Is it worth getting a e39 or keep the e34 ?.
Discussion
We currently own a 1996 bmw 520se with 135000 on the clock with a long mot and all works with a long mot.All for £600.Ive noticed the prices of e39s are around £1500/£2000.For that money am i going to get a car which would be a big improvement over the e34 ?.Or would you advise not to bother upgrading to put the money elsewhere.The engine id be looking at would be the 2.2.What would you do ?.Thanks.
to get a 2.2 (not 2.0) you need a facelift. This is around Autumn 2000 onwards. You are unlikely to get a 2.2 for less than £2500 unless its a complete dog or poverty spec.
Please correct me if I am wrong!
I switched from a E34 to E39 but spent a bit more and dead pleased. However, despite feeling quite a bit older, I would have no issues running a E34 again, they do feel better built
Please correct me if I am wrong!
I switched from a E34 to E39 but spent a bit more and dead pleased. However, despite feeling quite a bit older, I would have no issues running a E34 again, they do feel better built
At these price points I think the saying "better the devil you know" applies best. If you're happy with your car and know its realiable and possibly already have spent some money on it then why not give it another year.
Having said that, my E39 is great and I think it would be a step up from the E34, but I have never even been on an E34!
Having said that, my E39 is great and I think it would be a step up from the E34, but I have never even been on an E34!
What are you looking for from a car.
The E34 and E39 are like chalk and cheese. The E34 is very solidly built (albeit a little long in the tooth now) and a very capable drivers car to boot. The E39 - in comparison - is smoother, quiter and more comfortable, but completely inert as a driving propostion.
If you enjoy pressing on and having some excitement with the car, the E34 wins hands down; although you can spend a grand or so on livening up the suspension to help readdress the balance.
The E39's do have their fair share of maladies and aren't as easy to remedy as that of the previous generation.
Your 520 isn't much to shout about in the performance department, but if it's well maintained, you will certain miss the solidity it affords you compared to a similarly powered E39.
The E34 and E39 are like chalk and cheese. The E34 is very solidly built (albeit a little long in the tooth now) and a very capable drivers car to boot. The E39 - in comparison - is smoother, quiter and more comfortable, but completely inert as a driving propostion.
If you enjoy pressing on and having some excitement with the car, the E34 wins hands down; although you can spend a grand or so on livening up the suspension to help readdress the balance.
The E39's do have their fair share of maladies and aren't as easy to remedy as that of the previous generation.
Your 520 isn't much to shout about in the performance department, but if it's well maintained, you will certain miss the solidity it affords you compared to a similarly powered E39.
Thats a suprising comment - I do not find my E39 wanting in either terms of solidity nor driver appeal. It is a fantastic car, its very well built and it drives beautifully.
Infact the only problem is that its so good I'm still stuck with the damn thing despite the fact its 8 years old and I intended to change it once I'd had it 3 years!
Infact the only problem is that its so good I'm still stuck with the damn thing despite the fact its 8 years old and I intended to change it once I'd had it 3 years!
Fox- said:
Thats a suprising comment - I do not find my E39 wanting in either terms of solidity nor driver appeal. It is a fantastic car, its very well built and it drives beautifully.
Infact the only problem is that its so good I'm still stuck with the damn thing despite the fact its 8 years old and I intended to change it once I'd had it 3 years!
I've had mine 5 years come Monday, it's 13 in October. Infact the only problem is that its so good I'm still stuck with the damn thing despite the fact its 8 years old and I intended to change it once I'd had it 3 years!
When launched in 1988 the E34 was regarded as one of the best cars in its class.
When launched in 1996 the E39 was regarded as one of the best cars ever and it remained the benchmark throughout its lifetime and beyond.
The E39 is lighter, stiffer, better suspended and at least as durable as the E34.
It is quite difficult to make an E39 do anything exciting to you because it is almost too competent...
IMHO:
E39 dynamically much better; late E34 build quality the best of any 5-Series. Those are all just personal and subjective opinions.
What I would say though is DO NOT get a 2.2L E39 !!!
I have just had occasion to borrow my mother's E39 520i (2.2L) Touring with only 50-ish K miles on the clock for a few weeks as a daily driver. It is utterly gutless yet returned WORSE mpg than not only my wife's 528i Touring but also my ex-fully loaded 540i Touring on my daily 10 mile each way commute on open country A-roads.
My Mum is 70 years old in a couple of weeks...it's 'ok' for her...but not anyone else.
E39 dynamically much better; late E34 build quality the best of any 5-Series. Those are all just personal and subjective opinions.
What I would say though is DO NOT get a 2.2L E39 !!!
I have just had occasion to borrow my mother's E39 520i (2.2L) Touring with only 50-ish K miles on the clock for a few weeks as a daily driver. It is utterly gutless yet returned WORSE mpg than not only my wife's 528i Touring but also my ex-fully loaded 540i Touring on my daily 10 mile each way commute on open country A-roads.
My Mum is 70 years old in a couple of weeks...it's 'ok' for her...but not anyone else.
Completely agree - the thing I've noticed with BMW engines is that in each range, excluding M Power vehicles, each given cylinder configuration returns virtually the same fuel economy and has the same running costs (ie servicing, repairs, etc etc).
So a 2.2 will consume almost as much fuel and cost the same to service and repair as a 2.5 or a 3.0.
Always best therefore to pick the largest in each range - if you want a 6 pot, get a 528i or a 530i (The 530i replaced the 528i so at lower budgets you'll find it easier to find a 528i) and if you want an 8 pot, get the 540i.
So a 2.2 will consume almost as much fuel and cost the same to service and repair as a 2.5 or a 3.0.
Always best therefore to pick the largest in each range - if you want a 6 pot, get a 528i or a 530i (The 530i replaced the 528i so at lower budgets you'll find it easier to find a 528i) and if you want an 8 pot, get the 540i.
derin100 said:
What I would say though is DO NOT get a 2.2L E39 !!!
I test drove a 3 series 2.2 6 months ago with 90k on the clock and very good service history. I turned round after 1 mile as I could tell it was gutless, I dread to think what a 5 series must be like.My advice is get a 523(cheap insurance) then contact Alpina527 on the e36coupe forum and get the throttle body job done.Don't bother with the Dave F induction kit.
kavanagh said:
Thank you for your help thus far.I love that bmw have made their "big engines" as good on fuel as their "little ones".So apart from m cars which are completely out of my price range.Which engine would you go for as a daily driver ?.Thank you.
On your budget? A 528i. There will be something seriously wrong with any 530i for this sort of money but a 96 528i, even in good condition, is generally worth about 2k.There is something about E34s.... Not quite sure what, but an indefinable solidity and enjoyment factor... And, I like the look of them. But, when I was looking at late high spec E34s, or an E39, a while back, I quickly concluded that the E39 was very hard to beat. Mine is a 530 Sport manual, which you won't get at rock bottom prices, but it handles really well - as well as an E34 in my (personal) opinion - goes well, is reliable and surprisingly economical. It can feel a little "clinical", as has been pointed out, but when pushed, it is very enjoyable. I keep thinking of changing it, but... Can't find an alternative. I have driven several 525 E39s, and those are really rather good - less grunt than the bigger motor of course, but not slow. Some of the earlier E39 engines have the dreaded Nikasil issues, but there are 101 threads about that elsewhere on here....
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