entscheidend 0 Report post Posted January 22, 2007 Hi everyone ... I have been plotting this idea for a while and want to move up in seats/room to either a 5 or 7 ... I have a M3 saloon at the moment but having 2 kids soon so she aint going to be big enough .. sadly :-( Im thinking of either 540 or 740, E38, E39, E60 ... I cant make up my mind ... anyone got families .. which one? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
martyyn 2 Report post Posted January 22, 2007 7 nuff said. Honestly in my mind there is no question, we have two kids and once the 7 is all packed up there is always room left over and the luxury and power is always on tap. The 5 says business, the 7 says luxury. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Spargo Report post Posted January 22, 2007 the 5 says manager the 7 says CEO Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
entscheidend 0 Report post Posted January 22, 2007 7 nuff said. Honestly in my mind there is no question, we have two kids and once the 7 is all packed up there is always room left over and the luxury and power is always on tap. The 5 says business, the 7 says luxury. Hows maintenance? Inspection1 & 2 etc? I know 7's are more than the 3's by a long shot Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nath 130 Report post Posted January 22, 2007 Do children not fit in the backseat of a 3? Id say the 5- as much as i LOVE 7's, i dont think a seven will ever be a neccessity for mankind Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cainchapman 0 Report post Posted January 22, 2007 I'd always recommend the 5. 3pedals has an E39 and can get 3 child restraints across the back seat. As far as luxury goes, a high spec'd 5 is not a lot different from a 7. The services would be similar too I expect as they share most components. I would like a 7 series too, but the 5 series has plenty of room also. Deb uses the 540 as her daily driver and baby carriage and loves it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
greenday-rulz21 4 Report post Posted January 22, 2007 Hi everyone ... I have been plotting this idea for a while and want to move up in seats/room to either a 5 or 7 ... I have a M3 saloon at the moment but having 2 kids soon so she aint going to be big enough .. sadly :-( Im thinking of either 540 or 740, E38, E39, E60 ... I cant make up my mind ... anyone got families .. which one? Well... it really depends on how much space you need. IMO the 7 series is huge, my dad has a 540 and it has plenty of room for what he needs and has power when ever you need it, its the perfect balance with power and luxury, you can get just as many things in a E39 5 as you can in a E38 7, e.g. tv, comfort seats, sunblinds etc. Martyyn and Spargo are absolutly right 5 series - manager, 7 series - CEO. Petrol consumption is going to be higher in the 7 because its a bigger car and has more to pull around. It all comes down to the amount of space you are going to need. And between the E39 and E60, it really comes down to how much you have to spend, its always best to get the latest but it depends on which model/shape you like better. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
entscheidend 0 Report post Posted January 22, 2007 Do children not fit in the backseat of a 3? Id say the 5- as much as i LOVE 7's, i dont think a seven will ever be a neccessity for mankind I wish there was ... with 2 baby seats in there there aint no room in the middle, the boot doesnt fit a portable cot, toys and a high chair. You cant put the front seats back too far other wise the kids dont have leg room .. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
will 169 Report post Posted January 22, 2007 You want room? Buy this 7-series.. Will Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TronSpec 0 Report post Posted January 22, 2007 Holy sh*t that f**kin pimpin or wah? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
martyyn 2 Report post Posted January 22, 2007 If you want room here's an example. Im 6'5 and my wife is 6' so our seats are all the way back. Our kids are not short for their ages either (4 and 6, both in full booster seats) and they have plenty of room. Last weekend we took the kids to Staglands (animal park) for the day and had all the stuff for a picnic, massive chilly bin, backpacks, change of clothes and all that, all the stuff you need for a day out with the kids, Im sure you know what I mean. The boot already had a whole load of other stuff from the 3 in it, carpets, mats, various parts, footballs etc. On the way home we get a call from Ian, he has my dash for the 3. So we detour and stick that in the boot along with all the other stuff. No mess, no hassle. Spargo hits the nail on the head, manager vs ceo. As for servicing costs if you find a decent independent place then its not going to be that much more than a 5. I have two friends with e39 540's and mine has been alot cheaper over the two years than both of them. Stealers on the other hand are going to screw you entirely. You can easily get parts from the UK or Germany if you need to, but be prepared to wait if you need it from Germany. The dealers rarely keep the parts in NZ (or so they say) but on a couple of ocassions Ive found them in the country. As for fuel costs, this is a subsject close to my heart. Our other car is a twin turbo scooby wagon and its just as thirsty. We live in the hills in Wellington and obviously the 7 drinks (I get 14mpg) but on the open road I can get 30mpg. A friend and I worked it out with figures for a standard 2l cars economy and mine worked out to be 60 dollars a month more expensive. Peanuts. The power is addictive and as I have the sports suspension with 18' m-pars I can throw it around a bit. Its no go cart but Ive surprised many a boy racer by leaving them behind. Honestly, take your time and look around, find a good one and you will not regret getting the 7 over the 5. I honestly dont think there is a comparison. As Cain says you can get a 5 with all the toys but you are going to pay a premium for it whereas a 7 has them already and they are seriously cheap as chips at the moment. A 740 is all you will ever need in a car. PM me if you have specific questions or concerns. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hotwire 352 Report post Posted January 22, 2007 Our E39 good for two kids & gear, as already said a high spec E39 has nearly as many goodies as the 7. Personal preference is the 5 - little more nimble but nothing against a 7. If you REALLY want room buy the 7 Will showed. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kiwi535 538 Report post Posted January 22, 2007 Well.....I have an e34 5 series and like martin quite tall,My wife is average or a bit taller and our daugher is 15...Amy always suts behind Mary,notme.At holiday time tho there is plenty of romm in the boot for three,even with 2 foam matresses.In an E34,tall adults will be tight in the backseat.With a seven you would never run out of room,and as Martyn says they are really cheap.I think sevens will actually be cheaper than their equivlent 5 series brothers...I have ridden in Martyns car and its certainly not floaty...but it is extremely quiet and comfortable too.....justuse your knowledge of BMWs to get a good un..I dont think you can go wrong,but E 38 and e 39 will be less user serviceable than an E34 or E32,though the latter are getting a bit old now... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cainchapman 0 Report post Posted January 22, 2007 You will purchase a 740i cheaper than a 540i due to the perception of size and fuel consumption. Find the best of either you can find and buy that. I like all the kit the iL's have and would love one. I definitely don't have room for a 7 in the driveway though at the moment. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jazzbass 1 Report post Posted January 22, 2007 (edited) If its space you need - looks like time for a family van and keep the 3 for you. My opinion, if you can't fit everything you need in a 5, its time to take at look at all the junk you're carrying around - Edited January 22, 2007 by Jazzbass Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
entscheidend 0 Report post Posted January 22, 2007 If its space you need - looks like time for a family van and keep the 3 for you. My opinion, if you can't fit everything you need in a 5, its time to take at look at all the junk you're carrying around - A Van??? Cmon bro? You wont catch me dead with a van.. An X5 maybe? When they come down in price Martynn example above is ideal with all the junk he had carted around - thats similar to us. The bad part of the 7 is the space I will loose in the garage opose to the 5 - I could still walk around the car in garage if I had a 5. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
entscheidend 0 Report post Posted January 22, 2007 A Van??? Cmon bro? You wont catch me dead with a van.. An X5 maybe? When they come down in price Martynn example above is ideal with all the junk he had carted around - thats similar to us. The bad part of the 7 is the space I will loose in the garage opose to the 5 - I could still walk around the car in garage if I had a 5. Sorry Jazzbass ... I read your reponse and I get it ... Give the van to the wife and I keep the 3? That would be most ideal ... but when it comes to travelling to Wellington etc I aint taking no van :-) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jazzbass 1 Report post Posted January 22, 2007 Sorry Jazzbass ... I read your reponse and I get it ... Give the van to the wife and I keep the 3? That would be most ideal ... but when it comes to travelling to Wellington etc I aint taking no van :-) That's the way! The comment was in jest... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
martyyn 2 Report post Posted January 23, 2007 hahaha....a van....thats funny I dont think the 7 is THAT much bigger than a 5 but its not that often that Ive had them next to each other. Never bothered to look at the stats either does anyone know ? Ive been contemplating getting an e39 touring as our 'family' car but even then Im not sure our kids can get in comfortably in the back with the seats all the way back. What alot of people forget is that kids feet dont make it to the floor, especially when they are in car seats, and that means their feet are directly against the back of the front seat and the top of the rear seats, and thats a big difference to an adult who can get their feet under the front seat. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
10hove 0 Report post Posted January 23, 2007 I drive an E39 540 and have been driven to distraction by the same question as have several of my friends. Heres some pro and cons Ive noticed , 7 is quieter and smoother (Double glazed and more sound deadening) But the 7 looks older somehow ,the 5 is quicker and more nimble but the 7 is generally cheaper for the same year On both cars from about the 99 models on the economy improves and the gear change improves vastly , I presume due to better transmision adaption software in the computer . In the ones Ive driven its worth 2 litres /100kms. Stock 7s have very high profile tires good for ride but not so good for handling. The real turn up for the books in my view is the 750il, smooth, powerful ,fast and sounds amazing ... and to top it off they are extremly good value . We have sold 3 750's lately from 96 -01 and we have one guy in the south island who rang to tell us he got 7.4lk/100Km ! So what to buy ? common sense would be 528/530 E39 for fun E39 540 ( maybe M sport or with a kit) if you want to be outrageous go the 750il Ive just landed a 2000 740i and have a 750il comming if your interested Ive also got several 528's includeing 2 touring wagons Cheers Hove Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
entscheidend 0 Report post Posted January 23, 2007 I drive an E39 540 and have been driven to distraction by the same question as have several of my friends. Heres some pro and cons Ive noticed , 7 is quieter and smoother (Double glazed and more sound deadening) But the 7 looks older somehow ,the 5 is quicker and more nimble but the 7 is generally cheaper for the same year On both cars from about the 99 models on the economy improves and the gear change improves vastly , I presume due to better transmision adaption software in the computer . In the ones Ive driven its worth 2 litres /100kms. Stock 7s have very high profile tires good for ride but not so good for handling. The real turn up for the books in my view is the 750il, smooth, powerful ,fast and sounds amazing ... and to top it off they are extremly good value . We have sold 3 750's lately from 96 -01 and we have one guy in the south island who rang to tell us he got 7.4lk/100Km ! So what to buy ? common sense would be 528/530 E39 for fun E39 540 ( maybe M sport or with a kit) if you want to be outrageous go the 750il Ive just landed a 2000 740i and have a 750il comming if your interested Ive also got several 528's includeing 2 touring wagons Cheers Hove Interested ... Price range with the 7's? Service history? I prefer the black interior or with cream - no grey Colours - Black or White? PM me if you like with them Models - 735i, 740i ... no L models - too big Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kiwi535 538 Report post Posted January 23, 2007 young kids+holidays+road trip to far town to vist relatives=need 7xxiL....serious.You wont beleive the S&^t you end up taking....OR a 5 series touring.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
10hove 0 Report post Posted January 24, 2007 (edited) link to 2000 740i just landed , ex japan , will check glove box for service records etc, will do a better price so dont worry about the retail on it [ Cheers hove Edited January 24, 2007 by Alex ten Hove Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jazzbass 1 Report post Posted January 24, 2007 (edited) That's a very nice example, mate!! Immaculate is right! Edited January 24, 2007 by Jazzbass Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
318Touring 40 Report post Posted January 24, 2007 To fit two car seats and still have room in the middle, E38 will be a better choice than E39. More room in the boot will be available in an X5 or M class. Or E39 touring. Or an E46 touring maybe ....... Money no object, E60 touring, new X5 or E class estate, even an R or GL class :-) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
