Used cars - advice

Relax and enjoy your trip, I'm sure if the car has been serviced regularly throughout its life you'll have no problems with the timing chain or gearbox.
And in the unlikely event that it does expire at least it will be closer to its maker

 

Hah, but I'm heading across northern Germany so still some way from BMW HQ!
It has had regular services, yes, and a few supplementaries as well. A couple of years ago I had a problem with blocked DPF and this cost a fortune to put right. I will never have a diesel car again, that's for sure. It's latest annoyance is warning lights coming on for no reason - I've had my garage do full diagnostics twice and although they found one problem which needed attention the rest of the warnings were random. I was told not to worry. They come on now and again (usually three of them) and go off when they feel like it. Sometimes I can go months without seeing one.
It will be just my luck if they come on when I decide to sell or trade in the car, thus putting off the buyer! I'm reluctant to part with it though because I love driving the car.

 

You can find out values using webuyanycar and autotrader. We Buy Any Car will give you the bottom book price, so if you put both cars in it will tell you the difference that there should be between the two. Autotrader will give you a price the car should sell for if you "pretend" to start to place an advert.

 

It’s been a few years since I was doing high mileage. When living in Princes Risborough there were plenty of trips up to Oakwell of course plus longer journeys around this country and into Eastern Europe. But since moving back north opportunities for long trips are fewer. The garage owner told me that my shorter and infrequent driving habits were no good for a 2 litre diesel. I try to get out whenever possible, abiding by the advice to drive at and above 60mph where possible, this to burn off the build of diesel particles. I should get rid of it really but, after 8 years, I’m reluctant to lose the best car I’ve ever owned

 

You should be fine as long as you give it a motorway run every so often to prevent DPF issues.

 

Yes so they told me. I wish I’d known about that problem building up though. Would have saved me a lot of money

 

Just timing to be honest.

 

Yeah mate it's so tosh that in the USA and Eire BMW have paid out vast amounts following group law suits and in smaller markets done recalls but won't in larger markets. The timing chain is supposed to be maintenance free so is at back of engine. However from 2007 to 2014 it had plastic guiders which fail. Some fail at 40k some at 140k some don't but too much of a chance. If it goes while your driving rather than start up it totals the pulley which is actually part of the crankshaft so its a complete engine rebuild. There's even a company in London that specialise in buying them up (at just a bit above scrap). My 2012 520 went at 95k on start up so only chain. Total service history and a retired bank manager owner before me. Cost me £1200 at mates rates to fix. If you've got one get shut. Oh and the original thread was about age v mileage so I don't know if it's relevant or not, thought I'd share my experience if it helped somebody else. Do you think on reflection your response was a little rude? Especially as I am right.
BMW caved in when sued because the engine had a major design flaw. This was my fifth BMW including ones from new, but no more.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.ir...-brought-over-design-fault-1.3680846?mode=amp
And for a price guide on fixing it:
http://prestige-german-engines.co.uk/engine-issues/bmw-timing-chain-failure/

 

I repeat - to say don't buy a BMW with a 2.0 diesel engine is tosh. Sorry if it offends you and you must be p*ssed off with your experience, I'd feel the same, but that engine hasn't been sold for the last six years.

 

I'll just let people read the facts and make their own minds up. I wouldn't touch one with a barge pole. Even featured on BBC watchdog
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/ar...ngine-failures-are-due-to-manufacturing-fault
If you've got one spend 10 minutes on Google and ask yourself if you want to play Russian roulette with your savings, not to mention the danger were it to fail on the motorway or in the middle of an overtake.