Hi all,
I've been having the E39 itch recently. I missed a golden opportunity to buy a black/black, one owner 03 530i with the sport package earlier this week... It really pissed me off, but I found two other cars I'm probably going to take a look at.
The first is an 02 530i sport, very similar to the car I had a couple years ago, but with slightly higher mileage (around 120k). I am familiar enough with the 3.0 liter straight-6, so I think I know what to expect from it.
The wagon, however, is a 525it and it has quite high miles (155k). 4 owners but overall looks to be in good shape. Is there any specific issue to look for in the wagon? And is the 2.5 liter pretty much just a smaller bored and stroked M54B30? Looking at the horsepower and torque figures, 40 less HP and torque seems like quite a lot to me. Does it feel really under-powered? Especially in wagon form?
So yes, what do you guys recommend? Or should I just wait until I can find a nice, clean 540? Haha.
This car is supposed to be my DD, btw. Don't like using my E55 everyday with such abysmal gas mileage.
My YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7l...rJvxZHr_00nuhA
Current cars: 1990 Mercedes-Benz 300E, 1991 BMW 320i M-Tech II, 1991 Mitsubish Galant AMG Type II, 1992 Nissan Figaro, 1993 Toyota Chaser Tourer V
Background, we've had a 528i sedan, a 528it touring and a 525it touring. IMO the 525it feels underpowered. Not so much in town or romping on it flat out, but more on the freeway. Getting on. Speeding up to change lanes it doesn't need to go down one gear, it needs to downshift 2 gears to get anything done. Passing on a 2 lane highway actually isn't bad at all. Pedal to the floor, it goes down 3 gears and off you go. But get in the mountains and you start wondering what BMW was thinking of putting a 2.5 engine in a 3800 pound car. The 00 528it was getting old with 250K on it and being my wife's car I wanted something a little lower mileage so I bought the 525it with only 82K on it. I wish I hadn't, I should have just dumped a few thou into the 00 and kept it. Oh well. MPG is up 1 or 2, but it's not worth it.
98 328is
02 525ita
80 528i
81 528ia
and decades of owning and driving BMWs
My 540it doesn't feel all that fast either, and that's with a 300hp V8. Must be the fact that it has to lug around 4000 pounds everywhere.
1995 525i 5-speed - Thread
I have the 525it, it's kind of slow, but drives nice on the freeway I jave the low suspension option sits a bit lower. Just needs more power
Yeah, this one also has the sport suspension. Honestly, the only reason I'm even considering this car is because of how well equipped it is (makes me wonder why the original owner didn't just opt in for a bigger displacement engine in place of some options):
Vehicle options
S202ASteptronic
S210ADynamic stability control
S220ASelf-levelling suspension
S227ASport suspension+lowered+ride-height
S248ASteering wheel heater
S249AMultifunction f steering wheel
S257ADeactivation, side airbag rear
S261ASide airbags for rear passengers
S291ABMW LA wheel, cross spoke, 2-section
S302AAlarm system
S354AGreen windscreen, green shade band
S386ARoof railing
S403AGlass roof, electrical
S417ARoller sun vizor, rear door
S441ASmoker package
S473AArmrest front
S494ASeat heating driver/passenger
S500AHeadlight wipe/wash/Intensive cleaning
S508APark Distance Control (PDC)
S520AFog lights
S522AXenon Light
S555AOn-board computer V with remote control
S602AOn-board monitor with TV
S609ANavigation system Professional
S640APreparation f tel.installation universal
S645ABMW US Radio
S677AHiFi System Professional DSP
S694AProvisions for BMW 6 CD changer
S773AFine wood trim
S785AWhite direction indicator lights
S818ABattery master switch
S845AAcoustic belt warning
S850ADummy-SALAPA
S853ALanguage version English
S876ARadio frequency 315 MHz
S925ADummy-SALAPA
S992AControl of number-plate attachment
My YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7l...rJvxZHr_00nuhA
Current cars: 1990 Mercedes-Benz 300E, 1991 BMW 320i M-Tech II, 1991 Mitsubish Galant AMG Type II, 1992 Nissan Figaro, 1993 Toyota Chaser Tourer V
That is unusually well-equipped for a 525it... that's the premium and sport packages along with several other options like PDC and nav. I assume the original buyer wanted to save on gas and/or didn't care about performance, hence the smaller engine. It also doesn't help that BMW basically only had a 525it or a 540it. So if you didn't want a gas-guzzling V8 you had to choose the least powerful engine in the whole lineup.
The good thing is that an M54B30 is more or less a plug and play swap into a 525it.
1995 525i 5-speed - Thread
I did the M54b30 swap in my 525it and did a 6-speed swap to it as well and it is perfect for a daily. I don't ever feel like it's lacking power, where it definitely did with the M54b25. I had the M54b30 in my 530i before I converted it to a M5, so I was very familiar with the engine and it's still chugging along perfectly with about 220k miles on it. Still idles like it's not even running and has more than adequate torque. I can't believe BMW didn't send the 530it to the US as it is the perfect combination if you don't want the V8.
Danny, I'm not sure why you find your 540it to be slow as I've driven my friend's and it felt more than adequate, having an auto that is.
-Paul
2003 "M5" - Full M5 conversion, AMG C63S 6 piston front calipers, Porsche Panamera 4 piston rear calipers, GC Coilovers, Eibach ARBs, UUC Evo3/DSSR, Borla Exhaust w/Muffler Delete, BMW NBT with Carplay/Android Auto, Bi-Xenons, e38 Style 37 M-Pars, e60 Hubs 530i 6-speed swap build thread2005 Range Rover 4.6is (M62TU Powered) - 4.6is Engine Swap from X5, BMW NBT with Carplay/Android Auto
2006 Porsche Cayman S - Soul Performance Competition Headers and Exhaust, H&R Coilovers, 718 Boxster Spyder wheels, Rennline 35mm rear spacers
It's not super slow per se, but mine feels a little bit lacking off the line. It really picks up after 3k RPM, which makes me think the Vanos units are worn out— the guides were done a while back by the previous owner but the Vanos units are original with 201,000 miles on them. Plus the automatic seems a bit slow to respond, despite having done several fluid changes. My 2000 540i/6 feels like a rocket ship in comparison.
I figure once it's manual-swapped and I get the engine fully sorted it'll be a lot quicker.
1995 525i 5-speed - Thread
That is well optioned, reminds me of the 00 touring we had but it didn't have Nav or the extra airbags. The sunshades are unusual and I really liked the PDC on it. I took the sunshades with me when I got the 02 touring but the PDC had to stay. Still considering a retrofit or aftermarket retro I liked it so much.
98 328is
02 525ita
80 528i
81 528ia
and decades of owning and driving BMWs
Get the one that can fit the most amount of (unconscious....not dead) people in the back, but also has a V8.
Last edited by XAlt; 01-18-2018 at 08:37 PM.
I would get the 530i with a manual transmission.
Looking for an E39 belly pan , passenger front inner fender liner …
So I'm actually going to see both cars tomorrow, was too busy today. Both the 530i sedan and the 525it are silver with black interiors. Both are asking $4k. The only 540it in my area is asking $6k, and I really don't like the color combo or the options... It also is not in the best of areas, so I'm going to pass on it. I honestly don't know how much those go for, as I've hardly seen any for sale. But I'm guessing they'll be worth at least a couple grand more.
Also, I feel like by getting a 540 I defeat the purpose of using this as a DD. For example, my current daily is an E55 AMG. I drove 42 miles today, and got 21 MPG (highway and canyon driving) by hardly pressing the brakes in my commute. I'd like to get something with just a little better MPG.
I like the ideas of turning it into a 530it. Seems like exactly what I'm looking for. Have no clue why BMW never sold that package in the U.S? Perfect middle ground from me. Don't know when I'd have time for such a project though.
My YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7l...rJvxZHr_00nuhA
Current cars: 1990 Mercedes-Benz 300E, 1991 BMW 320i M-Tech II, 1991 Mitsubish Galant AMG Type II, 1992 Nissan Figaro, 1993 Toyota Chaser Tourer V
-Paul
2003 "M5" - Full M5 conversion, AMG C63S 6 piston front calipers, Porsche Panamera 4 piston rear calipers, GC Coilovers, Eibach ARBs, UUC Evo3/DSSR, Borla Exhaust w/Muffler Delete, BMW NBT with Carplay/Android Auto, Bi-Xenons, e38 Style 37 M-Pars, e60 Hubs 530i 6-speed swap build thread2005 Range Rover 4.6is (M62TU Powered) - 4.6is Engine Swap from X5, BMW NBT with Carplay/Android Auto
2006 Porsche Cayman S - Soul Performance Competition Headers and Exhaust, H&R Coilovers, 718 Boxster Spyder wheels, Rennline 35mm rear spacers
Eh, as long as I can get around 22 MPG combined that would be cool... My current DD gets usually 18-20 highway and around 11-13 city. And that's with me always making sure the tire pressure is properly inflated, all fluids at correct levels, etc. My 530i averaged around 21 MPG total with my combined driving. That was pretty solid. Fuel economy is not the only thing with a new DD, but it is one factor.
My YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7l...rJvxZHr_00nuhA
Current cars: 1990 Mercedes-Benz 300E, 1991 BMW 320i M-Tech II, 1991 Mitsubish Galant AMG Type II, 1992 Nissan Figaro, 1993 Toyota Chaser Tourer V
Whichever one has the manual transmission. I've had three 530is now, two auto, one manual. Manual is way, way better.
Nate J.
(oOO\ (|||)º(|||) /OOo)
Titanium Silver/Black Nappa Full 07-18-2001 E39 M5 Heritage (BZ99672). 198,000mi+. Increasing daily. Engine rebuild thread.
(eŌō\ (||||)º(||||) / ōŌe)
Alpineweiss III/Black Merino Full 03-26-2007 E60 M5 Manual (CX08265). 157,000+. Dead starter -_-
RIP, Seabiscuit. Black Sapphire/Schwarz 03-11-2003 530iA Sport (CK39185). T-boned 03-01-2017 at 155,861mi.
Take 2 "Otto" - Toledo Blue/Sandbeige 04-25-2002 530iA Sport (CH98032). Sold 11-10-2017 at 147,743mi.
Take 3 "Manuel" - Toledo Blue/Grau 10-29-2001 530i5 Sport (CE92358). Sold 02-01-2019 at 217,600mi. I regret that. Build Log
Reliable P.O.S. - Green/gray 1995 Camry V6 LE. 270k mi. Sold for space.
I drove an '03 525iT for a decade - from 20k miles on the clock to over 200k. It can feel underpowered, but there are some things you can do to help. First, learn to love the Sport mode on the transmission (in drive, pull the lever towards the left, as if you were going to use the steptronic feature. Leave it there and it still shifts automatically, but downshifts faster and holds lower gears longer). Gets the trans out of grandma mode and responds the way it should have to start with. Second, replace the Touring-spec air filter element that has a layer of gauze over the filter with the filter element for an E46 M3. The "correct" air filter just strangles the engine. Last, as part of your new-to-you tuneup (which should involve a cooling system overhaul, a Stewart racing water pump, 02 sensors, valve cover gasket, oil filter housing gasket, spark plugs, a CCV valve and associated pipes), replace the seals in the Vanos unit. Or swap in a Dr. Vanos built unit.
On your test drive, listen and feel closely as you go over some rough pavement - if the back seems to be unsettled or is crashing over bumps, the rear subframe mounts need to be replaced. Not a horrible job but you do need the correct tool.
1989 750iL schwarz/schwarz
1991 M5 schwarz/silbergrau
2013 328i coupe diamondschwarz/caramel
2003 525iT orient blue/tan
1990 535i/5 schwarz/schwarz
I did the M54B30 swap to my 525iT and it was well worth it. The M54B25 motor is just to low powered for the wagon. Like blacknight said it's not a hard swap to do.
Chisum
Bookmarks