E39 540 Sport

I am not sure, but I think the popular wisdom around here is that the 530 is the better choice over the 540.

OK - Thanks for the advice.

From what I can see the 540 is much faster, and economy is not that much different.

Can someone correct me on this?

Thanks

I'm certain that somebody will correct one of us.

Maybe the issue was that the cost of the 540 when new wasn't a very good deal because the preformance gains of the larger engine just weren't there. I don't know. I just remember something that the 530 was a better choice, all things considered. Perhaps since you are buying used, then maybe the swing will go the other way. Stay tuned ...

In the 7 series the 728 / 730 (even the V8) were a bit underpowered for the size of the car, where as the 735 (V8) and 740 were as some other manufacturers put "adequate".

In the 5 series even the 528 was respectable and the 530 (V8 variants) were very tasty. The 540 by comparison did not add a lot to the package, but was rather thirsty.

The M5 (probably the best / fastest 4 door saloon ever built until the A8) was the exception that proved the rule, but for ordinary 5 series punters the price was out of reach.

Thanks for your input.

The figures I have: for the 540, are 0-60 in 6.0, and 23mpg for the 530, are 0-60 in 6.9, and 29mpg

I can see the figures are contentious, but I'd go for the 540.

Does anyone have opinions?

I don't think any correction is necessary. In US mags tests indicate the 530 was slower in a straight line than the 540, but faster in almost any

*driving* test (slalom, figure 8, etc). Pretty much came down to what many people like about the 530 to begin with...rack & pinion steering, and almost all aluminum front suspension (the 540 has the steel front end of the 7 series), and additional lighter front end because of the engine weight.

Bottom line, I think, is that for a 4 passenger luxury cruiser the 540 makes better sense, but for a car that one will try to enjoy by tossing around a bit, the 530 seems to be the better choice.

I owned both, having *moved up* to a 540 from a 530, and had I had the advantage of experience I would have stuck with the 530. The steering in the

540 just undercut much of what one looks for in a BMW...particularly in comparison to it's I6 brethren.

Great cars both. If you like drag racing and big engine cruising the 540 is the choice. If you enjoy twisties and switchbacks the 530 is definitively superior.

I think in the UK you will have more problems trying to trade in a 540 against a 530 when you decide to sell.

Also, popular wisdom in BMW dealer circles is that the 6 cylinder engines are smoother than the V8s, and likely to be cheaper to maintain.

Cheers

Personally, I want to try one of each first rather than choose one solely from the numbers. YMMV.

Are you talking auto or manual? You'll be hard pushed to find a 540 manual.

The major failing with the V-8s is the steering and overall balance. They use old fashioned recirculating ball steering rather than the rack and pinion of the sixes. And the weight distribution isn't as good.

Reliability tends to be worse as well. Not with major components, though.

The 540 is *not* thirsty. It gets amazingly good gas mileage even when coupled to an automatic, especially considering its respectable increase in horsepower.

-Fred W

Possibly. OTOH, in the US you'll have an easier time reselling the V8.

Disagree, somewhat. The V8 has a small lope at idle (as all V8s do) but they are equally as smooth underway.

and likely to be cheaper to maintain.

possibly, but not necesarrily. Everything besides the engines and steering boxes is the same. Unless you had to do major engine repairs, which is pretty unlikely, they will cost pretty much the same to maintain.

My take would be, if you intend on getting a manual transmission, go with the 530 for the rack and pinion steering. If you intend to buy one with an automatic, get the V8 for the superior horsepower.

-Fred W

What do you get for mixed mileage? I get around 24mpg on my '94 540iA. That's pretty darn good in my books, certainly not what I'd call guzzling...

-Fred W

Not quite accurate in my experience. The V8 seems to get quite thristy when you beat it, whereas the I6 maintains good efficiency under the same conditions. I used to get about 21 mpg in my 540 during a week of mundane driving, but the minute I started to play it dropped down to 15-16 quite quickly. The I6 didn't suffer that same disparity.

The differences between your E34 and the E39 is probably found in the displacement disparity between the M60 and M62, about half-a-liter I think, along with the higher weight of the E39.

And if it follows the smaller models, is higher geared too.

Seeming to make the 540 a nice compromise.

But M5 prices are dropping like rocks, in the YooEss at least. $35K or so will now get you an '00 or '01 with 60K or 70K miles on it. It can only get better.

Probably depends where you are at. Here in Denver that's about what you would get for a trade-in value at a dealer. But you will pay between 42 to

45 grand for an 01 with 60,000 on it (private party). I imagine the dealers are hitting that another 3 to 4 grand if you buy from their lot. That's still a pretty good drop in a car that wasn't sold in huge numbers and so retains some measure of exclusivity, but around here we aren't seeing prices drop like rocks.....yet :^)

It's rather strange though given the beating BMW has taken with the new design of the E60 that the supposedly preferred design, the E39, isn't holding value as traditionally as BMW always has. I think there is a vocal minority whom we hear from on a regular basis and a quiet majority who have taken the new car to records sales levels. It is going to be interesting to see how the new designs hold value. Obviously the more they sell the harder it will become to hold value. We may be seeing the end of days when BMW can be counted on to retain 65-70% of their value after 3 years.