New car search

[NP46]

Hi all, new member to the forum seeking advice.

I'm in the market for a weekend toy, budget up to 10k, E89, preferably 6 pot and either manual or auto not fussy.

Never owned a BM so very green, with the budget in mind what's my best option?

I've noticed timing chains can be an issue, what sort of mileage do they start become a problem and what sort of costs are involved in replacing, assuming indy not main dealer.

Any other big ticket items to look out for?

As an aside, am I missing something, looking at posts I can't see any dates to to how recent they are?..

Cheers

[Reamesy]

Only the 2.0 had the timing issues. Safe bet 2.5 or 3.0.

[raymond.harper]

I think timing chains are an issue in the 2.0. The six-pot is the N52 which is quite robust. viewtopic.php?f=41&t=145823&p=2055645#p2055645

[NP46]

Thanks both.

Anything else to look out for?

[raymond.harper]

Do the usual checks you would for any car. Electrical problems as with all BMW's can cause trouble so take along a model-specific code reader to see if there are any codes. Check the wiring in the boot to the roof, you may want to read this. https://www.facebook.com/ZedShedNW/post ... vVQbS3QBEl

[Mr Tidy]

I think the 6 cylinder N52 engines were fitted from 2009 to 2011 in 23i and 30i models. FWIW the 30i models seem to be quite hard to find so if you want one of those you may need to be patient, or willing to travel!

They're a pretty solid engine and aren't known for cam-chain issues, although they can suffer from oil leaks from the cam-cover and oil filter housing gaskets. They also have an electric water pump which will die at some point causing overheating in less than a mile! New Pierburg pumps can be found for less than £300 so long as you don't buy from BMW - they charge over £500 for the same part.

Anyway because of that it's a bonus if you find a car that has already had a new pump fitted, otherwise it's something to bear in mind. Some owners get them replaced as a preventative measure to avoid the hassle of getting stranded!

Having said that I think they are great engines. I had two in my E86s and when I was looking for a 3 Series Touring I found a 325i with one that I have since replaced with a 330i. It has now done 124K miles and the engine still performs brilliantly.

Anyway good luck finding the right one.

[baljemmett]

As an aside, am I missing something, looking at posts I can't see any dates to to how recent they are?..

For some reason new members end up with their preferences set to not show dates (or rather, have no date format set, which amounts to the same thing!)

You should be able to change it by going to User Control Panel (in the menu at top-right) -> Board Preferences -> Global Settings and changing the 'My Date Format' option to a style of your liking.