98 540i vs 91 525i + $6500

[Dom]

I have a chance to get a good deal on a clean 98 540i 6sp. 58,000 miles.
I have a clean, good running 91 525i that I do all the maintenance on, 160,000 miles.
From what I spend on the 540 and what I think I can get for my 525 the difference is about $6000 to $7000.
Like I said I do all the maintence/tune ups and gas mileage is a consideration.
What do you guys think?
I appreciate your opinions.

[BMWDriver]

You're likely to get better mileage from the 540, especially since the engine is newer. The key is inertia, where a bigger engine works less to keep a car at speed or to accelerate. People with 540 e34s seem to do better mileage than my non-Vanos M50 525i, by a few mpg. Engine management also has progressed a lot through the years.

I can't talk about maintenance much; a not too well taken care of recent car will cost more medium term than a well maintained older car, but you know that. Of course you'll have a learning curve for maintenance.

Even though the car is clean, an inspection will make sure there are no problems about. You just never know what's about to fail. I understand there is another forum where e39s are discussed more. You might want to look into a "what problems arise on the e39" thread, or a "what to look out for".

If the owner has a record of repairs, that's an excellent thing.

540i 6sp; sounds very tempting! Good luck !

[winfred]

major roll of the dice on how the 540 will treat your wallet, i had a customer find a good deal on a 98 or 99 i can't remember and in a couple months had spent over $7k on it with us before he said **** this and sold it, it still had a few scheduled failures to go that would of added another grand or two to that

that's about as bad as it gets but nothing failed that was out of the ordinary just the fact it all hit at once

[Paul in NZ]

you can still do a lot of work on E39,s I am considering the same swap at the moment.Much harder choice though,the car I am looking at is not pristine,however it is only the second one i have seen in 2 years.The best forum for the e39 seems to be this (http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=202) one and there are lots of resources on the web.Like the e34 a lot of the problem that face the E39 owner are the same across the whole model range,whilst the V8 seems to be harder on its cooling system

[Ross]

FWIW I prefer the E34 to the E39 if equipped with comparable drivelines. Not a fair comparison in your circumstance.
E39s are prone to far more electronics failures as well as your typical E34 foibles. Buy your ABS computer now.
Visibility stinks, so do the mirrors, the ride and feel are more sedate than the E34. If BMW built Buicks the E39 528 would be it.
A V-8 with a gearbox makes up for a lot of the negatives though.

[bubba966]

As was said above you're likely to get better gas mileage with the 540. I see better mileage on my M-Sport than a friend does on her '95 525iT. And the M-Sport is a much better drive than a 525...

[ryan roopnarine]

your real world highway gas mileage is going to be better in the car that you already have, the better city gas mileage sounds like it makes sense.

[bubba966]

your real world highway gas mileage is going to be better in the car that you already have, the better city gas mileage sounds like it makes sense.

As far as mileage between my M-Sport & my friend's 525 I see a 1 1/2-2MPG increase over her in city driving, and a 3-4MPG increase in highway driving.

My car has Dinan engine software and is otherwise stock.

Her car has stock software, but has UUC underdrive pulleys and a Stewart water pump.

Forgot to add that I've got my AC on all of the time, she rarely has hers on.

[ryan roopnarine]

displacement is what's going to limit the highway mpg. my 1992 525i with 4.10 end and autotrans, eat chip has gotten, at highest, about 36.5 mpg at 55mph. i know that there was a 530i owner on here that was able to snag 35mpg at 55. those are american mpgs, not imperial. i would assume that that depends on what kind of road you are driving on, the age of the oil in your crankcase, et cetera, but even then, the extra litre and a half drops down the maximum, even if the car is loafing along at 2k or so.

the same car will get 29-30 at 70 mph on fresh 5w30 (ac on) over a relatively short 100 mile trip.


As far as mileage between my M-Sport & my friend's 525 I see a 1 1/2-2MPG increase over her in city driving, and a 3-4MPG increase in highway driving.

My car has Dinan engine software and is otherwise stock.

Her car has stock software, but has UUC underdrive pulleys and a Stewart water pump.

Forgot to add that I've got my AC on all of the time, she rarely has hers on.

[Paul in NZ]

an e39 540i6 has a very high final drive ratio and six gears.At 60 mph its prolly doing less than 2000 rpm.With six gears you can really baby them along,if you want to of course

[Dom]

Boy I love my 525i and will hate to see it gone.
I'll be talking to my friend about the 540 next week and let you all know what I decided. I bought my 525 from him and he just bought a new X5.
One good thing is that he's pretty well off and doesn't know a wrench from a screw driver, so it was over to the dealer for everything, over to the detailer every month for a cleanup. The dealer only offered him ~$6000 for the 98 540i.
Thanks again.

[ryan roopnarine]

an e39 540i6 has a very high final drive ratio and six gears.At 60 mph its prolly doing less than 2000 rpm.With six gears you can really baby them along,if you want to of course


i realise that the original poster has already resolved this, but.....
if it were all revs, my car would get terrible gas mileage. the 4.10 makes it spin at least 3k to do 70. down in the city, the ability to go low without lugging may help more than on the highway.

[Paul in NZ]

you are right ryan its not all revs,but with lots of turque and high gearing the 540(4.4 L) is suprisingly good,but not as good as the 525 on the highway as you suggest.

[Dom]

I took a hard look and long drive in my friends 98 540i. Beautiful car with a ton of power. He wanted ~$10,000, which I thought was a very good price.
But I decided to keep my 91 525i. He has the sports model, the 525i is more comfortable, a lot more room in the front seats.
As far as power, I'm a cruiser these days, I don't need that kinda power. His computer read 14 avg mpg.
I've maintained my car very well, I plan to fix a couple of little things, keep it and use that $10,000 for a little pickup truck.
Thanks for your help --- Dom

[Dom]

I took a hard look and long drive in my friends 98 540i. Beautiful car with a ton of power. He wanted ~$10,000, which I thought was a very good price.
But I decided to keep my 91 525i. He has the sports model, the 525i is more comfortable, a lot more room in the front seats.
As far as power, I'm a cruiser these days, I don't need that kinda power. His computer read 14 avg mpg.
I've maintained my car very well, I plan to fix a couple of little things, keep it and use that $10,000 for a little pickup truck.
Thanks for your help --- Dom

[Ross]

Group hug

[Elekta]

that's a good call. I have an E34 and a 57 chevy for the price of a good E39M5. I get two good cars for the price of one newer bmw. Both require attention and are not perfect by any means, but the driving experience saves the day in each case. The 6 speed in the M5T allows for great mileage if you drive conservatively, and the 57 has a 67 camero 2bbl carb that gets 18mpg in the city...insurance is better too.

[Paul in NZ]

that's a good call. I have an E34 and a 57 chevy for the price of a good E39M5. I get two good cars for the price of one newer bmw. Both require attention and are not perfect by any means, but the driving experience saves the day in each case. The 6 speed in the M5T allows for great mileage if you drive conservatively, and the 57 has a 67 camero 2bbl carb that gets 18mpg in the city...insurance is better too.
I wouldnt say the M5T is any old E34 Geoff!