E60 528i/530i Advice Needed. Encourage me or Talk Me Out of It.

[navid41691]

Doesn't that reflect more on you then the car? Shouldn't you take better care of the car so it doesn't look rattly or rough. Perhaps maybe ohhhh....I don't know FIX the air conditioner so it works? Also if you wanted a track rat then get a second e30 with this e60 money you possess and make it a track rat, then make you're other e30 a more presentable fully functioning daily driver.

Now if you're on a budget take the costs of barely maintaining your current car and multiply it by 12. Then add in the costs of poon diving and realize you need to get a better job before you get a better car...Oh and before that get a better mindset on life.

Last side note if you're dating a girl that only cares about the car and not the person driving it, then get a rental for the day show her a good time do you business and move on to the next one, it'll probably be much cheaper.

Really? I'm not even sure how to respond to this. We clearly have two different ideas on priorities is all I'll say.

Thanks everyone else for the relevant input.

[Jamaican_Blitzkrieger]

My mom owns a '07 e60 530i (bought with a lil mileage, but i cant remember). And all I can say is "amazing". The only problem she has had, is the common transmission issue where the car bogs sometimes when moving off OR when off the pedal and going back on. If i can remember correctly, I believe it was some rubber seal thingy that's supposed to be changed if it breaks. Breakage will cause sludge build up and if you don't catch the build up early enough....weeellll, lets just say its going to cost you a pretty penny. But otherwise, a damn good car overall. From the perspective of "if I was older and settling down", I would probably own one.

[CrusherCurtis]

Last side note if you're dating a girl that only cares about the car and not the person driving it, then get a rental for the day show her a good time do you business and move on to the next one, it'll probably be much cheaper.

Genius

[JBird]

We have a 2006 550i. It's pretty awesome and has been a great car. Bought it with about 20k miles, now it has about 60k miles. So far there has been no major issues. I'm not sure how much the 550i's are going for since they are more rare, but if you find one I'd recommend a test drive! V8, 360hp, 22mpg city/27mpg hwy.

We also put a euro tow hitch on ours which we used this weekend to tow a haflinger! I have also towed a tent trailer all the way down to Grass Valley, CA and back. The 550i rocks for towing since it's still fast and smooth even with a trailer. No need for a pick-up truck.

[mcr_driver]

I think you got the wrong idea of what I mean by "picking up women". I mean it in the sense of literally arriving at a girls house or whatever and them going into my car to head to dinner or wherever the date is. I don't want a girl getting into my rattly, rough, air condition-less e30 worth 2 thousand dollars.

Doesn't that reflect more on you then the car? Shouldn't you take better care of the car so it doesn't look rattly or rough. Perhaps maybe ohhhh....I don't know FIX the air conditioner so it works? Also if you wanted a track rat then get a second e30 with this e60 money you possess and make it a track rat, then make you're other e30 a more presentable fully functioning daily driver.

Now if you're on a budget take the costs of barely maintaining your current car and multiply it by 12. Then add in the costs of poon diving and realize you need to get a better job before you get a better car...Oh and before that get a better mindset on life.

Last side note if you're dating a girl that only cares about the car and not the person driving it, then get a rental for the day show her a good time do you business and move on to the next one, it'll probably be much cheaper.

[navid41691]

WAT!?

Do women take you for a joke in your e30?
Buying an e60 to pick up women is a horrible idea. Its a like a Toyota Camry, I trip and fall over one every time a leave the house.

Seriously I wouldn't buy a car to get women, but if your going to it has to be something better than an e60. Something exciting, fun: Doorless topless wrangler, Ducati, 60's mustang, anything vintage. Get something that says something about you. What does an e60 say?

Don't be this guy:

I think you got the wrong idea of what I mean by "picking up women". I mean it in the sense of literally arriving at a girls house or whatever and them going into my car to head to dinner or wherever the date is. I don't want a girl getting into my rattly, rough, air condition-less e30 worth 2 thousand dollars.

[agent]

edt: oh, you only have 15k... With that money, you could find a high mileage e39 M5 with maintenance needs or well sorted 540i sport.

Touched that up a bit.

[Vtec?lol]

may I suggest the 535i sport?
If you want women then you gotta go all out.



edt: oh, you only have 15k. I wouldn't buy an e60 with that budget. With that money, you could find a well sorted e39 M5 or 540i sport. sure it'll be expensive to mantain, but that's just half the fun of owning one.

[redsubdivisions]

Go for it. If it's an M54 motor, expect it to last even longer than it's N counterpart (as long as you don't overheat it too bad. lol). I never saw E60's that much when I was working at the dealer, and if I did, it was for basic maintenance. A common issue on those is coils and the weatherstripping around the front and rear glass. Other than that, you're pretty much good to go.

[CrusherCurtis]

I need something I can be taken seriously in when going to a meeting or picking up a new girl or whatever.

WAT!?

Do women take you for a joke in your e30?
Buying an e60 to pick up women is a horrible idea. Its a like a Toyota Camry, I trip and fall over one every time a leave the house.

Seriously I wouldn't buy a car to get women, but if your going to it has to be something better than an e60. Something exciting, fun: Doorless topless wrangler, Ducati, 60's mustang, anything vintage. Get something that says something about you. What does an e60 say?

Don't be this guy:
via Imgflip Meme Maker

[flyboyx]

i changed the vanos solenoids and still get the check engine light for cam bank a and b retarded.

i guess this must be why....?

[mikeedler]

huh....are you talking about the n52 here?

yes, both the N52/ N53 (euro motor) have metal rings on the cams, that seal the oil pressure for the vanos unit. They wear grooves in the head so the pressure cannot be held anymore to properly adjust the VANOS, and then comes the ever so known engine MAL light story.
Guess I wrote that kinda dumb earlier.

[word is bond]

Totally serious. What other car do you think was better under Bangle? Certainly not his 7 or 6 series. The E46 technically came out after he joined BMW, but he had little to no role in it. The E90 is fine enough, but not particularly good (especially pre facelift). If you prefer the Z4, well that's fine. It's good, as well.
I've never cared for the E60's interior and still don't, but I think its exterior is highly underrated. Really look at it. It's simpler and more reserved than you think. Much less aggressive and overwrought, than the current line. It's aged very well. If you told me it was the successor to the current 5er, I would totally believe you.

[agent]

...the E60... It's the best looking Bimmer that BMW produced under Bangle...and I think it might end up being a future classic.

Not sure if serious.

The E60's styling makes it look like it came from Japan.

OP, if you want a "grown up" car you can do most of the work on yourself, find a well-sorted facelift E39 (with an M54).

[Solarian]

Have you owned a "grown up" car before? I sold my 240SX when I turned 22 and started my first full time job out of university, because I "wanted to be taken more seriously". Worst decision I ever made. I didn't even get that lame of a car to replace it, it was a G35 coupe with the 6 speed, sport pack, forged rays 19's, etc... It was fantastically reliable, drove better in every measurable way than my 240, looked great, everyone loved it, but it wasn't me. I'm not that guy.

Before you go blaming the car, I've driven tons of other "nice" cars, including an E92 335i with JB4, new A4, C350 and my mom owns a 128 that I sometimes borrow. The 128 is the only one on that list that I even sort of like, and it's still not me. When I'm married and have kids, my wife will drive a "grown up" car. My new moto is "You can have my 20+ year old shitbox when you pry it from my cold dead hands."

Anyway, that's just me. Lots of people have gotten modern, responsible "nice" cars and loved them, maybe you will too. Or you might regret it like I did. I never expected that I'd own an E30 when I was selling my 240SX. Oh, and I'm turning 28 now, it took me nearly 6 years to come back to the type of car that I never should've parted with. I would've bought back my 240, but the new owner totaled it weeks after I sold it to him.