E39 535i thoughts
Discussion
Hi, no nikasil on the M62 engines which are,on the whole, pretty reliable though there are a few known issues with them.
I had a 535 saloon which was a great car but have just got a 540....when comparing the 2 its main niggle is that the 535 has about the same power as a 530 which obviously won't have the running costs of a V8...the 540 has more power with the same V8 running costs and mpg about the same.
I had a 535 saloon which was a great car but have just got a 540....when comparing the 2 its main niggle is that the 535 has about the same power as a 530 which obviously won't have the running costs of a V8...the 540 has more power with the same V8 running costs and mpg about the same.
I'm guessing that other than the obvious which you stated (more spark plugs belts etc) that there maybe some extra wear and tear on things like suspension and brakes etc because of the additional weight, can't see it being too much extra though... and its worth it for when you stick it in manual an floor it through a tunnel with the window open 
Fuel more expensive, heavier front end so maybe costs on suspension components on front (as well as rear for tourings), servicing more but not massively...extra plus,more oil, more labour time...e.g my indy quotes inspection 1 for 6cyl E39 £185 or £225 for V8.
I'm pre-March 2001 so £185 this year for tax.
I'm pre-March 2001 so £185 this year for tax.
Unless you find one for a giveaway price I'd have to suggest you dont bother. The 535i is a pretty pointless car in the E39 range which is why there isn't many around.
You will find the running costs as near as makes no difference identical to the 540i, even down to fuel economy. So why pay 540i running costs and not get the performance of a 540i?
The 535i offers 530i performance for 540i running costs - it has all the 'disadvantages' of the V8 (Heavier front end, inferior steering, lower fuel economy) but without the 286bhp which makes the disadvantages irrelevent when you select a 540i.
So, buy a 530i or a 540i instead.
You will find the running costs as near as makes no difference identical to the 540i, even down to fuel economy. So why pay 540i running costs and not get the performance of a 540i?
The 535i offers 530i performance for 540i running costs - it has all the 'disadvantages' of the V8 (Heavier front end, inferior steering, lower fuel economy) but without the 286bhp which makes the disadvantages irrelevent when you select a 540i.
So, buy a 530i or a 540i instead.
While to an extent I agree with Fox, there do seem to be quite a few 535is around in fact. When new they were better specced than a 530i as standard, I believe, so they might be worth choosing on the basis of spec and price now.
You also don't get people saying 735is are pointless compared to a 740i, despite being exactly the same engines.
However, I'd want a 535i to be substantially cheaper than an equivalent 540i to make the sacrifice of losing the extra power.
You also don't get people saying 735is are pointless compared to a 740i, despite being exactly the same engines.
However, I'd want a 535i to be substantially cheaper than an equivalent 540i to make the sacrifice of losing the extra power.
miniman said:
But what's the real-world MPG of a 540i - mostly motorway work?
The BMW book figures on the manual and the auto are very similar.......combined...urban....extra-urban
auto...23.........16.......32
manual.23.........15.......32
but it's very dependent on your driving style. Slipstream lorries
on the motorway and you'll get closer to 32 mpg, treat it with
some mild aggression and you'll see 20 mpg or lower.
SJobson said:
While to an extent I agree with Fox, there do seem to be quite a few 535is around in fact. When new they were better specced than a 530i as standard, I believe, so they might be worth choosing on the basis of spec and price now.
However, I'd want a 535i to be substantially cheaper than an equivalent 540i to make the sacrifice of losing the extra power.
I had a 535 for a year and you can read more about it in my blog. At the time of my purchase, 540s I saw were more expensive, and 530s were *significantly* more expensive. All things being equal you would probably want the 540 for big V8-ness or the 530 as (probably) the best all-rounder. However, I'd want a 535i to be substantially cheaper than an equivalent 540i to make the sacrifice of losing the extra power.
However, things are never equal!
The 535 is the un-loved relative of the E39-range, probably justifiably for the reasons listed in earlier posts. However, if you want a comfortable cruiser or big-lunged family car it would be a good choice, especially if you are not bothered about having the supposed "choice of the range".
Bear in mind the usual E39 problems (complex electricals which may go wrong, appetite for wheel sensors, loss of dash pixels, fragile cooling system, thirst) and buy on condition. Nikasil is not a problem on E39 V8s.
I think the earlier statement about the 535 being better specced as standard is probably true, although you may want to check somewhere like Parkers to confirm - I think leather seats and auto-box were standard on the 535.
I enjoyed my 535 but it cost me a fortune! It also put me off E39s a bit, although for the right motor I might be tempted back in to the fold in the future...
Edited to add fuel consumption - I got 18mpg urban. On the m'way it was in the low 30s.
Edited by Bill Carr on Monday 27th October 10:25
dcb said:
miniman said:
But what's the real-world MPG of a 540i - mostly motorway work?
The BMW book figures on the manual and the auto are very similar.......combined...urban....extra-urban
auto...23.........16.......32
manual.23.........15.......32
but it's very dependent on your driving style. Slipstream lorries
on the motorway and you'll get closer to 32 mpg, treat it with
some mild aggression and you'll see 20 mpg or lower.
richyb said:
I've got a 740il and if I cruise along at 70 on a clear motorway I can get 32mpg.
I would have thought the 540i could easily match and if not beat this.
Doh. I would have thought the 540i could easily match and if not beat this.
If you wish to disagree with the BMW official numbers, then that
is entirely your choice.
I did some further sums on the official numbers. The combined
figure is usually half the urban figure and half the extra-urban.
Widening it out to 1/3 u + 2/3 e-u gives 27 mpg
and 2/3 u and 1/3 e-u gives 21 mpg.
I would have thought that most drivers, in general use,
would get between 21 and 27 mpg, unless their driving is
seriously skewed towards either town driving or motorway
driving.
Got this photo on my 540 touring OBC.....consumption 2 was reset about 40 mins before pic was taken and was steady driving through Clifton then dropping down onto the ringroad and out of Bristol.
On the other hand,consumption 1 hasnt been rest for a couple of days and is the result of me driving in the car on my own.
On the other hand,consumption 1 hasnt been rest for a couple of days and is the result of me driving in the car on my own.
Gassing Station | BMW General | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff