BMW and M Power Owners

[Jez]

Oh I know the big expensive cars will cost more to look after, hasn't this sort of thing improved in recent years though?

I would say that surely, the opposite of this is true.

I'd not be cautious at all about an E38 for example, something like a 740i from that era (ignoring the age of them, i am being hypothetical). They are fairly basic. Compare that with a high spec 740d F01 from the era being discussed and its in a different league of risk. Newer doesn't mean better built, but it does ultimately mean much more complex.

 

[MacRS4]

Well don't buy one then?

I think it'll be ace.

 

[kitfit1]

But these are 6 to 7 year old cars with numerous owners, bigger miles and or are insurance write-offs. You've picked the bottom of the market. The nicer ones are a safer bet but if course don't cost 12k.

If you want trouble free then don't start with one someone else has smashed up first?

There are plenty of perfectly good 6 series around that have never been near to an accident. I bought my 2009 635 Sport last September with 64,000 miles on the clock. One owner in perfect condition (inside and out) with full BMW service history for £9,100.
For the spec of the car, i'd say that was a bargain and one hell of a lot of car for the money. All that i have done to it since is have the Alloys refurbed and a full body Wrap. The Alloys had been curbed, so needed doing. The body was immaculate, but i decided i wanted it in a more up to date colour.

 

[[TW]Fox]

There are plenty of perfectly good 6 series around that have never been near to an accident. I bought my 2009 635 Sport last September with 64,000 miles on the clock. One owner in perfect condition (inside and out) with full BMW service history for £9,100.

The 2009 6 series is a completely different car with a completely different value. It is incomparable with the car being discussed here and, given its basically a coupe version of the 5 series released 17 years ago, is worth considerably less money than the later model.

The fact yours was only a few grand cheaper if anything highlights my point.

 

[Howard]

But I'm not talking about roundabouts or anything like that - have a scroll back and actually read. I've been talking about low speed precision, something that the DCT box is bad at.

For the hard of reading/thinking: From a complete stop, try to move a DCT car forward six inches (as if there was a parked car in front of you) as smoothly as you could with a ZF8.

Hint: It isn't as smooth.

You can't roll slightly off the brake and have the TC creep nudge you forward. You must come off the brake and ever-so-gently apply the throttle, at which point the clutch will engage and you'll move forward. Sometimes that's slow-ish, sometimes that's surprisingly violent (in the context of not hitting a parked car in front of you). Either way, it isn't as smooth as a regular auto or a manual car.

Heck I've driven cars with TC autos which behave like this. It's infuriating, like you say.

I must be lucky with the DCT in my Mondeo as it behaves much like a TC at very low speeds, having the same 'creep' for which you only need to disengage the brake (and not even fully). For this I am thankful.

It's probably a damn sight less smooth and intelligent at higher speeds than the BMW DCT though

 

[Tenzo]

Talking about old BMWs, I am still in the market for a new car. Trying to remain "sensible" and keep returning back to F10 and F30 models - mainly 3/530d models at the price point of £15k.

Anything in particular to watch out for on these? I would want one with Pro Nav, Harmon Kardon (if possible) and FSH. An example or three:

Link to example 1

Link to example 2

Link to example 3

 

[Robbo]

Example 1 is leagues ahead of the other two, easy decision.

 

[[TW]Fox]

Example 1 is leagues ahead of the other two, easy decision.

This. The only thing better about the 3 Series is that the warranty is cheaper. The 5 Series is otherwise just a better car and that looks like a particularly nicely specified example.

 

[Jez]

Example 1 looks nice, although you are paying a premium (obviously) for the very low mileage.

 

[Tenzo]

The 5 series does seem to tick all the boxes, though it is actually 30,000 miles now.

Given it's a fair distance from me, any tips on how to handle a remote sale such as it would be? For example, they've confirmed it is due a service in 3,200 miles and suggested they would do that as part of the sale.

 

[[TW]Fox]

If they do you'll lose the full dealer history. Depending what service is due I'd rather negotiate discount to get it done myself.

Other than the multifunction display and the fact it's 18 months older it's identical to mine in terms of spec btw

 

[theone8181]

Heck I've driven cars with TC autos which behave like this. It's infuriating, like you say.

I must be lucky with the DCT in my Mondeo as it behaves much like a TC at very low speeds, having the same 'creep' for which you only need to disengage the brake (and not even fully). For this I am thankful.

It's probably a damn sight less smooth and intelligent at higher speeds than the BMW DCT though

I didn't even realise the Powershift was a dual clutch, amusingly reading Wikipedia it's not reliable and has lots of problems. I don't know if thata a dry clutch version due to the low power vs the wet clutch on high end BMW's.

 

[Dangerous Dave]

The 5 series does seem to tick all the boxes, though it is actually 30,000 miles now.

Given it's a fair distance from me, any tips on how to handle a remote sale such as it would be? For example, they've confirmed it is due a service in 3,200 miles and suggested they would do that as part of the sale.

3,200miles is where the brake pad mileage counts down to and waits until the sensor wire is tripped and starts counting down again. On startup the item with the lowest miles/time to service flashes up on the display so it may be some time off for the oil change/service etc. My car has been sitting at 3,200miles on the brakes for the last year but still 8k to the next oil service.

I’d get them to send a picture of the service screen from the iDrive system.

 

[Howard]

I didn't even realise the Powershift was a dual clutch, amusingly reading Wikipedia it's not reliable and has lots of problems. I don't know if thata a dry clutch version due to the low power vs the wet clutch on high end BMW's.

The reliability issues affect the dry clutch variants yes. Mine’s the wet clutch version

 

[Tenzo]

If they do you'll lose the full dealer history. Depending what service is due I'd rather negotiate discount to get it done myself.

Other than the multifunction display and the fact it's 18 months older it's identical to mine in terms of spec btw

That's a good point, all other services have been completed annually by Sytner Oldham and BMW 09062 (not found that one yet). I'll see what I can get them to agree to. Nice to know about the spec - if similar to yours, then that's reassuring.

3,200miles is where the brake pad mileage counts down to and waits until the sensor wire is tripped and starts counting down again. On startup the item with the lowest miles/time to service flashes up on the display so it may be some time off for the oil change/service etc. My car has been sitting at 3,200miles on the brakes for the last year but still 8k to the next oil service.

I’d get them to send a picture of the service screen from the iDrive system.

I've seen a video, suggests oil is due June 2021, front and rear brakes are in 3200m and the last service was 16,000 miles ago in June 2019. Everything is Green "OK".

It is seemingly hard to find the service intervals for an F10 - other than they are variable. That suggests this being serviced annually, after only 4k miles each year up to 2019 seems excessive! Then a big jump 2019 to date.

 

[Tenzo]

So I went to a local dealerships today, to size up the 330d and 530d. I didn't give it a fair comparison when you look at the examples I post, but the sense of occasion in the 5 series was still far more than the 3 series.

This was the 3 series - LINK

This was the 5 series - LINK

The 3 was lovely, except for no pro-nav. Felt quite small having jumped out the 5 and, while it's undoubtedly a newer/better car I am not sure it is worth £8k more. The 5 series was just like sitting down on a nice comfortable sofa, ready for a beer and a massage. My wife said it felt like a proper grown up car. It just felt nicer, even though it is 5 years older.

Strangely tempted by that 5. Full BMWSH, iDrive showed it to be recently service, tyres looked good and I would drive away with 1 years warranty and a fresh MOT. If I could knock them down closer to £14k, that puts an interesting spin on it regardless of the age (and it's a 535d)

Someone tell me I am being daft and only being tempted by the convenience...

 

[Jez]

£15k is very strong money for a 2011....i know it is a 535d but i would much rather have a later car personally. The one earlier in the thread was much better.

 

[Tenzo]

£15k is very strong money for a 2011....i know it is a 535d but i would much rather have a later car personally. The one earlier in the thread was much better.

Yeah, but £14k with a years warranty worth £1k makes it appear more attractive, assuming I could achieve that. Not saying it's the most sensible option mind.....

 

[Robbo]

I'd sooner have an LCI 530d really, I don't think the 35d is really that much better.

 

[[TW]Fox]

I've seen a video, suggests oil is due June 2021, front and rear brakes are in 3200m and the last service was 16,000 miles ago in June 2019. Everything is Green "OK".

It is seemingly hard to find the service intervals for an F10 - other than they are variable. That suggests this being serviced annually, after only 4k miles each year up to 2019 seems excessive! Then a big jump 2019 to date

As Dave says the 3200 mile brake thing means the useless distance estimator has reached the point at which its waiting for the brake pad first stage wear sensor to trigger. They are notoriously rubbish - I bought my car with 5k miles on the clock at 11 months old and the brake pad life indicator has NEVER worked. At the cars first service on 15k miles it said I had 3200 miles left - the reality was the pads were not even half worn. The dealer reset it for me.

The service scheme is as follows:

Oil Service
Oil Service + Air/Fuel Filter
Oil Service
Oil Service + Air/Fuel Filter
Oil Service

etc - with either 2 years or variable mileage of up to around 20k between each one. Additionally, a Vehicle Check service is performed every 38k miles.

Strangely tempted by that 5. Full BMWSH, iDrive showed it to be recently service, tyres looked good and I would drive away with 1 years warranty and a fresh MOT. If I could knock them down closer to £14k, that puts an interesting spin on it regardless of the age (and it's a 535d)

Someone tell me I am being daft and only being tempted by the convenience...

My first F10 was a 2010 530d SE - a good spec launch car. When I went to replace in 2016 it my shortlist came down to either a 2013 pre LCI 535d M Sport or a 2015 LCI 530d M Sport. I went with the LCI and absolutely do not regret it, IMHO its an improved car over the pre facelift in loads of really subtle ways which sound trivial but really add up. There is absolutely no way I felt it worth missing out on that for the sake of an extra 50bhp and to be honest it isn't like the LCI 530d is slow - it'll hit 62mph in 5.8 seconds, after all. I never find mine wanting performance wise, it is always quick enough in any situation I find myself in.

Also, that 535d is 9 years old. £14k is a lot of money to spend on a car thats rapidly heading towards being an 'old car' with all the fun and games that goes with that.

I wouldn't even consider that 535d - the 530d you posted is a better car and you can purchase a years BMW warranty for it for just over a grand which - whilst a LOT of money - gives you almost the same level of coverage as you'd get on that 535d.