I love the station wagons for some reason. I could never own one, but appreciate the people that do.
#1
Please post pics, experiences, love stories. Also, given the gas prices these days would you choose the 530i 5MT V6 over the 540i Sport Package 6MT V8? Obviously I'd like to have an M5 w/o the huge price tag, annual fuel expense & overall maintenance. With a few mods you get the 530i to do the dance with just as much gusto. Please discuss...Some pics jacked from some other forums. Here is one of the nicest one's out there:
#2
I love the station wagons for some reason. I could never own one, but appreciate the people that do.
#3
Love E39's
#4
Best-looking BMW sedan (let alone 5-Series) ever. Always liked these cars.
(Can't find the commercial that "goes with" this banner.)
I love the paranoia lollapalooza. I hate the paranoia lollapalooza.
#5
Not sure on that one, but I like this one
#6
Quote, originally posted by VarianceVQ » Best-looking BMW sedan (let alone 5-Series) ever. Untrue
TCL3.0 compliance status: Pending QA
#7
E34 = WINNAR!!!!
I mean, I loved the 80's too, but you don't see me doing lines off the hood of a Delorean.....
#8
Quote, originally posted by Mars Noble » Please post pics, experiences, love stories. Also, given the gas prices these days would you choose the 530i 5MT V6 over the 540i Sport Package 6MT V8? Obviously I'd like to have an M5 w/o the huge price tag, annual fuel expense & overall maintenance. With a few mods you get the 530i to do the dance with just as much gusto. Please discuss... Straight six.
#9
The debate over which one always rages.I'd take the 530i for the inline-6 (never been a V8 guy) and most importantly, the rack and pinion steering.
I've driven both and put several hundred miles on a 540i6. The 540i6 is fast, very fast. Second gear is a ball. But I'd still take the 530i. You can always supercharge it.
#11
My 525iT moves around plenty well. The extra power of the 530 and 540 would be appreciated, although 98% of the time it is not necessarily missed.
"I think that cars today are almost the exact equivalent of the great Gothic cathedrals: I mean the supreme creation of an era, conceived with passion by unknown artists, and consumed in image if not in usage by a whole population which appropriates them as a purely magical object." - Roland Barthes
#14
the 540 is crazy good on GAS, i used to get 30+ on the higway cruising with my old 540 6 speed
Modified by TooLowForNYC at 11:35 AM 3-25-2008
BEWARE Vortex members of Scam Artist TIFUN
#15
E39 the end of BMW 5 series.Such a beautiful car with SO much future potential ruined with this:
#16
yoooowzaahs...what's not to love. is/was that yours? i've heard a pretty wide range of mpg's w/the 540i. how about annual maintenance cost & down time b/c of repairs.
#17
Quote, originally posted by Mars Noble » . With a few mods you get the 530i to do the dance with just as much gusto. Please discuss...
I'm curious how you're going to get a 530 up to M5 gusto with just a few mods...
It's easy to make one look like an M by adding the bumpers and mirrors, but HP wise not so much.
BTW -If you haven't check recently, M5 prices have fallen considerably.
My E39:
Chris
Corrado Central
#18
exterior mods. fuel costs/maintenance are way to high to drive a m5 daily, at least for me. i've seen a few pristine 2003 540i sports b/w 23-30K & M5 starting at 30K+. Not bad, but just a bit out of the ball park for my budget.your e39 is immaculate. what suspension are you running? how's the ride? has it anyway effected daily driveability & reliability?
#19
I've seen 2000-2001 M5s in the low 20s, but if you're looking for a 2003, then yes, $30k+ is about right... specially if you're picky on mileage.I'm running KW V2 coilovers. Firm ride but nothing like the H&Rs I had on there. They made the M5 spring rates way too high, should have kept them more in line with the regular E39 540 kit. It hasn't effect drive ability other then you have to watch steep driveway entrances
Reliability hasn't change any.
Chris
Corrado Central
#20
calling any E39 CL fanatics...How about a 528i? Enough umph/reliability for every day use?
#21
Quote, originally posted by JOHNS92JETTA »
Love E39'sx2
Beautiful color!
Signature blank...
#22
Quote, originally posted by Mars Noble » calling any E39 CL fanatics... How about a 528i? Enough umph/reliability for every day use?
Yup. Read about the '99/'00 issues
#23
Hoping to get more pics & feedback about the E39 530i/540i. I plan on trading in a pretty reliable, fun to drive 04 R32 for one of these.I'd hate to lose out on the exhaust note & the feel of this car, but the E39 530i is strating to look really good. Just need to get a better sense of what maintenance will be like.
I bought a couple of 15 y.o. 16V Jetta GLI that were in great condition & provided me a w/a few drama free years of driving.
I've heard so much about the cost of ownership for a BMW, I'd just like to know how much I'd have to budget for something like this.
#24
I owned an '01 E39 530i fully loaded. It was the most unreliable car I've ever driven, and that includes Passats, 80s model Pontiacs, a Dodge and my current Audi.Despite the love in TCL for the E39, I cannot and will not recommend this car to anyone.
#25
A friend of mine has a beautiful silver E39 540i. It's awesome looking.
#26
I'd like to get one.A co-worker bought an '01-'03 540i Sport model. The guy turned into a total jerk. I don't think we've talked since it was purchased a year ago. MoFo, if you are so cool where is the E60 550i?
Point being I really wanted to talk to him about it just not worth it.
#27
And here is my contribution from Bimmer Mag:Noisy hydraulic lifters are somewhat normal, could be excessive wear. Replace air filter every 30K. Spark plugs, fuel filter every, H2O pump, thermostat, fan, fan clutch, and thermostat housing every 60K. OBDII codes will have to be sorted by an authorized dealer. Transmission and differential fluid should be changed every 30K - for the manual tranny. Automatic transmissions fail between 80K-120K miles. Instrument cluster will eventually fail. Weak ball joints. Sport packages eat through tires. Never jack the car by yourself for the first time - have an experienced person show you.
#28
Wow. Good stuff.Perf: do you have the entire article or url?
#29
Quote, originally posted by Mars Noble » Wow. Good stuff. Perf: do you have the entire article or url?
No, all printed. The Market Update is from their April 2008 issue. The May issue is out. But April should still be on the shelf - somewhere. The cover has an E60 M5. Unfortunately if you don't find it you have to buy it for $10 here: http://www.bimmer-mag.com/back_issues.html Or wait until next April.
#30
So I see these are relatively cheap nowadays. How do these hold up on a road course? I'm sure the 540s suck gas, how about the 530s? Are the 530s that much slower?
Misanthrope extraordinaire
#31
Found that in like last year. Gotta love E39. Ive been looking for one of those but price is not bad but high miles.
#32
I like the E39 but the E34 is the true essense of BMW.
#33
Quote, originally posted by jetta32687 » Found that in like last year. Gotta love E39. Ive been looking for one of those but price is not bad but high miles. Yeah, I've been meaning to ask how high is too high mileage for an E39?
I love the paranoia lollapalooza. I hate the paranoia lollapalooza.
#34
Quote, originally posted by VarianceVQ » Yeah, I've been meaning to ask how high is too high mileage for an E39?
80k with 20g. i dunno if it worth it.
(i drive almost 40k miles every year.)
#35
Quote, originally posted by BrianGriffin » E34 = WINNAR!!!!
I have to agree , the E34 even looks good with lowly 525i wheels.The E39 needs wheels to make me look
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