[returnofmike]

My mom has found what she believes to be the BMW she has been looking for. . i have never had an e60 before and i was wondering what to look out for when buying one. Typical issues etc.. here is the link to the craigslist ad. i have seen the car in person and it is in good shape but never drove it. Any input is well appreciated.

http://springfield.craigslist.org/ctd/1396193901.html

 

[obacht545]

Gut reaction - hands off. It's a 2004, which is considered a bit more problematic b/c it was the first model year for the E60. The ad is not consistent (is it 23.9k or 19.9k?) and full of spelling errors, the mileage is kinda high and on top of that those strange wheels...

I'd spend a few bucks more and look for an all original 2005 with CPO. Diff'rent strokes for diff'rent folks I guess...

 

[returnofmike]

yea its listed at 19k now. but i dont plan to pay that at all. car is overall pretty perfect. just those wheels are a little too urban! haha well what might some of the common problems be? like on the e39 the thrust bearings seem to giveout alot, and the PS hoses tend to leak. any such examples?

 

[JMALE]

Call Joe Machens in Columbia, Mo. Not sure how far that is from you.
Anyway I found a 2007 550i with 61k miles pretty much loaded, single car fax owner for
$24.5 k a couple weeks ago.

I spoke with Dave watson (Last name I think) who's the internet manager. I tried to find the same car but it may have been sold. Looking at autotrader they have like 4 available.
I believe they are getting cars off lease and just want to dump them before winter ie already made a substantial amount of money on lease.

The only reason I didn't buy from them is distance. They are about 400 miles from me in chicago. I ended up with a 2006 550i with similiar miles but in the color I wanted for $24k even. I was in the same position but decided I really wanted the 550i for about 4-5 k more, 35 extra horse, bluetooth, comfort access etc.

Good luck!!!!

JAM

 

[gokartmozart]

I have to agree. Look for a 2005 CPO car. You may get lucky with nothing major wrong in the next few years, chances are little things will have you frustrated, on your dime.

Can't give you details, but the general consensus on the 2004 were that they corrected a bunch of little issues the following model year. Check out the e60 forum.

And yeah, the 550i is a real sweet power sedan!

 

[JMALE]

Right,
Get a warranty if it doesn't already have one. I purchased an aftermarket from
AA Autowarranty that BMW will accept.

Cost was $2700 for 4 years/50k miles. Covers 95% of all the parts in the car minus wear and tear items of course. I'm banking I'll come out ahead

 

[returnofmike]

what issues are you referring too?

 

[Stigmata]

Returnofmike,
I've had my 2005 545i for a few months now. The biggest selling point for me was the CPO warranty. So far I've had both front stabilizer bar bushings, right front thrust arm and both rear sway bar links replaced. Next will be the oil level sensor. All under warranty. My car has approx 67k miles on it, mostly highway. This makes a huge difference. Check the forums for engine sludge. Hard driving and the use of engine oil additives may have been a part of the car's history. Be careful. I'm not sure of any common problems with the 2004 model but the 2005 I have has been pretty bulletproof after reviewing its maintenance history.

 

[skalashn]

Returnofmike,
I've had my 2005 545i for a few months now. The biggest selling point for me was the CPO warranty. So far I've had both front stabilizer bar bushings, right front thrust arm and both rear sway bar links replaced. Next will be the oil level sensor. All under warranty.

Stigmata,
Can you describe the symptoms you were having prior to replacing all these suspension parts? I have 2005 545i 6MT with 59K miles, also CPO, and sometimes it makes a clunk sound in the front when going over a sharp bump. I suspect thrust arm (or tension strut as they call it). However dealer claims the suspension is as tight as new and they could not replicate the issue.

On a side note, I have full service history and it shows no major warranty claims other than blown clutch two years ago. There is no other evidence of excessively hard driving though.

 

[Vyce77]

Returnofmike,
I've had my 2005 545i for a few months now. The biggest selling point for me was the CPO warranty. So far I've had both front stabilizer bar bushings, right front thrust arm and both rear sway bar links replaced. Next will be the oil level sensor. All under warranty. My car has approx 67k miles on it, mostly highway. This makes a huge difference. Check the forums for engine sludge. Hard driving and the use of engine oil additives may have been a part of the car's history. Be careful. I'm not sure of any common problems with the 2004 model but the 2005 I have has been pretty bulletproof after reviewing its maintenance history.

Nice Car, very similar to mine.

I had the computer unit that controls central locking fail in mine. That was a pretty costly repair because it also froze my passenger door in the locked position.

We we see what additional repairs are needed in the upcoming months

 

[Stigmata]

skalashn,
What led me to check my suspension was also a clunking in the front end. Mine was coming from the front passenger side. I noticed immediately that the stabilizer bar bushings were worn oval which I thought was the cause of the noise. When my BMW shop checked it out, they found the thrust arm had play where it connects to the axel. Sure enough, after the thrust arm was replaced, the noise was gone and the car handled and tracked beautifully. That has been my experience and I'm glad it's been resolved. I've read some horror stories on this site of people experiencing the same noise and their shop replacing everything at the owners cost but still not solving the problem. You may need a reputable garage check it out for a second opinion if you're not getting any satisfaction from your BMW shop.


Vyce77,
The only electrical problem documented in my car's maintenance records was the replacement of a faulty pressure sensing pad in the passenger's seat which was causing the airbag light to come on. That, and the oil level sensor problem I'm currently having.

 

[Vyce77]

skalashn,
What led me to check my suspension was also a clunking in the front end. Mine was coming from the front passenger side. I noticed immediately that the stabilizer bar bushings were worn oval which I thought was the cause of the noise. When my BMW shop checked it out, they found the thrust arm had play where it connects to the axel. Sure enough, after the thrust arm was replaced, the noise was gone and the car handled and tracked beautifully.

How much did this repair cost you? I have the same exact noise - shop was unable to identify

 

[Stigmata]

Fortunately, the repair was under CPO warranty. The service tech let me know that the parts, which consisted of the thrust arm, front stabilizer bar bushings and rear sway bar links, were in the range of $750+. I don't think he included the labor. If you're paying out of pocket, definitely get a second opinion from a qualified mechanic. I'm not sure if the option packages, ie Sports Pkg, use different suspension components. Do your homework so you don't get bitten.

 

[bimmerguyjoey]

Did this problem happen again?

Nice Car, very similar to mine.

I had the computer unit that controls central locking fail in mine. That was a pretty costly repair because it also froze my passenger door in the locked position.

We we see what additional repairs are needed in the upcoming months