2005 BMW 650 – Daily for the last 9 years

[gf15]

As I enjoy reading other peoples threads, I thought I would add my experience with a 650, that hopefully people will find informative.
Bought in June 2011 at 47k miles. Over £12k of options from new. I wanted one of the very early 650’s, so before March 2006 to get the cheaper road tax.

• Pearl exclusive leather- £1200 option
• Head Up Display - £925 option
• Active cruise control -£1280 option
• Dynamic drive (anti-roll bars are hydraulic, so car corners flat but is still very comfortable)
• Comfort Access £675
• Professional Radio and Sat Nav – This is the proper widescreen one which was a £1,950 option
• Logic 7 - £550 option
• Front loading CD player + 6 CD Multi changer in glove box- £295 option
• Automatic 6 speed gearbox, high Beam Assist, electric lumbar support on both front seats, Comfort Glass £270, etc, etc…..

The above added £12k to the original £55k, which make it a £67k car back in 2005. I paid £15,500 in June 2011 in a private sale. It had a full BMW service history. So far so good. Good OEM tyres, drove beautifully. When I viewed the car it was very overcast and when I went to pick it up, it was also overcast, but everything checked out, until first time I saw it in bright sun and it looked like it was covered in swirl marks, almost like someone has washed it down with a brillo pad. I booked a professional detailer, who was working from the back of his car and was just starting out (DDB detailing), who came out to the house and spend 12 hours sorting everything out. The results were stunning and was ~£350. Money well spent.
Before:

After:



Autohaus York BMW specialists looked after the car for me and were fantastic, highly recommended.
Now to the costs, overall it has been superbly reliable. I averaged about 18k miles per year, running the car from 47k miles to 201k.
From memory, the unexpected non maintenance costs have been
2 wheel bearings, costing £300, front OEM discs + pads + fitting£400, Gearbox oil + filters + sump cover @ 120k miles £400. Valve oil stem seals at 150k miles were £1500. Track rod end 70, rusty rear brake pipes £200, oil level sensor £100, Bosch battery £120, rear discs + pads + one calliper £600. Two rear springs £400. I think that’s pretty much it. Sailed through all MOT’s and did not even have an advisory at the last MOT.

Tyres were changed to non RFT’s. Made a massive difference in grip and noise level. The run flats always felt like they “pattered”. Always used Goodyear AS2 / 3’s and Michelin PS4s on the rear. Tended to last between 20 and 30k miles and averaged about £800 for a full set.
Car still feels rock solid, no squeaks or rattles and wears it's miles very well and has no wear on the driver’s seat bolsters. Car also qualifies for BMW value line parts, which are the same parts as normal parts, they even have the same part numbers, but cost about 60% of full price for the same parts . Front discs and pads cost £330 instead of £560), but you have to ask for Value Line parts.
Still gets properly used and appears to have all of the 360 bhp it left the factory with. No squeaks or rattles and everything still works.
A fantastic GT car, comfortable, reliable, smooth and quick.
All below pictures were taken last week.

Edited by gf15 on Saturday 11th January 23:07

[gf15]

[gf15]

[gf15]

May as well add the MPG.... I use the car for 80% motorway and recently had a brush with a speed camera, where I was marginal on quite a few points, : so drove like a nun for a couple of months, the result is below


Over the life of the car, it has probable averaged 27MPG and gets quite well exercised.
I hope the new owner Raymond enjoys as much as I did.

[Macron]

Nice,

You’ve had some value from that! 201k on it too, fine work.

[CRA1G]

£12K of options options and they didn't tick the sunroof box... I've run a few six's over the last 15 years and wouldn't have one with out hence no M6.... but each to their own I suppose,but great cars and very underestimated imo....

[RDMcG]

Looks great. I bought a 645ci when it first came out, and then an E63 M6. At the time the styling was controversial but I think it has aged very well- the car looks quite contemporary to me. Great comfortable seats for long distance too

[iceman385]

Always fancied one of these in a manual, currently have a 630i sport manual as one of my dailys and its really nice. would love to change it to a 650 manual!

[Court_S]

Looks like a lovely car OP.

I really want a fan of these when they were released but I think they’ve aged really well. They’re cracking value for money too now.

[gf15]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Thank you for the link, I found it very interesting and informative. There sure is a lot of work gone into it. I always wondered why the top strip of the dashboard changed colour from cream to black, now I know.