I love these... especially the colour...
I love these... especially the colour...
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Discussion

AB

Original Poster:

20,549 posts

225 months

Monday 18th January 2010
quotequote all
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2003-BMW-530d-Sport-Aegean-B...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2003-BMW-530D-SPORT-AEGEAN-B...

The second one looks absolutely immaculate.

Although, £8.5k looks a little steep when for a bit more you could be in this...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BMW-530d-M-Sport-kit-SE-53-P...

Reason I'm looking is that someone is coming to look at my Z4 at the weekend with a view to driving it away... so I have up to £10k to chuck at a well spec'd diesel motorway car.

Any other ideas appreciated!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BMW-330d-Sport-Sat-Nav-6sp-m...

Like these too.

MidlandDan84

588 posts

208 months

Monday 18th January 2010
quotequote all
I'd personaly go for the 3 series, i still think its the best looking 3 series to date and it looks well looked after.....although the Ebay advertiser is a bit of a rambler smile

How long would you be looking to have the car for?

Edited by MidlandDan84 on Monday 18th January 10:39

AB

Original Poster:

20,549 posts

225 months

Monday 18th January 2010
quotequote all
I don't know to be honest. I have a track record of not keeping a car much longer than a year but this would become the hack and I may pick up an MX5 too with a view to (finally) getting into track days etc. Would love to s/c one!

I just love how well spec'd the 5 series is but I guess I could get a decent spec 330d. Leather and xenons are important to me to be honest. The rest isn't a problem.

richterswil

872 posts

221 months

Monday 18th January 2010
quotequote all
Agree - all nice cars.

Just my opinion but I think the wheels on the E60 look s@*%e - like them on E39s but not E60s (those pics look like they're taken near the Holiday Inn so very close to you on the Wirral - probably worth a visit to view).

I'd go for the second E39 (90k miles) or the E46 depending what price it attracts.

To be fair if you're looking for a £10k diesel motorway car you've already identified the best options out there I'd say - good luck finding the right car!

richterswil

872 posts

221 months

Monday 18th January 2010
quotequote all
Just looking at the E46 again - I don't remember mine having the blue and red 'M' stiching on the inner rim of the steerng wheel - think it was just black stiching.

Looks good.

I should get out more.

AB

Original Poster:

20,549 posts

225 months

Monday 18th January 2010
quotequote all
richterswil said:
Just looking at the E46 again - I don't remember mine having the blue and red 'M' stiching on the inner rim of the steerng wheel - think it was just black stiching.

Looks good.

I should get out more.
It says in the ad that it has a brand new genuine M3 steering wheel.

the_g_ster

384 posts

225 months

Monday 18th January 2010
quotequote all
I would be a little wary of the 3 as having been chipped to 283bhp and that torque then if the car has been driven hard then I am guessing some of the internals are a little more strained than a standard car.

The 330d is standard form is nippy, and though a lovely car I am always a little dubious of cars that have been modded and played with as clearly the owner knows abit about that they are doing and you need to ask yourself why they are selling. Maybe worth taking a fault reader with you and making sure there is no undue/uneven tyre wear and the suspension bushes have no play in them.

If you want a modded one then get a standard one yourself and and get it chipped and all the fluids changed etc so that you know it's been well treated, not ragged to the edge. I think there are some hidden codes on the e46 computer that you can access to get things like fuel economy over the life of the car and other stats, see if you can google them. They could be on e46fanatics as I remember trying on mine. Anything that helps you make a more informed buying decision.

richterswil

872 posts

221 months

Monday 18th January 2010
quotequote all
AB said:
richterswil said:
Just looking at the E46 again - I don't remember mine having the blue and red 'M' stiching on the inner rim of the steerng wheel - think it was just black stiching.

Looks good.

I should get out more.
It says in the ad that it has a brand new genuine M3 steering wheel.
Missed that!!

Fox-

13,575 posts

276 months

Monday 18th January 2010
quotequote all
The Aagean Blue is a special edition E39 produced for the runout of the model with standard fit 18" Style 37's, automatic gearbox, light coloured leather and communications pack. Only 250 530d Sport Agean Blue editions were registered in the UK.

They are beautiful cars and I would take one over a tatty early E60 SE without a moments thought.

Not that a 530d Auto is a particularly economical car, however.

I would always (and did) take an E39 over an E46.

Edited by Fox- on Monday 18th January 13:59

AB

Original Poster:

20,549 posts

225 months

Monday 18th January 2010
quotequote all
Fox- said:
.

Not that a 530d Auto is a particularly economical car, however.
Thanks for the advice.

Just how economical is it? I used a 535d over the Christmas break for a holiday to the Lakes and averaged 34 - which isn't too bad as a lot of it was on some pretty nice roads.

Would I see 40mpg on a run out of the 530d?

I appreciate than an auto can seriously sap some juice around town, I only managed 32 out of a 120d auto when using it only around town.

Fox-

13,575 posts

276 months

Monday 18th January 2010
quotequote all
Provided your idea of a 'run' isn't hammering down to the M1 at almost a ton, you might *just* squeeze 40mpg on a long Motorway trip.

AB

Original Poster:

20,549 posts

225 months

Monday 18th January 2010
quotequote all
I'm talking around 70 with cruise on.

MidlandDan84

588 posts

208 months

Monday 18th January 2010
quotequote all
70mph?.......might as well get a Micra smile

Fox-

13,575 posts

276 months

Monday 18th January 2010
quotequote all
AB said:
I'm talking around 70 with cruise on.
I get 36-38mpg in my 530i doing that.

Only I've got bored of it these days tongue out

sparks_E39

12,738 posts

243 months

Monday 18th January 2010
quotequote all
I averaged 32 mpg coming from Fleet services into Poole and a bit of town driving. Did about 95 miles and at times reached dizzying speeds of erm 71 MPH... I can get over 35 mpg if I take it easy. Thats with an auto petrol E39 528. As brilliant as the 530d is I don't think I would consider one unless I was doing the miles to justify it.

AB

Original Poster:

20,549 posts

225 months

Monday 18th January 2010
quotequote all
I am doing the miles to justify it.

I have a fun car, but would still like my daily hack to have some grunt when needed, so no Micra, obviously.

dibbly_dobbler

11,496 posts

227 months

Monday 18th January 2010
quotequote all
AB - I would have one of these E39s like a shot. Lovely. Especially with the M-parallels smile

O/T sorry
Fox- said:
Only I've got bored of it these days tongue out
Still looking at 335is Fox ? wink

Fox-

13,575 posts

276 months

Monday 18th January 2010
quotequote all
I meant bored of sitting at 70mph not bored of my beloved 530i wink

But I still fancy something like an M5 or a 335i in the future as I'm not sure i can hang on long enough for a used 535i M Sport F10.

dibbly_dobbler

11,496 posts

227 months

Monday 18th January 2010
quotequote all
Fox- said:
I meant bored of sitting at 70mph not bored of my beloved 530i wink

But I still fancy something like an M5 or a 335i in the future as I'm not sure i can hang on long enough for a used 535i M Sport F10.
Ah I see thumbup