Buying a E39?

[LGriffiths88]

Evening.

Me and the Mrs have been mulling over a second car for a while. We were going to get an x5. But due to circumstances we are going to get a run around for myself.

Seen this little beauty

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

Been looking at the E39 for a year or two as it's one of the cars I really lust for. I blame the BMW short film 'The Hire'. Now an M5 would be ideal... But for what I'll be potentially using for it won't be ideal. Unfortunately.

Now the prices seem to be creeping up on the 39's.

Now this example looks good. Very local to me. So will pay a visit to it this weekend.

Is £2k a good price? How low shall I aim for if I make a bid on it. Anything I should be looking for?

Thanks

[corozin]

Make sure it has MOT history. That must be the lowest mileage 530i Sport on the planet.
I'd certainly be checking the mileage, not that they take it well but these are one of those cars that lead solid, fully utilised lives.

[LGriffiths88]

corozin said:

Make sure it has MOT history. That must be the lowest mileage 530i Sport on the planet.
I'd certainly be checking the mileage, not that they take it well but these are one of those cars that lead solid, fully utilised lives.

It seems to be well looked after. Advert says it's coming from a BMW enthusiast. So that could be a good sign. Right? Ha

[Mike335i]

corozin said:

Make sure it has MOT history. That must be the lowest mileage 530i Sport on the planet.
I'd certainly be checking the mileage, not that they take it well but these are one of those cars that lead solid, fully utilised lives.

There are at least 3 similarly prices 530i sports on Auto Trader with lower mileage

[minimods]

The passenger side rear door looks a different colour to the rest of the car.

There are so many things to check on a car of this age, so I would say make sure the car is a good base and you budget to replace the cooling system and various rubber parts which are bound to be past their best on this age of car. Make sure the car runs well and has good documented history.

[LGriffiths88]

minimods said:

The passenger side rear door looks a different colour to the rest of the car.

I thought that. Best place to get door re sprayed? BM garage? Like to think it's just the lighting in the picture. But I'm being optimistic there ha

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

Just seen the above. Looks better? Less miles. Not noticed that advert before.

Edited by LGriffiths88 on Thursday 13th July 22:54

[Collectingbrass]

Budget to change the radiator, thermostat and pump too unless there's evidence it's been done.

[E-bmw]

minimods said:

The passenger side rear door looks a different colour to the rest of the car.

Complete rear quarter is a different colour not just the door.

[E-bmw]

Collectingbrass said:

Budget to change the radiator, thermostat and pump too unless there's evidence it's been done.

^^^^Wot 'e said.

[E-bmw]

Having had one, I would be going for the manual instead unless you are buying the auto for a specific reason.

[LGriffiths88]

E-bmw said:

Having had one, I would be going for the manual instead unless you are buying the auto for a specific reason.

Having looked round the manual in a 530i petrol seem to be rare and priced out of my budget. The only one I can see on auto trader is a pre facelift variant.

[Triumph Man]

Check the aux fan works. If the A/C works well now you don't want a failed fan to encourage it to blow up when sitting in traffic on a hot day...

And if you buy it, remove that bloody M badge!

[E-bmw]

Triumph Man said:

And if you buy it, remove that bloody M badge!

Why?

What is such a big deal about that?

Had one a few years ago & (as most have from the factory) it had M/// sills/steering wheel/gearlever & rear badge.

After all, the e39 Sport was the predecessor to the e60 M-sport which is also fully badged up.

[Sim89]

E-bmw said:

Triumph Man said:

And if you buy it, remove that bloody M badge!

Why?

What is such a big deal about that?

Had one a few years ago & (as most have from the factory) it had M/// sills/steering wheel/gearlever & rear badge.

After all, the e39 Sport was the predecessor to the e60 M-sport which is also fully badged up.

Sorry to be a pedant but a non M car, sport spec or not should NOT be badged up with an M emblem and would certainly not have come with a rear badge from factory.

M-Sport trim as you quite correct mentioned, does have sills/steering wheel/gearlever and wheel badges, but as we are all aware, M cars are ENTIRELY different.

I've seen Freelanders with M-Sport badges on...where does this tenuous lineage to pure M cars stop?

[LordGrover]

I'd prefer one without a tow-bar - I wonder what it's been dragging.

[LGriffiths88]

The seller of the £1800 e39 has sent me the spec list over






Any ideas to what shadow line is?

Seller said there's a small amount of rust around the arches. This a costly job to repair? He's going to send me some images of it later.

[Triumph Man]

Shadowline is the trim around the windows, it would normally be chrome - like this (mine!)



I'm wondering what Dummy-SALAPA is!

Edited by Triumph Man on Friday 14th July 11:30

[Triumph Man]

E-bmw said:

Triumph Man said:

And if you buy it, remove that bloody M badge!

Why?

What is such a big deal about that?

Had one a few years ago & (as most have from the factory) it had M/// sills/steering wheel/gearlever & rear badge.

After all, the e39 Sport was the predecessor to the e60 M-sport which is also fully badged up.

Because it looks bloody tacky to badge it as an "M530i". Plus they never came with an M badge on the bootlid.

[bmwmike]

Sim89 said:

...where does this tenuous lineage to pure M cars stop?

Just before they started putting turbos on them?

[Triumph Man]

E-bmw said:

Triumph Man said:

And if you buy it, remove that bloody M badge!

Why?

What is such a big deal about that?

Had one a few years ago & (as most have from the factory) it had M/// sills/steering wheel/gearlever & rear badge.

After all, the e39 Sport was the predecessor to the e60 M-sport which is also fully badged up.

Just realised I was moaning about the M badge on the wrong car! the first one the OP linked to had an M badge before "530i"