BMW 5-Series Saloon (1996 - 2003) 520i SE 4d Auto (96) (1999/T) Owner Review

What does this car say about you?

That I'm either mad for buying a sixteen year old Bemmer or a clever clogs for taking my time to find a low mileage, 85k, one owner example !

What do your friends / family / neighbours think of the car?

Neighbour loves the old Beemers as well, and wife thinks it's a lot of luxury for the money....car was £32k new.

Would you buy this car again and why?

Will struggle now to find another in such good nick, as BMW stopped the run in 2003, but yes, if good service history is present.

What are you likely to buy next?

A bmw. They can be expensive to run, but buy with the lowest miles you can with a good history, keep it serviced and you can experience driving as it should be.

Type of dealer you bought from?

Didn't buy from a dealer

Did you buy this car new?

No

What price did you pay?

£1,000

When did you buy the car?

April 2015

Did you get a good deal and why?

Paid a bit much for car, but at this age, almost 16 years old at date of purchase, condition was more important than age...only one owner from new ! With a full service history and a load of paperwork for work done, it really stood it compared with other e39s I had viewed. OAP previous owner had carpet tiles in his double garage and said car had been parked inside garage every night !!

Is there any special reason why you bought this car?

Previously owned an e39 528se and an e46 328se. BMW reliability excellent in both previous cars.

What was the dealer like?

N/A

What's it like to drive?

Dream, really. Without doubt, the e39 series is the best car I have ever driven. Steptronic gives you the option to have some fun with the box in manual mode, but I rarely use it, as car is so much more of a pleasure to drive in auto mode. Be aware though that fuel costs around town is only around 25mpg at best. Better on a motorway run, expect 35-40mpg.

What's it like to park?

Easy with the rear parking sensors which you MUST have.

Have you had any problems with the car?

Nothing in first 6 months of ownership. All the toys working fine. Probably will do the brakes before next MOT though.

What's most practical about your car?

Comfortably seats four adults. Perfect car for long trips/ motorway cruising. Smooth as silk engine. Sitting at idle, you would think it was switched off. BMW six cylinder engine is bulletproof as long as properly serviced.

Favourite gadget, option or accessory?

Steptronic gearbox, rear parking sensors, onboard computer.