Buying a BMW 520

msg11 · 08-09-2012 4:02pm #1

Going to have a look at this car on Monday, travelling from Dublin up to Donegal. Just wondering what to have a look out for ? From talking to him all seems legit.

Any options or advise, I had a read over the buying a used car and got some info, fairly handy with cars myself just not in the know on BMWs. Done a bit of Googling and stuff on the 520s.

Thanks for any advise.

166man · 08-09-2012 4:26pm

I'd go for a 525i if it was me tbh. And maybe one with leather. However some people prefer the cloth and manual combo.

msg11 · 08-09-2012 5:01pm

166man wrote: »

I'd go for a 525i if it was me tbh. And maybe one with leather. However some people prefer the cloth and manual combo.

Yeah, the manual is for me not into the automagics at all. I would like a leather interior but I can't get the combo ! Manual , leather and price .

520 is just about within running costs with tax insurance and petrol.

bazz26 · 08-09-2012 9:04pm

This might be closer to home:
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/3689329

Honestly, I wouldn't travel to the other side of the country for a basic spec 5 Series.

Jimbob 83 · 08-09-2012 9:07pm

Gave serious thought to buying one of these before i got my current car.

Thing is though all of the examples around my budget of 8 grand or so had milage around the ballpark where issues start to occur so i didn't go for it.

Make sure and let us know how you get on

Cryogen · 08-09-2012 9:13pm

Consider the 535i, excellent engine

listermint · 08-09-2012 9:14pm

Cryogen wrote: »

Consider the 535i, excellent engine

nah, has terrible mpg on it....

Jimbob 83 · 08-09-2012 9:17pm

listermint wrote: »

nah, has terrible mpg on it....

It's a large petrol twin turbo, if you expect over 25mpg you are deluded and are totally missing the point

166man · 08-09-2012 9:17pm

Cryogen wrote: »

Consider the 535i, excellent engine

Do you own one?

Cryogen · 08-09-2012 9:19pm

166man wrote: »

Do you own one?

No but I have read articles on the car

Ardennes1944 · 08-09-2012 9:22pm

let me know how you get on OP. thiking of one of these or e39 also. i presume maintenance and parts for an e60 are very high?

listermint · 08-09-2012 9:22pm

Jimbob 83 wrote: »

It's a large petrol twin turbo, if you expect over 25mpg you are deluded and are totally missing the point

joke was totally lost on you..... .... .... ..

Jimbob 83 · 08-09-2012 9:28pm

listermint wrote: »

joke was totally lost on you..... .... .... ..

Need to use sarcasm font :pac:

Leonard Hofstadter · 08-09-2012 9:42pm

Was in an E39 530d auto recently and to be quite honest I didn't think it was that fast at all (it's certainly not slow but it's nowhere near as quick as the reputation of those cars would have you believe), so I certainly wouldn't consider a 520i, an E39 525i has around the same power as a 530d so I would say as a bare minimum you'd need to look at one of those.

paddy147 · 08-09-2012 9:43pm

msg11 wrote: »

Going to have a look at this car on Monday, travelling from Dublin up to Donegal. Just wondering what to have a look out for ? From talking to him all seems legit.

Any options or advise, I had a read over the buying a used car and got some info, fairly handy with cars myself just not in the know on BMWs. Done a bit of Googling and stuff on the 520s.

Thanks for any advise.

Ask Cryogen.

He is a BMW whizz kid,:pac::D

paddy147 · 08-09-2012 10:19pm

Cryogen wrote: »

No but I have read articles on the car

.........And posted pictures of another persons BMW and claimed it was/is your car.

STUNG.:pac::D

msg11 · 09-09-2012 10:52am

bazz26 wrote: »

This might be closer to home:
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/3689329

Honestly, I wouldn't travel to the other side of the country for a basic spec 5 Series.

I gave him a quick text to see if its for sale, no reply. Sadly basic spec is the max the budget can go !

Seen this one also..

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/3875094

Tax is out and generally if people can't be bothered to take decent pictures I don't bother.

Also whats the big problem with texting people? It's more to the point, cause some people go on for 20 mins feeding you a load of crap you don't want to hear. I prefer text myself, text to ask a few questions nothing major organize a viewing, then do the talking easier to spot a lie when your looking at them in the face or give them a direct question. Asking them down the phone a question they know you might ask it again and be prepared to answer it. My two cents on that one.

Jimbob 83 wrote: »

Gave serious thought to buying one of these before i got my current car.

Thing is though all of the examples around my budget of 8 grand or so had milage around the ballpark where issues start to occur so i didn't go for it.

Make sure and let us know how you get on

Fairly handy with cars, just once the engine or gearbox stay solid I will be happy. Although I would want the thing falling apart either !

Will let you know how I get on.

bazz26 · 09-09-2012 12:39pm

msg11 wrote: »

I gave him a quick text to see if its for sale, no reply. Sadly basic spec is the max the budget can go !

Seen this one also..

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/3875094

Tax is out and generally if people can't be bothered to take decent pictures I don't bother.

Also whats the big problem with texting people? It's more to the point, cause some people go on for 20 mins feeding you a load of crap you don't want to hear. I prefer text myself, text to ask a few questions nothing major organize a viewing, then do the talking easier to spot a lie when your looking at them in the face or give them a direct question. Asking them down the phone a question they know you might ask it again and be prepared to answer it. My two cents on that one.

Fairly handy with cars, just once the engine or gearbox stay solid I will be happy. Although I would want the thing falling apart either !

Will let you know how I get on.

I'd try ringing the number of the black one rather than just texting. Some people don't respond to texts. The silver one looks very jaded especially for a car with only 90k miles.

This one looks tidy enough and it's being sold by a dealer so there is probably some flexibility on the price and it's a year newer than what you were looking at.

http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=28413432151012040

Also I know you said you are on a tight budget around running costs but a 523i opens up more options for you. Do the maths, would the 2.5 litre be a whole lot more to run over a 2.2 litre? Tax is €885 v €1005 per year and mpg would be only slightly higher.

msg11 · 09-09-2012 12:56pm

bazz26 wrote: »

I'd try ringing the number of the black one rather than just texting. Some people don't respond to texts. The silver one looks very jaded especially for a car with only 90k miles.

This one looks tidy enough and it's being sold by a dealer so there is probably some flexibility on the price and it's a year newer than what you were looking at.

http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=28413432151012040

Also I know you said you are on a tight budget around running costs but a 523i opens up more options for you. Do the maths, would the 2.5 litre be a whole lot more to run over a 2.2 litre? Tax is €885 v €1005 per year and mpg would be only slightly higher.

The ad is a fair bit old in fairness too the seller, more than likly sold and no interest in writing back.

That car is nice, but way over budget, I have max 6000 to spend. Depends what type of mileage is on the car, if it was a 3.0 that was a bargain then I would go have a look at it.

msg11 · 10-09-2012 11:29am

So I have this one in min also.

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/3410895

So between that car and this one..

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/3693603

Not sure what one to go for , I got a decent price on the 525..

Any advise?

cadaliac · 10-09-2012 11:55am

msg11 wrote: »

So I have this one in min also.

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/3410895

So between that car and this one..

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/3693603

Not sure what one to go for , I got a decent price on the 525..

Any advise?

Personally, I would go for the 04 520. Looks well cared for and lower mileage. Tax and fuel consumption would sway it for me.
If you can live with the extra running costs then the 525 is probably better value (1 year newer), but 25000 extra miles? That's a years driving (for most)

Leonard Hofstadter · 10-09-2012 12:01pm

cadaliac wrote: »

Personally, I would go for the 04 520. Looks well cared for and lower mileage. Tax and fuel consumption would sway it for me.
If you can live with the extra running costs then the 525 is probably better value (1 year newer), but 25000 extra miles? That's a years driving (for most)

I'd go for the 523i (there is no mention in the ad of it being a 525i).

It's got a newer and more efficient engine, plus it has a few extras like leather and the M Sport steering wheel. It's also not on run flats (the 520i has optional 17 inch wheels, which have run flats, the 523i is on 16s so no run flats). 101,000 miles is hardly excessive considering the age of the car either.

The 520i has no extras whatsoever (apart from the bigger wheels) and the inside looks tragic without leather.

msg11 · 10-09-2012 12:21pm

Sorry ment 523 !

I know the 523 has the leather and is a year newer but there's just something when I look at the pictures I can't put my finger on it, might be the wheels that I don't like. And I am not a fan of the steering wheel.

The colour of the 2004 520 and the wheels are after growing on me and I don't mind the interior.

Insurance is ball park the same for me on both.

The guy selling the black car sounds decent and looks like he looked after it, someone I would want to buy a car from, the second car is been sold by a sort of private dealer, which in the past I have had problems with cars from them.

Both have service history's..

Harcrid · 10-09-2012 1:34pm

Sounds like you have answered your own question on which one to go for!

msg11 · 10-09-2012 1:58pm

Celtxx wrote: »

Sounds like you have answered your own question on which one to go for!

Yeah, gonna go with the black 04 520i..

Alexidium · 10-09-2012 2:02pm

Jimbob 83 wrote: »

It's a large petrol twin turbo, if you expect over 25mpg you are deluded and are totally missing the point

There is no such thing as a 535i and even if there was there wouldn't be a turbo on it. What you are probably thinking of is the 535d which does have twin turbo.

Alexidium · 10-09-2012 2:03pm

captainspeed wrote: »

Was in an E39 530d auto recently and to be quite honest I didn't think it was that fast at all (it's certainly not slow but it's nowhere near as quick as the reputation of those cars would have you believe), so I certainly wouldn't consider a 520i, an E39 525i has around the same power as a 530d so I would say as a bare minimum you'd need to look at one of those.

Maybe he doesn't need power and speed?

Idbatterim · 10-09-2012 2:08pm

Op get any car checked prior to purchase, it will be harder to sell a DL reg when you go to sell.

out of all the cars that have been linked to on paper to me at least, this seems to be the best...

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/3689329

JJJJNR · 10-09-2012 2:08pm

Alexidium wrote: »

There is no such thing as a 535i and even if there was there wouldn't be a turbo on it. What you are probably thinking of is the 535d which does have twin turbo.

The 535i has a twin turbo, only sold in the US though.

Alexidium · 10-09-2012 2:13pm

JJJJNR wrote: »

The 535i has a twin turbo, only sold in the US though.

I was talking about the European market when I said that. Sorry should of mentioned it. Thanks for the correction.

msg11 · 10-09-2012 2:19pm

Alexidium wrote: »

Maybe he doesn't need power and speed?

Not after power and speed, I have an Evo 4 already. Just looking for something, with a bit of style and comfort with a sort of decent MPG.

Idbatterim wrote: »

Op get any car checked prior to purchase, it will be harder to sell a DL reg when you go to sell.

out of all the cars that have been linked to on paper to me at least, this seems to be the best...

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/3689329

Well I done a check on the car online, all seems fine. Long NCT, and will give it a good looking over. Any reason, why it would be harder to sell a DL reg ? Is it cause they drive like maniacs?

Also that black BMW is sold by the looks of it, no answer and no reply to texts.

Thanks for the replies on this too guys.

Idbatterim · 10-09-2012 2:27pm

DL reg's just have a bit of stigma attached to them. I would get a car checked by a bmw specialist personally...

msg11 · 10-09-2012 2:35pm

Idbatterim wrote: »

DL reg's just have a bit of stigma attached to them. I would get a car checked by a bmw specialist personally...

Never knew there was a stigma, then again I have driven alot of cars with stigma attached to them. I must not notice at this stage. Just though they drove a bit mad

dgt · 10-09-2012 4:14pm

Alexidium wrote: »

There is no such thing as a 535i

Yes there is

Alexidium wrote: »

even if there was there wouldn't be a turbo on it.

Yes it has that too

North America though

Leonard Hofstadter · 10-09-2012 4:20pm

msg11 wrote: »

Any reason, why it would be harder to sell a DL reg ? Is it cause they drive like maniacs?

You have it in one. Please some people in Dublin are very stupid and won't buy any BMW (no matter how good it is) unless it's got a D reg:rolleyes:.

Alexidium wrote: »

Maybe he doesn't need power and speed?

Maybe not, but if you're going to pay six cylinder running costs, then you might as well have six cylinder performance. A 520i will be pretty anaemic and won't be any more economical than a 525i. Like I say, the E39 530d auto is no rocket, it's fast, but it's not especially so.

Alexidium · 10-09-2012 4:28pm

dgt wrote: »

Yes there is

Yes it has that too

North America though

If you read further down i said that I meant that there aren't any in the European market.

TJJP · 10-09-2012 11:52pm

Idbatterim wrote: »

Op get any car checked prior to purchase, it will be harder to sell a DL reg when you go to sell.

out of all the cars that have been linked to on paper to me at least, this seems to be the best...

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/3689329

I'd agree, that D reg has a nicer spec but looks like it could do with tyres so the price difference might be wiped out pretty quick. 8k less miles on the DL though and a nice car too. I've alway been a fan of leather but the cloth in the e60s is pretty nice as it goes. Certainly better than the pleather that's in some of them (BMW Fusion artificial leather) which I found wasn't great. Watch out for it if you do go for a leather option, don't end up paying more for 'full leather' when it's not. The fusion is not the worst, it looks ok but I'd prefer cloth over fusion to be honest. In any event be sure to go with what you like yourself!

Buying a BMW 520

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