320d VS 525d opinions please?

positivenote

i Guys,
been posting and looking around alot lately re: 320d and 530d. as previously stated im driving approx 4-500miles a week and am looking to spend approx 10k on an e39 or a 320d. Ive come across these two at the same dealers

http://www.carzone.ie/search/BMW/5-Series/D-m-spor/200840190256026/advert?channel=CARS

http://www.carzone.ie/search/BMW/3-Series/D-se/200937195157220/advert?channel=CARS
im looking for a bit of advice. I always wanted a 320d, that was untill i sat in a 530d, but the tax was a bit of a killer. I drove the linked 320d today and it drove nice and smooth, it has mfsw and leather etc but theres a small dent in the drivers door side. But it does have a full history.
The 525d i wanted to drive today but the battery was dead in it, dealer said its because its bee sitting there for a while... but my main concern is that its got 94k on it, but still with a fsh.. dealer even told me who the lady was who brought it in from the uk.
So what do you think guys? and advice about the benifits of each over the other would be great.
and of course if anyone ese can point me towards something along these lines as an alternative it would be great.
Thanks in advance.

Eoin

I changed from an e46 320d (136bhp model) to an e39 525i petrol, and I think the e39 is a far nicer car in nearly every respect. Wouldn't fancy it in manual though.

Voodoomelon

E39 all the way, fabulous car. 11,900 is a bit expensive though, you could get this car for over eur1000 cheaper, and its lower miles:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/200938341890385/sort/priceasc/usedcars/make/bmw/model/5_series/maximum-mileage/up_to_100000_miles/price-to/8000/price-from/4000/keywords/530d/radius/1501/postcode/bt11aa/page/4?previous=/search/results/usedcars/postcode/bt11aa/radius/1501/make/bmw/model/5_series/keywords/530d/maximum-mileage/up_to_100000_miles/price-to/8000/price-from/4000/sort/priceasc/page/4&anchor=advert200938341890385&logcode=p

(Assuming you got it for 7100stg and VRT is eur2888).

If you search for non Sports, you could save thousands.

positivenote

any other opinions guys? preferably with regard to the miles on the 525d?
thanks

daveharnett

positivenote wrote: »

any other opinions guys? preferably with regard to the miles on the 525d?
thanks

I'd be a bit skeptical about that mileage too. Unless you can confirm the mileage through it's UK Service History, I would assume that it has done 50-100k miles on top of the stated mileage. Could be legit, but better safe than sorry.

positivenote

isnt 94k alot for a 525d then? i dont know why but im just weary of a car thats hitting 100k. Im will to spend 10k approx and id love to get something with less than 80k on the clock, but with an e39 (which is the model i really like and hope to get) its proving hard to find one.

Mr Benevolent

positivenote wrote: »

isnt 94k alot for a 525d then? i dont know why but im just weary of a car thats hitting 100k. Im will to spend 10k approx and id love to get something with less than 80k on the clock, but with an e39 (which is the model i really like and hope to get) its proving hard to find one.

The E39 525d is designed as a motorway cruiser, not a supermarket runabout. 100k is nothing to a car like that.

btkm8unsl0w5r4

I agree that a manual 525d will be resale proof, people who want these cars want an auto. Milage is not an issue if the servicing is correct, however harder to check on a UK car. (when a dealer starts on about one female driver and only motorway miles I tend to run a mile) I would ask if spending 13% of the total car cost every year on road tax for the 5 series is the best decision. As a driving machine however e39 all the way.

positivenote

thanks. i reckon i'll keep looking, but as i say it is getting harder and harder to find a lowish mileage e39 (525 or 530d) in my price bracket, if at all and its looking like i'll have to settle for 320d's instead.

btkm8unsl0w5r4

positivenote wrote: »

thanks. i reckon i'll keep looking, but as i say it is getting harder and harder to find a lowish mileage e39 (525 or 530d) in my price bracket, if at all and its looking like i'll have to settle for 320d's instead.

Pretty good place to have to settle

the merchant

I wouldn't get too hung up on mileage - there's the school of thought that a well serviced high mileage car will have any of the usual issues fixed at this stage. The e39 525d was never sold new in Ireland so if you buy one it will be an import. I have one and it's definitely no slouch.

If I was doing 500 miles a week I know which one I'd want.

Seth Brundle

My 97 523i is about to cross 140k (in old money) and whilst there are a few items that need to be fixed, these could have gone in a car with 50k on it.
Its a manual and easy to drive, is great on motorways but craves the twisty roads.
I would go for the E39 but she does seem overpriced IMO!

daveharnett

positivenote wrote: »

isnt 94k alot for a 525d then?

Sorry, I misunderstood. No, 94k is no problem whatsoever. I would expect it to do 250k without any engine problems.

positivenote wrote: »

Im will to spend 10k approx and id love to get something with less than 80k on the clock, but with an e39 (which is the model i really like and hope to get) its proving hard to find one.

TBH, there is almost no chance of finding an e39 diesel with a genuine <80k on the clock.

positivenote wrote: »

i dont know why but im just weary of a car thats hitting 100k.

Lots of suspension components will need replacing (up to €2k worth of work) between 100k and 130k. That's not a problem, just factor it into your budget, or buy one that has already had the work done.

If it were me, I would get something like this and give it to a good indie specialist for a week to get it running and handling like new for way under the 10k.

positivenote

[/QUOTE] If it were me, I would get something like this and give it to a good indie specialist for a week to get it running and handling like new for way under the 10k.[/QUOTE]

i never thought of this as an option to be honest. ball park figure what would i be looking at paying to get something like this running and handling like new? are there many reliable specialist in dublin that would carry out the work?

Thanks again for the tip

daveharnett

positivenote wrote: »

i never thought of this as an option to be honest. ball park figure what would i be looking at paying to get something like this running and handling like new?

It's a bit of a 'what length is a piece of string' question to be honest. It depends entirely on the car. The only way to really know is to talk to the garage where you want to get it done, then get them to inspect the car before you buy. The estimate will then help inform how much to offer for the car. A genuine seller shouldn't have a problem with this.

positivenote wrote: »

are there many reliable specialist in dublin that would carry out the work?

I'll defer to the dubs on this one, but I have seen AC recommended by the bmw drivers here more than once.

Voodoomelon

If you were to go for that 525 above and if you are in anyway handy, you can do the oil, oil filter, air filter, brake fluid, coolant and plugs yourself and save yourself a packet. If youve never done any of the above, youd have them all done over a weekend with time to spare. The E38 shares a lot of parts with the E39 so this website is highly relevant: www.e38.org.

Apart from that, it may have steering/suspension wobbling or knocking which can also be fixed easily enough, but you're better off getting someone else with a ramp and a bit of know how to do that for you. A new set of wheels and a few upgrades like headlamps etc and you'll have the cosmetic equivalent of a Sport E39.

Marlow

A proper serviced E39 will never let you down really.

I bought a '97 525tds (predecessor of the 525d) in the North last year, imported it, stuck 44k miles on it and traded it a year later (about 2 months ago) with 170k miles on the clock for another E39.

In the year I had it, the only major repair I had was a new waterpump.

The guy driving it now (a friend of mine) is commuting Athlone -> Dublin in it, brought it to the NCT and all they had to complain was a bearing at the back wheel, a lightbulb, rear tyres just about at the limit and the handbrake.

Honestly, can't fail any properly treated E39.

/M

Marlow

And you'll get between 35-50 mpg out of a 525tds, i'd expect better out of a 525d. All depending on your driving.

/M

Topdeck

a chap i work with has an 02 525 tds with 81k. i think he paid 14,000e for it 2 years ago before the resesion he aked me only 8k for it

Annuv

Nice looking 530d here
http://www.bmw-driver.net/forum/showthread.php?t=12385

119 k miles



Ah I see now that you're already aware of this car positivenote

Voodoomelon

Lovely car, if they're genuine cats he replaced, you're already saving a packet.

positivenote

topdeck, ive pm'd you about that car your mate might be selling

positivenote

okay so heres the latest guys. i'd love some feedback on this one
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/959936

only problem is that its an import and the girl selling it never got a service history with it and she's been getting it serviced by her local mechanic anytime it needed it.

what do yis reckon?

Eoin

No service history = no deal.

Marlow

If it's been serviced with main dealers in the UK, you can get a BMW main dealer or service garage to pull the service history of the network.

They need the chassis number for that.

I wouldn't fail that car.

/M

positivenote

would it be worth ringing the mechanic that has been servicing it? or has another one bitten the dust

Marlow

positivenote wrote: »

would it be worth ringing the mechanic that has been servicing it? or has another one bitten the dust

Does she have receipts from the service done at her own mechanic ?

And you could get her to try get the service history from BMW.

/M

positivenote

where would she find the chassis number if i where to ask for it over the phone? any ideas what no/letters it might consist of?
THanks

Marlow

positivenote wrote: »

where would she find the chassis number if i where to ask for it over the phone? any ideas what no/letters it might consist of?
THanks

It's in the logbook or under the bonnet usually.

You only need the last 7 digits, which is 2 alphanumeric and 5 numerics.

/M

Topdeck

positivenote i pm'd you the chaps details. best of luck