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

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

Author
Discussion

Max M4X WW

4,789 posts

181 months

Monday 10th September 2012
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Fox- said:
I appreciate it looks pretty good, but they could have made it look so much better if they had 'faked' the design of the opening front cassette mechanism.

It looks like its more for an E46 IMO.

Does your car have extended leather or have you added the leather console?

sparks_E39

12,738 posts

212 months

Monday 10th September 2012
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E38Ross said:
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.
At some point next year (hopefully) my commute will be 50 miles each way for 4-6 months from Poole to Portsmouth and back. Only twice a week though, at the weekends, and not every weekend at that. I will hardly, if at all use it during the week frown Much better for it however than the 6 miles each way it goes at the moment.

Fox-

13,228 posts

245 months

Monday 10th September 2012
quotequote all
Max M4X WW said:
I appreciate it looks pretty good, but they could have made it look so much better if they had 'faked' the design of the opening front cassette mechanism.

It looks like its more for an E46 IMO.
Only because you know exactly what both units look like. It fits the interior really well and looks like it was meant to be there - there isn't an OEM BMW one beside it to compare with hehe

Max M4X WW said:
Does your car have extended leather or have you added the leather console?
I added the console.

Luca Brasi

885 posts

173 months

Tuesday 11th September 2012
quotequote all
Fox- said:
I added the console.
Where did you get one? Fitted it yourself? Looks really smart!

E38Ross

34,946 posts

211 months

Tuesday 11th September 2012
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sparks_E39 said:
E38Ross said:
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.
At some point next year (hopefully) my commute will be 50 miles each way for 4-6 months from Poole to Portsmouth and back. Only twice a week though, at the weekends, and not every weekend at that. I will hardly, if at all use it during the week frown Much better for it however than the 6 miles each way it goes at the moment.
My new commute is chandlers Ford to Portsmouth, be wary the M27 is often busy. Some mornings its fine, others its crap.

sparks_E39

12,738 posts

212 months

Tuesday 11th September 2012
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E38Ross said:
My new commute is chandlers Ford to Portsmouth, be wary the M27 is often busy. Some mornings its fine, others its crap.
I'll be Poole to HMS Collingwood in Fareham/Portsmouth.... I've travelled a few times down that way, it's always a mixed bag.

Max M4X WW

4,789 posts

181 months

Sunday 16th September 2012
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Luca Brasi said:
Fox- said:
I added the console.
Where did you get one? Fitted it yourself? Looks really smart!
There was one on ebay recently, along with the under dash part but I couldn't be bothered to fit it so didn't bid.

Lowtimer

4,286 posts

167 months

Tuesday 18th September 2012
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vano said:
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.
This is well known to be the case for the E39, but out of curiosity does anyone know if it is also true of the E38 7-series, which also came with a straight six or V8?

Sump

5,484 posts

166 months

Tuesday 18th September 2012
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LC23 said:
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.
If you consider Autos and want a 30i. Then try seeking a Champagne II edition.

It will come with all the good spec by default.

MK4 Nav, bluetooth etc etc.

Output Flange

16,793 posts

210 months

Tuesday 18th September 2012
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Lowtimer said:
vano said:
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.
This is well known to be the case for the E39, but out of curiosity does anyone know if it is also true of the E38 7-series, which also came with a straight six or V8?
Not sure, but it's an over-egged point on the E39s - yes, there's a slight difference but it's nowhere near the yawning chasm people make out. After all, how many M5 owners complain about the steering being vague?

It may not be "as precise" but it's still perfectly fine, and the V8 more than makes up for it.

If you're thinking of a 530i, I'd suggest you consider the 540i as the alternative rather than the 525i - you make effortless progress in the 540i where you need to work the 525i that much harder. You'll find running costs to be similar across them all.

Fox-

13,228 posts

245 months

Tuesday 18th September 2012
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Output Flange said:
Not sure, but it's an over-egged point on the E39s - yes, there's a slight difference but it's nowhere near the yawning chasm people make out. After all, how many M5 owners complain about the steering being vague?
The M5 has a much better steering box though, so much so that some 540i owners retrofit it.

Naldrett

154 posts

146 months

Thursday 27th September 2012
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OP - not sure if you are still on the look out but there is what looks like a nice looking 530i Sport Manual on ebay now:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&am...

I have no link to the seller but was also looking for one a while back and still have the search alert set up!

It's a facelift as all 530i's are but an early-ish one so has the older style wheel (not sure if any other significant changes - not much I don't think)and no satnav but looks tidy enough at decent miles and has the useful 'through-load' folding seats option. Looks smart enough in the pics, £2,995 seems reasonable and looks like he's open to offers...

sparks_E39

12,738 posts

212 months

Friday 28th September 2012
quotequote all
Naldrett said:
OP - not sure if you are still on the look out but there is what looks like a nice looking 530i Sport Manual on ebay now:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&am...

I have no link to the seller but was also looking for one a while back and still have the search alert set up!

It's a facelift as all 530i's are but an early-ish one so has the older style wheel (not sure if any other significant changes - not much I don't think)and no satnav but looks tidy enough at decent miles and has the useful 'through-load' folding seats option. Looks smart enough in the pics, £2,995 seems reasonable and looks like he's open to offers...
Looked good until the part where he said it does 30 mpg around town. Not in Bournemouth matey!

Fox-

13,228 posts

245 months

Friday 28th September 2012
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Why would you stick a GB sticker over the bootlock? Oh, perhaps if it was rusty...

eastsider

1,101 posts

222 months

Friday 28th September 2012
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I think £2995 is quite strong money, X reg it is very early 2001. I'd be looking for a 2002-03 model if possible.

Sump

5,484 posts

166 months

Friday 28th September 2012
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Rusty bootlock, if he's pulling that sort of stunt, what else is he hiding.

iSore

4,011 posts

143 months

Friday 28th September 2012
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3 grand is reasonable enough and compared so some godawful early E60 at twice the price, it looks like value. If might have a couple of rusty bits and plenbty of stonechips, but it's an eleven year old car selling for around a tenth of what it cost new. If it's a decent example that drives okay and all the toys work, it's worth buying because it'll do another 100'000 miles of it's maintained. You could spend another six months looking and not find a better one. The manual box is one less thing to go wrong at that age as well.

LC23

Original Poster:

1,285 posts

224 months

Friday 28th September 2012
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I had already enquired after this car before it was highlighted on this thread. Trader masquerading as private seller from what I can tell. Even called me a c*ck for asking some perfectly reasonable questions! Seems he knows me personally.

Sump

5,484 posts

166 months

Friday 28th September 2012
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Get a Champagne or Aegean !

thepony

1,697 posts

164 months

Saturday 29th September 2012
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OP

I would be holding for a E39 540i Manual Gearbox or E39 530i Manual Gearbox

Buy on condition and FSH

540 top of the normal E39s and you got a V8 and proper chrome kidney grilles like the M5 to distinguish it from the 'lesser' 5 Series

530i best of the straight sixes; decent pace; prob good value for money but 540i should be within your budget give or take

525i too slow and heavy I think ?

Go for 2000 onwards as facelift

Still don't totally rule out 540i Auto .... Might be a good cruiser but if you manage a 540i Manual Gearbox and a Good one .... Take pride you have a VERY RARE E39!!!!

PS don't worry about nav it should not be a deal breaker .... Go for one with low owners and low miles .... Good luck :-)

Edited by thepony on Saturday 29th September 23:17