2003 745Li 190k miles. Yes | No

Should I buy the 03 745li
Always loved the classic look and drive performance of the bmw. Im looking at buying an 03 745li with 189,000 miles on it for $7,000.

It drives perfectly, perhaps a tune up is in order, otherwise great.

Ive read about the malfunctions with the electronics. If I were buying it with less miles under warranty perhaps Id be alarmed. I was wondering if its worth buying?

Does the little electronic glitches cause the car not to run at all?

Will have a mechanic look at it, with hopes they wont attempt to buy it for themselves.

Should I take this chance to get a 7 series?

That's a lot of miles. I would say it depends on your financial situation.

If the 7k is just extra money you can risk and not a substantial part of your savings then definitely buy.

Its a lot of car for the money which also leads to a lot of money if things go bad.

Do you have a back up or daily car already?

Certainly not just extra money lying around. lol It is about a month's worth of savings for a new car. I have a small knock around car, but was saving for something nice on the road. Since this one was nearby and looks good, I considered it.

Plunking down $7k is a lot, I just dont want to make a mistake, but also dont want to pass on a possible good deal.

Certainly not just extra money lying around. lol It is about a month's worth of savings for a new car. I have a small knock around car, but was saving for something nice on the road. Since this one was nearby and looks good, I considered it.

Plunking down $7k is a lot, I just dont want to make a mistake, but also dont want to pass on a possible good deal.

190k I would say no.

Any particular reason for the no?

I bought a 2002 4.4i X5 for $6k (from my in law) mine had 166K miles on it - runs great IMO a good investment

i would say if you are handy or lucky go for it - it might not need repairs anytime soon

BMW's maintanence is no joke - repair costs at a dealer or indy can be a real PITA $$$

if you are handy (DIYer) with cars you can do alot of the work yourself - than you're ok

otherwise it may get expensive if you need repairs etc

I would say if you are looking specifically for a BMW $7K may not be a bad deal - if you are just looking for a nicer / better ride

you could do better with your $7K on other cars

JMHO

Way too many miles. 02 and 03 most troubled models. Unless you have plenty of cash and know how for repairs I would say pass on this.

hmm...I'll say it as low key as I can...

ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR DAMN MIND

I think these people are panicers.. For 7k, if it's a nice car go for it. If it's not nice, looks beat, then either try for cheaper or pass.. At that many miles, that car has probably had alot of work done on it, and there is a good chance many of the harder problems have been solved recently.. I would check for oil leaks, inspect the motor, see what looks new, if you can, and go from there.. $7k for an 03 is pretty good.. if it's a clean car, the miles could actually mean less repairs for you..

MoPaully

I think you accidentally turned the caps lock on.

Originally Posted by RichardH

MoPaully

I think you accidentally turned the caps lock on.

I have an 03 with 172K miles on it. Here are things you will want to check before you buy:

Look for any coolant leaks, if you read these forums you will see many posts about the dreaded weep hole problems. To look for any leaks you will need to remove the plastic covers above and below the engine or better yet, have an independent mechanic look at it.

Look for oil leaks. At that mileage you WILL have leaks. Common problem areas are valve cover gaskets, alternator bracket gasket, and vacuum pump gasket. Make sure there is no blue or white smoke coming form the exhaust.

Transmission leaks can occur at the sleeve, had mine replaced.

Less important things to check are to make sure the radio and NAV work. Make sure there is no distortion in the bass or speakers that are not operational.

Check the condition of the headlights. They haze over time and will cause your car to fail inspection, at least in my state they did. I had to have them sanded and buffed.

Check the condition of the tires. Look for abnormal wear on any or all of them indicating a suspension problem.

Make sure you have a full size spare in the trunk on a real matching rim.

Try to get 2 sets of keys, check for an owners manual. If there is no manual it is available on-line.

Here's the way to look at it. Brand new mine had a sticker of 86K, I bought it at 3 years old for 40K and you can pick one up at about 10 years old for 7K. If it looks good I'd say go for it.
However, make sure you have about 2K on hand for any unexpected problems that may arise.

That's about all I can think of for now.

Jerry

Jerry 745 li

This is probably one of the most helpful responses to date. I havent yet had a chance to get to a mechanic, but the weep hole Ive heard a lot about. Was quite nervous about that.

It does look amazing. Yes.

No smoke or anything at the present moment.

So far the NAV and radio works pretty good. If I can get to a mechanic by Monday and he says, OK, its a done deal.

At 10 years old, with a body style that appears current and no mechanical concerns, I think its a good deal. I have certainly been reading the forums to see what issues to look for.

Hell, I bought a 95 Acclaim and it stayed in the shop! So worst comes I could sell it in a year for $4k or so and get something else.

Thanks for timeless and timely information.

Have your check book ready, no 7 with that mileage is any kind of peach.

Even if you have someone look at the car it can break tomorrow. I would save your money as Myself spent 6k in repairs last year alone.

Just trying to be honest.