Whats wrong with one of these ? Seem good value for money, we dont do more than 6000miles a year, is there are cam belt to change ? what to look out for ?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2006-56-BMW-318I-ES-2-0-TOURING-Auto-in-Monaco-Blue-Excellent-Condition-/251393764652?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item3a883c6d2c

You could get an Octiavia vRS for that.

Edit: this is a joke.

Having had an Octavia Vrs and a BMW, I’d get the Beemer every time.

Agreed. Seems good value, lowish mileage for age. No experience of BMW ownership but only fault with all BMs is lack of indicators stalks :wink:.

No cam belt change needed – the engine is chain driven.

I was looking for one about 12 months ago and couldn’t get anything anywhere near that price. Most estates around that mileage were £8k+ so it’s very cheap. I’m not sure whether that represents a change in the 2nd hand market or a problem car.

FSH is obviously going to be really important and find out whether they’ve had any trouble with the turbo. Anecdotally, my friend bought a 320d estate which had recently had the turbo replaced and it turned into a fireball on the A3…

I bought a 320d coupe with 70k on the clock in the end. Just ticked over 100k and no problems whatsoever – even gets 50mpg with the silly 19″ 265mm wide alloys/tyres the previous chav owner stuck on it.

Its a 2 litre auto. You’ll lose quite a bit of the ultimate driving machine-ness, other than that it should be a nice car. Loved my 6 cylinder 3 series.

When i actually have some money i’m really timpted by 320d estate or passat estate.

I was looking for one about 12 months ago and couldn’t get anything anywhere near that price.

If I’m honest, and going back to my joke above, that’s what struck me – it’s cheap. Is it too cheap?

I’d personally also look at the 5 Series if looking at a beemer – like the A4, passenger space takes priority over boot space and I carry a lot of crap about.

my only complaint would be the size… it really is tiny. mate has one and he had to buty a rack so that we could fit three bikes in it.

it’s kinda like a tardis, expect inversed…

No one wants a base level petrol BMW, they are very hard to sell, most second hand buyers are looking for diesel nav, heated seats xenons etc. Most people buying at this price are not prepared to pay BMW maintainace or put up with 30mpg.

As an example of what is likley to go wrong, Auto box sumps often leak, not terminal but £450 to fix at an indie. Now your manual focus TDI might seem a bit more attractive.

Anyway, I’m sure it will be a good car, but its a very niche market so will be hard to sell and even from that price depreciation will be hard. You would keep more in an equivalent priced Octavia IMHO!

I’ve had a 2006 330d from nearly-new. Great car, and not had much go wrong with it.

One thing to watch out for on a 2006 car is the vent pipe for the fuel tank, which gets cut by the body causing the car to leak fuel when it’s full. There’s a 5 minute preventative fix, but once it’s damaged the dealer will charge you £600+ to drop the fuel tank and replace it.

It was fixed on new cars at some point in 2006, but no recall done for older cars, so worth checking out.

Only other reason to not buy is that they’re not actually that big but obviously that depends what you want.

I get two full sussers in the back of the coupe version, although the second one has to have both wheels off. That’s plus bags, tool kits etc.

You do get some funny looks turning up at a trail centre in a two door car and whipping two bikes out of it!

If I’m honest, and going back to my joke above, that’s what struck me – it’s cheap. Is it too cheap?

Could be. A quick chat with the seller should sort that out though. I spoke to a couple of chaps selling cheap ones and the whole thing sounded dodgy pretty much immediately.

Doesn’t look unreasonably cheap to me. It’s 7 years old, and not in a particularly desirable spec.

and find out whether they’ve had any trouble with the turbo.

No turbo, is a 318i, not a 318d. Possibly why the price looks cheap to you.
To the OP, it should be a nice car, but as mentioned, it’s not a big car, think similar to, but slightly smaller than a Focus inside. Also as mentioned, the bigger engined BMs make better use of the lovely handling, but there is obviously a cost trade-off and that will still be a very nice car to drive. If you are happy with the size of it and the performance / economy balance, I’d say go for it.
Buy BMs on history and condition, it should look and drive absolutely spot-on, otherwise walk away.

…not in a particularly desirable spec.

Which could explain it. The problem then lies with still having to buy BMW spares if/when things go wrong.

If it were my money (and it isn’t 🙂 ) I’d be looking at something with a less desirable badge, a bigger boot, better spec and lower running costs.

The problem then lies with still having to buy BMW spares if/when things go wrong.

At that price I’d have it serviced at an independent garage and use compatible parts. It not like you are protecting the depreciation of an expensive car.

Good advice thanks all

Friend said the same it wont give you the BMW buzz being an auto and a 2.0l petrol

“As an example of what is likley to go wrong, Auto box sumps often leak, not terminal but £450 to fix at an indie. Now your manual focus TDI might seem a bit more attractive.”

Do you mean BMWs of that age specifically or automatics generally.

Specifically that ZF autobox in a 3 series, mine went at 79,000 miles at 6 years old, its very common

I know there are a lot of problems with the N47 diesel engine built from 2007-2009, brother-in-laws brother has built an extension on the proceeds of fixing them.

In fact even made watchdog

At that price I’d have it serviced at an independent garage and use compatible parts.

Happy to be corrected, but I’m assuming (there’s that word again!) that BMW compatible parts will still be pricey? I’m basing this on quantity produced, or to put it another way – I would assume Audi compatible parts would be cheaper because they’d also be produced in some way, shape or form for other VAG cars.