My BMW E39 540i Sport
Discussion
hornetrider said:
petrolveins said:
I still stand by my E60 comments though, I really think the pre-faclifts non Xenon cars are looking quite dated. The face-lift front and rear lights on the E39 to me still look perfect today.
Ah, I see. You are subjectively comparing apples with eggs. petrolveins said:
Maybe a little bit, but I am comparing models that followed one after the other, don't forget all facelift E39s came with the corona rings, halogen and xenons, the E60s did not. Maybe its the slightly taxi-cab image of the earlier 520d, especially seeing as no-one used an E39 as a taxi.
Right. That makes perfect sense to me. Anyhoo, not to deflect form your thread, enjoy your car, it looks a lovely example.
Pickled said:
petrolveins said:
no-one used an E39 as a taxi.
There's a guy in Epsom who uses a 525d E39 (sport kit and M Paras) as a taxi!There are a few E60 520d SE Taxis near me, and yeah they look old and nasty. The E39 is old yes, but it retains class like the E36. There's something about the late 90s/early 00s that just works. Cannot wait to get my '46 M3! Welcome to have a drive of mine when I get it mate.
5potTurbo said:
Great car, and very clean. An left-field choice for a 21 y.o., but a very good one.
How's the insurance premium for you?
I ran an E39 530dA Touring for a couple of years, but €385 road tax, €1,700p.a. insurance, and service bills totalling €2,400 meant it had to go. I still see it around and it's still very clean. Mine was metallic black with a yellow/cream hide interior.
Forgot to answer earlier, I took a separate policy from the Lotus and am paying £1k for the year and that's with 0 Years NCB as they are tied up in the Lotus. Pretty darn good if you ask me.How's the insurance premium for you?
I ran an E39 530dA Touring for a couple of years, but €385 road tax, €1,700p.a. insurance, and service bills totalling €2,400 meant it had to go. I still see it around and it's still very clean. Mine was metallic black with a yellow/cream hide interior.
(i may be biased)I think that's 5 people now on the reserve list wanting to buy it when I sell. I'd like to try tidy it up a little before I sell, needs wheels refurbing, and a few parking sinks and scrapes sorted out. As much as I adore it, I feel I'll either try keep it forever or sell it at the end of the summer. Once the Lotus has gone, I'm sure I'll perform some more man maths and figure I need something different. Current musings include a sorted 130i (suspension and LSD done) and a 635CSi, that would be a pretty ideal 2 car garage. Will see how I go.
petrolveins said:
Current musings include a sorted 130i (suspension and LSD done) and a 635CSi, that would be a pretty ideal 2 car garage. Will see how I go.
I think you might be disappointed with a 130i. The interior quality is nowhere near that of the E39 (certainly in the pre-facelift I tried anyway), and whilst the engine is a peach, I found the rest of the car didn't really live up to it, although suspension and LSD mods might solve that.Afromonk said:
Currently have an E46 330i and these 540i's are also on the list to own so two thumbs up from me.
I would honestly still have my E46 330i if the subframe hadn't cracked and I had next to no money to fix it. Best enjoyed car I've owned, especially once I had the suspension sorted with upgraded stuff. Did need an LSD though.RenesisEvo said:
I think you might be disappointed with a 130i. The interior quality is nowhere near that of the E39 (certainly in the pre-facelift I tried anyway), and whilst the engine is a peach, I found the rest of the car didn't really live up to it, although suspension and LSD mods might solve that.
This does worry me a bit, so much positive stuff on this forum about them though. I actually think I won't even try an E46 M3, I really don't fancy the servicing costs and constant worry of a big bill. But then modding a 130i with diff and suspension would probably cost the same.Way I see it I need the following things.... a manual RWD car with a good soundtrack that can be hooned down a bumpy B-Road and do the odd track day, a car comfortable enough to cover great distance across Europe and something achingly cool (read 80s) for the odd weekend cruise.
Little update on the 540i....
I'm totally smitten with it. Best car I've owned I reckon. It has introduced me to a new type of motoring.... the spirited waft. This is defined as a blat down a good road gliding over bumps and ridges keeping momentum and relying on the low down torque to keep you hauling along, to pass slower moving objects you can of course select sport mode and let the V8 sing up the rev range and seamlessly slide into the next gear and continue to waft along at a fair lick.
I am also surprised to find how much this car likes to power oversteer! It's an absolute hoot, especially in the wet, whatever gear it's in just prod the throttle, the torque lets the back slide and it's so easy to catch the slide and hold it there. Epic!!
I was even more surprised on a recent airport run to average 32.8 mpg. Yes over 30mpg from a 4.4 V8, and that wasn't doing 50 in the slow lane, that was passing most other stuff on the motorway with the cruise control on, aircon on and the sweet sounds of the Simple Minds blasting out the speakers.
Day to day I am averaging 19-21 mpg over my short commute same as my 330i and my 9-5 Aero. Just gotta love this thing.
I love the way it looks, I love driving in the evening with the sidelights on and catching the reflection of the corona rings off other cars and windows, I love the understated looks on the 17 inch wheels. I love the seats and comfort and way it wafts along, I love the gearbox, even from stationary just prod the throttle and the car just leaps off the mark like a scalded cat (albeit a lardy arsed one). Most of all I like the discreet noise the V8 makes, it never shouts, it just works effortlessly in the background, but let the revs climb above 4k and it livens up and just hauls itself up the rev range with a muted V8 bellow. Superb stuff. The E39 truly is the best BMW they made, it feels like a car made to last, from the end of an era where cars were just built as solid as they could make em by engineers and not like today's cars built by accountants.
Sadly I know I need to sell it at the end of the summer and replace it and the Elise with one all rounder car, but not before I drive it all the way to the South of France via the Alps next month.
I'm totally smitten with it. Best car I've owned I reckon. It has introduced me to a new type of motoring.... the spirited waft. This is defined as a blat down a good road gliding over bumps and ridges keeping momentum and relying on the low down torque to keep you hauling along, to pass slower moving objects you can of course select sport mode and let the V8 sing up the rev range and seamlessly slide into the next gear and continue to waft along at a fair lick.
I am also surprised to find how much this car likes to power oversteer! It's an absolute hoot, especially in the wet, whatever gear it's in just prod the throttle, the torque lets the back slide and it's so easy to catch the slide and hold it there. Epic!!
I was even more surprised on a recent airport run to average 32.8 mpg. Yes over 30mpg from a 4.4 V8, and that wasn't doing 50 in the slow lane, that was passing most other stuff on the motorway with the cruise control on, aircon on and the sweet sounds of the Simple Minds blasting out the speakers.
Day to day I am averaging 19-21 mpg over my short commute same as my 330i and my 9-5 Aero. Just gotta love this thing.
I love the way it looks, I love driving in the evening with the sidelights on and catching the reflection of the corona rings off other cars and windows, I love the understated looks on the 17 inch wheels. I love the seats and comfort and way it wafts along, I love the gearbox, even from stationary just prod the throttle and the car just leaps off the mark like a scalded cat (albeit a lardy arsed one). Most of all I like the discreet noise the V8 makes, it never shouts, it just works effortlessly in the background, but let the revs climb above 4k and it livens up and just hauls itself up the rev range with a muted V8 bellow. Superb stuff. The E39 truly is the best BMW they made, it feels like a car made to last, from the end of an era where cars were just built as solid as they could make em by engineers and not like today's cars built by accountants.
Sadly I know I need to sell it at the end of the summer and replace it and the Elise with one all rounder car, but not before I drive it all the way to the South of France via the Alps next month.
Also... a few iPhone photos from last week of the 540i and some stunning sunsets, not bad for a camera phone and no editing.
E39 Sunset by tlynchie, on Flickr
E39 Sunset by tlynchie, on Flickr
E39 Sunset by tlynchie, on Flickr
E39 Sunset by tlynchie, on FlickrE39 Sunset by tlynchie, on FlickrE39 Sunset by tlynchie, on FlickrGassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff