Discussion
Hello all,
I've recently given back the company car as I couldn't justify spending £300 a month for the 5 min work commute.
It was an electric car, which I thoroughly enjoyed in a mundane sort of way - a Volvo C40 with 400+ Bhp when the mood strikes.
I have a personal car, reserved more for weekends, mechanically fine but could do with a respray. However, I didnt want to subject it to daily duties as it draws far too much attention and is a bit look at me (BMW E31 with an Asbo exhaust).
Enter an impulse purchase on ebay.
Randomly came across a 2008 530i Manual while scrolling, it had 20 mins until the end of the auction and I thought it was far too cheap.
I put in a cheeky max bid below £2000 expecting to get outbid in the last 20 seconds as is usually the case.
Shock horror I won!
I then went through a few emotions that wasn't elation as I purchased it blind (something I've never done).
But it was cheap (imo) and I committed to purchase it.
So I am now the owner of this barge and at what is probably shed money:
As you can see, it survived the 150 mile journey to home ground with nothing to report mechanically.
It is quite rare being a manual but Im beginning to remember why I enjoy a Spanish gearbox so much.
The plans are to run it as a daily whilst addressing some foibles:
I hate the wheels - fishing for a swap to Spiders of MV2s
The gearknob seems to be in great condition but keeps coming off
the paintwork, although not scuffed, is in horrendous condition and needs machine polishing.
The parking sensors seem to be inoperative - nothing comes up on the screen and there is no beeping noises
it also came with absolutely 0 history but the car showed alot of signs of being mechanically well maintained despite initial impressions.
I'll post progress here as it happens
thanks for reading
I've recently given back the company car as I couldn't justify spending £300 a month for the 5 min work commute.
It was an electric car, which I thoroughly enjoyed in a mundane sort of way - a Volvo C40 with 400+ Bhp when the mood strikes.
I have a personal car, reserved more for weekends, mechanically fine but could do with a respray. However, I didnt want to subject it to daily duties as it draws far too much attention and is a bit look at me (BMW E31 with an Asbo exhaust).
Enter an impulse purchase on ebay.
Randomly came across a 2008 530i Manual while scrolling, it had 20 mins until the end of the auction and I thought it was far too cheap.
I put in a cheeky max bid below £2000 expecting to get outbid in the last 20 seconds as is usually the case.
Shock horror I won!
I then went through a few emotions that wasn't elation as I purchased it blind (something I've never done).
But it was cheap (imo) and I committed to purchase it.
So I am now the owner of this barge and at what is probably shed money:
As you can see, it survived the 150 mile journey to home ground with nothing to report mechanically.
It is quite rare being a manual but Im beginning to remember why I enjoy a Spanish gearbox so much.
The plans are to run it as a daily whilst addressing some foibles:
I hate the wheels - fishing for a swap to Spiders of MV2s
The gearknob seems to be in great condition but keeps coming off
the paintwork, although not scuffed, is in horrendous condition and needs machine polishing.
The parking sensors seem to be inoperative - nothing comes up on the screen and there is no beeping noises
it also came with absolutely 0 history but the car showed alot of signs of being mechanically well maintained despite initial impressions.
I'll post progress here as it happens
thanks for reading
Shabaza said:
It is quite rare being a manual but I'm beginning to remember why I enjoy a Spanish gearbox so much.
Spanish Gearbox 
I'd love a 5 but it's got to be an E39 for me. Preferably an M5. A couple of years ago I turned down a stunning low mileage E39 525i with deep pan alloys in Techno Violet because it it was only a 525i. Kicking myself for such stupidity.
But I am very jealous of your E31. I own an E46 330Ci and an E32 730i and an E31 in either the 4.4 or one of the two 850i engines are on my shopping list to complete my garage, along with a Porsche 928 because I had a Scalextric one and have been hooked ever since!
For some reason the E60 never really did it for me, even in V10 guise. I don't like the back of it. Or the front of it. But it looks like a nice example - congratulations OP!
A manual 530i must be quite a rarity - congratulations. 
My daily is a manual 2005 330i that now owes me less than Shed money after it got made a Cat N last year, so I can see the appeal!
Have you tried whacking the top of the gearknob to secure it as they are only a push fit? Failing that Aliexpress do some reasonable ones for about £15 unless you want to fork out £50 or more with BMW.
My daily is a manual 2005 330i that now owes me less than Shed money after it got made a Cat N last year, so I can see the appeal!
Have you tried whacking the top of the gearknob to secure it as they are only a push fit? Failing that Aliexpress do some reasonable ones for about £15 unless you want to fork out £50 or more with BMW.
Jhonno said:
LCi M Sport 530i with a manual box for less than 2k?! You sir got a bargain! Nice purchase. Looks low spec with no heated seats/small screen?
It is rather basic, but I wasn't expecting much at this price.LunarOne said:
Spanish Gearbox
I'd love a 5 but it's got to be an E39 for me. Preferably an M5. A couple of years ago I turned down a stunning low mileage E39 525i with deep pan alloys in Techno Violet because it it was only a 525i. Kicking myself for such stupidity.
But I am very jealous of your E31. I own an E46 330Ci and an E32 730i and an E31 in either the 4.4 or one of the two 850i engines are on my shopping list to complete my garage, along with a Porsche 928 because I had a Scalextric one and have been hooked ever since!
For some reason the E60 never really did it for me, even in V10 guise. I don't like the back of it. Or the front of it. But it looks like a nice example - congratulations OP!
I agree with you, my favourite 5 is the e39, weirdly, I have now owned the e34 and e60 and some how skipped the crowd favourite.I'd love a 5 but it's got to be an E39 for me. Preferably an M5. A couple of years ago I turned down a stunning low mileage E39 525i with deep pan alloys in Techno Violet because it it was only a 525i. Kicking myself for such stupidity.
But I am very jealous of your E31. I own an E46 330Ci and an E32 730i and an E31 in either the 4.4 or one of the two 850i engines are on my shopping list to complete my garage, along with a Porsche 928 because I had a Scalextric one and have been hooked ever since!
For some reason the E60 never really did it for me, even in V10 guise. I don't like the back of it. Or the front of it. But it looks like a nice example - congratulations OP!
Pic of the e34 - because why not:
So a small update on the new daily.
I have resolved the gearknob issue with some duct tape around the shifter which now makes putting the knob back on, tight enough to stay put
I dont think this knob belongs in an e60 but it looks good so I stuck with it:
On to the wheels, after some deliberation I have sourced some Spider wheels, look to be good quality replicas.
All in after a refurb they owe me £400 - Hopefully the old ones sell and I recoup some of that.
Now I've got to contend with the non working audio and parking sensors and I'll be happy to leave it at that for now. We shall see
I have resolved the gearknob issue with some duct tape around the shifter which now makes putting the knob back on, tight enough to stay put
I dont think this knob belongs in an e60 but it looks good so I stuck with it:
On to the wheels, after some deliberation I have sourced some Spider wheels, look to be good quality replicas.
All in after a refurb they owe me £400 - Hopefully the old ones sell and I recoup some of that.
Now I've got to contend with the non working audio and parking sensors and I'll be happy to leave it at that for now. We shall see
Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff