AUTONEWS

He even has two diesel BMWs with huge mileage: How did they survive 800 and 600 thousand km?

It is rare for someone to drive a car for more than 600,000 km, and especially more than 800,000 km. But one driver has two such cars.

A Dane named Kristian Pedersen has two diesel BMWs, one with 814,000 km and the other with more than 600,000 km. One of the two cars is a BMW 3 Series Touring 325d (E91), manufactured in 2007. A few days ago, it crossed the 600,000 km mark on the odometer. This version has a 3.0 liter inline 6-cylinder engine with 197 hp and 400 Nm. Danec's second car is a BMW 5 Series Touring 520d E61, manufactured in 2008, with 814,116 km on the odometer. It is an N47 2.0 liter diesel engine, and this engine, especially in its primary iterations, has become known for timing chain problems.

So how did this car reach 814,000 km? Danec said that this example was a taxi vehicle in the early stages of its life. The first owner replaced one engine, and the second engine also failed due to the chain and had to be replaced. Unfortunately, the second N47 engine installed in this car also failed in a similar way, also while working as a taxi. Another new engine had to be installed. The third installed engine is still working, but there were problems there too – with the turbochargers. The owner says that his BMW is currently on its 3rd engine and 5th turbine.

On the other hand, the 6-cylinder engine in the 325d is original, installed at the factory. In 600,000 km, it only needed one turbine replacement. The Dane says he uses premium 5W30 oil and pays attention to frequent oil changes. Previously, the Dane owned other BMW models, purchased at an older age, so he is somewhat attached to the brand, and if you know how to constantly check the technical condition of the car and maintain it regularly, these cars produced almost 20 years ago will continue to work for a long time, writes Piata Auto.

High-mileage diesel BMWs reach 600,000 to 800,000 km (roughly 370k to 500k miles) primarily through diligent preventative maintenance and the inherent physical properties of diesel engines. While modern BMWs have complex systems, specific older engines like the M57 (inline-six diesel) are widely considered "indestructible" when cared for correctly.

Kristian Pedersen is a Danish car enthusiast known for his two high-mileage diesel BMWs that have collectively traveled over 1.4 million kilometers. His 2007 BMW 3 Series Touring 325d (E91) is remarkably well-maintained despite its high usage.

His two vehicles include:BMW 3 Series Touring 325d (E91): manufactured in 2007, this car has exceeded 600,000 km.

BMW 5 Series (E61): This second diesel model is the record holder of the pair, reaching a staggering 814,000 km.

Pedersen often shares updates on his vehicles within enthusiast communities like the BMW E9X and E6X owner groups on Facebook, where he emphasizes that consistent maintenance is the key to such longevity. He currently works as a BMW Premium Selection Manager at Bayern AutoGroup in Kolding, Denmark.

Why BMW diesels survived these high mileages(below):

Superior lubrication: Diesel fuel is naturally oily, acting as a lubricant for the engine's internal components, such as piston rings and cylinder walls, whereas gasoline acts more like a solvent that can wash away oil films.

Heavy-duty construction: To handle higher compression ratios, diesel engines are built with more robust components—including harder rollers, thicker camshaft lobes, and reinforced composite surfaces—designed to withstand heavy-duty conditions.

Operating efficiency: These engines typically operate at lower RPMs than petrol engines, resulting in fewer moving-part cycles and significantly less heat and friction over the vehicle's life.

Long-distance usage: High-mileage survivors are often used for long journeys rather than short city trips. This prevents the clogging of DPF filters and allows the engine to reach and maintain optimal operating temperatures, reducing wear from frequent cold starts.

Critical maintenance secrets for longevity...Owners who reach these extreme milestones often ignore standard manufacturer intervals in favor of more frequent servicing:

Halved oil Intervals: Many high-mileage owners change synthetic oil every 5,000 to 7,000 miles (approx. 8,000–11,000 km) instead of the factory-recommended 10,000+ miles to prevent sludge and timing chain wear.

Warm-up/cool-down discipline: Survivors are rarely driven hard until the oil (not just the coolant) is at temperature. After hard driving, they are allowed to idle for 30–60 seconds to prevent the turbocharger's oil from "cooking" and crystallizing.

Proactive component replacement: Successful owners replace failure-prone parts like the water pump, thermostat, and harmonic balancer before they break, as a single cooling failure can immediately destroy an engine.

Transmission servicing: While BMW often claims "lifetime" transmission fluid, high-mileage drivers typically change it every 50,000 to 70,000 miles.