[9352e90]

Ok so, thinking of doing something really stupid. Just looking to confirm that I am in fact mentally insane. I am seriously considering a 2005 545i as a third car to drive into the ground and use as a commuter a few days a week. Im driving the e90 325i less and less (keeping it as a permanent part of the collection, and using it on the weekend), and I don't want to put all the miles I drive on the 16' 535i, nor do I want to take it all the places I need it to go. So a 2005 545i is in my sights. The price is right and condition looks good. So am I insane?

UPDATE - I CAME TO MY SENSES (KIND OF) - Went with a 2010 X5 3.0si, great price and great condition

[jeddo45]

Originally Posted by 9352e90

Ok so, thinking of doing something really stupid. Just looking to confirm that I am in fact mentally insane. I am seriously considering a 2005 545i as a third car to drive into the ground and use as a commuter a few days a week. Im driving the e90 325i less and less (keeping it as a permanent part of the collection, and using it on the weekend), and I don't want to put all the miles I drive on the 16' 535i, nor do I want to take it all the places I need it to go. So a 2005 545i is in my sights. The prices is right and condition looks good. So am I insane?

Not entirely crazy, although I would opt for the 528i just for better gas mileage cause that V8 will just swallow gas...

[9352e90]

Originally Posted by jeddo45

Not entirely crazy, although I would opt for the 528i just for better gas mileage cause that V8 will just swallow gas...

True, 545i is rated at 26 hwy, 525i is 29 hwy. That would be more sensible (and reliable) but I kind of want a V8 BMW...

[Dan Bilzerian]

Originally Posted by 9352e90

True, 545i is rated at 26 hwy, 525i is 29 hwy. That would be more sensible (and reliable) but I kind of want a V8 BMW...

Get the M5 then, you don't want the 545i lol

[CTinline-six]

Don't the V8's have a lot of timing chain and valve seal problems? If you want a 5 series I'd get one with the M54 or M52TU (530i, early 525i) or the N52 (later 525i, 528i).

[Hyper_545i]

The 545i is a great car. However, there are a lot of big ticket maintenance issues that will require attention at one point or another. Do your homework and make sure the car has been properly serviced. These cars love to leak oil. Ask me how I know! I've replaced the valve cover gaskets, upper timing cover gasket and the alternator bracket seal. Valve stem seals are common too of the oil was not changed at regular intervals. The E60 545i is a blast to drive and will put a grin on your face, but will bankrupt you if not careful.

[9352e90]

Originally Posted by Hyper_545i

The 545i is a great car. However, there are a lot of big ticket maintenance issues that will require attention at one point or another. Do your homework and make sure the car has been properly serviced. These cars love to leak oil. Ask me how I know! I've replaced the valve cover gaskets, upper timing cover gasket and the alternator bracket seal. Valve stem seals are common too of the oil was not changed at regular intervals. The E60 545i is a blast to drive and will put a grin on your face, but will bankrupt you if not careful.

The one I'm looking at is a whopping $5,000 with a clean title and 117k miles. At what milage did you end up doing the seals? I know that the V8 is more expensive to maintain, but my loss is really limited here by the initial investment. Does the e60 have the same electric water pump issues as our e90's?

[9352e90]

Originally Posted by CTinline-six

Don't the V8's have a lot of timing chain and valve seal problems? If you want a 5 series I'd get one with the M54 or M52TU (530i, early 525i) or the N52 (later 525i, 528i).

They do, and I'm considering that. I can find a models with the NA I6 around the same price, but I want to try something kind of stupid! The n52 in the e90 has been incredibly reliable for me, 214k and going strong.

[Hyper_545i]

Originally Posted by 9352e90

The one I'm looking at is a whopping $5,000 with a clean title and 117k miles. At what milage did you end up doing the seals? I know that the V8 is more expensive to maintain, but my loss is really limited here by the initial investment. Does the e60 have the same electric water pump issues as out e90's?

The E60 N62 does not have an electric water pump. Very easy DIY. I changed the seals earlier this year. I currently have 150k.

[9352e90]

Originally Posted by Hyper_545i

The E60 N62 does not have an electric water pump. Very easy DIY. I changed the seals earlier this year. I currently have 150k.

Good to know. So outside of the seals on the n62, there are no other major well known issues with the e90 platform?

[feuer]

Originally Posted by 9352e90

True, 545i is rated at 26 hwy, 525i is 29 hwy. That would be more sensible (and reliable) but I kind of want a V8 BMW...

550i is better option, going from how many 545i vs 550i come to the shop

[9352e90]

Originally Posted by feuer

550i is better option, going from how many 545i vs 550i come to the shop

So, if the 545i is $5k, and to get a 550i with similar milage I would be looking at $10-12k, still think its worth it? Any other common issues you see on these other than seals?

[feuer]

Originally Posted by 9352e90

So, if the 545i is $5k, and to get a 550i with similar milage I would be looking at $10-12k, still think its worth it? Any other common issues you see on these other than seals?

Coolant transfer pipe, alternator bracket leak, transmission, vacuum pump ...That is why you can purchase two or ever three 545i for the price of one 550i

[Volasko]

You want to buy a V8 5 series to save putting miles on a 15 year old 325i, when you already have a 16' 5 series?!? Yep insane lol

[9352e90]

So the autos just fail prematurely? Also, alternator bracket, vacuum pump and coolant pump repair cost at an indy? Thanks for the info!

[rick100]

I would think a 545 is more of a weekend / garage queen / collection than a high mileage 325

I would drive the 325 to the ground and keep the mileage lower on the 535i

Then again , both cars are not a collector item by any means and both cars are meant to be driving. Why buy a new 535, pay 500 $ a month ( or probably more) , and keep the car parked. The car still has full warranty on it , why not take advantage of that. If you were going to buy a car to keep it park , then you may as well buy a corvette, porshed. At least you can justify saving the mileage
You bought a luxury family sedan that is designed to be driven.

If you want a weekend car get a proper sports car or a rare car. If you want a daily it does not get better than a straigh 6 n52 engine. Cheap , reliable , nice

So yes you are insane !

[Hyper_545i]

Originally Posted by feuer

Coolant transfer pipe, alternator bracket leak, transmission, vacuum pump ...That is why you can purchase two or ever three 545i for the price of one 550i

The same problems also plague the 550i.

[John 070]

Everytime I see a nice 8 cyl. BMW, I start thinking, why not? Just the other day saw a girl driving a 2008'ish X5 with the 315's in the back, headlights were all cloudy so you know the car might be rough, but thought why can't I do that? My buddies will give me dozens of stories of expensive maintenance on 8 cyl BMWs (I love the one where a coolant leak is a $10,000 dealership repair). If you can DIY everything you've got it made in the shade. I went V8 Lexus instead, and admit, it's a bit boring, nothing ever breaks (2006), and it is what it is. A 2006 7 or 5 8 cyl. would be more fun, but I use it to get to work and back and save the 335 as a sunday driver...heck an Audi A8/2006 would have cost less that what I paid, but there's an underlying reason...

[Hyper_545i]

It's an older, high mileage BMW. It will have issues and it will demand a premium to fix. The E9X Chassis with the N54 / N55 has it's fair of issues. It's not a cheap car to maintain either. Turbo's, injectors etc.

[Efthreeoh]

The ground is mighty far away from a E90 325i.

[CTinline-six]

Originally Posted by John 070

Everytime I see a nice 8 cyl. BMW, I start thinking, why not? Just the other day saw a girl driving a 2008'ish X5 with the 315's in the back, headlights were all cloudy so you know the car might be rough, but thought why can't I do that?

Lots of those X5's end up traded in on something else when those drivers get hit with huge repair bills. The shops patch them together and re-sell.

I dated a girl in college like that. Her parents bought her a new A4 (2008 at the time). After a year or two it started burning oil, and the oil light would flicker. Turns out she had never had the oil changed. When it came time for tires, the engine smoked badly and burned a ton of oil. The car was by then 2 years old with less than 30k miles and it was a huge piece. Her parents leased her another car instead of fixing it. So much money wasted on cars.

Don't let the people driving nice cars fool you either. Many are leased, or the used ones are owned by people who pick them up "for cheap". The local Euro shop has hundreds of stories like this. People picking up "cheap" 535i's with higher mileage, yet when the turbos go they can't afford it.

[9352e90]

Originally Posted by rick100

I would think a 545 is more of a weekend / garage queen / collection than a high mileage 325

I would drive the 325 to the ground and keep the mileage lower on the 535i

Then again , both cars are not a collector item by any means and both cars are meant to be driving. Why buy a new 535, pay 500 $ a month ( or probably more) , and keep the car parked. The car still has full warranty on it , why not take advantage of that. If you were going to buy a car to keep it park , then you may as well buy a corvette, porshed. At least you can justify saving the mileage
You bought a luxury family sedan that is designed to be driven.

If you want a weekend car get a proper sports car or a rare car. If you want a daily it does not get better than a straigh 6 n52 engine. Cheap , reliable , nice

So yes you are insane !

I agree with you, however I have a "sentimental" attachment to my 325i. It's in fantastic shape and I don't wan to wear it out too quick. I'm paid cash for the 535i and am going to trade it in for the new 540i in a couple of years so I don't want to put all my miles (40-50k miles a yea) on it. I just want another comfortable, relatively modern BMW sedan to loan up with miles for cheep.