BMW

The address of this page was a stock listing on a used-car dealer site that no longer exists. The stock is gone; what follows is a reference to the marque itself — what you will meet on the UK used market, and what is worth checking. Nothing here is offered for sale.

BMW’s naming gives you the specification directly: the number is the model line, the digits after it approximate the output, and the trailing letter is the fuel — i for petrol, d for diesel. xDrive is four-wheel drive, Touring is an estate, Gran Coupe is a four-door with a coupe roofline. M Sport is a trim and suspension package; an M car is a different thing.

The EGR recall

BMW recalled a large number of UK diesel cars because coolant leaking from the exhaust gas recirculation cooler could combine with soot and high temperatures to produce smouldering particles, melt the inlet manifold and in the worst case cause a fire. The action was subsequently extended to further vehicles, with the DVSA updating the recall notice with the additional chassis numbers, and it spanned much of the diesel range including the 3, 4, 5 and 6 Series and the X3, X4, X5 and X6.

Recall work is free of charge. Put the registration through the DVSA recall service and get any outstanding action booked.

Mileage and the fleet market

BMW saloons and estates are heavily represented in UK company fleets, which means the used market carries a large number of high-mileage cars. Read the MOT history from end to end: the recorded mileage at each test shows how the car was actually used, and accumulated advisories show what has been deferred.

Engines and gearboxes

BMW diesels of this era are chain-driven rather than belt-driven, which removes a scheduled change but makes the cold-start listening test important — a metallic rattle in the first seconds points at a chain, tensioner or guide. Automatic gearboxes have scheduled oil services that are frequently skipped; check for them in the history and drive the car both cold and warm.

Reliability context

Recent owner surveys place the 3 Series and the current X5 near the top of their classes, with most reported faults minor and clustered in infotainment — several of which are resolved by a dealer software update.