Buying a used car BMW 5 Series (E39): a good idea?

I I'll outline: Upper middle class Sedan, xenon lights, navigation system, CD changer, automatic air conditioning, cruise control, PDC front and rear, electric windows front and rear, speakerphone, onboard TV and a beautiful six-cylinder petrol engine under the hood. If you let that sink in for a moment - what price would you award a vehicle equipped in this way? I dissolve: 1,200 euros. I paid that for a BMW 5 Series E39 in Toledo Blue from 2001. Okay, it already has almost 211,000 kilometers on the clock, but at least the engine is almost out of puberty. Regarding the features mentioned above, it should be said that everything works perfectly. Apart from the TV function after terrestrial TV was buried in 2009. And the CD changer. And the car phone. But otherwise everything works. Really now.

The question remains whether the purchase was a risk or a smart move. So why this particular car? Well, as with many of my car purchases, supply and demand came together here in a very unbureaucratic way. I knew someone who knew someone who intended to replace said 5 Series with a new VW Tiguan. And when I buy a car, I usually strive for improvement, at least in part. In this case: two more cylinders, 45 hp more and significantly more equipment than in my Audi A4 from 1997. After a trustworthy source also attested to the good overall condition of the BMW and the test drive was satisfactory, I was awarded the contract. Did i regret it? Not yet, although I was never looking for a BMW.

Six-cylinder sovereign and calm

Patrick Lang

No hectic overdynamic - in the 5 Series you are more likelydignified on the way, which is quite clear.

The somewhat sedate steering takes some getting used to. Overall, the car rolls noticeably more comfortably through the world than its predecessor from Ingolstadt. But you don't get any younger * cough *, so that's okay. There is always a period of getting used to. On the BMW, for example, the grinding point is in the lower third of the clutch travel, while on the Audi it was last used shortly before the end of the pedal travel. The 170 hp six-cylinder is still a pleasure, even after 17 years. Powerful at the start, very calm and confident at work. Working with the manual five-speed gearbox is also easy. Literally. If I refer purely to the driving characteristics, then you hardly notice the age of the car. Even he hardly has any wrinkles on his face, symbolizing the body. Well, the paintwork is no longer completely fresh, but it has matured with dignity, I would say.

If at all, you can feel the years of life on the infotainment system. USB port? AUX input? Bluetooth? You search in vain. And that although this is the business radio with 16: 9 navigation monitor and MK IV computer, i.e. the Ferrari among the BMW head units of this era. The associated six-disc CD changer - an almost antique piece of technology in itself - sits in the trunk in front of the left rear light. That's why I was amazed at the eject button on the radio at the top right. Of course, there was only one way to find out what was behind it - and I went. When the button is pressed, the display slides downwards at an angle in James Bond fashion and releases the view of a cassette deck. Jackpot! Why? Because this solves the connectivity problems for the time being. The venerable adapter cassette with a jack connection is available for ten euros. With it I can hear the music from the iPhone, because the radio program really tires me out in the long run.

Patrick Lang

The good old cassette slot is hidden behind the 'modern' screen. Perfect, because thanks to the adapter cassette I can listen to music from my smartphonehear.

Timeless interior

As far as the design of the interior is concerned, it can be worse. Black fabric seats that are in perfect condition, black decorative panels (it could also have been a gruesome burl wood look), and a gray headliner that stretches over my head without leaving any spots. The buttons and the leather steering wheel are also in excellent health. In keeping with the heat of the century this summer, I am also delighted to have bought a car with a functioning air conditioning system for the first time. Even at 38 degrees you climb in, stoically endure the first wave of embers, and just a few moments later you can snap up the first cool clouds of air from the nozzles. Hachja .. what more could you want?

There are actually a few little things. There are USB boxes in accessories shops that can be connected instead of the CD changer. This would also have a few connections from the advanced 21st century on board. The functionless car phone holder has to be replaced by a suitable mobile phone holder and some solution to the cup holder question has to be found. The BMW has exactly none. If anything happens in terms of armaments, I'll keep you updated here, I promise. Until then, you can check the current condition of the cheap used vehicle in our picture gallery.