For 3 1/2 years, our 1999 C230K has been a pleasure to own with no major problems and only the need for regular maintenance. It was mostly driven by my wife and has approx 83K miles on it. Recently, I decided to look for a car that was a couple of years newer and with a few less miles. I thought I would get another C class and spent time looking in the local paper and on autotrader. During the course of looking, I became more interested in BMW's and, particularly, the 5-series. Long story short, I bought a 2001 530i yesterday. Cosmetically, it is flawless and seems to be mechanically in great shape. I have to say that I am extremely impressed with the BMW's handling, acceleration, and interior. This is not a BMW vs. Mercedes thread - in fact, I couldn't stand to let the C230 out of the family so we let my 19 year-old daughter buy it at an extremely reasonable price (giveaway!!). I hope the BMW is as trouble-free as the C was and is, but only time will tell. It may be that I end up buying the C back from my daughter!

I caught the BMW trend also.About two weeks ago,my Odyssey went in for service at a BMW dealership.They gave me a 525XI.I left my Honda at the their dealership for about a week after it was done,because I was enjoying the BMW so much.I am actually contemplating if I want to trade my van in for a ML or X5.

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1998 S500
2006 E320 CDI
1963 220S
1994 S500
1995 S500
2005 BMW 545i sport
2007 GL320 CDI
2007 ML320 CDI
1991 Toyota Previa White over Blue
2000 Lexus RX300 White over Beige
2008 Audi Q7 Black Opal over Grey
1993 Toyota T-100 Silver over Grey
2002 Chevy 2500 Express White over Grey

And I thought everyone was buying Infiniti's...

Congrats on the 530. The E39 5 series platform (97-03) with that engine may be the best car BMW ever made. I have a 93 525i 5 speed from the previous generation that I love, and I'm waiting a year or two more for the '03 530i's to come off lease and down in price to pick one up, ideally a silver 5 speed with sport and premium packages - then I'll never sell it. I'm not really as much of a fan of the new generation, between the styling, cheaper materials, "active steering", etc. MB's are great cars as well, but for the sheer fun of driving BMW comes out ahead.

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81 300SD
08 MDX Tech
93 525i

05 F650GS

I wouldn't call you a traitor. The E39 is a pretty nice car and I would say you can't go wrong with your decision. Mechanically, it is a pretty good car as well.

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Ali Al-Chalabi

2001 CLK55
1999 Dodge Ram 2500 Cummins Diesel
2002 Harley-Davidson Fatboy
Merlin Extralight w/ Campy Record

PC Dave - good choice - that's exactly what I got. Silver with grey interior, sport and premium packages. However, its an automatic with steptronic - my wife drives it mainly and probably the only time the steptronic will be used is when I drive. Well, I'm gald to see some respected members of the MB community think the E39 is a decent decision. BTW, I drive a Jeep Grand Cherokee - believe me, I have some mixed feelings when I see my daughter pull out of the driveway in the MB! Oh well, its good to have the two women in the house happy (for awhile anyway!).

Well, I am the one who really feels like a traitor. I just sold my 95E300D and now looking at a gasser E320 with 36K original miles. I DON'T KNO WHAT I WAS THINKING WHEN I SOLD THE E300D!

Are you mad? A 5.3 litre engine in a BMW, it will fall apart in no time at all.

And I'm the one who bought it! Mwahahahahahaaaa!

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Matt
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1995 E300 Diesel (Die Blau Frau)

[QUOTE=BillH]Long story short, I bought a 2001 530i yesterday. Cosmetically, it is flawless and seems to be mechanically in great shape. I have to say that I am extremely impressed with the BMW's handling, acceleration, and interior. [QUOTE]

Join the club! BMW's handle great, what an experience 'ay?! Even my big 7'er handles like its on rails. Sports suspension and fat tires help too of course.

Hell you have nothing to be ashamed of. The 5 is the best, the traitor is Chris Bangle and all the " drive" crap they have now - not you. One of these or an E class- I ask you.

E39 is BMW at the top of its game

Car magazines round the world named it the best sedan in the world, over and over Again, Washington to London, Paris to Berlin, Moscow to Riga, Teheran to Hong Kong, Tokyo to Buenos Aires, what's the most coveted car in the world?

Yupper. Yours!! 530i the best engine for them.

Bravo!!

I'll take mine in dark blue, thank you

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1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

I don't like the new body style of the BMW's, but boy howdy! The new 6 is cool-looking. I think it's a 645-something-or-other.

Has anybody reading this driven one of them?

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" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

A long time ago I cut out an excellent article from Motor Trend. The article was well done which is why I must fine it and post it. It was done at the time in the late 1970s when Mercedes-Benz S-class was the trusty w108 280SEL M130 motor. It was compared to a BMW 3.0. sedan also a Six but with a standard transmission.
The article goes on to explore the mind set of designers & clientel on both sides of Germany. It probes the mind set of Bavarian people as opposed to what they call a more conservative side of Stuttgart clintel who buy Mercedes-Benz.
Who is better ? but with out intention after you read this article you get a better understanding of both companies. Since the article was written in Germany you come away with a good understanding of both philosophys of the time.
It was one of the better article of the time.

Bob Geco

No, but I'd like to drive the M6!

Well, its been a little over 3 months since I purchased the 530. I originally got the car for my wife with the idea that I would get to drive it on weekends. That didn't last long - after a few days of driving the car I decided the car was going to be mine! I gave my wife the choice of getting another car of her choice and she decided just to drive my Jeep GC for a while. I am in love with the 530. I know others tout the 540 for its straight line speed, but I'm happy with the 6 cylinder engine. BTW, the C230K is still going strong - my daughter went to Denver and back a few times and I recently replaced the mass air meter (hopefully many more miles of trouble free driving ahead).

Like some above, I don't care for the body style of the new BMWs. Except, the 6 series is a thing of incredible beauty. So, what's next carwise - an E39 M5 in a year or so!!