[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by Tengocity

Lots of great success stories of high mileage cars... and no one has shared any disaster stories as yet!

There must be someone who has had a nightmare with one!

I'd suggest there are probably more 'disasters' with lower mileage cars, where expectations are higher. I've known folks running high mileage cars, but they are literally hanging together, scrapping through the MOT, not something I'd want to drive. When high mileage examples are "beyond economical repair", folks are more likely to take it on the chin and simply move on.

A lot does depend on condition, many cars past 100k miles are really heaps, either abused, or simply worn out. We really should expect a bit more from our BMW models, than most of us ever get to experience, or we'd just as well be in cheap cars.

[Chrismac13]

Forgot to mention the missus 2012 X3 is now on 122k & the gearbox has just started to whine. Other than that its just had normal servicing nothing of major to note has gone wrong.

[creepy coupe]

The +100k is still a no go area for a lot of us. A bloke i work with bought a Mondeo off me with 114k and has just taken it passed 220k. He's just bought a 2.7 diesel A6 avant with 60k on. He knows he will put loads on it so isn't worried. And it will be worth a carrot in four years time.There's a buyer for all mileages. Depends what you want from a car.

[Chas325]

Originally Posted by HighlandPete

I've known folks running high mileage cars, but they are literally hanging together, scrapping through the MOT, not something I'd want to drive. When high mileage examples are "beyond economical repair", folks are more likely to take it on the chin and simply move on.

A lot does depend on condition, many cars past 100k miles are really heaps, either abused, or simply worn out. We really should expect a bit more from our BMW models, than most of us ever get to experience, or we'd just as well be in cheap cars.

Many are heaps past 100k, however, there are a lot that aren't. For instance my sister has an 09 Mondeo that has done about 60k miles. She get the maintenance doe but it looks like it's done about 250k. My 176k Audi A4 looks like it's done 70k miles. I haven't particularly gone out of my way to look after it - it's never been detailed for instance, however, it's always serviced on time by an independent. It's never gone wrong and doesn't cost me any more to run than my 2014 325d MSport that i bought with 32k on it.

[Sasquartch]

My last car was a 530i E39 and traded it in for my 328i with I think 171k miles

I'd had it nearly 7 years and put 70k miles on it and was mostly reliable

However it had had a fair bit of suspension and cooling parts replaced in my ownership and was never 100% issue free - but my expectations for a car that only cost me £4500 were a lot less

Although completely usable it had a problem with the torque converter and also a cold running issue I could never cure. I had to 'drive around' that issue.
That combined with lots of other little things meant it was time to move on. I just wanted something better although I'd be confident it could be made to work for another few years at least

My 328i is only 5 years old and 40k miles and doesn't really have any issues but I'm not sure it would go to high mileages without non-routine work

The E39s were a much more solid car. But not economical.

Would I do it again - perhaps, but it's nice to have a car that 'just works' even if it is a lot more expensive

[isleaiw1]

I think high mileage (as in alot of miles per year) can be good for a car. I traded the Volvo referenced above for a Merc E class estate - in the first year I did 40k miles in it, mainly on the motorway. Took it in for services and clean bill of health.

second year it was a weekend car (as work insisted I had a company car and stopped charging mileage!) and when it went in for a service after covering 3000 miles in a year I got a series of extra requirements to resolve - pitted brakes, seized whatever.

That is one of the things that puts me off having a weekend car now - I dont want to put dogs and crap for the tip in an expensive car, but i dont think having a weekend car that does 3k miles a year is good for the car...

[Daftasabrush]

We have a MK1 Skoda Octavia vRS which I bought around 9 years ago with 47K on the clock. Soon after I bought it I had a Quantum map put on in and it's now done 150K. It's had two sets of suspension, two sets of brakes and new clutch and a new flywheel in that time. It's been in quite a few accidents, I've fitted a new front to it, the rear has been pulled out at least once but it still pulls like a train, passes MOTs and is good fun to drive. No sign of impending doom and no rust on it. We'll be getting rid of it soon when the wife's new car arrives which will be a sad day IMO.

By new front end, I mean just that:

[gr4z]

My other half has a 07 plate Focus and it's on 138000 miles. Still going well and she treats it with no respect at all! Bashed, scratched, filthy dirty and full of shoes and makeup! Still starts every day and goes well...

[JustChris]

I made it to 90,000 miles in a manual 323i SE when I had to keep company cars for the full 3 years.

[JD6]

I notice that JOHNBMWM5 hasn't appeared on this thread yet. I'm guessing 3,000 miles and he has never have had to top up the screenwash bottle

[troggy1969]

1988 Citroen AX GT from 60 - 120k. No issues, sold it to my sister and it went to 200k with and still no problem. Did over 100k on original Michelin MXL rear tyres!!!
2002 BMW E46 320. 99 - 120k, turbo changed under warranty at 102k, it was under 3 years old
2001 Astra 2.0DTI 0 - 120k in 3 years, changed headlights for first MOT (Scratched)

[Hanchurch]

135000 on my s4, I had it from 10000 it started costing money at 100000. I wouldn't get one over 100000 unless was a weekend car.

[troggy1969]

Went in a Renault 21 diesel taxi once which had 500k on the clock. No idea of the history but it went ok!

[demig]

266K in a 316 E30 and 166K on my E91, both still going strong when sold but the E30 had a lot of fibreglass in the body

Currently my F31 is 2years old and at 57K, I am a little over my pcp miles... Likely to be over 100k at 4 years.

[nickcuprar]

Personally I'd rather a car that has done 100k in 3 years than a car that has done 20k in 8 years.

All the high milers we have had have been good solid reliable cars. My brother bought an 8 year old polo with 20k on it and it was nothing but trouble!

Put me off low annual mile cars......

[Skello]

My Alfa 147 twinny I took from New to 165k in 10 years, it's still going strong now. Only ever needed the usual consumables, lower suspension arms once, a cam position sensor and new exhaust flexi pipe the whole time I had her. I stuck to the 36k cambelt changes religiously and it kept on giving. I really miss that car.

[delorean175]

My 1982 528e w/ a 5 speed manual is at 380k miles right now and counting. I believe I'm the 5th owner. I got it at 250k 10 years ago, always garaged since I've had it, always warmed it up until at full operating temp, always redlined it at least once per drive, always threw good quality parts at it, always kept a strict maintenance schedule and stuck to it. Also a lot of preventative maintenance. It's never let me down. It's on engine no. 2 the factory engine lasted 350k miles and ran when I pulled it. It had an oil drinking problem. I rebuilt this new engine my self from the ground up with a bunch of upgraded internals. It's at 30k miles now and asking for more fun.


My 2013 335i w/ a 6 speed manual is at 176k miles. The PO drove it long distances as apart of her commute from the middle of no where into the city. She put 100k of those miles on it. It was lightly driven for those 100k miles. It really shows how much it was babied. Recently my 528e retired from DD status and is now a weekend/1 day a week car. I think it finally earned it's retirement. Lol

[TaranF32]

I've not been driving long enough to own any high mileage cars. My 418d has 60k on it now and I'll probably sell it coming to 90-100k.

My parents both drive BMWs and my father's generally found with his cars to sell them at around 100k

E39 M5 no problems up to 110k but after that it needed a new alternator and had vanos issues. Sold the car with 125k

E60 M5, new clutch at 70k and but no other issues up to 100k, after that it needed another clutch, an alternator and had some other engine issues. Ended up having about £6k worth of repairs before he sold it at 130k

E70 X5 35d, no issues up to 120k but after that it needed the rear air suspension bags replaced, some of the suspension bushings were squeaking, the two tailgate lights had to be replaced do to water seeping into the units, also identified as having an issue with the turbo which was going to need to be replaced. We part ex'd the car to BMW who didn't really care about the issues as it was just going to be sold at a BCA auction. Sold it with 140k.

[JustChris]

2.5 years thread bump. Impressive. How do people resurrect these, via a search for highest mileage car?

[jedi-knight83]

My E91 330d manual has 220k miles. I bought it on 150k.

Had it remapped at 160k and its pulled strongly ever since.

A few things that went wrong, starter motor, glow plug controller, but certainly nothing major. Engine barely uses any oil and I dropped all the fluids and replaced at 200k which made the gearbox feel nicer.

She's good for another 100k now

[Wills2]

Originally Posted by JustChris

2.5 years thread bump. Impressive. How do people resurrect these, via a search for highest mileage car?

I watched Interstellar at the weekend it's simple people are watching you from the 5th dimension that's how they find them.

[Digidick]

My current 2015 F30 330d is on 140k and I know this will sound like Arthur Daley talk but you'd think it's done half that. Full BMW history up to 120k and then home servicing since it left main dealer network.