Looking at buying a F31/F11 as my E61 is becoming "too old" please advise What should I buy?

[Willem 4]

Hi Bimmers

 

I've been driving a E61 530i from 2005 for the last 6 years imported from Japan.

Had 50.000 on the clock and now has 100.000 and it has been great.

This calm quiet engine, and the power when you give it a little push, I just love it.

Exploring the North & South island, surfing, camping, and what a wonderful ride, I live in Auckland.

"Freude am Fahren" says a sticker on the boot. Difficult to translate, drives like a dream might come close.

But I do not have a garage and the car is showing it. Rubbers getting dried out by the sun, also the rest of the rubbers on the car are getting old/ brittle, needing replacement, is going to be expensive in time and money.

So I'm looking at buying another Touring, a Touring because I always take my car out camping (typical what you'd do with a BMW, I've hit the ground a few times here and there with my M sport spoilers, so why not do it again And if I do not camp I go surfing with it. And then the boot is perfect for the gear and a short board , or the roof for a long board.

May be a E31? as it will be a few kg less compared to a F11 (1500-1800kg). I think it might be more fun to drive (if I'd fit well enough in a E31, I'm 189 tall). The E31 has only 100 liter less boot space than the F11. I think I can manage that. Now I had a look at Trade me and there is lots of relatively affordable E31's from around 2013 - 2019. Also a few F11 5 series, but all with a 2 liter engine and only 204 BHP, is that going to be fun????

I'd think of spending somewhere between 10 - 20 K

Now I need your advise. What do you guys think is a good engine in a E31, reliable and with enough power to move around enjoying the acceleration out of a curve (I know, the E61 is lead heavy, and now I'm buying a touring again, however the power to weight ratio for the E31 will be better than the F11 because of the lower weight)

Most common, 4 cylinder, 184 HP (320i) turbo & inter-cooler Also available 328i (245 BHP) and there are a few 335i's with 305 BHP. (do mechanics hate those because the whole engine bay is too full to work on it?). (I could not find a 5 series Touring with a big engine.)

With low mileages. (it is really environmentally sound, an EV is causing more pollution due to the battery environment impact than a petrol car up to 100.000 km)

At what mileage do these engines become maintenance intensive, is it the turbo's /inter-coolers that go first?

 

Well thank you for sharing your advice, I'm looking forward to hear what you'd like to say .

P.S.

I might have a pre-purchase check done in a BMW garage before making a definitive choice, It might be worth the money, The mechanics know what to look for , and I can take an motorcycle apart, but do not know the nooks and crannies of a F31. If something is showing up, it can be repaired, but it will impact what I'll pay.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited yesterday at 02:34 AM by Willem
had a few mistakes in the text

[Sammo 2544]

Had our F31 for 2.5 years and 50,000km - it’s been great - 320d Msport.

Only niggle is the electric steering racks have a bushing that goes causing a front rattle - easy enough fix but ours is getting done for the second time this week.

Handles and rides well but the electric steering is uninspired.

They look fantastic in the right spec and plenty of space for gear as well.

[Willem 4]

Hi Sammo

Thanks for the very nice pictures.

I love the camping one and the old & new style one too

How tall are you (do I fit in the 320, 189 cm tall?) and apart from this steering trouble, how do you find the power of your car.

The weight power ratio (I'm an original motorcycle driver, where it is less than 1 kg for 1 HP,  that is fast acceleration).

The W/P ratio for your car is 8kg/HP. With my present car (530i) it is 6.4 kg/HP

And I'm wondering with the 328i (there it is around 5.8) do you know how did they got another 74 HP out of the same engine volume and is that engine or it's accessories vulnerable to break down easily.

Cheers Willem

[Sammo 2544]

1 hour ago, Willem said:

Hi Sammo

Thanks for the very nice pictures.

I love the camping one and the old & new style one too

How tall are you (do I fit in the 320, 189 cm tall?) and apart from this steering trouble, how do you find the power of your car.

The weight power ratio (I'm an original motorcycle driver, where it is less than 1 kg for 1 HP,  that is fast acceleration).

The W/P ratio for your car is 8kg/HP. With my present car (530i) it is 6.4 kg/HP

And I'm wondering with the 328i (there it is around 5.8) do you know how did they got another 74 HP out of the same engine volume and is that engine or it's accessories vulnerable to break down easily.

Cheers Willem

I’m only 178cm but can’t imagine someone your height wouldn’t fit - likely similar size to an E61.

The 320d is a little low on horsepower but diesel torque is strong (380nm from 1700rpm) and the 8 speed gear ratios help out too - a 328i would be much more lively - 250hp from a modern 2.0 turbo isn’t highly strung these days.

 

 

[balancerider 756]

Hi @Willem - F31 is a good choice, plenty of engine options to choose from. I am 1.88m tall and fit fine. 
the N20 engine in the prefacelift 320i/328i is probably the least reliable in this series, still better than the older BMW 4cyl though. If you can find a facelift 320i with the B48 that would be a good option. As @Sammo says the torque in the diesel makes it feel like a much bigger engine. Post late 2013 N55 335i with electronic (rather than mechanical) waste gate is a great engine and not highly stressed in this application.

X drive is quite surefooted and has benefit of slightly higher ride height for your gravel road surfing expedition (only diesels and the odd imported 320i have it though). 

 

[rogan 6]

Sounds like the 6cyl diesel would be the one to get. We have a 530d F10 and it’s been great; i’d take it over any of the F10 petrols.

Go test drive an F31 330/335d .