Alternatives to the E39. |
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Andrew Rolland
Moderator Group Go away rain Joined: 19-August-2004 Location: Scotland Status: Offline Points: 6579 |
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Posted: 03-April-2007 at 17:29 |
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I'm thinking about changing my E39 to ideally another (much newer) E39. I was thinking about finding a 530i Sport but I now have a notion to find a nice V8. My problem is though I can't find any 535i or 540i E39s (02 plate on wards) for sale anywhere within what seems like a 180 mile radius of where I stay.....so my mind has wandered slightly like when my mate pointed out that I could get a thumping big 5.7 V8 in the form of a Vauxhall Monaro for under £20k some even as low as £16k with 7k on the clock. #1 choice would be a V8 E39 #2 choice would be a E39 530iA Sport on a 03 or 53 plate #3 choice would be another V8 it must be rear wheel drive (d'uh!) not a Merc or a Lexus or an American caddy but what is there out here that would meet this? All I can think of is a Monaro and a S Type Jag but I'm not convinced by the big Jag. Doesn't leave much choice does it. What do you lot think. Andrew |
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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 |
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540 V8
Bavarian-Board Contributor Lick my badge Joined: 07-December-2005 Location: Running the asylum Status: Offline Points: 2280 |
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Looking at what Top gear and 5th gear both said about the Monaro, it sounds like heaps of fun for little cash but little cash could be the clue to a cheply built car with a poor quality feel which was echoed by Clarkson and the guy with the beard on 5th gear (can't remember his name) I just feel you may regret it after the quality feel of the BMW. Depends on whether you are just after a big powerful engine or the full package. IMO, stick with the beemer, you know it makes sense! If time is on your side, use it to your advantage, keep looking and wait for the moment when the perfect one comes your way. Remember the Heinz ketchup advert? "All good things come to those who wait" Good luck Mike |
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Current:E34 540i Touring 6 speed manual(Mpower bodykit & suspension)& Chrysler Voyager 3.3 V6 auto Previous:E34 530iSE AC Schnitzer suspension. E28 525e auto-Standard |
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stephenperry
Bavarian-Board Contributor Joined: 20-April-2004 Location: Elgin Status: Offline Points: 7213 |
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http://www.g5pry.co.uk/MPH - 4th November 2006 031.jpg http://www.g5pry.co.uk/MPH - 4th November 2006 067.jpg http://www.g5pry.co.uk/MPH - 4th November 2006 069.jpg http://www.g5pry.co.uk/MPH - 4th November 2006 071.jpg http://www.g5pry.co.uk/MPH - 4th November 2006 073.jpg http://www.g5pry.co.uk/MPH - 4th November 2006 074.jpg the interior plastics and leather seats do look and feel a bit low-rent, but i'd still love to own one, either the standard 5.7, the 6.0 vxr or the supercharged 6.0 special... a brash old school beast of a car, and a real automotive two-fingered salute to the environmentalists...anyone want to swap? or you could go for an e39 m5, they're very reasonable now if a bit unreliable |
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2007 Ford Mondeo 2.0 TDCI Titanium X Auto 1983 Ford Sierra XR4i 2000 Alpina B10 3.3 #118 1999 BMW 323Ci 1995 BMW 318i SE 1994 Vauxhall Omega 2.0 GLS 1995 Ford Mondeo 1.8 LX 1990 Honda Concerto 1.6 EX 1986 Ford Orion 1.6 GL 1989 Ford Fiesta 1.1 Firefly |
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BeemaBoy
Really Senior Member II Starting a Collection Joined: 25-October-2004 Location: Johannesburg, South Africa Status: Offline Points: 927 |
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I was under the false impression that the E39 530I and 540I were V8 engined cars??? BB |
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87 E30 320I
95 E34 525I Auto, Executive Package, Arctic Silver 98 E38 740I Steptronic, Silver |
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kbannon
Admin Group E39 525i Sport Individual Joined: 09-October-2002 Location: 64 Zoo Lane Status: Offline Points: 15508 |
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the 530i uses the M54 straight 6 engine. The 540i used a V8
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Current: 2009 E60 520d "Sport" tractor
Previous: 1989 E30 320i SE 1997 E39 523i 2003 E39 525i Sport Individual |
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BeemaBoy
Really Senior Member II Starting a Collection Joined: 25-October-2004 Location: Johannesburg, South Africa Status: Offline Points: 927 |
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Was it the E34 cars that used to have the V8 530I then? BB |
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87 E30 320I
95 E34 525I Auto, Executive Package, Arctic Silver 98 E38 740I Steptronic, Silver |
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Andrew Rolland
Moderator Group Go away rain Joined: 19-August-2004 Location: Scotland Status: Offline Points: 6579 |
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Yip quite correct, they had a wee V8. 3.0 is still within 6 pot range, saying that the E34 535i had a big straight 6 pot. I know what you are saying about waiting and that is fortunately what I can afford to do. I don't need to change my 523i, I would like to change it but only change it to one that is nice, so yes I can afford to wait till the right one comes along. Stephen, can't access your links. Andrew |
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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 |
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Mick525i
Bavarian-Board Contributor Joined: 29-November-2005 Location: Dublin Ireland. Status: Offline Points: 1823 |
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Buy the Monaro. You only live once.....
Mick |
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Cheers
Mick BMW E21 318 1980 BMW E39 525i 2002 MTech VW Golf Gti 2003 |
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dryle
Really Senior Member II Joined: 31-January-2006 Location: Enfield. Status: Offline Points: 1348 |
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where are you living, i thought the monaro was only avail in ozzie land
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Dave Ryle
"The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it." -- George Bernard Shaw |
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Andrew Rolland
Moderator Group Go away rain Joined: 19-August-2004 Location: Scotland Status: Offline Points: 6579 |
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I live just in Houston, about 15 miles from Glasgow. Nearest Monaro for sale is in Fife. I have only ever seen 3 or 4 since the launch but the autotrader is full of them. Andrew |
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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 |
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DSK328i
Really Senior Member II Joined: 26-July-2006 Location: Midlands UK Status: Offline Points: 547 |
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If you can afford to, be patient and wait until a suitable BMW in the spec you require comes along and also be prepared to travel to find a decent one. A normal S-type V8 will be too soft (chassis wise) compared to the BMW. As for the Jaguar, I have driven the S-Type R 4.2 V8 Supercharged. I was impressed by the effortless pace, the awesome gearbox, so smooth with good response and ratios, the spec level and what a car on the 2nd hand market. The only downside was that space, not as big as I would have liked it to be for rear passenger leg room, the boot long but very shallow making it questionable in terms of practicality. There indicator stalks and some switch gear was lifted straight out of Mondeos which let the overall qaulity feel down at times. The handling was better than I expected, smooth, sure footed but when you pressed on at the limits it was just a touch on the soft side, but fine for most enthusiastic use on public roads. As a result I got the XKR 4.2 (I just had to have the supercharged Jag V8 with the 6spd auto box!! its a amazingly addictive). |
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Let The Good Times Roll
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Jack735
Bavarian-Board Contributor Joined: 14-September-2005 Location: Edinburgh Status: Offline Points: 1055 |
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E38?
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Oooh, The machine of a dream, such a clean machine With the pistons a pumpin', and the alloys all gleam, When I'm holding your wheel, All I hear is your gear, With my hand on your grease gun, Mmm it's like a disease son, I'm in love with my car, gotta feel for my automobile, Get a grip on my .......
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540 V8
Bavarian-Board Contributor Lick my badge Joined: 07-December-2005 Location: Running the asylum Status: Offline Points: 2280 |
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Hmmmm, for a car that isn't exactly high volume production, why so many in the trader? Mike |
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Current:E34 540i Touring 6 speed manual(Mpower bodykit & suspension)& Chrysler Voyager 3.3 V6 auto Previous:E34 530iSE AC Schnitzer suspension. E28 525e auto-Standard |
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ps003
Groupie Joined: 24-May-2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 61 |
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Andrew, I went from an E34 525i SE manual to a 2001 E39 530iA Sport just over a year ago, the difference in power between the 192BHP and the 231BHP is very noticable even with an auto box to slow it down. In sport mode it's acceleration is very impressive, it's certainly faster than a friend's Volvo T5 and a lot more reliable too from what I've heard. I spent a good few months test driving different cars before buying this one and the only one which impressed me as much (I didn't even contemplate an M5) was the 540i, however when I noticed how fast the fuel gauge was dropping I realised that the 530i was the more sensible choice - I get about 34-35MPG on a motorway cruise when running on Shell V-Power. I do a combination of long distance motorway driving, city driving and country twisty roads and it copes fine with all of them, the steering in the 530i seems much more precise than the bigger V8 cars which I hear is because the steering rack is better in the 6 pot cars and the weight distribution is near 50/50 instead having of a big heavy engine up front. That's my opinion of the 530iA Sport, I'd suggest you go out and test drive some cars and see what the difference between the engines actually feels like when sat behind the wheel. Paul |
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Current - 2001 E39 530i Sport Auto Previous - 1995 E34 525i SE Manual |
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studyolic
Really Senior Member I Joined: 09-July-2004 Location: Inchture, Dundee, Scotland. Status: Offline Points: 427 |
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Holden HSV? Is this the same as the Monaro?
What about a 928 GTS? |
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Richard.
Current; 2000 316i Compact 1.9 previous; 1999 535i V8, 1995 316i Compact 1.6 |
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Andrew Rolland
Moderator Group Go away rain Joined: 19-August-2004 Location: Scotland Status: Offline Points: 6579 |
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Paul I know what you are saying about the 530i. When you study the figures, the 530i makes the most sensible choice. It has better feel to the steering due to the V8's having drop links instead of rack and pinion. It has the best power/performance v cost figures. I have done a few numbers/plotted graphs in excel to demonstrate this to myself but the 530i isn't a V8. I would really like to say that I have owned a V8. If the 530i was a V8....dream on.... I think you are right, I have to test drive some cars first. I have test driven two 530d and after the second I had fully decided that (and I know I'll get pelters for this but..) to me it reminded me of both my parents bag of nails sounding diesel Mondeos and that I won't be buying a diesel E39! Besides my wee 523i had better throttle pick up response when driving hard on country roads. Both diesels when floored from being stopped at give ways to a fast take off, sat and farted for a few seconds before moving off, my 523i is off straight away. Off to a few dealers me thinks. Richard! When did you give up your V8??!! Was it just too much to run? Andrew |
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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 |
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DSK328i
Really Senior Member II Joined: 26-July-2006 Location: Midlands UK Status: Offline Points: 547 |
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Mercedes E55 AMG, C43 AMG, Jaguar XJR? Edited by DSK328i |
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Let The Good Times Roll
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Peter Fenwick
Bavarian-Board Contributor Joined: 27-August-2003 Location: Lost somewhere in time... Status: Offline Points: 6484 |
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Test drive a Monaro. You'll know after driving it if you can live with it.
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Entering an age of Austerity and now driving a Focus Diesel.
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Stone-IslandV8
Really Senior Member II Joined: 31-January-2003 Location: North Somerset Status: Offline Points: 3015 |
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Andrew......V8 my friend.....the difference in steering isnt that much unless you're off tracking it. 535 later model with 245bhp or the 540.
........or an M5 for the money you're looking at spending. ......or the Alpina E39 V8. ...OR just buy the supercharged 540 engine FAB have in and shoehorn it into your current 5. Edited by Stone-IslandV8 |
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Gentlemen I may not have a brain but I do have an idea
Past; E39 540T/E46 328CI/ E39 535/ E39 520/ E36 M3/ E36 318iS jet black Mtech/ E46 320d/ E36 318iS diamond black/ E36 318iS blue Mtech kit |
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ps003
Groupie Joined: 24-May-2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 61 |
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Ahh now actually I hadn't considered the Alpina option, I have to admit that given the choice between the 530 or 540 and the Alpina B10 I'd go for the latter any day, but they are a bit specialist so you'd probably have to expect big bills... unless stephenperry thinks otherwise? Paul |
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Current - 2001 E39 530i Sport Auto Previous - 1995 E34 525i SE Manual |
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