630 2007-2008

[Mr Tidy]

g3org3y said:

The more I see them in person, the more I just love the styling. Bangle really smashed it. I think I'll need to buy an E60 now as well.

And maybe an E61.

I hope collection day goes well.

[g3org3y]

Mr Tidy said:

g3org3y said:

The more I see them in person, the more I just love the styling. Bangle really smashed it. I think I'll need to buy an E60 now as well.

And maybe an E61.

I hope collection day goes well.

TBF, the E61 (with M Sport kit) is a great looking car. Would seriously consider one if deciding to upsize the E91.

Priority is probably the M3 now. Wife has stated, one in one out policy from now on.

Edited by g3org3y on Saturday 4th July 23:39

[Mr Tidy]

g3org3y said:

Priority is probably the M3 now. Wife has stated, one in one out policy from now on.

Edited by g3org3y on Saturday 4th July 23:39

Is that cars or wives?

Actually I think you've done well to get to this stage before the new regime got imposed!

[acme]

g3org3y said:

The addiction continues.






Stratus Grey over Pearl Creambeige.
Pro Nav
Heated seats
Pro Hifi
HUD
Active Steering (something to go wrong!)
Adaptive Headlights (more things to go wrong).

Unfortunately no panoramic roof but beggars/choosers etc. Put a deposit down, will probably collect at some point next week.

Was that the one that briefly appeared on AT with 85k? If so certainly seemed a nice one, drivers bolster looked in good condition and it was a nicely written ad.

[g3org3y]

Mr Tidy said:

g3org3y said:

Priority is probably the M3 now. Wife has stated, one in one out policy from now on.

Edited by g3org3y on Saturday 4th July 23:39

Is that cars or wives?

Actually I think you've done well to get to this stage before the new regime got imposed!

Prob can apply to both.

acme said:

Was that the one that briefly appeared on AT with 85k? If so certainly seemed a nice one, drivers bolster looked in good condition and it was a nicely written ad.

Yes, probably was that advert.

Going to collect tomorrow. Will update!

[oldaudi]

Any news!?

[g3org3y]

It's home!

[Mr Tidy]

g3org3y said:

It's home!

Looking good too.

[g3org3y]

Constant rain yesterday and had guests SIL/BIL (actually went with BIL to collect the car yesterday).

Managed to get a couple of photos:





Sorry no interior photos because of the rain.

This is from the advert:


First impressions:
- Just looks great. Wife who normally doesn't take an interest in my motoring shenanigans commented how great it looked and how much she loved the colour. Stratus Grey is a lovely colour actually, didn't realise how nice. Different tones depending on the light. Looks so much better IRL than in photos.
- Very refined.Despite run flats, ride is very decent.V easy to drive on the D/C
- It's a big car, but the more you drive it, the more it shrinks around you (motoring journalist cliche)
- N52 Engine is adequate. Same engine as in the E91 (The Z4 actually has the slightly modified N52K). Not thrown it through any corners to test the handling.
- 6 Series suits the auto box
- Active steering seems helpful in town
- HUD is great.

Am sure bits and pieces will come up in the forthcoming months. Will see how things go!

Edited by g3org3y on Thursday 9th July 05:49

[oldaudi]

Looks fantastic. As you say exactly the same as mine visually. I think the black matts look better than the cream and a good contrast with black dash and door cards. You’re right about the colour, almost looks green on some light, dark or light grey. I really like it

Can you please check if you can read the oil level at some point. I’m still stuck with no oil level reading on my car, either via idrive or the BC buttons.

[Mani59]

Looks stunning! You are right, Stratus Grey Metallic is stunning, especially when the sun hits it as you get to see all the flakes.

HUD is great too!

[g3org3y]

oldaudi said:

Looks fantastic. As you say exactly the same as mine visually. I think the black matts look better than the cream and a good contrast with black dash and door cards. You’re right about the colour, almost looks green on some light, dark or light grey. I really like it

Can you please check if you can read the oil level at some point. I’m still stuck with no oil level reading on my car, either via idrive or the BC buttons.

Thanks. Agree about the black matts.

Will look into the oil situation. First car I've owned with iDrive...will have to delve into the menus!

Mani59 said:

Looks stunning! You are right, Stratus Grey Metallic is stunning, especially when the sun hits it as you get to see all the flakes.

HUD is great too!

Thank you. As you say, Stratus is a great colour. Genuinely photos don't do it justice at all.

HUD is a cool feature. Was novel to use on the drive home.

[Collectingbrass]

oldaudi said:

Looks fantastic. As you say exactly the same as mine visually. I think the black matts look better than the cream and a good contrast with black dash and door cards. You’re right about the colour, almost looks green on some light, dark or light grey. I really like it

Can you please check if you can read the oil level at some point. I’m still stuck with no oil level reading on my car, either via idrive or the BC buttons.

There should be a manual dipstick at the back of the block on the passenger side. It takes some finding because it's not painted distinctively and I seem to remember it's under some pipes, but it's there.

[fastbikes76]

g3org3y said:

Constant rain yesterday and had guests SIL/BIL (actually went with BIL to collect the car yesterday).


First impressions:
- Just looks great. Wife who normally doesn't take an interest in my motoring shenanigans commented how great it looked and how much she loved the colour. Stratus Grey is a lovely colour actually, didn't realise how nice. Different tones depending on the light. Looks so much better IRL than in photos.
- Very refined.Despite run flats, ride is very decent.V easy to drive on the D/C
- It's a big car, but the more you drive it, the more it shrinks around you (motoring journalist cliche)
- N52 Engine is adequate. Same engine as in the E91 (The Z4 actually has the slightly modified N52K). Not thrown it through any corners to test the handling.
- 6 Series suits the auto box
- Active steering seems helpful in town
- HUD is great.

Am sure bits and pieces will come up in the forthcoming months. Will see how things go!

Ah super glad you got one, crazy how cheap one of these can be snapped up for. A mate is selling a black 2008 LCI with 89K on for £5500 with HUD and a load of other decent options !!

Externally they are giant, bigger than the wifes Touareg Altitude !! Inside they are like a mini ... couple of 5ft mates in the back and you are done Boot is pretty big which is a massive bonus, would have preferred more cabin space though.

What I find hard to believe, as does anyone who finds out my car is 14 years old, is just how good they still look and nice they drive. They were built on the production line along with the E60 which can be seen on some documentaries, yet are leaps and bounds ahead IMO. My E60 was nice, this just feels 20k better haha. Mine is also a Sport and on RFT's and I really don't know what the fuss is all about, it is not stupidly firm or no real harshness. I do feel its possibly a little susceptible to tram lining but geometry is spot on as tyre wear is dead flat across the tread.

Does this one have Logic7 ? I know pano roof wasn't a deal breaker although I'm super happy mine has Pano. HUD is a nice little gimmick to have, but my one and only gripe is the tight arse who specced over 3k worth of audio/media, didn't spend another £200 on heated seats

Look forwards to a thread documenting your trials and tribulations of 6 series ownership

[g3org3y]

fastbikes76 said:

Ah super glad you got one, crazy how cheap one of these can be snapped up for. A mate is selling a black 2008 LCI with 89K on for £5500 with HUD and a load of other decent options !!

Externally they are giant, bigger than the wifes Touareg Altitude !! Inside they are like a mini ... couple of 5ft mates in the back and you are done Boot is pretty big which is a massive bonus, would have preferred more cabin space though.

What I find hard to believe, as does anyone who finds out my car is 14 years old, is just how good they still look and nice they drive. They were built on the production line along with the E60 which can be seen on some documentaries, yet are leaps and bounds ahead IMO. My E60 was nice, this just feels 20k better haha. Mine is also a Sport and on RFT's and I really don't know what the fuss is all about, it is not stupidly firm or no real harshness. I do feel its possibly a little susceptible to tram lining but geometry is spot on as tyre wear is dead flat across the tread.

Does this one have Logic7 ? I know pano roof wasn't a deal breaker although I'm super happy mine has Pano. HUD is a nice little gimmick to have, but my one and only gripe is the tight arse who specced over 3k worth of audio/media, didn't spend another £200 on heated seats

Look forwards to a thread documenting your trials and tribulations of 6 series ownership

Hi fastbikes,

Thanks! And thanks for all your good and helpful advice over the previous months.

I agree, they can be picked up (relatively) cheaply but having spent a lot of time looking at Autotrader does seem there are a lot of mediocre examples out there. Many have been on sale for quite a long time and decent ones get sold quickly.

2008 LCI for 5.5k seems extremely cheap. 630i (N53)?

Yes, this has the HiFi System Professional DSP (S677). Not tested it out yet. Heated seats was a must have for me. Pearl leather was a welcome surprise. I don't know if it's that much better than the regular Dakota. Was lucky to also get folding mirrors. Pano roof would have been very nice but beggars/choosers etc.

I can't think of anything that looks as fresh and modern as the E63/64 for the price.

I haven't decide on a plan for it yet. It was going to be replacing my E46 for a daily commuting to work, but it seems too fancy and nice for that. We'll see how it goes.

[fastbikes76]

If you find yourself really bored one day these three videos are quite interesting into the development and issues encountered in designing the E63/64. One that stood out was tail lights needing to be moved 2mm which then had a host of follow on repercussions to get right.

Quite long at 45min each but with a beer to hand I found them relatively intriguing
Design
https://youtu.be/CaHup6viPIU

Testing
https://youtu.be/O9ydcx2ibXA

Production
https://youtu.be/6vgJ49NDbvs

[Mr Tidy]

oldaudi said:

Looks fantastic. As you say exactly the same as mine visually. I think the black matts look better than the cream and a good contrast with black dash and door cards. You’re right about the colour, almost looks green on some light, dark or light grey. I really like it

Can you please check if you can read the oil level at some point. I’m still stuck with no oil level reading on my car, either via idrive or the BC buttons.

It sounds like your oil level sensor may have failed in that case. Can you get fault codes read? Failing that I'd be wanting to have an oil change and a new sensor fitted. With my 4 cars with N52 engines I've always checked oil level regularly to be sure the sensor was working, because if it isn't you won't get a low level warning light.

And despite what someone else said none of mine had a dip-stick!

[oldaudi]

This is my concern too. No dipstick on this engine at all but several have suggested there should be. Perhaps they introduced one at a later stage. Nothing at all in idrive where it should be and not possible on the BC stalk. It had new oil a month ago and I’ve done a few 100 miles now. I’ll get it checked out and a new sensor. I guess I should actively top it up now and then, what is the best oil for a 14 year old n52 engine on a 120k miles? Thanks

[g3org3y]

oldaudi said:

This is my concern too. No dipstick on this engine at all but several have suggested there should be. Perhaps they introduced one at a later stage. Nothing at all in idrive where it should be and not possible on the BC stalk. It had new oil a month ago and I’ve done a few 100 miles now. I’ll get it checked out and a new sensor. I guess I should actively top it up now and then, what is the best oil for a 14 year old n52 engine on a 120k miles? Thanks

How much would you top it up by? You don't want to overfill.

N52 engine typically has 5w30. Ideally you want an oil that complies with BMW LL04 spec.

https://www.opieoils.co.uk/c-686-bmw-longlife-04-e...

[oldaudi]

Thank you. Yes I’ll be certain not to over fill it, I just think as I’ll soon be doing 400 to 450 miles a week I’d feel comfortable adding a few drops here and there. I also have access to another car so I’ll mix it up a bit.

Going to make a few phone calls today and hopefully book it in and fixed before I start the commute again. Thanks for the advice and oil suggestions