BMW E39 - Best Car in the World?
Discussion
I had the E39 528i, the 540i and the M5. All from new. I loved these cars and in their time , short of impossibly expensive exotics that were beyond my means, they were indeed incomparable cars.
My next BMW was a 645i six-speed manual, a fairly rare choice, and then an E63 M6.
Of all of them, I loved the E39 M5 best.After the M6 I moved to another brand,but I recall the joy i had in the E39 era.
My next BMW was a 645i six-speed manual, a fairly rare choice, and then an E63 M6.
Of all of them, I loved the E39 M5 best.After the M6 I moved to another brand,but I recall the joy i had in the E39 era.
I'm a big E39 fan and E34 for that matter. Between my father and I we've had 3x E34's and 2x E39's as well as an E36, E46, E81 and E61.
I can understand why the press proclaimed the E39 as 'best car in the world' in 1995 or whenever it was. At the time, it seemed to be a car with no vices. Now that they're 20 odd years old, they're seen for what they are, great car with some significant weaknesses. It's been said before but they do rust in a few places. They do have cooling systems made of chocolate. They do eat suspension components like they're made of chocolate. Dash pixels go on holiday sometimes. They have cup holders made by airfix.
But I think most cars at this age have a few issues don't they? Not all, but I don't see the E39 as especially fragile. I think the E34 had a more solid dependable feel to it but they still rust terribly and goods ones are not easy to find now.
When we 'needed' a new family car about a year ago, the E39 was the only car I really considered. It was a toss up between the M5 and Alpina 3.3 or 4.6. M5 running costs just looked too much for me. Couldn't find a 3.3 that I wanted and so ended up with a 4.6 V8. It was cheap because it was a repaired Cat C (bump on n/s front though structure unaffected fortunately) and a little unloved but in the last year I've been addressing bits one by one and it's turning into a truly lovely car. It's rust free on the surface but the jacking points/sills will need work next year and the air con has stopped working, otherwise it's utterly glorious! It's true that the steering is nicer on the six cylinder cars but the V8 compensates somewhat. It's a great thing to cover long distances in.
I suspect I suffer from rose tinted glasses a little but I really haven't enjoyed the E60/61 or F10 cars in the same way. They don't seem as well resolved, less engaging to drive, ill proportioned styling. They just don't seem to work for me.
I can understand why the press proclaimed the E39 as 'best car in the world' in 1995 or whenever it was. At the time, it seemed to be a car with no vices. Now that they're 20 odd years old, they're seen for what they are, great car with some significant weaknesses. It's been said before but they do rust in a few places. They do have cooling systems made of chocolate. They do eat suspension components like they're made of chocolate. Dash pixels go on holiday sometimes. They have cup holders made by airfix.
But I think most cars at this age have a few issues don't they? Not all, but I don't see the E39 as especially fragile. I think the E34 had a more solid dependable feel to it but they still rust terribly and goods ones are not easy to find now.
When we 'needed' a new family car about a year ago, the E39 was the only car I really considered. It was a toss up between the M5 and Alpina 3.3 or 4.6. M5 running costs just looked too much for me. Couldn't find a 3.3 that I wanted and so ended up with a 4.6 V8. It was cheap because it was a repaired Cat C (bump on n/s front though structure unaffected fortunately) and a little unloved but in the last year I've been addressing bits one by one and it's turning into a truly lovely car. It's rust free on the surface but the jacking points/sills will need work next year and the air con has stopped working, otherwise it's utterly glorious! It's true that the steering is nicer on the six cylinder cars but the V8 compensates somewhat. It's a great thing to cover long distances in.
I suspect I suffer from rose tinted glasses a little but I really haven't enjoyed the E60/61 or F10 cars in the same way. They don't seem as well resolved, less engaging to drive, ill proportioned styling. They just don't seem to work for me.
Edited by Gad-Westy on Tuesday 31st May 07:54
Fortunate to have owned E34 M5's, Alpinas in both E34 and E39 guise....E34 3.8 was a very capable car, solid, superb engine and felt very "old school" BMW in terms of build, however the E39 M5 for me ticks every box in terms of power, delivery, comfort, ride and performance...Owned mine getting on 6 years and will never sell it...barring brakes, a diff oil seal, battery, servicing and tyres its needed nothing,and its never broken down.
I do love them, have owned a couple recently. The Tourings are still one of the best "towcars" period.
However, dire heavy steering, awful auto slushboxes that only lock up at 60mph & electrical gremlins galore. The fuel supply system is massively over complicated & for ever an issue especially the diesels.
If you have ever taken one apart they have one the most over engineered electrical systems this side of an jumbo.
However lovely things when they work....
However, dire heavy steering, awful auto slushboxes that only lock up at 60mph & electrical gremlins galore. The fuel supply system is massively over complicated & for ever an issue especially the diesels.
If you have ever taken one apart they have one the most over engineered electrical systems this side of an jumbo.
However lovely things when they work....
Lots of great info in this thread. Looking at what has been said so far and taking the quad lamp nostalgia into account, I think an E34 would be my pick of the bunch. The only issue is a mint M5 is now daft money and I suspect I may find the 185bhp 530 way too slow now. Although I am sure it would be a relaxing daily. Which then leads me to consider either the 7 series or Mercedes which pack more grunt.
I love my E34 (even though it's a pile of s
t) and did think about an E39 as a replacement, although, lovely as they are, they are getting old and tired, and rusty. That's not to say they all like it, but I am considering going over to the darkside with an E60. Dare I say it, the looks are growing on me. Although they are nowhere as elegant as an E34 or E39.
t) and did think about an E39 as a replacement, although, lovely as they are, they are getting old and tired, and rusty. That's not to say they all like it, but I am considering going over to the darkside with an E60. Dare I say it, the looks are growing on me. Although they are nowhere as elegant as an E34 or E39.I have an E39.....
and an E34.....
The E34 is better built and far more solid in construction.
The E39 is far better equipped and feels more modern.
The E34 is far more connected and communicative about the driving experience than the E39.
The E39 is quieter, more comfortable and more isolating from the driving experience than the E34.
The achilles of the E34 is rusty sills.
The achilles of the E39 is the chocolate cooling system and increasingly rusty bodywork (sills and boots).
I imagine that people who want an A to B car or a commuting vehicle would choose the E39.
I would choose the E34 every time over an E39 as it is a better drivers car.
and an E34.....
The E34 is better built and far more solid in construction.
The E39 is far better equipped and feels more modern.
The E34 is far more connected and communicative about the driving experience than the E39.
The E39 is quieter, more comfortable and more isolating from the driving experience than the E34.
The achilles of the E34 is rusty sills.
The achilles of the E39 is the chocolate cooling system and increasingly rusty bodywork (sills and boots).
I imagine that people who want an A to B car or a commuting vehicle would choose the E39.
I would choose the E34 every time over an E39 as it is a better drivers car.
E24man said:
I have an E39.....
and an E34.....
The E34 is better built and far more solid in construction.
The E39 is far better equipped and feels more modern.
The E34 is far more connected and communicative about the driving experience than the E39.
The E39 is quieter, more comfortable and more isolating from the driving experience than the E34.
The achilles of the E34 is rusty sills.
The achilles of the E39 is the chocolate cooling system and increasingly rusty bodywork (sills and boots).
I imagine that people who want an A to B car or a commuting vehicle would choose the E39.
I would choose the E34 every time over an E39 as it is a better drivers car.
What a lovely pair. One thing for sure, the E34 is a fine a looking car. Absolutely perfect blend of subtle aggression and great proportions. The E39 is the same basic shape with all the corners rounded off and loses something in the process. Would love another E34. Bet there can't be many E34 Alpina tourings around... and an E34.....
The E34 is better built and far more solid in construction.
The E39 is far better equipped and feels more modern.
The E34 is far more connected and communicative about the driving experience than the E39.
The E39 is quieter, more comfortable and more isolating from the driving experience than the E34.
The achilles of the E34 is rusty sills.
The achilles of the E39 is the chocolate cooling system and increasingly rusty bodywork (sills and boots).
I imagine that people who want an A to B car or a commuting vehicle would choose the E39.
I would choose the E34 every time over an E39 as it is a better drivers car.
Great thread! I have also lusted after the E34/39 models of BMW. Unfortunately the better examples are 520's with the odd overpriced 530 and 540 V8 (Europe)
What are the challenges of swapping in an M60 V8 into a bog standard E34 or maybe going a bit more modern with the M52TUB28 or M62B44.
Has this been done? Or is it just a time/ money consumig faff?
What are the challenges of swapping in an M60 V8 into a bog standard E34 or maybe going a bit more modern with the M52TUB28 or M62B44.
Has this been done? Or is it just a time/ money consumig faff?
Gad-Westy said:
What a lovely pair. One thing for sure, the E34 is a fine a looking car. Absolutely perfect blend of subtle aggression and great proportions. The E39 is the same basic shape with all the corners rounded off and loses something in the process. Would love another E34. Bet there can't be many E34 Alpina tourings around...
I've never thought about it like that before but now you come to mention it there were 93 E34 Alpina Tourings made by Buchloe; Seventy B10 AllRad's, four B10 4.0's and 19 B10 4.6's..... and all were left hand drive except for one B10 4.6 Touring.k-ink said:
E24man said:
Fit a 4-litre engine.
Or a 4.6
Ok Or a 4.6
but what about mods which keep the sharper steering?
I've owned a E34 540i Touring, and E34 M5 Touring and that Alpina E34 Touring and quite honestly they all steer rather well.As Gad-Westy says if it's an E34 530 then chances are you're talking about the V8 530 in which case drop in a 4.0 engine, or bolt on a super-charger. There was a 530i Touring that had a 4.0 transplant onto the 5-speed gearbox and it was rather fun and rapid by all accounts; more rapid still was the 540i/6 Touring that had a Super-Charger bolted to it - I drove it briefly back-to-back against my E34 Alpina and it was very quick indeed.
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