Looking at BMW's in auto trader........... so tempted.....
 

looking though the auto trader web site(as you do), looking at 540's, M5's and 540 tourings. You can get a lot of car for about 6-7k, and ten years ago they where 50k cars. And 150k miles is nowt to a big V8!

Also had a look at the 750 (with doube gazing,18in rims all the toys etc), and 850/840 and same again, great value for money! And they where 60/70k cars!

I so tempted, always wanted a big engined 5 series! And they are so affordable!

I know what you mean, I thought about it too.

But they have to be cheap for a reason. I think it is due to the running costs (fuel, parts, servicing and insurance). Plus if anything goes wrong it could cost mega bucks :(

You may get lucky though, and end up driving around in a 4 litre V8 with all the toys, for the price of a 4 year old Mondeo :D

750's are a NO-NO vee12 hell if it goes titsup, you can get e39 528s with double glazing if thats what you want.

Running costs, Running costs? we run scoobys don't we?

so we should know about running costs!

a 540 bmw is going to drink about the same petrol as my scooby!

you can not even bvegin to imagine running costs
i run a 98 m3 evo for a proper service from a bmw dealer you are looking at £900
only bad thing about the car!!!

840's & 850's have astronomical running costs, don't be fooled by low price, you will need very deep pockets.
One of the mags did a used buyers guide a year or so ago and it basically said steer clear unless running costs are not and issue financially.

I had a 525i touring for a while (sold last month) and if I used the accelerator a bit too much it soon guzzled the gas down to consumption levels similar to my scoob.

I was looking for a 540i touring but could not get hold of one. Glad I didn't now as that would have required your own oil refinery. lol!

BMW Dealers
 

And if you buy a BMW you have to deal with their dealers. We had cr@p service with our Mini Cooper (had 2) now got rid of in no small part because of the lousy after sales care.

Then was having cold feet about my new car and thought maybe I should check out some alternatives and reckoned a used M3 would be in my budget. Roll up to (different) dealer, "Do you have a used M3 I can look at please?". "No Sir".

Me - "Then what is that sitting on your fourcourt?" pointing at 18 month old M3 with price in the window. "Well if you call us on Monday we may be able to fit you in for a test drive in about 2 weeks".

Needless to say I haven't called, M3 may be a fantastic car, maybe better than the car I am buying, but nothing is worth being treated like that.

Still WR1 registered on Wednesday so 10 days to go hopefully :) till I get my new toy.

Robin

I've an older shape (twin light) 540 estate, it averages 24-25mpg, nearly 30mpg at a cruise controlled 80, leather, air con, all the toys, 190k miles, cost me £3k.

Servicing and parts are expensive but it has a bmw history and a bmw warranty, had a new block at 150k miles, cost to me? nowt!

great V8 engine and noise, I have 518i badges on the back too, catches all sorts out!

:)

My Range Rover/aka Buick V8 went tits up, so to speak, at around 158k miles, so I'd not be too sure:( If you're after a V8 BMW, I'd try and get a newer one than that.
Just remember, 8 cylinders and 2 banks, is a lot to go wrong, if it's not a new car. V12s have even more potential. My problem was on the centre cylinders on 2 different banks, and it wasn't nice at all....:(:D

That's not to say that you shouldn't buy one though. Everyone needs a V8 at some point, as they're bloody nice engines:D:D, but they ain't foolproof:)

dave, that sounds just ike the car i'm looking for!

just need to save some pennys!

oh btw is it still limited? and if not wot sort of top speed wil it pull, and i'd want a manual!

i just sold my 540, best car i have ever driven. perfect balance of price, power, speed, comfort, etc......but it was 4 yrs old and i wouldnt want to be near it when things go wrong outside warranty! It cost BWM 2-3k pa in warranty work while i had it!

T

ps- 18mpg avarage, £300 for 19 inch 285 tyres, etc, etc...not a cheap car in any sense!

I would love one, but that price on warranty work is eye watering for the performance of the car.

Is it true to say that the higher volume models like the 525 and 530 are cheaper to maintain because they have fewer issues because they are mass market models? How do the 3s compare?

Sorry to correct you on this. But a Rover V8 is completely different kettle of fish.. Due to Rover never investing in them to iron out all the defect these engines had from the 60's (well, until the mid 90's)

For starters is the lubrication system. The rear of engine will normally wear out before the front as the main oil gallery gets sludged up at the back.

The camshaft wears like lightening (poor lubrication and materials/quality), and it's not uncommon to have perfecty round camshaft lobes at mileages as little as 60K

The outer cylinder head bolts when tightened to original specs cause uneven loading, thus eventually makes the head gaskets weep into the valley....infecting oil, thus making lubrication and sludge even worse.

As for the later versions, dropped cylinder liners, cracked block etc.

I could go on forever, suffice to say...a Rover V8 is NOT a BMW. Bmw's do have problems, But with the age group mentioned smaller 6pot 528 and 523 engines were far more prone, main things being problems with the bores, and other things. Most failures I have seen are coolant related, which is a more of a maintanence issue (does the lights on the dash really work? - or is it people not paying to have a proper service?). BMW engines in general are much better deisgned, use better (harder crank/cam journal material etc) materials and manufacturing methods and thus far more durable.

TBH I would not worried that much about the engines.

It's the Gearboxes you need to look out for on BMW's with 100K+ miles. The ZF range of autoboxes are not the most durable boxes in the world (actually they are crap when compared to cost of running and maintaining US built trainsmissions). The famous one being the 4hp's eating their front clutches during an MOT fast idle test (caused by high line pressure leaking in neutral). I also have issues about the "sealed for life" so no oil changes on the box - how long is the "life" of the box ;) ? Manuals can have their moments too - which is very depending on how the car is driven and the driver.

Also suspension wears, 5 series being prone to 50mph wheel shimmy.

My advice with high mileage cars, is to buy as new as possible with no question of their service history

but the question is do i get rid of the impreza (even though shes 11 years old and 'a bit rough', or not.....................?


















i just don't know!

Dave, 518i badges... respect :cool:

MB

I've just bought a 193bhp 528iSE Auto, R reg, proper 77000mls BM FSH, minter for £6k, faultless, cream lthr and everything else.
Thats value, trouble is, there's so much profit in it, I've put it up for sale while enjoying it meself, best of both really............oh and new block.
run it on super, at least, (10.2:1) drive it hard every now and again, and it'll return 20 in town, 30+on M's...........gorgeous motors, and the only 1 in the line-up that holds its money well.

how much is it to remove the limiter on the bmws?

Free. 2 second job, check out bmwtips.com

I need a work horse with comfort for long drives while I save my pennines for a toy. The journey is going to be from Warwick to Gateshead once a week.

which is best of the bunch? 523, 525, 528, 530, 535? can't afford to run a 540 or M5...

Try the 528i Sport as a good compromise..

Which one is best for performance and economy. I thought it was the 530

528. goes well, 35ish on the motorways, and quicker than a stardard scooby turbo when out of 1st gear. 30 to 70 in 3rd gear only takes 6.5 seconds.

http://www.autocarmagazine.co.uk/Roa....asp?RT=200076

330d sounds v.good to me ,<15 k for 3 year old - but dont know how much it 'd cost if anything went wrong?

might as well get the 330p, 330d not that better on fuel, taxi!!!!!!

Si

:confused:

Prefer to be in a 5 series on a 200 mile+ drive.