High Mileage E60 Diesel

[lord_jagganath 421]

Hi guys, There is this E60 diesel with phenomenally high kms (300+ k kms) and is about 8 years old. What do you think can go wrong with these? It drove fine in Auckland rush hour traffic, but I still feel I need to try a lot more cars. What co you think?

PS, this will be my return to UDMs after 5 years of J-mobiles. Last UDM was a E34 with an M50B25 on a stroker kit.

[bimmer boy 21]

It might be fine but basically you will never be able to sell it. I haven't seen an E60 this high so no idea what they would be like in terms of reliability. But things will well and truly be worn...

[elmarco 56]

With the diesels there is also the possibility of it swallowing its swirl flaps & destroying the engine. The higher the kms the more chance of the screws loosening unless the blanking mod has been done. Think this was improved on later models though.

Personally I think it would be a liability with a deeply unsatisfying sucking sound from the direction of your bank account.

[lord_jagganath 421]

thanks for the feed back, it's in the New Lynn U-Sell yard if anyone is interested. I thought my seat of the pants feel of there being some vibration coming from the transmission side was the mountings .... as that were the case on my uncle's '06 C240. I could be wrong though...

I suppose the same caution holds true for the 200k km cars?

[elmarco 56]

I guess he message is that the more kms the higher the risk. You may be lucky & never have a problem - but as Dirty Harry said "are you feeling lucky?"....

I'd be looking for one with much fewer kms. My 2c worth.

[kiwi535 538]

if it is priced according ly go for it...i would think the transmission is the first suspect.If everything still works its a lot of car for the money.And the 3 litre diesel is a nice engine,torque torque and more torque,smooth quiet and frugal.Then its just normal 5 series stuff.

[Tristan 338]

I wouldn't be considering it; what's the service history like (if any)?

[lord_jagganath 421]

The history of the car basically hinges on the fact that the owner was a sales manager so had lots of hot running around the country, company maintained too, though I wouldn't put much on that as time has shown that company rep cars can be abused more (and experience, my current co's Falcons get abused everyday). OBC was clean with no errors, car was used as a family car too, not much wear on the seats surprisingly. I suppose the swirl generators in the intake would probably need to be looked at. Is there any way I can check the gearbox? It seems to be the pre facelift "dumb" tip 'box.

So based on your experience, 3pedals, the mileage isn't really an issue, though I should set aside a few grand for a gearbox just in case? maybe a component insurance with Janssen if they would do it?

Edited August 3, 2013 by The Juggernaut

[RustyItalian 11]

maybe a component insurance with Janssen if they would do it?

Note the hidden costs of a Janssen warranty. Euro autos must have the transmission serviced within 3 months or 5000kms (whichever occurs first). Diesel vehicles must be serviced every 10,000 kms or 12 months, whichever occurs first.

Means you can end up doing more servicing than BMW recommend.

Also Janssen only provide $1500 cover on cars with 250000-300000 kms at time of sale and you need a service at time of sale.

Read the policy book there is a LOT of stuff not covered.

Makes a warranty questionable...

[KwS 2421]

i presume its this one?

http://www.u-sell.co.nz/main/browse/9222-2...--for-sale.html

[lord_jagganath 421]

@Richard - hmmm and I presume it must be at a garage? not something you can do yourself and with a Bentley Manual? will read through the terms and the like. Thank you.,

@Kelvin - right on the money! Do you reckon it is good for the money too? I tried to knock the chap down to 10k but to no avail .

[Ahmedsinc 414]

Most cars I've seen tend to drop to 2-3k asking once they've gone over 300km, regardless of age.

15 seems pretty steep for a motor that will likely cost you a lot more in maintenance than purchase price. Company cars are only maintained to the bare minimum in this country. Avoid.

[Tristan 338]

I think with $15k (arguably $12-13k after nego.) you could do a lot better. Maybe a lower mileage, M-Sport E39 or an E46.

[elmarco 56]

I believe the so called swirl flap issue does not apply to the later diesels.

I don't bother with a warranty as they are too conditional and too limiting. So far in 12 years about 450,000km in 3 BMW's I have only had one unattractive and unexpected bill.

but then mine have all been NZ new and Manual.

I guess it depends on your expectations... If the op spends 15k on a high mileage e60 expecting it will only cost the bare minimum to maintain there will be some of those "unexpected" bills.

[lord_jagganath 421]

Thanks for the feedback, Gentlemen. I am definitely grounded on the maintenance side, I am expecting 6 -7k bills for the mega miler in very unexpected forms.

On the company car angle, I am definitely wary of that. I have given the seller my offer of 10k, he rejected it. Now I offered 12k, will see where that goes.

Would probably do the E39 route anyway. Let's see how things go.

[allan 295]

Walk away and look else were can get a lot better value/ reliability for your hard earned 12g. Story 2004- 2005 bmw diesel 3ltr drops thingee in manifold. At the time no second hand engine available but informed if available big bucks. The damage to the head, two valves, two valve seats, other valves lapped in, other head work needed, new piston, rings, bearings etc min other repairs to get going the bill around $5,000+. This was a sales mans vehicle doing high ks and had all the so called maintenance done????. Take from this what you like sh*t can and does happen time and k's just increases that fact.

[kiwi535 538]

I think with $15k (arguably $12-13k after nego.) you could do a lot better. Maybe a lower mileage, M-Sport E39 or an E46.

can always do better.I think its amusing at times when most of us do own high kilometre cars,and spend time and effort keeping our cars as they should,that we are so suspicious of other high mileage cars.I think the overall condition of this car speaks volumes about its overall care.An e60 is a much different proposition than a e 39 or an e46 neither would offer the level of sophisticationan e60 would offer.

[qube 3570]

the way i see it is like this.

if a car with decent mileage is worth say 20k, and the high kms is selling for say 10k, you need to think whether or not you will get the same or better car mechanically after spending the difference on repairs and maintenance. if you get a car that will be mint after spending the difference, then you are winning, because there is no guarantee that you wont have to spend money on the 20k car, but if you end up having to spend more than the difference to get to that level, or maybe never reach that level no matter how much money you spend on it, then its obviously something to walk away from. Also another way to look at it is this. if you want a e60, but cant afford to buy one that is "normally" priced, then you could buy one that is cheaper and higher kms, then spend the difference slowly bit by bit, so its almost like buying a car on laybuy. in the end you get the car you want, spending the same total money that you would have spent on a lower kms one. i dont know anything about e60s and possible things that go wrong so cant help you, but this kind of thought applies with any car or purchase imo.

hope it goes well for you!

(buy an e39! much nicer cars than e60s IMO, you know what you're getting and what needs to be done, lots of spare parts available too)

[lord_jagganath 421]

Thanks Kyu.

there are some Japan import low-ish miles 141k kms 525i tourings around for 17-20 k... and they may take in my current car as a trade... so price isn't really an issue, just delaying the purchase towards summer.Do those have anything to look out for?

the only other 530d i may be considering is a 200k km one but is a UK import, and that may have the miles issue on them. I suppose I ought to test that soon.