BMW F12 640i buying advice

[///M3Vert]

Hello all! In the midst of the pandemic, we all need something to look forward to. For me, I've been looking for a replacement for my daily driver, a 2015 Mercedes Benz C300. I've been considering a similar year (2015-2017) 640i GC. I've always liked these cars. Great handling, beautiful, practical, and (hopefully) fairly reliable. Anyone got any advice/info on buying these cars, what to expect as far as maintenance goes, and what are good options to have and what options aren't really worth it? I'm very familiar with BMW's in general, having 4 in total, 2 of which have been M3's. Thanks for the info, much appreciated!

[pdubq]

I’ve got the 650i GC, test drove the 640i GC first, but I really really really wanted a v8, but I have the n55 engine in my X3 and love it too. Don’t have much on what to expect for maintenance, (above what your already anticipate from your past bimmer ownership).

As far as options though... my must haves were;
Bang & Olufsen speakers
HUD
M sport package

I didn’t care much at the time about the 360 degree camera, but now SOOOOOO glad I have it! Mainly for the side view cameras which are incredibly useful when parking. Even stock the car is so low that it’s incredibly easy to scrape pulling up to curbs or parking blocks, and those side cameras have a line that shows where your front end will be. I found that really difficult to feel naturally because of how low and long the car is, so those cameras are a bumper saver!

[iamvanja]

While GC is IMHO one of the most beautiful sedans ever made, i am not sure about its practicality. For how long the car is, i would expect more legroom both front and back, Wouldn't be surprised if it is less than your C300. 5 series is smaller and more practical. But it's not a 6 😎

640 is the way to go in my opinion when it comes to engines in 6 series. It has plenty of power while being more reliable than the v8. N55's weak point in my experience are gaskets, especially in warmer climates. While they are cheap pieces, they are often not easy to replace. So you pay $400-500 for labor for a $20 piece.
Other than that, in my almost 2 years of ownership, everything else has been rock solid.

Must haves for me?
HUD
360 camera
Blind spot monitor
LED headlights (depending on the year, it is an option)
M Sport package
Red nappa leather

Digital cluster was something I was looking for, and it turned out to be useless. It could have been analog with a screen in middle since mostly it just changes colors between drive modes...
You can easily skip Lane departure warning although I think it comes bundled in the Driver's Assistance Plus package.

Edit: GC is F06, not F12.

[tranmpower]

Originally Posted by ///M3Vert

Hello all! In the midst of the pandemic, we all need something to look forward to. For me, I've been looking for a replacement for my daily driver, a 2015 Mercedes Benz C300. I've been considering a similar year (2015-2017) 640i GC. I've always liked these cars. Great handling, beautiful, practical, and (hopefully) fairly reliable. Anyone got any advice/info on buying these cars, what to expect as far as maintenance goes, and what are good options to have and what options aren't really worth it? I'm very familiar with BMW's in general, having 4 in total, 2 of which have been M3's. Thanks for the info, much appreciated!

///M3Vert, I just recently upgraded from a e46 M3 vert to the M6 vert. The M6 vert is a beast and beautiful; however the e46 M3 is so classic and beautiful after 16 years. I'm happy with the M6 but something about the e46 M3 is still the best body style.

When i purchased the M6, I checked the maintenance records, contacted the BMW dealership were it was serviced, Carfax checked, and questioned the heck out of the owner. Also, for options, i always use my wife's advice, get all the options available so you won't regret your purchase.

There are deals out there for the 6series. Just take your time and search all the websites. Good luck with your search!

[bimmer12]

I thankfully haven't had any issues with the drivetrain but have experienced a few minor issues in typical BMW fashion (some of the minor issues costing thousands to repair, again in typical BMW fashion). I'm sure you're familiar with this, having owned BMWs. If reliability is a big factor obviously 640 would be your best bet, personally while the more widely produced and reliable engine in the 640 was somewhat of a draw, I couldn't resist the V8 and don't regret it. Won't get into 640 vs 650 comparison since this isn't what you're asking.

As far as options, considering the generation/age of the models you're looking at, I'd say get all you can. Otherwise the car would age much more quickly and might already feel dated. My thoughts and experiences on some of them below, but having bought mine some time ago, I can't remember exactly which features came bundled in which packages, or if some of these features were available as standalone upgrades. Might also differ by region.

Driver Assistant Plus: Some features are more useful than others, but I think most models have it equipped.
- Front collision. Not a must, but a nice to have backup.
- Lane departure. As this is passive, probably only useful if you do a lot of lengthy highway driving.
- Blindspot monitoring. Nothing new, at this point everyone has an opinion on whether they need it or not, I personally don't use it.
- Adaptive Cruise Control. Not too sure if this is part of this package, but it supports Stop & Go (not all manufacturers' ACCs do), and is a must if you do any highway driving in traffic. For me in Toronto, this has been very useful, not sure how traffic is in/around San Antonio.

Executive Package: Most features are not a must, but you probably want in a car like this. Some of the features, while completely unnecessary, combine to make the 6 feel like the 6.
- For me, the HUD was a must, and BMW is still one of the best at it, however I understand some people don't care for HUDs in general. If you're one of those who do find HUDs useful, make sure it has the speed limit scan/display, which may be a separate option.
- Camera angles, the 360 is okay, would be much more useful if it showed the front (not sure if front camera was an option available in some years or not) as it only shows the other 3 sides, and if it would utilize the widescreen to show both the backup and 360 camera at the same time. The side camera angles (available outside the 360 view) however I find to be more useful due to the length of the car, when poking out of alleys, etc.
- Soft-close doors, honestly not needed. The only people who slam doors are the same people who will slam them regardless of whether you have soft-close. But I'm personally a sucker for these. No longer a mark of ultra luxury cars since some time, but still low-key screams luxury in my opinion.
- I think this package adds more leather, contrast stitching, etc. May not seem like a big deal, but it really adds to the luxury feel inside. The 6 series interior of this generation is really special, and I think it'd be a shame not to have this extra.
- Ceramic controls, this converts a lot of high-touch points of the interior from plastic to ceramic, such as volume knob, shift knob, iDrive controller, etc. This sort of ties into the point above, and they feel very nice.

M Sport Package: Probably the most optional.
- Sport Exhaust would be the only thing that really interests me, although I have not heard exactly how a 6 series without one sounded.
- The rest are mainly visual, and I'm not going to comment as the value to each person varies too widely depending on personal taste. As far as the wheel size, there's the typical pros/cons that apply to the 6 same as any car.

Other options:
- Sound system. I have a Bang & Olufsen system in my Audi and would've loved to have this in my 6, but this was hard to find. Not sure if these systems are worth the extra thousands, but if buying used, it makes more sense. Would at least go for the upgraded Harman/Kardon HiFi system.
- Night vision camera, didn't sound like something I would ever use, but some do swear by it.

In my experience, a lot of these models came as "M Sport Edition," which is different from the M Sport Package, and basically combines the M Sport Package, Executive Package, premium seating options, and possibly a few more upgrades. All in all, this is a solid choice and well worth the money, both when it was new and in the pre-owned market.

TLDR: M Sport Edition is a no-hassle option that combines most of what you probably need/want. If going with an individually optioned car, would recommend Driver Assistant Plus to ensure the car does not lag too far behind current generation cars, and Executive Package to really give the 6 its intended luxury feel. M Sport Package is mostly visual and up to personal preference.

[pdubq]

Originally Posted by bimmer12

I thankfully haven't had any issues with the drivetrain but have experienced a few minor issues in typical BMW fashion (some of the minor issues costing thousands to repair, again in typical BMW fashion). I'm sure you're familiar with this, having owned BMWs. If reliability is a big factor obviously 640 would be your best bet, personally while the more widely produced and reliable engine in the 640 was somewhat of a draw, I couldn't resist the V8 and don't regret it. Won't get into 640 vs 650 comparison since this isn't what you're asking.

As far as options, considering the generation/age of the models you're looking at, I'd say get all you can. Otherwise the car would age much more quickly and might already feel dated. My thoughts and experiences on some of them below, but having bought mine some time ago, I can't remember exactly which features came bundled in which packages, or if some of these features were available as standalone upgrades. Might also differ by region.

Driver Assistant Plus: Some features are more useful than others, but I think most models have it equipped.
- Front collision. Not a must, but a nice to have backup.
- Lane departure. As this is passive, probably only useful if you do a lot of lengthy highway driving.
- Blindspot monitoring. Nothing new, at this point everyone has an opinion on whether they need it or not, I personally don't use it.
- Adaptive Cruise Control. Not too sure if this is part of this package, but it supports Stop & Go (not all manufacturers' ACCs do), and is a must if you do any highway driving in traffic. For me in Toronto, this has been very useful, not sure how traffic is in/around San Antonio.

Executive Package: Most features are not a must, but you probably want in a car like this. Some of the features, while completely unnecessary, combine to make the 6 feel like the 6.
- For me, the HUD was a must, and BMW is still one of the best at it, however I understand some people don't care for HUDs in general. If you're one of those who do find HUDs useful, make sure it has the speed limit scan/display, which may be a separate option.
- Camera angles, the 360 is okay, would be much more useful if it showed the front (not sure if front camera was an option available in some years or not) as it only shows the other 3 sides, and if it would utilize the widescreen to show both the backup and 360 camera at the same time. The side camera angles (available outside the 360 view) however I find to be more useful due to the length of the car, when poking out of alleys, etc.
- Soft-close doors, honestly not needed. The only people who slam doors are the same people who will slam them regardless of whether you have soft-close. But I'm personally a sucker for these. No longer a mark of ultra luxury cars since some time, but still low-key screams luxury in my opinion.
- I think this package adds more leather, contrast stitching, etc. May not seem like a big deal, but it really adds to the luxury feel inside. The 6 series interior of this generation is really special, and I think it'd be a shame not to have this extra.
- Ceramic controls, this converts a lot of high-touch points of the interior from plastic to ceramic, such as volume knob, shift knob, iDrive controller, etc. This sort of ties into the point above, and they feel very nice.

M Sport Package: Probably the most optional.
- Sport Exhaust would be the only thing that really interests me, although I have not heard exactly how a 6 series without one sounded.
- The rest are mainly visual, and I'm not going to comment as the value to each person varies too widely depending on personal taste. As far as the wheel size, there's the typical pros/cons that apply to the 6 same as any car.

Other options:
- Sound system. I have a Bang & Olufsen system in my Audi and would've loved to have this in my 6, but this was hard to find. Not sure if these systems are worth the extra thousands, but if buying used, it makes more sense. Would at least go for the upgraded Harman/Kardon HiFi system.
- Night vision camera, didn't sound like something I would ever use, but some do swear by it.

In my experience, a lot of these models came as "M Sport Edition," which is different from the M Sport Package, and basically combines the M Sport Package, Executive Package, premium seating options, and possibly a few more upgrades. All in all, this is a solid choice and well worth the money, both when it was new and in the pre-owned market.

TLDR: M Sport Edition is a no-hassle option that combines most of what you probably need/want. If going with an individually optioned car, would recommend Driver Assistant Plus to ensure the car does not lag too far behind current generation cars, and Executive Package to really give the 6 its intended luxury feel. M Sport Package is mostly visual and up to personal preference.

Your answers are always the best!!

[bimmer12]

Originally Posted by pdubq

Your answers are always the best!!

Haha, you must have me confused with someone else