I have finally gone mad

junkyard

Your right about BMW ruining the 5 series, The whole range in fact, although they do seem to be back tracking a bit with the new seven series. I think I remember someone saying that Ireland was the only place in the world that BMW wouldn't guarantee their suspensions. Its hard to know what to buy in the future as cars certainly don't seem to be getting any better. I think its coming to the stage where if you have a nice car, high performance, high running costs etc., you should keep it for good use only and buy a diesel van for every day use. Between the high fuel costs, high road tax and cops hiding behind bushes and signs on every main road, driving has become a hassle rather than something to look foward to..... I think I'll buy a helicopter!!!

unkel

stratos wrote:

I have owned a number of 520i's, from the e36 to e39

I take it you mean E34 and E39?

stratos wrote:

Nothing serious, well apart from one nikasil engine

Let me guess, the Nikasil engine was on a UK import that had been fuelled with inferior (North Sea) high sulphur petrol?

A lot of high-end 5 and 7-series second hand cars here are UK imports (including my car)

junkyard

What year and model seven series do you have unkel is it a straight six or V8?

unkel

junkyard wrote:

What year and model seven series do you have unkel is it a straight six or V8?

'96 E38 735iA V8

junkyard

Nice car, I had one a couple of years ago and was sorry to see it go, bought a 530 turbo diesel and couldn't believe the MPG. Soon after I kept hankering after a V8 again.. bit the bullet and bought an M5 :eek:

Did your have any problems with the 7 flooding itself on short trips or was it just me, I know two others who had them and they were a bit finiky?

unkel

junkyard wrote:

Soon after I kept hankering after a V8 again.. bit the bullet and bought an M5 :eek:

Very nice

junkyard wrote:

Did your have any problems with the 7 flooding itself on short trips or was it just me

Yep, once. On a freezing winter morning I just drove the car out of the driveway to park it on the road, about a 20 meter drive. It wouldn't start then that evening and I called for the AA man who got it sorted promptly

stratos

well just an update on things, oh yes I meant e34, I am smiling at the flooding question, the e39 was notorious for that, and i had to write out the flooded starting procedure for her indoors.
Well my nerves have settled a bit always nervous on shelling out on second hand cars, every noise becomes a point of interest.( luckily over the years i only got one lemon!)
So far I gotta say I love this car, it really is very quick, it has a lot more body roll than the bimmer when cornering, but it really does soak up the pot holed roads better.
The back end is quite skitish over bumpy surfaces, so caution needs to be used when hauling out of a country bend.
I'v only done one spirited wet road drive (traction control off), it gripped quite well, I will need to build confidence in the car before i try to really push it.
I think the steering weight and accuracy is just nowhere as good as the e39, but maybe it will just take time.
So far though, I have a big cheesy grin on my face