RE: Shed(s) of the Week: BMW 5 Series x2
Discussion
My old 530i. Lovely car and very sensible miles when I sold it at around 101,000 approx. 18 months ago. I actually contacted the guy six months later with a view to buying it back but after speaking with him and hearing how pleased he was with it I didn't even bother asking. It had some nice features including the very rare options of S EDC (Electronic Damper Control) plus M Audio
j_s14a said:
skylarking808 said:
I would take a chance with the 530i, but would prefer a V8 personally.
- cough ** agricultural steering box ** cough **
Oh, I agree, the rack and pinion steering in the six cylinder cars is far better, even the tighter steering box in the M5 is still a bit crap.
Triumph Man said:
How do the E60 and F10 compare? Anyone owned an E39 and one of them? An LCI E60 or F10 would both be contenders for my next car, but I would hate to be disappointed. Although arguably anything that doesn't rust would be a bonus...
I've owned 2 facelift e39s and currently have an LCI 530i. First was an '03 530d Sport manual in 2007 which I kept for a year & 20k miles - still pretty much the best car I've owned, I only sold it as I was forced into a company car. Had a chance to buy it back recently and really regret not doing so but I reckon it's knackered now anyway Edited by Triumph Man on Friday 1st December 12:55
In 2012, I got nostalgic and bought a leggy '00 530i Sport auto
As you can see it was pretty immaculate but punished me nicely mechanically. Luckily I like spannering and I didn't need it for work, it ended up being a totally different car to the one I bought. Anyone who drives a 530i and thinks they're boring is probably driving one with knackered DISA/VANOS as I rebuilt both and got significantly more "fizz" out of the car. Only sold it as I left Australia.
After selling my 335i I was looking for something reasonably quick & 5-series-like but had never really liked the e60 having driven an early 523i years before and didn't want to stretch to an F10. By chance, I ended up finding a very well cared for manual 530i LCI (pretty rare, only 101 RHD built) that I couldn't pass up. The LCI e60 is such an improvement over pre-LCI, it's hard to describe but I find the whole car feels like an evolution of the e39. Mine has sport wheel, seats & sport suspension so it handles really well and still rides well.
I recently helped a friend buy an LCI F10, a car I have been seriously considering as my next car but I was not as impressed as I was expecting to be. Even though it had half the mileage of my car, the E60 feels better built and while the infotainment cannot touch the f10, I felt that the build quality of the interior was better.
That said I'd still love another e39, the big problem these days is finding a good one!
E39, for me the one that got away. 3 x I have nearly bought one of these. 2 of them were manual 528s and the 3rd a 540i....In 2009 I nearly paid £1700 for what was then an 11 year old 1 owner 528iSE. So much car for the money and you'd never find an 11 year old E60 for that sort of money these days...
I do think they look a bit dated now, unlike, the E60, which I think looks better now than it did new......and what put me off was the potential for continual bills. I'm not mechanically minded and the E39 was probably the first 5 series to introduce a fair amount of electronics, sensors etc, all of which I would imagine are failing by now!
But certainly a 5 series from the era when most of them had a proper engine and not a 4 cylinder diesel.
Triumph Man said:
How do the E60 and F10 compare? Anyone owned an E39 and one of them? An LCI E60 or F10 would both be contenders for my next car, but I would hate to be disappointed. Although arguably anything that doesn't rust would be a bonus...
I had an E60 530i for a few years; classy but gutless, esp. with the auto box. Now have a F10 530d. Love that car; plenty of guts, feels a bit lux (if anodyne). Never had a more effective motorway mile-muncher. Edited by Triumph Man on Friday 1st December 12:55
I ran a lovely 1999 E39 528i SE Touring Auto for a couple of years, and loved it. Paid £950 from a small independent car dealer, then pocket money keeping it in fine fettle for the next two years.
I'd probably still have it now, had an inattentive Merc A-Class driver not pulled across the front of my car, writing off both vehicles in the process (airbags ahoy, etc.)
On the plus side, the insurance company paid out £1,250, which softened the blow somewhat.
EDIT: I'd have another, but it would probably have to be a 540i Touring Sport Auto.
I'd probably still have it now, had an inattentive Merc A-Class driver not pulled across the front of my car, writing off both vehicles in the process (airbags ahoy, etc.)
On the plus side, the insurance company paid out £1,250, which softened the blow somewhat.
EDIT: I'd have another, but it would probably have to be a 540i Touring Sport Auto.
I've pretty much had every iteration of the E39 models, from the lowly 520i, the 523i, two facelift 525d, 540i Touring and several 530d variants.
Currently also have an E39 M5, and my old man has a rather rare Individual Velvet Blue 530i Sport, with Champagne Nappa Leather with Velvet Blue Stitching, Xenons, Heated Seats, 18" M Parallels. The car still turns heads to this day, and he has had it over 7 years now. Still looks fresh and does not look out of place parked up next to modern BMWs.
I have had some very high mileage examples, including a 2001 Oxford Green 530d SE with 280k miles on the clock. That car ran like a swiss watch, due to how it had been looked after by it's previous owner and me having it serviced a few times during the a year.
They aren't cheap to run, and when they get to a certain age and mileage, core components will start to fail and need replacing - but isn't this the case with every car? Parts are reasonably priced these days, and the labour isn't too intense on them.
My daily is a 2007 LCI 525d (3.0) M Sport with 255k miles. In my personal opinion, the E60 is revelation to drive compared t the E39 - it feels tighter, more nimble, and generally modern with all the newer technology. However, I totally agree with what others have said on here - the build quality of the E60 (especially the interior) is not a patch on the E39, which still felt solid and rattle free at 280k miles.
I would love a early manual 528i Sport or a later 530i Sport - the cars still ooze a bit of class about them. Facelift cars look way better, and the E39 started the 'Angel Eye' revolution before other models followed suit. Even the LED rear lights look modern on the E39.
Good SOTW selection, although the 530i is a no-brainer choice for me! 525i reminds me of the logic with the E30 320i model - not much quicker than the 318i but the same on fuel as the 325i. So, makes sense to go for the M54B30 lump then?!
Currently also have an E39 M5, and my old man has a rather rare Individual Velvet Blue 530i Sport, with Champagne Nappa Leather with Velvet Blue Stitching, Xenons, Heated Seats, 18" M Parallels. The car still turns heads to this day, and he has had it over 7 years now. Still looks fresh and does not look out of place parked up next to modern BMWs.
I have had some very high mileage examples, including a 2001 Oxford Green 530d SE with 280k miles on the clock. That car ran like a swiss watch, due to how it had been looked after by it's previous owner and me having it serviced a few times during the a year.
They aren't cheap to run, and when they get to a certain age and mileage, core components will start to fail and need replacing - but isn't this the case with every car? Parts are reasonably priced these days, and the labour isn't too intense on them.
My daily is a 2007 LCI 525d (3.0) M Sport with 255k miles. In my personal opinion, the E60 is revelation to drive compared t the E39 - it feels tighter, more nimble, and generally modern with all the newer technology. However, I totally agree with what others have said on here - the build quality of the E60 (especially the interior) is not a patch on the E39, which still felt solid and rattle free at 280k miles.
I would love a early manual 528i Sport or a later 530i Sport - the cars still ooze a bit of class about them. Facelift cars look way better, and the E39 started the 'Angel Eye' revolution before other models followed suit. Even the LED rear lights look modern on the E39.
Good SOTW selection, although the 530i is a no-brainer choice for me! 525i reminds me of the logic with the E30 320i model - not much quicker than the 318i but the same on fuel as the 325i. So, makes sense to go for the M54B30 lump then?!
The e39 is one of the best looking BMWs in my opinion, although I am a bit biased as I managed to get my father this nice 2003 530i sport for £1,000 in June. Had 103k when he got it with full main dealer service history with every service except one carried out at the same dealer. Definitely a bargain in my opinion.
A 540i would be the one I'd like to have but I doubt I'd be able to afford to insure one or run it everyday!
A 540i would be the one I'd like to have but I doubt I'd be able to afford to insure one or run it everyday!
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