So, as you may have seen, I need a new car. I've been looking at either an F10 5 Series or maybe an F30 3er, but I'll consider others. I'm pretty sure I want a petrol with 6 cylinders, ideally a 535i or 335i. Anyone got any other ideas for other models, or even makes? I don't really want to spend more than £12k. I'm a little bit scared of these newer Beemers due to their complexity and expense when things go wrong. I don't mind spending a bit of money up front on preventative maintenance (think swirl-flap removal on the E39...) I don't do many miles per year, less than 5000, and it'll only be used for leisure, shopping etc. I need to carry one child and up to two adult passengers. Does anybody have any useful advice? Is a 12-year old "modern" BMW going to be a money pit?
The F10 is the better car with a far classier and premium interior. There was also a 528i and 530i both with six cylinders early on in the F10's production. The F30 has the advantage of being smaller and slightly sportier.
Loved my F11. Would happily have another. If the right spec petrol had come up whilst I was looking for the car I’m picking up tomorrow, I’d have gone for an F10/F11 again.
Did BMW have any NA straight sixes in the F30/F10 range? From memory I think they were all turbo charged versions, the x35i range. Added complication for sure, but cracking units when working well. There must be some great cars out there in your price range.
When the F10/11 was launched in 2010 there was a naturally aspirated straight six 523i and 528i. From later on in 2011 the four cylinder 520i and 528i came in which ran alongside a straight six 530i albeit only briefly. I almost bought a 530i touring straight six. The F30 didn't get these straight six petrol engines.
I like your thinking about this, here's a few words on my 2011 F10 530i. (that's the 3 litre engine) I bought this at 1.5 years old, way back in 2013, so it's 13 years old this month. I've never owned a car for so long, but I still enjoy driving it, and owning it of course. However, it failed its MOT only a few days ago, suspension arm and ball joint or something lie that, one side was a failure the other side would have gone down as an advisory so I got both sides repaired, seemed to be the sensible thing to do! Along with a brake fluid change cost was over £900. The thing is I didn't mind the cost, I was just happy to get it "right" again! Another high cost was about 3 years ago when some fuel injectors became faulty, and along with a new battery and a few other problems - £1600!! I haven't worried about these costs, I think we have to accept that when a car ages, depreciation falls but maintenance costs rise - hopefully not too much!
Well, injectors are expensive, and there are six of them. But at least with a petrol they will come out easily. I had a couple of four figure bills with the E39 in the time I had it, so that's not what worries me, it's the thought of spending £££££ on a car and then something going so disastrously wrong with it, such as the engine going boom, that repair is uneconomical.
It's strange how people will happily drop £5-10K a year on depreciation but will baulk at a £900 bill, I often get people saying to me they don't have to pay for depreciation because they lease their car....?????
