540i Msport vs 530i Msport

[martyyn 2]

Arent many and 'only one in NZ' are two very different things....I know Im being pedantic but honestly.

It came up months ago, but as you and I have already talked about, its over priced for its condition etc. You cant deny that a manual 540 is tempting though

[Yuen 16]

How about this - 530i wagon, not M-Sport, but this combo doesn't come along often.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/C...n-145346645.htm

[Fai+H777 0]

My little touring will be up for sale next week, its a jap import though...

[martyyn 2]

How about this - 530i wagon, not M-Sport, but this combo doesn't come along often.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/C...n-145346645.htm

Its cheap but its about as base a spec as you can get. No leather, no tv, no sat nav (after a fiddle), no phone, no heated seats, no steering wheel controls, no nothing.

[pjay 8]

Red red red! Go red! Red = faster

[mackt 1]

How about this - 530i wagon, not M-Sport, but this combo doesn't come along often.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/C...n-145346645.htm

Got a 3.0 Subaru Outback, so all wagoned out...

Red red red! Go red! Red = faster

Still liking that red msport in Auckland

I'm in Dunedin - so will go and check out the local yards

[metro 0]

Mackt I have a year 2000 528i motorsport arriving from Japan this week if you are interested. It is silver with 75000km on the clock, black suede interior and all the usual motorsport extra's. It was an auction grade 4 out of 5, 5 being as new condition. I brought 2 cars , 1 for myself and 1 to on sell so can do a really sharp price.

Can email you pic's if your interested.

[Fai+H777 0]

7 is new, 6 is as new...

[metro 0]

7 is new, 6 is as new...

Not with the facility I use, most auction houses have slightly different spec's

[BMW POWER 2]

Hey Tim

I see you're in Dunedin.There are no BMW 5-ers at Armstrong Prestige at the moment. There proabably are a coupld at Mark Laughton Mototrs, although it is most probably they are jap import... and without slandering, we had quite a few probs with buying a BMW from there. Cookies would be worth a try.

Go for the 540i - theres nothing quite like a V8

Perhaps you could rock up to the BMWCC AGM tonight ay

[Yuen 16]

Its cheap but its about as base a spec as you can get. No leather, no tv, no sat nav (after a fiddle), no phone, no heated seats, no steering wheel controls, no nothing.

Now this, Martyn, is a nice one!

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/C...n-149792258.htm

[Fai+H777 0]

So thats what mine would look like without mods

[allan 295]

Looks nice on first view Yuen. Was surprised to see it only had cloth seats, no parking sensors, GPS to work, if it isn't already. Is that par for the course with the tourers and M sport line?, a bit steep price wish $33,000 with 85,000km's on the clock.

[kiwi535 538]

m sport doesnt really anything,just another option ticked....maybe thats why it has cloth seats,they swapped the body kit for the leather seats

[martyyn 2]

Its not 'cloth' cloth, its alcantara (fancy suede to you and me)....pretty much all the m-sport wagons come with it.

Still a well spec'd car and rare car in this country but unless you really want a 530 touring Im sure you could get better value for your 33k elsewhere.

[Yuen 16]

I agree about the price - it's on the high side. Just pointed it out for the features. Good eye Allan re: PDC, didn't notice. Looks like it might have HIDs though which would be a plus.

That car has cloth centres and Alcantara bolsters. Alcantara is not cloth - kind of like suede as Martyn said, but it's probably more accurate to call it 'synthetic suede'. Looks like suede but supposed to be more durable for automotive purposes. To me the Alcantara is a very attractive part of the Motorsport E46s, E39s... Alcantara rates above leather in my book. I suppose leather does look classier, but Alcantara feels so good and should be more grippy, plus it will be cooler in hot weather.

www.alcantara.com. It's also used in Lamborghinis, Aston Martins etc.

[Fai+H777 0]

Heres a closer pic:

[metro 0]

I agree about the price - it's on the high side. Just pointed it out for the features. Good eye Allan re: PDC, didn't notice. Looks like it might have HIDs though which would be a plus.

That car has cloth centres and Alcantara bolsters. Alcantara is not cloth - kind of like suede as Martyn said, but it's probably more accurate to call it 'synthetic suede'. Looks like suede but supposed to be more durable for automotive purposes. To me the Alcantara is a very attractive part of the Motorsport E46s, E39s... Alcantara rates above leather in my book. I suppose leather does look classier, but Alcantara feels so good and should be more grippy, plus it will be cooler in hot weather.

www.alcantara.com. It's also used in Lamborghinis, Aston Martins etc.

I agree Yuen, I had leather in my last car which does look nice and is easily cleaned especially with young kids. But if you don't look after it can start looking a bit shabbie. I have alcantara in my present car and am very happy with it... looks nice, hard wearing and cleans up well. Centres aren't cloth though, seem to be another sort of synthetic material. Not too sure what its is though

[Yuen 16]

Interesting, I always thought the centres were cloth. I like the stitching in the pic Fai+H, do you have a close-up of the centre section?

[beemn 50]

Great comments, thanks

Looks like it's test drive time...

We have an 02 530 motor sport, imola red nz new with alliminium trim inside not wood,all the fruit, goes great and still plenty of grunt to tow the race car (at speed),better that the vw. V8's were sooooo last year! haha. the handling of the car is great, a friend of mine has a jap 540i msport 2000 facelift, driven that and would still go with the 530i

Edited April 11, 2008 by beemn

[martyyn 2]

Mmmmmmmm Imola red

Always wanted an e38 740i sport in Imola red.

[beemn 50]

Mmmmmmmm Imola red

Always wanted an e38 740i sport in Imola red.

Great colour, and pretty rare, only ever see it on motorsport cars if im not mistaken

[Fai+H777 0]

Interesting, I always thought the centres were cloth. I like the stitching in the pic Fai+H, do you have a close-up of the centre section?

I only have old pics, I'll take one tommorrow.

[kiwi535 538]

Great colour, and pretty rare, only ever see it on motorsport cars if im not mistaken

there was a Imola red M5 for sale just latey ..it was HOT

[Yuen 16]

beemn your car is gorgeous, I can't help but stare everytime I see an Imola E39, they are so hot. The brushed aluminium interior would be at the top of my list too. Speaking of which I don't think I've ever seen an Imola E39 Touring, would be something special.