# Selling my 330 & considering a 2003 540 6 speed - Will I love her as much ??



## Tanin (Dec 21, 2001)

I currently drive a 2001 330i SP 5 speed and put 45k miles on her and still (intentionally) miss my exits for more seat time. I’m in the market for a new BMW and ready to order a 2003 330i ZHP but seriously considering a 2003 540 6 speed. 

My 330’s feels like a toy to me. Whether throttle steering down an on ramp or a Sunday morning canyon drive, I love it. I attend track events and the 330 does a good job of blending everyday driving with a weekend racer. For that reason the ZHP is a no brainier. Yes, I understand the refinements, HP, etc. with the E39 and I’m one of her biggest fans. Not to mention the extra room will make my wife happier and help accommodate our growing kids and growing family. My fear is the 540 will be “too much” of a car (weight/size) for me to enjoy. 

Has anyone made this transition?

What aspects of the change do you enjoy and what do you miss from the E46.

I appreciate the mechanical and performance advantages of both vehicles and understand they are different cars designed for different reasons. I’m not interested in ¼ mile or 30-60 mph comparisons. I’m looking for those intangible emotions and feelings you get when opening the garage in the morning, entering that onramp that reminds you of the sweeper at Buttonwillow, or parking the car after a long drive through the canyon. 

Will I still get that loving feeling after 45k in an E39?

Tanin


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## bmw325 (Dec 19, 2001)

Just so you know, the e39 actually has about the same interior and trunk space as the e46 (including rear seat leg room). The main difference is that the e39 is about 1 inch wider, so it feels a little more spacious.

I don't have the e39, but I love them. I've driven a bunch of various e39s-- and I love their poise on the highway-- they're much more quiet, and comfortable than the e46. I also like the overall feeling of higher quality (heavier doors, dash and door planels). 

All I'm saying is, don't get an e39 if your primary reason is to gain more space. Get it because you want a nice autobahn stormer, and so you can get the last of the good looking 5s.


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## dchen (Jul 2, 2002)

I have both an e39 and e46. Although I have a 01 530i sport/prem instead of the 540i. My e46 is a 330i with sport package. 

My impressions are that both are excellent cars and fun to drive. I like them both and personally I prefer the e39. I feel that it has a more solid feel to it. It is definitely more quite and comfortable. The 530i is less tossable than the 330i but for its size is very "light on its feet". 

So I prefer the e39 because of refinement.


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## hts (Dec 19, 2001)

No.

I don't own an E39, but I've driven the 540 (though certainly not nearly as much as 1/2 the board members here).

My personal take is that it's not nearly as rewarding to drive and that it plows (compared to the 330i) as a result of its weight imbalance. But that's just me.


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## Ågent99 (Jan 7, 2002)

Bottom line is that you need to drive the 540/6 around a bit and decide for yourself. You may love it or you may hate it. The cars are very different for numerous reasons.

Personally, I have very briefly driven a 2002 E46 M3 and I can hardly count it but it was a much harsher ride but quite tossable.

I drive the 530i/5 and have driven 540s and M5 and, man, do they flat out pound but are noticeably heavier.

I bought the 5er for comfort and refinement. My family likes to take long driving vacations...no way an E46 would work for me for long trips but in my 5er I could go all day.

Highly subjective question...test for yourself.


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## PropellerHead (Jan 3, 2002)

Tanin said:


> *Will I still get that loving feeling after 45k in an E39?*


 I own both the E46 330 and teh E39 540. My experiences model those of the members here. My wife hated driving the E39 and wouldn't drive a second one. She is small and likes the E46.

I will tell you that everytime I gun the 330 I am impressed into 2nd gear. This is where the 540's V8 pulls me in and makes me grin. By the same token, I do not have the same redlight confidence in the 330 as I do in the 540. To be fair, I have modified the 540 a bit :angel: while the wife's car remains stock.

For my daily driving style, the 540 is the best fit. I have H&R's and adjustable Koni's on it and there is nary an onramp that makes me pine for the 330. Besides, I find myself more often needing to power into traffic at the bottom of the onramp rather than nail the apex.


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## Tyrone (Apr 17, 2003)

I've driven an '03 330i Sport with the Steptronic transmission, and it was a great car. The handling and steering feel is of course better than the 540i, but not enough to make me want it more. As for speed, in first gear the 330 feels much like the 540, but once you hit 2nd there is no comparison. This is where the 540 really shines. Mine is a 6-speed, but I also had an automatic 540 and it's the same in comparison to the 330, though not as fast as the 6-speed. 

You will undoubtedly have those "intagible emotions" with the 540, especially an '03 6-speed with the M-Sport package. I think it is the best-looking modern BMW next to the M5. I frequently pay mine visits while it's parked in the garage. With the changes in your family and what I perceive your requirements to be, the only BMW better than the 540 would be an M5


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## Tanin (Dec 21, 2001)

I have been a fan of the 5 series since I first talked my dad into a ’86 533i -followed by a ’90 535i then a ’98 540i Sport (all manual) and currently a ’02 540 Sport 6 speed. 

My dad thoroughly enjoys his car and I value his opinion but I would not consider him an enthusiast (ie. never find him at a track event and bimmerfest.com will never find it way to his browser). Your (enthusiast) feedback was helpful and tells me the E39 awards the driver with the warm and fuzzy intangibles that I have grow to love in my 330. Although the intangible are different the burden is for me to decide what I find more rewarding.

I have seat time from point A to B in his E39 but never day to day driving. I think I will talk my dad into a car swap (a chore in itself) for a few days so I can make a Ben Franklin of the warm and fuzzies for myself. 

If you have more personal praise for the E39, I would love to read them.

Thanks for your help,

Tanin


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## bmw325 (Dec 19, 2001)

> If you have more personal praise for the E39, I would love to read them.


You asked for it...

I was kicking around the idea of trading in my 325 for an e39 530 for a while.

I lived in Germany for a year, and often rented cars on the weekend to go to various destinations. More often than not, I rented BMWs. I'd often request the 3 series class, but would end up with a 520i. I think this might be because fewer europeans wanted to rent the bigger models-- they use more gas and are harder to park. So, i'd get my 520 for the price of a 318-- sometimes $100/weekend!

ANyway,
I remember renting a 520 and making a 6 hour drive to Northern Italy. I loved the muted, and melodic sound of the inline 6 humming along happily at 5k rpm for hours at a time. The car was so incredibly stable and comfortable-- that I'd really have to force myself to take breaks. The seats (even in this base model), we among the best i've sat in. Everything felt natural-- well, almost everything, except maneuvering it on tight Italian city streets in Verona. I loved the solid, well built feeling that I got from thhe car, and loved the looks of the facelifted e39 (not so much the angel-eyes, but the other aspects). I got the feeling that the car was vacuumed to the road, and that nothing could upset it-- I finally understood how Germans were comfortable maintaining speeds of 100mph+ even in rain storms.

ON another occasion, I had a friend from the US visiting, and we rented a car to go to Vienna. As luck would have it, I drew another 520i-- black/black w/ black high gloss trim (my favorite). He kept saying thinsg like : "Wow- this is an amazing car". We'd fight to drive it-- and ended up pulling over at nearly every other rest stop to switch drivers.

So, why did I end up w/ an e46 after all those great 5 experiences? I decided that I liked the more connected feeling of the 3-- I felt like the 5 was "too much car for me". I also had trouble justifying its price premium, given that the e46 and e39 share a lot of engineering and parts. I also just liked the layout of the e46 interior a little better-- you can tell that its a refinement of the e39 interior with some detail changes to make it more usable (like moving the climate control up, for example).

Did I make the right decision? I still struggle with that-- I'll always be a big fan of the e39-- and as I write this, those fantasies of buying one of the last off the assembly line, creep into my thoughts. I also really do like my e46, and am "attached" to it. By nature the e39 is a little more "aloof"- I wonder if I'd still feel as attached to it if I'd owned one for a few years. For now, whenever, I see a nice e39, I can't help admiring it. In some ways, I think the e46 (atleast 01 and prior) is prettier, but the e39 has such a great presence (so solid, cool, unflappable, muscular). But when I actually think about it more analytically, I just can't justify it. Is that enough "intangibles" for you?


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## Tanin (Dec 21, 2001)

robg,

Yes, that is enough "intangibles" for me. Thanks for great response.

Sounds like we struggle over similar thoughts regarding both vehicles. The refinement, handling/stability (I’ve taken an E39 to GPS verified 152 mph), road noise isolation, and freeway speed cruising are what establish the “intangibles” with the 540 Sport. That 4.4L engine is beautiful and 3rd gear on the freeway is unmatched by few cars. 
I have modified the engine, exhaust and suspension on my 330 and love hearing the vehicle and feeling the road. Are there times when I wish for more refined cruiser for long rides, more torque at 70mph, or those awesome sport seats in the 540…………..absolutely! 

The problem is that I can build a laundry list of praise for the E39 and another for E46 just as long. 

If I can talk my wife into a ’98 Carrera S for a weekend/track car my problem would be solved. Until then I have to find the best compromise.

Not that the E46 or E39 is anything near a compromise


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## hts (Dec 19, 2001)

robg said:


> *You asked for it...
> 
> I also had trouble justifying its price premium, given that the e46 and e39 share a lot of engineering and parts. *


Hmph, I never knew as much. Learn something new every day around here.


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## crete (May 16, 2003)

Tanin said:


> *I currently drive a 2001 330i SP 5 speed and put 45k miles on her and still (intentionally) miss my exits for more seat time. I'm in the market for a new BMW and ready to order a 2003 330i ZHP but seriously considering a 2003 540 6 speed.
> Tanin *


I tested a few 330's when I was looking but decided on the 540ia w/sport. Reasons mostly are what others have stated here but also that I was more comfortable in the 540 over the 3 series. I want to keep this car for a long time and felt the 540 was the car I could grow into and feel comfortable with 5 or more years down the road. The 330, I felt I would grow out of and get tired of because the ride is slightly rougher than the 540 in comfort.

Now if you are looking at the new 540's realize that are not sending in orders anymore so you have to take your chances with whatever is out there on dealer lots or just about to come in.

After one month with my 540 I do not regret at all passing up on the 330.

Good luck.


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