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Would you buy a used E60 535i?

27K views 45 replies 27 participants last post by  Kamdog 
#1 ·
I have had many 5 series BMWs over the years, and currently drive a 2005 545 (sport/prem, etc) with 95k miles on it. Bought it used with 24k miles - nice car, no issues. I'd like to buy a low mileage 2009 or 2010 535i now, but kind of surprized at how many carfax reports list Branded Title - somewhere between 10 to 20% of the listings I've checked out. Wow.
So my question is, if the used 535i is clean, local, with proper service documented, no evidence of lemon status - would you have any hesitation about buying such a used 535i? Thanks Bimmer fans!
 
#3 ·
I bought a used 2010 BMW 535i. I almost bought one with massive frame damage. The dealer showed us the carfax report and it was clean. My lender wanted to run the VIN anyway and they used AutoCheck by Experian and that showed the damage. I am glad my lender saved me. I bought a month subscription on AutoCheck and you would be surprised how many BMW's are out on Indy lots have either frame damaged cars or that were deemed lemons. I ended up getting mine from a dealer and it was CPO. I figure if anything is wrong the CPO should cover it. Good luck to you on that one.
 
#4 ·
Only if it was CPO'd. Too many shysters out there.
 
#6 ·
your comments appreciated

I've had great 5-series cars so long, and they've mostly been CPO, I start to assume all BMWs are rock solid. Reminding me of the value of CPO, and using Experian are helpful suggestions. I was aware only of CarFax.
With so much discussion about the twin turbo fuel pump I start to wonder if the whole line has a poor design, if they messed up building 1 in 5 of them, or if those that have good 535s just hold on to them so the <40k mileage units don't show up in numbers as used cars. Thanks.
 
#7 ·
Awesome car. I have 2 of them. They are even better with a few mods.
Great value as well.

The N54 engine was voted engine of the year several years in a row and is being used by the 1,3,5 and 7 series. Same for the single turbo variant N55 which is also in the X3. It's a hugely important power plant for BMW and they have addressed issues like HPFP and solved it. Too much riding on that not to.
N54 is remarkably smooth and delivers pancake flat torque from under 2,000 to 5,000 rpms where most people live. Makes the car feel effortless to drive.
Now, when you add a tuner chip it's a whole different story as many here can attest. That's just a can of whoopass right up to 7,000 rpms.

If I could give advice to prospective 535 owners it would be to add a tune and a suspension upgrade to their acquisition. Then you'll have a world class performance sedan for surprisingly modest cost.
 
#8 ·
+1 on CPO!!!!! I echo Ocean 10's comments above with the caveat that, in my experience, it can be a rather finicky engine. I have had mine at the dealer more times than I care to say out loud in the last few months. Love/Hate thing emerging for me. Will likely sell before 100,000 miles as I don't want to incur the repair costs after that. Prior 5's of mine have gone close to 200,000 miles.
 
#9 · (Edited)
They are on the 3rd of 4th generation fuel pump by now and the older fuel pumps were all recalled even if they were operating properly. Even if you get a 535 with the first generation fuel pump the warranty was extended to 10yrs/125K miles on that component alone. The bigger cost of these vehicle is maintenance of the electrical system and keep all the advanced feature working and functional. Even a CPO warranty doesn't cover vital electronics and BMW charges top dollar to replace these sensors and modules. My only other compliant is diagnostic analysis is difficult without the proper computer equipment, even if it's CPO I suggest you either look into a basic coding solution or find an indy or local who can do basic coding and system diagnostics for you. CPO can be a little overrated, but it's usually a $3K+ add-on. If you can have a 3rd party PPI done, it's a good investment of $100-$200 and will give you a better idea of maintenance costs for your near term.
 
#10 ·
I would consider getting extended warranty.. my car has had the check engine light on three times in the last couple of weeks - two times it has not been easy to diagnose. One time it took two weeks to figure it out!!!!
 
#12 ·
Interesting responses. Thanks to all. What I'm hearing is that the 535 engine is fun, smooth, strong and problematic. Ironically, the most positive posts are from those that have sooped up the car and presumably drive it with relish - maybe that's closer to the cars nature than typical commuter action. Maybe I'll just keep my 545 - tried & true. BMWs seem to be getting softer and more electronically complex with each new itteration. Appreciate all the comments!
 
#14 ·
I bought a used 2008 535xi,with sport package a few years ago. I bought it when it came off of a three year lease so I felt it would have been well maintained and it had all service done.

It is a fun car. Feels very luxurious and like a tank that would crush almost anything, but also sufficiently fast and agile for its size. I am happy with the balance between luxury and sportiness achieved by this car.

It now has 75k miles on it. I have had minor issues. I've had replaced a wheel bearing, the water pump, and the casing in the right rear that holds all the bulbs and stuff. Total $ for these repairs I think is still under cost of extended warranty but I like fixed costs so wish I had purchased the extended warranty. But also, when I purchased the car, I was willing both mentally and financially to foot the cost of any repairs.

Super happy to have owned it. I bought the Cobb AccessPort and it provides a bit of additional power, which I have enjoyed. Also, my car has the active cruise control, which I have loved and has been my favorite feature.

The car has converted me to the brand so I will likely in the spring upgrade to the F10 550i xDrive.

-Corey
 
#16 ·
Remember the real world is out there

Once in a while we all need to step back and take a look at the big picture, yes there is a world of BMW owners outside our forum walls:) A quick search revealed this data, roughly 40,000 5 series cars were sold in the US each year between 2006-2010. If we guess that of the 200,000 5 series sold 30-40% were 535's that would equal roughly 60-80K vehicles sold based on loose estimates. Thats a fair amount of cars out there.

When you jump on the forums and start reading about and asking opinions about any model, you will get some very one-sided responses. Unfortunately alot of the responders are the ones that have had a history of problems with the cars and thus you get the gloom and doom side of the conversation. You rarely see a post about how much someone loves their car and posts about how trouble free it has been, rather it is the owners with problems looking for help and support. With that many cars on the road there are obviously a majority of owners out there that would strongly endorse the car.

We are all familiar with the HPFP problems that have been well documented on this engine and with BMW extending the warranty this should really not play into the equation any more unless you are buying a very high milage car vs the age.

Another grain of salt thought is that most of the frequent posters here on this forum have made some mods to their cars either through appearance or engine performance, since 1+1=2 it goes with logic to believe that these owners also drive these cars much more aggressively that the typical daily driver. This could or could not directly reflect the overall reliability of their car experience.

Since you are a current BMW owner you are aware of the high cost to service the cars especially if you are not comfortable doing the basic maintenance items yourself. This is where you and only you can determine whether or not a CPO car or an extended maintenance contract is needed.

I own of have owned a 2005 X3, 2006 530i, 2008 535i, 2008 528xi all have been CPO vehicles all have had relatively low ownership costs related to mechanical failures. I have Loved each car in different ways and have never once thought that I had made a mistake by purchasing any of them. Directly related to the 535, the car is a rocket and the handling is fantastic. The power is very smooth and consistant and will leave a smile on your face. An added benefit is the 22mpg in mostly city driving. The HPFP was replaced under recall as well as the fuel pump. Otherwise the cars quality is great.

Hopefully I won't get flamed by my comments as no offense was meant to anyone on this forum. I just believe that we only hear one side of the story alot of the time.
 
#17 ·
Excellent perspective. thanks. I was wondering how many overall 535 sales there had been of that vintage - I do see a lot of them. Still, it's crazy seeing so many bad CarFax reports for one model. All input going into the decision hopper! Definately 3 yr lease return CPO if anything. Keeping my 545 as a backup plan isn't so bad if I stay with status quo and wait to see if Tesla survives as a real alternative. Really no other car I want vs BMW.
 
#18 ·
I'm looking for one too. Not only 535i, any 5s. For my daily driving. Love the old taillight man. The new one are great but the old one now is bang for a buck isn't it? And bigger community.
 
#20 ·
Just an off topic question for people from the states. Do you think the car price gonna go down after this election? I'm planning to get a 545i for my wife. She's no rush to get a car but I just want to get her one before christmas.
 
#22 ·
To the OP, yes I would and in fact did about a month ago...after a lot of research including on this informative forum. I agree that CPO is great insurance and will add it pays to double check on this. My car was not listed as a CPO (at a non BMW dealer), but after calling BMW NA to check its recall status, etc.. I found out it was indeed CPO on their books. I also researched the VIN on a decoder to discover it had the premium package. Dealer under priced because they did not understand the car was CPO nor included the premium.
 
#23 ·
I've had mine for 21 months and 35k miles. Had a coil pack on cylinder #5 go bad and cause a stumble and turned on engine light. CPO warranty covered it. No other problems.

I think these are great, but complicated, cars. Not for everyone when out of warranty, so shop carefully and a good one will treat you just fine. I hope to keep mine for several more years.
 
#24 ·
I'm considering getting a white 5series. But I have a question. Why 525i and 530i have the same MPG ? Even though 525i is much slower? I'm thinking about just getting 545i for my wife since 3 to 4 mpg won't matter that much for her driving habit.
 
#25 ·
Ok, I'm the guy who started this enjoyable forum, and I've had my 2005 545i for 4 years. Bought it as a 3yr lease return CPO with 24k mi. Now has 95k miles and I usually don't like to keep cars longer than 100k, which is why I'm considering a 535.
In terms of fun and reliability, the 545 could not be better. Only scheduled maint so far, it can run hard all day/night, loves a winding road, and is classy enough for a nice hotel.

There is a huge performance increase with 545 vs a 528 or 530 however. it's a stout, heavy car and the bigger engine negates that. I might add, the 2006+ E60 have some interior improvements that are nice - like a smaller diameter steering wheel with the sport pkg.
 
#26 ·
#29 ·
38 months and 25k awesome miles. Looks like new, runs like the wind and gets amazing mileage for a sports sedan. Except for a new 911, I covet no other car. The off lease 535s are dirt cheap, maybe 34k CPO. Good luck with the hunt.
 
#35 ·
The factory warranty will expire on my '09 535 that I bought as a CPO almost a year ago. So far, it has been totally problem free. I just had a complimnentary check done and they said no issues were found, They did the required brake fluid flush at the same time. While I was there, a salesman asked if I had a tune on the car and I said I didn't want to void the warranty. He said they do the Dinan tune and that doesn't void the warranty. I decided to have a stage 2 put on. Now I am having a little buyers remorse because I forgot about the fact that I was going to look at an extended warranty. Dinan now offers an extended warranty for Dinan cars and their top program (exclusionary) covers most major components EXCEPT navigation. I talked to Dinan several times and they said they are looking into offering coverage for the navigation system also. The finance officer at the dealer said they are going to offer a "wrap around" warranty to supplement the CPO that would cover pretty much everything the factory warranty covered but he didn't have any litature on it since it's pretty new. He "claims" the Dinan tune wouldn't be a problem with this warranty. I have till the end of February to decide since that's when my factory warrant will expire but I will most likely go with one of those two. I don't think I want to own a 5 without an extended warranty.
 
#36 ·
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Depends on the warranty company, Some cover fully and some cover part of it..

Some warranty company deny the hours dealers claim to install/fix the issue to make sure they have a reason to let the customer pay for the delta..
 
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