E85 / E86 HIGH MILEAGE PARANOIA

TOMGREEN413

Senior member
 Somewhere in deep darkest Wales
Okay, I keep seeing comments from prospective new e85/86 owners getting hung up on mileage of these cars ( regular maintenance seems to sometimes be over looked) so l thought it might be interesting to see what high mileages on these cars we have on the forum in a effort to try and put this 100k boogie man to bed..it would be interesting to also see what high mileages we have with not just the 3.0ltrs but anything from 2.0 up to the 3.2 M . I recently watched a interesting utube video of a M3 owner ( yes I know its a completely different engine) on a 58 plate with over 225,000 miles on the clock and original clutch still driving as sweet as a nut....this gave me the idea.

To start the ball rolling l just about qualify with my E86 3.0 at 102,000 miles....its going to be interesting to know what mileages we get up to?
 
Wifey's 2.5i Auto (M54) - 107500
My daily runabout 2.0 (N46) - 115500 (I have replaced the VVT servo and eccentric cam sensor)
The current project 3.0i (M54) - 149500 (Just sailed through an MOT and [ref]bigwinn[/ref] will confirm the engine sounds sweet)

No experience really with the N52.
 
A lot of these high mileage worries I see on here are all to do with value of the cars. I buy a car to drive it and not keep the mileage low for the next owner.
The other people are worried about parts/engines failing.
Everything is fixable. So maintain your car properly and if something fails replace it.
 
M47 320d 286,000 (and for those in the know, still with its original swirl flaps.)
M57 X5 184,000
N52 E85 99,000 - but I've only had it a year!

Friend had an M54 530i with 150k+ on the clock. Got shot when the autobox started giving grief. Engine was fine.

Machining tolerances and materials science is so good these days that the reciprocating parts of a car aren't a problem any more. Cars will be scrapped for rust or accident damage ahead of engine failure these days (assuming no fundamental design faults, see the N47.)
 
My 3.0Si is currently sat at 110k miles, running sweetly. It will need some preventive maintenance soon (replacing seals and gaskets) but so far it has proven reliable and smooth over the last 20k miles :thumbsup:
 
On the continent, they seem to rack up the mileage yet still rake in the Euros. https://www.autoscout24.com/offers/bmw-z4-e85-3-0-231ps-prins-lpg-sehr-gepflegt-hu-10-24-lpg-grey-bcf24a94-90df-4a18-b82d-8b273c187cbe?sort=mileage&desc=1&lastSeenGuidPresent=true&cldtidx=2&position=2&search_id=2b4f85qegxe&source_otp=t10&source=listpage_search-results&order_bucket=unknown
 
I’ve had a 3.0 and 2.5 which had 100k and 95k both ran like a dream but had to move them on because everyone knows they explode on 101k miles :rofl:

My Z4M is on 64k miles

Seriously, high mileage cars do not put me off and in many ways I seek them out as they are cheaper to get into.

When you are driving them, not once have I thought about the mileage .
 
enuff_zed said:
Wifey's 2.5i Auto (M54) - 107500
My daily runabout 2.0 (N46) - 115500 (I have replaced the VVT servo and eccentric cam sensor)
The current project 3.0i (M54) - 149500 (Just sailed through an MOT and [ref]bigwinn[/ref] will confirm the engine sounds sweet)

No experience really with the N52.
Some impressive mileages, :thumbsup:
 
If you were living in Australia, mileages in cars / 4x4s regularly get to over 500,000 Km, so I think, living in our crowded island we get a bit hung up on when we get to the 100,000 mile (160,000km) mark...
Not a worry if regularly serviced, and any faults remedied quickly.
 
enuff_zed said:
TOMGREEN413 said:
149.500 miles is heading the leader board..... :driving:
I suspect when the sun rises over the pond we'll start to hear much higher figures.

Is that where we ship are valueless 100k-ers to where they start a new life as “almost new”? :D
 
Mine were all genuine 'motorway miles'...well 95% of those miles anyway :P
  • Corrado VR6 - 147k miles before I sold it
  • 3.8 e34 M5 - 167k miles before I sold it
  • 3.6 e34 M5 - 186k miles before I sold it
  • Z4MC = currently 160k miles
  • e34 330D Touring - 138k miles before the auto-box went for the second time :thumbsdown:
 
My E89 35i manual is on 118k miles, mapped to about 375ish or more, it's a bit savage, runs and ticks over sweet as choccy.
 
How about this one (not mine)?
E85 3.0. 458000km :driving:

https://www.autoweek.nl/autotests/artikel/bmw-z4-roadster-30i-2004-458666-km-klokje-rond/
 
E86 3.0litre.
119k miles
Pretty sure original water pump and clutch.
Car running really well.
Slight fluttering on idle, but minimal.
Currently going through preventative stuff at the moment.
Had a good service history before I bought it.
 
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