Hi!

I just found this great forum and wanted to get your advice. I'm able to purchase a L322 from 2006 with 300.000 kilometers and an ask price of 4.200 €, including the name change. It's a 3.0 TD BMW with 177 HP. However, the valve box has to be replaced (about 1.600 €) and the owner has said to me that it would be better to do the whole gearbox (2.000 - 2.500 €) instead. That would be a total of 6.700 € if I go with the full repair.

I can afford to spend around 1.500 €/year in maintenance, but I have no experience with this type of car. Do you think that it's possible to keep this car with these resources? And do you think the purchase price is good? I'm located in Barcelona, Spain.

Thanks in advance!

All the best

Here are some images:

Front




Back




Interior




The four tires are new, and it's in good overall shape.

That seems a lot of money for the age, kilometres and known repairs needed. I'd hope not to be spending 1500EUR p.a. once all known issues are resolved maybe 500EUR p.a. +tyres as required. Honestly, and despite working in 'the industry' I know nothing about used car values, I'd say 4200EUR less the gearbox cost would be reasonable to me.

Nice looking car BTW

Hi Phoenix, thanks a lot for your reply!

I'm relieved that you think 500 € / year is more sound than 1.500 €. I'll try to negotiate the gearbox value, but for what the owner has told me, it's unlikely I'll get it cheaper.

Can you make any recommendation on L322 version for purchase? The first year I have a budget around 15.000 € for the car + repairs.

Yes, it looks awesome!

Markets are very different geographically - 15k EUR would get you a late L322 or early L405 in UK - But with a high chance of latent corrosion, not something you need to worry about unless it's been kept in a costal location. Something similar to your potential purchase would be circa 1500 - 1800EUR in UK, especially with a known transmission issue and those kilometres. I paid £2800 for my 2007 3.6TDV8 with known issues (HP fuel pump & inlet manifolds) and 150k miles (241,000km)
Repairs cost me less than £800 (my labour, therefore 'free') in parts and I've spent about £1500 in parts sorting out other issues, including tyres. about another £3-400 to go and I'm into 'maintenance only' territory for the foreseeable future, I expect tyres to last me about 4 years as a minimum.

It does look like a nice clean vehicle.

However, it has done a lot of miles & needs a gearbox rebuild. In my opinion just not worth that sort of money.

The GM gearboxes in the TD6's are weak & troublesome & as time goes by getting more & more difficult to repair/source parts for.

If you still want to go ahead make sure that you double check the rear wheel arches, jacking points, doorcills (under the trims) & front subframes for corrosion, also the front subframe signs of water ingress in the rear electrical compartments,
Check that the air suspension works as it should & does not go down overnight.
Not forgetting all the things you would check on any vehicle.

It's very easy to fall in love at first sight with RR's but make sure your head rules your hearts when checking them out.

Good luck.

Thanks both for your replies.

Phoenix
I was just checking "for sale" L322 in this forum and as you say, the difference of price here in Spain is giant. It has made me thought in importing one, maybe that's the thing to do. Do you know something about it?

SamThomas
How much you think I should pay? It would be very difficult to check that the suspension doesn't go down overnight without buying the car, the buyer seems really honest though, so probably I could ask him. You're totally right about falling in love with RR and potentially forgetting about your brain, I would be the perfect car for me when working, but I'm trying to be cautious.

All the best

No mate, I don't really, I've travelled & worked over most of Europe in the past but there are so many variations in the rules it makes the euro dream of 'one state' just that, a dream. I honestly don't know if it's be easier/cheaper to import from France, Lux or Netherlands - all of which have healthy levels of L322 ownership and at least they'd have the steering wheel on the incorrect side Failing that, there is a UK expat with a Ferrari garage in Pamplona (or was!) that has a good sideline in Landrovers, if he's still trading he might be able to point you towards something more cost-effective.

ETA - wasn't Pamplona, it's Redline Cars, Estepona!

Different market, here in portugal prices will make your eyes water, Spain not too dissimilar I'd imagine....

[quote="Phoenix"]

Definitely, I prefer a car with the wheel on the incorrect side, hahaha. I've checked the Redline Cars website, and it looks that they are still active, I'll email him, thanks a lot!

dingg1
Checked the price in Portugal, and it's far more expensive than here in Spain. Maybe I'll try to import one from another European country.

Lancelot15 wrote:

Thanks both for your replies.

Phoenix
I was just checking "for sale" L322 in this forum and as you say, the difference of price here in Spain is giant. It has made me thought in importing one, maybe that's the thing to do. Do you know something about it?

SamThomas
How much you think I should pay? It would be very difficult to check that the suspension doesn't go down overnight without buying the car, the buyer seems really honest though, so probably I could ask him. You're totally right about falling in love with RR and potentially forgetting about your brain, I would be the perfect car for me when working, but I'm trying to be cautious.

All the best

Second hand car prices are much higher in France than in UK so comparisons are difficult. A possible area for purchase is either Germany or Belgium. Germany used to be more reasonably priced but don’t know if that is still the case. Needs to be researched.

As an aside, French MoT equivalent testers and mechanics would look at the rusty underside of a car and remark. “Une voiture anglaise “. John
2008 Stornoway Grey 3.6 Tdv8 Vogue
2005 TD6 Java Black Vogue - Written off!!
GAP iiD BT
2003 Discovery TD5 Auto, Nanocom Evolution - gone to a new home!
MasseyFerguson 152 - No electronics!! - Sold

As the owner of the same Td6 for the past 12 years there is no way l would buy a similar vehicle that had travelled 330000k, it may look a nice, clean, good looking vehicle but unless very extensive replacement of numerous expensive components has been undertaken over the years it is an old worn out car.
As for trying to sell it with a dodgy gearbox, give me strength, it makes the car worthless and sellable for spares only.
The only good feature about the car is presumably the lack of corrosion.
Just my considered opinion.

SamThomas
I'll have to look into the "spares" problem, thanks for pointing that out.

And the salt is not a daily problem, that just happens in mountain regions like the Pyrenees, but once in a while I don't think is worth worrying about.


Weggie
Yes, I checked German prices and they are cheaper. But probably not so much to be worth the trouble of importing. What is MoT? And why the hell have "anglaise" cars this problem with rust? It's always raining, they should be prepared!


nicedayforit
Okay, thanks for the honest opinion. I'm able to spend more money, but I'm confused on how much should I spend on the car and how much should I save for repairs. I have a budget of around 15.000 € for the first year, and it would be nice to keep the yearly cost of running the car under 1.500 € the following years. Any advice?


ChatGPT
I asked ChatGPT for advice in this vehicle, just for the fun of it! It says that the first generation (2002 - 2005) is the most reliable, do you agree with the statement?


Thanks for the help

MoT is UK annual road worthiness test (Controle Technique in France).

Rust problems because with touch of frost the roads are, generally, liberally covered with salt. John
2008 Stornoway Grey 3.6 Tdv8 Vogue
2005 TD6 Java Black Vogue - Written off!!
GAP iiD BT
2003 Discovery TD5 Auto, Nanocom Evolution - gone to a new home!
MasseyFerguson 152 - No electronics!! - Sold