Help/Advice please - 5 Series

[devonshiredave]

Thinking of buying a 5 series (E39,) have narrowed the list down to these 3 below,

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/771491.htm

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/783390.htm

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/752965.htm

Are the prices reasonable for these cars, what should i look out for, should i save my money and not bother?

many thanks


Dave

[Vee]

devonshiredave said:

Thinking of buying a 5 series (E39,) have narrowed the list down to these 3 below,

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/771491.htm

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/783390.htm

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/752965.htm

Are the prices reasonable for these cars, what should i look out for, should i save my money and not bother?

many thanks

Dave

The first is not an E39 hence much more expensive.
£7k trade bid for a 6/7 year old, non sport 540, unless he's paying full retail for whatever he's buying. Any comment Paolo ?
The red one looks nicer but you can get it cheaper imo.

Edited by Vee on Friday 28th November 13:36

[devonshiredave]

Many thanks Vee,

so the first one is an E60? Forgive me im a BMW noob.

Price on that doesnt seem to bad compared to similar in the E60 section?

[Vee]

This one looks good . Excellent spec and arguably a 530 is a better car than a 540SE.

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/803984.htm

Keeps a few pounds in your pocket too.

[Hammerhead]

Vee said:

Excellent spec and arguably a 530 is a better car than a 540SE.
Keeps a few pounds in your pocket too.

'Cept the 530 has a shagged drivers seat and is in need of a service/tidy up. The 540 has been lovingly looked after, over & above by the looks so my money would go that way.

[Fox-]

At that sort of mileage the service its probably due is an Inspection II. This is the thing with valuing E39's (or any car) - you dont know until you see it. If that car needs an Inspection II, some discs (Usually need doing about that sort of mileage), some paintwork tidying up (The scratches were obvious enough to make it into the advert) and the seat fixing its suddenly going to be at least a grand more expensive.

[smack]

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/800195.htm

With a 6 speed

[Olf]

I think you've got to be prepared to lose a few bob on these cars at the moment.

You could do something else instead... Find a nice low mile low mile E38 7 series like this one http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/790765.htm

but not that one - it's too expensive!

Save yourself 4 or 5k on initial outlay against the E39 5 series. Servicing won't be much dearer if at all at a specialist and the drive is just superb. I bought one of these as a stop gap recently and it's a wonderful car.

Edited by Olf on Friday 28th November 18:30

[Vee]

Fox- said:

At that sort of mileage the service its probably due is an Inspection II.

Inspection I surely ?

[Fox-]

No, II.

On the E39 the servicing is variable. 15k miles is the base, goes up and down depending on usage and can be as much as 20k between intervals.

So...

First oil service: 12-20k miles
Inspection I: 24-40k miles
Oil Service 36-60k miles
Inspection II 48-80k miles

Depends on its usage. The previous owner of mine did 30-40k a year so the first Inspection 2 on mine was about 75k miles.

[Olf]

Fox- said:

No, II.

On the E39 the servicing is variable. 15k miles is the base, goes up and down depending on usage and can be as much as 20k between intervals.

So...

First oil service: 12-20k miles
Inspection I: 24-40k miles
Oil Service 36-60k miles
Inspection II 48-80k miles

Depends on its usage. The previous owner of mine did 30-40k a year so the first Inspection 2 on mine was about 75k miles.

It's good advice - you'll see a lot of BM's come up for sale at 50/60k basically just prior to a heavy service. Get one with the service done.

[Fox-]

It's not the Inspection II thats hefty - you can get them for about 300 quid, but you'll find other stuff as well especially on a 2002 car around this time of year if its a 52 plate because it will also be due brake fluid and at about 60-100k miles depending on usage its new disc/pads time.

Inspection II/Discs/Pads/Brake Fluid/Random suspension bits = no change from a grand. Suddenly makes the car more expensive.

Yet none of this stuff is ever taken into account when cars are valued. All anyone ever cares about is the age and mileage. Bizarre, especially given a car thats £1k 'overpriced' will be ignored even if it has 4 new tyres @ £550, fresh Inspection II, etc etc..

[Emeye]

Go for a 530i Sport - only got rid of mine cos I needed a Hatch. Was a great car.

[Ciaran]

Hammerhead said:

Vee said:

Excellent spec and arguably a 530 is a better car than a 540SE.
Keeps a few pounds in your pocket too.

'Cept the 530 has a shagged drivers seat and is in need of a service/tidy up. The 540 has been lovingly looked after, over & above by the looks so my money would go that way.

Can't even be arsed to hover the car let alone clear out the side pockets.

[fluffnik]

What about this?



Running costs will be much the same as the 540i but performance, handling and ride will all be much improved.

I've had mine for >3.5 years and can't think of anything I'd want to replace it with except another ALPINA...

[Vee]

Fox- said:

No, II.

On the E39 the servicing is variable. 15k miles is the base, goes up and down depending on usage and can be as much as 20k between intervals.

So...

First oil service: 12-20k miles
Inspection I: 24-40k miles
Oil Service 36-60k miles
Inspection II 48-80k miles

Depends on its usage. The previous owner of mine did 30-40k a year so the first Inspection 2 on mine was about 75k miles.

I'd wager that its had II done already. Just my opinion.
Seat bolster is easy enough to sort.
It was simply posted as an illustration that a well specced 530 sport can be had for the same price as a 540SE.

[devonshiredave]

Wow!

Thanks for all the replies everyone, most appreciated and given me a lot to think about. Im actually getting more drawn to the E60 shape for some reason, although i do like the Champagne interior 5 series posted.

Will have a further think over the weekend.

cheers Dave