Help on a very high mileage car
Help on a very high mileage car
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tranter5

Original Poster:

352 posts

181 months

Thursday 3rd March 2011
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Hi there been offered my uncles car very very cheap and am tempted to buy it to sell on. A BMW 335d in grey full spec every option possible pro navigation the lot, 50k+ new! The thing is it has 160,000 miles on it. Its a 57 reg. Now its been maintained perfectly. Its on it second set of Turbos and Intercoolers which have just been fitted. all services main dealer. Its spent its life on the motorway and shows no signs of the mileage. It drives like new with no exterior or interior wear whatsoever. What do you think a car with this miles is worth. I need to think long and hard. He needs a decision over the weekend before He Trades it in Next week. Any help highly appreciated to help my decision! thanks in advance

crofty1984

16,505 posts

221 months

Thursday 3rd March 2011
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tranter5 said:
Hi there been offered my uncles car very very cheap and am tempted to buy it to sell on. A BMW 335d in grey full spec every option possible pro navigation the lot, 50k+ new! The thing is it has 160,000 miles on it. Its a 57 reg. Now its been maintained perfectly. Its on it second set of Turbos and Intercoolers which have just been fitted. all services main dealer. Its spent its life on the motorway and shows no signs of the mileage. It drives like new with no exterior or interior wear whatsoever. What do you think a car with this miles is worth. I need to think long and hard. He needs a decision over the weekend before He Trades it in Next week. Any help highly appreciated to help my decision! thanks in advance
Very high mileage? I'd imagine that that engine has about 300k in it from new if serviced properly. Motorway miles are the best for not only the engine, but also the suspension, brakes, etc.
I honestly couldn't tell you the market rate but if it's a fair price, I'd certainly not NOT buy it based on 160k on the clock.

T16OLE

2,960 posts

208 months

Thursday 3rd March 2011
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How much is it for sale for?

vrooom

3,763 posts

284 months

Thursday 3rd March 2011
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Alway buy car on condition, not mileage.

Lost soul

8,712 posts

199 months

Thursday 3rd March 2011
quotequote all
tranter5 said:
Hi there been offered my uncles car very very cheap and am tempted to buy it to sell on. A BMW 335d in grey full spec every option possible pro navigation the lot, 50k+ new! The thing is it has 160,000 miles on it. Its a 57 reg. Now its been maintained perfectly. Its on it second set of Turbos and Intercoolers which have just been fitted. all services main dealer. Its spent its life on the motorway and shows no signs of the mileage. It drives like new with no exterior or interior wear whatsoever. What do you think a car with this miles is worth. I need to think long and hard. He needs a decision over the weekend before He Trades it in Next week. Any help highly appreciated to help my decision! thanks in advance
My 525d has done 138,000 and is as sweet a a nut , i would not worry at all about a 335d on 150k as long as the price is right

tranter5

Original Poster:

352 posts

181 months

Thursday 3rd March 2011
quotequote all
£10k Its been looked after so well. I am not sure if I can even get the finance but I saw one with 145,000 miles 1 year older lower spec go through Measham auctions for £13800

BDR529

3,560 posts

191 months

Thursday 3rd March 2011
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I'd go for it, motorway miles mean the car has probably had a very easy life.

Willy Nilly

12,511 posts

184 months

Thursday 3rd March 2011
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160,000 miles on a young car is probably less than 4,000 hours. Why has such a low houred engine needed the turbo changed twice?

Lost soul

8,712 posts

199 months

Thursday 3rd March 2011
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tranter5 said:
£10k Its been looked after so well. I am not sure if I can even get the finance but I saw one with 145,000 miles 1 year older lower spec go through Measham auctions for £13800
More like 8 or 9 k but at that price it would be a good buy , a mate picked up a 330d on an 07 plate with warranted 28,000 miles for 10800- a couple of months back

flakeypaul

436 posts

207 months

Thursday 3rd March 2011
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Willy Nilly said:
160,000 miles on a young car is probably less than 4,000 hours. Why has such a low houred engine needed the turbo changed twice?
It's on it's second set of turbos. The first set came with the car from the factory. The 535d is a twin-turbo 3.0 diesel engine.

Willy Nilly

12,511 posts

184 months

Thursday 3rd March 2011
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flakeypaul said:
Willy Nilly said:
160,000 miles on a young car is probably less than 4,000 hours. Why has such a low houred engine needed the turbo changed twice?
It's on it's second set of turbos. The first set came with the car from the factory. The 535d is a twin-turbo 3.0 diesel engine.
It says it has just had new turbos and intercoolers fitted. Are they made of cheese? They aren't disposable items and should last until then engine is worn out

cptsideways

13,744 posts

269 months

Thursday 3rd March 2011
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Willy Nilly said:
It says it has just had new turbos and intercoolers fitted. Are they made of cheese? They aren't disposable items and should last until then engine is worn out
Not quite, the modern VATN turbo's have a nasty habit of the vanes seizing up & overboosting, then the compressor wheels fall off when they overspool.

TheLurker

1,510 posts

213 months

Thursday 3rd March 2011
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Willy Nilly said:
It says it has just had new turbos and intercoolers fitted. Are they made of cheese? They aren't disposable items and should last until then engine is worn out
Relay? 300k on a turbo? Seems a lot to me.

Willy Nilly

12,511 posts

184 months

Thursday 3rd March 2011
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TheLurker said:
Relay? 300k on a turbo? Seems a lot to me.
I've been using turbo charged engines for over 20 years and out of the hundreds I have used, 3 have failed. The modern variable vein turbos seem to be be more bother (from what I hear), but they are not a consumable item. Then you have to consider car engines don't have to work very hard, so it's not like they are running under full load for hours on end.

rallycross

13,594 posts

254 months

Thursday 3rd March 2011
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If its been well maintained and lived an easy life no reason why not, how clean is it and has all the servicing been done by bmw and on schedule?


If he is trading it in to a Bmw dealer they will give him a really low offer so it may be a bargain for you, as a car to keep. But it wont be easy to sell it on again when the time comes.


And 335d's have held their value well, dont compare prices to the 330 its not the same car or value.

W00DY

16,170 posts

243 months

Thursday 3rd March 2011
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Buying it to sell on/ I think you'll struggle. At least on a decent timescale.

I'm sure it has plenty of life, but the modern "I need a diesel" brigade,who'll make up much of your target audience will also often subscribe to the 100k and it's broken train of thought.


GWC

4,431 posts

212 months

Thursday 3rd March 2011
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It's a nine grand car if you are looking for value.

GreatGranny

9,519 posts

243 months

Thursday 3rd March 2011
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billzeebub

3,885 posts

216 months

Thursday 3rd March 2011
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I would go for it..it's a double whammy of luck in my opinion...you know the history and can trust the seller implicitly as he is family..also he will more than likely be charging you family rates..these things are only a bad idea where you have doubts over history and care..it's all about the treatment a car has had rather than the mileage...you will probably have less trouble with this than a 2000 mile a year minter as it sounds very well cared for..

cesc

184 posts

209 months

Thursday 3rd March 2011
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GreatGranny said:
Yeah, and a 330D too.