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I bought this car on eBay a couple of months ago; I had owned one years ago and it stands out as the best car I have owned (and I've owned 22!). In truth, it was an impulse, emotion-and-nostalgia-fueled purchase that I can't justify keeping given a busy work travel schedule, two small children, and a lot going on. Here is your chance to own a REALLY nice classic 5-series and to let my rash decision get you a great deal.

This generation 5-series is among the very best cars that BMW has ever built. With proper care, the engines and transmissions last forever, the cars tend not to rust (this one has NO rust at all), and they offer a truly remarkable balance of sporty handling, luxurious appointments, and long-range comfort. Check out what owners say about this car on consumer review boards such as Edmunds and you will see that this is a beloved car by many (including me).

This particular car is incredibly well-preserved. It has 76,250 miles (it will have a few more by the time it sells) and had one owner until I bought it. I had the car given a full run-through at my trusted local mechanic's shop. He said that it is in great shape. He installed a new battery, replaced the thermostat, performed an alignment, and gave the car an oil/fluids service.

The ONLY problems I know of are an occasional "low coolant" warning light that is in fact a bad sensor in the radiator. My mechanic says that it's a cheap part but one that will entail a few hours of labor, so I just ignore it when it comes on. The coolant level is fine; there are no leaks, the radiator is in good shape, and the engine runs at the correct temperature. It's just an old and therefore finicky sensor. Also, the glove box has come off its hinge, so when it opens it hangs down. It stays closed just fine.

Overall condition is terrific, as the pics show. Up close, there are a few spots where the previous owner has applied paint touch-ups for road chips, but this is as nice as a 19-year-ol BMW can get without being a show piece. I would not hesitate to drive it cross country.

My reserve is THOUSANDS less than I paid, because I paid high retail given the car's amazing condition and because I know that I'll never get dealer pricing for it. This is a nice car that is reliable and well-cared-for. I wish that I could keep it, but that just doesn't make sense for me right now and I am selling to undo my impulse decision. My decision to sell has nothing to do with the car--it's great. I bought it with my heart and not with my brain (or my wife's strong objections to a 3rd car) at the forefront of my thoughts.

You can pick the car up locally (in Middlebury, Vermont) or you can arrange and pay for shipping. I am willing to discuss letting you drive it home on my plates and insurance if that helps, and I am certainly willing to help a shipper take delivery of the car for you.

Auto Services in Vermont

Stowe Road Auto Repair ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service

Address: 1328 Laporte Rd, North-Hyde-Park

Phone: (802) 888-2929

Miller`s Automotive ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service, Mufflers & Exhaust Systems

Address: 67 S Main St, Fairfield

Phone: (802) 524-9858

Jami`s Automotive ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service, Brake Repair, Tire Changing Equipment

Address: 46 County Rd, Sheldon-Springs

Phone: (802) 868-4393

Adrien`s Auto Center ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service, Gas Stations

Address: 319 Main St, Westfield

Phone: (802) 334-7790

West Auto Repair ★★★★

Auto Repair & Service

Address: 9409 State Route 9, Alburgh

Phone: (866) 595-6470

Tire Warehouse ★★★★

Auto Repair & Service, Tire Dealers

Address: 82 Miller Ln, Cambridge

Phone: (866) 595-6470

Auto blog

BMW recalling a grand total of three X3s over instrument panel defect

Wed, 18 Dec 2013

We've seen big recalls and we've seen small ones. Some involve millions of vehicles, and some - like the Infiniti Q50 recall on which we reported just the other day - involve just a couple dozen. But this has to be the smallest recall we've seen yet.
"Due to a production process error" in the BMW X3, states the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in the notice below, "the team seam on the instrument panel was not manufactured correctly." Big friggin' whoop, you say? Well, NHTSA points out that it could hinder the deployment of the airbag and send fractures flying everywhere.
The problem was discovered in a select few examples of the 2013 BMW X3 - both xDrive 28i and 35i models - manufactured in the later part of February this year. And by "select few," we literally mean a few - as in three. Three examples are being recalled. If you happen to be one of those three owners, expect to hear from your local dealership.

Toyota launches BMW-powered Verso in Europe

Tue, 03 Dec 2013

BMW makes some sweet-revving engines, but its own vehicles aren't the only ones running BMW engines. So do the latest from Rolls-Royce and Mini, of course, as well as a handful of Peugeots and Citroëns thanks to its joint engine program with PSA. Wiesmann uses BMW engines, as did the famous McLaren F1. And now we can add one more to the list.
That would be the Toyota Verso, a Corolla-based minivan which Toyota builds in Turkey and sells in Europe and a few other markets overseas. The Verso is also now officially the first beneficiary of the partnership between Toyota and BMW as the Japanese automaker has released the MPV with BMW's 1.6-liter turbodiesel four.
The 111-horsepower engine is coupled to a Toyota transmission and joins the Verso range as the fourth (and least powerful) engine in the lineup, alongside the 122hp 2.0 diesel and the gasoline options with 1.6 liters and 160 hp and 1.8 for 180. Future collaborations between the two automakers will include fuel-cell development, a new joint sportscar platform, lightweight bodywork research and a new generation of lithium-air batteries. See the press release below for further details.

2015 BMW M3 squares off against Alpina D3 in gas vs. diesel throwdown

Sat, 26 Jul 2014

There was a time when diesel meant one of two things: This vehicle's owner either wants to save some money at the pump or needs to haul massive loads. It definitely did not mean that the owner of said machine wanted to drive fast, but that perception has slowly but surely been changing over the last several years, with automakers from Volkswagen and Ford to Audi and BMW offering spiced-up versions of their high-compression, turbocharged diesels.
It's that last automaker we mentioned that's the subject of the video you'll see down below. One bright-blue BMW M3 was procured by the Brits at Autocar, and it was lined up against a deep-black Alpina D3 (which we sadly can't buy in the US) in a spate of tests, including acceleration, stopping, sound and lap times on a closed circuit. The results, which we won't spoil for you, were enlightening, and were followed up by personal impressions from the man behind the wheel.
We know you're curious. All it takes to find out which of these 3.0-liter, twin-turbo-powered 3 Series variants came out on top is to scroll down below and watch. You know what to do.

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BMW 5-Series for Sale