My New F10 535i M Sport: From Skepticism to Daily Driver

I originally went out looking for a 2004 Acura TL with a manual transmission, but my plans took an turn when I came across this 2012 BMW 535i M Sport RWD. I jumped on it immediately, the seller mentioned it needed a water pump, which is pretty typical BMW stuff.

At first, I was skeptical. The car had a number of voltage-related faults, more than the seller let on. But I made an offer anyway… and shockingly, he accepted. So now I’m the proud owner of this beautiful F10!

F10 Interior

First Impressions & Initial Fixes

Once I got it home, I immediately tackled the water pump and thermostat, standard preventive work on these cars.

The electrical issues ended up being simpler than they seemed. The root cause was a bad aftermarket battery, so I swapped in a new one, and that fixed most of the voltage faults.

Heating Issue

I realized the car had no heat. After some investigation, I found a bad water valve. Replacing that finally gave me a functioning heating system, a lifesaver for winter drives.

Current Status

With the water pump, thermostat, battery, and water valve taken care of, the F10 is now a solid daily driver… for now. There’s still plenty to explore and enjoy with this car, and I’m excited for all the mods and adventures to come.

“Every car has a story; this one just found its next chapter.”