BMW 530 Sport (E39) - - Worth Buying?!
Discussion
Hi, good to be on here finally asking questions rather than reading them!
Wonder if anyone can help though?
I am looking at buying an E39 530i Sport c.2001/02. I have upto about £15k to spend and am buying one as my use for work. I will be doing about 15k miles per year.
Have looked at a 530d sport but same age/miles would cost an extra £2k it seems, so thought i'd save the cash, get the creamy 6 pot and spend the cash saved on the fuel!
If you can help with the following that would be great:
1. On a mix of spirited driving and motorways what do most people get mpg wise?
2. Is it a good car for the sort of mileage i am doing and comfortable for 2 hours driving at a time regularly?
3. Any general problems or things i should look out for when buying?
4. When is the cambelt due to be changed, and also when are the major and minor services? Has anyone got any prices for these by a specialist on average?
5. How do they age as i will keep for 2-4 years and put on anything up to 60k miles from a start at around 40k.
7.How reliable is the 3.0?
8. And what do you all find is the best thing about your 5 series?
I have just posted the same sort of thing in the Audi forum as also looking at an S3 but only because my wife really wants one of those, and thinks i'm too young at 29 for a 5 series! She's a bit mental i think....
Anyway look forward to your responses, thanks!
Wonder if anyone can help though?
I am looking at buying an E39 530i Sport c.2001/02. I have upto about £15k to spend and am buying one as my use for work. I will be doing about 15k miles per year.
Have looked at a 530d sport but same age/miles would cost an extra £2k it seems, so thought i'd save the cash, get the creamy 6 pot and spend the cash saved on the fuel!
If you can help with the following that would be great:
1. On a mix of spirited driving and motorways what do most people get mpg wise?
2. Is it a good car for the sort of mileage i am doing and comfortable for 2 hours driving at a time regularly?
3. Any general problems or things i should look out for when buying?
4. When is the cambelt due to be changed, and also when are the major and minor services? Has anyone got any prices for these by a specialist on average?
5. How do they age as i will keep for 2-4 years and put on anything up to 60k miles from a start at around 40k.
7.How reliable is the 3.0?
8. And what do you all find is the best thing about your 5 series?
I have just posted the same sort of thing in the Audi forum as also looking at an S3 but only because my wife really wants one of those, and thinks i'm too young at 29 for a 5 series! She's a bit mental i think....
Anyway look forward to your responses, thanks!
I have just part-exchanged my 2000 E39 530i Sport after 4 years and can thoroughly recommend them. Answers to some of your questions below:
1. On a mix of spirited driving and motorways what do most people get mpg wise?
Average of 30 mpg.
2. Is it a good car for the sort of mileage i am doing and comfortable for 2 hours driving at a time regularly?
Absolutely perfect.
3. Any general problems or things i should look out for when buying?
Only the normal - full service history with receipts if possible. This will show that any recommended work has been carried out. Check the alloys and front airdam for kerbing. The external temperature sensor is located there and, if damaged, can affect the operation of the air-conditioning system.
4. When is the cambelt due to be changed, and also when are the major and minor services? Has anyone got any prices for these by a specialist on average?
Don't know about the cambelt but service intervals averaged 15-20,000 miles. Mine was normally serviced at Damon Hill BMW. There is a discount on labour rates etc on cars older than 4 years.
5. How do they age as i will keep for 2-4 years and put on anything up to 60k miles from a start at around 40k.
Mine had 146,000 miles when I sold it. One small rust spot on the C pillar. Only problems were desa flaps (to do with the engine air intake) sticking at 125,000 miles and an engine sensor failing causing the car to stall. Everything else was normal wear and tear.
7.How reliable is the 3.0?
No problems other than increased oil consumption towards the end.
8. And what do you all find is the best thing about your 5 series?
Excellent sports saloon. Carries 5 adults comfortably, big boot, handles well for a large car and no one expects it to accelerate as quickly as it does. I would recommend the automatic/steptronic gearbox. It is great for motorway driving and you can knock it into sport mode for semi-manual use.
1. On a mix of spirited driving and motorways what do most people get mpg wise?
Average of 30 mpg.
2. Is it a good car for the sort of mileage i am doing and comfortable for 2 hours driving at a time regularly?
Absolutely perfect.
3. Any general problems or things i should look out for when buying?
Only the normal - full service history with receipts if possible. This will show that any recommended work has been carried out. Check the alloys and front airdam for kerbing. The external temperature sensor is located there and, if damaged, can affect the operation of the air-conditioning system.
4. When is the cambelt due to be changed, and also when are the major and minor services? Has anyone got any prices for these by a specialist on average?
Don't know about the cambelt but service intervals averaged 15-20,000 miles. Mine was normally serviced at Damon Hill BMW. There is a discount on labour rates etc on cars older than 4 years.
5. How do they age as i will keep for 2-4 years and put on anything up to 60k miles from a start at around 40k.
Mine had 146,000 miles when I sold it. One small rust spot on the C pillar. Only problems were desa flaps (to do with the engine air intake) sticking at 125,000 miles and an engine sensor failing causing the car to stall. Everything else was normal wear and tear.
7.How reliable is the 3.0?
No problems other than increased oil consumption towards the end.
8. And what do you all find is the best thing about your 5 series?
Excellent sports saloon. Carries 5 adults comfortably, big boot, handles well for a large car and no one expects it to accelerate as quickly as it does. I would recommend the automatic/steptronic gearbox. It is great for motorway driving and you can knock it into sport mode for semi-manual use.
On the cambelt issue - there is no cambelt on this engine, it's a timing chain and hence does not need replacement at a precised mileage age etc...
I've a yr 2000 523 with the sports pack. On the ageing front, I bought mine at 69k miles with the intention of keeping it a for a year or so. 18months on and now at 100k miles it feels just the same and far from worn out. The best car of its type I've had.
Fiddlemesticks said:
1. On a mix of spirited driving and motorways what do most people
get mpg wise?
I used to get 27 mpg, but that has dipped recently to 25 mpg
because I am now doing a lot more overtaking of the 40 mph club.
Fiddlemesticks said:
2. Is it a good car for the sort of mileage i am doing and
comfortable for 2 hours driving at a time regularly?
Yes and I've been in mine for six hours a day no problems.
Fiddlemesticks said:
3. Any general problems or things i should look out for when buying?
FBMWSH is mandatory. It's a 30K car and when it breaks it can get
expensive. Luckily it doesn't break very often.
Fiddlemesticks said:
4. When is the cambelt due to be changed, and also when are the
major and minor services? Has anyone got any prices for these by
a specialist on average?
The service interval is variable length. I get about 15K to 17K
between services. 200 for the minor service, 300 for the medium
service and about 400 for the major service.
Fiddlemesticks said:
5. How do they age as i will keep for 2-4 years and put on
anything up to 60k miles from a start at around 40k.
They age well. Ten years and 200K seems to be the design lifetime.
Plenty of folks have 100K on them. Mine's on 75K and I haven't
finished running it in yet.
Fiddlemesticks said:
7.How reliable is the 3.0?
Very.
Fiddlemesticks said:
8. And what do you all find is the best thing about your 5 series?
They way it is clear that a lot of Bavarians have spent thousands
of hours thinking how to make a refined medium range saloon.
It's the accountant's choice. Looks nothing special, relatively
cheap to run but goes and handles well enough to put chariots
like the Sierra Cosworth, M-B C class and Audi A6 to shame.
An excellent thread - I have similar plans to the original poster but unfortunately a smaller budget!
I am planning to spend between £7000 and £10000 on a 2000-2002 530i Sport but intend to purchase a high mileage example because I see no value in the premium for a low mileage car.
Is there anything additional I should know, which might also affect the OP?
I've seen cars in my price range from 70k mile 2000 X reg examples right up to 110k mile 52 plate cars from both private sellers and specialist retailers such as Bigmotoringworld.co.uk (Who always see to have 100-110k 51/02/52 platers for around £10k) so think my expectations of a good example for my budget are reasonable.
I am budgeting £200-£300 a month excluding insurance (Which is £1200 a year) to run the car. Is this optimistic? I will do less than 6000 miles a year around town so fuel costs are of no concern.
My other question is that is the 525i Sport worth considering as an alternative? I've driven a 525i manual and found the performance was fine but feel I'll regret not buying the 530i - I've only driven a 530i Steptronic so far, as dealers don't really want me to test drive anything.
I am planning to spend between £7000 and £10000 on a 2000-2002 530i Sport but intend to purchase a high mileage example because I see no value in the premium for a low mileage car.
Is there anything additional I should know, which might also affect the OP?
I've seen cars in my price range from 70k mile 2000 X reg examples right up to 110k mile 52 plate cars from both private sellers and specialist retailers such as Bigmotoringworld.co.uk (Who always see to have 100-110k 51/02/52 platers for around £10k) so think my expectations of a good example for my budget are reasonable.
I am budgeting £200-£300 a month excluding insurance (Which is £1200 a year) to run the car. Is this optimistic? I will do less than 6000 miles a year around town so fuel costs are of no concern.
My other question is that is the 525i Sport worth considering as an alternative? I've driven a 525i manual and found the performance was fine but feel I'll regret not buying the 530i - I've only driven a 530i Steptronic so far, as dealers don't really want me to test drive anything.
TWFox said:
I am budgeting £200-£300 a month excluding insurance (Which is
£1200 a year) to run the car. Is this optimistic?
I will do less than 6000 miles a year around town so fuel costs are
of no concern.
At 6,000 miles a year you are not using it very much.
That's a service every couple of years or so.
6000 miles a year at 25 mpg and 95p a liter is about £90
a month in petrol. Well inside your budget.
Add in a £110 a corner for tyres.
TWFox said:
My other question is that is the 525i Sport worth considering as
an alternative?
Yes - you tell us you are only doing 6K around town, so the
extra performance the 530 provides over the 525 won't get used much.
You could even go for the 520. Some folks complain about
it being slow, but it's still a six cylinder 140 mph car.
Personal choice, but I'd avoid the Sport models - way too firm
[ ohh err missus ] for my taste.
Gassing Station | BMW General | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff