2008 BMW 535i

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Xanatos

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Picked up a 2008 BMW 535i with 73k miles at auction for 2700$ (plus auction fees and shipping, closer to 3500 initial investment). Car books for close to 10k, so I should be able to make decent money on it even if I sell it for closer to 7-8k. Needs a cooling fan, oil filter housing gaskets, front control arms and some bodywork. Parts list so far is around 500. An 11 year old BMW has red flags all over it, and this one is weird because it's unusually low mileage but it's for sure been a rough 73k. It seems likely the person who bought it used before me did not have the financial ability to properly maintain an old BMW lol. But I got all the codes except one to clear... For now

But the rwd twin turbo in-line 6 is pretty nice. And it is very luxurious especially compared to my truck lol. It's unlikely i'll commit to the car, but I do plan on driving it for a couple months (unless it sells quickly)

Tonight I straightened the fender, just needs a slim coat of Bondo to finish it out properly and I heated and re-shaped the bumper which just needs a light coat of plastic repair material.
 

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nice car for the money.
Is it hard to reshape a bumper? I need to fix a small section on my grand cherokee
 
The way I do it is use a propane torch to heat up the damaged area, and two pieces of metal to press it back into shape. It will most of the time damage the paint, but chances are the paint was already broken so it shouldn't matter
 
Should be a good flip. Just don't drive it more than outside of your lot. I'd put as close to zero additional miles as possible on it. I wouldn't want to have the turbos blow or the cooling system shit the bed at mile 6. Treat it like the time bomb that it is and get rid of it asap. lol
 
With that said, it might give you a taste of the nicer cars out there. You might end up trading all of your current collection for one new-ish german luxury. lol
 
id fix it as cheap and easy as possible before something packs its bags and goes south and cost a small fortune
 
Needs a water pump too now. Old one has a crack in the plastic part of the housing. Probably gonna drop this car like it's hot, pocket the profits and move on to something else.
 
Needs a water pump too now. Old one has a crack in the plastic part of the housing. Probably gonna drop this car like it's hot, pocket the profits and move on to something else.

With BMWs, you'll want to do the whole cooling system. Water pump, belts, overflow tank, etc. It's one of those things that requires you to take it all apart just to fix one small thing, and that one small thing could have broken everything else connected to it. You just don't know it until it fails. Then you have to take it all apart again.
 
Put it on the road 2 nights ago. I actually love this car but the money I should be able to make (4500 total investment) will be enough to help me get rid of it.
 
Good job parting ways with it before something blew up.
Did you get more attention from the ladies while you were driving it? Or did you not ever drive it.
 
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