e38 or e39
Moderator: martauto
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bmwbmwbmw
- E30 Zone Regular

- Posts: 429
- Joined: Sat Jan 15, 2011 11:00 pm
hi guys and girls, i just want your opinions on what car i should get, either the e38 or another e39.
i have a e39 2.5 which i love and think that it is one of the most incredible 5 series, but unfortunately my other half (silly women) has started to drive my e39 and she does not want to give it back so i need to replace my daily driver. i was thinking of another e39 diesel, but i also love the e38 and have never had one. i know whats expected from a e39 but will a e38 be a better motor and i know they don't come in diesel and dont mind a hefty petrol engine.
so guys and girls what shall i go
i have a e39 2.5 which i love and think that it is one of the most incredible 5 series, but unfortunately my other half (silly women) has started to drive my e39 and she does not want to give it back so i need to replace my daily driver. i was thinking of another e39 diesel, but i also love the e38 and have never had one. i know whats expected from a e39 but will a e38 be a better motor and i know they don't come in diesel and dont mind a hefty petrol engine.
so guys and girls what shall i go
89' e30 cabby (road project)
89' mazda 323 turbo 4x4 bf (road project)
89' mazda 323 turbo 4x4 bf (died, it still has its place in my hart) im really sorry for abusing you, please forgive me
99' 525i sport manual with m5 bits (daily driver)
89' mazda 323 turbo 4x4 bf (road project)
89' mazda 323 turbo 4x4 bf (died, it still has its place in my hart) im really sorry for abusing you, please forgive me
99' 525i sport manual with m5 bits (daily driver)
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kingludba
- E30 Zone Regular

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- Location: Farnborough, Hampshire
If you already have an e39 then go for the e38! Im not sure on the running cost, probably a little bit higher than the e39 if you going for the V8`s. Theres a Dark Metallic Green 740i down the road from me, up for sale at £2500, pretty cheap considering that its in top condition.
Bargain to be had with these.
Cheers
Bargain to be had with these.
Cheers

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hennared323i
- Old Skooler

- Posts: 2349
- Joined: Wed Jul 25, 2007 11:00 pm
E38 - budget 10% of its new price at time of sale per year for maintenance + lots in the first year of ownership
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BackPeddler
- E30 Zone Newbie

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- Joined: Mon May 14, 2007 11:00 pm
- Location: Monkeyville
I've had the following,
E38 728i individual 1998 purple with cream leather purple piping
E38 740i 1997 dark silver with grey leather
E39 523i se 1999 silver with black leather
E39 530i sport 2001 silver with black leather
E39 540i sport manual 1999 blue with cream leather
E39 M5 2000 light blue with black leather
E39 530d sport 2001 blue with black leather
Each car summed up in one word,
728i Slow
740i Boring
523i Lame
530i Thirsty
540i Mental
M5 Nightmare
530d Perfect
Get a late 530d sport in any colour with black leather and don't look back.
Best car I've ever owned.
Should never have sold it and my friend that bought it should never have wrote it off.
E38 728i individual 1998 purple with cream leather purple piping
E38 740i 1997 dark silver with grey leather
E39 523i se 1999 silver with black leather
E39 530i sport 2001 silver with black leather
E39 540i sport manual 1999 blue with cream leather
E39 M5 2000 light blue with black leather
E39 530d sport 2001 blue with black leather
Each car summed up in one word,
728i Slow
740i Boring
523i Lame
530i Thirsty
540i Mental
M5 Nightmare
530d Perfect
Get a late 530d sport in any colour with black leather and don't look back.
Best car I've ever owned.
Should never have sold it and my friend that bought it should never have wrote it off.
When a hammer is your only tool, every problem becomes a nail.
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gazm3
- E30 Zone Addict

- Posts: 3323
- Joined: Sun Jan 09, 2005 11:00 pm
Very good advise above.
Avoid early 525tds, I had nothing but problems with my old one.
Injector pump failed pissing derv into alternator.
Now have the thirsty above.
Avoid early 525tds, I had nothing but problems with my old one.
Injector pump failed pissing derv into alternator.
Now have the thirsty above.

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pony
- I have been misbehaving and am sorry !
- Posts: 6620
- Joined: Sat Feb 11, 2006 11:00 pm
- Location: London
why was the BMW E39 M5 a nightmare it is meant to be in the top 5 of the vehicles ever produced by BMW M GmbH????BackPeddler wrote:I've had the following,
E38 728i individual 1998 purple with cream leather purple piping
E38 740i 1997 dark silver with grey leather
E39 523i se 1999 silver with black leather
E39 530i sport 2001 silver with black leather
E39 540i sport manual 1999 blue with cream leather
E39 M5 2000 light blue with black leather
E39 530d sport 2001 blue with black leather
Each car summed up in one word,
728i Slow
740i Boring
523i Lame
530i Thirsty
540i Mental
M5 Nightmare
530d Perfect
Get a late 530d sport in any colour with black leather and don't look back.
Best car I've ever owned.
Should never have sold it and my friend that bought it should never have wrote it off.
During its time if you wanted one car to do everything you could not go wrong with a E46 M3 or E39 M5 and they were and still are great looking cars with great engines.
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mattrs
- E30 Zone Squatter

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maintenance costs I would guess 
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bmwbmwbmw
- E30 Zone Regular

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- Joined: Sat Jan 15, 2011 11:00 pm
thanks for the advice guys, i have seen a 530d but its not the m sport on a w reg, the car is fully loaded with the sat nav etc, he has advertised it at 2700, but its not the sport model, and also for same money a 750 on a x, are they at a good price and which one will be better 
89' e30 cabby (road project)
89' mazda 323 turbo 4x4 bf (road project)
89' mazda 323 turbo 4x4 bf (died, it still has its place in my hart) im really sorry for abusing you, please forgive me
99' 525i sport manual with m5 bits (daily driver)
89' mazda 323 turbo 4x4 bf (road project)
89' mazda 323 turbo 4x4 bf (died, it still has its place in my hart) im really sorry for abusing you, please forgive me
99' 525i sport manual with m5 bits (daily driver)
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pony
- I have been misbehaving and am sorry !
- Posts: 6620
- Joined: Sat Feb 11, 2006 11:00 pm
- Location: London
the Met in London were big fans of the E39 530ds
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BackPeddler
- E30 Zone Newbie

- Posts: 134
- Joined: Mon May 14, 2007 11:00 pm
- Location: Monkeyville
The M5 I had was a never ending money pit and it drank oil like pissheads eat curry.
2 of my pals have also had E39 M5's, one of them had 2. Those cars were money pits also, so 4 cars all consuming oil and funds like they were going out of style.
Most eagerly awaited and most disappointing car I've ever owned, go figure...
2 of my pals have also had E39 M5's, one of them had 2. Those cars were money pits also, so 4 cars all consuming oil and funds like they were going out of style.
Most eagerly awaited and most disappointing car I've ever owned, go figure...
When a hammer is your only tool, every problem becomes a nail.
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BackPeddler
- E30 Zone Newbie

- Posts: 134
- Joined: Mon May 14, 2007 11:00 pm
- Location: Monkeyville
get the diesel
When a hammer is your only tool, every problem becomes a nail.
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pony
- I have been misbehaving and am sorry !
- Posts: 6620
- Joined: Sat Feb 11, 2006 11:00 pm
- Location: London
E39 M5 V8BackPeddler wrote:The M5 I had was a never ending money pit and it drank oil like pissheads eat curry.
2 of my pals have also had E39 M5's, one of them had 2. Those cars were money pits also, so 4 cars all consuming oil and funds like they were going out of style.
Most eagerly awaited and most disappointing car I've ever owned, go figure...
i remember reading somewhere there is these have high oil consumption though within acceptable tolerances BMW says its ok but i dont know what the tolerance was. Did you check how much oil it was using compared to what BMW says was acceptable?
What was the reason behind these fine models burning so much oil? They received such praise from launch all the way till the end of the model cycle.
E60 M5 V10
It makes me wonder what will happen to the V10 M5 models and when they end up in the "wrong hands" especially when they get below £10k?
E28 M5 Straight-6
I seen advertised the original M5 restored by 4 star classics for about 15k and that is MORE than you can get a E39 M5 for.
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BackPeddler
- E30 Zone Newbie

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- Joined: Mon May 14, 2007 11:00 pm
- Location: Monkeyville
Yes they were within spec.
When driven hard mine was getting through a litre a week. Petes was getting through a litre a week, every week
When driven hard mine was getting through a litre a week. Petes was getting through a litre a week, every week
When a hammer is your only tool, every problem becomes a nail.
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bmpaul
- E30 Zone Regular

- Posts: 300
- Joined: Sat Feb 25, 2006 11:00 pm
- Location: south london (croydon area)
Well ive had a e39 528i then a e34 525i now ive just bought a e38 728i and as pointed out its not the fastest thing in the world, it potters about nicely, you just watt about in comfort and it turns a few heads which is nice bonus, I went for one as I've had an e39 so I thought I would try the 7 for a change.
E39 530d M-sport- quite nippy
