5 series me choices e39
Discussion
So, 523,525,528,530,535-6,535-8,540
Only petrol are interesting to me and must be auto with high spec.
Not sure if I want a 2k cheapy or go to 7k for a last run high spec
What's the thought on engines? My current thinking is 530 better than 528 better than 523, avoid 535-8 and go for 540 but steering not as good as 6cylinder cars.
If above is true then only the 528,530 and 540 are worth a look but where does that leave the 535-6?
Also, what's so good about a Champagne edition?
Ta
Only petrol are interesting to me and must be auto with high spec.
Not sure if I want a 2k cheapy or go to 7k for a last run high spec
What's the thought on engines? My current thinking is 530 better than 528 better than 523, avoid 535-8 and go for 540 but steering not as good as 6cylinder cars.
If above is true then only the 528,530 and 540 are worth a look but where does that leave the 535-6?
Also, what's so good about a Champagne edition?
Ta
My experience.
520-Ok but have to thrash it to go anywhere and hence uses as much fuel as 528
528 over 523/525. The 528 does the same MPG but better drive. Folks will say the 528 has the same BHP as 523/525 but it does drive better-more torque.
530 great engine.
540 over 535-with the 535 you get little performance over the 528 but all the expensive parts of a V8. 540 is an awesome engine-I would have liked one but couldnt find one with under 100k in my price range.
On balance, the 528 or 530 is the one to gof or. fairly loaded as standard.
The Sports are nice-have nicer seats and some subtle body kit differences.
Edit-Champagne has special coulor and a few extra bits. Personally I dont think worth any extra cash. Not aware of
520-Ok but have to thrash it to go anywhere and hence uses as much fuel as 528
528 over 523/525. The 528 does the same MPG but better drive. Folks will say the 528 has the same BHP as 523/525 but it does drive better-more torque.
530 great engine.
540 over 535-with the 535 you get little performance over the 528 but all the expensive parts of a V8. 540 is an awesome engine-I would have liked one but couldnt find one with under 100k in my price range.
On balance, the 528 or 530 is the one to gof or. fairly loaded as standard.
The Sports are nice-have nicer seats and some subtle body kit differences.
Edit-Champagne has special coulor and a few extra bits. Personally I dont think worth any extra cash. Not aware of
Edited by bull996 on Wednesday 6th May 08:54
bull996 said:
On balance, the 528 or 530 is the one to gof or. fairly loaded as standard.
The Sports are nice-have nicer seats and some subtle body kit differences.
I'd agree that the 528/530 are the ones to go for.The Sports are nice-have nicer seats and some subtle body kit differences.
They are 150 mph chariots with mere six cylinder running costs.
You missed the main difference between the sports and the
plain SE - the sports have the sports suspension.
Opinions vary, but try both the SE and the sports for their
ride quality.
Some find the SE way firm enough on the UK's notoriously
pot holed roads.
Yes there are also some cosmetic body kit differences - that's just
down to personal taste of those that worry about such cosmetic details.
I went for a 530 sport touring (auto) last year. Very happy with it, and no doubt faster in saloon form. I average about 24 mpg with a fair bit of town driving (varies from 18-30) and SJobson on here gets more or less the same from his 540 touring, also auto. MPG put me off the 540 but actually the difference is quite small it seems.
Haven't driven a 540 so can't comment on the steering but certainly in the 530 it's very good.
Haven't driven a 540 so can't comment on the steering but certainly in the 530 it's very good.
bramley said:
I went for a 530 sport touring (auto) last year. Very happy with it, and no doubt faster in saloon form. I average about 24 mpg with a fair bit of town driving (varies from 18-30) and SJobson on here gets more or less the same from his 540 touring, also auto. MPG put me off the 540 but actually the difference is quite small it seems.
Haven't driven a 540 so can't comment on the steering but certainly in the 530 it's very good.
I made the same choice and am also pleased with it. I average around 28 mpg (although have achieved 36 on one long run Haven't driven a 540 so can't comment on the steering but certainly in the 530 it's very good.
) Also tried out a 528 but it seemed a little gutless in comparison (it was a bit older though). I would have been interested in the 540 too but there were none available. However, they are meant to be a bit thirsty and because of their extra weight, they won't necessarily be that much quicker.I have a 528 sport. The advantage is cheaper road tax (build before march 01) and the m25tu engine is great and being a sport it looks nice.
530 will be morethan likely after the tax increase date and in my opinion not worth the extra. Also some of the M54 engine seem to like drinking oil.
My pervious car was a 523 and again very good but noting special in the looks department (non sport model)
If you get a pre facelift car keep about £400 to upgrade the headlights.
530 will be morethan likely after the tax increase date and in my opinion not worth the extra. Also some of the M54 engine seem to like drinking oil.
My pervious car was a 523 and again very good but noting special in the looks department (non sport model)
If you get a pre facelift car keep about £400 to upgrade the headlights.
David87M3 said:
I have a 528 sport. The advantage is cheaper road tax (build before march 01) and the m25tu engine is great and being a sport it looks nice.
530 will be morethan likely after the tax increase date and in my opinion not worth the extra. Also some of the M54 engine seem to like drinking oil.
Not necessarily, the 530i was in production before 01 so it's still possible to get one that only costs £185/year to tax. 530 will be morethan likely after the tax increase date and in my opinion not worth the extra. Also some of the M54 engine seem to like drinking oil.
I've got a 530iA Sport Touring, and it's ok. The steering's fine, but the power delivery of the engine is a little....dull. My MPG is suprisingly low at 22ish, too. OK that's town driving, but I can get more out of my M3.
530i or 540i are the ones to have, but you compromise on the steering in the V8s.
ETA - I'm actually being really harsh on it, as usual. For what it is, it's great - I can load it to the roof with stuff, drive hundreds of miles, get out and still feel fresh as a daisy. It cruises well on the motorway, it's pretty much effortless in traffic, and it's loaded to the hilt with toys. If I've got a long trip to do, the M3 and Z4 will stay at home, and it'll be the 530i that stretches it's legs. Lovely car. Just not all that exciting.
530i or 540i are the ones to have, but you compromise on the steering in the V8s.
ETA - I'm actually being really harsh on it, as usual. For what it is, it's great - I can load it to the roof with stuff, drive hundreds of miles, get out and still feel fresh as a daisy. It cruises well on the motorway, it's pretty much effortless in traffic, and it's loaded to the hilt with toys. If I've got a long trip to do, the M3 and Z4 will stay at home, and it'll be the 530i that stretches it's legs. Lovely car. Just not all that exciting.
Edited by dan101smith on Wednesday 6th May 17:14
Whilst a 530i is possibly more desirable in turns of oomph against costs, as i've said on previous threads, dont write off the M54 525i as the stats are practically the same as the earlier 528i,
Power 192bhp vs 193bhp
Torque 245nm vs 285nm
0-60 (auto) 8.6secs vs 8.5secs
Top Speed 144mph vs 145mph
Power 192bhp vs 193bhp
Torque 245nm vs 285nm
0-60 (auto) 8.6secs vs 8.5secs
Top Speed 144mph vs 145mph
Daisy Duke said:
David87M3 said:
I have a 528 sport. The advantage is cheaper road tax (build before march 01) and the m25tu engine is great and being a sport it looks nice.
530 will be morethan likely after the tax increase date and in my opinion not worth the extra. Also some of the M54 engine seem to like drinking oil.
Not necessarily, the 530i was in production before 01 so it's still possible to get one that only costs £185/year to tax. 530 will be morethan likely after the tax increase date and in my opinion not worth the extra. Also some of the M54 engine seem to like drinking oil.
Also dont rule out the later 520's they had the 2.2 engine and I think gave same performance as the older 523.
Also if you go pre march 1998 build look up the nikasil issue
Edited by David87M3 on Wednesday 6th May 20:08
David87M3 said:
Daisy Duke said:
David87M3 said:
I have a 528 sport. The advantage is cheaper road tax (build before march 01) and the m25tu engine is great and being a sport it looks nice.
530 will be morethan likely after the tax increase date and in my opinion not worth the extra. Also some of the M54 engine seem to like drinking oil.
Not necessarily, the 530i was in production before 01 so it's still possible to get one that only costs £185/year to tax. 530 will be morethan likely after the tax increase date and in my opinion not worth the extra. Also some of the M54 engine seem to like drinking oil.
Also dont rule out the later 520's they had the 2.2 engine and I think gave same performance as the older 523.
Also if you go pre march 1998 build look up the nikasil issue
Edited by David87M3 on Wednesday 6th May 20:08
I'd consider a manual 520i 2.2 but not an auto, but I believe 520i 2.2's are lower gearer to aid performance but in the real world this hurts economy (they are also a very rev happy engine lacking in torque)
I went for the best 540i Touring I could find - 2001, 80k miles, BMW history, 2 owners, full spec etc etc.
Paid plenty for it and STILL spending!
Pros:
Terrific daily car for enthusiast with family, great to drive (I've had sharper, but you'd have to be into track days before you could spot the difference with the steering!)
Muted 'Dukes of Hazard' soundtrack only available from V8.
Understated looks.
Nice extras/features (still smile when opening the 'Scimitar' rear window).
Plenty of space/flexibility.
Respectable fuel consumption, especially considering the car's size and the performance available (much better than W124 Mercedes of any size).
Probably (hopefully?) low-depreciation now.
Cons:
Nice extras expensive to make work when (not if) they stop working.
PDC sensors, mirrors, aircon, pixels, cooling (!), ignition, suspension components, seats etc all fail at some point (20mins on the internet tells you that!)
Why do ALL BMWs have cr*ppy seats too?
Overall, though, I would say fantastic value at the moment unless you cover a huge mileage and have to take fuel cost into account. There's nothing like that sound of an extended V8 either, I am hoping to find a way to (slightly) increase the low-speed burble too.
I always think it is better to go for the best you can find, largely because I am useless and can't fix anything myself! I guess if you are handy many problems become less worrysome...
Go for it and good luck!
Paid plenty for it and STILL spending!
Pros:
Terrific daily car for enthusiast with family, great to drive (I've had sharper, but you'd have to be into track days before you could spot the difference with the steering!)
Muted 'Dukes of Hazard' soundtrack only available from V8.
Understated looks.
Nice extras/features (still smile when opening the 'Scimitar' rear window).
Plenty of space/flexibility.
Respectable fuel consumption, especially considering the car's size and the performance available (much better than W124 Mercedes of any size).
Probably (hopefully?) low-depreciation now.
Cons:
Nice extras expensive to make work when (not if) they stop working.
PDC sensors, mirrors, aircon, pixels, cooling (!), ignition, suspension components, seats etc all fail at some point (20mins on the internet tells you that!)
Why do ALL BMWs have cr*ppy seats too?
Overall, though, I would say fantastic value at the moment unless you cover a huge mileage and have to take fuel cost into account. There's nothing like that sound of an extended V8 either, I am hoping to find a way to (slightly) increase the low-speed burble too.
I always think it is better to go for the best you can find, largely because I am useless and can't fix anything myself! I guess if you are handy many problems become less worrysome...
Go for it and good luck!
We've had our E39 540 Sport for over 4 years now. It is a magnificent car, and has a surprising turn of speed. The big 4.4 ltr V8 just munches motorway miles without even trying, but on the country lanes it is terrific fun for a family car. After the first few weeks of ownership, my wife adopted it as her car, but i still got to take it out for a run every now and then. Spookily enough it will be up for sale very soon 
I have the one that everyone will tell you to avoid......no not a 520i!
The 535i doesn't disappoint in my opinion, don't forget that it still is a 245bhp V8
. If you can test drive a 535i against a 540i the difference wouldn't be that noticeable unless you are drag racing
The M62 engine gained vanos in 1998 and thus both 535 and 540 gained more BHP (mine has vanos)
Buy on spec and condition, mine was bought nearly three years ago and I have had to rectify a few issues, as it wasn't the best example, but it was cheap and I felt sorry for it . It's all working as it should now though :touchwood:
I would like a 540i though.....................
The 535i doesn't disappoint in my opinion, don't forget that it still is a 245bhp V8
. If you can test drive a 535i against a 540i the difference wouldn't be that noticeable unless you are drag racing The M62 engine gained vanos in 1998 and thus both 535 and 540 gained more BHP (mine has vanos)
Buy on spec and condition, mine was bought nearly three years ago and I have had to rectify a few issues, as it wasn't the best example, but it was cheap and I felt sorry for it
. It's all working as it should now though :touchwood:I would like a 540i though.....................
uk68charger said:
I went for the best 540i Touring I could find - 2001, 80k miles, BMW history, 2 owners, full spec etc etc.
Paid plenty for it and STILL spending!
Pros:
Terrific daily car for enthusiast with family, great to drive (I've had sharper, but you'd have to be into track days before you could spot the difference with the steering!)
Muted 'Dukes of Hazard' soundtrack only available from V8.
Understated looks.
Nice extras/features (still smile when opening the 'Scimitar' rear window).
Plenty of space/flexibility.
Respectable fuel consumption, especially considering the car's size and the performance available (much better than W124 Mercedes of any size).
Probably (hopefully?) low-depreciation now.
Cons:
Nice extras expensive to make work when (not if) they stop working.
PDC sensors, mirrors, aircon, pixels, cooling (!), ignition, suspension components, seats etc all fail at some point (20mins on the internet tells you that!)
Why do ALL BMWs have cr*ppy seats too?
Overall, though, I would say fantastic value at the moment unless you cover a huge mileage and have to take fuel cost into account. There's nothing like that sound of an extended V8 either, I am hoping to find a way to (slightly) increase the low-speed burble too.
I always think it is better to go for the best you can find, largely because I am useless and can't fix anything myself! I guess if you are handy many problems become less worrysome...
Go for it and good luck!
Would you care to divulge what you paid for it?Paid plenty for it and STILL spending!
Pros:
Terrific daily car for enthusiast with family, great to drive (I've had sharper, but you'd have to be into track days before you could spot the difference with the steering!)
Muted 'Dukes of Hazard' soundtrack only available from V8.
Understated looks.
Nice extras/features (still smile when opening the 'Scimitar' rear window).
Plenty of space/flexibility.
Respectable fuel consumption, especially considering the car's size and the performance available (much better than W124 Mercedes of any size).
Probably (hopefully?) low-depreciation now.
Cons:
Nice extras expensive to make work when (not if) they stop working.
PDC sensors, mirrors, aircon, pixels, cooling (!), ignition, suspension components, seats etc all fail at some point (20mins on the internet tells you that!)
Why do ALL BMWs have cr*ppy seats too?
Overall, though, I would say fantastic value at the moment unless you cover a huge mileage and have to take fuel cost into account. There's nothing like that sound of an extended V8 either, I am hoping to find a way to (slightly) increase the low-speed burble too.
I always think it is better to go for the best you can find, largely because I am useless and can't fix anything myself! I guess if you are handy many problems become less worrysome...
Go for it and good luck!
I recently acquired a 1998 "R", 1 owner Full BMW history (apart from the last oil service 1) 44k miles 540i Touring. Paid £4750. Only problem is a small amount of bubbling on the tailgate trailing edge, is yours doing that???
I've had a 528 touring previously and the difference in the steering is so minimal that it's not really perceptible.
Oh and I've gone from a Saab 95 aero to the e39. The 540 is both faster and has comfier seats IMO.
Edited by dave_s13 on Wednesday 6th May 22:09
dave_s13 said:
uk68charger said:
I went for the best 540i Touring I could find - 2001, 80k miles, BMW history, 2 owners, full spec etc etc.
Paid plenty for it and STILL spending!
Would you care to divulge what you paid for it?Paid plenty for it and STILL spending!
Edited by dave_s13 on Wednesday 6th May 22:09
Bodywork is excellent, repair & rust-free all round (no issues with tailgate - yet).
Interior is also excellent apart from clicking seat which seems to be evident on every BMW I have ever owned-hence negative comment re seats.
It's a really nice car but I know I didn't get a bargain. On the other hand, there's not much left to sort out! (Famous last words)
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