BMW in the family

[Terminator]

After 8 years of needing a wagon for work purposes and kids to school etc I can ditch the wagon and buy a sedan. I looked at lots of new/fairly new cars and figured how much they would cost me in depreciation etc and in the end decided to buy a 5 year old 540i BMW M Sport with 70,000kms. This car was $156,500 on the road in June 2003 and I just paid $38,500 for it. Its not far from the M5, mostly same features but smaller engine a few less alloy bits and less expensive tyres.

Sure its a V8 and will be more expensive to run on a day to day basis but to get a car with anywhere near the safety and features of this car it would have cost me $55k to $60k and I would have lost $15K in the first year alone in depreciation so I figure I am miles ahead and have a better car anyway than a Territory Ghia or Commodore Calais.


While searching I was offerred a 2003 745i with just 65,00km for $69,000. It was on road at $245,000 5 years ago but it was just too big for my liking. Boy thats a serious loss in depreciation better to own RS's I think.

[alexwebster]

Clyde, I am doing some fill in work at BMW Mornington at the moment to help them out, and some of the hits that 7 series owners are taking is scary! One client knew how bad it was and in 3 years made sure he had a 90k residual so that he did not have negative equity!

There was a 540i 04 model that they traded here last week with 90k kms for $45k! So your deal sounds like a cracker!

Great car the 5 series. If anyone gets the chance, go and drive the new 1 series coupe in teh 335i. It is a 225 kw with 400 nm of torque, twin turbo beat. The thing is a rocket ship!! Really a two seater but god it goes!!!

[Terminator]

I sat in a 335 3 litre Turbo...god it goes also, but its really a 2 seater as well as my head (I'm only 183cm) hit the roof in the back.

How about the guys with the M5 who paid similar money to the 7 series but can't get $50k for their cars now with 100k on the clock. Thats a lot of car for $50k!!!!!


I'd back the Beemer to last a lot longer than a new commodore!!!!

[e72phil]

Clyde, where did you see some M5's around $50K ??

Tempting.....

[alexwebster]

you might find M3's for around $50k now, but M5's are always short on the ground. The M5's around $60k are 1999 models or there abouts

[Paul W]

Sounds like great buying Clyde.

The flip side is a family friend recently bought an 4+yo 'S' class benz (430?) for what seemed like a bargain - up until he had to pay for a replacement airbag that had a faulty sensor. Don't know whether I'd want to own on of these out of warrantee, especially with their greater reliance on expensive electronics.

[alexwebster]

good call!

[CamBiscuit]

From what I have heard from an ex workshop manager the current MB stable is not as reliable as they used to be. He wouldn't touch one with a barge pole.

Don't know if the same rule applies to current series BMW's?

[901Porker]

From what I have heard from an ex workshop manager the current MB stable is not as reliable as they used to be. He wouldn't touch one with a barge pole.

Don't know if the same rule applies to current series BMW's?

I own a couple of current series cars (afraid to fess up as to models as depreciation curve is the inverse of a well sorted RSR motor power curve).
.
I've been a serial offender in terms of buying BM'S and always found them good

Not had any real issues at all save for an SMG control unit on a certain 5 series I owned.

[Terminator]

True Alex $52k for an M5 1999 with 122k still a lot of car for the money.

I also looked at an E55 AMG 1999 model with 95kms for $40k again alot of car for the money

My 540 M sport comes with one of those after market warranties, better than nothing, I bought it of a dealer in Sydney.

Managed to sell the Fairmont wagon today for $2500 more than I was offerred by anyone as a trade so I am having a win all round.

Guess if I didn't own the RS Carrera I could afford to buy a new M6 and depreciate myself to death...No thanks.

I did drive the new 3 litre turbo 335 nice, very nice when the kids are left home and they have depreciated in 4 years time I will buy one of them also.


Ever owned a 540 Sven if so what am I in for???

[901Porker]

Ever owned a 540 Sven if so what am I in for???

One of my partners owned one and it spent some time on the back of a flat bed with Lucas disease but once sorted, he never looked back.

Ouch! I'm busy depreciating myself to death. Still the 510 hp through 10 individual throttle bodies is some compensation ....

[Fishcop]

Wow, all isn't rosy with some German stuff then?

A few years ago my wife and I made the call to live closer to city/work/life and hocked ourselves into what was then a large mortgage (it hasn't really gotten any smaller ) but we all know where property values have gone! We use public transport or walk to most places. I've kept the 2002 Ford Escape we bought new as it still only has 50,000km though the extended factory warranty has just expired. Last year on the Ford and the P-car combined, we only did 4,000km... I kinda want to buy another nice car (I like the Volvo C30) - but our milage just doesn't warrant it.

[CamBiscuit]

I am the not so happy owner of a VY Commondore wagon.

Sold a tubo diesel Pajero wagon when the Porsche came along to do the sensible thing and have hated the C car ever since. Plenty of warranty work and stuff they haven't been able to fix despite about half a dozen attempts.

The old man's 3 Series BMW is in my sights and I'm hopping he might be due to upgrade in the not to distant future...

[e72phil]

Clyde was with me on my 535i Beemer when the radiator expansion tank (plastic) decided to rupture and this is supposedly a known problem once they age. Also had a tranny probrlm recently, again a known problem.

But given teh K's on the one you bought, I am sure you are in for some enjoyable motoring.

PS: test drove a 2.0 TDI diesl Golf on the weekend. Andrew Vidler has one and had raved about it. I am seriously tempted. Amazing torque !

[Jeff Eelkema]

Anyone looking at older Euro stuff might want to do some research. We're starting to see an emerging trend of mid 90s MBs with wiring harnesses falling apart. It seems they moved to a different "green" insulation material and it isn't proving durable, particularly in the engine bay. It appears to be more of a problem in northern areas, probably due to higher average temps. We suspect we'll start seeing the same problem with other German cars of the same era as it's reasonable to assume all harness manufacturers would use similar materials but at this stage it seems to mainly MB.