Purchasing a 2008 BMW 535XI

[MrWaterhouse12]

I recently went and took a look at a used bimmer. The car was an e60 with 110k miles on it. Here is a link to the car: https://portland.craigslist.org/clc/...219648793.html

This is a single owner vehicle. I went to see it in person and the car was in very good shape for its age. Interior was immaculate and the exterior paint was great (clear bra on the front of the car has made sure of this).

When I asked about maintenance, all of the work has been done at the dealer on time. Water pump has been replaced, as well as the HPFP and the injectors. Regular break maintenance has also been done. The only thing that appears to not have been done in the life of this car is a flushing of the transmission fluid. This had me slightly concerned, as I wonder when the transmission might need to be looked at. Tires are not run-flat, as the owner ditched those on day one.

All servicing paperwork and car-related documents were there. Overall I was very impressed with the condition of the car and was hoping to get some input from more seasoned members of the forum. Is the price for the car fair considering the mileage? Also, with the regular servicing and what has already been replaced, what kind of maintenance and repair-work would be expected for the future?

If everything checks out I hope to pick this car up very soon.

[pbonsalb]

I would change the trans, rear diff, transfer case and front diff and power steering fluids as preventative maintenance. Since you cannot replace the integrated pan filter you might want a new plastic pan. Also replace the PS reservoir.

It's a sub $10k car. Given the condition and maintenance and 1 owner, I think paying close to $10k is about right.

For the future, you might need front thrust arms, front control arms, battery, 02 sensors, plugs, coils, valve cover gasket, oil cooler lines to oil filter housing gasket, and turbos once any cold start wastegate rattling stops going away and really bothers you. We have an 08 535xit with 120k we have had for 6-7 years and 90k.

[captainfreezy]

If you go to test drive it, try to start it from when the car is cool (not at operating temp). Pay close attention to any weird shakes or sounds, such as a transmission "clunk" sound that's common to a few E60s, though I don't believe it's common in the 535. Also, pay attention to any weird jerks during downshifts between 1st/2nd gear. It may also help to take a look inside the headlight assembly through the angel eye covers to get an idea of what condition the insulation is in and if the prior owner has done anything in the even that the insulation is in poor condition, as new headlights can easily cost over a thousand to replace and the insulation often degrades regardless of the level of maintenance the car has seen.

[MrWaterhouse12]

I would change the trans, rear diff, transfer case and front diff and power steering fluids as preventative maintenance. Since you cannot replace the integrated pan filter you might want a new plastic pan. Also replace the PS reservoir.

It's a sub $10k car. Given the condition and maintenance and 1 owner, I think paying close to $10k is about right.

For the future, you might need front thrust arms, front control arms, battery, 02 sensors, plugs, coils, valve cover gasket, oil cooler lines to oil filter housing gasket, and turbos once any cold start wastegate rattling stops going away and really bothers you. We have an 08 535xit with 120k we have had for 6-7 years and 90k.

For the preventative maintenance pointed above, what are the costs going to look like? Also are those things that should be done as soon as possible or am I going to have some mileage before they should be looked at?

[MrWaterhouse12]

Also I forgot to mention that the battery has been replaced and the headlights have also been replaced.

[pbonsalb]

For the preventative maintenance pointed above, what are the costs going to look like? Also are those things that should be done as soon as possible or am I going to have some mileage before they should be looked at?

I did it all myself. I would do the fluids ASAP. You want to keep the components working fine. BMW says the fluid is lifetime but does not define lifetime. ECS Tuning sells packages. I used the Vaico trans pan and fluid. There is also a mechatronics sleeve in there that some report will harden and leak so I changed it as well but mine seemed quite flexible still at 90k when I did this work.

[Norskie]

For the preventative maintenance pointed above, what are the costs going to look like? Also are those things that should be done as soon as possible or am I going to have some mileage before they should be looked at?

The water pump is a 75k item, i.e. you may need to replace it again pre-emptively depending on when it was last changed. $500 in parts, $1100 to have it done.

Any oil leak that contaminates the serpentine belt must be addressed immediately (and the belt replaced). When the belts on these cars go, they have a tendency to ingest them through the front seal and clog the oil pickup tube (or worse). They can also wrap around the crankshaft and crack the block. Speaking of belts, keep an eye on the tensioners too; if they fail the above can also happen.

Turbo's are $3.5k for aftermarket units and a tune. About $6k-$8k to have someone else put in OEM units.
Plugs and Coils are roughly $200 in parts.
Valve cover gasket is $50 assuming the valve cover hasn't cracked (which is common and plastic, $450).
Walnut blast every 25-50k is $500-1000.
Oil pan gasket leak is also common, > $1100 to replace.Oil cooler is $600 parts, $1500 to have it done. If it's just the orings on the lines leaking, that's just a few bucks plus whatever labor is.
Oil filter housing gasket is < $50 but labor is $600+.
Transmissions are expensive but I frequently read about owners doing the mechatronic repair themselves when shops suggest replacing the entire part for $6k.

[pbonsalb]

We have 120k and have never done a walnut blast but I plan to. CRC makes a spray for the intake that may also help. No issues with our car yet.

Turbos are about $2000 for all parts needed. I would expect a full day of labor, maybe more -- havent done it yet myself and suspect my AWD car is harder to work on than RWD.

[MrWaterhouse12]

Thanks for all of the replies guys. I'm going to have the car looked at in a pre-purchase inspection over the weekend and see what the real condition of the car is. I'll keep you guys posted and ask more questions when I find out more.

[oh2ball]

Preventive maintenance item, relatively cheap and will save you from chasing issues down the road. Replace ALL vacuum lines.