E60; right time to buy?

Spamalot · 5 May 2010 at 13:35

I’m feeling like a summer upgrade and am looking to spend £8k (but not limited to).

I’ve flirted with the idea of an E60 sport in the past. However putting down ~£15k in the last year hasn’t seemed like the best option. I’ve just started a new business and wanted to hold on to the capital.

Have a look around you can pick up a not to shabby but relatively high mileage SE for about £8k it seems. That sort of outlay isn’t going to break the bank as I should get £5k for my current car, a SAAB 9-3 2.0T Aero.

With the F10 now on the road is it the “right time” to buy?

My thoughts are- It’s an £8k, E60 with 100k on the clock. How much more can it loose in value?

What are the general thoughts on these leggy E60 SEs? What options should I be looking for? What engine (they all seem about the same price) should I go for considering I only do about 8k miles a year now?

[TW]Fox · 5 May 2010 at 13:40

The right time to buy is when you can afford a facelift Sport. i really dont rate the early SE's at all, they look awkward inside and out.

DM · 5 May 2010 at 13:41

If it were me i would get a petrol auto and take out the best warranty i could find.

Someone will be along to say the SE's are rubbish and it has to be a sport, but i think the SE i drove was alright

Edit... i knew it

Axeboy · 5 May 2010 at 14:16

I really like my SE... £10.5k for a 530d approved used was a decent buy... the warranty has been useful.

I actually prefer the SE looks wise, i find it looks nice but understated.

Everyones different I suppose.. but I am converted

Jez · 5 May 2010 at 14:41

DiamondMark said:
If it were me i would get a petrol auto and take out the best warranty i could find.

Someone will be along to say the SE's are rubbish and it has to be a sport, but i think the SE i drove was alright

Edit... i knew it

Not sure why you would want or need a warranty on a normal BMW 5-series. Not exactly the most failure prone nor expensive cars to repair.

DM · 5 May 2010 at 15:02

Jez said:
Not sure why you would want or need a warranty on a normal BMW 5-series. Not exactly the most failure prone nor expensive cars to repair.

Save on big bills, a gearbox perhaps.

He is buying a 100k plus miles car. Saying that im not sure what warranty he could get at that mileage.

DannyDan · 5 May 2010 at 15:02

Jez said:
Not sure why you would want or need a warranty on a normal BMW 5-series. Not exactly the most failure prone nor expensive cars to repair.

Although if it's a diesel, they have swirl flaps which are prone to falling into the engine and writing it off

[TW]Fox · 5 May 2010 at 15:32

iDrive and autobox can be an out of warranty nightmare on these.

i would honestly rate the W211 Mercedes E Class as a better choice than an SE original model E60. It does the wafty cruiser thing better and imho is built slightly better as well. Probably just as big a mechancial liability but I gather you are aware of big biills anyway.

DM · 5 May 2010 at 15:38

Yea i think W211 Mercs are a better car too, or an X350 Jag.

Spamalot · 5 May 2010 at 16:10

[TW]Fox;16494565 said:
The right time to buy is when you can afford a facelift Sport. i really dont rate the early SE's at all, they look awkward inside and out.

I hear what you're saying. I can't help but think these will take a massive hit when we start seeing more F10s on the road however. What are your thoughts on that?

DM · 5 May 2010 at 16:16

Spamalot said:
I hear what you're saying. I can't help but think these will take a massive hit when we start seeing more F10s on the road however. What are your thoughts on that?

Not until the new ones become available used, and not even then straight away.

Its more likely to hit the prices of the top end E60s rather than the ones you are looking at i would think.

Spamalot · 5 May 2010 at 16:22

DiamondMark said:
Not until the new ones become available used, and not even then straight away.

Its more likely to hit the prices of the top end E60s rather than the ones you are looking at i would think.

A face lift sport for example as FOX was suggesting?

[TW]Fox · 5 May 2010 at 16:26

At the moment I thinlk the E60 is quite a poor buy. The prefacelift ones are not the quality experience you would expect and the facelift examples are in my opinion simply too much money for a previous generation car and represent a significant depreciation risk at this time.

Spamalot · 5 May 2010 at 16:35

[TW]Fox;16495693 said:
At the moment I thinlk the E60 is quite a poor buy. The prefacelift ones are not the quality experience you would expect and the facelift examples are in my opinion simply too much money for a previous generation car and represent a significant depreciation risk at this time.

That what I suspected.

If I could live with the pre-facelfits downfalls would you say an example like this is worth a punt- http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...postcode/cb41bp/page/5/radius/1500?logcode=p? Or do you think I should move on?

DM · 5 May 2010 at 16:37

Your doing 8k miles a year, why do you want a diesel?

Spamalot · 5 May 2010 at 16:44

DiamondMark said:
Your doing 8k miles a year, why do you want a diesel?

This old chestnut

. Why not, they are no more expensive to buy. Running costs might be slightly higher, as you say though I only do £8k a year so there will be very little wear and tear.

DM · 5 May 2010 at 16:50

I suppose im biased, i just dont like diesels

[TW]Fox · 5 May 2010 at 17:52

Dont see the point in getting the diesel, when I take the 530d on my commute it isnt even warmed up after 5 miles..

Irish_Tom · 5 May 2010 at 17:58

Don't get a diesel and do get a Sport.

The diesel-torque is fun for a while but it doesn't make up for sitting in an E60 Sport that sounds and runs like a tractor.