Discussion
JohnC0_2 said:
Hi....does anyone have a bad word to say about the 530, or perhaps the 540? I'm looking at 2001's on a Y
My wife has had an X Reg 540i Sport for nearly four years. Damn good car, pretty quick too. But i did reach the point of moving from BMW servicing to a local indie when BMW started taking the piss on prices. Do it, they have to be the V8 bargain at the moment.I think the cooling system actually does a good job its just that the rad doesn't seem to last all that long. Still a new rad every 7 years or so insn't the end of the world.
Very good value at the moment but if oil / petrol keeps going down I could imagine values starting to increase.
Very good value at the moment but if oil / petrol keeps going down I could imagine values starting to increase.
Edited by trickywoo on Friday 21st November 13:34
trickywoo said:
I think the cooling system actually does a good job its just that the rad doesn't seem to last all that long. Still a new rad every 7 years or so insn't the end of the world.
Very good value at the moment but if oil / petrol keeps going down I could imagine values starting to increase.
Not just rad also water pump fails along with crap thermostatsVery good value at the moment but if oil / petrol keeps going down I could imagine values starting to increase.
Edited by trickywoo on Friday 21st November 13:34
I changed my water pump at just over the 100K when I bought the car. Stories abound on the 'net of the plastic impellers in the water pump breaking up with disasterous consequencs. I don't know how true or frequent this occurrence is but I did it as a precaution anyway.
Also mine had just had all the other things mentioned above just done before I bought it.
Also mine had just had all the other things mentioned above just done before I bought it.
Had my 99T 540i for 18 months now.
The suspension bushes can wear out
The ABS unit can fail, having lights on the dash and no ABS (although brakes still work fine)
The dashboard display can fail, giving missing pixels
The header tank can split, losing coolant
Mine does 25mpg average
My fuel tank sender failed, leaving me stranded twice
They are lovely cars, but not as bombproof as you might imagine. And very quick, given their size.
The suspension bushes can wear out
The ABS unit can fail, having lights on the dash and no ABS (although brakes still work fine)
The dashboard display can fail, giving missing pixels
The header tank can split, losing coolant
Mine does 25mpg average
My fuel tank sender failed, leaving me stranded twice
They are lovely cars, but not as bombproof as you might imagine. And very quick, given their size.
The E39 was one of the most critically acclaimed cars ever, but I think many people got carried away. You could be forgiven for thinking that it had better handling than a sports car and better cruising than a luxury car; that it was all things to all men.
Its not; I don’t think it actually beat any other genre of car at their own game, but just had a better mix of attributes than anything in its class when it was introduced. But if you’re looking for capability at the edge of the 5-series envelope, then you might be better off with something else.
If you want infallible quality and reliability, buy a Japanese car. But the 5-series is well-enough understood for people to be prepared. Yes, the water pump and radiator header are design faults, but they can be treated as lifed items, rather than waiting for a failure.
I loved the remarkable combination of performance, refinement, economy and flexibility of my 540i-6, and I’m thinking about getting another. But given the current state of the market, I’ll also think carefully about an E38 or E60.
Nick
Its not; I don’t think it actually beat any other genre of car at their own game, but just had a better mix of attributes than anything in its class when it was introduced. But if you’re looking for capability at the edge of the 5-series envelope, then you might be better off with something else.
If you want infallible quality and reliability, buy a Japanese car. But the 5-series is well-enough understood for people to be prepared. Yes, the water pump and radiator header are design faults, but they can be treated as lifed items, rather than waiting for a failure.
I loved the remarkable combination of performance, refinement, economy and flexibility of my 540i-6, and I’m thinking about getting another. But given the current state of the market, I’ll also think carefully about an E38 or E60.
Nick
Still enjoy my 530, even after 14 months of ownership. Don't think I have owned a car for this long, other than a company car I had for 3 years.
As I may have said previously, I think I actually prefer it to the V8 S4 Avant I had before it - it's comfortable, nimble, surprisingly good on fuel and has an enormous boot for a saloon.
I also happen to think it still looks good, despite having been superceded by the E60(??). Granted, it's starting to look a little dated compared to the current crop of big cars but it certainly hasn't been beaten by the ugly stick.
I've looked at Touregs, X5's, A6 Avants etc etc but nothing really begins to come close in giving such good VFM.
I'd even go as far as to say that if the rumoured postponement of the VED charges comes to fuition, I think the E39 could well start to move back up in value.
I bought mine from someone (on here) that I trusted and haven't been disappointed - but as with all cars, there will be dogs around, so shop carefully.
As I may have said previously, I think I actually prefer it to the V8 S4 Avant I had before it - it's comfortable, nimble, surprisingly good on fuel and has an enormous boot for a saloon.
I also happen to think it still looks good, despite having been superceded by the E60(??). Granted, it's starting to look a little dated compared to the current crop of big cars but it certainly hasn't been beaten by the ugly stick.
I've looked at Touregs, X5's, A6 Avants etc etc but nothing really begins to come close in giving such good VFM.
I'd even go as far as to say that if the rumoured postponement of the VED charges comes to fuition, I think the E39 could well start to move back up in value.
I bought mine from someone (on here) that I trusted and haven't been disappointed - but as with all cars, there will be dogs around, so shop carefully.
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