Stranger Things
Hey all,
Once I sell my 525i, I'll be on the lookout for a 2008 535i. I'm primarily interested in the N54 motor but am wondering what are some things I should be on the lookout for, especially in regards to mileage. What are the wear/tear components that should have been replaced, what are some motor specific issues to be aware of?
Also, what are fair price ranges for a car this old?
Let me know what you guys think!
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Stranger Things
Ah fair enough. Yeah I read this when I bought my 525 bought obviously skipped over all the turbo parts.Originally Posted by jtbgonesailing
I'd like to hear some personal experiences, and if you think it's worth it etc. Car would be my daily driver, and would need to be maintained well/reliable.
Member
From performance standpoint, the 535 is an absolute blast. I thought my 2000 740i Sport was fast but I also thought my '94 540i was fast until I got the 2000 740i Sport! Cant wait to get my JB4 in the spring.
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Since I bought my 2008 535xi, I have had to do a few things to it. High pressure fuel pump was bad when I bought it, dealer replaced under used car warranty and also 2 leaking injectors. I replaced the remaining 4 injectors myself so they would all be the updated index 12 's. I did the intake cleaning, valves where pretty dirty after 60k. And recently had to replace the vanos solenoids. Also, had a bad coil that actually wasn't a problem until I put the jb4 on. Other issues to watch out for are the electric water pump that can fail without warning. I did a lot of research on this engine before I bought the car so I knew what I was getting into so nothing has been a surprise. I'm a diy guy so I have fixed everything myself which saves money. If you cannot diy then maybe consider a warranty. Look for something with low miles if possible.
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I have had an 08 535xit for 6 years, taking it from 30k to 115k miles. N54 is a great motor. I have done a rear wheel bearing, changed all the fluids, replaced an electric coolant pump, changed the plugs, changed the filters, replaced the ignition coils, replaced the front strut tension bushings, replaced the rotors and pads. I think the shocks are on their way out, the oil filter housing is leaking, the turbo wastegates are rattling on cold start, and I will probably do the walnut shell blasting of the cylinder head inlet. HPFP was replaced under warranty before we bought the car. We run a JB4 -- really wakes the car up.
Stranger Things
Thanks for your responses. I'm looking st something between the 90k-130k range (mileage) -- those cars fall within my price range and budget. I'm a moderate DIYer -- I've done timing belt, water pump, and thermostat on my E30. I've installed coilovers on both my e39 and e30 -- and I'm currently in the process of doing VANOS seals on my e60 m54.
What are some good items re: preventative maintenance that should be replaced on the N54/E60 at that mileage? I'd like to get the most out of the turbos and their ancillaries throughout the life of the car.
Eventually I'd like to get a JB4, charge and down pipes, upgraded FMIC exhaust and methanol injection. Before I do that, I want to make sure I've replaced all known weaknesses from a mechanical standpoint so I won't run into major problems down the line.
It looks like the high pressure fuel pump and electric water pump are known weaknesses.. any others?
Last edited by JPR10; 02-10-2017 at 01:17 PM.
Member
You are buying the car cheap -- 9 years old and 100K miles. Expect to spend a bunch sorting it out and repairing it and maintaining it. If you DIY, the car can be a good deal considering you are driving what was a $60k car. It may be a situation where you will have to expand your DIY capabilities, but if you are not scared, there are plenty of instructions online. The best E60 tech I have found is over at 5 series dot net but if you want to help this forum, come back and report here.
Member
I researched my car before purchasing it. (good to know someone that can query the BMW database.) I found out that my car had the turbos replaced as well as the HPFP (High pressure fuel pump). I was a determining point in why I bought that one as opposed to others.
Stranger Things
Definitely. I'm not afraid to DIY -- but I also have a pretty good Indy who is very affordable. Depending on the job, I wouldn't mind doing a DIY -- but if specialized tools are required, I might offload the job to him.
What do you mean someone who can query the database? What are they looking for specifically... Service information? What if these repairs were done elsewhere than the dealer?
Member
If they had the work done at a BMW dealer, all dealers have access to the repair record. See example below
Defect Code Description
13532296ER INJECTOR, COMMON RAIL FAULT CODE IN DIAGNOSIS MEMORY (WARN LAMP ON)
63280100 B63 06 13 E60 Tail Light
51160237DE INTERIOR MIRROR SLACK IN THE JOINT
Jbird
Fuel pump, injectors, carbon build up in intake ports, turbos. Then regular stuff electric water pump, valve cover and oil filter stand gaskets, oil pan gasket, that about covers it.
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The cool thing about the '94 540i was it had headers instead of exhaust manifolds. Headers man!
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This is may be of interest
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=965092
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