As the title says, what is the difference between ES and SE?

Sensible answers only please?

Exact differences depend on the model but generally the ES has manual air-con rather than Climate control, alloys that are slightly smaller, may not have pdc, auto dimming mirror and a few other minor spec changes that I'm not entirely sure about.

Hope that's sensible!

No front fog lights or rear electric windows on an ES, but they do have sports suspension and steering wheel, but the steering wheel is not therefore multifunction.

As said above PDC is not standard.

o/t slightly -

if S E = Special Edition, what does E S mean?

Dergside wrote: Hope that's sensible!

Thanks.

I was half expecting Pits to tell me that ES was SE in reverse or something equally flippant

thepits wrote: o/t slightly - if S E = Special Edition, what does E S mean?

Executive sedan?

I always thought Economy sport made more sense.

SE is Special Equipment and ES is Extended Specification afaik.  To confuse matters, late in the e39 run there was ES, ES SE and SE models all available at the same time.

The ES SE had SE spec and a few bits such as the Sports suspension (mentioned above on the ES), aluminium dash inserts, dechromed and 17" alloys (where the SE had 16" as std).  I'm not sure if the ES alloys were 16's or 17's.

Reading this thread, I was going to ask what models appeared as ES models.  I didn't think the E39 came in anything other than base i.e. now letters after the model and then SE. 

Dergside what you are describing as and ES SE is that not what is known as the Sport model?

As long as what you've got is what you want, then it doesn't really matter what the letters are, it is the numbers after the model number that really matter, more grunt = more fun

Andrew

Dergside wrote: To confuse matters, late in the e39 run there was ES, ES SE and SE models all available at the same time.

what, no SE ES model?

Andrew Rolland wrote: Dergside what you are describing as and ES SE is that not what is known as the Sport model?

Whoops - forgot about the Sport!  No, Andrew, not the same thing. These didn't have the M-tech body kit or the recaro seats of the Sport, just 17" alloys and sport suspension.  The alloys on these were split rims I think and very similar in look to those of the "ClubSport" edition 330Ci of around the same time - (see http://www.kalach.easynet.be/style/style_071.htm - http://www.kalach.easynet.be/style/style_071.htm ).  (Now that I think of it, the ES and ES SE also had the anthracite headlining afaik)

The ES and ES SE (no, no SE ES!) were "upgrade" spec models designed to boost interest and keep some e39's going out the door before the e60 arrived and only ran for a few months around late 2002/2003.  The ES was based on the boggo spec and the ES SE was based on the SE.  The cost of the pack was a lot less that the total cost of the individual options if added to the base spec.  IIRC the ES allegedly had about £4k worth of kit for £500 cost.