Perhaps buying this car

[GordonTarling]

Planning to change my old and tired S211 estate later this year or early next and am feeling the need for something with a V8! I'm considering going to take a look at this car next week, but was just wondering if anyone either knows the car or has any comments about it. One of my main concerns is the pano roof - are they liable to give problems?

 

[neilrr]

How much are you going to be asking for your old & tired S211?

 

[Will]

FWIW a neighbour of mine bought a BMW estate from them earlier his year, car is a total dog. I’d have given it a wide berth but I guess not all buyers are as savvy.

It had clearly been accident damaged/repaired before - peeling off resprayed bits on the front end (wings/bumper etc), wrong undertray fitted/bolts missing etc, air con didn’t work, tracking/alignment miles out etc.

It then ended up with serious engine issues within the first month or two (oil pressure - common BMW issue) and the dealer wouldn’t help from what I understand.

Yes my neighbour should have never bought the car and also should have stood up for their consumer rights but I guess not everyone is as aware/keen to persue etc.

Car has been a lemon, I know they won’t all be like that but it speaks volumes for me that they’d have even stocked a car with obvious issues like those to begin with.

Be cautious if you decide to have a look would be my advice

 

[GordonTarling]

How much are you going to be asking for your old & tired S211?

I'll send you a PM Neil.

 

[GordonTarling]

Will - Thanks for the warning, if I go to see it, I'll be giving a good going over.

 

[clk320x]

Will - Thanks for the warning, if I go to see it, I'll be giving a good going over.

That E63 looks STUNNNNNING
Thanks for the pm will be in touch shortly

 

[DavidL]

It looks nice but you are almost into 5.5 turbo country at high 20s and I'd got there not the 6.2

 

[m2287]

It looks nice but you are almost into 5.5 turbo country at high 20s and I'd got there not the 6.2

Agree 100% here!

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Price looks very toppy, you are only a couple of grand away from a facelift E63 with the superior 5.5 Bi-Turbo engine.

Other than that, it does look a clean car from the photos but two things put me off; Will’s example above and also the dealer has stated in the advert that it comes with three months warranty when by law they’ve actually got to give you six.

 

[E55BOF]

The aftermarket warranties from dealers tend to be pretty useless anyway. They buy the absolute bare minimum to comply with the law; think low claim limits and £40 ph max labour charges.

The ones from a firm called Autoprotect actually state: " “ No liability will be accepted for....good engineering practice (any parts which have not failed but have been advised or recommended to be replaced ....at the time a repair is in progress)”. In other words, they cover the absolute minimum to make the car roadworthy again. Broken front spring? They won't pay for a pair, only one.

You're better off relying on your normal legal rights, but that can be difficult if the dealer won't play ball.

 

[clk320x]

Agree 100% here!

Me 3

 

[Martin 1]

You MUST do a Google search for reviews of the garage ! The picture of the forecourt look dodgy, a lot of money for a possible lemon, do be careful.

 

[jayboy222]

No full MBSH. In fact I’d imagine the garage gave the last service.
I’d agree with others that you’re very close to 5.5 biturbo cars for that money.
I got a 5.5 for not much more recently with a higher spec, albeit not an estate.
My gut feeling would be to walk away.

 

[E55BOF]

You MUST do a Google search for reviews of the garage ! The picture of the forecourt look dodgy, a lot of money for a possible lemon, do be careful.

I did do a Google search, and Facebook. Most of their reviews are pretty good. "The picture of the forecourt look dodgy". Really? In what way?

No full MBSH. In fact I’d imagine the garage gave the last service.

The ad doesn't state whether the service history is MB or not. If the last service was in March this year, it seems unlikely this dealer did it.

There will always be some poor reviews, which may or may not be exaggerated. There's too much casting of aspersions without evidence in some threads...

I agree the car is rather pricey, but if you're interested, go and see it, test drive it, and if you like it, haggle. I'd check whether they will let you test-drive it before you go, though; if not, politely decline.

 

[GordonTarling]

Thanks for all the advice chaps. Perhaps I'd be better off looking for a facelift 5.5 judging by all your comments - I'm assuming that the non-facelift has the twin headlight lenses, whilst the face lift has the single combined lenses? As for Maple Tree cars, so far I've found more good than bad reviews, so maybe best to go and judge for myself.

 

[Petrol Pete]

OP. you started off asking about the pano roof and ended up doubting the existence of Father Christmas (don't go there), that's why I like this forum. Six different answers to questions you forgot to ask !

By the way can anyone answer OP first question about the pano roof ?

 

[gIzzE]

I haven't looked at prices of E63 estates for a while, but unless they have all shot up that is well over priced!

I looked at a 5.5 facelift with 32k miles on it that was up for £29k back in Feb, and there were 50k mile pre facelifts for low 20's.

 

[gIzzE]

Just looked on autotrader, there seems to be very few for sale at the moment, so be careful, prices might be artificially high, this often happens just before Xmas, then after Xmas you see them all appear again and the prices tumble.

 

[SW18]

By the way can anyone answer OP first question about the pano roof ?

I’ve got a pano roof, as have quite a few others on the forum. I’ve not had any problems and also I’ve not heard of others having problems - I haven’t seen this come up as a forum topic, and haven’t seen it mentioned on the wider web either. E.g. “Honest John” is good at listing known issues with every car model, and he lists only a few for the W212/S212. I have read that some older BMW 5-Series had big problems with their pano roof leaking, but they had a different design with both ‘leaves’ of the roof being openable, which presumably gave more trouble (and maybe partly why MB have the rear section of the pano roof fixed in place).

 

[anglaslt]

Thanks for all the advice chaps. Perhaps I'd be better off looking for a facelift 5.5 judging by all your comments - I'm assuming that the non-facelift has the twin headlight lenses, whilst the face lift has the single combined lenses? As for Maple Tree cars, so far I've found more good than bad reviews, so maybe best to go and judge for myself.

You're right OP their reviews on their website are all very good. In fact I couldn't have written better myself.

I think it's a lot of money to be spending with a non-franchised car dealer but you're right, only you can judge and decide.