'reliable' BMW under 10K best option?
Discussion
i've no idea what i'm looking at, but i know i want a BMW.
Something fun to drive, sounding sporty is a bonus. 4 Seats (rear can be for kids).
What year, model, gears etc. should i be aiming for? or more importantly avoiding?
I asked AI and got the following to aim for, how did it do?
BMW 120i
125i Coupe (2011–2013), 3.0L N52 petrol, M Sport, 6-speed manual, RWD
135i Coupe (2011–2013), 3.0L N55 turbo petrol, M Sport, 6-speed manual or 7-speed DCT, RWD
BMW 220i
2014–2016 BMW 220i M Sport Coupe, 2.0L N20 turbo petrol, 6-speed manual,
BMW 320i
2016–2018, 2.0L B48 petrol, M Sport, 8-speed auto, 4-door saloon, RWD — refined and versatile daily driver.
BMW 330i
2016–2018, 2.0L B48 petrol, M Sport, 8-speed auto, 4-door saloon, RWD or xDrive — fast, balanced, and efficient.
Something fun to drive, sounding sporty is a bonus. 4 Seats (rear can be for kids).
What year, model, gears etc. should i be aiming for? or more importantly avoiding?
I asked AI and got the following to aim for, how did it do?
BMW 120i
125i Coupe (2011–2013), 3.0L N52 petrol, M Sport, 6-speed manual, RWD
135i Coupe (2011–2013), 3.0L N55 turbo petrol, M Sport, 6-speed manual or 7-speed DCT, RWD
BMW 220i
2014–2016 BMW 220i M Sport Coupe, 2.0L N20 turbo petrol, 6-speed manual,
BMW 320i
2016–2018, 2.0L B48 petrol, M Sport, 8-speed auto, 4-door saloon, RWD — refined and versatile daily driver.
BMW 330i
2016–2018, 2.0L B48 petrol, M Sport, 8-speed auto, 4-door saloon, RWD or xDrive — fast, balanced, and efficient.
How long do you need it to last?
How many miles will you do?
The full cost of a car is not just putting in £10k of your capital, it's your annual costs of fuel, repairs, insurance, depreciation.
What's you concept of risk here?
Reliability is a statistical thing, can you afford to be unlucky?
It also has different meanings from 'always completes a journey' through to 'needs no repairs or maintenance'.
At my end of the market, the trick to 'good reliability' is buying lucky and knowing when to get rid!
How many miles will you do?
The full cost of a car is not just putting in £10k of your capital, it's your annual costs of fuel, repairs, insurance, depreciation.
What's you concept of risk here?
Reliability is a statistical thing, can you afford to be unlucky?
It also has different meanings from 'always completes a journey' through to 'needs no repairs or maintenance'.
At my end of the market, the trick to 'good reliability' is buying lucky and knowing when to get rid!
OutInTheShed said:
How long do you need it to last?
How many miles will you do?
The full cost of a car is not just putting in £10k of your capital, it's your annual costs of fuel, repairs, insurance, depreciation.
What's you concept of risk here?
Reliability is a statistical thing, can you afford to be unlucky?
It also has different meanings from 'always completes a journey' through to 'needs no repairs or maintenance'.
At my end of the market, the trick to 'good reliability' is buying lucky and knowing when to get rid!
I would probably keep for 3 years.How many miles will you do?
The full cost of a car is not just putting in £10k of your capital, it's your annual costs of fuel, repairs, insurance, depreciation.
What's you concept of risk here?
Reliability is a statistical thing, can you afford to be unlucky?
It also has different meanings from 'always completes a journey' through to 'needs no repairs or maintenance'.
At my end of the market, the trick to 'good reliability' is buying lucky and knowing when to get rid!
6k miles. limited urban, A, B roads and short motorway.
More than ready to commit to servicing, tyres, etc, not just the initial purchase price.
To me reliable means it will drive and not likely to explode so long as i buy within a particular age range, mileage, service history
Edited by cotswoldsdriver on Tuesday 24th June 18:09
If you go for a 6 cylinder I would avoid the N53 engine.
You'd be fine with a 125i coupe as it was only ever the older N52 but the 325i and 330i used both engines depending on year. The older unit is more reliable but less efficient.
I think I'd avoid the N20 turbo as they had timing chain issues.
Any 10k Beemer will be quite old and could potentially throw some expensive bills. Maybe worth considering newer but with higher miles?
You'd be fine with a 125i coupe as it was only ever the older N52 but the 325i and 330i used both engines depending on year. The older unit is more reliable but less efficient.
I think I'd avoid the N20 turbo as they had timing chain issues.
Any 10k Beemer will be quite old and could potentially throw some expensive bills. Maybe worth considering newer but with higher miles?
cotswoldsdriver said:
That should be fine.It isn't under 10k though!?
cotswoldsdriver said:
OutInTheShed said:
How long do you need it to last?
How many miles will you do?
The full cost of a car is not just putting in £10k of your capital, it's your annual costs of fuel, repairs, insurance, depreciation.
What's you concept of risk here?
Reliability is a statistical thing, can you afford to be unlucky?
It also has different meanings from 'always completes a journey' through to 'needs no repairs or maintenance'.
At my end of the market, the trick to 'good reliability' is buying lucky and knowing when to get rid!
I would probably keep for 3 years.How many miles will you do?
The full cost of a car is not just putting in £10k of your capital, it's your annual costs of fuel, repairs, insurance, depreciation.
What's you concept of risk here?
Reliability is a statistical thing, can you afford to be unlucky?
It also has different meanings from 'always completes a journey' through to 'needs no repairs or maintenance'.
At my end of the market, the trick to 'good reliability' is buying lucky and knowing when to get rid!
6k miles. limited urban, A, B roads and short motorway.
More than ready to commit to servicing, tyres, etc, not just the initial purchase price.
To me reliable means it will drive and not likely to explode so long as i buy within a particular age range, mileage, service history
Edited by cotswoldsdriver on Tuesday 24th June 18:09
I think most BMWs make it to 100k miles without too much trauma?
So buying at maybe 80k miles and selling around 100k is IMHO pretty low risk, compared to me buying at 100k and keeping for another 50k or more, but by the time I've done 40k miles in a car, I don't feel it owes me so much.
There are lots of <80k mile BMWs around for well under £10k.
I think if you 'want a BMW' you're suggesting to me you want a 6 cylinder car with some go in it?
It's not like 'I wanted a tidy saloon and this 316 came my way'?
If you look for something like a 325, maybe a bit older, it's unlikely to have been thrashed and somebody else has paid most of the depreciation and sorted any early problems. but there's always a risk.
There are some nice cars that tick the boxes while leaving a fair chunk of your £10k in the bank.
Personally, I want an estate which narrows the choices.
There's plenty of choice in saloons.
And from being in a lot of other people's BM's I prefer the SE to the M, quieter, less ag with tyres, a good compromise, other opinions are available....
Nobody on here is giving you a worthwhile guarantee though!
I'm on my 7th and 8th and the last 6 have all been petrol straight 6 manuals!
I've had four with the N52 engine and it seems pretty bulletproof, although with age ancillaries like starters, water pumps, alternators, etc. will need replacement from time to time. Current one has done 128K miles and still performs brilliantly.
My ex-Sytner BMW Indy recommended sticking to sixes, preferably petrol, so I've never considered a 4 cylinder one.
I don't know much about the N55 but the fact it has a turbo suggests more potential for bills. I know quite a few people who have had major issues with N54s injectors and High Pressure Fuel Pumps which create big bills so I'd be wary of any turbo for the same reason.
I'd go for a 130i or 125i. They have the same engine but for some reason BMW capped the power on the 125i. A remap will get it back, although the 130i also had bigger front brakes than the 125i.
I've had four with the N52 engine and it seems pretty bulletproof, although with age ancillaries like starters, water pumps, alternators, etc. will need replacement from time to time. Current one has done 128K miles and still performs brilliantly.
My ex-Sytner BMW Indy recommended sticking to sixes, preferably petrol, so I've never considered a 4 cylinder one.
I don't know much about the N55 but the fact it has a turbo suggests more potential for bills. I know quite a few people who have had major issues with N54s injectors and High Pressure Fuel Pumps which create big bills so I'd be wary of any turbo for the same reason.
I'd go for a 130i or 125i. They have the same engine but for some reason BMW capped the power on the 125i. A remap will get it back, although the 130i also had bigger front brakes than the 125i.
Most are reliable & there's not a model to avoid.
330i:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202411226...
428i:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202505072...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202504191...
GC:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202501188...
135i:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202504151...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202506143...
330i:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202411226...
428i:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202505072...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202504191...
GC:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202501188...
135i:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202504151...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202506143...
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