e39 2002, should I keep it?

> wrote in message
...
On Jul 3, 8:09 pm, dizzy > wrote:
> wrote:
> >Hi Floyd,
> >I appreciate you posting this info. However it seems to show only
> >parts costs and no labor costs.
>
> Try reading again while brain is engaged.


Nice try, but most people don't fix their own cars!
For proper cost analysis parts AND labor should be included, not just
parts. So the 'I do my own labor' story is fine but the final cost is
misleading - it includes no labor.

Actually, a fair number of BMW owners do fix their own cars. I suspect
several times more so than, say, Cadillac owners.

R / John

"John Carrier" wrote
>>> Radiator failure in the 60-90K range is not uncommon on the V-8's.
>>> Much less so on the I-6's. The water pump is a weakness and
>>> probably should be replaced as a preventive measure prior to 90K
>>> (Mike Miller would say 60).
>>
>> The radiator is also a weakness as it is plastic. You can buy an
>> aftermarket radiator that is not plastic though that should last you
>> a bit longer.
>
> I thought I made that clear in my post. Much of the cooling system is
> plastic: Radiator upper and lower sections, some water pump impellers
> (now fixed IIRC), thermostat housing, etc.

You just wrote that radiator failure in 60-90k range is not uncommon on
the V8. What I was trying to get across is that it is also not uncommon
on the I6 as that radiator is plastic.

Cheers,
Pete

"Pete" > wrote in message
...
>
>
> "John Carrier" wrote
>>>> Radiator failure in the 60-90K range is not uncommon on the V-8's. Much
>>>> less so on the I-6's. The water pump is a weakness and probably should
>>>> be replaced as a preventive measure prior to 90K (Mike Miller would say
>>>> 60).
>>>
>>> The radiator is also a weakness as it is plastic. You can buy an
>>> aftermarket radiator that is not plastic though that should last you a
>>> bit longer.
>>
>> I thought I made that clear in my post. Much of the cooling system is
>> plastic: Radiator upper and lower sections, some water pump impellers
>> (now fixed IIRC), thermostat housing, etc.
>
> You just wrote that radiator failure in 60-90k range is not uncommon on
> the V8. What I was trying to get across is that it is also not uncommon
> on the I6 as that radiator is plastic.

Fair enough, but the I-6 evidently doesn't put as much stress on the cooling
system. Failures (cracks in the upper neck on the drivers side typically)
are much more common on the V-8's.

R / John

In article >,
Pete > wrote:
> You just wrote that radiator failure in 60-90k range is not uncommon on
> the V8. What I was trying to get across is that it is also not uncommon
> on the I6 as that radiator is plastic.

The rad isn't plastic - just some parts of it, like the header tank. And
for some reason the ones on the six cylinder cars don't fail anything like
as often. I'd guess the under bonnet heat is lower on average. Or perhaps
the vibration where the hoses meet the rad is lower. Who knows.

--
*You are validating my inherent mistrust of strangers

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Thanks Floyd for a great post,

I'm just about to buy a 2001 540 and was curious about some of the
costs that d come up. I might keep records of work done rather than
fuel used!

Colin
soon to loose my BMW cherry to e39 540 :-)
Melbourne Aus.

On Jul 4, 2:51*am, "Floyd Rogers" > wrote:
> Let's try that paste again
>

<big snip>

> > (This doesn't include oil changes every 3-5K miles that I did myself.)
> > As you can see, your conjecture based upon your "facts", that you will
> > have to spend $5,000-$6,000 per year has no basis in real facts.
>
> > FloydR

> wrote
> Thanks Floyd for a great post,

>On Jul 4, 2:51 am, "Floyd Rogers" > wrote:
>> Let's try that paste again
>>
>> <big snip>
>>
>> > (This doesn't include oil changes every 3-5K miles that I did myself.)
>> > As you can see, your conjecture based upon your "facts", that you will
>> > have to spend $5,000-$6,000 per year has no basis in real facts.

No problem! I would like to point out that, because the OP believed that
brakes and tires are similar (to other cars), that I didn't include those
costs.
Tires generally lasted me 35-45K miles. I always did my own brake
replacements; pads and rotors at around $100-$10 per corner plus
around 1/2 hour of my labor per corner.

I could post my figures for my '01, they show similar numbers.

FloydR

On Wed, 9 Jul 2008 05:44:42 -0700 (PDT), "
> wrote:

>Thanks Floyd for a great post,
>
>I'm just about to buy a 2001 540 and was curious about some of the
>costs that d come up. I might keep records of work done rather than
>fuel used!
>
>Colin
>soon to loose my BMW cherry to e39 540 :-)

ahahahahahahaha! Great imagery, that - and probably true ;-)

> wrote in message
...
Thanks Floyd for a great post,

I'm just about to buy a 2001 540 and was curious about some of the
costs that d come up. I might keep records of work done rather than
fuel used!

Colin
soon to loose my BMW cherry to e39 540 :-)
Melbourne Aus.

Before you pop it, you might consider the 530i. Granted, it lacks the grunt
of the V-8 (about 1 second slower to 60 and similarly 1 second slower
through a quarter mile), but it's less expensive to maintain and feed. So,
do you need the extra performance? While I looked long and hard at a 2003
540i Sport Pckg, I weighed the (only occasional) gain versus the
(continuing) expense and came out on the side of the smaller engine.

The bonus is the lighter 530i has slightly better balance, crisper steering
(rack versus recirc ball) and is as much fun (or more so) to drive than the
540i except when you have the opportunity to put the hammer down.

R / John