New car: E39 540i or 528i

[Bruno]

Sorry guys, but I want to start learning about new Bmws, I now have a 325is E36 that is nice to drive.

But I need another daily driver:
So E39 528i? Cheap on gas and easy to work on
or the powerfull 4.4L 540i expensive on inssurance and gas???

Pro - Cons???

[Tiger]

Drive a 540i and you will never go back...

[Super90]

Work on a V8 and you'll long for the six!!

Bruno, you know better than I, but:

V8 - more power, more weight, more maintenance, more expensive engine parts, less room to work

I6 - less power, less weight, very reliable, less maintenance, cheaper parts, lots of room to work.

After having the M60, my next 5er in the E39 line would be a 530i, or the 528i, then maybe the 540i. If money were no object, the M5 !!

For the daily "grocery getter" the 528i with a manual gear box would be great.

[G Feller]

Have spent time in E39 540s and a 528 Sport, the 540 just feels heavier, less balanced. A 528 or 530 Sport manual would do very nicely for an everyday car if I could not find a suitable E34 535 or M5. I do think the E39 feels bigger, although it is a bit lighter, and not quite as tossable as the E34.




I6 - less power, less weight, very reliable, less maintenance, cheaper parts, lots of room to work.

my next 5er in the E39 line would be a 530i, or the 528i, then maybe the 540i. If money were no object, the M5 !!

For the daily "grocery getter" the 528i with a manual gear box would be great.

[Tiger]

M5... really??? That's a V8 that you hate... very contradicting...

[Tiger]

Apple to orange... non-sport to sport setup.

[G Feller]

Although an E39 M5 would keep me plenty happy if I could afford it, I have a particular affection for the last of the hand-built M cars (not counting the Z8 as an M).

If I had to do it all over again, I might go for an E34 535im instead of a 540, but I knew basically what I was getting into and I have no complaints. Except the one I will post in a little while about the whistling sound.


M5... really??? That's a V8 that you hate... very contradicting...

[mikemaster]

You should test drive both. The 528 and 530 have better steering feel, but the power of the 540 is addictive. If maintenance $$$ is a big concern, the sixes do cost less to maintain. BTW, my e39 540 gets better gas mileage than my e34 535, both on trips and around town.

[Brandon J]

Owning an e39 540i I would definitely say the 540i. Yes, it may feel less balanced, but part of that is weight and part of that is the R&B steering. An e34 540i sport 6spd feels heavier than a 525i, but that does not mean it is any less sporty.

If this car is going to be your daily driver (or one of them), then get the 540i. Everything on that car is basically the same price as the 528i, really. Just think suspension and brakes. The front brakes are larger than the 528's. I swapped in a set of front and rear e39 M5 brakes into mine. Unless you want to always tinker to get more torque and power from your everyday car, I would get the 540i. Plenty of power off hand and do not need to do anything but maybe the suspension. You would probably change the suspension on the 528 anyways. Remember that it is very difficult to leave well enough alone, but if you have an engine that has everything available for it in the aftermarket (ahem...2.8L), then you will definitely spend more money in the long run.

Both have their trends for problems and are not comaprable, but in prices. They pretty much even out. They both have their preventative maintenance and preventative repairs. Spend more time on your track car and less time on your daily driver. Getting a CPO or one with an extended warranty is the best option for cost/time whether 528i or 540i. Mine already paid for itself twice since I am so picky.

Good luck with your choice.

[Super90]

I respectfully disagree.

Engine parts prices and maintenance are not the same! M60s and M62s have more expensive parts and more problems. Ask any well seasoned BMW wrench. Yes, the brakes and suspension and lots of other items are the same but not the engine tranny, etc.! And no it doesn't even out on those things.

V8 have leaky valve covers that warp. They are a real headache. Its not a matter of if, but when. Power steering hoses get cooked by the exhaust and fail far more early. P/S hoses are in really nasty spots too and there is no room to work. Ask me how I know! PCV plates and intake seals are a problem. The M60s had problems with galley covers leaking, maybe the M62s have this sorted out.

Every part on that V8 is more expensive than an I6. Call Patrick and Yves; they'll tell you. Heck even the maintenance kit is more. More plugs, a second fuel filter, two O2 Sensors. Oh and when your cats fail, please call me and tell me how much you love your V8. They are $1k ea. for the OE part (BMA pricing) and yes, my friend, you have two of them. There are aftermarket replacements, but the quality is very questionable. Radiators and water pumps cost more, last I purchased them. There are more hoses to replace. And the list goes on and on. It's lots of little stuff, but it adds up fast over the years.

Just my experience on this. It's a wonderful power plant while it works right, but when doing maintenance, it can sometimes be a real pain.

YMMV, but I doubt it ;-)

[Brandon J]

From personal experience (and from talking to owners since I got the car new 5.5 years ago)with the e39 540i M62 I disagree. Valve covers can seap, but not leak as bad. The M62 has many of the M60 problems sorted out. A lot of the common problems on the e34 does not occur as often with the M62. Cats still have a longer warranty than on OBDI cars. Everyone goes afermarket even if it was a 6cyl; unless there is a warranty. And for those that had their cats replaced under warranty then there are newer cats already on those used cars. The e39 has a lot of the problems of the e34 V8s sorted out. Now it isn't perfect, but a lot less problematic. Don't even have to worry about the oil pump bolt on the M62.

The tranny is strong too, so no need to replace. The clutchs aren't too far off price of one another. Maintenance is the same, just change fluid.

And again, there are a lot of mods that need to be done to a 6cyl to get to the power of the V8. So less money is spent on the car and less wrenching time spent doing the mods. My e39 540i has been bulletproof. The biggest problem I encountered was the radiator neck failure. Got it replaced under extended warranty. That's another thing that is great. It is possible to find an e39 car with an extended warranty. The e34s don't come with one.