bradfr

Hello, new to the forum and have some basic questions to ask about the E60 series BMW. I have owned a 325xi for about 4 years now and love it. This time around I wanted to give the E60 a try. The handling of the e46 is very good however the ride is a bit harsh. I commute 80 miles/day to work and was hoping for a little more comfort.

I am looking for any suggestions on common things to look for with these cars. I am considering a 525xi or a 530xi. Most of what I am looking at has between 80k and 100k miles. Also, what is a reasonable private party price to pay? I know what KBB says and NADA but very rarely do cars actually sell for those prices.

I recently drove 6 hours(one way) to buy a 2006 530xi and was very disappointed at how it was maintained. I found what looked to be an oil leak at the oil filter housing that had been ignored for an extended period of time that had slung oil all over the front of the engine components. The seller continued to say it was a common issue and very simple to fix. I was not about to buy a vehicle where things of this nature had been ignored. Thanks in advance for any advice.

sahiljain22

As someone who drives an 08 with approx. 110k miles, I would say, definitely go with the car whose owner has kept it long, and perhaps is asking a little more than your neighborhood dealer who bought the car off a lot. Unless ofcourse, the dealer is ready to give you some sort of warranty.

Look for:
- Battery, if its upgraded etc.
- Control arms and ride over bumps
- 0-60 without any hiccups, and idling without issues
- Leaks ofcourse

In the past, I have specifically asked a car owner what he did at 80k (or what he was planning to do) or 100k, to get an idea of how involved he/she was in taking care of the car. Often I ask how much they drove their previous cars. In such cases, I do not want to criticize the owner for not taking care of issues that he or she is ofcourse, not capable of recognizing or knowing. Once in a while though, I'll run into a car enthusiast who has babied their car. When dealers charge $100+ for an oil change, I can imagine a lot of owners past warranty will just lazy out on the change and I would hate to buy such a car. Same with the guy who is been riding the car with 87-gas of a Getty.

In terms of the price range, 12-16k would me my rough estimate. Seriously, if you are paying much more than that, I'll be happy to drive to you to sell you my car .. LOL

pjinca

While the seller is correct, the oil filter housing is a common source of leaks, I agree that the fact that it has been ignored is a problem. I wouldn't have bought that car either, if they ignored that, what else was ignored? (The gasket is $6, there is no excuse NOT to change it). For a 525/530xi I would think 80-100k miles would be normal - in fact if you find one well maintained at the low end of the mileage, jump on it!!!

My best advice is to tell you to find out what options you like and DON'T settle, get the car with the options and mileage and condition you find acceptable. On Xi models don't worry too much about spors package, on Xi's it's only an appearance pkg and nothing more. Not exactly a selling point. If the harsh ride of your 325Xi bothers you then do not accept a car with runflat tires. They are very stiff and the ride suffers greatly.

TheSuspensionSource

I am asking 18k for my 545i. It's a little more than what others are asking but with all the upgrades and maintenance I feel like its a reasonable amount.