A pair of Fives
Discussion
I've posted about my E34 540iA before, but I bought another 5 Series to go along with it, because I like barges and the 5 floats my boat more than the others.So now I have two old 5 Series BMWs. They both have V8 engines. They both guzzle fuel at a rate that is alarming to the dieselistas and they are both lovely and wafty. The E60 is refined and accomplished in every sense. The E34 scares old people, and occasionally me. They're Sinatra and Dean Martin - one the Chairman of the Board, the other a lovable drunk.
20161014_232436 by budleigh salterton, on Flickr
Highlights of the 550i include a 4500km trip around the country, which took five tanks of unleaded over four days. It's immensely comfortable and the only proviso is that you have to use the cruise to make sure you don't lope along at 200km/h on the open road.
20161014_232423 by budleigh salterton, on Flickr
Comparing them is relatively easy, given that they occupy the same sub-M5 slot in the range, albeit twelve years apart. The E34 is smaller, sportier and has lower limits, while the E60 is bigger, considerably faster and has incredibly high limits where its handling is concerned. The 540i has abysmal headlamps (helped by a 4300k xenon kit), while the 550i has adaptive xenons that make driving at night a supreme pleasure.
20161012_212732 by budleigh salterton, on Flickr
20161014_232406 by budleigh salterton, on Flickr
The 550i is unruffled by anything, vocal when you want it to be, but whisper-quiet otherwise. I deliberately sought out a non M-Sport version because I like the Q-car appeal of the regular bodywork. The ride is...I'll wait until I've gotten rid of the run-flats before I comment, but suffice it to say the E34 shades it ever so slightly for ride comfort. The power is lovely, as are the comfort seats.
20161014_232615 by budleigh salterton, on Flickr
20161014_232527 by budleigh salterton, on Flickr
20161014_232549 by budleigh salterton, on Flickr
The sound system is to the regular BMW standard, but as it's a very quiet car I often just drive it around with the radio off enjoying the 4.8 humming like a contented monastery. Compared to the 540i, it has much of the lazy cruiser character, but it hides its weight a lot more, as you would expect.
The 540i is like a surviving rock star from another age. It's old, it's the wrong one (rendering it practically worthless), it's leathery and it burbles away to itself like Ozzy Osbourne. The tyres it wears are a silly size, but I prefer the originality of the 15s to a set of 17s , so I haven't bothered to look for replacements. I've driven it to the ends of the earth, because like the 550 it's such a joy to use on a day to day basis that I find myself taking the longer route to work. I also live a stone's throw from some lovely passes, and there are few things better than an early Saturday morning blast up Helshoogte, or along the coastal road with the sunroof open and something from the 80s in the tape deck. There's a cd shuttle, but it's in the boot, and I rarely go back there.
20161014_233518 by budleigh salterton, on Flickr
20161014_233443 by budleigh salterton, on Flickr
20161014_233247 by budleigh salterton, on Flickr
Sports seats, which (mostly) work, the world's most complicated climate control system (which works brilliantly), and a shabbily genteel look which means I can leave it in dodgy Cape Town areas without fearing it won't be there when I come out. The gearbox is a testament to the progress that has been made by ZF in recent years, but it suits the character of the car, and after a while you get the hang of making it respond the way you want it to. More or less. Mostly less.
They both have character in a very pleasant way. I'll be getting rid of the E34 soon, due more to space restrictions than anything else, but until then, I'm enjoying them both.
20161014_232436 by budleigh salterton, on FlickrHighlights of the 550i include a 4500km trip around the country, which took five tanks of unleaded over four days. It's immensely comfortable and the only proviso is that you have to use the cruise to make sure you don't lope along at 200km/h on the open road.
20161014_232423 by budleigh salterton, on FlickrComparing them is relatively easy, given that they occupy the same sub-M5 slot in the range, albeit twelve years apart. The E34 is smaller, sportier and has lower limits, while the E60 is bigger, considerably faster and has incredibly high limits where its handling is concerned. The 540i has abysmal headlamps (helped by a 4300k xenon kit), while the 550i has adaptive xenons that make driving at night a supreme pleasure.
20161012_212732 by budleigh salterton, on Flickr20161014_232406 by budleigh salterton, on FlickrThe 550i is unruffled by anything, vocal when you want it to be, but whisper-quiet otherwise. I deliberately sought out a non M-Sport version because I like the Q-car appeal of the regular bodywork. The ride is...I'll wait until I've gotten rid of the run-flats before I comment, but suffice it to say the E34 shades it ever so slightly for ride comfort. The power is lovely, as are the comfort seats.
20161014_232615 by budleigh salterton, on Flickr20161014_232527 by budleigh salterton, on Flickr20161014_232549 by budleigh salterton, on FlickrThe sound system is to the regular BMW standard, but as it's a very quiet car I often just drive it around with the radio off enjoying the 4.8 humming like a contented monastery. Compared to the 540i, it has much of the lazy cruiser character, but it hides its weight a lot more, as you would expect.
The 540i is like a surviving rock star from another age. It's old, it's the wrong one (rendering it practically worthless), it's leathery and it burbles away to itself like Ozzy Osbourne. The tyres it wears are a silly size, but I prefer the originality of the 15s to a set of 17s , so I haven't bothered to look for replacements. I've driven it to the ends of the earth, because like the 550 it's such a joy to use on a day to day basis that I find myself taking the longer route to work. I also live a stone's throw from some lovely passes, and there are few things better than an early Saturday morning blast up Helshoogte, or along the coastal road with the sunroof open and something from the 80s in the tape deck. There's a cd shuttle, but it's in the boot, and I rarely go back there.
20161014_233518 by budleigh salterton, on Flickr20161014_233443 by budleigh salterton, on Flickr20161014_233247 by budleigh salterton, on FlickrSports seats, which (mostly) work, the world's most complicated climate control system (which works brilliantly), and a shabbily genteel look which means I can leave it in dodgy Cape Town areas without fearing it won't be there when I come out. The gearbox is a testament to the progress that has been made by ZF in recent years, but it suits the character of the car, and after a while you get the hang of making it respond the way you want it to. More or less. Mostly less.
They both have character in a very pleasant way. I'll be getting rid of the E34 soon, due more to space restrictions than anything else, but until then, I'm enjoying them both.
Nice cars.
The E34 headlamp topic is very valid in these modern times of crystal clear, HID lights. The original headlamps when the car was introduced were very poor. The scattered the throw of the beam, giving a very diffused output.
They soon upgraded these with elipsoid lamps (smileys) that you have fitted to your car which gave a substantial improvement.
However, given the age of these cars, they could do with some attention.
I rebuilt mine a few years ago. Full strip down, intensive wash (internally too) and replacement of all fixings and adjusters. The difference was huge and with a set of HIDs fitted, was on par with most modern cars.
If you're selling, it may not be something you'd consider doing but it's certainly worth the effort.
The E34 headlamp topic is very valid in these modern times of crystal clear, HID lights. The original headlamps when the car was introduced were very poor. The scattered the throw of the beam, giving a very diffused output.
They soon upgraded these with elipsoid lamps (smileys) that you have fitted to your car which gave a substantial improvement.
However, given the age of these cars, they could do with some attention.
I rebuilt mine a few years ago. Full strip down, intensive wash (internally too) and replacement of all fixings and adjusters. The difference was huge and with a set of HIDs fitted, was on par with most modern cars.
If you're selling, it may not be something you'd consider doing but it's certainly worth the effort.
Wouldn't mind the 550 either tbh, but the E34 looks fantastic on the 15"Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff