Buying a F10

[Jian1990]

Hi guys , I am also looking for a f10 520i (2015-16) at mileage of 73k km. Any more things I should look out for? Car dealer had offer me 1 year engine and gearbox warranty. What worries me is the gearbox, and what is the symptom of a faulty gearbox?

 

[jujitsuka]

Hi guys , I am also looking for a f10 520i (2015-16) at mileage of 73k km. Any more things I should look out for? Car dealer had offer me 1 year engine and gearbox warranty. What worries me is the gearbox, and what is the symptom of a faulty gearbox?

I am also driving a 10 yr old F10, just get a reputable workshop to fix all the oil leaks & suspension issues, mine had all the swing arms replaced and leaks around the oil pan fixed plus all those leaky rubber hosing for radiator replaced etc... basically all the rubber n plastic parts in the engine bay has to go if its already 10 yrs or more, next up to fix is those sticky buttons in the interior which you can purchase via Taobao cheaply...

 

[Jian1990]

I am also driving a 10 yr old F10, just get a reputable workshop to fix all the oil leaks & suspension issues, mine had all the swing arms replaced and leaks around the oil pan fixed plus all those leaky rubber hosing for radiator replaced etc... basically all the rubber n plastic parts in the engine bay has to go if its already 10 yrs or more, next up to fix is those sticky buttons in the interior which you can purchase via Taobao cheaply...

thanks bro , but more worrying in the gearbox that cost a bomb to fix...... plan to get a second car but dun know whether will get a lemon car

 

[Eeewan]

thanks bro , but more worrying in the gearbox that cost a bomb to fix...... plan to get a second car but dun know whether will get a lemon car

Overhaul the ZF gearbox costs about 3k. For me i just put aside some cash for repairs. So when it happens, i am already prepared for it.

 

[Jian1990]

Thanks bro for your advice , hopefully can get a problem free car and save the trouble from going in and out of workshop

 

[ericwenx]

Overhaul the ZF gearbox costs about 3k. For me i just put aside some cash for repairs. So when it happens, i am already prepared for it.

Thanks bro for your advice , hopefully can get a problem free car and save the trouble from going in and out of workshop

welcome to the beemers club!

my opinion, never trust totally what dealer says. can promise you everything before sales. best is to send to your preferred workshop for checks before signing on the dotted line.

there’s plenty of F10 listing in the market now. never ever rush to buy.

 

[Xris]

Overhaul the ZF gearbox costs about 3k. For me i just put aside some cash for repairs. So when it happens, i am already prepared for it.

Same, catered buffer for potential gearbox overhaul. Then again, it's all luck. Most will survive for quite some time

The smooth aspirated 6 cyl and ZF8 gearbox is a good combo. Risk is already much lower. Problems are usually those plastic/rubber parts, gaskets, seals, sensors...

 

[Jian1990]

Same, catered buffer for potential gearbox overhaul. Then again, it's all luck. Most will survive for quite some time

The smooth aspirated 6 cyl and ZF8 gearbox is a good combo. Risk is already much lower. Problems are usually those plastic/rubber parts, gaskets, seals, sensors...

hahaha thanks for the advice think set aside 5k will be sufficient for sudden repairs ba first time getting a conti car and alot of hear say really bring down the eagerness to get one

 

[Xris]

should be ok one bah. zf8 is aldy one of the better ones out there. the faster torque converter means less wear and tear, shld last quite long.

lvl 1 - settle your seals - gaskets, pan, plug etc. If too old replace transmission oil (i personally don't believe in the bullshxx of lifetime oil)
lvl 2 - some bros here say change trans solenoid when you get shifting problems
lvl 3 - suay lor, replace mechantronics
lvl 4 - super suay, replace whole thing

the chance of mecha n whole tranny gone is quite low

 

[rester]

Just wanna share my experience driving a F10 523 for about 2 years until scrap.

It's been a good drive, but FC is abit on the high side with 9-10km/l (light footed). I'm a heavy user, clocked in about 30k km a year. At scrap it's just nice about 200k km.

Issues i faced-

1. Aircon compressor busted at the start (8th year), cost borne by dealer so i'm not sure. IIRC it sould be about $800.
2. Engine cylinder head replacement: $770 with labour (can't remember the symptoms, but it should be oil leaking and loss of power).
3. One main issue almost all F10 users will face at some point is this: Flooding in the passenger seat area when heavy rain (or water sloshing sound). This is due to steering column cover (it's a yellow plate) that needs to be replaced. Luckily cheap fix $260 inclusive labour
4. The most expensive issue i faced: Engine camshaft bolt issue, which is apparently, a design defect of BMW- to the point where BMW has issued a recall globally (But annoyingly, not in SG- i checked with PML). Was quite upset and had to shell out $1700 (other site sponsors quoted $3k+) to get it fixed at my workshop. Symptoms include great loss of power especially at acceleration, loud whistling from the engine, car jerking violently to a sudden stop.


Some other wear and tear i did include changing the absorbers - (standard brakepads and bilstein B4s) from Eng Soon about $490 + labour and wheel alignment $160.

At the near 10 year mark i can feel what i believe is transmission problems, jerkiness when accelerating from gear 1-2. When i accelerate, can also hear the engine rev but no power, until it reaches gear 2 then power is smooth. I've also heard from other F10 drivers about jerkiness and knocking sounds in gear changing (gearbox problem).

So maybe something to take note when you're buying your're test driving yours.

Other than the problems listed above, the 6cylinder engine should be quite reliable. Oil consumption is normal (~8k-10k km), not much leaking problems.

Overall still happy with the car. Really love the car's silhouette and overall design. Lots of mods to play with. Put it in sports mode and enjoy the drive.

Thanks for the write up. Am looking for a F10 COE renew recently and finally found 1 i like but realize that during shift from gear 1 - 2 there is a very noticeable jerk. guessing it is the transmission problem you mentioned. any idea how much it would be to fix it? since i got to take that into account. Also thanks for the info on the engine camshaft bolt issue. going to take that into consideration too.