High mileage ok?

G

Goatboy

Member
 Hemel
I think I know the answer to this but I thought I would check forum knowledge too....
I'm looking for a cheap E85 so what would you go for...
A - generally a bit scruffy bodywork wise but lower miles
B - tidy car and high miles

Will be a 6 cylinder of some variety.

Generally I think buy on overall condition and what care has been taken with the car but sadly at the price point I am looking at full service history is going to be hard to come by. So in this scenario I lean towards B as if the bodywork is tidy the rest of the car is likely to have been cherished too....

Also the 6 cylinder is meant to be good for high mileage right?

What you think?
 
M54 and N52 engines are some of the best BMW petrols made and will outlast the car

The 4 pot less so

All depends what you are looking for. In the UK most punters have an issue with 100k+ cars in terms of holding value

If that doesn’t fuss you and you aren’t worried about making a fortune in resell value you’ll not be disappointed
 
Thanks bigwinn. Resale not really an issue when you are buying at the bottom of the market so nope not worried about that!
I'm thinking 100k miles maybe Vs 150k
 
My e85 3.0i was happily pounding round racetracks with 150k on the clock. Only thing that went wrong was an alternator.

Id likely try and get some service history, but the 6 cylinders are pretty solid.

Id probably go for tidy car with high miles. Are you able to service it yourself? If yes, buy whatever, and then give it a good service yourself.
 
Thanks brillo. Yep I'll service and probably refresh a little at a time which I enjoy doing, although it's not always easy to find enough time!!
 
Maybe this will give you some reassurance, even if it relates to the facelift N52 engines - but by all accounts the earlier M54 is just as bulletproof!

Z

Thread 'A milestone, literally'

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It’s been a few years since I’ve been on here, but I thought I’d share the old e86 has just knocked past 200k miles. I’ve done 150k of them in the last 12 years. It’s a battle scarred old thing these days, and still on its original clutch!! The passenger seat still looks new, the steering wheel looks like it was brought up from the titanic. Still love it though.
 
At the lower end of the market in money terms, I would look for an early M54, either 2.2 or 3.0 with a decent service history and no rot.
Bodywork will always be more expensive to sort than an M54 (or N52).

I hate to say it (as I don't buy high milers), but the mileage is less important than the other two IMO. There is also a decent chance of getting a bargain car, as mileage dictates value, not SH or aesthetics to a large degree. IMO
 
Be aware of garage queens of low milage which have been kept in damp garages.
Their sumps / oil pans may have rusted badly, especially around the oil sensor port.
It seems that the pressed steel sumps as used in the N52 2.5L and 3.0L engines are no longer available brand new.
As always, I stand to be corrected.
 
The only caveat with high mileage cars is how much you would like to improve them. It's a slippery slope. Especially being on the forum.

They are low slung cars and they suffer with road rash etc the interiors also suffer - seat bolsters, seat cushion etc items you interact with like the steering wheel, gear stick etc so just worth bearing in mind the wearable items outside of mechanicals. Paint etc can get expensive quickly. Meets and events get under the skin and nice to have a well presented car.

It's also trying to find a hybrid approach of a car that's not a garage queen where it's too nice to drive vs you will enjoy it and not worry about it.

I only mention because a lot of people buy into them as a cheap fun cars but end up loving them and spending far more than they are worth making them nice again. Even just wheel refurbs are £3-400 and that could be 10% of the cars value.

Sometimes spending a little more upfront for a car in better condition can save you money in the longer term if you end up loving the car.
 
tomscott said:
The only caveat with high mileage cars is how much you would like to improve them. It's a slippery slope. Especially being on the forum.

They are low slung cars and they suffer with road rash etc the interiors also suffer - seat bolsters, seat cushion etc items you interact with like the steering wheel, gear stick etc so just worth bearing in mind the wearable items outside of mechanicals. Paint etc can get expensive quickly. Meets and events get under the skin and nice to have a well presented car.

It's also trying to find a hybrid approach of a car that's not a garage queen where it's too nice to drive vs you will enjoy it and not worry about it.

I only mention because a lot of people buy into them as a cheap fun cars but end up loving them and spending far more than they are worth making them nice again. Even just wheel refurbs are £3-400 and that could be 10% of the cars value.

Sometimes spending a little more upfront for a car in better condition can save you money in the longer term if you end up loving the car.
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This is a danger for me. I have bought cheap before and ended up spending a fortune. Basically had my engine rebuilt in my mini, completely refreshed all the suspension on my MK1 mx5 (which only cost me £750 in the first place) and lord knows how much time and money I spent on my Subaru (and it was still rubbish)
 
I never buy high mileage cars as a point of principal. It doesn't matter what you do to them or how much you spend they will always be high mileage and lower value. That said trying to find a six pot with less than 100k on the clock is becoming difficult and if 20 years old that is only 5k a year . Buy an ex forum members car if you can and one that has been privately serviced rather than at BMW intervals.
 
I just found a 2005 …2.2 with 62000 miles ..been standing for 2 and half years ..filhy …no oil leaks ..needs some work but body is in great condition except front Bumper …£550….🫣🤔
 

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Hmm, very unloved wouldn't appeal to me even at that price but you never know could be a bargain , it's all a gamble. Does it start, any dashboard lights showing. Service history?.
Why has it been standing for so long.
On second thoughts just walk away.
 
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