Should I swap my Kia Sorento for a BMW 5 Series?
Hi,
I have a 2007 Kia Sorento 2.5 GSE diesel in Dublin and I am thinking of buying a BMW 5 Series, the 535d.
i) How much will I get for my Kia?
ii) Is it worth changing? I read a great review of the BMW 5 Series.
iii) If I am trading in how much should I pay for the BMW?
iv) Is it safe to buy the BMW from a dealer (SIMI/non SIMI) or should I only go for BMW showrooms?
Many many thanks in advance for your response
Best regards
Tanya
Tanya Goon (Dublin)Mar 2014 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Tanya,
OK, prices for a 2007 Kia Sorento range from as little as €6,000 for a commercial model to as much as €15,000, which seems a bit hopeful to me. Let's play reasonably safe and suggest that you should get about €9,000 to €10,000 on trade-in.
Now, the 5 Series. The E60 5 Series that ran from 2002 to 2010 is one of our all time favourite cars and the 535d is one of the very best. Powerful, smooth, reasonably economical and able to spin the rear wheels in third gear. Ahem.
It's worth considering other models though. The 535d is a twin-turbo version of the same 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine that you'll find, in single turbo form, in the 530d. You won't save any money in terms of tax (it's the same capacity), but the 530d will be better on fuel and cheaper to insure. If you really want to save some money, look for the ever-popular 520d, which is almost ridiculously cheap to run and far more powerful than you might expect.
As for things to look for, the suspension is the 5's weak point so if there are any nasty clonking noises or if the car feels unstable on the road, or the steering feels inaccurate, walk away. The iDrive infotainment system has also been known to give bother so check and make sure that it is working and, as with any prestige car, make sure it has a full service history.
With a car like this, I'd never advise buying privately or from an unfranchised dealer. SIMI membership should be at least the bottom line and you'll get a better deal from a BMW main dealer than you might expect, especially if the car is part of their approved used programme.
A 2005 530d or 535d seems to hover around a similar asking price to your Kia so you'll just have to negotiate carefully to get the best price.
Let us know how you get on.
Neil Briscoe - Complete Car Adviser@neilmbriscoe