Owner Review: Evergreen Bimmer, Glory Days, Awesome Age — My 1996 BMW E39 523i

** This article is published on WapCar Community, represent the opinion of users. Click the link below to enter the community for car enthusiasts in Malaysia
https://forum.wapcar.my/

Basic information about my car:

1996 BMW E39 523i

Reasons why I bought this car:

The story started when my dad bought this car in 2004 to replace the predecessor of this E39 which is E34. I was still very young at that time, however I had managed to memorize all the models of the BMW and this E39 will be the one that I adore the most.

This car had accompanied me for 18 years and the experience with this car was totally unbelievable and amazing. The first thing I did after I took my driving license was to go for a long road trip with this car. I will never forget the feeling when I drove this car for the first time. Driving this beauty has always put a smile on my face even if I was on my bad day.

Why do I love this car so much?

My love for this car has gotten me to research for more information about this car. I have come to realize that my car is running with a M52 Single VANOS engine, the power of the car came from a six-cylinder engine, displacing 2.5 liters in my 523i.

The M52 engine was silky smooth, eager and flexible. Thus, making it super easy to cruise on highways. Other than that, BMW had taken so much effort in building the chassis of the car. Thus, the car is super easy to handle on cornering and cruising at high speed.

To deal with wind noise at high speed, BMW took extra efforts to tune its aerodynamics and add sealing to the doors and noise-absorbing foam to the window pillars. The E39 5-series was definitely a masterpiece of its time. It raised the standard so high in most of the aspects.

The exterior design of E39 was a massive advancement from the predecessor E34. The design of the E39 is timeless and you wouldn’t believe the car's age by looking at its design. It was clearly seen that E39 was one of the best patents designed by Joji Nagashima, a Japanese automobile designer.

Furthermore, Angel Eyes were originally designed and also first used in E39 and it probably blended well with the exterior design of the car. I must admit that the Angel Eyes do make the car look “Garang” and sportier than the predecessor E34.

Many E39 owners out there prefer to modify their E39 to look like a M5 E39. However, I prefer to keep my car in its original look because I would like to preserve the car where it used to be when I first came from Germany.

Why is E39 still worth purchasing?

If you are worrying that the parts for the car are hard to get, here is the good news. Most of the parts are still plenty and available in the market. Therefore, you won’t have a hard time sourcing for the parts.

Furthermore, you will still be able to source for new original and OEM parts at Bavarian Auto Parts, Munich Auto Supply, Bayern Auto Parts and so on. Bear in mind that some parts can be bought with reasonable prices depending on the part you are looking for. The key is to try and compare the price between a few different part suppliers.

User Experience

1. If you are looking for a good fuel efficiency car, clearly E39 wouldn’t be on your radar. Stop start traffic at the town might cause your car to be less fuel-efficient due to its heavy weight.

2. My average fuel consumption would be 8L/100km on the highway with legal speed. P.S. not driving like a maniac

3. The cost to maintain this E39 is not as expensive as you think.

4. You have to have time, money and passion when you own an E39. Any absence of these might cause you to have a bad ownership experience.
5. “Ultimate Driving Machine”. The driving comfort of the car is superb. You won’t find the comfort of this car in any other cars at this age.
6. The cabin quietness is insane. The only sound you can hear when you are cruising at high speed is the inline six engine. 

Total Score: 5

Performance: 5

Quality & Features: 5

Space: 5

Ride comfort: 5

Fuel Economy: 4

Price & cost: 4

📢📢Announcement:

After reading a countless number of Owner Review stories, are you interested in sharing your own story also? WapCar sincerely invites YOU to share the genuine feelings of your car!

You may receive special souvenirs from WapCar! Sign up now to know more! WapCar staff will contact you shortly after you sign up.