325i SE E92 - N52 Engine - Keep or Sell
Discussion
Hello, first time posting.
Have a lovely low mileage (49k) 325i SE E92 with the N52 engine and in grey with red interior and walnut dash etc. It is very cool and smooth. It has never had an advisory ever and been looked after brilliantly by all owners including me.
The problem is have recently sunk about 2k into it for various things (early days had to do rocker cover gasket) but new battery, new tyres, new oil cooler, new water pump and thermostat - basically part of me thinks car is now well set and sorted but also it’s not worth that much to have hit me with such large bills.
Would welcome advice on how to work through such a dilemma! I love how it drives and it is a worry free station car (but mechanically full of worries recently!)
Thanks
Have a lovely low mileage (49k) 325i SE E92 with the N52 engine and in grey with red interior and walnut dash etc. It is very cool and smooth. It has never had an advisory ever and been looked after brilliantly by all owners including me.
The problem is have recently sunk about 2k into it for various things (early days had to do rocker cover gasket) but new battery, new tyres, new oil cooler, new water pump and thermostat - basically part of me thinks car is now well set and sorted but also it’s not worth that much to have hit me with such large bills.
Would welcome advice on how to work through such a dilemma! I love how it drives and it is a worry free station car (but mechanically full of worries recently!)
Thanks
A waterpump alone is £500 on an N52. You can probably get them cheaper, but it s definitely not a job I want to do again (I ve done it on an N54, but v similar, and have an N52).
I agree with Mike though, keep it, find a pair of the front sports seats, some Koni special active dampers and look after it! Or sell it to me.
Manuel or auto?
I agree with Mike though, keep it, find a pair of the front sports seats, some Koni special active dampers and look after it! Or sell it to me.
Manuel or auto?
Edited by E-numbers on Friday 13th February 21:19
Those jobs are things to expect on an E9* of that age, it's just unfortunate they all came along close together!
But having got it all done I'd want to keep it, safe in the knowledge that none of those jobs will need doing again for years.
My E90 330i (also an N52) has done 130K miles and in the 7 years I've had it luckily the bigger bills only seem to crop up every other year. It isn't depreciating and quite honestly I love it for being RWD and manual with an N/A straight 6 petrol engine, a formula that disappeared years ago.
But having got it all done I'd want to keep it, safe in the knowledge that none of those jobs will need doing again for years.
My E90 330i (also an N52) has done 130K miles and in the 7 years I've had it luckily the bigger bills only seem to crop up every other year. It isn't depreciating and quite honestly I love it for being RWD and manual with an N/A straight 6 petrol engine, a formula that disappeared years ago.
Thanks all! Brakes are fine luckily and only other thing probably would be gearbox service so shouldn’t be too more spendy.
I have been considering a 6GC to replace it although a different proposition. I have a G31 530d for all the lugging and shifting. I am not averse to spending more money on a replacement, it’s the sinking of money into older car that has shaken my confidence.
I will use it a lot in the next week or so to get the spark back!
I have been considering a 6GC to replace it although a different proposition. I have a G31 530d for all the lugging and shifting. I am not averse to spending more money on a replacement, it’s the sinking of money into older car that has shaken my confidence.
I will use it a lot in the next week or so to get the spark back!
E-numbers said:
A waterpump alone is £500 on an N52. You can probably get them cheaper, but it s definitely not a job I want to do again (I ve done it on an N54, but v similar, and have an N52).
I agree with Mike though, keep it, find a pair of the front sports seats, some Koni special active dampers and look after it! Or sell it to me.
Manuel or auto?
Didn t realise that, only familiar with its predecessor.I agree with Mike though, keep it, find a pair of the front sports seats, some Koni special active dampers and look after it! Or sell it to me.
Manuel or auto?
Edited by E-numbers on Friday 13th February 21:19
StuntmanMike said:
StuntmanMike said:
P.S yeah, more like five hundred 
After reading other posts ..
Yeah .. a bit more

It's a Pierburg part but my BMW Indy bought one from BMW for my Z4 in 2014 and charged £500 for it. When my 325i needed one in 2018 he went elsewhere and charged me £300 for the part. It's the same part but with the BMW logo ground off!
Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff



