Anyone selling an E53 4.6iS ?

[Ant]

Hi all, I have been randomly looking for an E53 4.6iS for a while now, I have saved searches on Auto-Trader and eBay but I seem to be too picky and manage to talk myself out of cars before I have even seen them !!

Basically I would love an unmolested example, in Estoril Blue, under or around 80,000 miles, full service history, as many working gadgets as possible, TV, DVD, folding mirrors must work, privacy package, with a Sunroof as a must.

The sunroof seems to be the main stumbling block, and I do not like wood interior, after market alloys, anything that has been used to tow things, things paint colour coded that should not have been.

I am my own worse enemy, but does anyone have anything like this for sale ??

Thanks

[AW8]

You may need to have some degree of flexibility.

Ok then - So your shopping list, (recognising the sunroof is essential for you).......

Mileage : These cars are 10 or so years old & started life in uk when fuel prices were relatively cheaper so finding a genuine low mileage one might require a wait. An 80k car wanting might need rear bushes, rocker gaskets, header tank, pcv hoses not to mention the ongoing attention to tyres &  suspension. A well maintained car with slightly higher mileage could need less attention as well as being a cheaper purchase.

History : Nothing wrong with part independent history. I'd be more instreested in checking MOT mileages and dates, verifying with bmw/independents any dealer stamps and climbing all over the car to ensure all is well mechanically as well as items working.

Wood :..............Can be swapped.

Wheels : .........Aftermarket 22's can be replaced then,(maybe after refurb), sold.

DVD : - Can be sourced.......Unlikey to find one with a DVD player as standard. Many ordered without same.........Such was the demand for used E53's with in car DVD that I recall one trader used to sell multiple E53's with the same cheap aftermarket kit fitted and at a premium over cars without same. Some examples have butchered headrests & poorly executed instalations with tacky screens that cheapen the overall look of the car. Good Luck waiting to find one with Alpine or similar quality screens and everything working.... It may be more realistic to be prepared to spend to replace non working or poor quality kit or to get decent kit later.

Non OE look aftermarket exhausts :  Is it just the back boxes that have been done or is is perhaps that aftermarket trims are fitted ? Cost to replace full system could be expensive but donor cars do come around. Maybe ask seller if they still have the original, (same goes for aftermarket wheels).

Towbars : I can count on one hand the total number of X5's I have seen towing stuff. Just because a car has a towbar doesnt mean it has spent it's life moving up and down a salty slipway. 

Colour coding : I understand why some dont like this. Cost to remove paint or rather to source unpainted trim could be significant but you could factor this into buying price. I'd be more concerned as to what event may have caused the car to have paint and whether colour coding was done on back of an insurance claim repair.

Privacy glass : Many tinted cars done aftermarket the tell tale is white air bubble marks around the matrix edge of the black transfer on oroiginal glass panels. Front tints by law must allow 70% visible transmitted light.

If not prepared to compromise/sort then expect a potentially longer wait &/or paying top money

[AW8]

Look at ebay item 171003238482 there are other 4.6is in storil but lack or roof or mileage might be issues for you. Don't forget to look further than your wish list............HPI a must.

[Don Coffey]

[quote="AW8"]
Look at ebay item 171003238482 there are other 4.6is in storil but lack or roof or mileage might be issues for you. Don't forget to look further than your wish list............HPI a must.
[/quote]
That seems to be a tidy example.  Certainly worth talking to the dealer.  AW8 has given you some very good advise above. 

Don

[bigsanj]

[quote="AW8"]
Look at ebay item 171003238482 there are other 4.6is in storil but lack or roof or mileage might be issues for you. Don't forget to look further than your wish list............HPI a must.
[/quote]

This garage is 1mile from my house. If you need any info then please don't hesitate to contact me.

There is another one for sale by Autorama in Peterborough which has most of the spec you want.

[Nat]

Silly Question..................why limit yourself to a 4.6 iS. Look at 4.8iS as well, all round better car with some good improvements expecially the valvetronic engine which makles the 4.8 much better on fuel than a 4.6 and you get a car thats a bit younger.

Just my 2 pence worth

Regards,

Nat.

[Don Coffey]

[quote="Nat"]
Silly Question..................why limit yourself to a 4.6 iS. Look at 4.8iS as well, all round better car with some good improvements expecially the valvetronic engine which makles the 4.8 much better on fuel than a 4.6 and you get a car thats a bit younger.

Just my 2 pence worth

Regards,

Nat.
[/quote]

Nat, you forgot to put in the link to your thread. 

Don

[Ant]

Thank you to AW8 some very valied points made, I am aware of most of them, I am lazy and hope to find the car with everything fitted because if it dont then I will either bugger it up adding it, or never get round to doing it  :-[

I have a list of cars at work and reasons why I did not bother  :'( I will look again at the one you suggested in Mansfield and see if I have checked on it before

bigsanj you may have to get the coffee on, I have searched for autorama in Peterborough and can only find an MOT garage, cant see anything for sale, sorry

Nat, to be honest, I prefer the outside look of the front of the 4.6iS, I also love estoril blue which is more frequent (if not only) on the 4.6iS, and as for driving one, I think, and I stand to be corrected, but the 4.8iS has a horrible bulbous steering wheel which I could not look at every day....

Thank you all anyway, maybe one day I can join the ranks properly

[bigsanj]

Try eBay item 111017125045.

Drove past the garage today but didn't see it.

[Ant]

Thanks bigsanj

Dont think it has a sunroof, higher miles than I would like (I know for the age I should be expecting this, but my 330iSE from 2000 has only 81000 so spending more on a care with higher miles than mine is a 'mindset' problem with me) and a SMOKERS package Urghh gross  )

[Don Coffey]

[quote="anthonybeaman"]
Thanks bigsanj

Dont think it has a sunroof, higher miles than I would like (I know for the age I should be expecting this, but my 330iSE from 2000 has only 81000 so spending more on a care with higher miles than mine is a 'mindset' problem with me) and a SMOKERS package Urghh gross  )
[/quote]

Anthony,  just to confirm, the smokers package is standard and not an indication of someone's habits.  It was possible to have it removed during the build but most dealers advised against as a future buyer may see this as very important.

Don

[X5Sport]

Deleting the smokers package resulted in the 12v power sockets also being removed.  Hence dealers suggesting iit was left on the list.

Richard

[AW8]

[quote="anthonybeaman"]
Thank you to AW8 some very valied points made, I am aware of most of them, I am lazy and hope to find the car with everything fitted because if it dont then I will either bugger it up adding it, or never get round to doing it [/quote]

Glad info of use.

If genuinely lazy (your words  ) you may have to wait or pay someone to source & sort as required.

[JimmySpeed]

Anthony, I was in the same boat as you only 2 weeks ago, wanting an EB 4.6is with (must haves)

sunroof
electric folding rear seats (booster seat kids x2, sometimes x3!)
Estoril

(nice to haves) (and why - in my head - they were not 'musts')

piano black trim (could be retrofitted if not)
Mk4 Nav (could be retrofitted, probably going to go aftermarket anyway after a time)
Bluetooth (see above)
Sliding rear floor (didn't need it, just wanted something to show off)
DVD (see mk4 Nav above)
Tracker (insurance requirement - would have just paid to get one fitted if not in there already)

Mileage not so much an issue because having had 9 BMW's over the last 6 years of varying mileages, I know that they count for diddly squat when it comes to reliability and the car's potential to be a money pit. Thats speaking from a few bad experiences with lower mileage cars and good experiences with higher mileage cars!

I was going to get it LPG converted more than likely so budgeted £2k on top for that to be done in a few months.

In the end, I found one with a Prins LPG conversion with 12 month warranty remaining, with tracker, piano black, rear floor, elec. rear seats and Mk 4 nav. No sunroof though but i'll survive! Immaculate in and out with 108k but very tight steering and handling - a folder full of receipts and most big things (bar gearbox) done. The money I saved from not fitting the LPG conversion is my gearbox fund if the worst happens and I am okay with that.

Before I brought mine I test drove one in Bham with 82k genuine verified miles on the clock first, and the MOT advisory said play in steering rack and I could feel it pretty badly. It also had that gearbox clunk which was really savage.

So my advice is get out there and see these cars in the flesh, drive them and compare them - an 80k miler may be in need of the big maintenance jobs very soon!

[JimmySpeed]

I forgot to mention, mine also came with aftermarket depo headlights fitted, which for some crazy reason are not xenon, but the xenon ballasts are still there etc so I simply got the seller to reduce the price enough to cover the cost of a set of OEM headlights.

The point I guess is that whatever seems to make a car less than perfect can almost ALWAYS be rectified at a cost. The only question is whether that cost is accounted for in the price of a car - e.g. a car with wood trim thats £300 less than one without but better in other respects would be okay to me, o long as I could get rid of that wood for £300 or less.

I guess sunroof is an exception to that rule - if its not there now it probably never will be  )