This BMW's range on a quarter tank of fuel is around the same as an EV's range on a full charge. For long-distance travel, you can't beat a big diesel cruiser.
On my 2.0 dizel Insignia tourer i can do 1100 km on one tank at 130 km/h highway ,if i go 90 km/h can go 1700 km,maybe even more! (at that speed consume 4l/100 km and tank is 72l) ,and then they say buy EV that cost 3 times much as my car to charge every 200-300km
Modern diesels though are a ticking time bomb, you have to do a lot of miles to save enough on fuel to counter one DPF, EGR,turbo etc. 1200 for the timing chain on this.. Turbo failed on my e61 535d.
Range isn't everything. Often it's irrelevant, did 2500 miles last month, charging only at home, £50 in fuel.. we do own a big diesel for long trips etc, it's done 2 trips, 500 miles in 6 months! Might be cheaper to hire
@@paulni6917 I would love an EV but even though I could easily afford the payment plan for a nice one like a Kia EV6, I don’t have anywhere convenient to charge it because I live in a flat. Even when I buy a home, the ones I’m looking at have on street parking, and it’s not worth spending more for one with a driveway, when £10k TDIs and VDCS software exist
@@paulni6917 Oh for goodness sake. Will you naff off with your bloody battery operated electronic nonsense. I don't want a soulless shit-box. I want Six cylinder induction noise. I want a raspy exhaust, preferably made from stainless steel. I want unassisted steering I can feel the road through. I want lift off oversteer. I want to four-wheel drift around bends with the arse hanging out. I want to rev match. I want to heal & toe. I want to double de-clutch. I want to belt up the M1 doing a double Nickle. I want to barrel along a mountain pass, with the wind whistling through the open quarter-lights. And I want David Bowie belting out of the 8-Track whilst I smoke a Cuban cigar pretending to be that bloke from the beginning of the Italian Job. The first one, not that crappy re-make. People like you have no soul, and no sense of fun. To you, a car is just an appliance. I hate you. You are an insult to petrolheads. kindly go and shove your Model 3 up Elon's Musk, and leave those of us who appreciate the old, and merely tolerate the new to enjoy our dinosaurs in peace. The Fully Charged Shit-Show is that way >>>>>>>>
I'm starting to think for an old diesel high mileage is a bad thing: Just my experience in the last 10 years, only 1 out of 4 diesel cars I've had has given me no engine trouble
Check that the body control module hasn't become contaminated with water too. Too often, water will go up through the wires and into the corresponding pins on the module. The BCM on the F10 / F11 chassis BMW's is behind the glovebox. BMW headlights are notorious for leaking water between the main carcass and the plastic lens. Smoke testing them is the only way to find the leaks.
Small petrol engines the same.At least 08 plate 1.2 corsa my wife used to owned.30 something k miles on clock and engine camshaft was ready to go. Short travels created butter around camshaft area and limited oil circulation.What worn it that important part.
I know I'm an old git but we have appeared to have strayed from the three screws to remove the headlamp unit and a new H4 bulb from Halfords at £6.50. Oh well I suppose that's progress!
To be fair, as I own a 2012 5 series with 192k miles on it, just changing the bulb isn't a bumper off job: there's an access panel in the wheel arch that just has two screws to open, then the bulb is right in front of the hole. On cars with xenons, the bulbs last years: I changed one last year and it was the first one ever, so that had lasted 11 years/180k miles
When you were sat in Gloucester farm services and you declared, " It has a sidelight running light out....but I'm not worried about that." I laughed out loud.....I have the T shirt sir. 😊 Well, Matt, we have come full circle because way back at the start, you did a review of the 5 series touring, and I bought one....because of your review. Sadly, someone pulled out on me the other day and wrote it off. 😮 These estate cars are the best there is, and if you do put your foot down, they handle really really well...and the manual is far better. The only thing my car struggled with was launching my boat on boat ramps.....so I have purchased a 2012 Discovery and guess what...I watched your review first. Just thought I would let you know what a positive impact your channel really has...thanks.
Given the chassis warning problem comes on intermittently and does not seem to affect the handling and ride, then maybe its a ride height leveller/compressor/solenoid issue. If you can sort that without breaking the bank, then it's a fabulous car for the money.
This is a very attractive, well maintained modern looking BMW. It certainly doesn’t look anywhere near 12 years old, either in shape or condition. Apart from the registration plate, I find that most older prestige cars look relatively current, they only give their age away by the dated infotainment systems. This one is a lot of car for the price. Great content, as always Matt❤.
VDP: Vehicle is found completely or partly in an extreme condition or no self-levelling suspension can be carried out. Self-levelling suspension cannot be performed independently. Service Plan Check the level sponsors in each wheel well. Likely one is damaged or unplugged(damaged wire). Then you may need to have a height adjustment done or use ISTA to do it yourself if you have it.
Great cars! I own a 2011 523i Touring that just passed 426000 km (266250 miles) on the way home to Norway from another road trip to the Netherlands. It still feels pretty much like a new car to drive in spite of the miles, and that inline six petrol engine is still as smooth and silky and powerful as ever. Best car I've ever had, and I'm looking forward to my next road trip in it. That'll most likely be this coming Easter, when I'm hoping to take a trip from Norway to Slovenia and Croatia in it. 👍
I have a 2011 523i auto Touring too - massively under-rated, the car is perfect. Super smooth, 6 cylinder engine and rear wheel drive. Only downside is that it's not as 'chuckable' as a BMW e39, so use it as a limo and it's always a pleasure to drive.
Nice one, I did a few road trips in my 2012 520d with 120k miles from North of England to South of France, and same with the A6 2.0TDI that I now have. They are so comfortable to drive long distances that I don't even feel tired after driving for 8+ hours in them. The other Japanese cars that I had would give me back and knee pain after only an hour of motorway driving.
@@DE-Van-manthe fronts with those hideous black large snow plow grills, I read that the chief BMW designer thought a automobile’s design was not to be aesthetically beautiful like an old E Type Jag, but to trouble you make you feel uneasy, you give a shocking design more thought, which he thought was a success in design, I could not disagree more with him. I like nice lines with a beautiful face and a design that look as though one designer did it all, not broke in to teams and took a part of the car.
Matt , would you be able to do a video on how in the uk what drives the second-hand car market and why people dont readily buy high mileage cars unless it has full service history . Plus why the uk car market depreciates more than other countries . Please explain by looking at the british regs plates, you can tell the year of the car, etc .In the usa there is no rhyme or reason to the second-hand market . If you have made a previous video about these subjects, then please ignore my comments/ request 🙂 👍
I had a 520D GT with that chassis warning. It was to do with the air suspension. Was driving home one day and the suspension dropped completely down. Had to limp home and then bring it to a garage. Mechanic couldn't say whether it was the sensors, pump, bags or what. I had already replaced the bags, so I bought a conversion kit from the US and put the car on normal springs. Drove fine after that. Bit bouncier over bumps but still comfortable and reliable.
I had a new 520dSE auto saloon new in 2010, put in M Sport seats and steering wheel with adaptive suspension. What a car, so refined and comfortable. I did 108k in 3 years, trip average was 55mpg. It was the same colour as yours except that specified the light grey interior. A friend of mine bought it for £8k, he still has it, looks like new and showing 155k currently. Great motors. 👍😎
I love these cars, the BMW 520, Audi A6 and Mercedes E class just have a special place in my heart. When I got my licence I was told to get something japanese because they're more reliable, so I had a few of them, Toyota, Mazda and Honda, only 3 and 4 years old too, but they just didn't sit right with me, they were uncomfortable, had bad sound proofing and were boring. Then I bought an 8 year old E class and I hooked, comfortable, nice tech, and really quiet. I drove it for 4 years, then had a 520d for 2 years and now an A6 for 3 years, hoping to keep it for at least another 3.
@@Warriorn977 You should see the repair bill on a Mazda when you need a new gearbox but you can’t find any used ones because the car is new and unpopular so you need to buy a brand new one 😅 I had a few repairs done for all the German cars, but I had the choice of both new and used parts from hundreds of sellers because of popularity so it was cheap.
I have bought one of these a few month ago, which is why I can tell you that you've got pretty much the absolute base model. There were so many options for this car. Some are quite useless, but others really make it feel like a much more modern car than in base spec. But for £1800, I think you still got a very good deal!
I know someone with this exact car but automatic. Just passed 200k miles. Barely been serviced but has been faultless since 2014 (I don’t understand either). The chassis warning message has been on the dash for at least 7 years but it’s never affected the drive. Hope that helps.
Very fair price you’ve advertised this car Matt. A lot of car for £3495, it will easily last at least another 5 years if looked after 👍🏻 I know of old 5 series beamers back home from the 90’s still going strong with the old 524 td engines with over 500000 kms!
N47 engine was much improved in 2012.. Cambelt tends to be less of an issue.. Main thing.. change the oil every 8k miles and risk is substantially mitigated
Agreed the N47 was better after 2012, problems completely went away in 2014 when it was replaced with the B47. It's a chain cam not a belt, but you're right about the service.
@@alanwayte432 Chain in BMW is more then issue then positive, on my BMW chain broke plastic guides that fall in engine ,blocked oil and engine went caput.But is more off BMW stupidity to use plastic everywhere then chain fault
Definitely worth getting the fault checked with your local specialist as I had a similar issue with my 2013 5 series...ended up needing the pneumatic suspension replaced at a cost of approx £2k 😢
Phew...new timing chain is a must....N47 is notorious....took BMW 5-6 years is to sort the chain tensioner out...and they put the chain at the bulkhead end so it is an engine out job...and probs the lights need to be coded if replaced...most things need to be coded on BMW when they are replaced...new owner must ignore the oil changes at 18 K...8-10K max....suspension is a cheap fix..usually busted sphere...ran one to 223K....(just watched the vid..scratch the coding for the lights).....great vid as usual....
163,000 miles, I would consider that low for a 12 year old German car especially as a 2014 X5 2 litre diesel came up for auction with 1.4 million miles on the clock earlier on this year. I've always liked those 5 series BMW's, they don't look old and dated, and BMW have been extremely clever just to update the body every few years.
Better a high mileage diesel that has been maintained than a low mileage short journey one. A good reliable straight car that will provide the next owner a very economic means of transport.
I have a 2016 F15 X5 with the air suspension at the rear. The only two times the chassis fault has shown up is when one, I went a little too fast over a bump diagonally and two, when the right rear wheel got caught on a tall curb making the car skip to the side a little. It went away both times on its own when the car was restarted on level ground. I am sure this estate also has either a faulty sensor or a wheel that went out of alignment because of a jerk (maybe impacting the axle?). All the best with it. Love your videos.
Great video and great car, you are actually one of the main reasons I bought my 530d from 2014 back in April and I have been loving it ever since. It drives really well, and apart from one electronic issue with the boot, I have just passed the 20000 km mark from buying the car without issue. Keep up the good work!
The chassis stabilization indicator is unique to BMWs. It's an early warning system in case something causes your Bimmer to swerve dangerously. It's possible that your BMW's anti-lock braking system (ABS) is malfunctioning. Problems could potentially exist with the vehicle's suspension, engine, or gearbox.
Normally the chasis warning is related to the headlight/sensor malfunction (height leveling), this help with the self-leveling system. Volvo got similar warning.
Matt channels The Blues Brothers! I’ve got a 171 miles to go back to the garage… And I’ve got a range of 197 its telling me… But I’ve got just over a quarter of a tank… I'm wearing dark sunglasses and its light.. Hit it!
I had both the faults on my car, it's the moisture in the lights which usually happens after washing the car. Open the top cap on the lights and leave them off as you don't need them anyway. Problem solved
Hi Matt, 😊 ive owned a few vehicles with higher miles 😊 .If serviced and looked after never really a problem. I had a subaru impreza with 165000 miles kept it for 5 years .Drove like a high speed train 🚉. Serviced regularly run for ever 😊😊😊😊😊
Chassis fault is probably linked to the rear suspension. Have the mechanics strip out the compressor, check the dessicant and see if the solenoid valve is working as it should. Quite common to fail on these. Changed my own as a DIY weekend warrior quite easily. Cheap fix aswell
Had a F11 535d up until last year and it was a great car, in some respects, and a bit of pain in others. Great power, truly rapid and great for touring France and my 30 mile commute to Peak Forest from Sheffield, but the same gremlins yours has started to rear their ugly heads a bit too frequently so I got rid. The headlamp failure seems to be a common issue. I had the passenger side fail and needed a replacement, which all told by the time I’d sourced one, a replacement ballast unit and labour cost about a grand. The chassis light could be the compressor which provides air for the rear air bag suspension. Mine failed at about 80K along with both air bags at varying points, but the compressor was about £700. Luckily I had a AA warranty that covered £500 of that part. They’re great cars, but like you said, just too complicated for their own good.
Looks like a solid car! Very clean, well maintained. Got my 08 Prius back from the dealer after a service today. Nothing was found wrong. I couldn’t believe it. Only remark was worn tires (which I knew already). 16 years old and 275.000 km and not a single problem. I find it remarkable, Toyota knows how to build something solid. (It was always serviced though) EDIT: changed spelling
A chassis warning light on a Bimmer? Could be anything from low washer fluid to the ash tray being too full. Good luck trying to get to the bottom of it!
Be mindful of the Yellow Grommet which is the blanking plug in the bulk head for the euro style steering column, soaks the rear passenger footwell when it fails 👍
Yep I had that fault on a newly purchased 13-plate 520d back in 2020 - despite all evidence to the contrary the (VW franchise) dealer insisted it was an air conditioning fault, and after three unsuccessful attempts to remedy the issue they agreed to a full refund. Shame, really like the 5-series Touring but the experience has put me off going for another.
What a lovely old BMW. Granted they are complex, but also a really lovely ride and loads of space to carry stuff. A friend drove one right across Europe fully loaded with technical equipment - it was a fine machine.
Good video Matt. You will probably find the previous owner has been driving it around for the last 11 months also scratching his head saying "what the hell is a chassis warning light" also. Hope you can diagnose it (nice cheap local runabout for someone that car).
Maybe I'm just as sad as Matt, but Gloucester Services really is a nice spot to stop for a break. My recommendation are the sausage rolls, they are excellent.
What does chassis light mean on BMW? The chassis stabilization indicator is unique to BMWs. It's an early warning system in case something causes your Bimmer to swerve dangerously. It's possible that your BMW's anti-lock braking system (ABS) is malfunctioning. Problems could potentially exist with the vehicle's suspension, engine, or gearbox.
These are so expensive here in Sweden these days. About €10-15k for a 2012 model with about 250k km. I paid 10k for a 4 year old car with 110k km on it in 2018. I always get jealous over your right hand drive car prices.
Mine is coming to 120k miles now and despite of it having been written off a few years ago due to a folk not giving way to me and blasting into the left of it, it was not a major trouble. I started my ownership at 80k miles where I got the EGR valves programmed out and added some turbo boost to match the performance of the 6 cylinder. At this time I have also cleaned out the inlet manifold from the sooth. I changed rear air bags, the air inlet valve in the compressor, the passenger side front door after the collision, front suspension tower due to a broken spring, brake discs and pads in the front and oil and filters every year. I have just recently started to replace a few old interior plastics like, window switches and miscellaneous buttons here and there, it also recently needed a new clutch. All in all very easily serviceable and parts are cheap and easy to source. It has passed the last 3 years MOT without advisories. I hope I can keep it now as a second car with an 8 series grand coupe replacing the daily duties and maybe get another 30-40k miles in it before replacing the timing chain. The used price of these especially when written off just does not justify how much car they are for the money, when maintained properly of course!
These have airbag rear suspension and the compressor give plenty of problems on them so chassis warning light could easily be linked to that. Check the solenoid for the airbag compressor
that's about 262,000 km that's not bad at all, our company 2006 Fiat Scudo is at almost 300,000 km, that's about 186,000 miles, once you take good care of a car it doesn't matter how much miles is on it, it can even go pass 2 million just fine.
That maybe is good for other brands but not for BMW,My clio 1.5 dci 420k km ,engine never TOUCHED,it just goes even interior faled apart ,BMW 320i , i thing i replaced half off the engine at 210k km already and is still new problem every month
Lots of comments here already pointing out the fault with the self levelling rear suspension. I had one of these years ago without this option, and as others have mentioned- put standard springs on it and it’s a very reliable car. Mine had done more miles. Loved it.
I've got a 2012 F11 520d SE Touring with 192,000 miles on it that I've owned for 8.5 years/117,000 miles. It's black over beige leather, and it's an automatic, like they should be. Partly because you get two cupholders instead of just one, but mostly because they suit being an automatic. The one you've bought is a basic one with few if any options. Really they need to have the Professional Media pack, Harman Kardon audio system and one of the upgraded instrument clusters.
That warning could be something with the EDC sensor so stability isn't correct , so something is wrong with the stability control system, greetings Johnny
Half the time these warning lights are sensor issues. I had a 530D Touring from new to 83k miles. I had the chassis warning light come on which does relate to the air suspension. If I recall the chassis light came on at 81k. Was told by BMW this was a known issue. Still cost over £300 to fix!
They are amazing cars....when they work. I had to get rid of mine as the rear air suspension failed twice within 3 years. £2000+ per repair on a very low mileage car.. There is no such thing as a cheap 5 series, it will get you for something in the end.
I used to have a dark grey 2013 lci f11 520d msport auto. Only kept it about a year however, it just never felt as good to drive as my old E39 530d sport touring. Also, the seats in the f11 gave serious hip/ upper leg pain on journeys over 2 hours. Chassis warning is likely a leaky air bag spring. Very common on f11. I changed one of mine at half those miles. As for high mileage. My current c7 allroad bitdi has 161k on it and drives superb with (currently) no warning lights 😂 ac has packed in again though 3rd time in three years 🙄 got to love German quality 😂
Very nice car that aged very well, that 2.0D is a gem. Ok, it a bit agricultural when cold but torquey enough for daily use and the Mpg as you mentioned very good🎉
Would imagine the chassis warning to be a level sensor. Maybe not the sensor itself but the wiring or a plug. May also have water ingress like the lights. Thats my stab in the dark at that issue
Love that Bimmer, Matt. Wish I could get one in Canada. They are so rare here, and no diesels either. And cheap, cheap, cheap! If there was here, they would be asking $20,000 (or about 11,000 Pound Sterling).
I think it's because us Canadians pay much less in running costs (fuel, insurance, MOT fees and they pay some road tax). Our sales prices are higher because once you own the car there isn't much to pay for day to day living
Just had a look at your auto trader and the BMW's are about the same as here. Maybe a tad more. Interestingly Volvo S60s are way cheaper than here. There's decent ones in Canada for 60-70% of our price.
@@hotbeefo A tad more, haha! There is a Euro spec model, 1996 BMW 524TD 525TDS Touring Worldline edition with 390,000 km for $17,600. Not even close to GB prices! Totally ridiculous price.
Lot's of information on BMW foroms about chassis warning lights, could be a host of things, on our 635 D which we had a few years ago it turned out to be DSC module after a BMW specialist checked it, like yours it was intermittent, but when it came to sell it had no choice but to replace it, as no one wanted it with that warning light on
Great video as always. I bought a 2011 F10 520D and I did have this weird issue where it got unstable at high speeds and the steering wheel would also vibrate at speeds over 60. One of my work colleagues had the same issue and BMW never fixed his either. They seemed to think it was something to do with the run flats and they tried different combinations of tyres. I loved the car but got fed up troubleshooting it and traded it in. I wonder if they fixed it in the 2012 model.
Indicator fault? On a BMW? Well that doesn’t compute 😂 I used to have a 750 V12 many moons ago, lovely car but boy was it thirsty, and while it was smooth, it wasn’t particularly quick. Had a TV and nav with traffic alerts, fascinating new tech for its time.
No way, you upload this today and I own a f11 2015 model and I got same chassis warning TODAY! as this just in other wording... and that came up after I have curbed front left wheel.
I found my 530d chassis warning was water in the air suspension Compressor. Dried out silica beads replaced a couple of solenoids and no problems for the last 30k
I have this (520d), common things on these are the timing chain if Oil changes have been done according to BMWs schedule, turbo, belt pulley and maybe the rocker cover gasket/seal. I have replaced the Turbo, timing chain and belt pulley on mine and it’s currently on 122k miles. Oh yeh also get the auto box serviced :)
Had this warning on my F11 520d. Perished rear suspension airbags leaking, causing the compressor motor to begin failing. Rear suspension would then lose air and compressor unable to keep up, so ride height would be too low. Likely needs new airbags and compressor.
![Kodak Black - Versatile 4 [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/VcP_1Ua__vY/mqdefault.jpg)
This BMW's range on a quarter tank of fuel is around the same as an EV's range on a full charge. For long-distance travel, you can't beat a big diesel cruiser.
On my 2.0 dizel Insignia tourer i can do 1100 km on one tank at 130 km/h highway ,if i go 90 km/h can go 1700 km,maybe even more! (at that speed consume 4l/100 km and tank is 72l) ,and then they say buy EV that cost 3 times much as my car to charge every 200-300km
Modern diesels though are a ticking time bomb, you have to do a lot of miles to save enough on fuel to counter one DPF, EGR,turbo etc. 1200 for the timing chain on this..
Turbo failed on my e61 535d.
Range isn't everything. Often it's irrelevant, did 2500 miles last month, charging only at home, £50 in fuel.. we do own a big diesel for long trips etc, it's done 2 trips, 500 miles in 6 months! Might be cheaper to hire
@@paulni6917 I would love an EV but even though I could easily afford the payment plan for a nice one like a Kia EV6, I don’t have anywhere convenient to charge it because I live in a flat.
Even when I buy a home, the ones I’m looking at have on street parking, and it’s not worth spending more for one with a driveway, when £10k TDIs and VDCS software exist
@@paulni6917 Oh for goodness sake. Will you naff off with your bloody battery operated electronic nonsense. I don't want a soulless shit-box. I want Six cylinder induction noise. I want a raspy exhaust, preferably made from stainless steel. I want unassisted steering I can feel the road through. I want lift off oversteer. I want to four-wheel drift around bends with the arse hanging out. I want to rev match. I want to heal & toe. I want to double de-clutch. I want to belt up the M1 doing a double Nickle. I want to barrel along a mountain pass, with the wind whistling through the open quarter-lights. And I want David Bowie belting out of the 8-Track whilst I smoke a Cuban cigar pretending to be that bloke from the beginning of the Italian Job. The first one, not that crappy re-make. People like you have no soul, and no sense of fun. To you, a car is just an appliance. I hate you. You are an insult to petrolheads.
kindly go and shove your Model 3 up Elon's Musk, and leave those of us who appreciate the old, and merely tolerate the new to enjoy our dinosaurs in peace. The Fully Charged Shit-Show is that way >>>>>>>>
20 miles on a country road can cause more wear and tear than 200 cruising on the motorway..higher mileage is not always a bad thing.
Rollex
That's what I always tell people; I'd rather buy a 300 000+ km car that was used on the motorway than a 50k one that's been used in the city.
But how do you know where it’s been used or even how hard it’s been driven??😂
I'm starting to think for an old diesel high mileage is a bad thing: Just my experience in the last 10 years, only 1 out of 4 diesel cars I've had has given me no engine trouble
@@JohnSmith-cs7jg buy your old fleet car
Check that the body control module hasn't become contaminated with water too. Too often, water will go up through the wires and into the corresponding pins on the module. The BCM on the F10 / F11 chassis BMW's is behind the glovebox. BMW headlights are notorious for leaking water between the main carcass and the plastic lens. Smoke testing them is the only way to find the leaks.
I’m sure you will sell it quickly! Nice to see a estate car on the channel!
I agree diesel engines don’t like short journeys.
Small petrol engines the same.At least 08 plate 1.2 corsa my wife used to owned.30 something k miles on clock and engine camshaft was ready to go.
Short travels created butter around camshaft area and limited oil circulation.What worn it that important part.
I know I'm an old git but we have appeared to have strayed from the three screws to remove the headlamp unit and a new H4 bulb from Halfords at £6.50. Oh well I suppose that's progress!
To be fair, as I own a 2012 5 series with 192k miles on it, just changing the bulb isn't a bumper off job: there's an access panel in the wheel arch that just has two screws to open, then the bulb is right in front of the hole. On cars with xenons, the bulbs last years: I changed one last year and it was the first one ever, so that had lasted 11 years/180k miles
You only need to take the bumper off if you need to remove the actual lamp unit
When you were sat in Gloucester farm services and you declared, " It has a sidelight running light out....but I'm not worried about that." I laughed out loud.....I have the T shirt sir. 😊
Well, Matt, we have come full circle because way back at the start, you did a review of the 5 series touring, and I bought one....because of your review. Sadly, someone pulled out on me the other day and wrote it off.
😮 These estate cars are the best there is, and if you do put your foot down, they handle really really well...and the manual is far better.
The only thing my car struggled with was launching my boat on boat ramps.....so I have purchased a 2012 Discovery and guess what...I watched your review first.
Just thought I would let you know what a positive impact your channel really has...thanks.
Thanks! Very kind
Given the chassis warning problem comes on intermittently and does not seem to affect the handling and ride, then maybe its a ride height leveller/compressor/solenoid issue. If you can sort that without breaking the bank, then it's a fabulous car for the money.
That's why they got rid 😂
This is a very attractive, well maintained modern looking BMW.
It certainly doesn’t look anywhere near 12 years old, either in shape or condition.
Apart from the registration plate, I find that most older prestige cars look relatively current, they only give their age away by the dated infotainment systems.
This one is a lot of car for the price.
Great content, as always Matt❤.
VDP: Vehicle is found completely or partly in an extreme condition or no self-levelling suspension can be carried out.
Self-levelling suspension cannot be performed independently.
Service Plan
Check the level sponsors in each wheel well. Likely one is damaged or unplugged(damaged wire). Then you may need to have a height adjustment done or use ISTA to do it yourself if you have it.
Great cars! I own a 2011 523i Touring that just passed 426000 km (266250 miles) on the way home to Norway from another road trip to the Netherlands. It still feels pretty much like a new car to drive in spite of the miles, and that inline six petrol engine is still as smooth and silky and powerful as ever. Best car I've ever had, and I'm looking forward to my next road trip in it. That'll most likely be this coming Easter, when I'm hoping to take a trip from Norway to Slovenia and Croatia in it. 👍
Watch out for photo radars in Croatia.
Apparently, they put up a whole bunch of them all over the place, and no warning!
Is it an N20 or N52B25?
I have a 2011 523i auto Touring too - massively under-rated, the car is perfect. Super smooth, 6 cylinder engine and rear wheel drive. Only downside is that it's not as 'chuckable' as a BMW e39, so use it as a limo and it's always a pleasure to drive.
Nice one, I did a few road trips in my 2012 520d with 120k miles from North of England to South of France, and same with the A6 2.0TDI that I now have. They are so comfortable to drive long distances that I don't even feel tired after driving for 8+ hours in them. The other Japanese cars that I had would give me back and knee pain after only an hour of motorway driving.
@@Minto107 n52 i believe
Back in the day when BMW made elegant cars and not the ugly nowadays crap.
Ya the cars are awful now
@@DE-Van-manthe fronts with those hideous black large snow plow grills, I read that the chief BMW designer thought a automobile’s design was not to be aesthetically beautiful like an old E Type Jag, but to trouble you make you feel uneasy, you give a shocking design more thought, which he thought was a success in design, I could not disagree more with him. I like nice lines with a beautiful face and a design that look as though one designer did it all, not broke in to teams and took a part of the car.
My dad's had many many F11s, all absolutely brill cars. Currently has a 535D F11, hoping to buy It off him in a couple years time!
Great car
F11 5 series and F12 6 series have to be some of the best looking BMWs ever
Matt , would you be able to do a video on how in the uk what drives the second-hand car market and why people dont readily buy high mileage cars unless it has full service history . Plus why the uk car market depreciates more than other countries . Please explain by looking at the british regs plates, you can tell the year of the car, etc .In the usa there is no rhyme or reason to the second-hand market . If you have made a previous video about these subjects, then please ignore my comments/ request 🙂 👍
That's been loved.
I hope it finds a good home.
I had a 520D GT with that chassis warning. It was to do with the air suspension. Was driving home one day and the suspension dropped completely down. Had to limp home and then bring it to a garage. Mechanic couldn't say whether it was the sensors, pump, bags or what. I had already replaced the bags, so I bought a conversion kit from the US and put the car on normal springs. Drove fine after that. Bit bouncier over bumps but still comfortable and reliable.
Now you mention it the suspension does look quite low on that car, could be on some lowering springs and it's mucking about with the cars electronics?
In Matt's listing for this car, it includes suspension bags which he didn't mention in the video. Still at £3495. (granted I'm a day late to this)
Done some on my e61
I had a new 520dSE auto saloon new in 2010, put in M Sport seats and steering wheel with adaptive suspension. What a car, so refined and comfortable. I did 108k in 3 years, trip average was 55mpg. It was the same colour as yours except that specified the light grey interior. A friend of mine bought it for £8k, he still has it, looks like new and showing 155k currently. Great motors. 👍😎
Got to agree with you Matt about Gloucester Services...just fab.
Same at Tebay, just to prolong the Partridge moment.
Give Auto Alex a call, this is right up his street!
This is extremely low miles for Alex.
@@matthewgodwin3050😂 good
hes moved on to porka
yeah just make sure to add some oil when the oil light comes on...
Alex was changing the oil in his F11 every 25,000km, not suprised it broke down.
I love these cars, the BMW 520, Audi A6 and Mercedes E class just have a special place in my heart. When I got my licence I was told to get something japanese because they're more reliable, so I had a few of them, Toyota, Mazda and Honda, only 3 and 4 years old too, but they just didn't sit right with me, they were uncomfortable, had bad sound proofing and were boring.
Then I bought an 8 year old E class and I hooked, comfortable, nice tech, and really quiet.
I drove it for 4 years, then had a 520d for 2 years and now an A6 for 3 years, hoping to keep it for at least another 3.
Should have bought a Lexus. Comfortable, quiet, bullet proof.
Lol. Until the repair costs settle in
@@Warriorn977 You should see the repair bill on a Mazda when you need a new gearbox but you can’t find any used ones because the car is new and unpopular so you need to buy a brand new one 😅
I had a few repairs done for all the German cars, but I had the choice of both new and used parts from hundreds of sellers because of popularity so it was cheap.
@@asianskywalker I test drove a Lexus GX but I didn’t like the interior, the German car interiors just look nicer to me
@@asianskywalker Reliable but very dull cars
Loved the video on the 640d
Tebay services in Cumbria are the same company and can be recommended.
Tebay services are the crème de la crème of motorway services.
I have bought one of these a few month ago, which is why I can tell you that you've got pretty much the absolute base model. There were so many options for this car. Some are quite useless, but others really make it feel like a much more modern car than in base spec. But for £1800, I think you still got a very good deal!
I know someone with this exact car but automatic. Just passed 200k miles. Barely been serviced but has been faultless since 2014 (I don’t understand either). The chassis warning message has been on the dash for at least 7 years but it’s never affected the drive. Hope that helps.
That sounds like british Leyland rubbish but in German
Loving the Alan Partridge references,quickly becoming my numero one automotive youtube channel.
I imported a new 320d Sport to UK spec in 2002. Did 217,000 by the time I sold it in 2015. Great car.
Favourite Service station 😆
Should have shouted "Dan.............. Dan........" when you walked out.
Very fair price you’ve advertised this car Matt. A lot of car for £3495, it will easily last at least another 5 years if looked after 👍🏻
I know of old 5 series beamers back home from the 90’s still going strong with the old 524 td engines with over 500000 kms!
@@eksebro the engine in this one is known to be quite troublesome after 150k miles so this one is on borrowed time tbh.
I’ve got a 2007 e320 with 155k but so reliable ,a 2 litre diesel engine so powerful , best car that I’ve ever bought
N47 engine was much improved in 2012.. Cambelt tends to be less of an issue.. Main thing.. change the oil every 8k miles and risk is substantially mitigated
Agreed the N47 was better after 2012, problems completely went away in 2014 when it was replaced with the B47. It's a chain cam not a belt, but you're right about the service.
It’s chain drive
Did you miss the part where he said it's already had a chain? 🤣 Definitely improved, still junk
Thank you for the wake up call. One real opinion out of 4. N47 is worse than a 1.8 TSI @@kaptinkeiff
@@alanwayte432 Chain in BMW is more then issue then positive, on my BMW chain broke plastic guides that fall in engine ,blocked oil and engine went caput.But is more off BMW stupidity to use plastic everywhere then chain fault
I bought one of those during the pandemic the air suspension failed so had replaced it with springs so drives a lot better
The chassis warning light keeps coming on to remind you not to 'massively overspend'.
Definitely worth getting the fault checked with your local specialist as I had a similar issue with my 2013 5 series...ended up needing the pneumatic suspension replaced at a cost of approx £2k 😢
Phew...new timing chain is a must....N47 is notorious....took BMW 5-6 years is to sort the chain tensioner out...and they put the chain at the bulkhead end so it is an engine out job...and probs the lights need to be coded if replaced...most things need to be coded on BMW when they are replaced...new owner must ignore the oil changes at 18 K...8-10K max....suspension is a cheap fix..usually busted sphere...ran one to 223K....(just watched the vid..scratch the coding for the lights).....great vid as usual....
163,000 miles, I would consider that low for a 12 year old German car especially as a 2014 X5 2 litre diesel came up for auction with 1.4 million miles on the clock earlier on this year. I've always liked those 5 series BMW's, they don't look old and dated, and BMW have been extremely clever just to update the body every few years.
Better a high mileage diesel that has been maintained than a low mileage short journey one. A good reliable straight car that will provide the next owner a very economic means of transport.
I concur with the appreciation of the services
I have a 2016 F15 X5 with the air suspension at the rear. The only two times the chassis fault has shown up is when one, I went a little too fast over a bump diagonally and two, when the right rear wheel got caught on a tall curb making the car skip to the side a little. It went away both times on its own when the car was restarted on level ground. I am sure this estate also has either a faulty sensor or a wheel that went out of alignment because of a jerk (maybe impacting the axle?). All the best with it. Love your videos.
Great video and great car, you are actually one of the main reasons I bought my 530d from 2014 back in April and I have been loving it ever since.
It drives really well, and apart from one electronic issue with the boot, I have just passed the 20000 km mark from buying the car without issue.
Keep up the good work!
I had one of those new, same SE but with pro nav and pano roof. In Sophistico grey with beige leather. Lovely car.
Mine is Sophistico grey, looks fabulous, especially in MSport trim and 19" wheels.
The chassis stabilization indicator is unique to BMWs. It's an early warning system in case something causes your Bimmer to swerve dangerously. It's possible that your BMW's anti-lock braking system (ABS) is malfunctioning. Problems could potentially exist with the vehicle's suspension, engine, or gearbox.
Normally the chasis warning is related to the headlight/sensor malfunction (height leveling), this help with the self-leveling system. Volvo got similar warning.
Yeah my thought too either the ride height sensor on a swing arm or loss of air bag pressure as the underlying cause
Matt channels The Blues Brothers! I’ve got a 171 miles to go back to the garage…
And I’ve got a range of 197 its telling me…
But I’ve got just over a quarter of a tank…
I'm wearing dark sunglasses and its light..
Hit it!
Chassis warning - The solenoid valve near the compressor is not letting the air out, try jiggling the Y25*1B connector
I had both the faults on my car, it's the moisture in the lights which usually happens after washing the car. Open the top cap on the lights and leave them off as you don't need them anyway. Problem solved
I used to enjoy the Westmorland services on the M6, lovely breakfast and good views and also wasn't a conglomerate but not sure now though
Ah... The joy of the BMW warning lights!
@@fizzog12 Hahaha... I've got a 330e and as soon as one is sorted, another comes on!
@@fizzog12 Yes. Although, in fairness, they are really good cars just too technical for their own good.
@@fizzog12 Never owned a vauxhall but my dad swears by them. All he's owned since I can remember.
Great car that can obviously do the mileage BUT as with so many modern cars the over complex electronics could easily have killed it...
Hi Matt, 😊 ive owned a few vehicles with higher miles 😊 .If serviced and looked after never really a problem. I had a subaru impreza with 165000 miles kept it for 5 years .Drove like a high speed train 🚉. Serviced regularly run for ever 😊😊😊😊😊
Chassis fault is probably linked to the rear suspension. Have the mechanics strip out the compressor, check the dessicant and see if the solenoid valve is working as it should. Quite common to fail on these. Changed my own as a DIY weekend warrior quite easily. Cheap fix aswell
It happened with my GT520d as well, and i visited BMW they told me I need suspension calibration once they have done all good 😀
What's going on Mat? Another winner!
Gloucester services...pump number 3...great pump.
My favourite too.
I get very upset if someone is using it when I pull in.
Had a F11 535d up until last year and it was a great car, in some respects, and a bit of pain in others. Great power, truly rapid and great for touring France and my 30 mile commute to Peak Forest from Sheffield, but the same gremlins yours has started to rear their ugly heads a bit too frequently so I got rid.
The headlamp failure seems to be a common issue. I had the passenger side fail and needed a replacement, which all told by the time I’d sourced one, a replacement ballast unit and labour cost about a grand.
The chassis light could be the compressor which provides air for the rear air bag suspension. Mine failed at about 80K along with both air bags at varying points, but the compressor was about £700. Luckily I had a AA warranty that covered £500 of that part.
They’re great cars, but like you said, just too complicated for their own good.
Looks like a solid car! Very clean, well maintained.
Got my 08 Prius back from the dealer after a service today. Nothing was found wrong. I couldn’t believe it. Only remark was worn tires (which I knew already). 16 years old and 275.000 km and not a single problem. I find it remarkable, Toyota knows how to build something solid. (It was always serviced though)
EDIT: changed spelling
"Advisory items" ... on a service? Did you mean you had it in for an MOT?
@@giotto4321 Thanks to IOS 18 autocorrect. I meant: “nothing wrong was found”.
Should’ve checked my spelling beforehand. Thanks for noticing that.
I had the same warning light. Mine was linked to the air suspension compressor unit. Solenoid valve is was the culprit.
Looks like someone has had a pressure washer in the engine bay leading to electric al faults, still a lovely motor Matt.
A chassis warning light on a Bimmer? Could be anything from low washer fluid to the ash tray being too full. Good luck trying to get to the bottom of it!
My moneys on a missing dust cap.
@@stevenclark1973A branded dust cap with a unique screw-thread specific to that year..
Fuel filler cap loose
A fresh set number plates will clear it ...
@@tonyinit8488 That's only a temporary fix. You'll find the code soon comes back if the car has not had a valet in the last week.
Be mindful of the Yellow Grommet which is the blanking plug in the bulk head for the euro style steering column, soaks the rear passenger footwell when it fails 👍
Yep I had that fault on a newly purchased 13-plate 520d back in 2020 - despite all evidence to the contrary the (VW franchise) dealer insisted it was an air conditioning fault, and after three unsuccessful attempts to remedy the issue they agreed to a full refund. Shame, really like the 5-series Touring but the experience has put me off going for another.
What a lovely old BMW. Granted they are complex, but also a really lovely ride and loads of space to carry stuff. A friend drove one right across Europe fully loaded with technical equipment - it was a fine machine.
Five series touring is the best car ever. Perfect transport machine.
Good video Matt. You will probably find the previous owner has been driving it around for the last 11 months also scratching his head saying "what the hell is a chassis warning light" also. Hope you can diagnose it (nice cheap local runabout for someone that car).
Behind the headlight is the control unit sometimes called a ballast
Maybe I'm just as sad as Matt, but Gloucester Services really is a nice spot to stop for a break. My recommendation are the sausage rolls, they are excellent.
Tebay services are nicer
Good to see that you are always right Matt
What does chassis light mean on BMW?
The chassis stabilization indicator is unique to BMWs. It's an early warning system in case something causes your Bimmer to swerve dangerously. It's possible that your BMW's anti-lock braking system (ABS) is malfunctioning. Problems could potentially exist with the vehicle's suspension, engine, or gearbox.
These are so expensive here in Sweden these days. About €10-15k for a 2012 model with about 250k km. I paid 10k for a 4 year old car with 110k km on it in 2018. I always get jealous over your right hand drive car prices.
Hello Matt, nice looking car, hope it sells quickly. Thank you for taking the time to upload another video. Ged.
Mine is coming to 120k miles now and despite of it having been written off a few years ago due to a folk not giving way to me and blasting into the left of it, it was not a major trouble.
I started my ownership at 80k miles where I got the EGR valves programmed out and added some turbo boost to match the performance of the 6 cylinder. At this time I have also cleaned out the inlet manifold from the sooth. I changed rear air bags, the air inlet valve in the compressor, the passenger side front door after the collision, front suspension tower due to a broken spring, brake discs and pads in the front and oil and filters every year. I have just recently started to replace a few old interior plastics like, window switches and miscellaneous buttons here and there, it also recently needed a new clutch. All in all very easily serviceable and parts are cheap and easy to source. It has passed the last 3 years MOT without advisories.
I hope I can keep it now as a second car with an 8 series grand coupe replacing the daily duties and maybe get another 30-40k miles in it before replacing the timing chain. The used price of these especially when written off just does not justify how much car they are for the money, when maintained properly of course!
These have airbag rear suspension and the compressor give plenty of problems on them so chassis warning light could easily be linked to that. Check the solenoid for the airbag compressor
that's about 262,000 km that's not bad at all, our company 2006 Fiat Scudo is at almost 300,000 km, that's about 186,000 miles, once you take good care of a car it doesn't matter how much miles is on it, it can even go pass 2 million just fine.
Our company vans do 200,000 to 230,000 we had Peugeot Partners and the Mercedes Citans after 2018.
That maybe is good for other brands but not for BMW,My clio 1.5 dci 420k km ,engine never TOUCHED,it just goes even interior faled apart ,BMW 320i , i thing i replaced half off the engine at 210k km already and is still new problem every month
Insanely cheap and great buy as long as the buyer keeps in mind the maintenance costs.
That would make for a nice upgrade from my 61 reg BMW 318d M Touring... I am currently at 168k miles. Love those BMW estate cars.
That's a good buy, great condition.
Lots of comments here already pointing out the fault with the self levelling rear suspension. I had one of these years ago without this option, and as others have mentioned- put standard springs on it and it’s a very reliable car. Mine had done more miles. Loved it.
New rear suspension airbags fitted to mine last year....£153 fitted.....bargain.
@@steviedee8921 now I’m gonna start searching auto trader 😝 Wonderful car!
Absolutely brilliant motor way services
Bout time seeing a manual BMW on the channel much better than the usual auto tosh
Looks lovely, and it won't take long to sell. Really love the content Matt. I have now got a few Tommy Hilfiger Jumpers, thanks to you.
I need to get a sponsorship from TH 😂
@@HighPeakAutos I agree
Same warning light on my 530 d touring air suspension fault. Darren has just serviced mine first class he will sort!
whoes darren?
I've got a 2012 F11 520d SE Touring with 192,000 miles on it that I've owned for 8.5 years/117,000 miles. It's black over beige leather, and it's an automatic, like they should be. Partly because you get two cupholders instead of just one, but mostly because they suit being an automatic.
The one you've bought is a basic one with few if any options.
Really they need to have the Professional Media pack, Harman Kardon audio system and one of the upgraded instrument clusters.
It's also still got a full BMW service history
Omg ...the transformation from Matt to Alan got one big step closer during the intro to the video!
That warning could be something with the EDC sensor so stability isn't correct , so something is wrong with the stability control system, greetings Johnny
Half the time these warning lights are sensor issues. I had a 530D Touring from new to 83k miles. I had the chassis warning light come on which does relate to the air suspension. If I recall the chassis light came on at 81k. Was told by BMW this was a known issue. Still cost over £300 to fix!
They are amazing cars....when they work. I had to get rid of mine as the rear air suspension failed twice within 3 years. £2000+ per repair on a very low mileage car.. There is no such thing as a cheap 5 series, it will get you for something in the end.
I hate how the gear sticks shake on manual diesel BMWs, it feels cheap! Auto is best for BMWs
I used to have a dark grey 2013 lci f11 520d msport auto. Only kept it about a year however, it just never felt as good to drive as my old E39 530d sport touring. Also, the seats in the f11 gave serious hip/ upper leg pain on journeys over 2 hours.
Chassis warning is likely a leaky air bag spring. Very common on f11. I changed one of mine at half those miles.
As for high mileage. My current c7 allroad bitdi has 161k on it and drives superb with (currently) no warning lights 😂 ac has packed in again though 3rd time in three years 🙄 got to love German quality 😂
Looks a great car matt and at £3495 its a great car with that history the mileage wouldnt bother me at all the major work has all been done 👍
Very nice car that aged very well, that 2.0D is a gem. Ok, it a bit agricultural when cold but torquey enough for daily use and the Mpg as you mentioned very good🎉
What a joke..Its one of the worst engines bmw ever made..it peforms great but many problems after 120k miles approx.
Would imagine the chassis warning to be a level sensor. Maybe not the sensor itself but the wiring or a plug. May also have water ingress like the lights. Thats my stab in the dark at that issue
1800£ that's mind blowing 😮 there is no way you can find anything that cheap in Europe
Love that Bimmer, Matt.
Wish I could get one in Canada. They are so rare here, and no diesels either.
And cheap, cheap, cheap! If there was here, they would be asking $20,000 (or about 11,000 Pound Sterling).
I think it's because us Canadians pay much less in running costs (fuel, insurance, MOT fees and they pay some road tax). Our sales prices are higher because once you own the car there isn't much to pay for day to day living
Just had a look at your auto trader and the BMW's are about the same as here. Maybe a tad more.
Interestingly Volvo S60s are way cheaper than here. There's decent ones in Canada for 60-70% of our price.
@@hotbeefo
A tad more, haha!
There is a Euro spec model, 1996 BMW 524TD 525TDS Touring Worldline edition with 390,000 km for
$17,600.
Not even close to GB prices!
Totally ridiculous price.
That's in lovely condition , even the exhaust tips are clean, what a bargain!
Nothing more annoying than a warning bong, great video Matt. Look forward to an update on this one, as it appears a real bargain for someone.
Lot's of information on BMW foroms about chassis warning lights, could be a host of things, on our 635 D which we had a few years ago it turned out to be DSC module after a BMW specialist checked it, like yours it was intermittent, but when it came to sell it had no choice but to replace it, as no one wanted it with that warning light on
Great video as always. I bought a 2011 F10 520D and I did have this weird issue where it got unstable at high speeds and the steering wheel would also vibrate at speeds over 60. One of my work colleagues had the same issue and BMW never fixed his either. They seemed to think it was something to do with the run flats and they tried different combinations of tyres. I loved the car but got fed up troubleshooting it and traded it in. I wonder if they fixed it in the 2012 model.
Indicator fault? On a BMW? Well that doesn’t compute 😂 I used to have a 750 V12 many moons ago, lovely car but boy was it thirsty, and while it was smooth, it wasn’t particularly quick. Had a TV and nav with traffic alerts, fascinating new tech for its time.
No way, you upload this today and I own a f11 2015 model and I got same chassis warning TODAY! as this just in other wording... and that came up after I have curbed front left wheel.
maybe it could be tracking issue of some sorts ? a sensor somewhere ?
I found my 530d chassis warning was water in the air suspension Compressor. Dried out silica beads replaced a couple of solenoids and no problems for the last 30k
I have this (520d), common things on these are the timing chain if Oil changes have been done according to BMWs schedule, turbo, belt pulley and maybe the rocker cover gasket/seal. I have replaced the Turbo, timing chain and belt pulley on mine and it’s currently on 122k miles. Oh yeh also get the auto box serviced :)
This is a manual
Had this warning on my F11 520d. Perished rear suspension airbags leaking, causing the compressor motor to begin failing. Rear suspension would then lose air and compressor unable to keep up, so ride height would be too low. Likely needs new airbags and compressor.