RE: Shed of the Week: BMW 528i (E39)
Discussion
Triumph Man said:
And show me an 17 year old (as my E39 is now) Ford or something that doesn't have issues.
I've had a good number of old Fords, all of them pushing 17, they've always been faultless mechanically, but god do they rot. As long as you buy a well looked after BMW (Like this shed seems to be) then in reality, you can expect something that's going to last you a very long time. I just wish this had been for sale when I bought my old 330d, would've had it in a heatbeat. I do find it funny when people complain that a nearly 20 year old BMW for £1500 isn't in showroom condition. It's a 6 pot, manual, RWD cruiser from the golden age of BMW, for the price of a well specced Vectra. SOTY worthy IMO Triumph Man said:
And show me an 17 year old (as my E39 is now) Ford or something that doesn't have issues.
Show me a 2001 Ford Mondeo full stop.A bit of geeking out on How Many Left tells me there are 8700-ish Mondeos still on the road that were registered in 2001 of just under 70,000 registered that year. By contrast, there are 4700 2001 E39s left, of 15,000 originally sold.
So the survival rate of the 5 Series is almost a third. The Mondeo's? Just over 10 per cent of cars.
Having said that, I ran a ratty 55-plate Mondeo diesel for a year, then simply threw it away before it failed its MoT. My current car is a 540i that has in 9 months already cost me more than half what I paid for it in maintenance, and is in the garage as I type racking up another invoice. However, I love the 540i and am prepared to stump up for stuff in a way that simply made no sense for the Mondeo. So maybe that's why 5ers live that bit longer...
Riggers said:
Triumph Man said:
And show me an 17 year old (as my E39 is now) Ford or something that doesn't have issues.
Show me a 2001 Ford Mondeo full stop.A bit of geeking out on How Many Left tells me there are 8700-ish Mondeos still on the road that were registered in 2001 of just under 70,000 registered that year. By contrast, there are 4700 2001 E39s left, of 15,000 originally sold.
So the survival rate of the 5 Series is almost a third. The Mondeo's? Just over 10 per cent of cars.
Having said that, I ran a ratty 55-plate Mondeo diesel for a year, then simply threw it away before it failed its MoT. My current car is a 540i that has in 9 months already cost me more than half what I paid for it in maintenance, and is in the garage as I type racking up another invoice. However, I love the 540i and am prepared to stump up for stuff in a way that simply made no sense for the Mondeo. So maybe that's why 5ers live that bit longer...
Of course this is a generalisation, and there are people who are fanatical about the preservation of their Mondeo 1.8 LX, but hopefully you get my point.
I had an e39 530d touring up until June this year. I bought it in 2011 with 110k miles on the clock , the autobox fell apart at 212k miles this year.
The cost of replacement was massive so I scrapped the car.
Over the 7 years of ownership it normally cost around £200 to get through an MOT due to brakes and suspension, i think I replaced almost all of the drop links and other assorted suspension bits over the years ;-)
the ABS was temperamental but only at really low speeds (less than 10mph)
The drivers side sill needed welding one year and the high pressure fuel pump needed replacing , those were the most expensive fixes.
It was a great car to own and I loved driving it as it was at home pootling in london traffic and yet was fun to chuck around B roads, even with the auto.
It worked as a drivers car and family transport, plus I wanted to own an e39 for years before I got that one, I love the look or them.
I was only the second owner.
fuel consumption was not great around town i averaged about 30-mpg overall so not bad.
overall it was an easy car to own and I really liked driving it.
I fancy a v12 e38 at some point....
The cost of replacement was massive so I scrapped the car.
Over the 7 years of ownership it normally cost around £200 to get through an MOT due to brakes and suspension, i think I replaced almost all of the drop links and other assorted suspension bits over the years ;-)
the ABS was temperamental but only at really low speeds (less than 10mph)
The drivers side sill needed welding one year and the high pressure fuel pump needed replacing , those were the most expensive fixes.
It was a great car to own and I loved driving it as it was at home pootling in london traffic and yet was fun to chuck around B roads, even with the auto.
It worked as a drivers car and family transport, plus I wanted to own an e39 for years before I got that one, I love the look or them.
I was only the second owner.
fuel consumption was not great around town i averaged about 30-mpg overall so not bad.
overall it was an easy car to own and I really liked driving it.
I fancy a v12 e38 at some point....
I have an E39 530d Tourer manual and the thing is unbelievable its on 208k hardly uses any oil water top up every 3-4 months, its a properly built thing with no squeaks or rattles...the previous owner was a Dr of some sort and threw the options book at it, it even has the super rare sliding boot floor and every extra you could have in 2001. Its got a few dings here and there and had the sills welded for its last MOT, apart from that it just works and is such a lovely place to cover big miles....sat in those big chairs and the cruise on...you definitely feel the refinement, its when you start touching and opening stuff that you start to appreciate the level of engineering on these cars. Definitely the best 5 Series and i work in car sales where i see and drive all sorts of modern machinery.
kellyt said:
helix402 said:
Badge delete was a no cost option.
I always assumed anyone with the badge delete had a tragic 520 and was embarrassed. 528 is perfectly respectable.nicfaz said:
Apparently different countries have a different cultural approach to debadging. Here in the UK it tends to be people who bought the 520i Msport want to make out that it's better than that, in Germany it tends to be the exec who bought the 550i who doesn't want to be seen as too profligate and anti-environment.
[edited to say sorry to BFleming who beat me to it!]
Yes! Completely agreed. My other half has spent time in Germany and yes the culture is reversed, they don't want to rub someone's nose in it that they got one of the really good ones. C'est la vie. When I had a 320d the badges stayed on. It was what it was. At the time I was proud of a brand new 320d and loved driving it. I remained most pleased with it, till my window cleaner told me he had the M3, which did sting a little bit. But, you know, he worked for it just the same.[edited to say sorry to BFleming who beat me to it!]
Riggers said:
Show me a 2001 Ford Mondeo full stop.
A bit of geeking out on How Many Left tells me there are 8700-ish Mondeos still on the road that were registered in 2001 of just under 70,000 registered that year. By contrast, there are 4700 2001 E39s left, of 15,000 originally sold.
So the survival rate of the 5 Series is almost a third. The Mondeo's? Just over 10 per cent of cars.
Having said that, I ran a ratty 55-plate Mondeo diesel for a year, then simply threw it away before it failed its MoT. My current car is a 540i that has in 9 months already cost me more than half what I paid for it in maintenance, and is in the garage as I type racking up another invoice. However, I love the 540i and am prepared to stump up for stuff in a way that simply made no sense for the Mondeo. So maybe that's why 5ers live that bit longer...
To be fair to Ford, one of my ex company cars, an 1800 Mondeo was a motor I loved to bits. I followed it's MOT history to 181,000 when it was finally laid to rest somewhere. If the folks after me loved it half as much, then they had a bloody good car.A bit of geeking out on How Many Left tells me there are 8700-ish Mondeos still on the road that were registered in 2001 of just under 70,000 registered that year. By contrast, there are 4700 2001 E39s left, of 15,000 originally sold.
So the survival rate of the 5 Series is almost a third. The Mondeo's? Just over 10 per cent of cars.
Having said that, I ran a ratty 55-plate Mondeo diesel for a year, then simply threw it away before it failed its MoT. My current car is a 540i that has in 9 months already cost me more than half what I paid for it in maintenance, and is in the garage as I type racking up another invoice. However, I love the 540i and am prepared to stump up for stuff in a way that simply made no sense for the Mondeo. So maybe that's why 5ers live that bit longer...
Bear-n said:
Bit rusty?
I've had worse damage fixed for worse cars. If you look at it in the round, it's a nice motor. Worth keeping on the road as it'll be uber comfortable, pretty quick and sublimely 6 cylinder smooth. If that doesn't tick enough boxes, then it's obviously not your sort of car. Which is totally fine, it can't be everyone's.kellyt said:
Riggers said:
Show me a 2001 Ford Mondeo full stop.
A bit of geeking out on How Many Left tells me there are 8700-ish Mondeos still on the road that were registered in 2001 of just under 70,000 registered that year. By contrast, there are 4700 2001 E39s left, of 15,000 originally sold.
So the survival rate of the 5 Series is almost a third. The Mondeo's? Just over 10 per cent of cars.
Having said that, I ran a ratty 55-plate Mondeo diesel for a year, then simply threw it away before it failed its MoT. My current car is a 540i that has in 9 months already cost me more than half what I paid for it in maintenance, and is in the garage as I type racking up another invoice. However, I love the 540i and am prepared to stump up for stuff in a way that simply made no sense for the Mondeo. So maybe that's why 5ers live that bit longer...
To be fair to Ford, one of my ex company cars, an 1800 Mondeo was a motor I loved to bits. I followed it's MOT history to 181,000 when it was finally laid to rest somewhere. If the folks after me loved it half as much, then they had a bloody good car.A bit of geeking out on How Many Left tells me there are 8700-ish Mondeos still on the road that were registered in 2001 of just under 70,000 registered that year. By contrast, there are 4700 2001 E39s left, of 15,000 originally sold.
So the survival rate of the 5 Series is almost a third. The Mondeo's? Just over 10 per cent of cars.
Having said that, I ran a ratty 55-plate Mondeo diesel for a year, then simply threw it away before it failed its MoT. My current car is a 540i that has in 9 months already cost me more than half what I paid for it in maintenance, and is in the garage as I type racking up another invoice. However, I love the 540i and am prepared to stump up for stuff in a way that simply made no sense for the Mondeo. So maybe that's why 5ers live that bit longer...
I sold a good 2003 Mondeo to some YouTubers in Canada. I paid £200 for it and drove it 55 miles back. I then spent a week driving it to work while they sorted all the shipping stuff out. People like to poke fun at Ford, but they're a lot of car for no money at all. Other than the body, they last too. Some good engines, absolutely fantastic chassis (the Mondeo was a better steer than my E46 IMO). These days, the Mondeo is still just a ragabout that's driven till it's scrapped, the E39 however is likely gonna be bought by an enthusiast, as the higher tier E46's now are. In fairness to Ford, an E46 of the same age usually has much worse rot than a Mondeo.
kellyt said:
Bear-n said:
Bit rusty?
I've had worse damage fixed for worse cars. If you look at it in the round, it's a nice motor. Worth keeping on the road as it'll be uber comfortable, pretty quick and sublimely 6 cylinder smooth. If that doesn't tick enough boxes, then it's obviously not your sort of car. Which is totally fine, it can't be everyone's.If I was in the market and the seller was amenable I'd have tried to chuck in a speculative small deposit and have a train ticket booked for tomorrow to go and see it. Holy grail indeed.
Even a bad one has that indefinable sense of wafting serenely down the road yet somehow being ready for fun. I've owned a really, really, really bad one so trust me, I know. 523iA with 275k on it and no real maintenance for about five years anyone? What a heap that thing was.
charltjr said:
You've got to be really careful with the sills on these now, rot around the jacking point can be easily fixed and is very common but if/when it spreads you're looking at MX-5 style crispy sills. Just kidding, nothing's that bad, but they hide rotten sills well.
If I was in the market and the seller was amenable I'd have tried to chuck in a speculative small deposit and have a train ticket booked for tomorrow to go and see it. Holy grail indeed.
Even a bad one has that indefinable sense of wafting serenely down the road yet somehow being ready for fun. I've owned a really, really, really bad one so trust me, I know. 523iA with 275k on it and no real maintenance for about five years anyone? What a heap that thing was.
That sounds like my P2 Volvo T5. An ABYSSS for throwing money into. But, now it's fixed oooohhhhhh is it ever good to drive. A Delta Integrale disguised as an antiques dealer's car.If I was in the market and the seller was amenable I'd have tried to chuck in a speculative small deposit and have a train ticket booked for tomorrow to go and see it. Holy grail indeed.
Even a bad one has that indefinable sense of wafting serenely down the road yet somehow being ready for fun. I've owned a really, really, really bad one so trust me, I know. 523iA with 275k on it and no real maintenance for about five years anyone? What a heap that thing was.
I concur with everything that everyone has said above, this is a quite, quite astounding Shed, and without question the SOTY.
By way of value comparison, I recently sold my 'Station Car', an automatic E39 525i MSport. It had 98,000 miles and a Full Park Lane BMW History, and every invoice from new. It sold for £5,000.....
Admittedly a lot of BMW-nerds put a lot of kudos onto the rarely-seen Individual Techno Violet paint colour, but still there's a total bargain to be had for someone here.
The 2.8 litre engine is a real gem when you run it to the redline, with real top-end zing, but literally nothing in the midrange, it really lacks torque. I always drove mine in Sport mode, and always thought that a manual gearbox would suit the engine better. There were definitely occasions of can I/can't I when overtaking and that's not great in my book.
Otherwise the E39 is a home-mechanic's dream, almost as if it was designed for exactly that. Such solid build quality and when the suspension has been refurbished, they handle so well, a supreme blend of firm, but planted and yet oddly pliant for the big stuff.
I think this car is shouting out for a pair of staggered M Paralell wheels, they really fill the arches and give one of the best stances on any production saloon this side of an M3. A real stealthy purposefulness that you just cant quite put your finger on.
Unsure as to what year they made the change, but the very last cars like mine had modern comforts such as Bluetooth and Isofix as well.
It's that Almandine Black (Purple) CL600 that has taken on the daily commute. Less reliable than the BMW, but what an engine!
By way of value comparison, I recently sold my 'Station Car', an automatic E39 525i MSport. It had 98,000 miles and a Full Park Lane BMW History, and every invoice from new. It sold for £5,000.....
Admittedly a lot of BMW-nerds put a lot of kudos onto the rarely-seen Individual Techno Violet paint colour, but still there's a total bargain to be had for someone here.
The 2.8 litre engine is a real gem when you run it to the redline, with real top-end zing, but literally nothing in the midrange, it really lacks torque. I always drove mine in Sport mode, and always thought that a manual gearbox would suit the engine better. There were definitely occasions of can I/can't I when overtaking and that's not great in my book.
Otherwise the E39 is a home-mechanic's dream, almost as if it was designed for exactly that. Such solid build quality and when the suspension has been refurbished, they handle so well, a supreme blend of firm, but planted and yet oddly pliant for the big stuff.
I think this car is shouting out for a pair of staggered M Paralell wheels, they really fill the arches and give one of the best stances on any production saloon this side of an M3. A real stealthy purposefulness that you just cant quite put your finger on.
Unsure as to what year they made the change, but the very last cars like mine had modern comforts such as Bluetooth and Isofix as well.
It's that Almandine Black (Purple) CL600 that has taken on the daily commute. Less reliable than the BMW, but what an engine!
tch911 said:
I concur with everything that everyone has said above, this is a quite, quite astounding Shed, and without question the SOTY.
By way of value comparison, I recently sold my 'Station Car', an automatic E39 525i MSport. It had 98,000 miles and a Full Park Lane BMW History, and every invoice from new. It sold for £5,000.....
agree totally and very nice choice of station cars!By way of value comparison, I recently sold my 'Station Car', an automatic E39 525i MSport. It had 98,000 miles and a Full Park Lane BMW History, and every invoice from new. It sold for £5,000.....
Jon_S_Rally said:
Another voice of descent here, sorry.
You aren't the voice of descent unless you're walking down the stairs 
But thank you for the alternative viewpoint - very close to being won over by the collective 5 series love shown here and finding an excuse to buy one..
Edited by Uptown on Friday 30th November 12:30
I’ve had the 528i SE and a 530i Sport. The 2.8 engine is a lot nicer to own/live with than the 3.0.
I’ve said recently on here, despite loving these I don’t know if I would want to trust one as a daily. My E46 seems to just keep going with minimal maintenance required. Both my E39’s were bottomless money pits.
I’ve said recently on here, despite loving these I don’t know if I would want to trust one as a daily. My E46 seems to just keep going with minimal maintenance required. Both my E39’s were bottomless money pits.
Edited by sparks_E46 on Friday 30th November 12:33
Riggers said:
My current car is a 540i that has in 9 months already cost me more than half what I paid for it in maintenance, and is in the garage as I type racking up another invoice. However, I love the 540i and am prepared to stump up for stuff in a way that simply made no sense for the Mondeo. So maybe that's why 5ers live that bit longer...
Tell me about it - I had a bill for sorting my rusty sills last year that was more than I paid for the whole car back in 2013. I've spent so much on it over the years that It's just not going to get thrown away like my previous Mondeos were.Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff