reliability of used cars in BMW 5 series bracket

This was originally posted in alt.autos.bmw & alt.autos.lexus, but I guess it pissed them off, so there was no response.

I "was" thinking of acquring a used BMW 523/528 SE of around 7 years old, approx 100K miles.

This was becasue I have seen many of these in UK for around £5,000. But may now be looking at a similiar priced Lexus GS300, Saab 9-5 2.3T or Audi A6

2.6.

In 1996 I had a 7 yeard old 535SEi (100k miles, Full Serivce History)/ and in 2000 I had a 8 year old 730 SEi (100k miles, 85% service history). Overall reliability was very dissapointing Engine's were very strong, high performing, but many other "expensive" parts required replacing., e.g Switchable gbox on 7'series (Ouch), front psngr window coming off rails, headlight circuit blew, central locking malfunction, over heating, petrol guage faulty. Basically the only enjoyment I got out of these two cars was the road presence (when they were'nt in the garage).

Many people recommended to me to only buy BMW new/upto 4 years old, or get a used japanese car, (Lexus, Toyota et al). But £5000 would only get me a Lex GS300 upto approx 1997, with the very noticably dated shape.

I am a "BMW guy" at heart, but my mechanic says a £5000, 7 year old, 100k miles

BMW 523, 528, SAAB 9-5 2.3t, AUDI A6,

Would ALL be a downgrade in reliability compared to my current 11 year old Rover 620SLI(with Honda engine) worth about £500, which I havent spent ANYTHING on except oil, water and petrol for a year and also done about 9k miles Feb 2004/feb 2005.

I find this very worrying....

Comments anyone...?

Reply to
levyte357
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Are you the "I" in this??

If you are then talk to the guys in the forums on

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I suspect they may suggest your money may be better spent on an early 98/99 Rover 75!!

Reply to
Andrew Murray

LS400s get very good reviews in terms of longevity but the sort you could afford would be pretty well aged and look more dated than the GS.

As an aside , I think the first GS300s were the best looking ones.

Reply to
Dr Zoidberg

Maybe the Rovers aren't as bad as everyone seems to make out, or the above makes are overrated? There's little you can do about perceptions and a BMW or Audi will always be perceived as being better and more reliable than Ford or Rover, just because it's a BMW or whatever!

I personally wouldn't even consider a BMW or Audi - I've been in both and neither impressed me enough to be worth thousands more than a similar class offering from less prestigious manufacturers...

Darren

Reply to
Darren Jarvis

Try driving one at over 100k miles old and tell us what you think.

When new, a VAG won't feel as though it's worth a couple of grand more than a Ford or Vauxhall, but, put some miles on it, and the Ford / Vauxhall will be falling apart when the VAG still feels like new (note this also applies to modern Seats and Skodas).

Reply to
SteveH
[...elderly beemer worries...]

I have a 1994 E39 740i that's done 190k, FSH for the last almost 3 years.

Mostly it Just Works.

I have replaced a lot of bushes, seems to need doing at 180-220k...

I like it, I intend to keep it for another year or three.

A
Reply to
Alistair J Murray

modification to the rear end. best car i've had in ages.

Rob

Reply to
Rob Beech

Thing is, though, the LSs haven't really changed that much over the years, cosmetically. Even the latest incarnation isn't worlds apart from the original. The MK1s, MKIIs and MKIIIs all look very similar - admittedly they do look a bit 80s, but they haven't changed that much to look at, and they are very solid. Even at the 5-6k mark, I'd still expect a well researched one to be good for quite a while.

One of the annoyances I can think of, is that there can be some gripes with the lighting in the dash, which can be a little expensive for what it is.

AOL.

At first I wasn't that struck, but looking at them now, I think they are quite a classic looking car. I certainly prefer it, cosmetically, to the replacement model. This model has changed, cosmetically, quite a bit from the original, whereas the LS has evolved much more subtly.

Reply to
Douglas Hall

They've (the mk 1) got crap headroom in the back - I had to sit slumped for a very long journey in one (across Ohio), and it was painful. I'm

6'1".

Cheers,

Reply to
James Dore

Haven't you answered your own question here in pointing out the problems you have had with BMWs in the past???? You may be a BMW guy at heart but, judging by the expensive problems you have had to fix, it sounds liek you also have a BMW man's brain also.

I have to admit that the new BMW 3 is the first BMW that I like the look of both inside and out. However, I can't afford to pay 24K for a new 320D ES and so, when looking at older cars, I see the Lexus and other Jap cars as better deals in terms of spec and realiability. My local BMW dealer is selling 2 and 3 yr old current BMW 3 series cars and they just looked so dated compared to other cars of the same age. I hera nothing but good about the Lexus - which is more important? How it looks or how reliable it is?

Just my two cents.

Reply to
John Smith

I guess I do. I want a car that has a very,very strong engine, the interior oozes quality, and the drive needs to be a combination of hurtling down the road in my favourite leather armchair, or serenly cruising down the road in my favourite leather armchair. The car also needs to feel like it always has power in reserve. Lastly, it must look good enough, and drive so well, it makes me want to go to places just for the drive. I haven't owned a Saab, Audi or Lexus yet... But the above sounds like most 6 cylinder BMW SE's I know.. (With increased reliability and reduced maintenance costs of course.....lol)

My ROVER 620 scores 9/10 for reliability and low maintenance, but 3/10 for looks (and there is no rust anywhere.... at all.) . But (In Clarkson mode now): I don't feel proud of it outside my front door, And It doesn't make me want to drive it unecessarily. and people don't smile when I pick them up in it, and its not just due to age, or being a Rover.. It's becaue it is not a looker and a respected make.

So I "believe", I know what reliability at the cost of looks and road image/respect feels like..

I would guess, a significant number of drivers like myself prefer having a car of pedigree that has 5-7 years on them, but still looks stunning/relatively modern, is impeccable to drive, as long as the obligatory higher than average maintenance costs do not eventually require pawning limbs/spouse/offspring .

(But then again, surely 4 of those choice 18" 745iSE Alloys+Angel eye headlight upgrade/MTECH rear spoiler would be worth one of my right arms and the youngest child....)

I'll see your two cents, and raise you £1.43.

Reply to
levyte357

And this concludes our step back in time 10 years.

Back in the present, this isn't really the case now.

Reply to
Michael Rodgers

Up until the MkII Mondeo / MkI (to the UK) Vectra it was. The new models may well be improved, but it's a big jump to make, and neither is really old enough for anyone to make a judgement on it.

Reply to
SteveH

Exactly the opposite IME.

I've just got rid of a Mk 2 Mondeo (S reg 98), and my wife has a new shape Polo (52 plate). Mine had 120k miles and hers 18k miles.

In 120k miles, my Mondeo had a CV joint replaced, the warrantied replacement failed, and a pulley fell off when the garage didn't replace the bolts. 6 years old, and everything still worked.

In 18k miles, the Polo has been back for various bits of trim falling off, 2 of the 3 coil packs have failed, there's a "mystery clunk" from underneath, the electrics have failed totally twice, and now the temperature sensors for the ventillation system have failed, which means the car attempts to cook the occupants.

I know which brand I wouldn't go for again!

Pete.

Reply to
Pete Smith

Well, best of luck in what you get. Choosing a car is a cross between a playing hopscotch in a minefield and a nightmare. I agree that going with older higher end spec cars is probably the way to go but there is always that worry of major costs re parts about to loom. Certainly, with some of these older BMWs you can get cars that are 5 years old which originally went for many tens of thousands. If you get a 'good one' then you are sorted. But I wouldn't know a good one from a bad one until it was too late.

Reply to
John Smith

There has been a big turn around in quality and reliability though hasn't there. The German makes seem to have gone right down in this regard. Didn't some of the German makers move some of their manufacturing to places like South Africa and Brazil? Oddly, the one 'actually made in Germany' car that is supposedly good in quality and reliability is the Focus. Perhaps the German recession is affecting them like it affected us in the '80s.

On the other hand the Japanese firms seem to occupy the top positions in reliability.

I got into the new Audi A4 the week it was launched and, pulling on the hand grip above the driver's door to get out, it came off in my hand. Not impressed.

Reply to
John Smith

My 75 is fast approaching 100K miles; I've had it from 0 miles and it still looks and feels like new - the running costs have been less than those for my 216GTi, it does as many mpg, and it has a non-German engine. It's also the only car I have EVER driven that you can really hear the clock tick while you are driving at 70mph (but not with the stereo on!)...

I've had German cars, overpriced, over-hyped and over here... I shan't again. I spent £27K on my 75, and to get the same spec in a Merc or BMW I would have had to pay double, along with double or triple service costs and lower mpg. Yes my 75 isn't a phallic extension to my ego, but then I grew up a while back and don't feel an overwhelming desire to pose at my neighbours. My 75 was and still is the best car I have ever owned in 35 years of driving my own cars.

Britiish cars haven't always been the best, but then, I still remember the BMW rustbuckets of the '70s.

Reply to
RacingFan

Are you insane?

Reply to
SteveH

So you are saying the VW will fall apart? Or the ford won't?

Reply to
Dr Zoidberg

Don't talk rubbish. Please mention which facilities it has - or performance- where your 75 beats a 54K BMW or Merc?

BTW, the best parts of it are German. The engine is Rover. And not a patch on the equivalent BMW unit. In any way.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

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