Top Gear's Greatest Car Ever

[Josh (PA)]

e39 5-series:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/top-gear/why-top-gears-greatest-ever-car-was-a-1500-bmw-banger/

I guess this really is/was the pinacle of the BMW brand. The car just did everything well. We had the 540iT, which is still my wife's favorite car and the M5.

[John V]

The E39 looked right, drove right and somehow always felt well-oiled and well-screwed-together. They must have made zero money off of them. :lol:

[TD]

Our 2000 528i does not have a single squeak or rattle. Everything is totally solid. Totally blows me away every time I end up on broken pavement - which is often now that I'm commuting in to Virginia again.

It's part of why I can't see selling it - especially since it's worth practically nothing.

[Josh (PA)]

My mechanic has a bunch of old BMW loaners (e34, e39, e46, etc). He basically takes them over from customers when the repair + labor bill is more than the car is worth, and fixes them to the point of safe running. I am always surprised when I get in and start driving what looks to be a complete POS with 180k+ miles how well it feels. A neglected 15yr old BMW still feels way better than a brand new (insert commodity car of choice) rental car that I get stuck with every time I travel.

[Theo]

The E39 looked right, drove right and somehow always felt well-oiled and well-screwed-together. They must have made zero money off of them. :lol:

Just don't try and keep the M5 version on the road without a huge maintenance budget.

[Josh (PA)]

Just don't try and keep the M5 version on the road without a huge maintenance budget.

I think that sound byte is overblown. Mine was no worse than my other cars. It had things that needed fixing and was a consumer of tires, but the N54 needs walnut blasting and electric water pumps (at $1k) and fluid filled engine mounts, etc, etc, etc.

Keeping older cars on the road is either expensive or neglecting.

[Theo]

I think that sound byte is overblown. Mine was no worse than my other cars. It had things that needed fixing and was a consumer of tires, but the N54 needs walnut blasting and electric water pumps (at $1k) and fluid filled engine mounts, etc, etc, etc.

Keeping older cars on the road is either expensive or neglecting.

I have warranty receipts for about 18K for 7y the warranty lasted.

I have done about 5K since it expired last August.

That's not counting standard items like tires.

[Josh (PA)]

I have warranty receipts for about 18K for 7y the warranty lasted.

I have done about 5K since it expired last August.

That's not counting standard items like tires.

So thats over 8yrs of semi-exotic car ownership? Less than $3k/yr. That doesn't seem excessive to me :dunno: (I'm not being an a-hole, I'm about to go pick up my e61 with an $1825 repair bill for control arm bushings, engine mounts, a vacuum leak, oil and air/cabin filters). Sucks, but I budgeted for that when my upfront cost was only $23k.

[Theo]

Well seeing that I got the car for 36K in June of 08 and I still can maybe sell it in low 20's here on the west coast AND the warranty that was included with the sale covered said 18K of repairs then yeah I did not do so bad.

And no I don't think your being a a-hole. =)

Edit: I am not sure I would feel the same if I did not have that warranty buffer.

[Josh (PA)]

Well seeing that I got the car for 36K in June of 08 and I still can maybe sell it in low 20's here on the west coast AND the warranty that was included with the sale covered said 18K of repairs then yeah I did not do so bad.

And no I don't think your being a a-hole. =)

Edit: I am not sure I would feel the same if I did not have that warranty buffer.

My m5 was probably the lowest total cost of ownership car I ever had. I bought it for $24,500, drove it 50,000 miles and sold it for $19,000 3+ yrs later. Based on the general consent that the e39 m5 was the best m car and arguably the best BMW ever, I wouldn't expect that low $20s resale to go anywhere but up from here.