Q: Should I buy this 1997 BMW 528I

asked by on September 12, 2016

I'm getting my son his first car, he is a very responsible driver. I found a single owner 5 speed BMW 528I manual tranny with all maintenance records, but it has 214,600 miles. Is this car worth getting

Hello. BMW makes a fantastic vehicle that, as you know is well known for its performance and luxury. With that comes a little more of a price tag in terms of maintenance and upkeep as with any performance or luxury vehicle. With that many miles, it depends on the history or maintenance with the car and how it has been cared for.

I have seen many BMW’s last well into the 300k miles+ range when well cared for. It is hard to know without doing a fairly thorough inspection of a car what kind of maintenance issues you may run into. I would suggest having an expert from Your Mechanic perform a pre-purchase inspection on the vehicle before buying it.

The statements expressed above are only for informational purposes and should be independently verified. Please see our terms of service for more details

Get an instant quote for your car

Our certified mechanics come to you ・Backed by 12-month, 12,000-mile guarantee・Fair and transparent pricing


Experienced Mechanic?

Earn up to $70/hr

What others are asking

Car vibrates when stopping.
Your problem is a common one. The vibration/pulsation you feel when braking is possibly due to warped rotors. Rotors are a smooth machined metal surface that your brake pads make contact with when you apply your brakes. When the rotor...
Slow oil leak
Hi. A temporary engine oil drain plug is just that - temporary. I suggest you have your oil pan and drain plug repaired as soon as possible. As for your shaking, it sounds like your rotors are warped. Warped rotors...
Wheel stud replacement
Nothing is impossible to remove. It might be a pain in the neck and require specialized tools. If you fill out a repair inquiry specifying whether it is the lug nut that is stuck or whether you are actually trying...
Key fob will not open doors. The push button will not start car. There are no dash indicators. Had new battery installed in the vehicle and in the key fob.
The key fob will need to be reprogrammed to the vehicle as when the battery was replaced in the key fob, the key was reset. This is why nothing is working with the key fob. If you need further assistance...
driver side power lock doesnt work.
Thank you for writing in. There are several reasons you may be having these issues with the locks. However, without knowing what model of Chevy you are driving it is difficult to know what exact components you are working with....
2006 Pontiac GTO - Trouble codes P0300 and P0496. Feels like misfire and/or out of fuel
Hi There, Code P0496 relates to the EVAP system, specifically indicating that the system has detected more flow than normal during a non-purge condition. This means that the system may be trying to purge excess pressure or fumes form the...
My car system beeped with the low coolant warning light and went to cold and then it completely shut off
Hello. If the coolant was low enough and if the engine started to get hot then it will shut down. Hopefully the engine turned off before any damage occurred. If the coolant was that low then there is a leak....
Awd warning light on and car won't turn over
Hi Travis. Thanks for contacting us tonight. When it's cold, starting a vehicle can be difficult. In most cases, a battery will have enough power to activate warning lights and accessories, but will not have enough cranking amps to activate...

Related articles

A Buyer’s Guide to the 2011 Mazda RX-8
The The 2011 Mazda RX-8 is a sporty, two-door coupe that is able to seat four people (two in the front and two in the rear). While this was the final year of production for the RX-8, it definitely made...
The Best Used Cars to Buy If Your Kid's On the Soccer Team
If If you are a soccer mom (or dad), you know that you need a lot of space to transport your budding World Cup contenders, along with their gear. From time to time, you can also expect to be bringing...
How to Buy a Good Quality Throttle Body
Just Just like the throttle, the throttle body plays a very important part in how your fuel-injected engine runs, and makes the car move. The air intake system relies on the throttle body as a pivotal component. The air intake...