Hi everyone
Real Bmw newb here.
I have never owned a bmw but lately i have been falling in love with the series 5 E60.
I really want to buy one. And modify.
But my budget only allows me to buy a E60 around the 200.000km (125k miles) range .... a lot... I know.
I also like the E90 series 3 but i would prefer the E60.
Thats why i am here.
SO my main questions are.
Is it worth it to buy a used 200Kplus km E60?
Can I,being a casual mechanic repair it if something goes wrong? (I know it depends on the skill but.. just go for a motor change off limits kind of thing)
If not. what other cars in the same range might be worth the effort?
What should I avoid?
Thank you

I dont take preference in diesel or petrol...
Dont know what else to say
sorry for my english
I am a Portuguese man living in france

 

My E60 has 160k on it and runs like a champ. I would say as long as the person took care of it and you get a mechanic to look over it you should be fine. E60s die have there normal problems so I would search to see what problems the year model you are looking at so you know what to look for and ask. Other than that you will be fine

 

Is there a year i should stay away from?
Are there common problems?
What motor should i look for?
Is there any important things that i sould look for mechanically? like any things you should at any given mile?

 

Understand that BMWs are sophisticated cars and although a joy to drive, they can be expensive to run. Unless you are handy mechanically, if your budget is limited, you may want to look elsewhere unless you have a mechanic that can give you a break.

 

Plan on spending $3000 usd on repairs after you purchase.

 

+1 And then about 2500$/yr in maintenance.

 

I concur with the last 2 posts. When you buy used their are definitely things that will need to be done. You can save a lot of money doing things yourself but it depends on your skill level. A BMW is like other cars when it comes to replacing parts but the money comes in when you talk about having to program the "smart" parts. I myself was in your shoes at one point but their are a lot of forums, threads and youtube videos to assist you in the majority of issues you will have. You must have BMW software to reset certain things which is available online (then you have to learn how to work it). Just like it was said previously, if your budget is limited keep looking because BMWs are expensive to keep up after the bumper to bumper warranty.