£5k to £6k dog car with fun

[FastEdd11e]

The perfect car would be my old WRX Prodrive Wagon but I broke that and they are simply not around anymore.

It needs to have some poke or at least the ability to get a re-map done.

My list;

1) 1 series - 120d ish
2) WRX Wagon - if I can find one
3) Skoda
4) Golf


I really am short on ideas.

This one seems to be in the ballpark

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202308301...

Are there any red flags I need to be aware of for the BMW diesel/petrol engines? I read somewhere that one of the diesel engines had timing chain problems. Not sure which one.

Diesel Skoda seem to be popular. Has anyone had their car remapped by Darkside up in Yorkshire? That could be an option.

[soad]

I used to take our dog, literally out in the countryside, a good 15 minutes away (when pressing on). Can’t see why you need a diesel?

[smn159]

I wouldn't bother with a 1 series BMW myself - certainly not a diesel.

Do it properly and go for a 6 cylinder petrol Touring

[nunpuncher]

Wow, the folk on Pistonheads really do have it all compared to the common man. Dogs that can drive and even have their own cars.

[Evanivitch]

Poke or fun?

Fiat Panda 100 can be some good fun. As could a Suzuki Swift Sport. But not particularly quick cars.

[RoVoFob]

smn159 said:

I wouldn't bother with a 1 series BMW myself - certainly not a diesel.

Do it properly and go for a 6 cylinder petrol Touring

Why not get a 130i? Lighter, faster and more analogue than any bigger, heavier Touring…

[ZX10R NIN]

2.5T Mondeo geat chassis & that sweet five pot:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202403067...

2.5T Focus ST:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202312104...

Giulietta Cloverleaf:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202310062...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202312144...

All are more fun imo than your list.

[smn159]

RoVoFob said:

smn159 said:

I wouldn't bother with a 1 series BMW myself - certainly not a diesel.

Do it properly and go for a 6 cylinder petrol Touring

Why not get a 130i? Lighter, faster and more analogue than any bigger, heavier Touring…

Yeah true and it's a balance - my preference would be more room

[Manxwilliams]

Twingo RS

[ATM]

How about a bit of brown?

545i

4500 pound - now reduced to 4125

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/145656219883





Copy pasting this blurb from elsewhere....

My 550i has been fine. In fact quite solid really. Not perfect but fine. Been consuming oil - valve stem oil seals - whole time I've had it. I added some snake oil in the form of seal repair additives about 2 years ago. Don't know if it helped but definitely didn't make anything worse. Also weeping a bit from the vacuum pump. Doesn't leave any drops underneath although I only park on public roads, no fancy paved driveways here so I'm not really bothered if it does.

I chose the big v8 when I bought it 9 years ago because it wasn't diesel so no emission control drama or turbo problems associated with modern oil burners. And really its been good to me.

Plus it's genuinely quick. Will hit 60 in just under 6 seconds even now after 19 years, 120000 miles and with an old school ZF 6 speed slusher. 25 mpg is optimistic but 20 is maybe realistic.

Boot can swallow 4 full sized wheels and tyres - if not too wide - without even folding seats down.

Mine was a BMW press car. Got a copy of the BMW magazine it featured in.

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=15...

[66HFM]

The answer is Skoda Octavia VRS, now what was the question....?

Also A4 Avant or Seat Exeo Estate

[andburg]

how big is the dog?

with the right dog anything can be a dog car

[FastEdd11e]

andburg said:

how big is the dog?

with the right dog anything can be a dog car

Belgium Malinois. Smaller and more agile than a GSD but full of psychopathy.

[FastEdd11e]

ATM said:

How about a bit of brown?

545i

4500 pound - now reduced to 4125

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/145656219883


https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=15...

Is this era BMW reliable?

[ATM]

FastEdd11e said:

ATM said:

How about a bit of brown?

545i

4500 pound - now reduced to 4125

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/145656219883


https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=15...

Is this era BMW reliable?

I think so Yes.

I believe BMW spent more on development of the 5 compared to their others back in this era because it was their best selling car.

Only time I was stranded was a burst header tank for coolant. Thats from 80000 to 120000 miles. Mine is 19 years old. I treat it like ste.

2 years ago these were selling for 10 grand.

That brown one looks cheap if you ask Me.

Mine has 370 bhp. The 545 is only 333.

Super rare car these in estate with the Big V8. I have only ever seen one more 550i Dog Van.

I think they look cheap. Where can you get that bhp for cheap money?

Plus they are civilized too. Has easily enough power to excite. Handles ok as its a good size. Not tiny like a 3 series and not massive like the newer 5ers.

Mine has Meyle suspension arms with their HD bushes. Good quality discs - 2 piece so alloy centres to save weight. EBC yellow pads. Bilstein B8 shocks - its a bit firmer - lowered springs on the front. Standard air springs on the back. Self levelling for load carrying. All from MOT fails / advisories.

Welcome to have a go in mine if you live anywhere near Manchester - Trafford Centre?

Do these give you an idea of size. 2 x mtb in there with seats in upright position. Can get dog guard thing obviously.

This is my first estate. I would never go back to a saloon.

I bought a 335i and ran the 2 side by side for about a year but sold the 335i as I preferred the 550i.

I could go on ... and on ... and on ... forever....

[Gerradi]

FastEdd11e said:

Belgium Malinois. Smaller and more agile than a GSD but [bfull of psychopathy.[/b]

Probably fed up being thrown around in the back of some old worn tug, driven by a clown...

[ATM]

This was my old 43 inch Samsung. Can stand up in the back easily.

[ATM]

Last one ... I promise

My car was the BMW press car

And in this magazine

I have a copy

[georgeyboy12345]

FastEdd11e said:

ATM said:

How about a bit of brown?

545i

4500 pound - now reduced to 4125

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/145656219883


https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=15...

Is this era BMW reliable?

Mostly not but it depends on the engine. Early (pre 2007) 6 cyl 520i/525i/530i's were ok, as were the early 4 cyl 520d. The 6 cyl diesels - 525d,530d and 535d were reliable. Later petrol 6 cylinder engines, and all V8s like this one were problematic, as was the fabled S85 V10 in the M5.

[ATM]

georgeyboy12345 said:

FastEdd11e said:

ATM said:

How about a bit of brown?

545i

4500 pound - now reduced to 4125

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/145656219883


https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=15...

Is this era BMW reliable?

Mostly not but it depends on the engine. Early (pre 2007) 6 cyl 520i/525i/530i's were ok, as were the early 4 cyl 520d. The 6 cyl diesels - 525d,530d and 535d were reliable. Later petrol 6 cylinder engines, and all V8s like this one were problematic, as was the fabled S85 V10 in the M5.

Just not true. Mine recently developed a misfire due to some water ingress into one of the control module things. First time it has been to a professional mechanic for fault diagnosis. Not returned home yet so you could still be right, we'll see.

Known faults are smoking exhaust from leaky valve seals. I just live with that. Burns a bit of oil. I dont care. To fix is a grand - mainly labour.

No timing belt or timing chain woes. We have a thread running for other owners We have seen cars on 200k. One did develop a nasty oil leak from some alternator bracket. That's a complicated fix. Mine has been fine.

Same engine used in X5, X6, 7er and many of them in USA and other countries where they dont care about fuel costs - or they didn't 20 years ago. 10 years ago you couldn't buy a diesel BMW in USA.

Please let us know what faults you think these suffer from.

Mine was parked for around 11 months during Covid and didnt move. I changed the battery, added air to the tyres and it started fine.