E39 523i Manual
Discussion
Brother just bought one of these, poverty spec, cloth seats, matching continentals with the m sport suspension option ticked when new with the smallest wheels, 91k Miles, 700 quid, can’t wait to get behind the wheel!
People rave about E39’s and I’ve never had the pleasure of driving one!
People rave about E39’s and I’ve never had the pleasure of driving one!
As said, that'll drive beautifully, you've got the best combination of sport suspension and chunky tyres, they always look better with the shadowline trim (no chrome) too IMO. I'm on my fourth e39 as every time I sell one I think 'oh bugger' and soon end up with another one. Great cars.
My first car was an E39 523i manual; people b
h and moan about it being underpowered and asthmatic compared to a 528i or a 530i and that in SE trim it looks a bit dumpy.
Absolute tosh; for wafting around it's absolutely the best bang-for-buck on the market, provided you get a decent one with no gremlins to worry about.
Still gutted I wrote mine off and replaced it with an F01. It just doesn't hit the spot in the same way an E39 does...
Enjoyment is going to be a guarantee.
h and moan about it being underpowered and asthmatic compared to a 528i or a 530i and that in SE trim it looks a bit dumpy.Absolute tosh; for wafting around it's absolutely the best bang-for-buck on the market, provided you get a decent one with no gremlins to worry about.
Still gutted I wrote mine off and replaced it with an F01. It just doesn't hit the spot in the same way an E39 does...
Enjoyment is going to be a guarantee.
Just drove it, my god what a beautifully built car.
I can’t get over how smooth and responsive the engine is, such a peach of an engine, 2.5 straight 6, they just don’t make them like BMW do they!
My dad has a 2005 manual Honda Accord that I hardly ever drive but when I do, I think of all the people who discredit autos and say they hate them, it’s such an uninspiring car, very good at what it does but it’s a tool, it’s just boring and No thought was given towards the pleasure of driving when making the car.
Same thing with my sisters diesel CR-V or the 116d loan cars I usually get.
The E39 523i however, I’m not sure if it was the gearbox itself, the engine, the chassis or the whole combination but I haven’t had such pleasure out of driving a car in a long time, I didn’t want to get out the car, I just wanted to keep driving and changing gears.
This car has really made me think about what I want from a car, above poster mentions people saying the 523i is asthmatic, what a load of bks, I come out of a 2015 430d and found the 523i more than quick enough, sometimes it’s not about outright performance, it’s about the delivery.
When I got into the car, I instantly noticed that no expense was spared when developing the car, even the seats, cloth seats felt better than the Dakota leather in my BM, it didn’t break or rattle, all the trim pieces were present and everything was functional, unlike my brother previous W211 Merc E320.
I got into my car after and despite it being a quick car, it felt so boring, plant your foot down and within a few moments, you’re doing national speed limit in a 30, no effort or pleasure in reaching that speed.
I’m no stranger to old ish BMW’s, I’ve had 3 E46 330i’s and 1 E36 328i and I must say, the E39 is the best one.
I can’t get over how smooth and responsive the engine is, such a peach of an engine, 2.5 straight 6, they just don’t make them like BMW do they!
My dad has a 2005 manual Honda Accord that I hardly ever drive but when I do, I think of all the people who discredit autos and say they hate them, it’s such an uninspiring car, very good at what it does but it’s a tool, it’s just boring and No thought was given towards the pleasure of driving when making the car.
Same thing with my sisters diesel CR-V or the 116d loan cars I usually get.
The E39 523i however, I’m not sure if it was the gearbox itself, the engine, the chassis or the whole combination but I haven’t had such pleasure out of driving a car in a long time, I didn’t want to get out the car, I just wanted to keep driving and changing gears.
This car has really made me think about what I want from a car, above poster mentions people saying the 523i is asthmatic, what a load of b
ks, I come out of a 2015 430d and found the 523i more than quick enough, sometimes it’s not about outright performance, it’s about the delivery. When I got into the car, I instantly noticed that no expense was spared when developing the car, even the seats, cloth seats felt better than the Dakota leather in my BM, it didn’t break or rattle, all the trim pieces were present and everything was functional, unlike my brother previous W211 Merc E320.
I got into my car after and despite it being a quick car, it felt so boring, plant your foot down and within a few moments, you’re doing national speed limit in a 30, no effort or pleasure in reaching that speed.
I’m no stranger to old ish BMW’s, I’ve had 3 E46 330i’s and 1 E36 328i and I must say, the E39 is the best one.
Subtle drivers car.
The sports shocks and small wheels sound a great combination.
The only E39 523 I have driven felt average with an auto box, and had the common break judder; but a well built and enjoyable car to pilot about.
Hope you have many fun miles with your bargain find. They don't make engines and drivetrains like that anymore .
That you do not want to stop driving your new transport is one the best feeling for a PistonHead!!
The sports shocks and small wheels sound a great combination.
The only E39 523 I have driven felt average with an auto box, and had the common break judder; but a well built and enjoyable car to pilot about.
Hope you have many fun miles with your bargain find. They don't make engines and drivetrains like that anymore .
That you do not want to stop driving your new transport is one the best feeling for a PistonHead!!
Best all-round car ever made the e39 especially the more you go up the range to 530.
Between 15 & 13 years ago I had a 523 as my first e39, sold it & moved on through other cars.
8 years ago I was convinced I wanted an e60 530 msport & drove many, all were a bit meh!
Just to see if I was remembering things through rose tinted glasses I saw & drove a 530i sport, bought it there & then, did many miles in it, converted it to LPG, LOVED every single mile.
Kept it around 3 years, and only sold it because Mrs E had a co car & we didn't need 2 big cars.
Between 15 & 13 years ago I had a 523 as my first e39, sold it & moved on through other cars.
8 years ago I was convinced I wanted an e60 530 msport & drove many, all were a bit meh!
Just to see if I was remembering things through rose tinted glasses I saw & drove a 530i sport, bought it there & then, did many miles in it, converted it to LPG, LOVED every single mile.
Kept it around 3 years, and only sold it because Mrs E had a co car & we didn't need 2 big cars.
E-bmw said:
Best all-round car ever made the e39 especially the more you go up the range to 530.
Between 15 & 13 years ago I had a 523 as my first e39, sold it & moved on through other cars.
8 years ago I was convinced I wanted an e60 530 msport & drove many, all were a bit meh!
Just to see if I was remembering things through rose tinted glasses I saw & drove a 530i sport, bought it there & then, did many miles in it, converted it to LPG, LOVED every single mile.
Kept it around 3 years, and only sold it because Mrs E had a co car & we didn't need 2 big cars.
I remember the E39 absolutely spanked the competition when it came out and iirc was winning awards up until it was replaced by the E60.Between 15 & 13 years ago I had a 523 as my first e39, sold it & moved on through other cars.
8 years ago I was convinced I wanted an e60 530 msport & drove many, all were a bit meh!
Just to see if I was remembering things through rose tinted glasses I saw & drove a 530i sport, bought it there & then, did many miles in it, converted it to LPG, LOVED every single mile.
Kept it around 3 years, and only sold it because Mrs E had a co car & we didn't need 2 big cars.
I've always toyed with the idea of an E39 M5...
For £700, that 523i is a bargain. Congrats to your bro OP.
Hmm ... currently running a 530d touring (manual) with over 150,000 miles waiting for the inevitable "BANG" when something expensive breaks and it becomes uneconomical to repair. It's the only car I currenlty own.
Maybe I should be spending a few pennies overhalling things but at the moment just fixing things as and when they break.
Wonder how much longer it will keep going ... and what would make a modern replacement?
Maybe I should be spending a few pennies overhalling things but at the moment just fixing things as and when they break.
Wonder how much longer it will keep going ... and what would make a modern replacement?
g3org3y said:
E-bmw said:
Best all-round car ever made the e39 especially the more you go up the range to 530.
Between 15 & 13 years ago I had a 523 as my first e39, sold it & moved on through other cars.
8 years ago I was convinced I wanted an e60 530 msport & drove many, all were a bit meh!
Just to see if I was remembering things through rose tinted glasses I saw & drove a 530i sport, bought it there & then, did many miles in it, converted it to LPG, LOVED every single mile.
Kept it around 3 years, and only sold it because Mrs E had a co car & we didn't need 2 big cars.
I remember the E39 absolutely spanked the competition when it came out and iirc was winning awards up until it was replaced by the E60.Between 15 & 13 years ago I had a 523 as my first e39, sold it & moved on through other cars.
8 years ago I was convinced I wanted an e60 530 msport & drove many, all were a bit meh!
Just to see if I was remembering things through rose tinted glasses I saw & drove a 530i sport, bought it there & then, did many miles in it, converted it to LPG, LOVED every single mile.
Kept it around 3 years, and only sold it because Mrs E had a co car & we didn't need 2 big cars.
I've always toyed with the idea of an E39 M5...
For £700, that 523i is a bargain. Congrats to your bro OP.
helix402 said:
It won’t go bang. Rust is a more likely killer. I ran a 330d to 250k and an accident killed it. 150 is nowt for an M57.
Fingers crossed - passed the last MOT needing some welding at a jacking point :-(It's the electrical gremlins that will start to show I think (fortunately it does not have many toys).
Front wings are looking a bit crusty at the arches so might have a look for some replacement patern parts as they seem to just bolt on.
g3org3y said:
I remember the E39 absolutely spanked the competition when it came out and iirc was winning awards up until it was replaced by the E60.
I've always toyed with the idea of an E39 M5...
For £700, that 523i is a bargain. Congrats to your bro OP.
I’ve been looking at M5’s also, sell my car, pay the loan off and use the remaining equity to buy an M5 but I can’t believe how expensive they are, 9 grand minimum for a half decent one, I then had a look at E46 M3’s and the same thing, manual coupe with under 100k miles, 12k minimum.....not sure I’m prepared to lump that kind of money on a 15 year old car! Maybe I should just find another like my brothers and pocket the lot! I've always toyed with the idea of an E39 M5...
For £700, that 523i is a bargain. Congrats to your bro OP.
Then £5,000 aside to cover all the usual suspect faults to get it nice.
And in this market it’ll add nothing to their value because jobs done or not they’ll sell for silly money to the buyers in this market.
I’d say hang fire as the market will diverge with genuinely right cars finding a price level, and ‘need work’ cars finding another.
Right now they’re all mixed together it seems.
And in this market it’ll add nothing to their value because jobs done or not they’ll sell for silly money to the buyers in this market.
I’d say hang fire as the market will diverge with genuinely right cars finding a price level, and ‘need work’ cars finding another.
Right now they’re all mixed together it seems.
One of my four e39's, one was an M5, it's without doubt still the best car I've ever driven (and I've driven some tasty machinery; Alpinas, Ferraris, Astons), I didn't want to sell it but a change in circumstances meant I couldn't justify the running costs and it had to go. I sold it for £650 more than I paid for it after a year of ownership. I'd love another but sadly I don't think it's going to happen with the way prices are going.
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