In 2011, you'd still commonly see E39 daily drivers on the roads. Not so in 2021.

[OnTheFence]

Bought my 530i in 2011
Sold my 530i in 2017

Over that time the car went from 10 years old to 17. And now 20 years.
I don't see them much anymore. Once they get down to $3k, people are less apt to repair them and they become disposable.

Do you still see E39s on the road?
How long have you owned yours? Is it a daily driver?
How has the E39 evolved into classic status over the last decade?

What's the current state of the E39 world ?????????
Great car, great experience, learned a lot.
Still have an E46 and E83

[seagreen323i]

My father and I both daily our e39s. I see a few here and there. At least 2 a week.

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[CPHES]

NY metro area. 5 a week. Used to be dozens.

[edjack]

Mine is a '97. I'm an Old Fart, and drive very little these days.

Most all E39s in the Rust Belt have dissolved. I see very few these days.

[BimmrMeUpSnotty]

I see at least two or three a day out here in Northern Virginia, the NOVA area still has quite a few running around. The Mini’s barely get driven, don’t know why I have two of them, the E39 wagons are the bomb. They get driven all the time.

[TexasTouring]

Regular Virginia also has a good amount still on the roads. I'd say I see around 1 per day. Mine are daily drivers, it's the only thing I drive.

[Dking078]

California still has quite a bit.

Now seeing an E53 4.6is/4.8is... that's another story. Aside from the one in the driveway I maybe see 1-2 every few months. Typically more often in the Bay area.

Just ticked 10yrs of DD duty and looks prettier every year from the turd it once was.

[seagreen323i]

Funny story, I HATED the first e39 we had. 02 525i auto box. Bog standard with the mesh wheels. Same color blue as my 540. Ironic that I drive the same color car with mesh wheels all these years later. I thought that was the ugliest slowest car ever. I guess I grew up.
We've had the 525, 528, another 528, 530, and 540.

Every wonder what happens when cylinder 6 randomly throws a rod? Ever seen a starter fall out of a car.


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[Yonkers320is]

I have mine for like 7 years. I am currently in spain for holidays and have seen like 20 e39, mostly 520d. Have not seen a 540 or M5.... Well at almost $2.00 a liter of gas I would imagine why....

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[scubajim20]

Mine is a daily driver. I have a short commute to work. I see 2 or 3 regulars on occasion but truly don't see many. There was a well kept white wagon I saw a couple of times early in the summer and we acknowledged each other but have not seen him in months.

[ross1]

I still see a few around, including a very nice touring that I recently spotted.
My '97 will get antique tags next renewal.

Every wonder what happens when cylinder 6 randomly throws a rod? Ever seen a starter fall out of a car.


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That's comprehensive. Randomly, huh? And it went at idle too. Right?

[StephenVA]

Time, rust, attrition, and poor driving skills kills off more each year. I, like Snotty, see multiple E39s each day on the roads around here in VA. Classic example of 80% white collar residents with high incomes. Just came back from a weekend in Pittsburgh where there were actually zero on the roads around town. 90% 1-3 year old mini SUVs or total rusted junk. Nothing in between. Has to be the salt worms working overtime. According to the natives, salt brine is applied every time it rains/snows from October to May.

[philly98540]

I've had mine for over 20 years now and still DD it. Just turned over 192k. There are a couple around town here, but its very rare that I see one anymore. Maybe once every two weeks.

It does get more and more appreciation from total strangers these days. That never used to happen. Once cars hit a certain age, they start to get noticed again and these are getting there.

I still love driving this car and can't seem to find a good reason to part with it. With the fresh Ground Control coil overs, monoballs, and a totally dry engine bay, its making keeping it easy. Just to let me know its an E39, I recently had a window reg go south and the headliner is starting to de-bond in a few spots. I'll wait till cooler weather and get those sorted out.

[RyansBMW]

I still see them regularly. Unfortunately most are pretty beat up. On occasion I do see some very well taken care of cars. I saw a gorgeous 540 M- Sport down in Red Bank last weekend. IMO, these cars still look amazing.

[seagreen323i]

I still see a few around, including a very nice touring that I recently spotted.
My '97 will get antique tags next renewal.


That's comprehensive. Randomly, huh? And it went at idle too. Right?

I'll make one thing clear, I was not home when this happened. I reckon I was say 16 at the time and it was the 525. The story goes my dad put a rad in and blead the cooling system like we had done plenty of times before. He let's it idle to ensure that the heat is blowing from the vents then steps inside to was his hands. He comes back outside and sees this.

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[MotorMouth93]

I see maybe 1 E39 a month. Usually pretty clapped out.

[Jason5driver]

Very rare to see any E39's around here .
Except mine .
I've had my car since 2004 .
My car is a 2001 , but production date is 2000/09 .

[sienayr]

Even though my '03 540i touring M sport has 192K miles, it is in great condition inside and out, well maintained, and I view it as an appreciating asset at this point, so today we put down a deposit on a 2011 328i 6 speed manual M Sport with 51K miles so we can take the old girl out of daily driving duties. The idea of the car getting in an accident and totaled out from driving to work just sounded more and more painful and unnecessary given the rarity and whatnot. It would make me sick. So one less e39 that will be out and about on the regular.

[crdiscoverer]

I have always said that you can tell how reliable a car is as it ages depending on how many you see on the roads. The E39s are in general reliable cars, no matter what people usually say about old BMWs and how many minor and annoying issues our cars have almost constantly. I see E39s often here and we're talking a whole country with maybe 1.5 million cars at most.

Want to talk about unreliable s...%#? Tell me when was the last time you saw an Audi A6 of a similar vintage?




Or, if you are an Audi fan we can stay with BMW. When did you last see a pre-facelift E65?

[StephenVA]

bone yards only

[Sleepyhead97]

I got two. The 03 is pretty clapped out. The 97 has failing clear but is the best driver i got. My daughter is driving it now.

[blarf]

I have always said that you can tell how reliable a car is as it ages depending on how many you see on the roads. The E39s are in general reliable cars, no matter what people usually say about old BMWs and how many minor and annoying issues our cars have almost constantly. I see E39s often here and we're talking a whole country with maybe 1.5 million cars at most.

Want to talk about unreliable s...%#? Tell me when was the last time you saw an Audi A6 of a similar vintage?




Or, if you are an Audi fan we can stay with BMW. When did you last see a pre-facelift E65?

Knew a guy who had an S6 Avant of that generation up until he wrecked it a couple years ago.

[BimmrMeUpSnotty]

I think the E39ers we see around still running, not really due to the fact that they are good cars, but due to the fact that they are still loved. But there are a lot of cars out there that are no longer on the roads, due to the fact that they were total garbage, and never loved by nut jobs like us.

[GZilla]

Or, if you are an Audi fan we can stay with BMW. When did you last see a pre-facelift E65?

Good thing we don't see many E65s on the roads, they always remind me of the start of BMW's downfall.

[Nfs021]

I see a few every now and then. Literally spotted a mint green 530i about an hour or so ago. It was on the westside of Portland where the rich yuppies live hence why it still looked new.