E39 purchase

[effduration]

I like the 540i. We dont use ours as a daily driver though, unless an emergency occurs with other cars.

I am tempted by this 530i though... classic:
https://denver.craigslist.org/cto/d/...575189699.html

(E12 1977 BMW 530i )

That would be a heck of a project.

I liked how the seller twice described it's exterior condition as "rush free".

As a non-runner...he is correct.....

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As a daily driver its also important to note that a 530i will get ~22MPG average around town and close to 30MPG @ 80 MPH.

I know I am singing to the choir in this group, But Rob Siegel - aka the Hack Mechanic in BMW CCA's Roundel magazine calls his '03 E39 530i 5-speed sport with fold down rear seats the best daily driver he's ever had....he's been driving it daily for 3 or 4 years now.....and he's owned some 80 cars....

[haolibird]

MtnGn,
That reminds me of my 2002's that I had in '82.

I have only owned 540's.
The 530 I purchased in Nov has yet to be put into service.
Luckily, all the things that need to be addressed, have been in the last 30k miles or so.

Aside from that silly little timing chain issue, my V8's have been relatively trouble free.
I don't know if one engine has it over the other when it comes to leaks.
I'll take VC gaskets over an oil filter housing...(I think).
Both leak at the PS reservoir.
I am interested in the understeer dept.
The 540 has a nasty habit of continuing a straight line going into a curve at speed.

Anyway, good luck to the OP in their quest.

Tom

[Jason5driver]

I like the 540i. We dont use ours as a daily driver though, unless an emergency occurs with other cars.

I am tempted by this 530i though... classic:
https://denver.craigslist.org/cto/d/...575189699.html

(E12 1977 BMW 530i )

Wow , they really are smoking crack these days ... lol ...
$4k for that ...? hilarious ! lol .

[MtnGn]

The 540 has a nasty habit of continuing a straight line going into a curve at speed.

Not just the 540i;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZVrnd9V7sk

There was another vid I recall of a bmw driver expecting his vehicle to lose grip on the back end as he navigated a curve at speed. It didnt. He punched and flicked it only to steer off an embankment on the inside of the curve.
Instead of drifting the corner, his bmw said "Ok. I turn now."

[MtnGn]

70's vintage ford Broncos selling for over 100k. Heck, someone offered me 5k for my old, beat up, 1988 Jeep Cherokee sitting un-drivable in the carport. Didn't matter that it still needed 5500 worth of work to get running safely.

I haven't seen any appreciable bounce in e39 prices. But they haven't really lost any value either over the last few years.

Maybe as the economy turns, ahem, worse, reality may return to pricing.

[haolibird]

To be fair to the kid, you can't turn when you're airborne!!!

I'll bet dad was Pissed!

[ross1]

I like the 540i. We dont use ours as a daily driver though, unless an emergency occurs with other cars.

I am tempted by this 530i though... classic:
https://denver.craigslist.org/cto/d/...575189699.html

(E12 1977 BMW 530i )

While not my cup of tea that one looks well worth some investment. The only thing that scares me is amount of debris in the cowl area which may have been brought in by rodents which also have an appetite for that fine Bavarian wire insulation.
Someone else recently, aptly, stated "this is the wrong place to ask if you should buy a car".

[rc8419]

As a fellow that owned an E34 with the 3.0 M60 motor years ago, and having had all sorts of other cars....

An E39 530i is a very well built car that is easy to work on. Bought one for my now 16 year old son to learn to drive manual transmission and to learn how to wrench on things. It has been a great platform for that. Easier to work on than a V8 car. Lovely to drive. After getting it, and reminding ourselves how much we enjoyed the old BMWs, we added an E46 330Ci (one owner with 35k miles from TX), then added an E39 M5 (one owner car with < 30k miles from Southern CA) as extra fun cars for the missus and I.

The son and I have done almost all the typical maintenance on it. It was a one owner car from Central Texas with 85k miles on it. Clean, accident free.

I have a well sorted shop with a two post lift, so we have an advantage over the typical owner. Still, these are cars from a lost era in terms of build quality and driving experience. Not at all difficult to work on.

Yes, they need seals and hoses, shift bushings, CCV system refresh, rebuilding the DISA valve, refreshing of suspension, etc. but all cars need attention. Very few of them are this enjoyable to drive.