RE: Shed Of The Week: BMW 528i SE

RE: Shed Of The Week: BMW 528i SE

Author
Discussion

JD2329

481 posts

169 months

Friday 12th June 2015
quotequote all
Lots of history is good, but short MOT and mega miles a concern, seems steep for around a grand.
A good E39 is a joy, a bad one truly dreadful. Unless they have been lovingly cared for, IMHO most Beemers of this age are a world away from what you'd like them to be, and possibly a bag of trouble.

Guiseley

197 posts

170 months

Friday 12th June 2015
quotequote all

Nice wood - don't remember it being quite so Orange in my (Topaz?) Blue E39 Tourer.

That was an R reg 528 auto too - great load lugger and great at wafting.

Pretty sure it had velour seats, which were great for hiding sweets and kid sick in.

Traded it in for a face-lift M-Sport version, with leather seats, which changed the car completly!

Vincefox

20,566 posts

173 months

Friday 12th June 2015
quotequote all
love, LOVE these. Surely one of the best quality all rounders ever made.

soad

32,914 posts

177 months

Friday 12th June 2015
quotequote all
Motorrad said:
You could run it for a few months and get your money back breaking it.

Good effort shed.
Far too much work, who has the time?

Motorrad

6,811 posts

188 months

Friday 12th June 2015
quotequote all
soad said:
Far too much work, who has the time?
Go and take a look at BMW5, there are people making a nice little sideline out of their hobby.

If I lived in the UK I'd do the same myself, running one old shed which I'd fix with parts from the last one, selling bits off as I went along.

In any case it's hardly much effort to sell wheels, interior trim parts and then when it's gutted get the scrappy to take it away.

hiscocks

322 posts

184 months

Friday 12th June 2015
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I've had a 520 for a few months. I replaced a Citroen C6 with it in a hurry. Ive had a few issues, namely lumpy idle (new valve lifters) and a new radiator and water pump. Oh and an oil leak (perished oil gasket housing rubber)

What I do like though is the feel of the car, it's very nicely balanced and rides superbly on it's stock 16s. Even down to the solid 'whump' of the door, it feels great for a 12 year old car.

I think they look great too (not that keen on the white though)

soad

32,914 posts

177 months

Friday 12th June 2015
quotequote all
Motorrad said:
Go and take a look at BMW5, there are people making a nice little sideline out of their hobby.

If I lived in the UK I'd do the same myself, running one old shed which I'd fix with parts from the last one, selling bits off as I went along.

In any case it's hardly much effort to sell wheels, interior trim parts and then when it's gutted get the scrappy to take it away.
Fair enough, chap.

MadDog1962

891 posts

163 months

Friday 12th June 2015
quotequote all
I always had a soft spot for these. Much nicer looking than the model that followed it (E60), and without that horrid iDrive crap.

I noticed a lot of well kept examples while I was living in Texas the last 3 years or so. A good one for shed money has to be a real bargain.

forsure

2,121 posts

269 months

Friday 12th June 2015
quotequote all
I've driven loads of these (working for a dealer 10+ years ago). I'm not sure it's an 'SE', never seen one without the steering wheel controls - and, therefore, no cruise-control. Nor with those base-spec wheels.

It does have an upgrade radio though, the standard fit was one of the car's weak points.

hiscocks

322 posts

184 months

Friday 12th June 2015
quotequote all
Interesting to note how the 'small wheels' on these look right - whereas many modern cars on 16s wouldn't look right at all.

Putting it another way, 18s, 20s etc on an E39 look awful IMO

BFleming

3,611 posts

144 months

Friday 12th June 2015
quotequote all
Gad-Westy said:
Google says it was first registered in glasgow in 1997.
That UKVehicle.com site calculates that fact very basically - R for 1998, JHS for Glasgow. As it's a private plate all it means is the car is 1997 or newer, and JHS means nothing (presumably initials of the 'one owner for 11 years' ;-)
I just tried my wife's Focus CC2 (I know, I know) on there, it reckons it was registered in London in 1993 (as it's an L plate with three London letters at the end).

Blackpuddin

16,567 posts

206 months

Friday 12th June 2015
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Here's an E39 530 M Sport – for a fiver short of £20k!
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/b...

SpeckledJim

31,608 posts

254 months

Friday 12th June 2015
quotequote all
hiscocks said:
Interesting to note how the 'small wheels' on these look right - whereas many modern cars on 16s wouldn't look right at all.

Putting it another way, 18s, 20s etc on an E39 look awful IMO
Those are 15" I think. That car rides as well as anything shy of an XJ6.

tobinen

9,239 posts

146 months

Friday 12th June 2015
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Good shed IMO. I'd smoke it.

RoverP6B

4,338 posts

129 months

Friday 12th June 2015
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Turbines are 16".

Now - I already have two E39s. One V8 auto saloon, one straight six manual Touring. I've spent more money than is entirely sensible on them. I don't have space for a third car. I can't really justify running a third car. I don't like white paint on anything other than domestic appliances. I really don't need a 528i in my life.

Someone else have a go at dissuading me before I lift the telephone...

forsure

2,121 posts

269 months

Friday 12th June 2015
quotequote all
SpeckledJim said:
hiscocks said:
Interesting to note how the 'small wheels' on these look right - whereas many modern cars on 16s wouldn't look right at all.

Putting it another way, 18s, 20s etc on an E39 look awful IMO
Those are 15" I think. That car rides as well as anything shy of an XJ6.
Yes, they are 15", most had 16" - but still with 'balloon' tyres and a fantastic ride.

Patrick Bateman

12,190 posts

175 months

Friday 12th June 2015
quotequote all
hiscocks said:
Interesting to note how the 'small wheels' on these look right - whereas many modern cars on 16s wouldn't look right at all.

Putting it another way, 18s, 20s etc on an E39 look awful IMO
18's look spot on.

teacake

150 posts

192 months

Friday 12th June 2015
quotequote all
RoverP6B said:
Someone else have a go at dissuading me before I lift the telephone...
There's a little devil on your shoulder going "Do it. Do it..." and a little angel on the other shoulder going "Yeah, do it. Do it..."

Do it...

CYMR0

3,940 posts

201 months

Friday 12th June 2015
quotequote all
Gad-Westy said:
Google says it was first registered in Glasgow in 1997.
Google won't know, because that's private plate, and in fact a private plate that is now on a 2005 Mercedes CLS.

However, given the lack of cruise control or stereo controls on the steering wheel, I reckon it has to be a 97 and if the 15" wheels are original, it's definitely not newer than a 98 (in fact I think 97 might have been the last year for those on the 528i, although they continued into 98/99 on the 523i and below).

Spingo

145 posts

196 months

Friday 12th June 2015
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Those mpg figures are surely pie in the sky?

I had exactly the same engine in my Z3 2.8 when they first came out. On runs across Europe at a steady 80mph I could not get the mpg better than 28-29mpg, no matter how hard I tried.

Surely a much heavier 5 Series wouldn't do any better?