[steve-l]

Hello All,

My current car an Audi A3 goes back to the lease company in a couple of months and I am considering buying a used 520D SE Saloon.

The budget I have will probably get me a 55 plate and looking on Autotrader it is likely to have between 40K and 90K on the clock. I understand a full service history is essential but never having owned a BMW before I have a couple of questions.

1) I have been told by dealers these engines are good for at least 200K, is this the case ?
2) If I purchase a car I was considering getting an after market warranty (e.g. Warrantywise) but are these worth it, personally I would want something similar to a new car warranty so other than servicing costs I would have no other additional costs.

Any advice would be most appreciated

 

[Ronnie]

Hi steve-l and welcome to the forum :thumbsup

Regarding your question the engine will see 200,000 miles no problems IMO, some of the fuel system components may not though as newer diesels fuel systems go through a arduous life and have to deal with very high pressures, expect to replace a few parts in that time

 

[Boostist]

Hello All,

My current car an Audi A3 goes back to the lease company in a couple of months and I am considering buying a used 520D SE Saloon.

The budget I have will probably get me a 55 plate and looking on Autotrader it is likely to have between 40K and 90K on the clock. I understand a full service history is essential but never having owned a BMW before I have a couple of questions.

1) I have been told by dealers these engines are good for at least 200K, is this the case ?
2) If I purchase a car I was considering getting an after market warranty (e.g. Warrantywise) but are these worth it, personally I would want something similar to a new car warranty so other than servicing costs I would have no other additional costs.

Any advice would be most appreciated

Hi and welcome Steve

As Ronnie says, the engines are good for more than that.

Even modern BMW engines are rock solid as opposed to some lesser marques whose build quality dropped off in modern times

But there will be a few bits to replace along the way. No more than any other quality modern car though.

Buy it is my advice...you wont be disappointed. Just be sure to be religous with servicing and it will be a trusty steed for many miles.

 

[DSK]

On your second point, unless you get a full on BMW warranty for parts and labour, haggle for it, then get it. Any other warranty IS useless (do a search there was a thread about a week or so ago on this very topic in the general dicussions forum).


Just take your time to find the right car, by all means get a professional vehicle check should you wish to do so by the likes of the RAC or Indpendant BMW specialist. The money you save not having to pay for a pointless warranty, put aside for servicing/repairs.

Fwiw, I got a BMW E34 M5 3.8 when they were not that old. It was an approved BMW used car with FBMSH with 15,000 miles and came with a fully BMW approved used car warranty (parts & labour). Nothing went wrong with it, expect after a couple of months I felt it was ever so slightly down on power. BWM refused to accept this and said its fine. I raved about the service area creating a scene and finally they said they look into it. After investigation, they said I need a new bottom end! I told them its under warranty so fix it! they disputed this so I got a solictor involved and they soon shut up and went about fixing it. 6 months later I got the car back after the new bottom end from Germany didn't fit the top end, so a top end had to be shipped over! All this cost BMW circa £22.3K! This just goes to show, even franchised dealers will get out of warranty work where they can, but provided you get a fully blown warranty, you should be ok and if there's any dispute, just ask your solicitor to contact them.

Anyother warranty that usual used car dealers use (non franchised) and the likes of warranty direct etc are a con!

 

[steve-l]

Thanks for the advise guy's, its always good to have a friendly forum when your new to a make of car.

I guess the best thing is to find the right car and make sure its got a FSH.

My only concern with the warranty was the other car I was considering was the new Mondeo :jaw-dropping and as I would probably get a 1 year old one it would still have at least 2 years warranty.

I am not concerned about general servicing and the odd part needing replacing but if something major went that would cost x amount of thousands I would be stuffed.

 

[Boostist]

Thanks for the advise guy's, its always good to have a friendly forum when your new to a make of car.

I guess the best thing is to find the right car and make sure its got a FSH.

My only concern with the warranty was the other car I was considering was the new Mondeo :jaw-dropping and as I would probably get a 1 year old one it would still have at least 2 years warranty.

I am not concerned about general servicing and the odd part needing replacing but if something major went that would cost x amount of thousands I would be stuffed.

HI Steve

Its the age old conunderum

To buy a new Ford or a slightly older BMW.

For me, every time its the BMW (no surprise there) but I would say having BMW warranty is not the be all and end all.

Post 2004 520Ds are very reliable (pre 04 ones had turbo failure until BMW changed the turbo) and if the mileage is reasonable for the year of the car (say under 60k miles) then you are onto a winner.

Also, if you buy it from a dealership they are obliged under trading standards law to offer some protection..but you would need to read the small print of any '30 day' warranty they give!!

 

[redadair]

Hi Steve-l, welcome to the club mate.

I'm a 530d owner (2005 model) and it's the nuts, you'll never want another car

I would go for an 06 onwards, are you sticking with a 2 litre or wanna try bigger engines? The 5 is a big car for a 2 litre.... What spec's you looking for? There's plenty out there on the market to look at.

+1 on what DSK said, take your time and don't buy the first one you see / test drive! Red

 

[steve-l]

Hi Steve-l, welcome to the club mate.

I'm a 530d owner (2005 model) and it's the nuts, you'll never want another car

I would go for an 06 onwards, are you sticking with a 2 litre or wanna try bigger engines? The 5 is a big car for a 2 litre.... What spec's you looking for? There's plenty out there on the market to look at.

I have read that the 2 litre might be a bit small for such a large car but when compared to the 2.0 Mondeo which is actually slightly bigger the 0-60 is faster on the 520D, the average MPG is the same and the CO2 is about the same as well. As you know once you go above the 2 litre tax goes up and mpg comes down.

Why do you advise 2006 onwards ?

 

[redadair]

better spec and niggles ironed out, 2004 -2005 was the shape change and they didn't get a few things right... until 2006 i believe. I am so jealous of a 2006 because they have 3 red leds at the rear light cluster and it just finishes it off.

I take your point with the mondeo but a bigger engine gives you an effortless drive and less thrasping about. You going for auto or manual?

I was thinking about tax and so on like you are now, but I didn't want to compromise my choice of car over £70 (or whatever it is) a year. So I said f it and I got everything I could ever want in my BMW.

Just my 2p worth everyone is different Red