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E39 - 530 or 540?



 
 
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  #11  
Old November 9th 04, 06:25 PM
Andrew Thomas
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"GRL" > wrote in message >...
> Ever hear of a G35? The Bimmer is better, but it is not better by anywhere
> near the price difference.


No - I've not heard of it. At least, it doesn't appear to be sold
anywhere but North America. I guess if a "G35" (or any other number
of anodyne V6-powered Japanese/American products) were really
world-class, they would be sold all over the world.
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  #12  
Old November 9th 04, 06:25 PM
Fred W
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Jimmy G wrote:
> I agree. The difference is great, however I still chose my 530 as I
> couldn't get over that lousy gas mileage & insurance hit.
>
> I get 28mpg on a regular basis on the highway & at speeds over 75mph.
>
> I find the performance fine, but sure would opt for the sport package if I
> had to do it over again.
>
>


I get better than 24 mpg (US gallons) in my E34 540i. I'm sure the
insurance is no different from the 6 cylinder because of the age (1994).
Heck I don't even carry collision coverage on the car (liability only).

-Fred W
  #13  
Old November 9th 04, 08:44 PM
John Carrier
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"Jimmy G" > wrote in message
news:jrRjd.37444$SW3.29466@fed1read01...
> I've OWNED a couple of those Japanese V-6's. Perhaps they could "Take" my
> '03 530 in a straight line, but the larger rice-burners can't hold a
> candle to my BMW with RWD. FWD is the main reason I dumped my Maxima
> (Lousy dealer was the next).


I won't argue your point. None of them come close to bimmer quality
handling. But the fact remains that most spur of the moment races are run
over straight lines for short distances until one driver's point (or the
other's) is made.

R / John


  #14  
Old November 9th 04, 08:47 PM
John Carrier
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"Fred W" > wrote in message
...
> Jimmy G wrote:
>> I agree. The difference is great, however I still chose my 530 as I
>> couldn't get over that lousy gas mileage & insurance hit.
>>
>> I get 28mpg on a regular basis on the highway & at speeds over 75mph.
>>
>> I find the performance fine, but sure would opt for the sport package if
>> I had to do it over again.

>
> I get better than 24 mpg (US gallons) in my E34 540i. I'm sure the
> insurance is no different from the 6 cylinder because of the age (1994).
> Heck I don't even carry collision coverage on the car (liability only).


But not in town. I've never gotten as low as 24MPG with the six (don't
drive in NYC though). When you start increasing the urban / suburban
mileage on the V8, you start looking at mpg in the teens.

R / John


  #15  
Old November 10th 04, 12:52 AM
Tom Korth
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"pete" > wrote in message
...
>
> Mine does 21.5 according to the computer and I have never done better
> than 21.9 which is a begger because when I picked it up it was showing
> 22.5;-)
> pete


Don't know about the 5 series, but the fuel consumption OBC readings in my
E46 & Z4 are 6% to 9% high. Roadspeed seems to be spot on, though.

Tom


  #16  
Old November 10th 04, 01:39 AM
Dave Plowman (News)
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In article >,
Tom Korth > wrote:
> Roadspeed seems to be spot on, though.


That's a first for BMW, then. ;-)

--
*To be intoxicated is to feel sophisticated, but not be able to say it.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.
  #17  
Old November 10th 04, 07:09 PM
maxima1
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> > Roadspeed seems to be spot on, though.
>
> That's a first for BMW, then. ;-)


Just passed a roadside radar display this morning. Speedo read 53,
while the radar says 49 mph. Must be designed to reduce tickets?!?

Matthew
00 528i Sport
  #18  
Old November 10th 04, 07:35 PM
Dave Plowman (News)
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In article >,
maxima1 > wrote:
> > > Roadspeed seems to be spot on, though.

> >
> > That's a first for BMW, then. ;-)


> Just passed a roadside radar display this morning. Speedo read 53,
> while the radar says 49 mph. Must be designed to reduce tickets?!?


I dunno. Since I know my speedo over-reads, I just make allowances when
passing a speed camera.

--
*Always borrow money from pessimists - they don't expect it back *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.
  #19  
Old November 10th 04, 08:04 PM
John Carrier
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"Tom Korth" > wrote in message
...
>
> "pete" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>> Mine does 21.5 according to the computer and I have never done better
>> than 21.9 which is a begger because when I picked it up it was showing
>> 22.5;-)
>> pete

>
> Don't know about the 5 series, but the fuel consumption OBC readings in my
> E46 & Z4 are 6% to 9% high. Roadspeed seems to be spot on, though.


Two E39's that both had an optimistic speedometer (by BMW design as it turns
out, to comply with German law) giving almost exactly 75mph @ 80mph
indicated. The earlier car's OBC speed was dead on, the current one is
identical to the instrument panel (i.e.: identical error). I felt I could
trust the older car's odometer ... not so sure now although I guess I could
try an extended calibration run against mile markers. The MPG reading is
usually a bit optimistic (29.0 is really closer to 28.7 or 28.8 ... between
1 and 2 %). There's a way of tweaking that in the OBC service menu, but I'm
reluctant to mess around there (although perhaps when under warrantee is the
precise time to do so).

R / John


  #20  
Old November 10th 04, 08:14 PM
Dave Plowman (News)
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In article >,
John Carrier > wrote:
> Two E39's that both had an optimistic speedometer (by BMW design as it
> turns out, to comply with German law)


Don't know German law, but I doubt it. In the UK a speedo may be either
accurate or over-read by up to 10% at 30 mph. It must not read low.
This reg dates back to the days of mechanical devices where such a
tolerance may have been necessary. Not so today.

Of course many makers made use of this loophole - it makes the car appear
faster to the gullible. But several had speedos which were as near as
dammit accurate - even in the days of eddy current types. Jaguar, Rover
and Rolls Royce are but a few.

--
*How much deeper would the oceans be without sponges? *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.
 




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