• Car advice... @coldharbour told me to ask here once he'd given up trying to persuade me to buy a Volvo. Contemplating purchasing a 2008ish 5 series BMW estate. Good/bad/terrible idea? Anything specific to look for? This is meant to be a fairly long term purchase - needs to be used for family purposes (have two kids), transporting bikes, etc. Want petrol due to living within south circular and upcoming low emissions zone thing. We've got a 2003 320d at the moment, which has been good but is too small. I know very little about cars so apologise in advance for not understanding complicated answers...

  • Great idea! Watch out for dodgy air suspension (test with passengers in the rear) and rear hatch wiring loom (lights and heated window). Sunroofed versions can have an issue with water draining into the spare tyre well, so check it’s dry in there too (and check idrive for service & fault codes).

  • Thank you - this is just the sort of checklist I need.
    (or realistically, what @coldharbour needs when I rope him in to look over any prospective cars). I'm guessing of those things the suspension is liable to be the most expensive to sort out?

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