Is this old BMW 3 Series worth going for?

Is this a good deal: 2005 BMW 2.5, 50,000 miles on clock, price €6k?

Eoin Hanrahan (Limerick)

Oct 2014 Filed under: choosing used car

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Expert answer

Hi Eoin,

Yes, it's a fine purchase as long as you go in with your wits about you and make sure that it's got a full service history. Any expensive German car without one is effectively worthless... That generation 3 Series was pretty robustly built and was less technically complex than later versions, so there's less to go wrong.

If it's the 2.5 straight-six petrol you're looking at, then it's a reliable unit, and well-proven, but watch carefully for any signs of water leaks or head gasket trouble. If it's had cooling or head trouble in the past, it's very likely to happen again and you could be looking at an engine swap. If it's the 2.5 diesel you're looking at, check for any white smoke from the exhaust or lumpy power delivery, which could indicate turbo problems.

Neil Briscoe - Complete Car Adviser
@neilmbriscoe