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from a bmw e39 to an e38
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15-10-2015 11:39pm#1
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I had an E38 728i Sport for over 6 years, fantastic car and hugely reliable. The E38s and E39s are very similar mechanically, electrically, cooling-wise and suspension wise so if you do any work on your E39, the E38 should be no problem.
The six cylinders are generally more reliable than the V8s, but the V8s are reliable in themselves apart from items like the timing chain guides and crackcase breather at the back of the block. I6s have potential Vanos issues and clogged breather lines, but I had neither at 105k miles on selling.
All models have the same similar weak cooling system with lots of plastic parts that have the potential to fail, including water pump, bottom of radiator, aux water pump and expansion bottle. All easily worked on though, but even late E38s are getting old now so i'd be planning on a refresh if it hasn't been done already. Fan clutch can go too.
Suspension is easy to work on, but genuine parts are not cheap, maybe 10-20% more than E39 parts.
Electrically I had no issues over the years apart from PDC sensors which are an easy swap, and occasional phantom blown bulb warnings.
Steering is heavier than E39 models, but they still handle well. They have the same leaky power steering reservoirs the E39s have.
Looking back (I now have a 740 E66), the 728i is not a fast car by any means and struggles with more than 3 people in the car. The straight six sounds fantastic though.
Considering the high tax for the 728i, i'd be going for a 740i for not much more tax, but these are harder to find now in Sport guise as they are the most desirable (even moreso than the V12s, the V8 Sports are quicker).
I did so much to mine maintenance wise, I can't remember a tenth of it, but search my name and E38 and you'll find a wealth of useful and not so useful E38 info.
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positivenote wrote: »I've come across an e38 2.8i sport that as got 126k miles on her.............Idbatterim wrote: »
Same car I imagine
OP, no high mileage fears at 126k miles imo, I had smaller BMW 6 cyls with 40/50k miles more and they were still hassle free.0 -
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Foxhole Norman wrote: »Motorway driving, taking it handy with Cruise on around 120 I can get abut 40mpg out of my E39 525i Auto.
That's gas. You've managed to blow BMW's own quoted figures and independently tested results out of the window - you need to go work for one of the manufacturers so you can use that midas touch to worldwide effect!
At 90kph rolling the 525i auto will hold just under 8L per 100km or ~35mpg in old money. Forget getting near that figure at 120kph for starters
Just goes to show how far from reality one's perception of a car's performance/efficiency can truly be!0 -
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That's gas. You've managed to blow BMW's own quoted figures and independently tested results out of the window - you need to go work for one of the manufacturers so you can use that midas touch to worldwide effect!
At 90kph rolling the 525i auto will hold just under 8L per 100km or ~35mpg in old money. Forget getting near that figure at 120kph for starters
Just goes to show how far from reality one's perception of a car's performance/efficiency can truly be!
These are my own calculations after the trip, not the computer. If you give it a quick Google you'll see 525's easily able to get that. Come back when you have experience with the car.0 -
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That's gas. You've managed to blow BMW's own quoted figures and independently tested results out of the window - you need to go work for one of the manufacturers so you can use that midas touch to worldwide effect!
At 90kph rolling the 525i auto will hold just under 8L per 100km or ~35mpg in old money. Forget getting near that figure at 120kph for starters
Just goes to show how far from reality one's perception of a car's performance/efficiency can truly be!
Your post also goes to show how far from having some experience you really are.
Come down off that patronizing note and live with one of these first before you denounce someone's post like that.
I owned an E39 525i Sport for ~6 months and mine was a manual, calculated used to touch 40mpg on a gentle run.
Don't worry I had a qualified engineer back it up too. 0 -
No chance lads, sorry. 7 E39s including 523s and 525s both manual and auto, and 3 E60s later I know my 5ers
You might see closer to 38mpg holding at 90kph but at 120 - sorry no chance. Maybe you meant a lower speed.
The manual might nudge 40 at 90kph but we're not debating that, we're debating the performance of the auto at 120kph. Grab 35mpg with both hands and be delighted with it!
E38 with the M52B28 lump will do 35mpg, but again, we're not debating that or the speed at which that is possible.
FN's original claim was just a throwaway remark, common enough but no more or no less.
Back on topic girls.0 -
Your post also goes to show how far from having some experience you really are.
Come down off that patronizing note and live with one of these first before you denounce someone's post like that.
I owned an E39 525i Sport for ~6 months and mine was a manual, calculated used to touch 40mpg on a gentle run.
Don't worry I had a qualified engineer back it up too.
I can back this up, on a motorway trip to Limerick/Cork/Northern Ireland from Dublin my 525i e39 can average 40mpg at 120 kmph. I usually get bored traveling that speed on empty motorways and usually exceed that by quite a bit and the car will still do 35/36 mpg. That's what the cars are built for. Around town it's about 25-270 -
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No chance lads, sorry. 7 E39s including 523s and 525s both manual and auto, and 3 E60s later I know my 5ers
You might see closer to 38mpg holding at 90kph but at 120 - sorry no chance. Maybe you meant a lower speed.
The manual might nudge 40 at 90kph but we're not debating that, we're debating the performance of the auto at 120kph. Grab 35mpg with both hands and be delighted with it!
E38 with the M52B28 lump will do 35mpg, but again, we're not debating that or the speed at which that is possible.
FN's original claim was just a throwaway remark, common enough but no more or no less.
Back on topic girls.
Had my fair share of Alfas over the years but dear god, 10 BMW 5 Series.....
Whatever about the current topic, your attitude is pretty poor towards some respected posters on here.0
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