Advice on E39 530d
Discussion
Hi,
I've been doing a lot of miles for work recently (180 per day) which is pretty much all motorway. I've been stuck in traffic quite a lot have become quite fed up driving a manual petrol car for the commute. I find myself wanting a nice auto barge that can waft up and down the motorway more and more.
I'm thinking of getting an E39 530d Sport. I really like the looks and think the later models still look fresh. However, I've read quite a few scare stories on the internet regarding the automatic (steptronic)boxes and how costly they are to repair. I'd hope to to find one with around 100,000 miles on it.
What sort of things should I look out for. I'm hoping to spend around £4500 for a 2001/2002 model Does this sound like too little for decent example of a 530d sport with around 100,000 miles? Are my gearbox fears really justified? Do the gear boxes really cost around £3000 to fix if they go wrong?
Any advice would be much appreciated.
I've been doing a lot of miles for work recently (180 per day) which is pretty much all motorway. I've been stuck in traffic quite a lot have become quite fed up driving a manual petrol car for the commute. I find myself wanting a nice auto barge that can waft up and down the motorway more and more.
I'm thinking of getting an E39 530d Sport. I really like the looks and think the later models still look fresh. However, I've read quite a few scare stories on the internet regarding the automatic (steptronic)boxes and how costly they are to repair. I'd hope to to find one with around 100,000 miles on it.
What sort of things should I look out for. I'm hoping to spend around £4500 for a 2001/2002 model Does this sound like too little for decent example of a 530d sport with around 100,000 miles? Are my gearbox fears really justified? Do the gear boxes really cost around £3000 to fix if they go wrong?
Any advice would be much appreciated.
Hi,
Well, I'll save you perhaps 50% or so for the auto gearbox thing! if it does let go, then when it happened to me, I took it to Automatic Man in Acton (2007) and it cost £1250+VAT to recondition using BMW parts.
My 530d Touring and it being an ex police car, actually so far has flown in the face for the commonly mentioned feared problems - except for the gearbox. I'm perhaps at 225-230K miles - 60K perhaps on the gearbox - and it drives fantastic. I still have the swirl flaps in for instance.
Have a look over at bmw5.co.uk and you'll see many more topics on the car. The budget you mention should find you a nice example as well, the diesels are at a premium but do consider all your actual mileages as there may not be such a difference in you needing to switch fuels
I'd also say don't get too hung up on spec and colours, but go on condition of the car. Parts and swaps can easily (relatively) be done and don't discount a good SE if you see one as again, parts and bumpers etc can be easily swapped, it's what I did on my car for instance.
Cheers, Dennis!
Well, I'll save you perhaps 50% or so for the auto gearbox thing! if it does let go, then when it happened to me, I took it to Automatic Man in Acton (2007) and it cost £1250+VAT to recondition using BMW parts.
My 530d Touring and it being an ex police car, actually so far has flown in the face for the commonly mentioned feared problems - except for the gearbox. I'm perhaps at 225-230K miles - 60K perhaps on the gearbox - and it drives fantastic. I still have the swirl flaps in for instance.
Have a look over at bmw5.co.uk and you'll see many more topics on the car. The budget you mention should find you a nice example as well, the diesels are at a premium but do consider all your actual mileages as there may not be such a difference in you needing to switch fuels
I'd also say don't get too hung up on spec and colours, but go on condition of the car. Parts and swaps can easily (relatively) be done and don't discount a good SE if you see one as again, parts and bumpers etc can be easily swapped, it's what I did on my car for instance.
Cheers, Dennis!
Thanks Dennis!
Just been reading the opposing views regarding aout gearbox oil changes. Where do you stand on this?
Pretty much all of the 180 miles per day are motorway so hopefully a diesel will be worth it. Although saying that my next project could be closer to home. My main issue is if it's worth getting an auto over a manual given the age of these cars now.
Just been reading the opposing views regarding aout gearbox oil changes. Where do you stand on this?
Pretty much all of the 180 miles per day are motorway so hopefully a diesel will be worth it. Although saying that my next project could be closer to home. My main issue is if it's worth getting an auto over a manual given the age of these cars now.
I've got a 2002 530d touring and they are great cars. Make sure you change the vortex oil breather as soon as you get it (they rarely get changed). Don't change it and you might, might, blow the turbo (like I did but I didn't realise it needed doing so there we go).
interiors wear well, I get 38mpg (i've changed my driving recently in order to try and conserve a little more fuel), suspension will need a refresh at some point.
Gearboxes will need looking after but if you treat them well (engines too) - ie don't thrash it from cold, don't rev the engine with the gearbox in neutral and then hammer it into gear etc, don't roll forward and then select reverse- just be sympathetic - it should run and run.
Mine's been brilliant and continues to be.
sport tourers have alot more purpose, stance-wise, than SE's (which is what I have). But that's personal opinion.
interiors wear well, I get 38mpg (i've changed my driving recently in order to try and conserve a little more fuel), suspension will need a refresh at some point.
Gearboxes will need looking after but if you treat them well (engines too) - ie don't thrash it from cold, don't rev the engine with the gearbox in neutral and then hammer it into gear etc, don't roll forward and then select reverse- just be sympathetic - it should run and run.
Mine's been brilliant and continues to be.
sport tourers have alot more purpose, stance-wise, than SE's (which is what I have). But that's personal opinion.
E38 728i
auto - check
barge - check
cheaper to buy than the 530d by about £2k, which buys an awful lot of petrol and far less concerns over the gearbox, turbo etc. plus you have a 7 series, not a 5
on the other hand, i've been in an E39 and they're still remarkably lovely, only experienced the later 3.0 diesel in a late E46 330d and the engine is a great thing. not sure if you're looking at the 204bhp or the 184bhp engine.
edit - 2001/2002 will be the earlier 184bhp engine
auto - check
barge - check
cheaper to buy than the 530d by about £2k, which buys an awful lot of petrol and far less concerns over the gearbox, turbo etc. plus you have a 7 series, not a 5
on the other hand, i've been in an E39 and they're still remarkably lovely, only experienced the later 3.0 diesel in a late E46 330d and the engine is a great thing. not sure if you're looking at the 204bhp or the 184bhp engine.
edit - 2001/2002 will be the earlier 184bhp engine
Make sure you are realistic with your fuel economy expecations. The combined consumption figure on a 530d Auto is only about 34mpg - it's no 50mpg diesel. It's also as a result a much nicer car than a 50mpg diesel but you'll find that the small amount you save on fuel will be more than made up for in running costs.
They are lovely cars but you dont buy an E39 for any sort of money saving venture. It's false economy. Buy one because you want one - if you are trying to save money on anything its probably best avoided.
They are lovely cars but you dont buy an E39 for any sort of money saving venture. It's false economy. Buy one because you want one - if you are trying to save money on anything its probably best avoided.
E38Ross said:
Didn't think there was one? Thought there was the 184bhp model which was updated in 2003 to 204bhp, and 193bhp was the 2.8 petrol?
No, all facelift E39 530d's had a 193bhp engine. The prefacelift ones were 184bhp.It's the E46 that was 184bhp until 2003, and then 204bhp.
Fox- said:
E38Ross said:
Didn't think there was one? Thought there was the 184bhp model which was updated in 2003 to 204bhp, and 193bhp was the 2.8 petrol?
No, all facelift E39 530d's had a 193bhp engine. The prefacelift ones were 184bhp.It's the E46 that was 184bhp until 2003, and then 204bhp.
Cheers fox. I'm sure I'll see your car one day as scotthall Eastleigh is my local dealer too!
Took my 530d to 150k, had a turbo at 100k but didn't know about the filter. Simply great car, never any auto problems, one of the best cars I owned. Sold it for a 730d sport which again was just great.
In the time I had it the only thing to go wrong was the heater hedgehog (resistor pack).
Get a sport in the colour you want that has been looked after and keep it, zero depreciation.
Last car was an e60 520d sport and lost about 10k/yr in dep, no where near as good to drive. Now in an e46 m3 and loving it.
In the time I had it the only thing to go wrong was the heater hedgehog (resistor pack).
Get a sport in the colour you want that has been looked after and keep it, zero depreciation.
Last car was an e60 520d sport and lost about 10k/yr in dep, no where near as good to drive. Now in an e46 m3 and loving it.
Fox- said:
Make sure you are realistic with your fuel economy expecations. The combined consumption figure on a 530d Auto is only about 34mpg - it's no 50mpg diesel. It's also as a result a much nicer car than a 50mpg diesel but you'll find that the small amount you save on fuel will be more than made up for in running costs.
They are lovely cars but you dont buy an E39 for any sort of money saving venture. It's false economy. Buy one because you want one - if you are trying to save money on anything its probably best avoided.
Thanks Fox. Interesting point you make. I'm currently driving a petrol Audi A4 1.8t for my commute which is 180 miles per day. If I drive at 70mph or below it returns about 35mpg. But any faster and over the whole journey and it drops to 30mpg or below. I'd prefer something that could cruise at motorway speeds and have the get up and go for overtakes and still return decent economy. They are lovely cars but you dont buy an E39 for any sort of money saving venture. It's false economy. Buy one because you want one - if you are trying to save money on anything its probably best avoided.
I've always wanted an e39 and if I wasn't commuting I'd be looking for a nice petrol model. I really need to think about this. On some weeks I work from home a couple of days so the distance commuted is reduced significantly. This tempts me to consider an auto 530i petrol. Based on what some people say the real world fuel cost between the 530d and 530i isnt a great deal. hmmmm.....I've always wanted an e39 sport, and always thought it would be a manual petrol 530i or 540i. Now I want an auto and think a diesel would be best...Ok, I'm rambling now.
My opinion might be useful here.
I've had a 530i Sport manual since 2006, and during this time it has shared driveway space at different times with both a 530d manual and a 530i auto of the same age, both of which I've driven extensively.
Generally my findings were that the 530d was approximately 7-8mpg better than the 530i in any given circumstance. If I was doing 21mpg around town in the 530i, the same driving in the 530d would yeild 28-29mpg. If the 530d was sipping diesel at 45mpg on the Motorway, then at the same speed on the same trip the 530i would be doing about 37mpg.
The 530i Auto is a Touring - which is heavier. It is about 20% behind the manual 530i in terms of fuel economy. I'd imagine about 5% of this difference is accounted for by the 200kg extra the Touring is carrying around as standard.
Just some useful numbers to aid with your research. A shame there isn't a 530d auto in the mix, but I see no reason why the 7ish mpg difference between manuals isnt replicated between autos, which would be a useful guide.
One thing to bear in mind is that both petrol and diesel have known issues, as with any car. But the known issue on the petrol engine, the cooling system, is a sub £500 job to replace the lot. The issues on the diesel are more wide ranging and more expensive - injectors, turbochargers and the automatic E39 530d is also affected by the swirl flap issue.
I've had a 530i Sport manual since 2006, and during this time it has shared driveway space at different times with both a 530d manual and a 530i auto of the same age, both of which I've driven extensively.
Generally my findings were that the 530d was approximately 7-8mpg better than the 530i in any given circumstance. If I was doing 21mpg around town in the 530i, the same driving in the 530d would yeild 28-29mpg. If the 530d was sipping diesel at 45mpg on the Motorway, then at the same speed on the same trip the 530i would be doing about 37mpg.
The 530i Auto is a Touring - which is heavier. It is about 20% behind the manual 530i in terms of fuel economy. I'd imagine about 5% of this difference is accounted for by the 200kg extra the Touring is carrying around as standard.
Just some useful numbers to aid with your research. A shame there isn't a 530d auto in the mix, but I see no reason why the 7ish mpg difference between manuals isnt replicated between autos, which would be a useful guide.
One thing to bear in mind is that both petrol and diesel have known issues, as with any car. But the known issue on the petrol engine, the cooling system, is a sub £500 job to replace the lot. The issues on the diesel are more wide ranging and more expensive - injectors, turbochargers and the automatic E39 530d is also affected by the swirl flap issue.
Thanks for info Fox. I guess there isn't much in it between the 530d and 530i. I take on board what you say about not buying a 530d cheap motoring. I guess what I really want is a really comfy, smart looking cruiser with a nice amount of power (for cruising) and the MPG to be reasonable. If the MPG in a 530d isn't massively better than a 530i, what other reason is there for buying the diesel over the petrol? How do the two differ in terms of the driving experience? Which, in your opinion is better for lazy cruising at the higher motorway speeds?
The 530d was a very lazy, wafty drive. It would pull reasonably well in higher gears eliminating the need for a downshift.
That said, the 530i is no Honda Civic Type-R. It also pulls cleanly in every gear, and also gives you the option to drop a few cogs and really enjoy the performance. The 530d has a higher flywheel torque figure - in practice this means it's more flexible in higher gears - the 530i has 40bhp more power - in practice this means that when you are in the mood it's just the plain faster car. There is a lot of misinformation from the diesel v petrol debaters.
Which is best rather depends on your motorway driving style. If you are the sort who likes to sit at 95mph and hammer back up to 95mph every time somebody dares get in your way the flexibility of the diesel in 5th might appeal.
If thats not you, then, really, you wont find the 530i wanting in any situation. I never find myself having to downshift to keep up with traffic on the motorway. It is, after all, a 230bhp 3 litre petrol engine and not a 1.8 litre VTEC.
I prefer the 530i.
I have a very relaxed Motorway driving style - I'm never in a rush and I'm happy to whack the cruise onto 70 and just waft about. For this I find the 530i perfectly suited and very economical - it was showing 36.2mpg as I arrived back in Plymouth from a return trip to Bristol on Sunday, despite a detour on the way home via Cheddar Gorge and the A303.
With the autobox this is all made rather irrelevent - as changing gear simply isn't a chore. Just push harder on the pedal and the box sorts it all out for you.
That said, the 530i is no Honda Civic Type-R. It also pulls cleanly in every gear, and also gives you the option to drop a few cogs and really enjoy the performance. The 530d has a higher flywheel torque figure - in practice this means it's more flexible in higher gears - the 530i has 40bhp more power - in practice this means that when you are in the mood it's just the plain faster car. There is a lot of misinformation from the diesel v petrol debaters.
Which is best rather depends on your motorway driving style. If you are the sort who likes to sit at 95mph and hammer back up to 95mph every time somebody dares get in your way the flexibility of the diesel in 5th might appeal.
If thats not you, then, really, you wont find the 530i wanting in any situation. I never find myself having to downshift to keep up with traffic on the motorway. It is, after all, a 230bhp 3 litre petrol engine and not a 1.8 litre VTEC.
I prefer the 530i.
I have a very relaxed Motorway driving style - I'm never in a rush and I'm happy to whack the cruise onto 70 and just waft about. For this I find the 530i perfectly suited and very economical - it was showing 36.2mpg as I arrived back in Plymouth from a return trip to Bristol on Sunday, despite a detour on the way home via Cheddar Gorge and the A303.
With the autobox this is all made rather irrelevent - as changing gear simply isn't a chore. Just push harder on the pedal and the box sorts it all out for you.
Fox- said:
The 530d was a very lazy, wafty drive. It would pull reasonably well in higher gears eliminating the need for a downshift.
That said, the 530i is no Honda Civic Type-R. It also pulls cleanly in every gear, and also gives you the option to drop a few cogs and really enjoy the performance. The 530d has a higher flywheel torque figure - in practice this means it's more flexible in higher gears - the 530i has 40bhp more power - in practice this means that when you are in the mood it's just the plain faster car. There is a lot of misinformation from the diesel v petrol debaters.
Which is best rather depends on your motorway driving style. If you are the sort who likes to sit at 95mph and hammer back up to 95mph every time somebody dares get in your way the flexibility of the diesel in 5th might appeal.
If thats not you, then, really, you wont find the 530i wanting in any situation. I never find myself having to downshift to keep up with traffic on the motorway. It is, after all, a 230bhp 3 litre petrol engine and not a 1.8 litre VTEC.
I prefer the 530i.
I have a very relaxed Motorway driving style - I'm never in a rush and I'm happy to whack the cruise onto 70 and just waft about. For this I find the 530i perfectly suited and very economical - it was showing 36.2mpg as I arrived back in Plymouth from a return trip to Bristol on Sunday, despite a detour on the way home via Cheddar Gorge and the A303.
With the autobox this is all made rather irrelevent - as changing gear simply isn't a chore. Just push harder on the pedal and the box sorts it all out for you.
I'm now regretting buying the A4 1.8t now because it also returns around 35-37 mpg when cruising a 90 mile journy at 70mph. But unlike the 530i, it doesn't really have the power for when the mood takes so I'd much rather do the journey in the 5er. I'm not normally in a rush but don't like the idea of only being able to achieve around 35mpg if driven at 70mph. I'm assuming that the 530d could return close to 40mpg even if one was in a hurry over a 90 mile journey? That said, I wonder what the difference in terms of cost per mile would be if you did the same 90 mile journey at 80mph in a 530d and 530i? That said, the 530i is no Honda Civic Type-R. It also pulls cleanly in every gear, and also gives you the option to drop a few cogs and really enjoy the performance. The 530d has a higher flywheel torque figure - in practice this means it's more flexible in higher gears - the 530i has 40bhp more power - in practice this means that when you are in the mood it's just the plain faster car. There is a lot of misinformation from the diesel v petrol debaters.
Which is best rather depends on your motorway driving style. If you are the sort who likes to sit at 95mph and hammer back up to 95mph every time somebody dares get in your way the flexibility of the diesel in 5th might appeal.
If thats not you, then, really, you wont find the 530i wanting in any situation. I never find myself having to downshift to keep up with traffic on the motorway. It is, after all, a 230bhp 3 litre petrol engine and not a 1.8 litre VTEC.
I prefer the 530i.
I have a very relaxed Motorway driving style - I'm never in a rush and I'm happy to whack the cruise onto 70 and just waft about. For this I find the 530i perfectly suited and very economical - it was showing 36.2mpg as I arrived back in Plymouth from a return trip to Bristol on Sunday, despite a detour on the way home via Cheddar Gorge and the A303.
With the autobox this is all made rather irrelevent - as changing gear simply isn't a chore. Just push harder on the pedal and the box sorts it all out for you.
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