Where to find an E39 530i/525i Sport?

[LC23]

Guys, I've decided I need an every day car to stop the miles going on the Aston. Always loved my BMWs and haven't had an E39 yet. I've been trawling all the usual places and it seems it's quite difficult to find a good one.

Preference is for a manual 530i Sport with Sat Nav (Mk IV ideally) but I realise these are rare. That's the reason I am also looking at the 525i Sport as well. Full service history a must - too many out there with "FSH" and haven't been serviced in 30,000 miles etc. If the right auto came along I wouldn't say no.

Mod note: Let's not make this a wanted ad, ta.

Edited by Bill on Monday 10th September 13:57

[E38Ross]

I wouldn't worry about the nav, a garmin is much much better. Just buy the right car.

What's your price range and have you considered an E38? They're that bit more spacious inside and feel more luxurious. The E39 is a bit better of a steer though.

[LC23]

Thanks for the reply Ross. I know the Nav isn't seen as the best of units but I've always been happy with it in my previous bmws. A fair number of 530s do come with it anyway but the right manual car could persuade me to do without.Budget is up to 5k but looking to spend closer to 4k.

Although I do like the E38 I'm not looking to go that big so will be sticking to the E39.

[LC23]

I hadn't considered the 540i. I just assumed it would be quite a bit worse on fuel and I already have a thirsty v8. Did they do the manual box in the 540i?

[Patrick Bateman]

Yes, but a manual, Sport 540i ain't common.

[sparks_E39]

I would hold out for a 530 personally... good luck, awesome car to complement the Aston.

[LC23]

sparks_E39 said:

I would hold out for a 530 personally... good luck, awesome car to complement the Aston.

Good advice and I really do want a manual 530i Sport. I would go for the 525i only if it was spot on (ie good history, manual and nav)

[sparks_E39]

I would hold out for a 530 personally... good luck, awesome car to complement the Aston.

[Fox-]

The nav is hopelessly out of date. Buy one with no nav and then fit a modern navigation system.

[ajb85]

I think you'll be waiting a while to find your perfect 'manual/nav' combo. Superb cars, just driven my 530d Sport to France and back, covering 2,500 miles. I could have happily turned the car round and done the journey all over again without complaint.

Given the choice I think a manual 530i is the one to go for. The V8s just feel a tad heavy at the front taking the shine of the handling a little.

[LC23]

I'm now thinking that it would be best to not get hung up on the nav (although I actually quite like the way it operates - you should try the Volvo unit in the Aston) as finding a decent manual 530i Sport is hard enough in the first place.

[vano]

530i is the way to go.
The main disadvantage of V8 powered E39(535/540/M5) is numb steering.
V8 models were fitted with steering box which is not as precise as rack and pinion on 6 cylinder cars.

[Max M4X WW]

The problem with the nav is that although it may not work great, it makes the interior look so much more modern! Also works great with my Intravee.

[Fox-]

Max M4X WW said:

The problem with the nav is that although it may not work great, it makes the interior look so much more modern! Also works great with my Intravee.

It does and I agree but there are ways around this now.

I fitted an aftermarket unit designed to look OEM - it has amongst other features full iPOD control and an up to date modern navigation software package with 2012 maps, full traffic capbility, full touchscreen etc etc. It has just guided me absolutely perfectly around 3200 miles of European road trip in my 530i - lane assistance, speed limit reminders, everything you'd expect on an absolutely current nav system and more. It's great.



And on the subject of 530i's, here is my 530i manual:



I absolutely love it and hope to not need to replace it until a decent F10 M Sport is £20k or less. I've had it 6 years this month. It was absolutely brilliant on my recent trip where it demonstrated that even after 10 years it can still do 155mph

[BliarOut]

Fox- said:

Max M4X WW said:

The problem with the nav is that although it may not work great, it makes the interior look so much more modern! Also works great with my Intravee.

It does and I agree but there are ways around this now.

I fitted an aftermarket unit designed to look OEM - it has amongst other features full iPOD control and an up to date modern navigation software package with 2012 maps, full traffic capbility, full touchscreen etc etc. It has just guided me absolutely perfectly around 3200 miles of European road trip in my 530i - lane assistance, speed limit reminders, everything you'd expect on an absolutely current nav system and more. It's great.



And on the subject of 530i's, here is my 530i manual:



I absolutely love it and hope to not need to replace it until a decent F10 M Sport is £20k or less. I've had it 6 years this month. It was absolutely brilliant on my recent trip where it demonstrated that even after 10 years it can still do 155mph

Linky?

[Targarama]

Fox- said:

It does and I agree but there are ways around this now.

I fitted an aftermarket unit designed to look OEM - it has amongst other features full iPOD control and an up to date modern navigation software package with 2012 maps, full traffic capbility, full touchscreen etc etc. It has just guided me absolutely perfectly around 3200 miles of European road trip in my 530i - lane assistance, speed limit reminders, everything you'd expect on an absolutely current nav system and more. It's great.



And on the subject of 530i's, here is my 530i manual:



I absolutely love it and hope to not need to replace it until a decent F10 M Sport is £20k or less. I've had it 6 years this month. It was absolutely brilliant on my recent trip where it demonstrated that even after 10 years it can still do 155mph

A Dynavin? I'm thinking of getting one of these. Does the small computer display on the dash with mpg/temp/miles remaining in tank still work? also do the steering wheel controls work with the new system?

[Fox-]

Yes to both of those questions. If your E39 has the low OBC (with the picture of the car on the display) then the OBC is completely independant of the audio/nav side of the car. Only on cars with high OBC (Text display) have a linked system.

Steering wheel controls work too but at the moment there is some random bug I've found where every month or so it locks the climate control out when you first turn the ignition and I need to restart the car to fix it. Apparently there is a fix available and its caused by the steering wheel control box, so I'll let you know once I fix that.

It is fundamentally excellent but a bit rough in places (I guess it is Chinese..) - ie the SD card interface is dire - but the way I use it is for Radio or Ipod with the nav display on at all times, and for this it works absolutely brilliantly.

[Targarama]

Fox- said:

Yes to both of those questions. If your E39 has the low OBC (with the picture of the car on the display) then the OBC is completely independant of the audio/nav side of the car. Only on cars with high OBC (Text display) have a linked system.

Steering wheel controls work too but at the moment there is some random bug I've found where every month or so it locks the climate control out when you first turn the ignition and I need to restart the car to fix it. Apparently there is a fix available and its caused by the steering wheel control box, so I'll let you know once I fix that.

It is fundamentally excellent but a bit rough in places (I guess it is Chinese..) - ie the SD card interface is dire - but the way I use it is for Radio or Ipod with the nav display on at all times, and for this it works absolutely brilliantly.

Thanks. Very useful. Is that the std nav software they sell on their UK site (for the Windows version).

[Fox-]

Targarama said:

Thanks. Very useful. Is that the std nav software they sell on their UK site (for the Windows version).

Mine didn't come with any software so I had to get it seperately. It is iGo Primo.

IMHO the Android versions, whilst cool, are not worth it - I spent ages making up my mind and decided the Android one was a bit like a cool toy - and I wanted a decent navigation system rather than a gimmick. The Windows versions autoboot the navigation software in the background - so once you hit the 'Nav' key after you've turned the key, put your seatbelt on and gone to drive off, it's already booted the nav software and seamlessly switches to map view.

It is NOT a perfectly polished product - there are areas that are a bit sucky, like for example the rubbish SD card interface and the annoying bug I mentioned above with the climate. But all things considered given how well it works and how good it looks and feels to use these disadvantages are far outweighed by the disadvantages the standard BMW system - which was good in 2001 less so in 2012 - has.

Edited by Fox- on Monday 10th September 18:36

[E38Ross]

How many miles has the old girl done now fox-?

How many miles have you covered in those 6 years, and how many miles per year you doing at the moment?

Still looking lovely. My E38 has upped its mileage as I've got a job 20 miles each way (17 of which are motorway so the engine won't be wearing much!)

Ross.