papariccardo

I just bought a set of these BBS CH 18" x8.5 rims with 80% Nankang NS2 rubber in the perfect stud & offset for my Volvo 850R. They were bought new a year ago for another 850 T5, and I paid just $600!!!! Glad they are as well received by my Bimmer brothers. The E3 is now long gone - what was I thinking?

The E39 528 does seem to be well spec'd, and has lost a lot of value with the introduction of the newer 530 E39. What issues should I be aware of? I see many E39s advertised with fresh gearboxes - is the gearbox a particularly weak point? My boss has an E66 740 2005 ex Singapore that's gbox has been crap from day one, and he is finding difficult & expensive to sort. Still not 100% I think. I see '96-'98 528s selling around $10k, am I getting a fine ride for that, or a headache? What things should I be aware of? Thanks all

Thanks forum, i really appreciate the answers, makes sense. I'm guessing a 525 is probably OK too, but a 528/530 is what I'm looking for. I see some on the street,and all owners are very happy. The most suprising thing I've found is people who have gone from the E39 to the new model 5, and not been happy with the change - seems the E39 is punching well above it's weight class. Correct me if wrong, please! I have been active in the 300ZX forums for some time, and despite being a fan of that overlooked japanese rocket, I have always had a spot for Bavarian Motor Works engineering and driver appeal. The only Euro that I offer such kudos to. I'll post the new ride when I find it - luckily for me, the buy price of a late model sub200k E39 is a fraction of it's new cost. But the loss of my 68km 5spd twin turbo japanese crocodile still hurts! I'm picking the drive quality, NVH levels, and safety of a 39 will go a long way to make up for it however. Thanks for the welcome!

I'm toying with the idea of buying a E39 520-23-25-28 or an E34 535i. In terms of reliabilty, ownership pleasure, cost of ownership, etc, what should I look for? How many km is too many - 180km on an E39 520i too high? Will the 520 drive me nuts performance wise, or is she OK? Will probably do 60k more in the 3 yrs I will own it. Also, how much are the E39 'angel' lights to retrofit? Love that look! I'm replacing a mint 450hp twin turbo Nissan 300ZX 5sp, so obviously performance won't compare no matter what one I buy. However, she is in a workshop now after mounting a kerb, with considerable chassis damage, it may well be a write-off, hence the shopping list. I owned until 2005 a very tidy, low-km E3 3.0S, and regret selling her to this day, especially for the few dollars I recieved for it. Nearly bought it back when I saw it on TradeMe a year ago, but had no money that week. Thanks all for any advice you can offer.