year there were 16 plate cars and a few 17 in budget. Zero M2’s at the moment. I’d hate to buy something like that now with higher prices because I think I’d take a massive bath when it’s time to move it on.

I feel like spending £6 to 8k on an older car limits that risk, especially if I buy well.

I appreciate that there’s more risk with an older car, but with my company looking to move to a more flexible approach permanently it’s less of an issue. I’m getting a bit more hands on too and most stuff on the N52 doesn’t seem too bad. A friend has had a high mileage 125i for a couple of years now and he’s really happy getting stuck in / helping.

These 630’s just seem like an awful lot of car especially compared to a 130 or 330.

[Deep Thought]

Court_S said:

Sorry, yes it’ll have been AT I saw it on. I’ve spent so much time browsing cars online the last few days that they all blur into one!

I’ve been following the other thread and it was that which prompted me to look into it, which then snowballed because the offer was strong (£23,500) and Sytner were just under £24k. As you said pretty impressive for a car I paid £28k for just under two years ago.

I like me 140i but I’m not sure I love it. It’s very fast but very effortless too and I can’t help thinking I want more drama. An M car is out of the question because the values are bloody mental at the moment. I checked the AUC site this week and up to £30k, nationally there were the choice of four M4’s. All 2014 cars at nearly £30k. Even last year there were 16 plate cars and a few 17 in budget. Zero M2’s at the moment. I’d hate to buy something like that now with higher prices because I think I’d take a massive bath when it’s time to move it on.

I feel like spending £6 to 8k on an older car limits that risk, especially if I buy well.

I appreciate that there’s more risk with an older car, but with my company looking to move to a more flexible approach permanently it’s less of an issue. I’m getting a bit more hands on too and most stuff on the N52 doesn’t seem too bad. A friend has had a high mileage 125i for a couple of years now and he’s really happy getting stuck in / helping.

These 630’s just seem like an awful lot of car especially compared to a 130 or 330.

I have to say the 630 if a definite "step up" in terms of build quality compared to the 3 series variants. Its easy to tell its the E60 five series its built on inside

They do seem relatively easy worked at and are a (well) known quantity now.

And yes, M2 / M3 / M4 prices make me very jumpy. There was a time you'd have had a choice of OG M2s for around £25K. 18 months later you'd need to be thinking of spending north of £28K to get the same car that should have been £22-23K by now. Feels like if there is a market adjustment it would be easy to take a big bath.

Theres a world of value down the money though. Still chuffed with my Z4C for the money and the 330i was frankly a steal and there are still good cars at sensible money about if you're prepared to wait.