cookstar

iTrader: (6)

It has struck me since the birth of my second child I need a bigger car, and am loathed to go down the MPV route just yet.

I quite like the look of these, seem to be around the £4-5k mark so not bad dosh for a £32k car 6 years ago.

Any one owned or driven one that can let me know.


Oh and are they remappable?


http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2003-BMW-530D-...3A1%7C294%3A50

Here is a link to one I was looking at.

GlesgaKiss

That engine is very remappable. Think you can see over 300bhp without any trouble at all, and huge torque!

My girlfriend's dad had an 04 plate SE, and now has an 05 plate M-Sport which is the dogs b*llocks!

GlesgaKiss

Sorry, hadn't looked at the advert. It was the newer shape I was talking about. The SE the girlfriend's dad had was an 04 and it was the newer shape.

cookstar

iTrader: (6)

Oh, so there was a shape change then, I thought I noticed a huge hike in prices after 2003 models.

BMWs have never really interested me so don't know much about them at all.

alanbell

iTrader: (6)

Same as Pats (mapper) yes it can be mapped ask Pat

NorthDave

I think the older shape is the one people recommend though - it was voted best car ever or some such.

My mate drives for the Met and reckons the old shapes get taken out before the new shape as they are much better cars.

Never driven the older one though but was seriously tempted to buy one a few months ago - unfortunately it had gone.

markymark34

they map well - 250bhp ish. Get it mapped somewhere like emaps.

SimonD

Very nice cars but why would you map a car with 100k miles on it? I would be doing everything to preserve it.

The only downside to the old shape is the lack of rear legroom - might be a problem depending on how old your kids are. Generally the younger they are (up to a point) the more legroom you need.

TopBanana

The old shape has a much better ride, the new one is 'sportier' which is useless 99% of the time. The new ones are about 230hp standard, and 260 mapped.

cookstar

iTrader: (6)

Just been to test drive one, it has the Mtek body kit and wheels etc. Very very tempted.

Seems to be quick enough for a family bus, so looks like the remap wont be needed.


Just trying to work on the missus now, we will be swopping out pile of poo 58 plate corsa in.

cookstar

iTrader: (6)

Bought it

Pick it up Saturday.

ScooByer Trade

Sorry this is a bit late cookstar, did you check the inside of the boot space, rear arches, around the boot lock & inside the fuel filler for rust ?

ScooByer Trade

Oops that's for the saloon not touring.

RON

I have an E39 touring, mine is the pre face lift version, i'm very pleased with mine, it has the optional air rear suspension, which can be troublesome but is more comfy..... the airbags tend to need changing at about 100k........ and the rear subframe bushes tend to last about the same, rust isn't a huge issue with these cars, if you can see it, then it';s an issue.

I put 18's on mine, and it transformed the car,...... brakes aren't the best, i'm looking to upgrade....... if you want slightly more power when pulling away, simply unplug the egr valve....... it livens up the bottom end of the rev range......

PS, check out the road fund situation before you commit..... they're at the top of the banding!!!!!

Plenty of forums out there for these cars, i bought mine simply as a work tool, but it prompted me to sell the scoob....... i have now fitted leather inside aswell...... possibly rempa next........ mines only the 184 bhp version though, not the 193.........

cookstar

iTrader: (6)

£215 for the road fund

Tell me more about the EGR valave pls


I opted for the saloon in the end,

Full BMW service history, leather, Mtek kit/wheels etc

Give £7k for it.

RON

Good choice, i use this forum forum.bmw5.co.uk • Index page it's very usefull.....

the egr valve, well, it basically opens at light throttle settings to allow HOT exhaust gasses back into the inlet...... WHY i ask....... well, to clean up emmissions apparently,....... the mapper who might do mine flat lines them so they never open, so it can't be bad to disconnect it, which is what i did..... basically, if you look behind the power steering reservoir cap, you will see a pipe, (or several) the one in question on mine is stripey pipe, it's connected the the egr valve, which is opoened by vacuum pressure...... i simply disconnected the pipe and put a nail in the tube...... try it, if you're not convinced it made any difference, reconnect it.... i suspect you'll be pleased........

GlesgaKiss

Photos?

Simon K

The EGR mod sounds like the one you can do on pajero's. If the car / truck is spurtting out tons of black smoke, then you can either remove the vacum pipe, or place a metal blanking plate over the egr valve. This stops the re-circulation of the exhausts gases back into the inlet, to reburn them.

Ive blanked off the egr valve on my pajero, but some people say that the recirculating of the exhaust gases also cools the head a little. You sometimes hear that blanking the egr can cause cooling issues and eventual HG failure.

However, I blanked mine off, on all 3 of my pajeros, without problems but I always change my rad fluid every 10K, and back wash my rad.

SBK

brickboy

As Simon K mentions, the EGR does keep exhaust gases a little cooler (because there's less "clean" air being burnt), and some say blanking it puts more stress on the turbo etc.

However I blanked the EGR on my old Passat PD130 and ran it for 20K miles like that with no issues. Didn't make a very noticeable difference in performance or economy but it DOES stop the inlet manifold choking up with sooty crud.

cookstar

iTrader: (6)

Well picked it up Saturday, and I'm gutted....


....that I haven't bought a car like this years ago, superb car and very capable indeed.

I didn't realise how different it was to other 5 series with the kit on, so chuffed with how it looks.

Returns 40MPG average with me stomping it about all over the place as well.

TopBanana

Really? My new shape only gives 30!

RON

Ha, the guy i got mine off of had bought a newer 530d, and he said that was only doing 30, mind you, he reckoned he got 45 from mine, god knows how, i can only manage 40 on a run, about 35 with the short journeys that i do to work n back......Glad you like it Cookstar........ buzz over to forum.bmw5.co.uk • Index page and you're modding will start all over...LOL!!!