psam550

Hi Fellow Members,

I'm writing to see what, if any, repairs I should be expecting in the next couple years on my '06 550i with 160k miles. I have already repaired or serviced, among other items (at great expense):

1. Oil Leaks: Valve stem seals, vacuum pump, valve cover and timing cover gaskets, alternator and its bracket gasket.
2. ATF Service: New ATF, mechatronic sleeve, adapter seals, CCV diaphragm.
3. Coolant Leaks: Valley Pan, coolant pipe, water pump, thermostat, rear engine coolant cover.

BTW, new tranny installed under CPO at 100k miles.

Car looks and runs great. But, deciding whether to sell. I'm in So. Cal-- no rust or weather issues w/ car. Almost all highway miles. Looks and runs great. Still love the car. Just not sure if I should keep or part ways. Seems like I fixed all the anticipated items. So, I should keep. But, who knows? Am I missing something? Thx for your help.

Psam550

seven11

Looks like u fixed everything. Spent a lot of money.

Now u will lose a lot beacuse with 160k miles its not worth what u probably spent repairing it.

Now depends if u still like the car, but I'd say keep it

psam550

Thx for your reply, Seven11. I guess the question posed by your post is one that many other E60 drivers are pondering: Is it worth fixing these leaks? I would be interested hearing others' opinions. For me, I decided to repair for 2 reasons, discussed below.

First, the approx $7k in repairs is cheaper than buying a new or slightly used 5 Series. (How much is the depreciation of a new 550 in 2 years?) And, my repair costs are still slightly less then the value of my car. This logic holds true ONLY if I don't have any unexpected major repairs. Hence, this thread. In all events, I'll keep my fingers crossed.

Second, which is of course subjective, I still love the car. Looks and runs great! Very much like new.

This is not an easy decision. I love my car, but I like my money more. So, if anyone knows of any major, common issues that I will likely face with this car, that I have not already fixed, please let me know.

Thx!

EddieboyS

Is it consuming much oil? Getting toward 200k miles those are the kinds of engine internals that would start worrying me (piston rings, cam shaft wear etc). Likely less of a concern if you've applied TLC and ignored the manufacturer 15k oil change interval.

user 4639202

If it were me, I would keep the car because you know what you've done to the car and its value. A potential buyer probably wouldn't and with the high miles you would probably end of giving it away. Keep it and purchase another car if you're looking for something newer.

psam550

Thanks for the replies. After all the work I have done to the car, I'm keeping her. She truly does still drive and look great. Strong, fast, smooth, agile and quite. I guess they will have to pry it out of my hands. Or, my son could have her when he starts driving in a 3 years, although I'm sure it's a very poor choice for a first car given it's speed and maintanance costs. Happy New Year!

Psam550