5 Series 98 or later - Which engine ??

[antsav]

Hi, I m driving around in my mates old 520 at present and i love the drive and sound of it, its just a bit gutless, such a big car for a 2 ltr engine to pull around, I'm looking at the later 98-99 5 series with a bigger lump in, what do you recommend ?? i'd love the 4.4 v8 but don't think i could afford to run one to be honest, it would have to have half decent mpg, what are the 523 and 528 's like ? any other suggestions ? thanks in advance.

Just been looking at another thread on the 7 series.. a lot of people saying that the V8's can return late 20's mpg if you take it easy...might be worth a look also..i just love big cars with big V engines ! but the straight 6 seems to be more sensible..any other advice or comments appreciated..

Edited by antsav on Monday 25th May 10:11

Edited by antsav on Monday 25th May 11:03

[RichBurley]

I used to have the 535i V8 Auto and whilst it was a great car (well, it was an E39!) the car only did between 17 and 22mpg and wasn't particularly quick. I wouldn't recommend this engine to you. It represented incredibly cheap entry into 5 series ownership at the time, but 5ers are pretty cheap nowadays, so I'd personally presume a 530i would be the choice to go for?

[pgilc1]

528i / 530i.

[antsav]

pgilc1 said:

528i / 530i.

Yep its looking that way ! although my heart wants a 540i !

[Invisible man]

1997 BMW 5 SERIES 535i 4dr Auto Saloon with lpg £2,099



http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-uk/www/cars/BMW+...

[antsav]

Invisible man said:

1997 BMW 5 SERIES 535i 4dr Auto Saloon with lpg £2,099



http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-uk/www/cars/BMW+...

Now that is a good buy....Lpg is the sensible way to go i suppose.

[sparks_E39]

There is no difference in MPG in the 523 and 528, but there is a performance difference which makes the 528 worth going for. A 528 on a 1999 Plate will be around £3000 for a good one. MPG around town in traffic about 18-22 mpg, less traffic about 25-27 and on a run mid 30's, I've had more than 40 before. You won't get late 20's mpg out of a 7 Series V8 unless you do a lot of longer runs and take it easy. Fantastic cars, I absolutely love mine, for the money/performance/economy I can't think of any other car I'd rather be in.

Edited by sparks_E39 on Monday 25th May 19:51

[sir_hilton]

my 535i is up for sale . yes its a v8 but its also a manual so its little better on fuel than an auto. £5995 bags it

[wezzer-45's]

I recently bought myself a 528i sport manual and I'm really impressed with it.
The fuel comsumption is much better than I ever expected.
I travel about 17 miles per day in traffic and I easily get 28mpg.
On a run at 80mph it returns at least 38mpg and will do over 40mpg at 65mph.
It goes well enough being a manual, its smooth and quiet.
If you're after an exciting drive, this isn't the car for you, it's too refined.
I was origionally looking for a 530i sport auto and was put off by the heavy consunption.

[Fox-]

sir_hilton said:

my 535i is up for sale . yes its a v8 but its also a manual so its little better on fuel than an auto. £5995 bags it

6 grand for a 100k mile prefacelift E39?

[RichBurley]

Fox- said:

sir_hilton said:

my 535i is up for sale . yes its a v8 but its also a manual so its little better on fuel than an auto. £5995 bags it

6 grand for a 100k mile prefacelift E39?

With some of the worst fuel economy that can be found in a 5er?

I think that this one should be placed in the Comedy section of the PH Classifieds...

[dave_s13]

What about 6 grand for a 45k 540 touring, FSH and all that jazz, just spent nearly a grand on it!. '98, pre facelift, but with OE angel eyes fitted.

I love the thing, but would consider selling it at the right price.

[antsav]

Hi Guys...Thanks for all the replies..i found one eventually...picked up a 1997 528i Manual for £1500, Very good overall condition, Returned 36mpg on the motorway at 90mph coming back from picking it up and i'm getting almost 30mpg at the moment on normal rooads so i'm very pleased..Still have a part of me that thinks i should have gone for a 540 though !!! I'm sure i'm gonna have to buy one eventually !

[antsav]

wezzer-45's said:

I recently bought myself a 528i sport manual and I'm really impressed with it.
The fuel comsumption is much better than I ever expected.
I travel about 17 miles per day in traffic and I easily get 28mpg.
On a run at 80mph it returns at least 38mpg and will do over 40mpg at 65mph.
It goes well enough being a manual, its smooth and quiet.
If you're after an exciting drive, this isn't the car for you, it's too refined.
I was origionally looking for a 530i sport auto and was put off by the heavy consunption.

I see what you are saying now that i have driven the 528 around a bit, it drives lovely and is smooth, quiet and picks up ok...but i think i expected more urgency to the acceleration, you know you are sitting in big heavy car still!! yes i think the V8 has to be my next choice.

[gizlaroc]

I had a 528i and I used to get around 19mpg being realistic, that was short (sub 10 mile) journey to work everyday, out of town for 3 miles, down the dual and then through town for a mile, it did feel slightly underpowered but still nice.
That was an auto.

I then got a 530i sport, which I have to say is probably the best all round BMW ever made, my brother has now got it.
It is quick, smooth and returned 26mpg doing the same journey and could see 35mpg on a run without taking it easy.

I am not a fan of the 540i, I like it, but I don't think it is a big enough jump in power to justify the wooly steering and heavy nose which ruins the handling of the virtually perfect 530i.

So when you're bored I would track down a nice 530i sport.

[sparks_E39]

I wouldn't say a 528 Auto feels underpowered at all, and on a similar journey to yours (2 miles around town, 3 on duel carriage way and about 4/5 out of town country roads) I get between 25-30 mpg depending on traffic. The 530i Sport probably has the same if not slightly better MPG results as a 528, being a newer and more refined engine, even if it is bigger. I get about 40 mpg on a 60/70 mph cruise if I take it easy. Around town in heavy traffic less than 5 miles I would be lucky to see 20 mpg, but it doesn't really matter its still cheaper than getting the bus

Edited by sparks_E39 on Sunday 31st May 12:09

[Jon_Bmw]

gizlaroc said:

I had a 528i and I used to get around 19mpg being realistic, that was short (sub 10 mile) journey to work everyday, out of town for 3 miles, down the dual and then through town for a mile, it did feel slightly underpowered but still nice.
That was an auto.

I then got a 530i sport, which I have to say is probably the best all round BMW ever made, my brother has now got it.
It is quick, smooth and returned 26mpg doing the same journey and could see 35mpg on a run without taking it easy.

I am not a fan of the 540i, I like it, but I don't think it is a big enough jump in power to justify the wooly steering and heavy nose which ruins the handling of the virtually perfect 530i.

So when you're bored I would track down a nice 530i sport.

Have you driven a few 540's then?

According to this site:

http://www.bimmerforums.com/engine_faq/

There is only 16kg's in it... Combined with the fact a V engine pushes the weight more towards the centre of the car...

I agree the best overall car is probably the 530i sport, but none of these lardy cars are handling gods!

Combined, out of a 540i manual touring, I am seeing 27mpg and well over 30 on a run. Around town you can forget economy compared to the m54. The e39(perhaps with the exception of the m5) arn't cars to be hussled down twisty A roads in my opinion. I have something else for that, but it would be rubbish on a long journey!

[wezzer-45's]

antsav said:

wezzer-45's said:

I recently bought myself a 528i sport manual and I'm really impressed with it.
The fuel comsumption is much better than I ever expected.
I travel about 17 miles per day in traffic and I easily get 28mpg.
On a run at 80mph it returns at least 38mpg and will do over 40mpg at 65mph.
It goes well enough being a manual, its smooth and quiet.
If you're after an exciting drive, this isn't the car for you, it's too refined.
I was origionally looking for a 530i sport auto and was put off by the heavy consunption.

I see what you are saying now that i have driven the 528 around a bit, it drives lovely and is smooth, quiet and picks up ok...but i think i expected more urgency to the acceleration, you know you are sitting in big heavy car still!! yes i think the V8 has to be my next choice.

I totally agree about the performance,
As it's a big car that is very refined it never feels urgent although the manual 528 sport has the same 0-60 time as the 530 auto and from what I understand, the 530 auto certainly wouldn't do 28mpg in traffic. The top speed I think is also plenty fast enough.

As a family car I think either the 528 or 530 are excellent cars in all respects.

[aarondrs]

Jon_Bmw said:

gizlaroc said:

I had a 528i and I used to get around 19mpg being realistic, that was short (sub 10 mile) journey to work everyday, out of town for 3 miles, down the dual and then through town for a mile, it did feel slightly underpowered but still nice.
That was an auto.

I then got a 530i sport, which I have to say is probably the best all round BMW ever made, my brother has now got it.
It is quick, smooth and returned 26mpg doing the same journey and could see 35mpg on a run without taking it easy.

I am not a fan of the 540i, I like it, but I don't think it is a big enough jump in power to justify the wooly steering and heavy nose which ruins the handling of the virtually perfect 530i.


So when you're bored I would track down a nice 530i sport.

Have you driven a few 540's then?

According to this site:

http://www.bimmerforums.com/engine_faq/

There is only 16kg's in it... Combined with the fact a V engine pushes the weight more towards the centre of the car...

I agree the best overall car is probably the 530i sport, but none of these lardy cars are handling gods!

Combined, out of a 540i manual touring, I am seeing 27mpg and well over 30 on a run. Around town you can forget economy compared to the m54. The e39(perhaps with the exception of the m5) arn't cars to be hussled down twisty A roads in my opinion. I have something else for that, but it would be rubbish on a long journey!

My E39 handles and grips far better than my Cooper S and feels far more controlled than my old Impreza.

[RichBurley]

aarondrs said:

Jon_Bmw said:

gizlaroc said:

I had a 528i and I used to get around 19mpg being realistic, that was short (sub 10 mile) journey to work everyday, out of town for 3 miles, down the dual and then through town for a mile, it did feel slightly underpowered but still nice.
That was an auto.

I then got a 530i sport, which I have to say is probably the best all round BMW ever made, my brother has now got it.
It is quick, smooth and returned 26mpg doing the same journey and could see 35mpg on a run without taking it easy.

I am not a fan of the 540i, I like it, but I don't think it is a big enough jump in power to justify the wooly steering and heavy nose which ruins the handling of the virtually perfect 530i.


So when you're bored I would track down a nice 530i sport.

Have you driven a few 540's then?

According to this site:

http://www.bimmerforums.com/engine_faq/

There is only 16kg's in it... Combined with the fact a V engine pushes the weight more towards the centre of the car...

I agree the best overall car is probably the 530i sport, but none of these lardy cars are handling gods!

Combined, out of a 540i manual touring, I am seeing 27mpg and well over 30 on a run. Around town you can forget economy compared to the m54. The e39(perhaps with the exception of the m5) arn't cars to be hussled down twisty A roads in my opinion. I have something else for that, but it would be rubbish on a long journey!

My E39 handles and grips far better than my Cooper S and feels far more controlled than my old Impreza.

Well in that case, unless you have modified it for international rally driving, then you sir, are a troll.