My first BMW (help!)

[sevin]

Hello!

I know you guys probably get tens of these a week, but I've got no one else to ask. My dream car is an E39 M5, so I figured I'd get myself acclimated to BMW by actually getting one, a cheaper one of course. I have a budget of about $5,000 or less. The car must be relatively reliable (I know some bimmers are pretty notorious for maintenance costs), must be a manual, and should get decent MPG. I've been looking at an E39 540i, but I've heard bad things about their reliability.

I will probably be doing a lot of the maintenance myself, if that makes any difference. This will be my daily driver and I love driving so it should be fun and accommodating (no worries there).

if you need any more info, just ask! I've got to make a case for the BMW to my parents, otherwise they'll probably end up getting me a Civic or something. And yes, they are buying, but I'll be paying for insurance and maintenance.

Thanks,
sevin

[Rudolph320i]

Either e39 530, or an e36 328 should do just fine. The e36/e39 are not too bad on repairs, particularly if you do repairs and maintenance yourself. Go to their respective subforums and read up on the FAQs.

[BimmerBreaker]

All E39s are pretty reliable. 540i's are pretty reliable cars, not sure where you heard otherwise. Some problems (tcg's) are blown out of proportion, but fact is every BMW has problems. Pick your poison

[justinca540i]

They are pretty reliable. They are also easy to work on and in some cases the M62 in the 540i makes it easier than an m52 in the 530i when it comes to a certain repair. I've got a 2000 540i and I love it. Only major problem was clutch went out but other than that everything else was matiencne over time like gaskets

[SpeedsterBek]

get a 6 cylinder E39 with a manual

[volodka1985]

Get a Scion xB for 5K and concentrate on getting ahead in life. Old BMW is an anchor that will slow you down.

[speedyguy95]

Get a Scion xB for 5K and concentrate on getting ahead in life. Old BMW is an anchor that will slow you down.

Ain't that the truth, but screw it. I like my e46

[ross1]

Get a Scion xB for 5K and concentrate on getting ahead in life. Old BMW is an anchor that will slow you down.

Really?
@OP
$5k won't get you an ///M car that's not a pile of crap, forget about that. $5k will buy you a very nice E39 if you do your homework. E39 chassis is still DIY friendly, I suggest a 6 cyl. version. I'm partial to the E34 chassis but good examples are becoming really tough to find.
A crappy example will kill you and sour you on the brand (Quoted post is proof), do your homework. Sniff around the E39 & E34 forums to get a feel for what to expect and look for.

[pizzaman09]

I would say the advice on the post is very solid.

If you can find a well maintained e39 for under $5k, which is possible, you will probably be good. I do have the pleasure of owning an 02 e39 M5, is it is a wonderfully fun car but I have put $5k into maintaining it in the first year I have owned it. Now, I am trying to make it factory perfect, visually and mechanically so I am spending more then just keeping it running well. In reality if I had only wanted to keep it running I would only be around $1000 in the hole.

Just remember, try to find a BMW that is well maintained, it can be very easy to buy a cheap one that isn't that will need $2k worth of work in the first year.

Also, if you are looking for decent fuel mileage, any e39 with a manual except for the M5 is a very good place to start. Even the V8 540i does remarkably well, granted it is also very dependent on how you drive it.

[BimmerBreaker]

540i and M5 get very similar mpg, not that I am encouraging him to get one...