640i thoughts

[curvature]

d_a_n1979 said:

Don’t the rear seats fold in the 6er GC?

Yes they do and you can also remove the centre arm rest if you just want to put an 8ft length of timber in.

[d_a_n1979]

curvature said:

d_a_n1979 said:

Don’t the rear seats fold in the 6er GC?

Yes they do and you can also remove the centre arm rest if you just want to put an 8ft length of timber in.

Ah wow; didn't realise it could be removed!

[Mani59]

I have a F06 LCI 640i SE which came on the option 19" wheels which I am very happy with (compared to the M Sport wheels anyway!)



To the op - I looked at the 650i too but was put with all the potential issues that may come up. The N55 is a lovely engine and makes a nice noise too.

[AlpinaB5]

I have an ALPINA B5 Biturbo ( 550i N63 engine ). Nothing but trouble due to valve seals, piston rings, injectors, coils etc etc. Love it though so I am going to spend another 20k on it to get it rebuilt.

Had a 2017 540i which I bought last year. Also an unreliable bag of spanners so got shot after 9 months. It was bought from a BMW dealer with Premium warranty. Only 25,000 miles. Every time I drove it something else went wrong. Decided after 14 BMW's that was enough and bought a new Hyundai I30N Performance. Day before I was due to collect my new car the 540 dumped all its coolant everywhere so had to delay collection until it was fixed. As for the B58 being bullet proof, definitely not in my experience!

[JW911]

Mani59 said:

I have a F06 LCI 640i SE which came on the option 19" wheels which I am very happy with (compared to the M Sport wheels anyway!)



To the op - I looked at the 650i too but was put with all the potential issues that may come up. The N55 is a lovely engine and makes a nice noise too.

I have one of the very few other 640i SE Gran Coupes. There are only about a dozen in the country plus slightly fewer M Sports according to “How Many Left”. I run it on 19” non RFT Contis and the ride is fine. I must get round to getting a space saver. By all accounts it’s much more reliable than the V8 and sounds great if a little quiet. Nothing that can’t be fixed if you want.

Don’t forget it’s a bit lighter at the front than the V8 or the diesel as well so a better balanced car. It’s no 3 Series as it’s still a chunky bit of kit but it handles well for a big lump and it’s about as quick in a straight line as my old 996 C4.

Very happy with it and I can get my kids in the back, costs the same to run as a 3 more or less and no more expensive to buy.

[gobshite]

I’m roughly 40k into my ownership of a 640d gran coupe.

I have copied the post below from the Facebook group which is a good source of knowledge.

I have an up gti now that I run alongside and aside for an m6 gran coupe I don’t think I would change it.

Non run flat tyres make a big difference in ride quality. I am on my winter set that are 18 inch and the ride is exceptional.


Thought it would be useful to split out what I have spent on purchasing, running and modifying in my 12 months of ownership.

Cost after 12 months and 21,000 miles

Purchase price £16,500

Maintenance/ servicing costs:

Big service £343.00
Gearbox service £450.00
Oil change (outside of service) £160.00
Yellow grommet £40 plus my time to fit
Track rod ends and lower control arms £400 parts only
Manifold replacement £1250 (rod broke parts not available separately

£2803.00

Tyres
Black lion bu66 £380 full set as a trial
PS4 current set £820 (total £1020 as I had to replace one after a pothole)
Front disks and pads £780.00 oem

Would have gotten away with one set of these

Upgrades

Bilstine b12 shock and springs including fitting and alignment £1400 for suspension and fitting, track rod end and lower control arms were fitted within this price

Carbon interior wrap (£180)
Retrim of steering wheel (£240 retrim £90 to swap all parts over. Will Do this myself next time)
Mmr billet aluminium paddles £210 honestly my favourite mod

Wagner intercooler £800 parts £160 fitting
Live map unicorn motorsport £499.00
K&n air filter £80

Spacers 15mm all round (£140)
Powder coat wheels (£240)
Wet spray Calipers bronze (£120)
Carbon from splitter £360 (bit chav but I like it)
Black grills £40
Rear silencer removal, replaced with stainless steel rear section £300
M sport carbon exhaust tips £140
Wet spray rear diffuser gloss black £80, I removed & prepped

Titan ceramic coat with 2 stage paint correction £600

Set of winter wheels and tyres £900

Not going to add the total up as I may 😭

Update, another big service at an independent £375
Rear front lower control arms £400
Carbon rear diffuser £375
Carbon rear spoiler £175
Quad tips £175

[gobshite]

[gobshite]

[gobshite]

Summer 20’s in the top picture, winter tyres on 18 bottom.

Was 289bhp / 475lbf on the dyno before the intercooler and mapping, with a new intake manifold, Wagner intercooler and live map 385bhp 605lbf

My millage is reduced down for 25k to probably 5k a year now so may change to an m6 at some point but in all honesty, it’s pretty quick once your above 20mph and genuinely lovely place to be

[micdev422]

AlpinaB5 said:

I have an ALPINA B5 Biturbo ( 550i N63 engine ). Nothing but trouble due to valve seals, piston rings, injectors, coils etc etc. Love it though so I am going to spend another 20k on it to get it rebuilt.

Had a 2017 540i which I bought last year. Also an unreliable bag of spanners so got shot after 9 months. It was bought from a BMW dealer with Premium warranty. Only 25,000 miles. Every time I drove it something else went wrong. Decided after 14 BMW's that was enough and bought a new Hyundai I30N Performance. Day before I was due to collect my new car the 540 dumped all its coolant everywhere so had to delay collection until it was fixed. As for the B58 being bullet proof, definitely not in my experience!

Hi. Thanks for your honest take on it. I know I am a bit late to the party but your comment hit a nerve.
I've always loved BMs. I love Alpinas (real ones!). I have a 2007 E93 325i SE N53 that I've owned for about 5 years. Nothing special, not M-Sport. Bog Standard - but still enjoyable with the top down when it's not raining. And not hitting pot holes. And not exceeding 50 mph. And not looking at the constantly on engine management light. And not worrying if the roof will close.
The 6-series has always been a beautiful car for me ever since I saw my boss's E24 in my first job in 1980. I love the look of the 640i (and the interior - esp. with comfort seats) and have been half looking at it as a next second car to replace the E93.
But... I'm really sick of BMW mechanical woes. Injectors £450 each, NOX sensors, cats, pre and post cat lambda sensors, HP fuel pumps, stratified mode, non-stratified mode etc. The N55 is a development (hack?) of the N54 which is the N53 with turbos. Same crap issues.
I've just had my E93 in for MOT and oil change today at my local independent and he was waxing lyrical (OK, that's a bit of artistic license) about VAG. Yes, those 3 letters have always been somewhat of Voldemort to me, but he was saying they just don't have all the (engine) issues that we BMW people have to put up with. Not sure what I want as my next 'enjoyment' car but now, for the first time, I'm feeling quite undisposed towards BMW.

[Jeenyus161]

Back on to reasons to buy a 640i

They are great, I bought this last year and have been really pleased with it. 2017 640i GC SE on 20" wheels. The car has been great, I've got young kids and they love being in the back. It makes a good (not great) noise, is easily fast enough for road driving and I still think looks fantastic.

I've just had the first expense to me, which was new front brake pads/discs and brake disc back plate. £730 for the privilege... but the car had been sat for quite a long time last year, so I was expecting the expense.

Rear tyres next, 275/30/R20s won't be cheap, but again in line with what you'd expect to pay for this size of car.