I like how you mention the size of the bill in the first 2 minutes of the video. No stupid cliff-hangers - wait till the end of the video type of bs. Got a like from me.
@@HighPeakAutos nice and informative video brother! Now, couldn't help myself,but put it to you down like this. When you buy a lemon for a price of a well maintained Honda Accord,don't expect anything different than what you got. Actually you were lucky. That car is loaded with gadgets and they can go wrong. And they cost. I had the same,freshly imported from Switzerland, purchased it 8 months ago for 5000eu and for the time I changed just all the filters, liquids,glow plugs and relay and the front discs ( were warped ). Since then I put over 100 000km and just regular maintenance,not even a bulb to replace. Nothing! And all works like a dream! I could've purchased another E61 535d for 2500eu,but then invest more than twice to have it running. End of story,you have maintained cars that cost,and then you have NON maintained cars that don't cost. Cheers! Better luck next time! Oh,just noticed,you don't even have the dynamic xenon lights and the recaro comfort seats! Mine is fully loaded.
As others have said you cant play the saving old cars game by handing them to a garage to sort out ... only works if your prepared to get your hands dirty . That list was 95% labour charges . The Garage must love seeing you ..." here's Matt with another car to keep the mechanics busy during the quiet periods for the next few months ...sorted ! " Love the channel Matt .
These cars are a bargain to maintain if you DIY, an absolute money pit if not. For example, some i recently did to my car: Gearbox oil change = ~200€ (ZF, Lifeguard 6/ravenol 6hp) Guibo and drive shaft bearing = 120€ Oil change 80€~
agreed, I have a B8 A4 and have only done normal maintenance so far like brakes and oil change myself. The turbo is prob on its way out but I'd much rather do it myself because you save a fortune and learn a lot in the process. Old german cars are NOT for ppl who rely on mechanics
Too many irresponsible car owners want to " ACT RICH" bying fancy cars but are too CHEAP to look after cars properly then when it's out of warranty they get rid of it
Believe it or not I did own one of these until ULEZ took it away but it actually lifted me away from my depression when I spent my time on it. One of the very few things in my life that gave me joy and happiness. Don't worry about the money you spent I was happy to see this car in your video!
Never mind Matt. I think one of the reasons your channel is popular, is that it makes those of us who love cars and let their hearts rule their heads when they should know better, feel vindicated in our questionable choices over the years. Especially knowing you're a dealer and many in your position would just bodge or hide faults from customers. More power to you and your business.
It's OK ,don't worry . Wait until EVs especially Tesla cars go out of warranty and they need new battery it will cost way more than what you paid for this BMW 535d🇨🇦
I had a 530d Msport and maintained it meticulously, but it still left me stranded 5 times in 2 years and cost me £2500 in extra repairs. (Also glowplugs and control unit, multiple thermostats which are made from plasticine and explode all the time, clogged DPF as a result of faulty thermostats not allowing the engine to get hot enough for re-gens to occur, the nav unit also failed and the steering lock liked to refuse to unlock. Great car to drive when it was working though, it just didn't work much sadly. Got rid in the end at a huge loss and got my ancient e39 540i back on the road. Earlier BMW's were much better built.
I have the same vehicle I bought a 2 years ago and have replaced all the same parts myself on my drive except gearbox oil service for a fraction of the price. I love my e61 535d and it’s now on 205,000 miles and drives amazing. As mentioned on previous comments, most Maintenance can be carried out by yourself. Great car and don’t get stung by garages 👍🏼
You're a rare breed Mat. A gambler who tells you about his losses as well as gains. I admire your honesty. I makes the rest of us feel better about spunking money on cars that really should be consigned to the scrap heap. I have a Volvo and Nissan with a combined value of about forty quid, but happily keep spending money on them when they really should be put out of their misery.
I had an old E36 and despite maintenance it often decided it needed a bit of love from the local specialist, to the point where he cheered when i pulled in and shouted to his colleague "get the credit card Machine out". He said it was banter!. Never got my money back but the straight six petrol was a peach and always supplied the grin factor.
Hopefully you can get some of the VAT back on that lot but I agree, it's such a shame the previous owner let it get so far! Nice video chap, always enjoy your fillums.
Repair recycle reuse! keep it going lad! in the throw away society you are setting an example without glueing yourself to the road! i run a 530 d estate and a 205 gti which i have had for 30 years ! you are not wasting money but saving the world! God will bless you!
My 2009 520d was lucky to find me as her first and only owner, so she was well taken care of from the start. I never had an extra expense, ever. She's happy, I'm happy, and an almost 13 years relationship is still going strong.
Excellent vid again. I feel your pain. I do not actually know ANYONE who services Thier cars on time or fixes minor issues as they happen. I personally cannot abide rattles bumps and squeaks etc. As a result I lose money every time I trade my car in. Nobody sees the new tyres and the nice clean filters or sparkling engine bay as a plus..!
Matt, that first video about this BMW was astonishingly prophetic. You are an absolute sucker for a car that needs rescuing but I suspect that most of your subscribers are guilty of doing the same. I know I am. I love it when you bring a car like this back up to full working order, including all of the detail stuff like the wheels and paintwork. Your candour when costs spiral out of control is an endearing quality so please don't beat yourself up about it. It is one of the many reasons why we enjoy your RU-vid channel so much. Always `must see' content.
Front discs and pads for that car, quality German made parts available for £80. I know as I bought and fitted myself. Most of the work you had done could easily have been done by an average home mechanic. Really nice cars especially the petrol straight six ones.
Yeah, just doing front brakes myself on my Volvo V70 is like £100 for premium discs and pads saving at least £300 compared to letting Volvo do it with expensive "volvo" parts...
The 535d is a dangerous version, as well known for high troubles of the engine. Buy only the 530d which is kind of bullet proof if well maintained. If you want to stay on the safe side, buy a top Serviced E39 530d in best condition with great history and you will drive forever and ever and ever... Regards from Austria
@@mikaeljonsson4686 Got a 2001 V70 2.4T. Great car. Got Brembo rotors and pads for it. The rotors were around EUR 60/piece. Even the Volvo parts are cheaper if not purchased through the dealer.
@@houseofwine7704 Unfortunately the older Diesel powered cars are banned from the cities. A E39 530d is probably not allowed in the designated low emission zones. As much as I'd love to have one, it probably doesn't make sense to buy it anymore. Even my gas powered 20yo EUR 3 Volvo has until Jan 1st 2028 before it'll be banned from those places.
I totally get it. I also get attached to cars that’s why I currently have 4 and they all have names. My wife occasionally nags me to reduce my collection but she is a bit like your bank manager and knows it will never happen. I am very good at buying cars but completely shit at selling them. But I am good at keeping them in tip top condition thanks to your videos and my OCD. 👍
I really like this car Matt and if I wasn't living near the London ULEZ zone I would offer you good money for it. Its worth spending on if you intend to keep it long term. But if its being moved on then unfortunately you don't get the benefit of the repairs. Then it becomes a headache. Any one of us can get unlucky with a purchase. We can try to be clever but ultimately we can all come undone. Any 2nd hand car is a gamble. But if you buy something that you really like then its usually worth the risk. If you love the car then you won't begrudge the odd repair bill here and there, as long as you have money set aside. My 2004 E60 3.0 petrol is still going strong with no big bills at all. Its about good basic maintenance and luck.
I've been thinking of getting an older car as a run about. I do like your BMW. Though mine is a Fiat Panda 100hp, would you mine picking one of those up and see how that pans out? You are doing a fantastic service for the car enthusiasts who are ruled by hearts and not by head. I congratulate you!
Oh dear, I don’t think your troubles are over. The key problem is very likely to be the diversity module housed in the cowl over the tailgate. Age and ingress of water makes the unit fail, also where the wiring harness enters the tailgate is another failure point, the flexing wires fail and break. Owned one of these until last year when I virtually gave it away. Lovely cars when they are new but a nightmare when they get a few miles and years under their belts.Good luck.
I've had my 35d for around 3yrs now and the "key 🔑 issue" you are having isn't the key at all im afraid . It will most definitely be the diversity antenna thats hidden inside the spoiler on the back, they get water ingress and fail due to corrosion, if you're lucky then it will just be the wires in the boot hinges that have worn and will just need replacing instead, either way its not the key 😉 keep up the good work 👍 😉 😀
So I’ve just sorted this on my e61 LCI touring, boot looming is often the issue too. If it’s the antenna module it’s actually an easy fix, but the looming is a real head ache. But new there are some great videos of it being done, but it’s a tight job that needs around 4 hours with the right tools to sort for good.
Matt your videos are a lighthouse of hope in a sea of idiots. Your channel is a breath air. Your honest approach to cars and maintenance. Is there a join button to help out with this channel?
Think you are just human Matt, I just worked out I've spent just shy of 5k on my 981 Boxster S since May to get it absolutely mint. I won't get that back but it makes me feel happy its as good as it can be.
Matt, double check that key fob. I've got an 2007 E91 with the same key - at least it looks like it's the same. The fob does have a replaceable battery. Or just take it to a dealer and double check.
Hi Matt, the remote key fobs are about £173.41 from BMW. Thats if you transfer the key from the old key fob and place it in the new one. You can't get to the battery without braking them open and BMW told me that I would have to replace the item once it stops working . Also they are supposed to recharge themselves when you use them in the ignition. .
@@HighPeakAutos I have an LCI E61 535i with comfort access and my keyfobs have replaceable batteries. I'm not sure if this is specific to LCI or comfort access, but it's worth double checking yours isn't the same before buying a new fob.
I have a E90 335D of same era. Bloody love the car and thankfully not cost me much apart from the tuning I've done to get it over 400bhp. Dyno run in my videos. :)
You sound very much like me, I don't think I've ever made money fixing a car up and selling it, to me that's not what it's about. I get great pleasure in restoring a car back to its former glory 👍That's going to be one lucky new owner come sale time, unless you can find a reason to keep hold of it 😊
As long as selling cars is not your profession, then you will be OK. Unfortunately, HPA is a business and cannot sustain breaking even or losing money on each car sales.
Thank for your review on the cost of this BMW, it's clear that almost everytime nothing is more expensive than a cheap BMW. I clicked the like button, hopefuly it helps😀
Just a suggestion about the key before getting a new one or try fixing the antenna. If you've an electric toothbrush, leave the key overnight resting on the induction charger. I made the mistake of only using 1 key for best part of a year, tried the spare one day and only worked when right up against the window. Friend suggested the above, day after charging key for 8 hrs overnight worked fine since.
If it helps, I spent 9000€ in ONE YEAR on my E61 530XD. It includes engine change(timing chain broke) and xdrive gearbox(it broke after the engine change), turbo, DPF and a LOT more
Sounds like a similar story to when I bought a 2002 Boxster S a few years ago. The bills were never ending, including the first bill for £2350. That got it through its MOT, but every time it visited my local Porsche specialist after that, the bill was always hundreds of pounds. I sympathise!
Had an '08 E61 520d and although I loved it a lot went wrong. The 2.0L engine has some severe design faults and my timing jumped because of a stretched timing chain before 100k and was expensive to fix but is a common fault on that engine. The vanes on the turbo were removed at the same time as they have a tendency to fall off and wreck the turbo. Load of electrical issues when I bought it but were covered by warranty (new ECU - 1k) and a new BT control module (another 1k) but what finally killed it was the brake servo?? which is located in the engine. Lovely to drive and not too expensive in the interim apart from the horrible and expensive run flat tyres. Drove nicely though.
You should have taken it to Edd China, he would have fixed it all within two days including the paintwork, and wouldn't charge you any labour costs. How he remains in business is beyond me. Joking aside, you now have a very nice motor that is almost as good as new. If I had the readies I would willingly pay over the odds for it knowing that all the problems have been rectified.
Its refreshing to see the honesty and passion as you obviously just loves cars. I think these cars are going to appreciate due to the potential of the engine. Im sure someone would pay enough to at least get your money back especially when someone knows it well.
Such a coincidence! I have a 2005 e61 5 series. After 5 years ownership, It’s just reached 196k and after many’s a £750 repair bill, I’ve decided it’s time to move on. Just needs the allows refurbed and key fob coded and it’s mint.
Your key problem is propably the antenna reciever located on the top of the tailgate. Or a fuse in the same location. Or broken wire loom that goes trough the hinges in the tailgate. Common problem, happened to mine.
Watching this has made my Friday night even better. Just baught my self a bmw g30 2018 520d m sport same as the 2017 one your reviewed having bought it blind & never drive one. Picked it up last week from Bristol Street Motors in Newcastle. After watching you vlog Lost count how many times I’ve pulled the trigger and bought one. After 10 minutes of driving it I was in love I just hope it stands the test of time as it’s going to be private hire vehicle. Hope it stands the test of time like my 2012 Vauxhall insignia cdti with 500k yes 500k on the clock. 😂😂😂
I feel your pain in running a higher mileage E61 Diesel. I drive a 2009 E61 530D & the cam chain snapped @ 210000 miles. I won’t say how much it cost me to rebuild the head but it hurt my bank balance. My car now has 226000 miles on the clock & still puts a smile on my face (still a few issues to sort out though). Keep up the good work 👍
As an owner of a 57 plate 535d lci, I know the struggle. Had mine 2 years now and have spent quite a bit time and money on it. Everything from diversity antenna key control components to full suspension and arms on front and rear, 2 oil and filter services 2 sets of tyre's, gearbox service zf oil and replaced mechtronic sleeve seals and relearning of solenoids after removal and inspection... It goes on, do all the work myself between my full time job and family. Still have a boost leak to fix, parking sensors and sos call failure to fix. Trust me, I know the struggle but it's been one of the most enjoyable daily driver's I have own.
A genuine enthusiast who wants that model that has had everything done may well be prepared to pay the asking, cars are a passion for many as well as transport, and it’s great to keep these great cars on the road. Great video.
Matt must be a cut above most of the used car dealers I've bought from in the past, usually they've sold me cars where I've had to spend a thousand or more soon after buying, to the extent that I more or less expected it . Good to know that at least one dealer is honest and decent, don't know how some can sleep at night.
I had one of those when it was 9 years old. the lci version. Bought it with full bmw service history, 1 owner from new, still gave me a headache. Always needed a job doing. Lovely to drive tho. The heating controls were a pain!
None of these issues seem to be too serious - just lots of them piling up at once. This could have been avoided had it been maintained properly. They are good solid cars (most of the time), just more sensitive to proper service than a corolla lol
Amen brother, testify. This is true for all cars, keep them serviced and maintained they will go on forever costing you buttons compared to the "buy new/nearly new on the never never, then repeat after 2-3 years" model. Dare to keep a car beyond 3 years from new, just keep it serviced and don't cheap out. Guess what? It won't let you down! :O
I had to replace the nox sensor on my psa 1600 hdi changed it myself but still cost me £415 to purchase an genuine sensor and have the main dealer reset the ecu as my blue driver wouldn't reset the mileage warning. The car was fully serviced. Too many sensors on cars now that can fail. Parts department had 13 in stock that tells you how commonly they fail.
I had a 520d touring, 2006, and it was a nightmare with electrical issues. Engine was fine but had to get rid in the end, was just too unreliable. Luckily I didn't lose a lot of cash on it.
I think I was really lucky with my old e60 M5. The owner before me was my dad and before that it was some old guy who looked after well. Didn’t have any problems and it was my long distance daily. Now I’m driving a E70 x5 30d seen a lot of vids that I can do a lot myself to save money. This touring is lovely and I’m sure you will make the most of it!
A big bill indeed, but if you hadn't already told us, I would have guessed at £4000 or more for the list of things it had done, and at a BMW dealer. It will certainly be a good buy for someone when you eventually get to sell it.
Thumbs-up given. Fair play to you for persevering with the old BMW's. Sometimes it's best to call it a day and cut your losses. You are only one man!!!!
It's a brave man who buys a BMW, let alone a 15 year old BMW. A mate of mine worked for the RAC for over 20 years, and if the public could here what he said BMW, Audi, and even VW would struggle to sell anything , not to bad for the first year or two, but after that leave well alone. Other than early Land Rovers and early Range Rovers ( Ironically pre BMW ownership ) I wouldn't touch anything that did not have the word Toyota stamped on the bonnet.
my wifes mum bought a brand new toyota corrola in 1987. you know it's still running perfectly.everything works fine. now that is getting your money out of your car.
I have a 2005 E60 535d saloon and have had pretty much everything on your list done to mine over the last five years or so, plus regular springs. The gearbox needs a service now. Not cheap, sure - but huge, huge fun and 162k miles.
When I went out looking all over for an E60 Touring a couple of years ago I found that most have the same problem. The prior owner just didn't keep them up after they fell out of warranty. It's rare to find a used model that was owned by an enthusiast that maintained them properly. I couldn't find a nice one so settled on a 2010 Volvo V70 R-Design with lots of miles but had regular services even after the warranty was long gone. First time in over 30 years a BMW hasn't been in the driveway. Couldn't be happier.
I've started doing some work on my cars recently, and really enjoyed it (as well as the savings cost). A car like this is much more pleasurable to own if you're handy with a socket set. Would be a good series to see you learning some of the basics and attempting some DIY stuff, if you have the time of course. Think it would be enjoyable to see you applying your knowledge to something hands on. I understand its much easier to sling the car in the garage and hand over a wedge, though. I've always been into these, especially the 35d and the m5 v10, both of which were rated some of the most unreliable cars in the UK in their time. I've recently picked up the UK's cheapest E92, which will appear on the channel in a few days, so I might be about to embark on a similarly expensive journey!
Agree. I know nothing at all about cars, but enjoy this channel, and recently have done some very very basic repairs on my car (when I’d usually just Chuck it in the garage), and it actually felt good to fix stuff myself.
B M trouble you Last summer had a full track day with BMW135. I have driven many great cars but never had so much fun with a car. The engine sound, the steering, control… just awesome. So in that sense, I can certainly understand why so many people love their BMWs.
Hi Matt, I know from all your previous videos that you are a stickler for getting everything that needs doing done right, but when you said to the BMW dealer give me a list of what's needed to put it right perhaps they were a little over zealous !!! Is it my lack of trust with main dealers or maybe the dealership could have added a few bits and pieces in, not they would of course !!!
If you take one thing from this video, it’s that you have to diligently check the car before buying, if you can bring it to bmw dealership for full inspection which will cost you 100-200 but can save thousands in repairs. Happened for me also spent over 6k repairing my f10
My brother had the exact same model - he gave it to his son as he needed something beefier to tow his german caravan, so he switched to an X5. He was forever having to get stuff done to it. Poo-pooed my Alfa 159 when I bought it, but I'm having the last laugh as my running costs are minimal compared to his.
I will also say that my car has the later more torquey 2.0 diesel which can be a very relaxing drive on a motorway, but give it the beans and you can do very rapid overtaking without being silly.
@@iPlayzz BMW engineering from that era is actually very good. I have great respect for it. Mostly it has been previous owners, doing or not doing something to cause things to break down.
So sorry to hear you had such a bad experience with that BMW. My 520D E61 cost very little to run for 10 years and 220,000 miles. Somedays I wish I had kept it.
Once car prices drop to a certain point they become prey to the unrealistic marginal motorists. Those who only think as far as the monthly hp payments. I used to see it so often, cars ruined by owners who had no business running a car on the income they had. It’s harsh but ultimately a badly maintained car is a danger to its driver and everybody else.
@@harrypalmer6228 They can't even afford the car, but they can afford £200 a month on finance. But not the £200 a month they should also be putting away for maintenance.
So glad that I went for a Merc s211 over an e60 / 61, I've seen so many vids since where endless things are going wrong. I know that the merc's can go wrong too though having owned a poorly maintained previously w211 money pit but yeah I think the merc's of that period were so much better built in comparison to the b.m.'s
On a previous video you ranted about mechanics ringing you up saying it needs X Y & Z.. and your awnser was “just get it done and send me a bill” They definitely seen you coming this time 😂
You did quite well considering you're in the UK. In my country the service labor is very cheap, but parts cost the same $$. Bought an e90 335d back in 2016 for 9.500eur....in excellent condition mind you....till this day I've spent upwards of 13.000eur on maintenance and defects, all services performed at an independent BMW specialist with OEM parts and consumables. Today I'm changing the oil, brake fluid, antifreeze and filters = 200eur. Still love it to bits though! It makes me smile every time I drive it, so money well spent.
Yeah, you'll never get your money back selling the thing, it just isn't as desirable as a E34 or E39, so you'll have to try to enjoy it yourself as much as you can.
I have a car of a similar era and yeah, things just start to break at that age. Plastics go brittle, electric components fail. I have saved thousands by replacing parts by myself. Starter motor, alternator, belts, water pump, heater core, etc.
Key. Not working is probably broken wires in the where the boot hinge is the locking wires run in the right hand side rubber boot as your stood at it . Great vid Matt
I had one of these and LOVED it, sold it for way way way more than I paid for it, miss it too. But what you've paid for there is a lot of labour charges by the sounds of it. I'm no mechanic but managed to do most of the maintenance and repairs myself, parts are plentiful and cheap. The E61 535d is such a fantastic machine.
I did wonder at the time....as your 535d was pushed out of the way to get my 520d in at Darren's last Tuesday.......Couldn't be sure until clocking the reg in this video just now!
I'm trying to like this generation 5 Series, but it's proving to be hard. I just hate the front end design, plus the fit and finish of the interior, especially after the E39.
Always hated it apart from the m5 version. I had the E34 then the E39 which I still have after 16 years, but then I had to skip the E60 as soon as I saw it. Got tempted by the f10 so I ended up with the G30, still not a E39 but a brilliant 5 Series.
@@chrismavrou9592 All I can say is this: E34 😍 E39 😍 G30 😍 F10 😑 E60 😢 You chose the most amazing 5 Series generations for sure 👍. On the other hand, I love my E63 LCI 6 Series coupé, which is based on the E60.
Front end is horrible with its dame Edna glasses lights. BMW haven’t made a nice looking car for years. That grill on the 3 series is still awful. People still buy them though with their £400 pcp payments as it makes them feel like something special.
LCI interior is much better, though still worse in some ways than e39. Personally I love the front of these with the M sport front. The rounded nose is just how it should look, if one is a stickler for aerodynamics.
I would employ a mechanic in your garage so it wouldn’t cost you so much. Someone part-time who can fix 90% of jobs then go to garages for difficult stuff . Or if you could do the work yourself get handy with a spanner…
By the time you have completed the work on this car Matt it will be a pristine example of a very potent and very underrated car indeed and I would not be surprised if you end up selling it for above the odds money. And well you should with all it's work to restore it back to full health fully documented here on RU-vid. If I was after a 535d estate it would be this car I would go for and I would pay over the odds for it, so keep your chin up mate as this story may still have a happy ending but please don't sell yourself short with your asking price when you sell it. Good luck to you.
You can still replace the battery. It's a Panasonic rechargeable. You just open the case with a craft knife and seal it back together. Have done several - E46, E91 and E61.
I empathise with you. I luckily just got a 170,000 mile 530d ‘05 for just over £1k. Full service history with BMW/specialist. No issues so far touch wood. Putting it through an MOT tomorrow so I guess that will be the true test, but Ive fixed the few advisories it had already so really hoping it just sails through. Great car, great engine. The only one thing I have noticed was on really hard breaking slight shudder through the wheel. I think like you mentioned I’ll have a good gear box service to be sure. I understand why you got so attached. I hope I stay lucky and you get lucky. All the best.
That’s an awful lot of money to spend on what isn’t a lot of work or parts! I know it’s not what you do but if I bought that I’d have done all the work and it would probably cost like £800 maximum and that would probably include a couple of Michelin PS4 tyres too.
@@TsLeng you’re joking or you’re being ripped off on your tyres. Don’t ask kwik fit because they want a fortune! I can get a pair of 18s for £280. 225/45 18 I think I can’t remember if the top of my head.
He had some rotten luck as well from the start, though there really wasnt too much wrong with it overall. Dont remember precisely, but I think I thought a water leak was the source of his problems. After it got fixed, it supposedly ran fine for several 100k miles?
This has cheered me right up, being the owner of a 2004 Cayenne I am all to familiar with this. Where do you pull the plug? Everytime some else goes wrong, I think fix it because I have just done.....
Hi, we both know the fault lies with BMW, they sold the whole range at this time with low maintenance packages, after three years, when out of warranty, not our problem. They then slip through the second hand food chain, guess what the new owner adopts the same mind set The accounts, obviously don’t hold engineers in high regard , but I guess that the reason your mates who repaired your 535 exist 👍
15 years old car is serviced at independent services or by self. I had e61 lci from 2009 and i sold it with 320tkm or 200k miles. Parking sensor new from amazone 16e(my wife hit a wall),new battery i replaced,oil and filters and brakes done by me,nothing major from 200tkm to 320tkm.now i drive x3 and it's my 3rd bmw plus bmw motorcycle.
From my experience, 200k kms is that "open up your wallet" time for any BMW, no matter how well you maintain it. I've recently spent over AUD6,000 on my 2004 e46 touring and that included all sorts of bits and pieces, including engine mounts, suspension bushes, hoses, etc. What you spent on yours doesn't seem that unreasonable to be honest, particularly on the performance model.
Just proves that if anyone buys a car of this sophistication and cost of repair, as few owners as possible is best and a FSH. If the BMW was a car for you to keep then it might not be so bad as it should pay you back over time but to sell it at a profit will be difficult. Might be able to sell it and break even. Wish you all the best and Thanks for such great content.
Matt : There was a product review done few months back about a scratch removed compound that retailed in USA for under $20 and its meant to remove in two applications, the kind of work the back of this car has. But for the life of me I cannot remember what it was called or if there was a UK distributor for said compound. Might be worth you checking it out?
If the scratch doesn't clear up when you spit on it, chases are a product like you describe won't work. And it looks like the bumper is deeply scratched and missing bits of paint, you'd need a paint work.
BMW specialist a better bet, lower overheads and often a more personal service, glad you changed the auto box oil, 3 of my BMW 'sealed for life boxes failed around 100k.
