BMW 5 Series - need information

[TW]Fox · 10 May 2006 at 11:00

Noxis said:
Even tho I am not buying right this second, there seem to be bargains knocking around to my untrained eye, saw this one:

http://www.bigmotoringworld.co.uk/1742.asp

My only issue would be asking them to change the alloys before I would buy it.

Thats a 520i. Although its far from gutless, it is only 170bhp and 0-60 in 8.5 seconds.

Lithium · 10 May 2006 at 11:21

hmmm, methinks i'll take a trip to the bmw stealers tommorow....

Kingy · 10 May 2006 at 11:33

I'd be looking at one of the few £10.5-£11k 2000-2001 530i Sports on pistonheads and the trader with around 50,000 miles on for this budget. Low enough mileage to make for an easy sale later on, and it's still a facelifted model.

I don't understand the motivation behind either paying more for a car that is the same spec but with a newer plate, or getting a spending the same amount on newer, identical spec, but higher mileage model that will be harder to sell when you've put a few miles on yourself.

[TW]Fox · 10 May 2006 at 11:38

Kingy said:
I don't understand the motivation behind either paying more for a car that is the same spec but with a newer plate, or getting a spending the same amount on newer, identical spec, but higher mileage model that will be harder to sell when you've put a few miles on yourself.

Whereas I don't understand the point in spending the same money on an older car simply becuase the mileage is lower, swings and roundabouts really isnt it

And after seeing some muppet on Ebay pay £5000 for a 160,000 W plate 528i..

[TW]Fox · 10 May 2006 at 11:39

Lithium said:
hmmm, methinks i'll take a trip to the bmw stealers tommorow....

You know that a Rover 45 with some plastic, 5 turbos, some mesh and 4 wings would kill one, right?

Lithium · 10 May 2006 at 11:49

Ha i was just waiting for that one

I think bmws are great, im a fan of german cars, but equally i think MG's are great cars

As a second car for commuting i recon a 3 or 5 series diesel might be the way forward. They seem like very nice motorway cruisers. I definatly need a facelift model and something £10-15k range, obviously the cheaper the better.

Wouldnt mind an m-sport one either

Kingy · 10 May 2006 at 11:56

[TW]Fox said:
Whereas I don't understand the point in spending the same money on an older car simply becuase the mileage is lower, swings and roundabouts really isnt it

And after seeing some muppet on Ebay pay £5000 for a 160,000 W plate 528i..

Lower likelyhood of needing major repair work done to the car, and not having to rely on 'some muppet on Ebay' to sell the car.

I get the motorway mileage argument, but I don't understand what a 5 newer than 2002/2003 E39 530i gives you that a facelifted earlier model doesn't.

Granted it's not something that applyies to all cars, because some manufacturers regularly change the spec, so a later model means more kit etc, but AFAIK BMW didn't do this?

Noxis · 10 May 2006 at 14:00

Kingy said:
Lower likelyhood of needing major repair work done to the car, and not having to rely on 'some muppet on Ebay' to sell the car.

I get the motorway mileage argument, but I don't understand what a 5 newer than 2002/2003 E39 530i gives you that a facelifted earlier model doesn't.

Granted it's not something that applyies to all cars, because some manufacturers regularly change the spec, so a later model means more kit etc, but AFAIK BMW didn't do this?

There is a prestige thing with having a younger car - personally I dont want a car that has the old style plates, petty and small minded I know but its just a *thing* I have (like I will never buy a Ford, or French car).

Kingy · 10 May 2006 at 14:14

Noxis said:
There is a prestige thing with having a younger car - personally I dont want a car that has the old style plates, petty and small minded I know but its just a *thing* I have (like I will never buy a Ford, or French car).

You're prepared to throw a couple of grand away so that the number plate is newer? :confused:

The car is prestigous in itself because it's damn good.

Your money and all that, but it's something I could never do...

Noxis · 10 May 2006 at 14:18

Kingy said:
You're prepared to throw a couple of grand away so that the number plate is newer?

The car is prestigous in itself because it's damn good.

Your money and all that, but it's something I could never do...

Strange I know

I dont deny it I just feel that a Y reg is percieved as being a heck of a lot older than a 51 plate.

[TW]Fox · 10 May 2006 at 14:21

Kingy said:
Lower likelyhood of needing major repair work done to the car, and not having to rely on 'some muppet on Ebay' to sell the car.

I get the motorway mileage argument, but I don't understand what a 5 newer than 2002/2003 E39 530i gives you that a facelifted earlier model doesn't.

It is my personal opinion that age is harsher to a car than mileage, so I would prefer a younger car - regardless of mileage a 5 year old car has spent more time exposed to the elements and what have you than a 3 year old one.

Plus, late 51 onwards e39 Sports have the nicer more modern steering wheel, and some earlier facelifted cars are not fitted with DSC.

Kingy · 10 May 2006 at 14:23

Noxis said:
Strange I know I dont deny it I just feel that a Y reg is percieved as being a heck of a lot older than a 51 plate.

Private plate? At £250 it would offer a cheap solution to the generic old-reg problem...

Kingy · 10 May 2006 at 14:27

[TW]Fox said:
It is my personal opinion that age is harsher to a car than mileage, so I would prefer a younger car - regardless of mileage a 5 year old car has spent more time exposed to the elements and what have you than a 3 year old one.

Plus, late 51 onwards e39 Sports have the nicer more modern steering wheel, and some earlier facelifted cars are not fitted with DSC.

Nothing that a trip to see Eidolon wouldn't fix!

Do you have any pictures of the different steering wheels? Are both still multi-function? How do you tell if it has DSC or not?

Noxis · 10 May 2006 at 14:27

So Fox you would advise a 530i minimum as a 520 is under powered slightly?

[TW]Fox · 10 May 2006 at 14:40

DSC fitted cars have a button on the dash above the cupholders beside the PDC button which says DSC - earlier ASC fitted cars have an ASC button.

Pictures of wheels when im home but both are multifunction.

As for which - try a 520i but I would think 525i is better to go for, I found the performance of the 525i was very good. 530i better again but dont discount a good 525i.

Kingy · 10 May 2006 at 15:01

[TW]Fox said:
DSC fitted cars have a button on the dash above the cupholders beside the PDC button which says DSC - earlier ASC fitted cars have an ASC button.

Pictures of wheels when im home but both are multifunction.

As for which - try a 520i but I would think 525i is better to go for, I found the performance of the 525i was very good. 530i better again but dont discount a good 525i.

What's ASC, and how is DSC better?

NickXX · 10 May 2006 at 18:53

Kingy said:
What's ASC, and how is DSC better?

DSC is the newer, improved version of ASC. ASC can control engine power and brake all four wheels individually. ASC only looks at the rear wheels to maintain traction. DSC also looks at the direction in which the car is going against the direction the driver is pointing it, by breaking wheels individually, it should therefore stop over/understeer. It works very well.

NickXX · 10 May 2006 at 18:56

Lithium said:
I found a 320Cd M Sport Coupe for £15k from BMW. 80k miles??

Im doing 18k/miles a year, and tbh i really dont like putting that on my current car, i've been driving an old rust bucket to and from work just to avoid it.

Is 80k miles for a bmw diesel that much? Seems like it could go on for quite a few more, though might be hard to sell on in a few years.

That is a fair price for a 320Cd from a stealer. I imagine it will be on a 53/04 plate, so will still be very new. Note though that the 320d is a 4 cylinder engine. The 320d is very good, but the 330d is much better.

80k miles isn't that much at all really for these cars, the biggest issue with the diesels is turbo failure.

Are you driving a Golf GTI atm?

Von Smallhausen · 10 May 2006 at 19:03

Each to their own Noxis, but does it have to be a Beamer for 10k ?

I don't doubt the credentials of the 5 Series, they are one of the best pound for pound cars in the world, but if I had 10k to spend on the type of motor you want, I would be inclined to stay German but go Audi.

While I will no doubt incur the wrath of some here, maybe many, I just think that BMW's in general are overhyped and overpriced. Don't get me wrong, as I said above I don't doubt them technically and money permitting I would have an M5 on the drive, but lower end I think there are a lot better cars for less money.

Just my tuppence worth anyway. Enjoy whatever you buy.

[TW]Fox · 10 May 2006 at 19:09

Von Smallhausen said:
I don't doubt the credentials of the 5 Series, they are one of the best pound for pound cars in the world, but if I had 10k to spend on the type of motor you want, I would be inclined to stay German but go Audi.

The previous model Audi A6 is simply not as good as the 5 Series - it's not as well built, it doesn't drive as well, etc etc, plus it's an FWD design. The only reason to buy one over a 5 Series is if you dislike BMW's. The E39 was simply an astounding car.