E60 petrol reliabilty: 520i or 525i?
Discussion
Casting a glance over the Rhine to the Vaterland, it appears that high-mileage petrol E60s (good condition, full service records) are selling for as low as €4000. The local indy shop recommends the 525i (M54B25) instead of the 520i (M54B22) because he says it revs lower and doesn't have to work as hard to move the car about.
Would any of you agree or disagree? As in the UK, we have high taxes on higher displacement motors here in France. So the 2.2 would cost less to register than the 2.5 would. Wiki says there are issues with hydraulic lifter noise but that it's more of a nuisance than a reliability problem.
Of course if I shell out another few grand I can get into the 523i (N53B25-U0) LCI. The direct injection is good for a few more mpg. That would also drive up the registration/insurance costs here in France.
This would be a spare car and for our teenagers to do driver training in. The two oldest kids are quite responsible so I'm not worried about giving them ~190hp. That may surprise a few of you. (our third kid is another kettle of fish and will learn to drive in an old tank like a 90hp E class 4-pot diesel)
Would any of you agree or disagree? As in the UK, we have high taxes on higher displacement motors here in France. So the 2.2 would cost less to register than the 2.5 would. Wiki says there are issues with hydraulic lifter noise but that it's more of a nuisance than a reliability problem.
Of course if I shell out another few grand I can get into the 523i (N53B25-U0) LCI. The direct injection is good for a few more mpg. That would also drive up the registration/insurance costs here in France.
This would be a spare car and for our teenagers to do driver training in. The two oldest kids are quite responsible so I'm not worried about giving them ~190hp. That may surprise a few of you. (our third kid is another kettle of fish and will learn to drive in an old tank like a 90hp E class 4-pot diesel)
Edited by RenoHuskerDu on Monday 9th March 06:07
I didn't realise they used the M54 in the E60, isn't that the same engine they used in the later E46 models?
As far as I am aware they can use a bit of oil, and crankcase breathers can give issues. I had the breather system done on my M52 for £200 odd at a local specialist so not the end of the world. Besides that, meant to be very solid engines!
Perhaps someone could comment as to whether the cooling systems had been sorted by this point?
As far as I am aware they can use a bit of oil, and crankcase breathers can give issues. I had the breather system done on my M52 for £200 odd at a local specialist so not the end of the world. Besides that, meant to be very solid engines!
Perhaps someone could comment as to whether the cooling systems had been sorted by this point?
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