BMW Durability?

Question

I was considering buying a used BMW with 100,000+ miles but was interested to know how long I can expect one to last. Feel free to compare to other car makes and/ or models. I don't know which model, but I am leaning towards 525 or 528 depending on the year. Will it last to 200k? 300k? Please let me know your thoughts or what I should look for!

Answer 1

I live in bimmer land, I drive a Mercedes.

I would never by a used BMW, unless I knew the history of the car very well. BMW are heat sensitive and unforgiving, and parts and labor are not cheap even here in Bavaria.

If the services are done and the car is taken care of then it should not be too great of a risk. I would have a knowledgeable mechanic check it out.

The 5 series tend to rust around the jack points, strut towers and body drains. Rear axle bushings wear out fast and are not easy to replace. And the ultimate BMW killer is heat, and timing belt. The aluminum head tends to crack and warp, not to mention the head gasket failings, and religiously change the timing belt. I always check the head to see if it has been replaced, gobs of permitex on the head gasket is not a sign of confidence. The cooling fan tends to go out and again can cause overheating problems.

I have over 200 BMWs in the junk yard, On average I get 3 BMW's a week. I have rarely found a BMW with over 250000kms and the original engine.

Good luck.

Answer 2

The first guy is a moron, which means the second person whom seconded moron #1 is now moron #2.

The question: Yes, a BMW will easily exceed 200K miles. I formerly owned an E36 325i that went to 232,000K miles. Yes, almost 300K miles.

I drove it to and from Santa Monica from Thousand Oaks on a daily basis. I usually took Kanaan Dune Road, Topanga Canyon or Malibu Canyon (all windy, mountain roads.) I did have to replace the breaks (I purchased Brembos.) But that is routine when you commute down canyons all day. The car met its maker last October when it was rear-ended by a Chevrolet Avalanche.

My Uncle's BMW E30 325 (1983) has lasted to 275K and it is still going, but his commute is much shorter and thus, easier on the car.

Those are all 3-Series, but its pretty similar across all models. But let me see if I can help. My choice in 5-Series would be the E39 chassis. Of course, the V8 S62 engine is the obvious awesome choice. Generally speaking the cars are shockingly reliable, but if you would like I can break down the problems that I hear of on the BMW grapevine. Keep in mind these are ALL the problems I hear and are common on any car, regardless of make or year. BMWs are reliable and I stake my life by them.

On E39s, this is the maintenance to expect/fear/potentially encounter:

High oil consumption getting into the high miles
Noisy Hydraulic Lifts
Must replace air filter @ every 30K miles
Fuel filter @ every 60K
OBD-2 (Emissions Fault Codes)
Cooling System Maintenance
-H20 Pump
-Thermostat
-Cooling Fan
- Fan Clutch
- Thermostat housing
Gearbox and Differentials (This is really commonly neglected) @ every 30K
Door lock actuators
HVAC control modules
Lighting cluster
Sport Package tire wear
Jacking Difficulty
Brake Fluid

This is the worse of the worse, if you get an E39 with up-to-date maintenance, you won’t have these problems. The fact is, Lexus, Honda, Subaru do not make better cars. My best friend drives a tuned Subaru and the fact is, it just isn’t very nice. It accelerates fast, but it breaks down, handles poorly and just isn’t quite aesthetically pleasing, inside or out. I still like riding in it, but it isn’t a BMW. Lexus is much of the same story. There is a lot of plastic, doesn’t handle at all and unfortunately, it is a Toyota, just dressed up. That being said, I really love the Lexus IS-F, the equivalent of BMW Motorsport or Mercedes AMG. I hope I helped. BMW really is fantastic. Good Luck.

Answer 3

The engines, if well maintained, will go for 300,000 without major overhaul. The tolerances are so precise that internally they are a work of art. The electronics -- that's a different story. The miles and miles of cable, multiple computers, hundreds of sensors and all manner of electronic doo-dads can result in nightmarish repair costs and constant break-downs once the vehicles begin to wear (or brand new, for that matter). Thousands of horror stories abound of Bimmer owners that were totally broken and disgusted watching their cars being towed to the local service dept so often that they were reduced to buying a used Civic just to have a stand-by vehicle. This is no way to run a car company and BMW is feeling the pinch from the constant pressure of failing reliability and LSD induced styling for their sedans (I mean, come on -- do you REALLY lust for the seven series because it looks sexy? Ugh!) Buy one if you really love it but be prepared to be on a first name basis with your mechanic.

Answer 4

If it has good service records, and is only one owner, then you should be ok for another 60-80,000 miles. You want a one owner car as many second owners can afford to buy the car second hand but not maintain it. Be aware, they are expensive to maintain and fix. Personally I think they are a bit slow, and over-rated, and I prefer the 3 series. Honda or Subaru make better cars, Lexus too. But buying a car is all about taste, so good luck.

Answer 5

I'll second the first guy's answer....