Mileage worries (100k+)

S

Sparrow

Member
I am currently in the market for a 2003-05 3.0 E85. Based on forum classifieds, Autotrader and Ebay the majority of Z4’s have around 100,000 miles to 125k. Being a 14 year car this averages out to around 9000 miles a year (125k/14) which to me is a perfectly okay.

If a full service history is present are my reservations about buying a car with 100,000+ miles unjust?

I’ve no previous experience with BMW’s or BMW engines so this is unknown territory for me

Thanks
 
fear not my friend.

Ive owned 5 Z4's now and ones with under 100k belive it or not were the least reliable!

100k is an OLD mental barrier, the 6 pots are certainly desined with longevity in mind and the one i currently run is on 149k still ticking like a swiss watch :)

once they've past 100k theyve USUALLY had all the key things that go wrong replaced anyway :thumbsup:
 
jamie_z4 said:
fear not my friend.

Ive owned 5 Z4's now and ones with under 100k belive it or not were the least reliable!

100k is an OLD mental barrier, the 6 pots are certainly desined with longevity in mind and the one i currently run is on 149k still ticking like a swiss watch :)

once they've past 100k theyve USUALLY had all the key things that go wrong replaced anyway :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Thanks thats helpful. I need to stop scrolling past listings where the mileage is at this level and focus on history/maintenance already carried out
 
I am still getting used to NOT thinking it will need a new Gold Seal engine at 80,000 still as well. 80k used to be the limit of almost any 1980's and before petrol powered car (with one or two exceptions from say Merc & Volvo).

But engines, and most of the mechanical bits, seem to be a lot more robust now than they were back then. If the car has been well maintained then the main consideration is the wear on the suspension, the clutch if it is manual, and other small and vehicle-centric Achilles heels that all cars have & that you need to talk to a forum about.

Stuff like the DISA, Vanos, auto gearbox oil, cracking wheels - nothing that cannot be repaired fairly simply and easily. The engines seem to go on for ever though!
 
One of the 'benfits' of a high mileage car is that you've potentially had any niggles sorted, big ticket items replaced (clutch & flywheel, diff, etc.), and the owner may be selling t to recoup some of their recent outlay.

My Z4MC is on 152k, and after the insurance repair (panels, wheels, tyres, trailing arms, driveshafts, difff) I decided to keep it off the road until I'd done some more work on it...which includes new brakes, suspension components, etc.

Retail, it's probably book at less than £10k (insuracpnce valuation was £9.5k + £4K for mods), then I've probably spent another £6k in the months around the insurance repair (clutch & flywheel, Alcon brakes, ARBs, brake lines, etc.).

To me, there's £20k of value in the car, and if I were to go out and buy another 100k+ car with these mods or recent mechanical replacements, I'd be looking at another £4-£6k almost immediately to get a car into similar mechanical state...but that reasoning won't get you far in the buying/selling market.
 
Big 6 pot engines will go on forever - just look at classic cars still running around on old Rover V8 engines. It would be the smaller turbo charged engines that would worry me with high mileage hence I would not consider one of the newer 2 litre Zed 4s
 
100k is not a problem for the engine. It's other bits that degrade over time like suspension, bushes etc. These are easy to replace if necessary.
This is absolutely normal for any car of that age. Chances are some of those things have been done already.
Ignore the mileage and go on condition, test drive and gut feel.
 
I know it's not the same, but I once owned a Ford Probe, bought it brand new. 6 Speed Manual 6 cylinder V. Mazda engine.
It had the habit of killing timing belts about every 75k miles.
Other than the normal wear and tear... breaks, rotors, bushings, shocks every 100k miles, and oils changes every 5k at max.....it ran strong and was still running the day I parked it at well over 850k miles. Yes it was over 850k Miles.
The under cariage was getting to the point that everything needed to be replaced, and since it was not a collectors car, it was basically done.

I sold it to a kid, for a dime, who drove it for another 100k. 100k is the hard part. Take care of it and you will get 3 to 5x's that back.
 
A million mile Probe! Blimey, that is astonishing. Nice engine, that V6 though. Was selling them new here back in the 1990's.
 
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