528i on 160,000 miles - time to sell?
Discussion
The wife drives a 528i auto we've had from new in 96. Coming up to its 10th birthday and already passed 160,000 miles. It had the standard free replacement engine at 60,000.
She loves it and refuses to sell. Anyone done more than 160,000? I'm just wondering how long it will go on for before it gets really expensive.
She loves it and refuses to sell. Anyone done more than 160,000? I'm just wondering how long it will go on for before it gets really expensive.
I can't imagine it would be worth much at that age/mileage even though there may be many more trouble-free miles ahead. Probably best to keep, particularly if your wife wants to, until the bills start to mount. Happy wife and spend the cash on something for yourself instead. Perfect.
Well, "Not even worth £1K..." is perhaps a little harsh?
Any E39 is still worth more than that! But the rest of the sentiment I would agree with! Effectively an engine on 100k miles, if looked after until now, should be good for quite a bit more.
I'm clearly not as 'loving' or as generous towards my wife as you as I make mine do with a '95 (hence E34) 525i Touring with 125K on the clock!
Trouble is despite the abuse she and three kids throw at it the car still picks itself up, goes, looks very presentable, is comfortable...and basically does its job with minimal complaints!
Worth very little on 'book price'?...priceless to us!
Keep your car going! The more I sit and philosophise about this whole "car thang" the more apparent it becomes to me that we can too easily become victims of this whole 'disposable/consumerist' culture (sorry if I've had a couple of "wee drams of whisky"...but I don't think the sentiment is wrong?"
.
I spent two hours on the phone tonight talking to a good friend of mine who is being encouraged to re-instate and chair the now defunct "BMW Driver's Club" since the sad passing of Graham Arnold. We discussed, at length, this very subject and how the complexion of the Marque has changed over the past 25 years and how now the profile of ownership has changed (This forms the subject of another whole sermon that I'll save for another time! )
True! The company has had to do what it has "had to do" to survive in the modern world! i.e live, embrace, encourage and be part of a 'throwaway' culture. BMW Technicians today do not 'repair'... they throw-away and replace...This is not their fault! This is a culture we are seduced into believing is 'the modern way'...often we are given no alternative?
But ultimately...it is all bullshit!!! And we (the meanial consumers) are all being taken for a ride to fatten the wallets of a few!
We are lead to believe that we need a "Lightweight Version" of the "Ultimate Road Car" do do our track-days in...Just like we are lead to believe that a 3-in-1 dishwasher tablet isn't good enough...we need "4-in-one"! Gillette Mach (or is it "M3"? Note the connotation they use?)Turbo isn't good enough! If you're a real man you need "Gillette Quattro Turbo SE Power Razor!"
The whole 'track-day' culture is a figment...again save that for another 'sermon'!
But suffice to say here: "Why do we need to up rate the brakes etc for £5K on our '£70K Lightweight-Mach 3- Quattro Turbo - 4-in-1 - BMW M3' in order to go 0.6 secs quicker round the Nordschleife?"
So what?!...You're never going to hold the ultimate lap record...your probably at best a mediocre driver (like me!)...so why not just see if you can do it a bit quicker in your 316i? You'd probably learn more about yourself as a driver to boot!?
So you went 0.6 secs quicker this time because of your £5K brakes?...who cares?
You might think: "Well,I care!!!"
But you'd care even more if you went 0.6 secs quicker in your standard 316i...wouldn't you?!...You should!
The people who get the track fees for trackdays don't care you went 0.6 sec quicker; BMW don't care you went 0.6 sec quicker; even the brake makers don't care you went 0.6 sec quicker...!!!
Why?...because they've got your money and that's what keeps them smiling and us 'stupid'!
This is all part of the culture we get sucked into...and worrying about your wife's or my wife's car's at 160K or 125K miles is all part of that same culture of "Must have the New" that we are brainwashed into nowadays.
What we should all be saying is:
"BMW! YOU ARE the stupid schmucks for building cars that would last this long in the first place!...Now go F'off and think about things again and come back with some cars that will break (badly) after a few thousands of miles this time!...Then you might make some serious money!"
Oh wait a sec!...Isn't that what they're doing now?!?
>> Edited by derin100 on Thursday 19th January 00:38
>> Edited by derin100 on Thursday 19th January 00:40
>> Edited by derin100 on Thursday 19th January 00:42
>> Edited by derin100 on Thursday 19th January 01:15
>> Edited by derin100 on Thursday 19th January 01:18
Any E39 is still worth more than that! But the rest of the sentiment I would agree with! Effectively an engine on 100k miles, if looked after until now, should be good for quite a bit more.
I'm clearly not as 'loving' or as generous towards my wife as you as I make mine do with a '95 (hence E34) 525i Touring with 125K on the clock!
Trouble is despite the abuse she and three kids throw at it the car still picks itself up, goes, looks very presentable, is comfortable...and basically does its job with minimal complaints!
Worth very little on 'book price'?...priceless to us!
Keep your car going! The more I sit and philosophise about this whole "car thang" the more apparent it becomes to me that we can too easily become victims of this whole 'disposable/consumerist' culture (sorry if I've had a couple of "wee drams of whisky"...but I don't think the sentiment is wrong?"
. I spent two hours on the phone tonight talking to a good friend of mine who is being encouraged to re-instate and chair the now defunct "BMW Driver's Club" since the sad passing of Graham Arnold. We discussed, at length, this very subject and how the complexion of the Marque has changed over the past 25 years and how now the profile of ownership has changed (This forms the subject of another whole sermon that I'll save for another time!
) True! The company has had to do what it has "had to do" to survive in the modern world! i.e live, embrace, encourage and be part of a 'throwaway' culture. BMW Technicians today do not 'repair'... they throw-away and replace...This is not their fault! This is a culture we are seduced into believing is 'the modern way'...often we are given no alternative?
But ultimately...it is all bullshit!!! And we (the meanial consumers) are all being taken for a ride to fatten the wallets of a few!
We are lead to believe that we need a "Lightweight Version" of the "Ultimate Road Car" do do our track-days in...Just like we are lead to believe that a 3-in-1 dishwasher tablet isn't good enough...we need "4-in-one"! Gillette Mach (or is it "M3"? Note the connotation they use?)Turbo isn't good enough! If you're a real man you need "Gillette Quattro Turbo SE Power Razor!"
The whole 'track-day' culture is a figment...again save that for another 'sermon'!
But suffice to say here: "Why do we need to up rate the brakes etc for £5K on our '£70K Lightweight-Mach 3- Quattro Turbo - 4-in-1 - BMW M3' in order to go 0.6 secs quicker round the Nordschleife?"
So what?!...You're never going to hold the ultimate lap record...your probably at best a mediocre driver (like me!)...so why not just see if you can do it a bit quicker in your 316i? You'd probably learn more about yourself as a driver to boot!?
So you went 0.6 secs quicker this time because of your £5K brakes?...who cares?
You might think: "Well,I care!!!"
But you'd care even more if you went 0.6 secs quicker in your standard 316i...wouldn't you?!...You should!
The people who get the track fees for trackdays don't care you went 0.6 sec quicker; BMW don't care you went 0.6 sec quicker; even the brake makers don't care you went 0.6 sec quicker...!!!
Why?...because they've got your money and that's what keeps them smiling and us 'stupid'!
This is all part of the culture we get sucked into...and worrying about your wife's or my wife's car's at 160K or 125K miles is all part of that same culture of "Must have the New" that we are brainwashed into nowadays.
What we should all be saying is:
"BMW! YOU ARE the stupid schmucks for building cars that would last this long in the first place!...Now go F'off and think about things again and come back with some cars that will break (badly) after a few thousands of miles this time!...Then you might make some serious money!"
Oh wait a sec!...Isn't that what they're doing now?!?
>> Edited by derin100 on Thursday 19th January 00:38
>> Edited by derin100 on Thursday 19th January 00:40
>> Edited by derin100 on Thursday 19th January 00:42
>> Edited by derin100 on Thursday 19th January 01:15
>> Edited by derin100 on Thursday 19th January 01:18
Derin, I've had this thought myself for some time...I buy and sell cars as a side line to the day job. The standard of Cars i buy for under 1K is amazing...5 years old air/con fsh and they are for nothing. Its just marketting persuading people they need to move on. Still good for business I guess.
Phil
You need to look at my website (if you haven't already?):
www.bmwclassics.co.uk/
I think we are in total agreement and singing from the same hymn sheet!
I've bought then sold 3 cars this years (none at any significant profit...not the point) but all were £60K PLUS cars when new just 7-8 years ago...all sold for an absolute FRACTION of their new cost and I would have dearly loved to have kept all or any of them if this were possible!
You need to look at my website (if you haven't already?):
www.bmwclassics.co.uk/
I think we are in total agreement and singing from the same hymn sheet!
I've bought then sold 3 cars this years (none at any significant profit...not the point) but all were £60K PLUS cars when new just 7-8 years ago...all sold for an absolute FRACTION of their new cost and I would have dearly loved to have kept all or any of them if this were possible!
deutscher said:
The wife drives a 528i auto we've had from new in 96. Coming up to its 10th birthday and already passed 160,000 miles. It had the standard free replacement engine at 60,000.
She loves it and refuses to sell. Anyone done more than 160,000? I'm just wondering how long it will go on for before it gets really expensive.
Keep it.
You've had it from new, so you know where you stand in respect of component replacement i.e what has needed doing, and what is likely to wear out and when.
Only reconsider if it becomes unreliable.
As another poster said, I think £1k is harsh but it's probably only worth £2 – 3k, so it's a helluva lot of car for the money.
Annual maintenance, over and above servicing, is now running at about £1K, but depreciation is almost nil (compared to my M3 which seems to be losing £500 per month).
Looked at logically (difficult with cars), the only reason for change is the worry at the back of my mind when we do the annual Euro trip and I begin thinking about breaking down near Munich at 2.00 in the morning...
Annual maintenance, over and above servicing, is now running at about £1K, but depreciation is almost nil (compared to my M3 which seems to be losing £500 per month).
Looked at logically (difficult with cars), the only reason for change is the worry at the back of my mind when we do the annual Euro trip and I begin thinking about breaking down near Munich at 2.00 in the morning...
Thanks Vee!
(As a sidenote...The 840Ci Sport that is for sale on the website and which was advertised here in the PH Classifieds but was marked as 'Sold via Pistonheads' is now for sale again! This is following my first ever encounter with the proverbial but seemingly prolific(!) Mr Time-Waster. Having agreed a sale a week and a half ago at a price that actually represented a £100 LOSS to me he has now decided that he is unable to secure the finance to buy the car! So if anyone is seriously interested take a look at the details on my website!. Re-instating the PH now....)
(As a sidenote...The 840Ci Sport that is for sale on the website and which was advertised here in the PH Classifieds but was marked as 'Sold via Pistonheads' is now for sale again! This is following my first ever encounter with the proverbial but seemingly prolific(!) Mr Time-Waster. Having agreed a sale a week and a half ago at a price that actually represented a £100 LOSS to me he has now decided that he is unable to secure the finance to buy the car! So if anyone is seriously interested take a look at the details on my website!. Re-instating the PH now....)
derin100 said:
Well, "Not even worth £1K..." is perhaps a little harsh?
A trader friend of mine bought a similar aged 740i with 140k miles for £850 2 months ago. Granted the 528i would cost more than £1k on a forecourt but I'd be interested to see what was offered on a trade in against a new popular car (ie something where the dealer has no need to discount via overpaying on the trade in).
DAZ
Deutscher said:
Annual maintenance, over and above servicing, is now running at about £1K, but depreciation is almost nil (compared to my M3 which seems to be losing £500 per month).
Out of interest, what makes up the £1k annual maintenance ?
For a couple of £k this sounds like an ideal kind of for my old man to potter around in.
Deutscher said:
I begin thinking about breaking down near Munich at
2.00 in the morning...
Surely breaking down in a BMW *near it's home town* is easier
than breaking down elsewhere.
Just ring up head office and get someone with a spanner.
2 am - just time to pop into Schwabing on the U-Bahn for a few
drinks and a bit of nightclubbing until 5am ...
Deutscher
160,000 miles is nothing to worry about with the 6 cylinder engine, as long as its serviced regular it will probably storm on for another 2-300,000 miles!
On the open market today, as a private seller that is, your bmw should pull close to the 2k mark even with 160,000...I dont know if you've noticed but theres not too many low mileage 5 series knocking about recently
160,000 miles is nothing to worry about with the 6 cylinder engine, as long as its serviced regular it will probably storm on for another 2-300,000 miles!
On the open market today, as a private seller that is, your bmw should pull close to the 2k mark even with 160,000...I dont know if you've noticed but theres not too many low mileage 5 series knocking about recently
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