Buying 160k mileage N52
Discussion
As the title says I'm looking at a very high mileage N52 and would never consider a car with this mileage, however I only hear and see good things about the N52 and for an E92 330i with all the options I could want for only £3.7k I think it's a bargain. Even if bits were to go wrong the other 330i's are £2k more so I have a big buffer for repairs and MODS!
Just wondering what people's thoughts are on this and whether this is a good deal or I've gone completely insane?
Just wondering what people's thoughts are on this and whether this is a good deal or I've gone completely insane?
I'd suggest it depends on the maintenance/SH over that 160k.
Frequent oil changes = no problem imo.
When was the last time the water pump was done? If not for a while, I'd definitely budget for that.
Watch out for leaks (sump pan, oil filter housing, valve cover).
BMW 6 cyls for the most part are very decent and robust units. My M20 325i went to 190k and M52 328i to 214k before both sold.
Frequent oil changes = no problem imo.
When was the last time the water pump was done? If not for a while, I'd definitely budget for that.
Watch out for leaks (sump pan, oil filter housing, valve cover).
BMW 6 cyls for the most part are very decent and robust units. My M20 325i went to 190k and M52 328i to 214k before both sold.
Giggss said:
As the title says I'm looking at a very high mileage N52 and would never consider a car with this mileage, however I only hear and see good things about the N52 and for an E92 330i with all the options I could want for only £3.7k I think it's a bargain. Even if bits were to go wrong the other 330i's are £2k more so I have a big buffer for repairs and MODS!
Just wondering what people's thoughts are on this and whether this is a good deal or I've gone completely insane?
A 160k 325i is £2500 tops. £3700 will get you a 90-100'000 mile example. Just wondering what people's thoughts are on this and whether this is a good deal or I've gone completely insane?
The water pump is the cheap bit. Google 'N52 camshaft ledge wear' - you'll need a very big buffer to fix that.
If it is exactly what you want in terms of spec, etc. I wouldn't necessarily be put off by the mileage, so long as the history and condition were good - but I'd try to get it for a bit less! (My current 55 plate E90 330i cost less than that on 107K miles in March).
FWIW I sold an E91 325i with the N52 engine earlier this year that was still running really sweetly at 139K miles.
FWIW I sold an E91 325i with the N52 engine earlier this year that was still running really sweetly at 139K miles.
Touring442 said:
Giggss said:
As the title says I'm looking at a very high mileage N52 and would never consider a car with this mileage, however I only hear and see good things about the N52 and for an E92 330i with all the options I could want for only £3.7k I think it's a bargain. Even if bits were to go wrong the other 330i's are £2k more so I have a big buffer for repairs and MODS!
Just wondering what people's thoughts are on this and whether this is a good deal or I've gone completely insane?
A 160k 325i is £2500 tops. £3700 will get you a 90-100'000 mile example. Just wondering what people's thoughts are on this and whether this is a good deal or I've gone completely insane?
The water pump is the cheap bit. Google 'N52 camshaft ledge wear' - you'll need a very big buffer to fix that.
Andy70 said:
Touring442 said:
Giggss said:
As the title says I'm looking at a very high mileage N52 and would never consider a car with this mileage, however I only hear and see good things about the N52 and for an E92 330i with all the options I could want for only £3.7k I think it's a bargain. Even if bits were to go wrong the other 330i's are £2k more so I have a big buffer for repairs and MODS!
Just wondering what people's thoughts are on this and whether this is a good deal or I've gone completely insane?
A 160k 325i is £2500 tops. £3700 will get you a 90-100'000 mile example. Just wondering what people's thoughts are on this and whether this is a good deal or I've gone completely insane?
The water pump is the cheap bit. Google 'N52 camshaft ledge wear' - you'll need a very big buffer to fix that.
OK I just checked autotrader and done a search for e90 330i and the first manual I saw was 125000 for £2500 before I even started looking, there was an auto box with less mileage for less money
Andy70 said:
Touring442 said:
Giggss said:
As the title says I'm looking at a very high mileage N52 and would never consider a car with this mileage, however I only hear and see good things about the N52 and for an E92 330i with all the options I could want for only £3.7k I think it's a bargain. Even if bits were to go wrong the other 330i's are £2k more so I have a big buffer for repairs and MODS!
Just wondering what people's thoughts are on this and whether this is a good deal or I've gone completely insane?
A 160k 325i is £2500 tops. £3700 will get you a 90-100'000 mile example. Just wondering what people's thoughts are on this and whether this is a good deal or I've gone completely insane?
The water pump is the cheap bit. Google 'N52 camshaft ledge wear' - you'll need a very big buffer to fix that.
bmwmike said:
Does bearing ledge wear cause tiny alu fragments in the oil filter? How long does it take until it causes problems, roughly? I mean is a quick terminal illness or a long drawn out thing. Reason I ask I have a mate with a n52 and it has tiny alu bits for the past 30k odd miles and still running fine..
No, as it's such a tiny amount. A ridge a couple of thou deep will start to cause problems. Touring442 said:
No, as it's such a tiny amount. A ridge a couple of thou deep will start to cause problems.
Happens to such a tiny amount of N52's I wouldn't concern myself with it. OP mine is on 141k and still running perfectly, uses around a litre of oil every 4000 miles but apart from that it is perfect - still smooth as silk and howls to the red line as it should.
Touring442 said:
bmwmike said:
Does bearing ledge wear cause tiny alu fragments in the oil filter? How long does it take until it causes problems, roughly? I mean is a quick terminal illness or a long drawn out thing. Reason I ask I have a mate with a n52 and it has tiny alu bits for the past 30k odd miles and still running fine..
No, as it's such a tiny amount. A ridge a couple of thou deep will start to cause problems. bmwmike said:
Does bearing ledge wear cause tiny alu fragments in the oil filter? How long does it take until it causes problems, roughly? I mean is a quick terminal illness or a long drawn out thing. Reason I ask I have a mate with a n52 and it has tiny alu bits for the past 30k odd miles and still running fine..
My mechanic found tiny specs of brass in my oil sump, while he was doing a gasket change, then the posts on here and the theories started and then established that's what it was Andy70 said:
bmwmike said:
Does bearing ledge wear cause tiny alu fragments in the oil filter? How long does it take until it causes problems, roughly? I mean is a quick terminal illness or a long drawn out thing. Reason I ask I have a mate with a n52 and it has tiny alu bits for the past 30k odd miles and still running fine..
My mechanic found tiny specs of brass in my oil sump, while he was doing a gasket change, then the posts on here and the theories started and then established that's what it was The N52 bearing ledge problem isn't that widespread, certainly nothing like N47 timing chains. It's worth reading fault codes on any car you buy, but compared to marginal engines like the 911 water cooled thing, the N52 is a good tough unit. You just can't neglect them like you could an older one.
bmwmike said:
Touring442 said:
No, as it's such a tiny amount. A ridge a couple of thou deep will start to cause problems.
This is what I was referring to. 
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
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