E39 a good deal?

[Hallmark]

So I have two '95 525's and love 'em both. We've been looking for a car for my daughter to go off to school on (she has been driving for about three years). In the process we came across a '97 E39 528 with 113K miles on it. By using my wifes dealer discount we can get it for $7900 incl TT&L. So now we're thinking of getting the E39 for me and giving my daughter my E34.

Assuming the car checks out mechanically, will I be as happy with the E39 as with the E34? I keep going over the specs and reviews, but find as much to make me doubt as I find to make me like it.

Anyone have experience with both out there?

Help

[Kalevera]

Do you like driving it as much as you like the e34?

I'd make the decision based on that.

best, whit

[Robin-535im]

Only a little experience... when my first 535 got totalled I test drove half a dozen E39's. An anthracite 530 sport / 5-speed almost made it's way into my garage... but it was $30k and only drove a wee bit better than a souped up 535.

My feeling was that they were a little more on the Mercedes side - a luxury car more than a driving enthusiast's car. But then again, a stock e34 with no upgrades is very different from a tuned up one, so maybe the e39 can be made to feel really tight if you work through the suspension with upgraded parts.

The price is great - I say you buy it and if it's not as fun as the e34, give your daughter the e39 and take your e34 back! Compared to what else you can get for $7k, you can't beat the safety.

- Robin

[Hallmark]

The ultimate test drive, and I get to keep / go back to my point of comparison!
http://www.bimmer.info/forum/newrepl...reply&p=72113#
Big Grin
Thanks

Only a little experience... when my first 535 got totalled I test drove half a dozen E39's. An anthracite 530 sport / 5-speed almost made it's way into my garage... but it was $30k and only drove a wee bit better than a souped up 535.

My feeling was that they were a little more on the Mercedes side - a luxury car more than a driving enthusiast's car. But then again, a stock e34 with no upgrades is very different from a tuned up one, so maybe the e39 can be made to feel really tight if you work through the suspension with upgraded parts.

The price is great - I say you buy it and if it's not as fun as the e34, give your daughter the e39 and take your e34 back! Compared to what else you can get for $7k, you can't beat the safety.

- Robin

[granit_silber]

Mark,

Here's a link to Total BMW's (british mag) buying guide for e39's. It's dated from November '01.

http://www.totalbmwmag.com/Buying/BuyingNov01.pdf

The Feb 05 issue has a revisited buyer's giude to teh V8 e39.

Major downers
-Aluminum suspension components (pricey)
-Not a DIY car (their estimation)
-Still has very high running/maintaince costs
-Many more computers to fry or malfunction

Major Uppers
-great performance
-getting a 40k+ car for 7k

-ashley

[Hallmark]

A few months back Bruno switched to focusing on the E39, as I recall. Is the E39 one a person with a mechanical aptitude can work on at home?

Mark,

Here's a link to Total BMW's (british mag) buying guide for e39's. It's dated from November '01.

http://www.totalbmwmag.com/Buying/BuyingNov01.pdf

The Feb 05 issue has a revisited buyer's giude to teh V8 e39.

Major downers
-Aluminum suspension components (pricey)
-Not a DIY car (their estimation)
-Still has very high running/maintaince costs
-Many more computers to fry or malfunction

Major Uppers
-great performance
-getting a 40k+ car for 7k

-ashley

[bjl4776]

I believe switched to the e36 because of its ability to make a track car easily. Im assuming that there are more electronics which mean that there are more things that can go wrong and be expensive, but I don't think the majority of the mainentance stuff changes.