Lot Ended
Description
Exceptionally clean and tidy; 12 service stamps, the last only
100 miles ago; legendary E39 build quality; a fine sporting saloon from the era
of ‘peak BMW’
Every now and again, a car comes along that simply
wipes the floor with everything else in its class. No matter how hard they
tried, main rivals Audi, Mercedes and Jaguar just couldn't get anywhere near the
BMW E39’s unique breadth of talents. Performance; handling; refinement; build
quality; driver involvement: you name it and the E39 5 Series trounced its
rivals in all departments, winning every group test going with monotonous
regularity.
It even
looked great, the muscular Joji Nagashima styling being a beacon of
understated elegance compared to the clumsy mishmash of the ‘Bangle-butt’ E60
that finally replaced it.
Epitomising BMW's marketing slogan, ‘The
Ultimate Driving Machine’, the E39 remained in production from 1995 –
2003 and still has a cult following today, there being few cars of any era that can match the sheer range of
its abilities.
This particular E39 is the mid-range 525i SE
model which is powered by the creamy smooth 2,494cc straight-six M54 engine with
double-VANOS variable valve timing to give a broad spread of torque. Producing
192bhp and 245Nm, mated to 5-speed Steptronic transmission, it could launch the
car to 60mph in around 8 seconds with a top speed of 144mph.
Finished in Cosmos Black with a
matching black interior, the SE trim includes: Turbine 16” alloys; chrome window
surrounds; Montana leather seats and door card inserts; walnut wood trim;
multi-function steering wheel; heated front seats; dual zone climate control;
six CD changer; parking sensors; Xenon headlights and headlamp
washers.
The V5C states five former keepers
(HPI showing that the third kept it for 19 years, 2002 - 2021), our vendor
acquiring the car in January 2024.
Used as its makers intended, it has covered
142,509 miles with a good service history comprising 12 stamps in the book, the
last only 100 miles ago by Cotswold BMW of Hereford in October last year (see
photos).
In
February 2024 it had another £1,350 spend at Cotswold BMW to cure an oil leak
that had been an advisory on the 2023 MOT, a new coolant thermostat, expansion
tank and fan frame being fitted at the same time. There are also invoices for
two new tyres and an air con recharge in June 2024. It has an MOT until August
2026 with no advisories recorded.
As you can see in the photos, this pampered E39
is in particularly good condition for its year/mileage and has been starting
instantly and driving very nicely as we have moved it around on site, with no
warning lights and that wonderful E39 ride quality.
If you have never owned an E39
before, you really should put one on your shopping list. Hailing from the era of
‘peak BMW’, they are every bit as good as the contemporary road tests said they
were. Compared to soulless modern cars, they have analogue character in spades
and use better quality materials than most of today's cars – later BMWs
included…
Consigned by James Dennison –
07970 309907 – james.dennison@brightwells.com