E39 530d Performance

Go here for part numbers

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/select.do

Enter last 7 digits of the VIN in the box next to "Serial Number".

Yeah that was the only filter I could find too.

M3Nally wrote: Dekra, You mentioned a filter for the turbo under the air filter, I havbe no idea if this has been changed at service, do you have a part number? Ta. Uwe, on a long run with few stops, you should always get 40mpg with an E39 auto, a few more with a manual. My 530d auto has averaged just under 36 mpg over 21000 miles in mixed driving.

I get to around 28-30mpg with the 528 over a longer period.
Never seen more than 35-36mpg on the motorway at cruising. Considering the size of the car and the autobox I don't think this is that bad. All as long as you don't put your foot down.
In town only, I have had 20-22mpg

How does the 540 compare to this?

Indeed, things have moved on.  My E34 540i Touring (M60 4.0) gives 27 on a run, 25 average over 20k miles of weekend trips and not much else, and I try not to think about it in town!...

On the subject of towing, my old disco used to do 25-28mpg no matter what.  One week I used a tank of diesel running around town - 28mpg - and then towed a car trailer down to Cambridge from Edinburgh - 28mpg - and hauled an MGF back up - 28mpg!  I guess the bungalow aerodynamics and mass make minor excrescences insignificant!


Edited by jetsetwilly2000

That's what technology does for you.  It also means more to go wrong, more difficult to tell whats wrong, more expensive to fix, blah blah blah.

But it's worth it purely for the V8! 

What about a V8 diesel?

That might be an acceptable way to go over to an oil burner, hmmmm.

kbannon wrote: I'm starting to dismiss the oil burner idea following this thread. I'd save money on fuel alright but with the extra 30% in motor tax and the extra in servicing it would negate any fuel benefit. Also the change in sound may hurt my ears.

Thank gawd for that!

Andrew Rolland wrote: What about a V8 diesel? That might be an acceptable way to go over to an oil burner, hmmmm.

A friend has a rangey TDV8, does sound rather decent.  And I remember long ago being in an oldsmobile 5.7l diesel  from the fuel crisis days, which made all sorts of interesting noises, but then those engines were desperately fragile so maybe it was just knackered!

Ah, but then a 530i would also result in a big increase in tax then.

As for servicing, i'd ring a few places and get some prices.

I've seen a few manual 530ds around but I'm not sure I could buy a BMW and not have the lovely straight 6 sound that you get with a petrol engined car. 

Andrew Rolland wrote: Not lumpy, smelly and rattley!

I've seen a few dogs of BMW's over the years fitting that description that weren't even diesel!

Edited by Dergside