Fuel consumption

Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic

Managed to look at the 530i today, full leather (Cream)
manual with aircon plus the CD changer, last owner (Lady) for past 6 years, 3
owners in total. 61,000 miles with service history. Very clean inside but usual
scuffs and scrapes for a 10 year old car outside. It has had a rear bump on the
driver side which has moved the bumper slightly. All toys appear to work and no
apparent overtemp, bit of rust bubbling around the boot key hole.

Comes with new MOT, 6 months warranty (for what they are worth) and health
check (not a service)...

All for £3600...does that sound like a reasonable price to pay? I am more tempted with this one...

Author	Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic
Zteve Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 05-January-2011 Location: Rothes, Moray Status: Offline Points: 17	Post Options Post Reply Quote Zteve Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 21-March-2012 at 18:34
	Managed to look at the 530i today, full leather (Cream) manual with aircon plus the CD changer, last owner (Lady) for past 6 years, 3 owners in total. 61,000 miles with service history. Very clean inside but usual scuffs and scrapes for a 10 year old car outside. It has had a rear bump on the driver side which has moved the bumper slightly. All toys appear to work and no apparent overtemp, bit of rust bubbling around the boot key hole. Comes with new MOT, 6 months warranty (for what they are worth) and health check (not a service)... All for £3600...does that sound like a reasonable price to pay? I am more tempted with this one...

Sponsored Links

Andrew Rolland Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Group Go away rain Joined: 19-August-2004 Location: Scotland Status: Offline Points: 6579	Post Options Post Reply Quote Andrew Rolland Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 21-March-2012 at 08:30
	Be wary of any E39 that doesn't have air con. Air con was an option on the very basic model (not SE) of the 520i, if someone who bought a brand new BMW and didn't spec air con means (IMO) that they will not have spent money on looking after it. I take it it wasn't even an SE model? Small engined cloth, manual models with no toys means it was bought by a penny pincher who I doubt will have spent money looking after it. You have 1 Series BMWs for that type of person to buy now. CD changers can be retro fitted in the boot, don't let that put you off if it is the right car. My E39 had a tape deck, the previous owner or the dodgy dealer I bought it from whisked it out before I viewed the car, but mine had leather, auto and a aircon so I was happy. I just listened to the radio and the sound of the engine. My E39 always had a thin light layer of brown deposists on the underside of the oil filler cap. As long as it isn't white it should be o.k. Andrew
	Be exclusive and drive a Petrol 5 Series! Current '13 62 F10 535i MSport Auto Previous '04 04 E60 545i SE Auto '03 53 E60 545i SE Auto (Stolen) '98 S E39 523i SE Auto

Zteve Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 05-January-2011 Location: Rothes, Moray Status: Offline Points: 17	Post Options Post Reply Quote Zteve Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 20-March-2012 at 22:34
	Thanks Andrew, just managed to see this before my first viewing... Didn't manage a look at the 530 but did see and drive 2x 520's, yes all petrol, you sensibly put me off oil burners when I asked about a 330d... Both were very similar spec, no leather, both 2003 cars with around 58k miles and seemed to drive quite well, much more relaxing than the all-day drive in the Z3... What I did notice was a small amount of light brown gunge around the oil filler cap, not a great amount and was similar on both. Is this related to poor servicing or water in the oil? They did have a service history of sorts, not complete. One had aircon and a cassette player which would be quite useless these days, the other no aircon but a CD player, neither had the 6 CD stacker in the boot. The temp appeared ok but only managed a short drive of about 4 or 5 miles. Going to try and see the 530 at some point but one of these did appeal as it seemed a little more cared for than the other but that was the one with the cassette drive so would have to find the 6 CD stacker if I wanted to listen to music... Cheers again. Steve

Andrew Rolland Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Group Go away rain Joined: 19-August-2004 Location: Scotland Status: Offline Points: 6579	Post Options Post Reply Quote Andrew Rolland Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 20-March-2012 at 08:34
	I'm assuming petrol as there was fortunately no E39 inflicted with the 4 pot oil burning engine in this country. The E39 520i was actually a 2.2 and chuffed out about 170 ish brake which in an E39 will be adequate for performance. I had a 523i E39 and it was 170 bhp and returned on average less than 30mpg, anywhere between 28.2 and 30.something so a 520i will be an improvement on that. It was nice to drive and had enough (just) power, I was coming from a 200+ bhp Vauxhall. The E39 530i will be a peach, well over 200 bhp but on paper it will return nearer 25mpg on average. I was looking for a late E39 530i but could not find a clean one at the time and I noticed that the E60 545i was coming into my price bracket and on paper it has the same mpg as the E39 530i so it was a no brainer and went for the V8 if it had on paper the same mpg as the 530i. I return on average 28.5mpg with my relatively easy drive so a 530i would be similar I would think. Both the 520i and 530i use the M54 6 pot engine which is fine, just keep an eye on the oil level as they drink a bit. Also if on test drive the temp needle does anything other than rise to the mid point and stays, don't touch it. An overheated engine is only good for making into baked bean cans. Other E39 foilbles, suspension joints and ABS wheel sensors can be problematic but nothing really major. The E39 is one of the best looking cars IMO.
	Be exclusive and drive a Petrol 5 Series! Current '13 62 F10 535i MSport Auto Previous '04 04 E60 545i SE Auto '03 53 E60 545i SE Auto (Stolen) '98 S E39 523i SE Auto

Zteve Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 05-January-2011 Location: Rothes, Moray Status: Offline Points: 17	Post Options Post Reply Quote Zteve Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 19-March-2012 at 16:45
	Just doing some further research regarding me picking up a replacement for the company car which will disappear with the job change. It appears there are a few reasonably priced low mileage 5 Series out there and will be looking at a couple tomorrow namely 520's but come across a 530 also which I did not consider to start with. Those that I am looking at are E39’s 2002/03… Can anyone comment on the difference in fuel use between the 520 and 530 as the running cost for insurance and tax is not that different so it could be something else to consider in my search. Cheers Steve