Price: SOLD
Mileage: 39,700 Miles
Engine: M54B30 3.0-Liter Inline Six Cylinder Engine
Transmission: 5-Speed Automatic Steptronic Transmission
Exterior color: Alpine White 3 (300)
Interior: Grey Standard Leather Interior (N6TT)
Additional features:
Fine Wood Interior Trim
Sport Premium Package:
M Steering Wheel
Moonroof
M Sport Suspension
Sport Seats
Shadowline Satin Chrome Trim
Park Distance Control (PDC)
Xenon Headlights
BMW Business CD Stereo
Premium Sound w/ DSP
Heated Seats
Headlight Washers
Power Memory Seats
Auto-Dimming Rearview Mirror
Automatic Climate Control
Style 42 17” x 8” Sport Wheels
Michelin Primacy MXM4 Tires
Exceptional Condition
100% Stock and Unmolested
2-Owner Washington Car
Clean Carfax
The BMW E39 generation 5 Series was arguably the best 5 Series ever. The E39 was significantly more powerful, advanced, and modern than its E34 predecessor, yet was the last of the iconic traditional designs before Chris Bangle and Adrian van Hooydonk’s awkwardly styled E60 5 Series. The post-facelift 530i Sport is probably the best daily driver BMW ever built. It has plenty of power, exceptional handling, sporting luxury, and the “last of the classics” E39 styling. Yet, it does all this with better gas mileage and less maintenance than V8 powered E39s. The 3-liter M54B30 inline 6-cylinder engine mated to the automatic Steptronic gearbox is a fantastic combination of real-world reliability and drivability. For the 2001 530i, the Sport Package included: M Sport Steering Wheel, M Sport Suspension, Sport Seats, Shadowline Trim, and 17 x 8 inch Style 42 wheels. The E39 5 Series was so good that many literally had the wheels driven off of them, making clean, low mileage examples extremely rare.
This 2001 530i Sport is an outlier in a population of E39’s that has been decimated by time, the elements, and irresponsible owners. With less than 40,000 miles it presents, drives, and feels very much like the day it left the showroom. It is nicely optioned with the Sport Premium and Cold Weather Packages, in addition to Xenon headlights, and Premium Sound with Dynamic Sound Processing (DSP). It was initially sold to its first owners in 2001 by BMW Northwest, just outside of Seattle. It remained with them for nearly 15 years, acquiring just 34,000 miles in their tenure. In 2016 it was sold to the second owner, also based outside of Seattle, who also drove the car very sparingly, putting on just under 3,000 miles in 3 years. The records show frequent and regular dealer services at BMW Northwest and independent BMW specialists. In addition to regular oil changes, the aux fan was replaced under recall, along with the exhaust cam position sensor, cup holder, alternator, battery, and a lower engine cover. It comes with records from the first two owners organized in a 3-ring binder, two keys, all owners’ manuals, the original window sticker, and a clean Carfax.
This E39 presents exactly like a well-stored, fair weather driven, low-mileage E39 should. There are a few superficial nicks and scratches commensurate with light use, but nothing glaring. There is a small quarter-sized impression on the driver’s corner of the rear bumper, as well as some light scraping on the underside of the front bumper. The Alpine White paint is in great condition, and is on of the best colors on the E39. There are no significant chips, nicks, peeling clear coat or other glaring defects. The front bumper cover and hood leading edge have none of the rock chips that most Colorado cars have, thanks to its time spent in Washington. The VIN tag is in place, the Carfax is clean, and it has never been in accident. All trim is present and in good condition. The headlights, fog lights, marker lights, and taillight lenses are all crystal clear and all lights operate correctly. The headlights and fog lights have light pitting. The E39 was the first BMW with Angel Eyes; the ones on this car have no inoperative filaments. The windshield has no cracks and only light pitting, thanks to coming from the Northwest. The side and rear windows are perfectly clear. The Style 42 sport wheels are in good shape, but all of them have some light curbing or chipping. They are wrapped in Michelin Primacy MXM4 that were mounted in 2016 at 34,000 miles.
The Grey Standard leather is in amazing condition. It is as soft and supple as the day it left the dealership, having none of the normal hardening or fade that all BMW leather gets from use and UV exposure, again thanks to the overcast weather of the Pacific Northwest. Other than the overall appearance, the condition of the interior leather is the most striking element of the car. The fine wood trim matches the leather perfectly. Turn the key, and the M Sport steering wheel lowers into place. There are no odors and it has never been smoked in. The carpets are clean, with no stains or tears. Carpeted floor mats have saved the carpets from excessive wear and staining. The seat leather is very nice; it has no tears or failed stitching. The driver’s bolster has some minor wear. All power seat functions work. The instrument cluster, stereo, and HVAC displays have no failed pixels. There are no warning lights and no system check messages. The BMW Business stereo sounds fantastic. The heat blows warm and the air conditioning blows cold. The heater blower is quiet and the final stage resistor functions correctly at all fan speeds. All power door locks and windows work exactly as they should. The trunk carpet has no wear or stains. The factory placard showing the proper placement of 3 golf bags is present, as are the tool kit, factory jack, and spare tire. All owners’ manuals are present, along with the window sticker.
When you buy a used BMW, you buy the previous owner’s stewardship. This is especially true with an E39 5 Series. That said, the E39 was probably the last solidly reliable 5 Series, and the 530i was much more reliable than the V8 powered E39s. The maintenance records for this 530i go back to 2001, when it was purchased. That invoice shows the programming of the garage door opener. The records and Carfax indicate regular servicing, even though it has always been driven sparingly. No common E39 530i issues are present. The M54 engine fires up on command, idles smoothly, and pulls strongly to redline. It does not spot or leak or consume excessive oil. The automatic Steptronic transmission shifts smoothly and does not slip. The suspension is compliant and there are no clunks, rattles, or other abnormal drivetrain noises. The brakes are firm and it passes emissions with no problems, which we pay for. Like any E39, it will certainly need continued care and maintenance, but thanks to its low mileage, that shouldn’t be for some time. I would plan on a preventative cooling system refresh prior to 60,000 miles in accordance with the Old School Maintenance Schedule.
This 530i is truly an outlier example due to its mileage and condition. It is arguably one of the best road cars that BMW has ever built. We would like to find a new owner for it who will enjoy, care for it and appreciate it as it has been.
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