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Peter Fenwick View Drop Down
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    Posted: 09-November-2006 at 18:31

I have been pleasantly supprised at how nimble my 530 feels considering how big it is, however I have been informed by some drivers of more performance orientated machinery that the only one that handles well is the M5. In fact one person actually said thay the e39 was not designed to go round corners and that I was wearing BMW blinkers. I would have simply ignored them but several have driven them and one is a traffic cop with quite a bit of motoring experience

So what do they other e39 drivers think, especialy those that have driven more high performance cars. Am I fooling myself or is the E39 as good on the twisties as it is on the motorway?
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i don't think it handles badly at all but there's no escaping the fact that it just can't be as nimble round the twisty country lanes as a hot hatch due to it's size and weight, this goes for the m5 too, in fact even more so as the v8 engined models are reputed to not have as good steering and are more nose-heavy

a vauxhall omega and the e39 are the biggest cars i've owned so far and i've found neither really lacking in the handling dept. (apart from the omega which seemed to have very little weight over the rear end - great fun in the wet even with a little 2.0 engine)



Edited by stephenperry

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Originally posted by Peter Fenwick Peter Fenwick wrote:

I have been pleasantly supprised at how nimble my 530 feels considering how big it is, however I have been informed by some drivers of more performance orientated machinery that the only one that handles well is the M5. In fact one person actually said thay the e39 was not designed to go round corners and that I was wearing BMW blinkers. I would have simply ignored them but several have driven them and one is a traffic cop with quite a bit of motoring experience

So what do they other e39 drivers think, especialy those that have driven more high performance cars. Am I fooling myself or is the E39 as good on the twisties as it is on the motorway?



Utter ********. The E39 handles astoundingly well, for that matter, even the E34 handles damn well. The M5's are a big jump up from stock in both cases, but the drivers of more performance oriented machinery are speaking out of their R. Soles.


Edited by thepits
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Originally posted by stephenperry stephenperry wrote:

i don't think it handles badly at all but there's no escaping the fact that it just can't be as nimble round the twisty country lanes as a hot hatch due to it's size and weight



I'll take those odds. I've humbled A3 drivers in my E24 round country lanes, I reckon a 530 would give them a very big fright indeed.
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i meant old school hot hatches, not the lardy monstrosities of today which can hardly pull their own bodyweight let alone anything else

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I'd still take my chances. 
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A lot of people get confused between handling & roadholding.

The E39 may not be as agile as a hatchback but it will handle better - no unseemly fwd scrabble for a start. You know what it's doing which allows you to drive with confidence. It's still the benchmark for medium/large saloons.

The greater weight also pays off by making the car more stable through the corners. My brother (a traffic cop for many years) says his old 24-valve Senator could maul any hot hatch that tried to outrun him. Could be that driver training helped there though.

True, M5 apart, you won't worry any Porches with an E39 but that's comparing bananas with oranges (or a similar simile).

People who say an E39 doesn't handle have either never driven one, don't know what they're talking about or are comparing it to some trackday special.

You have a 530 - ask them what they drive then adopt a slightly smug, superior attitude!


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A 530 is probably the optimum handling/performing E39, due to excellent
power output coupled with the six-pot allowing room for rack-and-pinion
steering; To make a fair comparison, you have to look at other four-seat
saloons.   I would think hot hatches would be blown into the weeds on any
road other than really twisty D roads.   Of course something like a 911 is a
different type of animal altogether - try getting 4 people into it for a ten
hour trip!

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is the 530 not a v8?

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The E39 530i used the M54 straight 6
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Originally posted by stephenperry stephenperry wrote:

is the 530 not a v8?


No, it's a straight six. The old E34 530 was a V8. The E39 530 was a rebored 528.
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Originally posted by spokey spokey wrote:

Originally posted by stephenperry stephenperry wrote:

is the 530 not a v8?


No, it's a straight six. The old E34 530 was a V8. The E39 530 was a rebored 528.

The first E34 530 was a staight6, then it was replaced by a V8 at the same time the 540 appeared and the 535 disappeared.

Glad to see this has got everyone interested.

I have not had a chance to really trst the cars limits yet, especially since the P6000s on the back are getting low on tread. I did however have a little bit of fun last night and found the car very capable, especially at making quick progress down a bumpy road that would have had other cars I've owned (Typ-R Honda ) tramlining all over.

 

 
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Originally posted by Peter Fenwick Peter Fenwick wrote:

P6000s


Change them. The car will become even better.
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I love my GY Eagle F1s.
Fronts are well worn and still great adhesion in the wet!
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Couldn't get F1's for my little compact - had to get NTSC's instead. Better than the rubber that was on.
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I agree, eagle F1 have been a good tyre for me too. Good grip, good ware and look the business on the alloys. Will be putting them on the front when the others have worn.

With regatrd to handling i woulkd say the e39 is pretty good considering its weight and length. Im allways scared the back end will fly out though so i chill out a little on the roundabouts. Had to many near missess. I find when when the back end goes it goes and there aint no stopping it, either that or it must have been some oil.....
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Originally posted by spokey spokey wrote:

Originally posted by Peter Fenwick Peter Fenwick wrote:

P6000s


Change them. The car will become even better.

I'm going to, but I am waiting till they need to be changed. I'm going to put some Toyo proxes T1Rs on.  
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Peter Fenwick View Drop Down
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Originally posted by Exharper Exharper wrote:

I find when when the back end goes it goes and there aint no stopping it, either that or it must have been some oil.....

Does yours not have some form of traction control? Mind you that wouldn't stop oversteer anyway. Roundabouts can be notorious for Diesel spills. I've had more than my fair share of scary moments thanks to Diesel on the road. I have DSC on mine which is very usefull when it's wet. The best bit is that it still allows a few degrees of slide before it cuts in

I have heard that it is not possible to totally turn off the DSC. Is this true?
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Originally posted by AndyS AndyS wrote:

My brother (a traffic cop for many years) says his old 24-valve Senator could maul any hot hatch that tried to outrun him.
 

Spot on Sir... The most under rated car of the late 80's and early 90's.  204bhp and 270Nm and get it fixed at any Vauxhall Dealer for pennies! 

I used to get chavs in their Golf Gti's wanting to race me from the lights when I had my 3.0i 24v Sennie.  I used to win no bother.  The only thing that gave my Sennie a run for its money were a Volvo T5, bigger engined 5 Series and once upon a time a Vauxhall Zafira GLS, the one that had the 2.0 Turbo engine from the Calibra and Cavalier. 

I loved my Sennie and even cried the first night of owning my E39 which I had traded my Sennie in for, OMG, I'm getting emotional now, OMG I must be turning into a women.

Slap slap

Ah that's better.... The E39 is far better in the road holding and handling dept than the Sennie.  It is far harder to get the back end to step out in my E39 than my Sennie and I don't think that is just due to the lesser amounts of power from my BM than the Sennie.  The E39 has one of the most advanced chassis's so is more than capable of putting its power down without the ar$e end swinging ala Dukes of Hazzard Style or Sennie style!

Andrew 
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Originally posted by Peter Fenwick Peter Fenwick wrote:

I'm going to, but I am waiting till they need to be changed. I'm going to put some Toyo proxes T1Rs on.  



Goodyear Eagle F1-GSD3's.
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