bmw 520i mpg

Conchurl

hi im going buy a bmw 520i year 2000 with 226k miles with 3 months tax and nct till 01/12 any one what i should pay for one of these and what the mpg is like on it.

whippet

Conchurl wrote: »

hi im going buy a bmw 520i year 2000 with 226k miles with 3 months tax and nct till 01/12 any one what i should pay for one of these and what the mpg is like on it.

depending on condition pay about €1200.

it will be thirsty ... but not the worst

Boskowski

These are the least desirable cars these days as they are high on tax and high on juice. They don't shift at all so you should be paying next to nothing especially with that mileage.

Not sure about the 520i fuel consumption, but I have the 523i having a slightly larger engine (2.5 6 cyl instead of 2.2 4 cyl IIRC) and its mpgs aren't great. On motorways ond national roads you get decent 30+ possible 35 or 36 even but in town she is going to kill you at just over 20 mpg. Combined mid to high twenties. Don't expect the 520i to be much better if better at all.

Considering all those (especially age and mileage) maybe €1000 or so depending on condition, possibly less than that.

P.S. At 226k miles she is going to be a banger. That is high for any petrol engine, even for a BMW. But you probably know that anyway.

My 1993 520i tourer used to average 23/24mpg for me, that was 12 mile runs in and out of work rarely getting above 50mph except the few miles of dual carraigeway and then 60/70 miles urban short trips a week. Cork to Mayo and back I think I got 30 odd mpg, I'll check the excel file later at home

You'll get one with test and 100K miles less for a few hundred more.

alias no.9

Currently driving a 2001 520iA 2.2 and getting between 24 and 31mpg averaged over a tank depending on journey type and driving style. Do you know if it's the older 2.0 engine or the later 2.2?

Idbatterim

is it manual or auto, the 00, 520 has older 2L engine, from 01 newer 163bhp one was launched. If its an auto it will be horrible on fuel, if a manual still heavy, especially considering the "performance" you will be getting! You would want to be literally getting that car for nothing! There was actually a nice 01 black one, manual on carzone going for E1900 the other day... its gone now...

1996 BMW 5 SERIES 520i SE 4dr Auto Saloon
Private Seller
Overview Vehicle Summary Performance & Economy Dimensions Interior/Exterior Safety
Fuel consumption (urban) 19.5 mpg
Fuel consumption (extra urban)38.2 mpg
Fuel consumption (combined) 28.5 mpg
0 - 62 mph 11.2 seconds
Top speed 130 mph
Cylinders 6
Valves 24 v
Engine power 150 bhp
Engine torque

Boskowski

Idbatterim wrote: »

is it manual or auto, the 00, 520 has older 2L engine, from 01 newer 163bhp one was launched. If its an auto it will be horrible on fuel, if a manual still heavy, especially considering the "performance" you will be getting! You would want to be literally getting that car for nothing! There was actually a nice 01 black one, manual on carzone going for E1900 the other day... its gone now...

1996 BMW 5 SERIES 520i SE 4dr Auto Saloon
Private Seller
Overview Vehicle Summary Performance & Economy Dimensions Interior/Exterior Safety
Fuel consumption (urban) 19.5 mpg
Fuel consumption (extra urban)38.2 mpg
Fuel consumption (combined) 28.5 mpg
0 - 62 mph 11.2 seconds
Top speed 130 mph
Cylinders 6
Valves 24 v
Engine power 150 bhp
Engine torque

I didn't realize the 520i 2.2 engine was a 6 cylinder. I thought my 523i 2.5 was the smallest 6 cylinder.

Idbatterim

Boskowski, what year is your car?

Boskowski

Idbatterim wrote: »

Boskowski, what year is your car?

1998 E39 M52TU.

She has 110k miles, full sports leather and is in perfect condition and I probably wouldn't get €1500 for it, if I could find a buyer.

So I just keep her. Lovely car.

unkel

I've a '99 520i 2.0l straight 6 cylinder manual. We do a lot of short low speed journeys driving reasonably economically and average about 25MPG.

On longer spins with 5 people and luggage in the car (even with driving it fast enough and regular overtaking) we get about 35MPG

Heavy car + short trips in the Dublin area = heavy fuel consumption

Idbatterim

boskowski, see below link for exact info on your car, your 523 was the smallest 6 cylinder, until the older engines were replaced from 01+

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_5_Series_(E39)

Idbatterim

the 523 became the base model from 05 on, it was a detuned 525, so you still paying 2.5L tax, its only 177bhp and only slightly better mpg than older 525! In uk, the 525 was replaced by another 525, which was 218bhp and better mpg!

alias no.9

Idbatterim wrote: »

boskowski, see below link for exact info on your car, your 523 was the smallest 6 cylinder, until the older engines were replaced from 01+

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_5_Series_(E39)

The only 4 cylinder E39 was the 520d which was never made in RHD and so never sold on these shores. All petrols were I6 or V8.

Seth Brundle

Idbatterim wrote: »

boskowski, see below link for exact info on your car, your 523 was the smallest 6 cylinder, until the older engines were replaced from 01+

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_5_Series_(E39)

That's incorrect. The 520i (and 320i) has been a 6 pot for a long, long time - since the M20 appeared in the E28 in 1980 (followed by the E34 and then the E39)

Seth Brundle

Idbatterim wrote: »

the 523 became the base model from 05 on, it was a detuned 525, so you still paying 2.5L tax, its only 177bhp and only slightly better mpg than older 525! In uk, the 525 was replaced by another 525, which was 218bhp and better mpg!

The 520i was the base model in the E39 (both pre and post facelift). The E39 523i was produced from 02/1995 until 08/2000. The 525i (which replaced the 523i) was produced from 11/1999 until 07/2003.

American production dates may differ.

unkel

Idbatterim wrote: »

boskowski, see below link for exact info on your car, your 523 was the smallest 6 cylinder, until the older engines were replaced from 01+

Nonsense. The 520i was always a 2.0l 6 cylinder until the engine was replaced with the 2.2l unit. Not just in the E39 but in previous 5-series from the 80s and 90s as well

Idbatterim

sorry the above is correct...

Lord Nikon

I sold a 520i with high mileage, 196k miles. Do you have a link to the car or the reg by any chance, it could be mine

I got 35mpg out of mine, pretty much all the time, with city and motorway driving. I also have a heavy foot too. They are quite economical on the motorway at 80/90mph.

Conchurl

its a 2 liter petrol model. i will be paying about €530 for it. if i weld the diff will it pass the next nct with the diff welded

Stevie Dakota

I think it is time for a sticky.

Would people about to buy an older E39 520i please note that it will be thirsty.

It is an under powered, heavy, petrol engined straight 6, need we say more? Auto will be even worse and 2.0 even worse than the 2001 2.2.

Lovely car and now cheap, but will cripple you with fuel costs. And that is before you even get into all the other potential and well documented engineering weak spots. Not a car to run on a budget.

ShadowHearth

Can I just suggest? Nissan maxima?

./runs away from thread!

Reloc8

Stevie Dakota wrote: »

I think it is time for a sticky.

Would people about to buy an older E39 520i please note that it will be thirsty.

It is an under powered, heavy, petrol engined straight 6, need we say more? Auto will be even worse and 2.0 even worse than the 2001 2.2.

Lovely car and now cheap, but will cripple you with fuel costs. And that is before you even get into all the other potential and well documented engineering weak spots. Not a car to run on a budget.

I agree...but there are probably people not too far away who would clearly recommend it as an alternative to a tidy motor on for 15k on the basis that you'd be mad to waste your money - just spend the savings on petrol !

ShiresV2

unkel wrote: »

Nonsense. The 520i was always a 2.0l 6 cylinder until the engine was replaced with the 2.2l unit. Not just in the E39 but in previous 5-series from the 80s and 90s as well

The 2.2 is a 6 cylinder too.

Don't buy a 520i with an auto box, it'll be slow and drink juice. The 2.0 auto is depressing to drive. At least with a manual box it won't be so thirsty and the 2.2 while not fast hustles along nicely.

Idbatterim

get an 01 520 in manual... the older 520 in an auto will be shocking!