Listen to that burble of the V8 in the background. You know it’s there and it doesn’t ever sound forced into the cabin. I love that about cars of the era. There’s no artificial overrun crackles and pops that started being a trend from the mid 2000s. The E39 M5 is a stunner.

@fatkev1983

Жыл бұрын

I would agree to an extent. But the exhaust note was very subdued on a stock system until you started getting up in the rev range - that was a common trait for these fast sedans of the era. It was also fairly common for people to delete all 4 back boxes and just go with 2 Y pipes. Yes, each of the quad exhausts has its own box on the E39 M5... Even then, chopping off the back boxes didn't make the cars sound too loud and had the benefit that it shaved a bunch of weight off.

@jimtaylor431

Жыл бұрын

Spot on. It wasn't about showing off. A few discreet badges and no ridiculous pops and crackles and 'bwarps' on a downshift. It just delivered. Spectacularly.

@lawpenner

Жыл бұрын

​@@fatkev1983 I removed the exhaust muffler on mine and replaced with a "Turbo muffler". Let's more air and sound through than stock while still muffling Drone. Without a muffler at all there is too much Drone in the cabin

I got E34 M50 engine car, so far clocked 680k miles on my odometer. We owned it for 30 years now.

dad owned a E39 530i manual when i was a kid. more than 10 years later, he's owned multiple cars but he just cannot stop talking about that 530i. when i think BMW M4, i think E39 M5, E92 M3, E46 M3. these cars are just perfect.

@tcaudiobooks737

Жыл бұрын

The 530i had much more communicative steering than the M5.

@griffins750

Жыл бұрын

Had the chance to buy one at 18 from a close friend of my father who owns a German specialty shop, I chose not to go for it… 19 now… I’m a fucking idiot… 🤦

@Tilljay125

Жыл бұрын

Facts

@Ustaleone

Жыл бұрын

i bought one a month ago, a manual 530i, just puts a smile on my face this car and this is my 6th BMW, had a e38 750i before this one and it's just a lot more fun.

@michaelcobbin

Жыл бұрын

I love my E46 330CI. I think it’s the ZHP version, but I’m not 100% sure. The rev range indicates that it’s likely to be the ZHP model. I love the more analog feel, predictability of the car and classic lines, both interior and exterior. It cruises around town easily but has a great kick when you put your foot down.

As much as I love the V10 E60, this V8 E39 still remains my absolutely favourite. It's just a shame that there's no Touring version of E39 M5.

@piotrmalewski8178

Жыл бұрын

Definitely the most handsome sedan/saloon BMW has built in the last 30 years.

Жыл бұрын

I am a touring guy but e39 touring is ugly af

@Kryojenix

Жыл бұрын

I believe there's one E39 M5 Touring in existence and I think BMW still owns it. There's also an E39 M5 ute (sedan-chassis mini pickup-truck) - which was custom built by an Australian golfer.

@computiNATEor

Жыл бұрын

@@Kryojenix There are a bunch E39 M5 swapped tourings in the US. Speed Academy has a video building one.

Still got my E39 M5 after 19 years. Bought it 2nd hand (it was 3 years old with 60K km on the clock). Now passing 330K km. Performs and handles beautifully. My wife uses it as a daily driver (and drives it appropriately aggressively). I'm stuck with an "old man" daily driver company car (E64 650i convertible). I look forward to those weekends, to try and wrestle the M5 keys from my darling wife, and enjoy the experience....

Absolutely love the story-telling element that came with this review. Truly a dream car - the practicality, V8 burble, 6-speed, and beautiful styling inside and out is just phenomenal.

Best sedan BMW, maybe anyone has ever built. Surprised you didn’t talk about the timeless exterior styling too. This car still holds up today, that’s why I’ve had my 03 for @14 years and won’t sell it. You should get another one!

@matthewasinari497

Жыл бұрын

Totally agree with Shane. Its styling is timelessly beautiful with an amazing stance and presence. I was fortunate to have and had an F40, GT3 RS, Maranello, Jaguars and Porsches Turbos and Carreras, but I never had the desire nor the courage to sell my black E39 M5 and never will. It stays next to my Maranello and Carreras as the most beautiful and now classic BMW M5 of all.

@piotrmalewski8178

Жыл бұрын

Best? In what department? Fuel consumption is terrible, and you can't take it off-road. You can't even drive to the forest, because heated cathalitic converters will set the whole place on fire. Good or bad is very subjective. Yes, it is very good as 'sports sedan' or 'sports saloon', but using a heavy sedan for sports is like entering 100 meters in a suit or smoking.

@BrainFuck10

Жыл бұрын

@@piotrmalewski8178 well obviously it’s not the best sports car or best utility vehicle but its one of the best vehicles at combining everything sports, utility, and luxury all in one package.

@asabir141

Жыл бұрын

@@piotrmalewski8178 what the hell???

@piotrmalewski8178

Жыл бұрын

​@@BrainFuck10 And that's the problem with it. BMWs or Mercs are already very expensive, and Ms are expensive even for BMW standards. This means for the price of one M, If you were actually going to do motorsport, even on amateur level, let's say track day, it's cheaper to have two dedicated cars; one comfier for road, and one lighter for the track. This M5 has 1800kg of weight. It means on track it would eat through tires and brakes in no time. Add horrendous fuel consumption, and it makes it extremely expensive to run as a track car. That's where 1000kg sports car would save you a lot of money. That's why these big sports saloons are mainly to show off with wealth. As a combination of two different functions, they just do each worse than a more specialised vehicle.

Had a 02 540i and I loved it. Swapped it for a 01 740i Sport and i love it even more. What an era for BMW. That said.. I think it’s time for a manual swap.

I'm 51 now. I was lucky enough to own a 2000 X plate in 2004 before I met my wife, for about a year. Black on black. Don't remember the reg. In truth....I couldn't afford it. But I still can look back and have the amazing memories of having it. Every time I parked it up and was walking away I just had to look back at it and just think...Wow. Those alloys. Everything about it was amazing. Still crane my neck when I pass one. Just the best car.

During this period of BMW, the bigwigs were quoted saying that all M cars will always be manuals, naturally aspirated, and the suspension would always be faster than the car. This was the peak of M cars. My friend inherited his M5 after his father passed in 2000, I believe. He kept that car for about 5 years. It had looks, panache, power, handling, stability braking, comfort. 150 on the Nj Turnpike was like 60 for other cars. You could wear a tux and drive it to the theatre, or everyday clothes and go to the strip/track and haul ass. He eventually sold it, think it was hard for him to keep it being a memory of his dad. I rip him for it because as you know, the values have shot up.

I have had 2 x E39 M5s for 250,000 miles and they have been 100% reliable, never broke, not expensive to service, super well built, fast, great handling and a brilliant long term investment (doubled my money on the last one after 130k... 😏

@kamolnarbaev4490

2 күн бұрын

Oh boi

I've owned a 2001 in silver... my favourite car that I've ever owned. I also bought the first one I saw. It just drove well and passed all the things to look out for on these cars. The one problem I had was I had 2 thermostats fail on me and that was a pig of a job to replace. The engine was great and as you stated, versatile. Stick a Z3 shifter on it to shorten throws... then the box could be really notchy when it was cold but made it much nicer to drive. I loved how the car hid its weight well - it didn't feel like it size and weight. You could provoke it and it was fairly easy to manipulate when it started to lose traction. You comments on the car's size are spot on.... was big back then, but now its kind of small. The E28 is where is started but not quite as sublime. The E34 was a great improvement and a total drivers car. Yes, the E60 V10 sounds amazing and is crazy... but it was not a great every day car. The later V8 turbos are crazy fast but have grown way too big and heavy. The E39 is a sweet spot that blends mechanical and computers. It marks the transition from something that still felt analogue (with some tech) to the later cars that are tech heavy. The E39 has also aged well... it did go through a spell where there were so many cheap old E39s around and it just looked old and dated, but now you see fewer of them, you are reminded its a handsome car. That era of BMW just had really nice simple designs that I feel still look good - the E36 and E38 are both lookers in the right spec.

The clutch issue is actually caused by the clutch delay valve which I have bypassed and really makes for better/crisp gear changes!

Not just the best M5 ever, but the best saloon ever.

@colinsmith3938

Жыл бұрын

kzread.info/dash/bejne/k4yembuTk9bHns4.html

E39 M5 is our favourite M5 so far.

@nmeg7554

Жыл бұрын

Yep : best M5 ever, period.

Had a e39 540i Touring from 1997. Not the same by any means, but similar enough. Wonderful cars those, the interior specifically was especially teutonic and solid feeling compared to the things that came after. If something was silver/"metal colored", it was made of metal, not plastic. I am pretty sure it was one of the fastest mainstream estates you could get that wasnt some kind of tuner special back in its day, mine had satnav with Tv as well, that would for sure blow most peoples mind back in -97. With some sport suspension fitted I lapped the nurburgring in it just fine, though both the street oriented brakes and tires that were fitted werent really up to the task if you really pressed on, it sure was fun anyway.

@odysseusdrakos2008

Жыл бұрын

interested in your experience of the 540 touring, please see my question above and let mee know what you think. cheers

I always wanted an e39 ever since my barber had a 528i with an M sport body kit in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. The first one I got was a 2003 540i m sport automatic. It was an amazing car and a great introduction into the e39 chassis world (previously owned 2 e34’s). In 2017 I came across an e39 M5 DINAN S1 for sale and I could not pass it up! It had ever red flag you could think of (peeling paint, medium to high mileage, unknown maintenance history, aftermarket parts, uninterested owner, previously recorded accidents) and was across the country from me, but even sight unseen and with no PPI I bought it! What a hidden gem! The previous owner sold it dirt cheap because it had some minor issues that he couldn’t figure out, but I fixed them in the first month and never looked back! Best decision I’ve ever made!

I could only afford an e39 540. Love the car. Best sedan chassis I have ever driven.

Truly timeless car. Magnificent!

An absolute joy. I’ve had the privilege of owning mine since 2006. It’s barely put a foot wrong in 17 years and I can't imagine parting with it.

The proportions on the E39 are perfection.

Best car I've ever owned and bought when values were nothing like now- easier to justify at £7400 than £20,000! Ignoring running costs (which are realistically pretty high if used often and kept in the proper condition) these don't really have a weakness. 'Good' at everything at an absolute minimum. Motorway cruise, back road blast you name it. You get in, 3 pedals and a stick with the suitable number of toys to still make a great daily driver. Engaging, no overcomplicated bollocks with a multitude of driving modes. Suspension damping hits the bull's eye straight out the factory. Biggest compliment I can give it is I'd have another one in a heartbeat if I won the lottery.

This vídeo is a love letter to a great car. Congratulations to the presenter, to ear a personal history to the E39 M5 was a delight.

My Dad had an E39 530d. Drove from the UK to south Spain in a day. We as kids didn’t once complain. Was an incredible car.

E36/E46/E38/E39. That's a collection of the best cars that look great without begging for attention, that you can drive every day in every situation save the roads being covered in ice, that can appeal to everyone without a single person turning their nose up at it, and that strike the perfect balance in...well...every single area that needs a balance to be struck.

I absolutely love these types of videos along with the Rise & Drives, driving on a gorgeous road in a genuinely brilliant car, talking through intricacies of the car with personal experiences included where necessary, along with incredible videography

I bought a 2001 this past January at auction for $26k with 142,000 miles on it. Blackstone oil test shows 100% clean and clear. Off I go! The PS4s tires are too damn sticky though.

Thoroughly enjoyed that. Great review of an iconic super saloon, awesome work. Thanks John

I have loved this car since I was a kid in high school, but I can never find one in good condition. So I searched for a reliable, modern day version of this naturally aspirated V8 wonder. As it turns out Japan had copied the E39's engine and dimensions, right down to the wheel and tire specs. I drive a 2016 Lexus GS-F.

@tubejorrit

Жыл бұрын

the Lexus 2ur-gse is really one of the best n/a performance v8 engines ever. I'm on the lookout for an ISF but prices come close to an RCF sadly.

@uvuvwevwevweossaswithglasses

Жыл бұрын

That was so cool to read

@NEPALESE.AMERICAN

Жыл бұрын

Very well written .

@Individjual

Жыл бұрын

I remember falling in love with this when it was released I was 17 years old an art student and did a project on the m cars with this as the centrepiece, never could afford one and now I'm 42, I still cannot afford one oh well maybe someday.

@4RingsRetro

Жыл бұрын

Is this a joke. You're joking right? Haha... Ha?

This is truly a hero, when I think of every single current M car I think of complexity and massive weight and etc. But this is just so simple, it looks so nice, so light, you can see out of the car, this just has every single thing I like in a car ❤️

@nightdriver7216

Жыл бұрын

1700 kg is light to you?

@chamaldealwis9

Жыл бұрын

Every m car? That's quite ignorant the M5cs only weighs about 100kg more whilst packing 5x the performance

@redline589

Жыл бұрын

BMW E92 M3 weighs, 1655 kg - 418hp N/A and manual gearbox option

@Bmontepeque11

Жыл бұрын

@@nightdriver7216 Lighter than the 1,982 kg of the current M5, yes 😅

@davekennedy6315

Жыл бұрын

@@Bmontepeque11 it might be 1982kg but it's also got better suspension, brakes, gearbox, AWD (so here in the UK with our shite weather the latest car will be way, way faster 100% of the time!) over 600bhp, hitting 62mph in 3.3 seconds and onto 190mph if derestricted, its also far more comfortable, has considerably higher spec interior wise. Best of all, if just over 625 bhp is no longer enough then tuning that 4.4ltr V8 twin turbo is a mere chip change and you'll have nigh on an extra 100 bhp and the huge dollop of extra torque (100+lbft) that goes with it! And that 700+bhp could just be the very start of things with tuned versions of the older turbo'd M5 hitting over 1000 bhp! These new M cars are leagues ahead in every conceivable way (ok, I'll give you that NA engines sound better and have instant throttle response. But they are also WAY down on power and torque, plus modern gearboxes make acceleration so, so much faster than even the greatest pro racing driver) That's what I love about the Germans (Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Porsche) they constantly evolve their performance models in every way. So these new generation M cars would utterly destroy the older models on track and even more so on the road!

I got to drive one once, a manual, with a sun roof, and a modified exhaust. Spent my time with the windows and sun roof open ripping through the rev range - beautiful car and perfect sound!

7:22 I think you'll find that problem is caused by the clutch delay valve. It's a small little part that you can easily remove and the clutch will engage much faster, which will solve the problem.

@adogmcdizzle

Жыл бұрын

I think you are right. It is there to prevent clutch abuse, but for a keen driver its best removed. Same applies to the e46 M3.

@E39M5Autox

Жыл бұрын

There is no CDV on the E39 M5.

I've owned 3 e39s . Loved and love them all. I presently have a 2002 530i sport - silver. Still drives great - happy every time I'm in it

This M5 is a masterpiece. BUT the RS6 and E63 from the same year are also breathtaking. It's all about personal taste.

The BMW E39 M5 sure is a timeless classic car, lots of performance, solid engineering, and when you look at it, it's hard to believe it's actually so old! I don't believe it's the best classic car of all, I reckon each decade has it's best classic. But of the 90's decade, I'd call it the best, but so it should be. Wasn't a cheap car by any standards. But you got a whole lot of car for the money. I personally daily drive a 96 build E39 535i sedan, 3.5lt m62 v8, almost fully optioned. If I had the garage space and the money, I'd add a e39 m5 to my collection. The one you used in this review is a stunning example!

Great video , very well presented. The E39 is such a brilliant car , I had one of the last E39 525d Touring , amazing car so comfortable, drove it all over Europe . I lusted agree the M5 at the time ( still do) but couldn’t have afforded so mine was as close as I could get. Probably the best car I’ve had and I keep looking at the M5 version now. Brilliant the way you gave your account

I have owed one for 15 years and was planning to sell because I haven't used the car for many years due to health reasons. I finally booked the car in for it's mot and some tidying up before marketing but as soon as I drove the car out of the garage and travelled 50 yards down the road I changed my mind. It's now having a full window out respray in it's very rare agean blue colour. These car's are sublime.

Great review! Thank you for sharing all those great memories!

Really enjoyed watching this. Great video. First pistonheads video I’ve watched in ages. Currently have an E39 530i and have enjoyed driving it a lot. It has munched motorway miles with absolute ease. Still good fun to push down a winding road as well.

Beautiful homage to the perfect car. Ever since it came out (I was around 10 years old) and I first saw it in real life I've always knew someday I will own this car. To this day I still haven't had enough money for it. But still, someday it will be mine. Most Beautiful car ever made ♡

Fantastic vid! Great story telling and amazing car!

Absolutely cracking video. Well done.

Very well thought out and a true understanding of the soul of this car!!! Could not have explained it better

Enjoyed this. Look forward to more features like it!

Excellent vid, thank you Pistons. Ran a 530i for a few years, always wanted one of these. Boat missed!

Jesus! I thought the video was ending after 3 minutes when the Pistonheads advert popped up 🤣 Great video 👍

the whole line line up from that era was perfect! ive driven every new bmw and my e53 4.6is and manual e39 540 remain my favorite cars ive owned.

Amazing review, amazing car and the story telling was bang on, awesome.

My ‘02 E39 525i 3.0 litre is the best car I’ve ever owned, pound for pound. I remember a trip from the tip of Brittany to Calais after a friend’s funeral attempting to catch a ferry on time. It drove beautifully, very quick, very stable. Such a good car.

Awesome video ❤

Beautiful car and beautiful review. Loved that owner’s story at the end ❤

Best review of any car I’ve seen in a while!

Great video 👌

Excellent review! A Holden GTS HSV is good competition for this M5. Keep the classics coming.

I'd say I have a similar story to the person who you bought your car from. Drove my 2000 M5 for 100k miles, traded on a E90 335i. 6 years later bought a 2002 E39 M5 with 46k miles. It's my baby.

I have no first hand experience with Super Saloons but this along with the B7 RS4 and it's contemporaries seem like real Goldilocks Cars, the proportions and performance just seem right. Good video John!

E39 M5 with a E92 M3 engine and DCT `Clubsport` style is my dream build.

@fvresonanator

Жыл бұрын

With 100Nm less torque? That makes no sense

Current daily is an M3 but this video reminded me about of an E34 535i I bought in 2014. Kept it a year/tidied it up & doubled my cash. Best all rounder!!

Loved the review and loved the story about the guy you bought it off, fantastic.

Love this car, it came out around the time I got my driverslicense and used to drool over it at the dealer in town. I finally bought one two years ago and it’s as wonderful as I hoped it would be. What an amazing car, BMW got it right with this one. How times have changed.

Excellent cars, had the 523i, then down sized to a 520i,which I still drive and now finishing my 525i project car, love the e39...

Bought an E39 M5 about a year ago. It has blown me away. Proper BMW.

Absolutely love this cars having multiple E39 with smaller engine as a daily. Always wanted one and it was one of my poster cars even had one as a model car. So finally got to buy one after years and years of waiting and looking for the correct one I found a 2002 Imola Red M5 with two tone Imola Red interior with full leather and Alcantara headline. And the pure joy and happiness of driving it is just how I expected with the car. Can't see myself selling it in the future. The timeless design and the quality feel is why I enjoy this cars at that era.

I followed this exact car up to Princetown a few months ago, probably in the summer now, was in my F80. That reg has stuck in my head

Just brilliant, my favourite car, and the one I owned the longest. Pinnacle M5

Excellent review of a legendary beast.

Hi, clutch is not under engineered. The issue is that BMW fitted a CDV or clutch delay valve. This is simply a small valve on the end of the pipe where it connects to the slave cylinder intended to not allow the clutch to be let up fast so slows down engagement presumably in an effort to reduce warranty claims for snapped items on the drivetrain. It is a 15 min job to remove it and then simply plug the hydraulic line into the slave cylinder without the CDV and have back a linear clutch which does exactly what you do with the pedal at the clutch plates.

Awesome video. Respect 😉👍🏻

exactly the same happened to me. The E39 M5 was the first car I drove which felt quick, really quick. Many disappointments before that starting from an E30 M3, Lancia Delta Integrale etc...

I bought a 1998 528i with 98,000 kms on it. it’s like a new car . Imported from Japan to Canada . It is left hand drive ( owned by a diplomat ) and has every option, including you touch screen display. the colour is oriental blue. It’s immaculate! Best car I’ve ever had and I’ve had many over the years.

I agree well with this review. In 2013 I purchased a 2002 M5, LeMans blue over an extended leather caramel interior, it was stunning. The entire vehicle is peak BMW. The S62 V8 is the crown jewel, combined with the simple manual transmission and LSD rear end. I can't say enough words on how good e39 M5s are to drive. That said, I was afraid that mine would rust out after 3 winters of driving it, and it was pretty expensive to maintain. Additionally I had gotten a taste of driving a BMW e36, the first six cylinder BMW I had driven, it was amazing. I had to have a smooth NA six cylinder BMW, today I daily drive an e36 M3 and absolutely love it. The e36 is not nearly as comfortable, but it's way more raw and exciting at street speeds.

Working for a bmw dealer when this was released, drove many..always loved them. Another gem of same series was the Alpina B18 v8. Not quite on the same performance level but, that Alpina uniqueness

Truly a dream car - the practicality, V8 burble, 6-speed, and beautiful styling inside and out is just phenomenal.

Great video

definitely one of my favourite m cars it's a beast ,my dream spec would be oxford green with cognac interior 👌

This car will always turn my head an absolute legend of a car

Thank you for this video it made my truly awful day so much better

My favourite saloon car of all time,not an M5 but I've owned my E39 525i Sport 15 years next March and I'm still not bored of the old girl yet.

Peak BMW- that gen was amazing. Even the diesels changed the world- i remember the 330d coming out and being the fastest diesel in the world at the time but my friends M3 which he had only 5 or 6 years ago was truly amazing. His remapped e92 330d is very very quick (almost as quick as the m3) but there was something so nice about the e46/e39 gen cars.

It takes a specific individual who recognizes fine craftsmanship, precision, and nimbleness to truly appreciate a remarkably exceptional machine.

Quite liked this review 😊

You’re not helping 😂 Owned one 2004-06 still my favourite all round car I’ve ever owned I’d invent a reason to go out ! Probably going to buy another sooooooon

E39 M5 an absolute hero! Hope to own one someday.

I am so glad I bought one at the right time. Luck more than insight. They're just so good.

Sinster, gorgeous and just perfect. This was peak bmw

beautifly said ..nice video ..best car ever made in my openion too...the legend e39 m5 with thats amazing blue color.

I was having one m5 e39 for past 7 years after that transmission was broken so i sold it Now im thinking to getting another one But my favorite dream car is Porsche to be honest still I want one I can feel & understand every word u said in this gorgeous video Thanks for waking me up again 🤣

Great review! Took my M5 on a roadtrip to Germany. No better car to munch through miles in than an E39 M5 🤷🏻‍♂️

Sure did enjoy it greatly. Thx

Had one with a tubi style exhaust my, my those were the days. Great cars!

Loved that car. And loved the E46M3. So iconic. Superb interior for the day

I bought my 2002, individual E39 M5 in Estoril blue for £10k in 2011, it around 50k miles and absolutely perfect. It was my dream car and I couldn't believe they'd fallen to the point where I could afford one. I removed the rear exhaust silencers which made it sound incredible, drove it for 20000 odd miles and sold it for £12k. If it's been cared for its probably a £40k car now🤷‍♂️. Selling it is my biggest car regret!! I seem to have a habit of selling future classics before they skyrocket in value, Clio Williams, Corrado Vr6, UK spec Rx7 fd3.....😂

@djyems1021

11 ай бұрын

LOL RIP

@djyems1021

11 ай бұрын

Stoopid

Superb review. I can’t be the only one who is thinking about a purchase after watching …

Great car and a superb review. My dream one with in Oxford Green over Caramel heritage leather.

Totally agree with Shane and others here.The styling is his timeless strength. It is elegantly beautiful with an amazing stance and presence. I was fortunate to have an F40, GT3 RS, Maranello, Jaguars and Porsches Turbos and Carreras, but I never had the desire nor the courage to sell my black E39 M5 and never will. It stays next to my Maranello and Carreras as the most beautiful and now classic BMW M5 of all.

@bonifacijus11

Жыл бұрын

osom dreams you dream;)

I took my E39 M5 to part-ex against nearly new RS6 Avant last year and while the Audi was beautiful and it was 4 wheel drive I just could not come to do it as their is something so special and soulful about the car which I honestly cannot explain, yes the Audi was quicker but its not just about that, the way the E39 delivers the power is quite unique and is totally different to modern cars, I appreciate I sound stupid but its so hard to describe the driving experience. If you do have the typical stiff second gear which most have a change in the gearbox oil gets rid, you will have to look on threads as I got mine done and it has eradicated this issue completely.

Beautiful, my favourite era of BMWs.

Magnificent video

That M5 rocket car advert made a huge impression on me as a teenager and I always dreamed of owning one. When the right time came, I searched for a year for one and a friend of a friend ended up finding a 2-owner car for me. Only 297 ever came into South Africa and I only wanted the facelift, and for a while, while they were cheap, they were abused and turbocharged and supercharged and converted into racecars, and of course written off, so nobody knows how many are left, but it can't be many. Mine is a high-miler but in really great condition, much loved by its previous owner. I'm about to do the big timing chain replacement which is making me nervous but has to be done! But either way it has been a joy to own. It's brilliant on short drives, it's brilliant on long drives, it makes everyone happy when you show up at a car meet; it has become a living legend. I have owned it for 2 years now and will double my money if I sell it today, but I can't see myself selling it, maybe sometime in the next 5 to 10 years. But I'll only sell if the money can buy me something which I love as much, and as time goes on, that is looking increasingly unlikely.

@klauswiehl348

Жыл бұрын

I also own one, a pre-facelift 2000 in Silverstone. One can't help but fall in love with this car. I've often wondered how many came to SA, so am pleased now to know. Figure is lower than I thought. If you don't mind, where did you find this information?

I had an e39 535i M sport in the same blue , with those glorious M sport deep dish wheels , full leather - it was my first bmw and it was and always will be THE car that got me hooked into BMW’s - so well built , quick , stupidly well built - the day I drove it home coming down the motorway I thought it developed a wheel bearing issue , so I slowed down - the noise went , I sped up it came back - after 5 minutes of doing this I realised it wasn’t my car but it the mondeo that I had kept coming across in the lane next to me lol