BMW 645i

IITYWYBMAD

Folks,

have been after one of these for some time, and after just off-loading my 06 GTI, I'm having a look at this over the next couple of days.

I know the MPG will be crap, and I know the tax will be very high each year, so I'm just looking for general opinions, and what to look out for on this model.

Any feedback is appreciated.

pajo1981

IITYWYBMAD wrote: »

Folks,

have been after one of these for some time, and after just off-loading my 06 GTI, I'm having a look at this over the next couple of days.

I know the MPG will be crap, and I know the tax will be very high each year, so I'm just looking for general opinions, and what to look out for on this model.

Any feedback is appreciated.

Sex on wheels. Go for it.

Matt Simis

IITYWYBMAD wrote: »

Folks,

have been after one of these for some time, and after just off-loading my 06 GTI, I'm having a look at this over the next couple of days.

I know the MPG will be crap, and I know the tax will be very high each year, so I'm just looking for general opinions, and what to look out for on this model.

Any feedback is appreciated.

Has a bit of a marmite reaction among car fans, more on looks than anything else. I looked at them too before deciding on its predecessor, what I heard is they are an overall accomplished cruiser with reasonable servicing and reliability, slightly cramped cabin (are you over 6ft?), the 4.4L is potentially a better buy than the more expensive 630i (better MPG but a big whack of performance gone), some of the stock alloys look terrible. Personally I always wanted the model with Baseball type leather and a Pano roof and a manual box (kinda impossible combination).

We bought a BMW from Deerpack before, overall ok experience, but dont let them fob you off with sending spare keys out after a sale etc. :rolleyes:
On the plus side, I totally respect the fact they generally have a collection of high end used vehicles for sale, they dont sell rubbish cars.

tfitzgerald

i'd buy it in a flash if i had money as for mpg pheck it just park it in a main st somewhere and watch the jealous looks

IITYWYBMAD

pajo1981 wrote: »

Sex on wheels. Go for it.

Cheers

LIGHTNING wrote: »

I drove an M6 which I thought was very comfortable and had lots of kit. Great motorway cruiser and a nice looking car. However it wont exactly set your world on fire despite have a nice big engine I didnt find it that exciting to drive. Still at that price you cant go wrong

Thanks. I loved the GTI, but it was time to go tbh. I have yet to try the 6series out, but I've always loved the look of it.

Matt Simis wrote: »

Has a bit of a marmite reaction among car fans, more on looks than anything else. I looked at them too before deciding on its predecessor, what I heard is they are an overall accomplished cruiser with reasonable servicing and reliability, slightly cramped cabin (are you over 6ft?), the 4.4L is potentially a better buy than the more expensive 630i (better MPG but a big whack of performance gone), some of the stock alloys look terrible. Personally I always wanted the model with Baseball type leather and a Pano roof and a manual box (kinda impossible combination).

We bought a BMW from Deerpack before, overall ok experience, but dont let them fob you off with sending spare keys out after a sale etc. :rolleyes:
On the plus side, I totally respect the fact they generally have a collection of high end used vehicles for sale, they dont sell rubbish cars.

Totally agree with the marmite analogy, very true. It took a while to grow on me.

I appreciate the feedback in regards to the dealer. Thumbs up!

robtri

sweet motor, as above they are lovely to drive, they are fast but dont feel it... more of a grand tourer than a sports car....

i would have one if i had the money....

E39MSport

That one is a bland looking imo.

They don't do much for me but its a lot of car for that money.

I'd prefer somehting like this
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/1145841

Best of luck with her !

notel70

IITYWYBMAD wrote: »

Folks,

have been after one of these for some time, and after just off-loading my 06 GTI, I'm having a look at this over the next couple of days.

I know the MPG will be crap, and I know the tax will be very high each year, so I'm just looking for general opinions, and what to look out for on this model.

Any feedback is appreciated.

the wheels on that car didnt come from the factory, they werent out in 2004.

The one thing that many people forget when buying a car like this is that while this car is now affordable it will still have the running costs of a 100k car.

IITYWYBMAD

notel70 wrote: »

the wheels on that car didnt come from the factory, they werent out in 2004.

The one thing that many people forget when buying a car like this is that while this car is now affordable it will still have the running costs of a 100k car.

I looked at the running costs, and it's a fair point tbh. I'll do abut 8K miles or 10K KM's per year. Tax will be €1500 per year. I appreciate that the re-sale value will be SFA, and at 22MPG (that's the best!!) the car will be thirsty.

I reckon the running costs will be about €470 per month (insurance will cost me €664 FC). I'm a cash buyer, and it will be the first car in years I have had, that I do not have a loan on.

Padraig Mor

**** it. Go for it - you only live once.

The Recliner

IITYWYBMAD wrote: »

I looked at the running costs, and it's a fair point tbh. I'll do abut 8K miles or 10K KM's per year. Tax will be €1500 per year. I appreciate that the re-sale value will be SFA, and at 22MPG (that's the best!!) the car will be thirsty.

I reckon the running costs will be about €470 per month (insurance will cost me €664 FC). I'm a cash buyer, and it will be the first car in years I have had, that I do not have a loan on.

If you are happy that you can manage the running costs then go for it

There is nothing more satisfying then owning a car you have always longed for

Matt Simis

The Recliner wrote: »

If you are happy that you can manage the running costs then go for it

There is nothing more satisfying then owning a car you have always longed for

And paying cash!

Big Nasty

Nice car but they must be coming to the end of that model soon. Could you stretch to the '06 model XK? Sweet machine, still very fresh and the extra expense now will stand to you at resale time!

CaraFawn

What about a 635d, they are meant to be very powefull too.
You still have the look and with a remap she would smoke a 645i anyway.
Especially if you are planning to do 10k miles a year.
My 2 cents

Richie..Galway

i'm a bmw nut i drive a 4.4 e38 740i and i've had an e30 M3 and numerous 5 series but imo the 6 series has the ugliest rear end of any bmw ever made, the E65 7 series has the same type of stuck on boot look and runs the 6 series a close second in ugliness. It's like they employed a designer to design the cars and sacked him before he got the rear end finished and then just stuck a big lump of metal on her.
besides that the mpg on the 4.4 is surprisingly not as bad as you think the smaller engined versions will be under a bigger work load tugging that big weight so sometimes the bigger engine has actually a better mpg in the real world. my missus has a 2.0 petrol and it drinks juice because it's a big heavy estate. also the tax differance between a 3.0 and a 4.4 is minimal. once you go over the 3.5 litre it's all the same. you must take into account the servicing costs however. i's not going to be like your old golf when you go to a dealer it is a very expensive experiance and if anything goes wrong it can hit you pretty hard in the pocket, for example the alternator on the 4.4 is a 150 amp watercooled version which costs 1183 euro from bmw and it's a sealed unit so most alternator refurb companies will not touch it, i was lucky to find one that did and save myself 1123 euro lol. the DSC unit which controls the abs /traction control is also 1000 plus.
My 740 has only 70k miles on her and both the alternator and DSc unit have been replaced already.
Tyres for mine are 250-350 depending on brand but 350 for the bridgestones on the rear and thats for each tyre. I love bmw,s and will have nothing else but be prepared to pay to keep them in tip top condition

unkel

IITYWYBMAD wrote: »

I looked at the running costs, and it's a fair point tbh. I'll do abut 8K miles or 10K KM's per year. Tax will be €1500 per year. I appreciate that the re-sale value will be SFA, and at 22MPG (that's the best!!) the car will be thirsty.

I reckon the running costs will be about €470 per month (insurance will cost me €664 FC). I'm a cash buyer, and it will be the first car in years I have had, that I do not have a loan on.

You've done your sums, you know what you're at. Go for it! You'll be getting some smiles for your bucks

(I've owned high end V8 petrol cars - much older than the one you're looking at - for 10 years and I've never had any major trouble. Just make sure you've access to some money should things go wrong)

impr0v

Matt Simis wrote: »

We bought a BMW from Deerpack before, overall ok experience, but dont let them fob you off with sending spare keys out after a sale etc. :rolleyes:
On the plus side, I totally respect the fact they generally have a collection of high end used vehicles for sale, they dont sell rubbish cars.

I bought a BMW from Deerpark too, earlier this year. I had a good experience overall. It was only upon reading Matt's post above that I remembered that I fobbed them off with sending them a spare key after a trade in.

The Guvnor

IITYWYBMAD wrote: »

Folks,

have been after one of these for some time, and after just off-loading my 06 GTI, I'm having a look at this over the next couple of days.

I know the MPG will be crap, and I know the tax will be very high each year, so I'm just looking for general opinions, and what to look out for on this model.

Any feedback is appreciated.

The price looks great and it is low mileage.
I am not a major fan of the red leather and I am majorly guessing here but it looks like it could be a bit sparse on spec (relatively speaking).

You would not be able to better this deal by venturing to the UK.

If you plan on keeping this car for a long time and let's be honest they are not easy to sell - it may be worthwhile to try and see a few to compare as over an ownerhship period of 5-10 years 2-3k on top will not make too much of a difference.

I like the 6 series and it is a classy motor so major thumbs up here! Go for it mate!

unkel

impr0v wrote: »

I bought a BMW from Deerpark too, earlier this year. I had a good experience overall. It was only upon reading Matt's post above that I remembered that I fobbed them off with sending them a spare key after a trade in.

Beaten at their own game

Nonoperational

I don't fancy the 6 series personally but each to their own. Deerpark keep nice cars but your essentially buying as you would with a private sale. They offer a 3 month "warranty" but in essence they'll have very little to do with you after they get the cash. Thats my experience anyway.

blingrhino

forget it -buy a 06 335i coupe-faster ,easier to run,sell etc:)

Matt Simis

blingrhino wrote: »

forget it -buy a 06 335i coupe-faster ,easier to run,sell etc:)

Selling one by any chance? :pac:

AlanD

I've been looking for a 645ci for months now, but none in the spec/price combination I'm looking for have come up. I'm looking for nav and cup holder minimum. You'd be surprised how many buyers didn't tick the box for cup holder, which was a dear option. I'd like the nav for the bigger screen it comes with then.

Anyway, I've done a lot of research on these and believe that 27mpg is a good average to expect out of these cars. Depends on how and where you drive it. With my driving style, I'd get 27 easily enough.

I drove a 630i recently and although I was impressed with the car and the engine is nice and quick, it's a minnow in comparison to the V8. I'd take the V8 any day.

We're still waiting for the right 6 to come our way. Go for it if you like the car

L-M

The main thing I liked about the 645 over the 630 were the wheels, and those wheels aren't the 645 wheels If I'm right?

Lovely car though, back seats are hopeless. The 630 sounds sweet, and I've heard a 645i driving away and it sounds 10 times better.

Lovely car to drive and to be in, (i like the looks too).

Go for it! Just maybe not that one

Padraig Mor

OP: bear in mind that the V8 engine in these is prone to a hideously expensive coolant leaking problem. Although with 47k miles, it shouldn't show for a while yet.

IITYWYBMAD

I've had a look and a drive in the car. V impressed with the performance, and sound. And a really nice drive. I agree with the comments wrt it being a Grand Tourer as opposed to something like a GTI, but it'll shift if you have a heavy right foot.

The smoothness of it was particularly good, the only thing i would have against it would be the interior. I'm not mad about the red leather, and I just can't seem to get over it, so I may pass and look for something in cream.

As an aside, the price on the car is €21950. As I'm an absolute disaster when it comes to bargaining, what should I expect to pay for it?

L-M

IITYWYBMAD wrote: »

As an aside, the price on the car is €21950. As I'm an absolute disaster when it comes to bargaining, what should I expect to pay for it?

Less! You'll have to suss out the dealer first, but under 20k I'd be imagining. IF it were me, I'd be more focused on getting a year long comprehensive warranty then getting a big discount!

AlanD

Another thing I thought of was maintenance costs. Some think it will be more expensive to maintain than other cars. If you would be intent on getting BMW to service it, then it'll cost you, but if you confirm with your local mechanic about servicing, then it should cost no more really than your GTI. I did this with my own mechanic and he confirmed that if I dropped a 6 in to him to service, his rates would be the same and would not expect maintenance expense to be much more than what I spend now. Some guy who increases his labour rate because it's a 6, isn't worth giving business to.

As for pricing, I don't think 04 645ci's are worth any more than 20k. I'd be looking to pay 19k for one with a warranty. Although if you couldn't get a warranty, buy one.

daRobot

I personally would only buy one of these that had the panoramic roof, sports seats and fullscreen nav.

A guy on BMW driver forum paid somewhere in the region on 15k for a 645 recently, but it needed a few quid spent on it.

Great car though. If you stay out of the bmw network with servicing and research and source parts yourself, it won't be as expensive as you'd imagine.

L-M

daRobot wrote: »

A guy on BMW driver forum paid somewhere in the region on 15k for a 645 recently, but it needed a few quid spent on it.

That potential 4k difference could turn into alot more over time!

AlanD wrote: »

Another thing I thought of was maintenance costs. Some think it will be more expensive to maintain than other cars. If you would be intent on getting BMW to service it, then it'll cost you, but if you confirm with your local mechanic about servicing, then it should cost no more really than your GTI. I did this with my own mechanic and he confirmed that if I dropped a 6 in to him to service, his rates would be the same and would not expect maintenance expense to be much more than what I spend now. Some guy who increases his labour rate because it's a 6, isn't worth giving business to.

You have to remember all those mechanics won't have access to diagnostics and updates like main Bmw dealers will have, that being the crucial difference.

AlanD

Limerick man wrote: »

You have to remember all those mechanics won't have access to diagnostics and updates like main Bmw dealers will have, that being the crucial difference.

I'd take my chances unless there was a problem me or the mechanic couldn't figure out

L-M

AlanD wrote: »

I'd take my chances unless there was a problem me or the mechanic couldn't figure out

You can't take chances when there's warning lights that need to be cleared! Unless you're happy looking at a Christmas tree of a dash!

AlanD

Limerick man wrote: »

You can't take chances when there's warning lights that need to be cleared! Unless you're happy looking at a Christmas tree of a dash!

I agree. I know my own mechanic has the equipment to clear warning lights. He services all makes of cars. So maybe that is something the OP would need to look in to. Can the mechanic properly maintain the car?

voxpop

A service shouldnt cost much extra than the GTI - but when things go wrong or you need new suspension components - then it is definitely more expensive on the bmw.

E39MSport

eg) EUR 700 for parts and labour at main dealer for rear upper control arms on a 2002 e39.

Turns out I could have done it myself only I've had to prove my worth to the OH by rebuilding the suspension on my e31.

Voodoomelon

Man, that CL500 on the first page is the business! Ditch the rims and sit it on some AMGs and it would make a fantastic buy! I like the 6 series but I don't know if I could live with people telling me asll day long its ugly as sin.

As everyone is saying, have at least €1500 on standby should anything go wrong. It also helps to learn to do a few bits yourself on a car that originally cost over €100k, because BMW will clean you out. You can easily do a standard oil/filters service yourself and save a packet.

Eoin

Limerick man wrote: »

You have to remember all those mechanics won't have access to diagnostics and updates like main Bmw dealers will have, that being the crucial difference.

An independent specialist will probably have equipment specific to BMWs.

L-M

eoin wrote: »

An independent specialist will probably have equipment specific to BMWs.

Oh I know that, but the way the poster was talking I presumed he was talking aboutthe "John down the road" of mechanics.

SpannerMonkey

dont know where your geting the cramped cabin from lad im 6ft 5 and i fit very comfortably in my 645ci but really only a 2 seater unless you want young kids in there , im getting 23-24 mpg out of mine and i dont pamper it pano roof is overrated i have it and very rarely have it open if you have any questions pm me

ps = general serviceing is not overly expensive but if something breaks it will be

Matt Simis wrote: »

Has a bit of a marmite reaction among car fans, more on looks than anything else. I looked at them too before deciding on its predecessor, what I heard is they are an overall accomplished cruiser with reasonable servicing and reliability, slightly cramped cabin (are you over 6ft?), the 4.4L is potentially a better buy than the more expensive 630i (better MPG but a big whack of performance gone), some of the stock alloys look terrible. Personally I always wanted the model with Baseball type leather and a Pano roof and a manual box (kinda impossible combination.

techman

What would the MPG be on a 635d then?

Bearcat

i owned a 645ci for about 6mth upto recently.....I got bored of it and moved it on. They are a fine car and that 4.4litre v8 is a honey with 333bhp up front....it eats motorways, there's loads of poke and you dont realize how fast your going. I was getting 24mpg m50 stuff but late teens in town. I had a steering rack knock which I sorted, otherwise she never missed a beat. One big thing is if the battery is anyway marginal, you'll get all types of warnings including gearbox failures....I replaced batt and all was fine. The boot is massive but I agree with previous, I thought it was a little cramped and the seats were not that comfy....rear seats are for coats or very small kids.....adults, forget it.

I think they are a bargain, an awful ugly looking car imho, never warmed to it but bought it for a song and sold it cheap too. Make sure there are no knocks when turning the steering, check the discs are not worn, good service record, air con working, no rattles from the cats and off you go.

A bargain cruiser from the boom to bust era awaits.....good luck. I could never understand why folk bought the 630....a limp dog compared. Someelse mentioned the diesel model but how can you compare a car retailing for 80k compared to 22kish. Finally the holler of that v8 is just delicious.....

SomeGuyCalledMi

this would be me

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Mercedes-Benz/CLS-Class/500-AMG/201027198734785/advert?channel=CARS

Matt Simis

techman wrote: »

What would the MPG be on a 635d then?

35-40+

robtri

SomeGuyCalledMi wrote: »

this would be me

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Mercedes-Benz/CLS-Class/500-AMG/201027198734785/advert?channel=CARS

i would rather the real AMG.. not a wannbe

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Mercedes-Benz/CLS-Class/55-AMG/201019198000907/advert?channel=CARS


but better still is its big bro....

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Mercedes-Benz/CL-Class/CL55-AMG/201025198486524/advert?channel=CARS

Barr

Don't know much about the car; apart from they look the business - especially in white.

Edit

A 6 series in diesel seems wrong

GoodGuinness

Barr wrote: »

Don't know much about the car; apart from they look the business - especially in white.

Edit

A 6 series in diesel seems wrong

Totally agree. One of the nice things about owning a performance car is the sound the thing makes, either at idle or in the high rev range. I know there's some nice sounding diesels out there, but compared to their petrol brothers they sound like a 135 Massey...

SpannerMonkey

agreed very few things sound as good as a V8 , even the V10 isnt as nice
Straight 6 aint bad either though
but even an inline 4 sounds better than a diesel

Matt Simis

Without turning this into the usual petrol love fest, IMO the diesel and the M6 are the best 6 series models. The M car has the outright performance and F1 sound effects (and its currently the fastest NA BMW model, the M5 is EOL atm). The Diesel gives you something crucial.. the ability to drive it everyday everywhere and performance roughly on par with the petrol models. Not driving experience (its clearly different) and not sound (it cant come close to V8 or the surprisingly nice sounding I6 baby model), but in mile munching efficiency its literally miles ahead of the rest. And IMO, thats the point of a big GT like the 6 series.

For the 2nd hand buyer currently the 645Ci represents best value, the later model diesel is too expensive as is the confusing 630i.

SpannerMonkey

i agree completly with you if buying new the diesel 635d or the M6 are the best choices but the 645 is a second hand bargain as you said

rebel.ranter

I see your beauty made the pages if Total BMW this month. Nice car!

SpannerMonkey

rebel.ranter wrote: »

I see your beauty made the pages if Total BMW this month. Nice car!

IT DID ??????????? damn must get that mag