anyone on here got one?

 

I had one a couple of years ago

 

Great luxury barge for very little money.

 

This is my old one





Lovely motors, mine was a 530d running a e60 exhaust manifold and gt2260 turbo with stage 2 map, reckon it was running around 260ish bhp, clutch and dmf was bullet proof, fuel system is getting old and showing signs of needing replacement now, they have issues with rust in the sills at the jacking points, doors can go at the bottoms, boot lid and the body just above the rear bumper also goes, one thing that led me to get the a8, great for cruising, lack of LSD is really dissapointing in the none m models and if you want to go LSD it is either expensive or a ball ache in anything other than a 3.5 or 4.0 v8.

I kinda wish I still had mine but glad I got rid before it became a money pit, petrols suffer vanos issues and coolant system issues due to age and brittle plastics, v8's can be a nightmare due to running high coolant temps, and they use an electronic thermostat that can be temperamental, I think you can bin it and use a lower temp thermo of a different car but I never looked into it for obvious reasons.

 

My mates got a Alpina b10 3.2. I love it its such a nice looking car. It goes like fook too.

 

Always fancied a 540i, but they're super rare in manual form.

 

I've got a 530i msport auto, lovely motor. You looking to buy one?

 

Ive still got this one...

 

A friend of mine had a 535i that we bought to go to the 'ring in for a laugh. Was a nice barge but the 3.5 engine was a bit rubbish.

The auto box started playing up while we were out there so he got rid of it. It had been leaking so I think it had probably been run low and damaged it.

I have been thinking about a cheap touring as a tow car. Still have a soft spot for the M5, a car I would like to own.

 

Didn't realise you still had yours Stu, I though the diesel took its place!

 

im looking to get an e39 m5 later in the year had my eye on them for a while my daily on and off for a few years was n e34 525tds cracking motor had 268,000 mile on it and drove like new

 

Theres a 540i round the corner from me. I dont know if its a manual though.

 

I do like the M5 version.

I think this shape bm is more reliable than this shape below.

 

They're a good M5 alternative, not on the same performance level but still around 286bhp if I remember rightly.

 

Is the M5 a 4ltr then??

 

I believe the e39 M5 is a 4.9 V8. The e60 M5 is a 5.0 V10, so only 0.1 difference but 107 bhp more. I think I've read somewhere that with a different exhaust and maybe some other things the e39 can also go towards 500 bhp relatively easy. I like the looks of the e39 more than the e60, I wouldn't mind having one in the garage.

 

Me too, proper bit of kit.
I bet tuning isn't cheap

 

The Diseasel is better in many respects so the M only comes out to play once a month as I just do too many miles to justify its fuel economy sadly.

Had the Derv 18months now and put 40K on her already.

She is pretty though and with 620ftlb and 370bhp it makes the M5 feel slow in 95% of situations. Sad - But true.

 

Very, very different animals im afraid mate. The 540i is a boaty, typical E39. The M5 really was engineered specially and feels an entirely different car.

 

I dont understand all this e39 e60 shit.

My dont they call them a mk1 mk2 mk3 and so on.

 

That's a real shame, the numbers looked good too. If it feels that big then you may as well stump for a 750i!

 

Hey, dont let me put you off one, they are really great cars but they are no "M" car. A lot of folk think the M5 is just a 540 with a 400bhp engine, but its really not, the whole drivetrain is very different, as well as the rear track and of course it has an LSD.

Weight distribution is one of the things that sets the M5 apart, its very balanced and engineered that way. Even the battery was located centrally where as the normal E39 is on the side.

 

sold my E39 recently, had alot of niggles, dont think ill go back to one in a hurry

 

Bought this one owner, 60k mile, FBMWSH, 540i Touring as a winter smoker last year... was quick, still made 155mph but it had extra smoooooth power delivery and being an SE it was extra comfy and boaty... the seats were the optional versions which adjusted in pretty much every way and were unbelievably comfortable. Fitted some genuine staggered 18" Alpina alloys which transformed the way it looked compared to the standard 16" SE alloys.



Would I have another E39?? Yes... but only an E39 M5, decent non-M versions are almost impossible to find anymore, I got lucky with my 540i.


Cheers,
Grant

 

Thats nice Grant, I always fancied a touring!

 

Lovely car but why would you buy a rwd bmw with low profile alpine wheels as a winter smoker ? Not the most practical?

 

My old one - 530i Sport auto on a 52 plate. Such a gorgeous car to look at and drive.

They rust like fook though and their front headlights are crap from factory.

 

stu any advantage having these mapped?
a mate has one but was told theres no point in mapping them for all the gains to got

 

Thanks Stu, it was a real cracker.. I preferred it in almost every way to the MY11 335i Touring which I'd just got rid of!!

My thought process:

- It was quite cheap given it's history/condition/miles.
- I've wanted an E39 for a long time.
- I hadn't ticked the V8 box in my 'Have Owned' list.
- Gen. Alpina wheels were a local gumtree super bargain I couldn't refuse & transformed the look of the car.
- I have other stuff I could use if any snow arrived unexpectedly.

The car was super practical for load lugging, supremely comfortable, did 20mpg if you drove it normally in/around town, would do 30-32 on the motorway on cruise control... couldn't fault it really, but the arrival of another car made it pretty much redundant and too difficult to smudge the man maths figures so it was sold on.




Cheers,
Grant

 

Kam b...... thats stunning.

 

Nice No Plate

 

Not in outright power terms no. The driveability is improved and we can program the Sport Mode and DSC to on or off on power on etc. Overall its a nicer drive but teh dyno figures wont relate the story accurately.

 

Thanks. I bought the car from a specialist called "Mr BMW" in the days when a little number plate font and spacing fudging wasnt a crime worthy of the death penalty.

I should sell that plate really to an M1 or M2 owner.

 

I don't get it either! I know they refer to different models but what do they actually mean?

 

Thanks Glenn

This was the inside.







Thought black on black was different in a good way as its a break from the usual black on cream/white/beige/silver etc


The E numbers are just chassis codes. Can get confusing but easy once you know

 

I do like the e39 m5 I think it's a far better car than a e46 m3. I'd have a Le Mans blue with black leather one if I didn't still have an interest in cosworths. I think the later shape ones are ugly

 

I agree James. They look stunning too.