E61 V8 Bearding

[zippyonline]

MOT history looks ok, but mileage and dates look interesting. Looks like it's been off the road for a year or so recently.

[chrisgeary]

My annual mileage looks like its going back up again so I may have to sell my 06 E61 550i. Anyone have a view on the going rate for one at 145k miles? It's grey (inside and out), vgc, has a reconditioned (and still under warranty) auto box, alternator seal, new alternator and rocker gaskets. Approx £5k worth of repairs for which I have receipts. It's the extensive repairs that make me unsure of what a fair price for it should be. All other consumables are current (tyres, brakes, plugs etc).

[ATM]

I think it depends how quick you want out of it. You could try advertising it at say 8000 and see what response you get. There are never any for sale so its either waiting for someone to be looking for one or hope it just pops up in someone's search and they think oh right that would do.

[2 GKC]

£8k sounds a lot for that level of mileage

[ATM]

2 GKC said:

£8k sounds a lot for that level of mileage

Maybe. So then he might get chancers offering 7. I think I am the only person who pays the asking price.

[chrisgeary]

Thanks ATM. I'm not sure I can do it. The sound of a diesel, even a 6 pot, it's just... not the same.

[ATM]

chrisgeary said:

Thanks ATM. I'm not sure I can do it. The sound of a diesel, even a 6 pot, it's just... not the same.

What were you thinking of going for - standard 535d touring?

[chrisgeary]

I was considering a 2013ish F31 330d. Similar levels of pace but half the fuel consumption. But the spreadsheet tells me that depreciation on the newer car will make up the difference and make TCO quite similar. Then there's the repairs I've made so far which someone else would benefit from. I think all the biggies have been covered now, with the exception of valve stem seals which I've no record of having been done. The 550 is now at 145k miles and shows no signs of them needing attention, so I guess its possible that it's already been done.

[ATM]

I've been browsing - well I'm browsing all the time - and saw a couple of interesting options -

Sensible

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/142668412206



Not sensible

Rear blinds on a pillar-less door = surprising

Yes the wheels and badges are a bit much and the mileage but 4 door 650's seem a bit thin on the ground.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/263445751250

[NiceCupOfTea]

Hi chaps,

Got a few questions (not V8 specific but seems there's a lot of knowledge in here!)

Currently got an e46 330 touring but it's rusting as they all do! Have been thinking about moving up to a 5 anyway for space/comfort, but e39s are too old now and still suffer from tinworm.

Am I right in thinking that BMW had finally sorted the rust on the e60s and that they don't (apart from bodged repairs, etc.)?

I would be after a petrol touring, minimum 530 but V8 certainly considered if running costs aren't too ruinous (petrol I can cope with as long as 20-25mpg mixed is achievable) but are they more delicate than the sixes?

I would probably be looking at a pre-facelift, so it's going to be 10-15 years old. I am concerned to be spending a decent wedge (for me) on a car that is obviously very complicated - are things like auto boxes / electrics likely to throw big bills? It will be my first auto, I have no problem with them but repair costs scare me.

I love the idea of a massive spec (heated comfort seats, idrive, pan roof, etc.) but not the idea of warning lights every couple of weeks and 4 figure repair bills...

Would I be better putting my money into an e91?

[ATM]

NiceCupOfTea said:

Hi chaps,

Got a few questions (not V8 specific but seems there's a lot of knowledge in here!)

Currently got an e46 330 touring but it's rusting as they all do! Have been thinking about moving up to a 5 anyway for space/comfort, but e39s are too old now and still suffer from tinworm.

Am I right in thinking that BMW had finally sorted the rust on the e60s and that they don't (apart from bodged repairs, etc.)?

I would be after a petrol touring, minimum 530 but V8 certainly considered if running costs aren't too ruinous (petrol I can cope with as long as 20-25mpg mixed is achievable) but are they more delicate than the sixes?

I would probably be looking at a pre-facelift, so it's going to be 10-15 years old. I am concerned to be spending a decent wedge (for me) on a car that is obviously very complicated - are things like auto boxes / electrics likely to throw big bills? It will be my first auto, I have no problem with them but repair costs scare me.

I love the idea of a massive spec (heated comfort seats, idrive, pan roof, etc.) but not the idea of warning lights every couple of weeks and 4 figure repair bills...

Would I be better putting my money into an e91?

My E61 550i is a 55 reg so very early for a 550i. It has one tiny bit of rust on the underside of the rear number plate lighting strip thing. Mine is relatively low spec and everything works. I did a bit of atest on the fuel economy last week. 178 miles round trip. Filled up with Tesco 99 and then set off. All motorway at 65 - 70 unless 50 - 55 through average speed limit motorway road works. Then filled up immediately again with Tesco 99 when I got back. It cost me £37 in fuel and I think I pay about £1.26p. iDrive screen was reset at Tesco 99 on leaving and then I took a pic as I filled up again. The iDrive said 26.4mpg. So thats

178 miles
26.4mpg
£37 Tesco 99 @ £1.26


From earlier ---

I'm nearly up to 3 years and - maybe this will jinx it - zero problems.

Bonnet catch broke / jammed - £80
Some rear bushes and all new shocks and front springs £600 parts and £600 fitting
All new brake discs, pads and flexis waiting to go on - £800 parts
Gearbox oil change / service - £400
Replacement key after losing it - literally - at a music festival - which cost me £1000

I have only done about 20 - 22 thousand in mine and it has never had a service. I really really need to get round to that.

My valve stem oil seals are knackered. I dont think this affects the 6 but no idea.

You will be very hard pushed to find a v8 manual. I have toyed with the idea of changing mine to manual but once you drive it you forget about that madness. The car is quite lively and the box very eager to kick down. Compared to a more modern BMW its like being in sport mode all the time. If you want info on the E91 then pop over to the E91 thread. I'm in there as well as I recently bought an E91 335i LCI. i was planning on selling the E61 but now I just cant - or can I - who knows.

[chrisgeary]

That's just it. You go for a drive and it reminds you why you bought it. The noise, the pace, the delivery. It won't let me sell it

I get similar mpg to you on a run also. My long term average is around 24mpg which includes pottering about in town and some longer runs over the last 18 months and 7000 miles.

[ATM]

chrisgeary said:

That's just it. You go for a drive and it reminds you why you bought it. The noise, the pace, the delivery. It won't let me sell it

I get similar mpg to you on a run also. My long term average is around 24mpg which includes pottering about in town and some longer runs over the last 18 months and 7000 miles.

I bought mine because i wanted a big fast estate and that's what i got.

I dont normally bother with mpg calculations but because I'm now doing twice as many miles i thought I'd find out the bad news. So I'm trying to use my 550i less now for longer distance runs.

I also bought a big na petrol because i thought there is less to go wrong under the bonnet. Now i know how complicated the engine is I'm still amazed it just works. My car is now 13 years old.

Then there is the boot. It feels twice the size of the E91 boot.

I know mine needs valve seals because it eats a bit of oil and occasionally smokes. But if you can ignore that it saves you spending what is probably a big chunk of money.

I can't believe these cars are cheaper to buy now than the equivalent 535d or they were. Given how rare they are, go like stink and are pretty solid really.

[smashie]

Still loving mine and when I use it I don’t worry about the mpg, despite only getting 16 (or less) when towing.
I don’t use it everyday though, as I also have an i3 that I love driving. 2 opposite ends of the scale really.

[ATM]

ATM said:

wsurfa said:

From the barge thread. A 550i msport touring for under 5k




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

That looks cheap.

Now only 4550. Do i need a second?

[dom9]

Lovely looking car but the miles do scare me... Almost 70k more than my car, which seems to be getting the odd niggle...

[ATM]

dom9 said:

Lovely looking car but the miles do scare me... Almost 70k more than my car, which seems to be getting the odd niggle...

What niggles can i expect other than box and valve seals?

[dom9]

ATM said:

What niggles can i expect other than box and valve seals?

Good question... My 'box has been groaning (but that's true for 2 years now), stem seals appear ok though I may have noticed a little more smoke recently but I had that coil failure and air spring failure in the last few weeks and I seem to have an intermittent reverse light fault where it says the bulb has gone but then the warning goes out of it's own accord.

The radio also appears to 'click' and go off every time I get in the car, for a couple of seconds, after driving for a few seconds - like it drops signal and then refinds it again (didn't used to). Rear window demist seems weak and interferes with radio reception, badly.

However; that's why I call them niggles - It probably took me no more than an hour (and probably only half an hour) to do both the air spring and the coil, in total, and I can live with the rest.

The problem with picking up a high mileage car (that isn't full of refurbished parts) is that if you get a 'box fault and stem seals (let alone the fair chance of various bits of suspension needing replacement) then you'll probably need to spend the cost of the car again, at a garage, if you're not handy with spanners.

Then there is any prop/ driveshaft wear, diff, brakes, general wear and tear etc.

Don't get me wrong; that car looks better than mine and may have had good preventative maintenance through its life but I am just running mine into the ground now as it won't seem to die and I get huge satisfaction from the V8 and stealthy dog shuttle looks. Changing it for a higher miles car is not a risk I'd take.

[chrisgeary]

dom9 said:

The problem with picking up a high mileage car (that isn't full of refurbished parts) is that if you get a 'box fault and stem seals (let alone the fair chance of various bits of suspension needing replacement) then you'll probably need to spend the cost of the car again, at a garage, if you're not handy with spanners.

I can confirm exactly that happened with my car. Auto box recon, alternator seal, rocker gasket and new alternator. Bought the car for £5k. Spent the same on repairs so far. If I didn't love the sound of the engine and the thrust it produces, I'd cry. But I love it. I feel almost a duty to keep such a rare gem maintained and on the road.

[dom9]

chrisgeary said:

I can confirm exactly that happened with my car. Auto box recon, alternator seal, rocker gasket and new alternator. Bought the car for £5k. Spent the same on repairs so far. If I didn't love the sound of the engine and the thrust it produces, I'd cry. But I love it. I feel almost a duty to keep such a rare gem maintained and on the road.

No harm in that at all and why I haven't parted with mine.

Sometimes better to spend less and get it sorted, so you know where you're at, than spend more for a lower miles car and be waiting for a problem while it depreciates

160k miles though on something that thirsty? Tough market even below £5k, I suspect, and getting towards the price where someone will buy and it possibly not put money into it, so we'll end up with one less on the road in the future

Edited to add: The coil I replaced (along with the spark plug) seems to suggest my rocker covers could do with changing as well.

Edited by dom9 on Saturday 3rd February 17:31