2000 BMW 523I SE for £650.

[Calumcco]

Money pit or good investment?

 

[LostKiwi]

Nothing of that age will be an investment unless you keep it at least 15 years.
In general not a bad car. Certainly better than an SD1 Rover...

 

[Xtractorfan]

Depends on the mileage and condition, one of the best driving cars on the road, would be pushing around 25 to 30 mpg overall.
But with all cars, you need an experienced eye to look them over.

 

[turbopete]

potential to be either. its at an age now where electronics could start to fail and a BMW, Unlike a Ford of similar vintage, is still expensive for electrical parts, even if you manage to find them second hand, if you need them. also 'service' items such as wheelbearings could also get expensive as theyre fewer cars around so less demand (therefore costs can be high)

a mate recently changed both rear wheelbearings on his 02 focus for under £20 in parts.

but id agree that its WAY better than a rover.

 

[00slk]

You can improve an SD1 Rover, turn it into a Triumph TR8

 

[JBell]

A friend drives one and it has been utterly reliable, just getting to the point of replacing suspension parts but they are not bad money

 

[Yugguy]

We're off again....

Any car costing £500 quid could go on for years or could die tomorrow.

Have a look and if anything feels off just walk away.

And then buy this:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201709139268384

Great to drive and cheap to maintain.

 

[Droverunner]

Wonder how many miles the BMW has done done?

I'm using this forum as Mrs D has just bought a 2007 CLK but myself I've been running a 2002 5-series diesel estate for three years.

It's a lovely car but maintenance costs are high... even from just the parts costs doing DIY labour. That doesn't worry me as despite it being an older car I find running it but maintaining it properly as if a much newer car works out better than laying out the capital for a much newer one and suffering the depreciation.

The E39 5-series is a complicated car. Suspension has a multitude of links front and rear (with expensive special tools for several jobs), propshaft joints can be needed, some exhaust parts expensive, airbag and ABS systems will be prone to failure that can take some sorting at this age, cooling system issues, cloudy headlamps, autobox failure costing over twice what the car did to repair and many more things. Also even if you don't see it on the body at 17yrs old rust could be an issue underneath and on brake lines etc.

So if you are looking at a £650 car to run on a budget in keeping with a car at that price I'd not choose a 5-series but as others above say something a bit more mainstream.

 

[KennyN]

Money pit or good investment?

It will last as long as a piece of string.

With the greatest of respect how do you expect any sort of relevant reply without a link to the car or some more important info.

One elderly owner with full BM history and covered just 30k miles , kept in a heated garage then possibly you will get some time from it.

10 previous owners , no history , CAT C , loads of MOT advisories from last year , done a few demolition derby's in it , then no you wont.

Kenny

 

[A.J.]

We're off again....

Any car costing £500 quid could go on for years or could die tomorrow.

Have a look and if anything feels off just walk away.

And then buy this:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201709139268384

Great to drive and cheap to maintain.

Or this even - http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...r321pu&make=FORD&maximum-mileage=70000&page=1

 

[Craiglxviii]

Remember what I told you two years ago Calum. If something seems too good to be true, it generally is.

 

[turbopete]

You can improve an SD1 Rover, turn it into a Triumph TR8

I never rated them either. only had experience of 1 and it was a complete pile of cr@p!!!!

 

[turbopete]

We're off again....

Any car costing £500 quid could go on for years or could die tomorrow.

Have a look and if anything feels off just walk away.

And then buy this:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201709139268384

Great to drive and cheap to maintain.

dammit I'm tempted myself with that!!!!

 

[AMGeed]

dammit I'm tempted myself with that!!!!

May as well buy it then Pete. The OP certainly wont. It's too sensible.

 

[00slk]

I never rated them either. only had experience of 1 and it was a complete pile of cr@p!!!!

Oh no, surely not an 8, they were a little better than a 7, I know I've had quite a few, hmmm still have Not crap, just terrible, BMW any day

 

[turbopete]

May as well buy it then Pete. The OP certainly wont. It's too sensible.

if finances would stretch to a second car, I would! I spent a lot of time driving one a friend had. it was an epic car (although I suspect being ex ford management car it had an 'experimental' ST200 engine in it as ive never driven another that went anything NEAR as well as that one)

it was decent (for its time) on fuel too. unless I had some fun with it!!

 

[Yugguy]

I wouldn't mind it, it was a car I wanted but never got, had a chance back in the day but missed it and regretted it ever since.

Trouble is now it will be tired and raggy.

Part of me still ponders ditching the Merc and getting one of the last mk 3 ST220s, with the 3.0 V6 that went into the X and S type Jags.

There are still some good examples out there and 250 bhp is achievable fairly easily with some intake and exhaust work.

We just won't ever see big V6 engines in family cars again.

 

[Uncle Benz]

Callum, old 5 series can be a great car if you (a) know what you are looking at and have thoroughly researched the common problem areas. (b) have the knowledge and skills to rectify problems as they occur.

If you don't have the above you will quickly find the car becomes a very big money drain. Most old cars at this budget level are.

Not my intention to put you off, just trying to open your eyes to the pitfalls

 

[M80]

Yep, best car you could ever buy.
There must be BMW forums waiting to assist you in future.

 

[00slk]

What's wrong with buying an old Toyota?? Cheap, reliable source of transport for someone who's not too savvy with cars and not overly flush, makes more sense than something that's renown for using one's not so easy come buy pennies........