E60 - BMW 525i

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Originally Posted by ecotourist
If I can extend the discussion a little I'd be interested in comments regarding which of the more recent BMWs (say past 5 years) seem to be the most reliable. I would only consider a manual transmission and would prefer rear wheel drive. I don't expect they're very common. Aside from that I'd be open to considering a 2, 3, 4 or 5 series.

When I bought my 528i, 3 year old car 5 series cars were priced very similar to 3 series cars of the same age and were better equipped in general. So for me, a used 5 series offered better value. And as I keep my cars almost forever the final residual value doesn't matter very much.

BMW 235i and 335i. 335i is not as engaging as previous 335i E90, but it seems that generally, while engagement of post 2012 BMW's dropped, reliability increased a lot.
Avoid N20 4cyl as early models had issues with timing chain. B48 (4cyl) in later 330i is an ANIMAL! and B58 is rocket ship in 340i. Those are post 2016 engines.
 
Originally Posted by ecotourist
If I can extend the discussion a little I'd be interested in comments regarding which of the more recent BMWs (say past 5 years) seem to be the most reliable. I would only consider a manual transmission and would prefer rear wheel drive. I don't expect they're very common. Aside from that I'd be open to considering a 2, 3, 4 or 5 series.

When I bought my 528i, 3 year old car 5 series cars were priced very similar to 3 series cars of the same age and were better equipped in general. So for me, a used 5 series offered better value. And as I keep my cars almost forever the final residual value doesn't matter very much.


IMO it's not so much as the model but the drivetrain. From a mechanical perspective the I6 (N55) seems to be the most reliable. Be forewarned that with the introduction of turbocharging there is a portion of the BMW population that enjoys adding an aftermarket tune to increase HP/TQ and returned the vehicle to stock trim at lease turn in or for private sale. Consequently it's imperative that you or someone you know is aware of the telltale signs*** (spliced wires, high level scan tool, etc) these tunes so that you can make an informed decision. 2,3,4 series cars are popular with the tuning crowd.

***Some other signs of which suggest tuning; Sometimes the owner will replace the stock exhaust system with catless downpipes and/or upgraded intercooler so look for signs suggesting someone was working around these areas or that the parts themselves have less cosmetic wear vs the surrounding parts. Also look for signs of cutting around the intercooler which suggest a different sized intercooler was fitted. You could also try contacting a dealer with the VIN to see if the warranty had every been temporarily/permanently revoked.
 
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If I was to buy an E60 it would be late 2008+ with the updated N52 engine, rear wheel drive.

The newest E60 with an M54 will be 2005, so already 14 years old. When those engines overheat, they don't blow the head gasket, they pull the head bolt threads in the block. It is hard to know the history of a vehicle this old unless you have documentation. The operating cost of the M54 and later N52 engines is about equal. The N52 has more expensive sensors and parts, but they fail less often. The M54 has a lot of small plastic bits and vacuum lines that like to break and will nickle and dime you. In Nov. of 2008 the N52 cam bearing ledge issue was resolved, so I'd look for one after that. Yes, the water pump is more expensive on an N52 ($350) but it will need to be replaced basically once in the lifetime of the car (every 100k or so), where the M54 cooling system is a 60k miles maintenance item.

I have two friends with higher mileage (140k+) 3-series BMWs. One is a 2005 330i ZHP with the M54, the other a 2006 325xi with the N52. The N52 car has cost a lot less to get to 140k than the other one, even being an earlier version of the engine.

I'd also avoid any of the turbo cars.
 
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