What Its Actually Like Owning a Classic BMW.

An Aside...

Before diving into my experiences, I just want to briefly outline my perspective. For all the wonderful discussion we have in our community, we can all be guilty of possessing extremely polarised opinions that will not allow us to entertain any other viewpoints. This can be about anything, from our opinions about EVs, American Muscle or in particular: Marques. I believe we all hold slightly illogical connections to a given brand. And there's nothing wrong with that. It could be the brand of your first car, the brand your parents drove as you grew up - both of which explain my love for the Jaguars and BMWs of days gone by... However even with that bond I don't believe their cars should ever be free from criticism. On the flipside, blindly attacking a manufacturer with little to no experience of their cars is a totally futile exercise. These attitudes can be seen all over comments sections about a particular car. Generally in the format: "Hurr Durr. Brand Bad. Their cars are so unreliable". Counterpointed against: "You're wrong, the cars never break and are perfect in every way". This kind of discussion is often moot, both for the enthusiast and the consumer. So herein will be an honest summation of the highs and lows of classic BMW ownership.

First, The Car...

The 1998 BMW 520i

The 1998 BMW 520i

My E39 is a '98 model year 520i. This means it has the silken M52 straight six paired to a five speed manual gearbox. I purchased the car in February of last year. As although I was too young to drive it, I did not think a 520 in such good condition with 30,000 miles was a repeatable phenomena. My five had lived its whole life under one owner and as such was in very good condition - aside from a few bubbles of rust creeping into the front wheel arches - which was swiftly rectified. All in all, the five served as an affordable and deeply enjoyable way for me to avoid the ubiquity of small hatchback motoring; which is thrust so vehemently onto new drivers in the UK by the predatory insurers.

So now, having learned to drive in the car and put around 6000 miles on it with daily use I can give an insight into every aspect of ownership.

Reliability

Now, before purchasing the car I made sure to do the due diligence. I trawled forums, owners groups and any media I could get my hands on to see what the common issues were and how I could best avoid them. The two that stuck out were rust - which I knew not to be an issue. And the ever troublesome VANOS unit. Though again, at such low mileage the issues in that department are hopefully a long way off. The message though was clear, a good E39 should never leave you stranded.

So far this has been the case, the major mechanical components in the drivetrain and suspension have had no issues whatsoever, and regular servicing (at one year intervals) is inexpensive. That's not to say the car has been faultless, however. There have been a number of niggling issues, ranging in severity and general annoyance.

The most serious issue was a leaking power steering system; which was weeping from the reservoir and leaking from the rack itself. A tube of stop-leak seems to have sorted that problem and since refilling the reservoir I have only had minor losses from the reservoir.

The next issue was a bit of a headscratcher. Seemingly from nowhere a strange metallic screeching started to emanate from the rear right suspension under extension, as though the car was protesting too heavy a workload. After a quick read around the forums, I diagnosed the issue as a loose handbrake cable. Though once I removed the rear wheel to adjust the cable, I found that what had actually been causing the noise was a plastic trim piece designed to deflect stones away from the arch. It has become detached at one end and was fouling on one of the suspension arms. Once removed the noise ceased at once.

The final real issue that was not simply wear related (Punctures or Bulbs) was a clogged washer bottle system. The hoses from the bottle were so full of dirt that the pressure of the system blew them clean off, allowing all of the washer fluid to drain off. Now ordinarily this would be an easy fix. Not so on the E39. In their dogged quest for the perfect weight distribution the bottle was moved from the usual place under the bonnet, to behind the inner wheel arch in the driver's footwell. This meant the job required a jack and he removal of the arch liner. Though again, the work cost me nothing other than time, as all of the components worked perfectly once cleaned.

Now, this many issues in such a space of time might seem to herald unreliability. But I would add that none of these issues cost me more than 20 pounds and a few hours to fix. Combined with the fact they were more annoying than inconvenient and I can confidently say that one can rely on an E39 as a daily. Though you should be prepared to solve the odd issue associated with an aging vehicles.

The Drive

The Glorious M52 Straight Six

The Glorious M52 Straight Six

This is where the E39 stands head and shoulders above its contemporaries. I count myself very fortunate to have been able to explore the limits of such a capable chassis. Hustling down the local A and B roads never fails to paint a stupid grin on my face. The ever present metallic crescendo of the straight six above 4000 RPM rising and falling through the gears; combines with the sensational blips of heel-toe downshifts to make a truly scintillating aural experience. The 5 speed 'box is slick, though with a slightly notchy quality; and rowing through second, third and fourth is nirvana for me as an enthusiast. And therein lies the beauty of a lack of power, I can safely progress from second to fourth via the redline in third without reaching licence loosing territory with regard to speed.

The chassis balance and steering is of trademark BMW brilliance. With a kerb weight of 1650KGs the five is not chuckable; but it rewards smooth inputs at speed with unwavering composure and the ability to progress at great speed. It settles into turns with uncanny immediacy and the limit of grip is telegraphed well, with all four wheels sliding laterally before the rear end will step out under power. The steering is weighted perfectly, and gives an incredible sensation of the cornering load building up through the corner and dissipating once past the apex.

The chassis balance is perfect, with a neutral approach to the limit of grip that makes way for oversteer. Thankfully when past the limit that oversteer is predictable enough to save. With deft throttle management and steering inputs allowing for recovery from some fairly extreme angles.

The behaviour on throttle is hugely enjoyable, upon applying throttle on corner exit there is the distinct sensation of the rear wheels hooking up, as though a fixed rod is being pushed across your back. Propelling you towards the horizon. The only complaint is that the '90s traction control is too cautious. Interfering when it is really not needed. Obviously the system is deactivated at the press of a button, but it is nice to have that safety net on greasy, potholed roads.

This dynamic brilliance is what makes the E39 such a compelling vehicle. Even as a daily driver its ability to deliver the distilled essence of driving pleasure is therapeutic. Granted that may not apply in the urban jungle. But on a good road the E39 is a magnificent machine.

Practicality

The Interior of the E39 - A model of common sense

The Interior of the E39 - A model of common sense

Now, there isn't really much to report here. The car can, and often does seat four and carry all of their luggage. The Streifen Flock interior is perfectly comfortable and the provision of climate controls allows for year round usability. The suspension perfects the balance between body control and comfort, and despite its remarkable handling the ride comfort is more than adequate for a long road trip.

The other aspect of practical ownership is the running costs. When it comes to servicing, a BMW Specialist charges around £100 for an annual service, and good tyres for the Style 31 alloys are inexpensive. Insurance is slightly more expensive than the usual UK first car and road tax is an acceptable £280 per year. The only area of significant expense is fuel consumption. Petrol prices have reached dizzying heights recently, and with my average fuel consumption over the year standing at 30 MPG the fuel bills leave a little to be desired. Though I can put my hand on my heart and say that it is worth every penny.

Satisfaction

Rightly or wrongly we all derive a certain pleasure from the cache of an exclusive vehicle. And the E39 is now of an age where they are a rare sight out in the wild. This slight rarity is enticing and for a classic enthusiast it is enjoyable to know that you are driving a vehicle some 20 years older than the sea of leased crossovers flooding the public highways.

Furthermore the E39 has an unbelievable sense of quality. Even the tiniest details give immensely satisfying feedback. From the satisfying pull of the door handles to the perfect weighting of the stalks; the whole package has clearly been thought through impeccably. There are few cars I have experienced with comparable levels of engineering brilliance and for those with an interest in that area the E39 makes a stunning ownership proposition.

A perfect summer's evening spent with a camera, some beautiful roads and a classic BMW.

A perfect summer's evening spent with a camera, some beautiful roads and a classic BMW.

Summary

My tenure of ownership has not been free from faults or expense. But I must confess that I don't really care. The car is just that damn good. Its quality is therapeutic - a spirited drive has never failed to soothe my soul; transporting me to a world without stress and responsibility. To a world with just the open road and one hell of a car underneath me.

If I had to summarise my opinions into a snippet of consumer advice it would be this: If you are at all considering an E39, or any BMW of that golden era. Just buy one. Of course do your due diligence, making sure you are getting the best possible example. But the classic BMW ownership experience is truly superlative.

Thanks very much for reading; any feedback is greatly appreciated.