What mileage should I expect from an E36 325TD/TDS?

I'm looking to replace my 325 TD which ended up catching a white van
man in the boot. I'm having great problems finding one in similar
condition, especially with the value the insurance company put on it.

I've seen some cars with 130-140k miles on the clock, at what I think
are very reasonable prices, but am worried if the price reflect
problems with cars of this mileage.

What sort of mileage would you expect from the 2.5l diesel engine, and
4 or 5 speed autobox before it starts getting too expensive on spares
to run?

I don't mind about thinks like dampers, wheel bearings, brake disks
(rotors?) etc, I can look after that myself, but if the engine/gearbox
is likely to fall apart shortly, I'd rather know in advance and avoid
them.

Does anyone have experience (good or bad) of taking an diesel E36 this
far?

Dodgy.
--
MUSHROOMS ARE THE OPIATE OF THE MOOSES

"Dodgy" > wrote in message
...
> I'm looking to replace my 325 TD which ended up catching a white van
> man in the boot. I'm having great problems finding one in similar
> condition, especially with the value the insurance company put on it.
>
> I've seen some cars with 130-140k miles on the clock, at what I think
> are very reasonable prices, but am worried if the price reflect
> problems with cars of this mileage.
>
> What sort of mileage would you expect from the 2.5l diesel engine, and
> 4 or 5 speed autobox before it starts getting too expensive on spares
> to run?
>
> I don't mind about thinks like dampers, wheel bearings, brake disks
> (rotors?) etc, I can look after that myself, but if the engine/gearbox
> is likely to fall apart shortly, I'd rather know in advance and avoid
> them.
>
> Does anyone have experience (good or bad) of taking an diesel E36 this
> far?
>
I'd think you would be pretty safe out to over 200-250k miles as long as the
motor has been serviced regularly. I know 3 people who have E34 2.5TDS cars
and all of them have over 260k miles. Two are on the original clutch too.
One however did need an injection pump at about 215k miles. This was bloody
expensive (£1500 if I recall correctly).

JB

> One however did need an injection pump at about 215k miles. This was bloody
> expensive (£1500 if I recall correctly).

They change them in late 94 I think, The early ones can fail and cost a
bomb. Later ones are more reliable and cheaper.

--
Who needs a life when you've got Unix? :-)
Email: , John G.Burns B.Eng, Bonny Scotland
Web : http://www.unixnerd.demon.co.uk - The Ultimate BMW Homepage!
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"John Burns" > wrote in message
...
> > One however did need an injection pump at about 215k miles. This was
bloody
> > expensive (£1500 if I recall correctly).
>
> They change them in late 94 I think, The early ones can fail and cost a
> bomb. Later ones are more reliable and cheaper.
>
This one was an early '94. The owner was 'a little stressed' to put it
mildly. He only paid £1800 for the car in the first place!
I must remember this info too, as I'm after a 2.5TDS Touring at the moment.
Thanks John.
JB

On Thu, 8 Sep 2005 14:50:53 +0100, "JB" > waffled on
about something:

>
>"John Burns" > wrote in message
...
>> > One however did need an injection pump at about 215k miles. This was
>bloody
>> > expensive (£1500 if I recall correctly).
>>
>> They change them in late 94 I think, The early ones can fail and cost a
>> bomb. Later ones are more reliable and cheaper.
>>
>This one was an early '94. The owner was 'a little stressed' to put it
>mildly. He only paid £1800 for the car in the first place!
>I must remember this info too, as I'm after a 2.5TDS Touring at the moment.
>Thanks John.
>JB

A pump is not too much of a worry, I'm planning on buying my old 325
TD back for £450 because it's just got far too many useful parts on
it...

Like the injector pump :-)
Not to mention a 2 week old set of injectors at the time of the
accident.

It's untouched from the rear quarter panels forwards, one rear light
even survived intact! So £450 for aircon pump, injector pump, bonnet,
wings, headlamps, bumper, 4 electric windows, unmarked interior and 4
alloy wheels. Not to mention a BMW serviced 109k miles engine and
autobox (all be it the 4 speed).

I just hope the TD and TDS injector pumps are the same.

Thanks for the info.

There are a couple of nice Tourings on autotrader at the moment. I
would post the link but autotrader does all the details via java
popups so I can't copy/paste them.

Dodgy.
--
MUSHROOMS ARE THE OPIATE OF THE MOOSES

Dodgy wrote:
> I'm looking to replace my 325 TD which ended up catching a white van
> man in the boot. I'm having great problems finding one in similar
> condition, especially with the value the insurance company put on it.
>
> I've seen some cars with 130-140k miles on the clock, at what I think
> are very reasonable prices, but am worried if the price reflect
> problems with cars of this mileage.
>
> What sort of mileage would you expect from the 2.5l diesel engine, and
> 4 or 5 speed autobox before it starts getting too expensive on spares
> to run?

Mine is an '97 2.5TDS, currently at 210,000 miles. It's got the original
manual gearbox and clutch. It did need a new injector once, though, and,
yes, the dreaded injector pump, which was 1,500 EUR (about £1,000).

It runs like a charm, and I drive it aggressively. For the last couple
of months, I regularly cruise at 90mph, and have been hitting the 100+
mph almost daily, and since then, it seems to only run better.

Eats about a liter of oil every 5,000 miles, which I find reasonable.

I expect to be able to eek at least another 60,000 miles from it,
although, at the rate I drive (15,000 a year) I might change it before
that if I get bored of it.

I must add though, that it has always been serviced by the same garage,
and regularly too. And I let it warm up thoroughly before giving it a
hard time.

> I don't mind about thinks like dampers, wheel bearings, brake disks
> (rotors?) etc, I can look after that myself, but if the engine/gearbox
> is likely to fall apart shortly, I'd rather know in advance and avoid
> them.

From what I hear, the engine and the gearbox (at least the manuals) are
rock solid. The rest is just wear and tear that can be replaced on time.

>
> Does anyone have experience (good or bad) of taking an diesel E36 this
> far?

"It's untouched from the rear quarter panels forwards, one rear light
even survived intact! So £450 for aircon pump, injector pump, bonnet,
wings, headlamps, bumper, 4 electric windows, unmarked interior and 4
alloy wheels."


Wings??? What's that?

On Thu, 8 Sep 2005 10:57:45 -0400, "joe_tide" >
waffled on about something:

>"It's untouched from the rear quarter panels forwards, one rear light
>even survived intact! So £450 for aircon pump, injector pump, bonnet,
>wings, headlamps, bumper, 4 electric windows, unmarked interior and 4
>alloy wheels."
>
>
>Wings??? What's that?

It's what UK cars have on the front either side of the bonnet that
cover the wheels.
Fenders are guitars. :-p

Oh, and a bonnet is a hood.

/me is tempted to say the windscreen is good, as are the wing mirrors.
Pity the boot is dented, but the disks are good.

Have I missed any English/American differences?

Dodgy.
--
MUSHROOMS ARE THE OPIATE OF THE MOOSES

The others I have heard before. Wings is a new one - to me. Thanks

"Dodgy" > wrote in message
...
> On Thu, 8 Sep 2005 10:57:45 -0400, "joe_tide" >
> waffled on about something:
>
>>"It's untouched from the rear quarter panels forwards, one rear light
>>even survived intact! So £450 for aircon pump, injector pump, bonnet,
>>wings, headlamps, bumper, 4 electric windows, unmarked interior and 4
>>alloy wheels."
>>
>>
>>Wings??? What's that?
>
> It's what UK cars have on the front either side of the bonnet that
> cover the wheels.
> Fenders are guitars. :-p
>
> Oh, and a bonnet is a hood.
>
> /me is tempted to say the windscreen is good, as are the wing mirrors.
> Pity the boot is dented, but the disks are good.
>
> Have I missed any English/American differences?
>
> Dodgy.
> --
> MUSHROOMS ARE THE OPIATE OF THE MOOSES

On Thu, 8 Sep 2005 12:39:33 -0400, "joe_tide" >
waffled on about something:

>The others I have heard before. Wings is a new one - to me. Thanks

So my work here is done...

I'm gonna go outside for a fag. (sorry, couldn't resist one last one).

Dodgy.
--
MUSHROOMS ARE THE OPIATE OF THE MOOSES