Im looking for another BMW to replace my E34 with the m60 v8 . After having looked at a few E90's and E60's I would really like to stay with the 5 series. Im wondering about how much more the repair costs are on the n62 v8s vs the old m60s? And are the auto transmissions in the newer cars any less reliable?
Last edited by BMWFRM; 07-17-2017 at 11:00 PM.
As far as transmissions go, the 6-speed auto is worlds better than the 5-speed auto in both performance and reliability. The N62 can be pretty expensive to take to a shop, my local shop tried to talk me out of an e60 based on a stack of $2k+ receipts. The N62 is more reliable than the M62, but valve stem seals are a big problem, and labor cost on repairs is very high. Each newer generation seems to be less maintenance friendly, so the hours and labor costs rise. In short the e60 will cost more to maintain as parts are more expensive, and more hours will be involved. DIY can save you a fortune if you're willing to go that route. More sophisticated computers also means nearly everything requires diagnostic software to fix.
The newer V8 will cost some money as it ages and it is a hard DIY. A 535i with JB4 tune is just as fast, but turbos eventually need replacement and the electric coolant pump also goes. These are nice cars but complex. I'd rather deal with the maintenance though than drive a dull M54 on N52 version. Of the turbo models, I like the 07-10 with N54 twin turbo. But the later 8 speed auto gets better mpg. 8-10 year old 100k+ mile V8 and turbo cars go cheap in part because of long term costs.
The E60 drives really nice. I don't think the MPG is any worse than the M60. I looked at how much I spent on the E34 and in a little longer than a year and a half I spent about $3k in critical repairs. I can diy basic stuff that's fairly easy to access within a few hours, but otherwise it has to go to the shop for major mechanical repairs.
Last edited by BMWFRM; 07-18-2017 at 10:48 AM.
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