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Hi All, Advice on buying a 6 series

4K views 11 replies 6 participants last post by  chambo 
#1 ·
Morning all,

I am shopping around the second hand car market at the moment for a 6 series, possibly a 630i coupe 2005.

Could you please advise which is the best 6 series for me, my budget is around £20k.

Did they change the car during 2004- 2007?

What does the 630i sports have that the 630i doesn't?

Just general advice on buying, i dont know 6 series's that well, just sat in one and loved the attention.

What are common problems and things to look out for.

Many many thanks in advance and look forward to your responses..

Adam in London
 
#4 ·
Where to start??!!

Could you please advise which is the best 6 series for me, my budget is around £20k.

There aren't many early/cheap 630s around, the 645 was far an away the most popular in the early stages of the model. Ir chnged to 650 in 2007 (I think). The best 6 series for you is something only you can decide. The main decision points are coupe vs convertible (E63 v E64). Ther E63 is slightly quicker as it's lighter and slightly better on fuel (same reason!). But I like convertibles!! Three engines - 645, 630 and 635, although the latter came along later (2006 or thereabouts and probably outsde your budget). The 630i in the early versions is a bit low on powerfor a big heavy car, but the perceptions of better running costs mean they hold their 2nd hand price slightly better. You can get a cracking 645 coupe for £16-18k and convertible for sub-£20k (I know of one for sale if you're interested -not mine!). I believe convertibles are a better bet for residual/resale, but if the car isn't garaged etc a couple might be a better bet

I've never had driven a 630, but would wager the real world running costs aren't much less than a 645/650. So, 'which one?' is up to you.

Did they change the car during 2004- 2007?

Yes, but not much. The main thing with all 6s is not the model changes, but the myriad of options!!

What does the 630i sports have that the 630i doesn't?

Don't know, but suspect the sport will have different/lower suspension and/or active ride. Probably some other standard gadgets, but see my comment above!

Just general advice on buying, i dont know 6 series's that well, just sat in one and loved the attention.

Prices are very low at the moment (see 1st comment!). £20k will get you a very good E64, with good spec, c50-60k miles and a solid service history. Maybe a slightly lower mileage coupe or better spec. Don't pay dealer prices unless you get a very good warranty (see below).

What are common problems and things to look out for.

There aren't any major common problems with the E63/64 (check the threads in the 6 series part of this forum, plus the X series (X5 petrol has the same engine/box), although there aren't many with stellar mileage out there yet. Things like 'sealed for life' auto boxes have yet to be proven long term - interestingly I had my sump pan, filter and ATF changed only the other week due to seepage.

Although it's not a weakness per se, they are very complicated cars so when they do go wrong they are very expensive to fix and often beyond the reach of a good DIYer. So if you can get a warranty - do so, and allow for huge costs for consumables - a tyre is c£300, battery £150+, brakes disks and pads over a grand fitted (BMW price) but over £500 to buy after-market and DIY.

I'm old so insurance isn't an issue, but best to check if you're under/close to 30!!

Feel free to ask about specifics!
 
#5 ·
Agree with Neal, think a 630 would feel a tad sluggish, its a big heavy car, and I don't think the fuel consumption would be much better than a 645/650 as a result. Have you considered a 635d ? Loads of torque, relatively decent fuel consumption, although more expensive to buy as its a more recent car ? (Dunno if they do convertibles though ?)

Have a good look through PistonHeads classifieds, TopMarques etc, but I'd suggest looking at dealers too (once you have a good idea of pricing), for comparison if nothing else. Shortly after I'd bought mine (privately) I saw a similar one at a dealer for similar money and mileage (and in the colour I originally wanted too, d'oh !).

Broken things can cost a small fortune to fix, so I strongly advise you get any potential purchase inspected first by someone who knows what they're looking for, it will pay dividends later on, plus you can use the report to negotiate a price reduction potentially.
Some styles of alloy wheel are prone to cracking, so worth checking too.

As with any Beemer, options are everything, so make sure you work out what you want in advance, such as wheels, professional satnav, heated seats, hifi upgrade, bluetooth etc. and factor that into the purchase price.

They are great cars, personally I love the V8. In 9 months of ownership, the only major issues I have come across were warped front discs, and some roof opening/closing problems (now resolved I hope !).

Good luck !

T
 
#6 ·
my advice,
go for the 645 .. and the e64 (convertible). especially if you like to get looked at. cant knock the 630 as i have never had one, but i personally couldnt live without that v8 grumble. as for figures check these out

630 645
urban 19.9mpg 16.8 mpg
extra urban 37.7 mpg 33.2 mpg
combined 28.5 mpg 24.6 mpg

now the fun stuff

0-60mph 7.2secs 6.2secs
max speed 155 limited 155 limited
power 258bhp 333bhp
torque 221 lbs/ft 332 lbs/ft

as for those mpg figure... in the real world . i went to frinton on sea,near clacton the other weekend ... the route i took total there n back total dist was 202 miles. used half tank. and that wasnt all m25 m11.. used a lot of A roads with plenty of heavy right foot where i got the chance. (no wife)

so yep , in my opinion. 645 vert all the way........incidently i have one for sale.. :hihi . if interested then get in touch.. superb condition, as those that have been to meets will confirm.
i would prefer to sell to someone from the site then i know its going to good hands.
thats the end of my sales pitch :lol
 
#8 ·
i went to frinton on sea,near clacton the other weekend
Frinton-On-Sea's not too bad is it, I work a few mins away :thumbsup

And back on topic, I haven't driven a 6-Series, but everything I've heard about them engine-wise is that you must get the v8 if going petrol, otherwise you'll always regret it.

MPG figures don't look that much different, and for the extra pennies in petrol, you'll get lots of extra grins ;)
 
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