I'm looking for an E39 5 series, I must have a manual so I'm expecting to be looking for quite a while for the perfect options/colors/price combo but what I want to know is, what are your opinions on the three inline sixes you can get here in America. I've seen 525is, 528is and 530is in the E39 body style but have never driven any of them (my uncle has a blue 525i auto that I've been in once but never driven)

I'm interested in which ones you've driven and your opinions of each, I'm most interested in the 530i because that 3.0 inline six is still in use today and has been on the top ten engines list since 2001 so I assume it's a good engine :)

Also, if you could give me some comparisons of the performance of each compared to my 318is, I don't even know the 0-60 of my car (haven't found it anywhere on the net...) but I mean how much faster will each of those cars feel compared to mine? Thanks in advance.

Also, if any of you have any manual 5 series' for sale in the southern California area, feel free to hit me up lol.

All 3 are reliable. One thing that may help you decide is by figuring out what year car you want because not all 3 were produced in the same years.

The 530 has a fairly significant power increase over the other 2. It should be quite a bit faster than your 318. I think the 525 & 528 will also be faster than your 318.

318i manual 0-60mph in 8.1s
528i 0-60mph 7.1s, auto (7.7s)
530i 0-60mph 6.8s
525i 0-60mph 7.3s
540i 0-60mph 6.0
(data from www.bmworld.com)--i've seen and heard better numebers.

You'll feel the difference regardless what 5 you drive compare to the 318i. If you dont care about mpg get the 540i, it'll be worth it. honestly I think it would cost pretty much the same, regarding maintenance, if you get the inline 6 or the V8. hope this help.

how much are you willing to spend is the big question???

Trust me, I'd love to get a 540i but I'm only 16 and so my dad is buying me the car and he (understandably) won't get me a V8. He drives a 2003 E320 and my mom has a 2004 CLK320 (221 and 215 horsepower respectively) so even the 530i sounds fast to them since it's got more power than either of theirs (slightly) and is a BMW vs. a Mercedes but I talked my dad into the 530i saying it's a newer, more efficient engine than the one in the 525/528 and is smoother etc.

I'm pretty much sold on the 530i but there are precious few reviews/test drives/videos of them on the internet, especially with the manual so I wanted some owners' opinions.

misterphat thanks for the 0-60 times, 8.1 seconds is pretty damn sad lol, I knew the 318 was the bottom of the American BMW barrel but wow.

when i was 16 my dad told me to get a job if i wanted a car, heh.

you seem pretty down to earth about it though, which is cool. you're a lucky kid.

the 530 would be more than enough for you... and the chicks'll love it. tell him to you get an M-Sport.

Wow lucky guy. 318 then a 530 and you're still 16? I would be happy with any car mentioned in this thread. lol :D

the 530 would be more than enough for you... and the chicks'll love it. tell him to you get an M-Sport.

That package was only available on the 540s down here. :(

I'd be happy enough with anything BMW but I'm sort of a perfectionist so I want to get something that I don't just like but something that I will be happy with for a long time, like through high school, college and into getting a real job at least.

My main goals are to find a 530i, black on black (hopefully without the wood trim, my 318 is all black inside and it looks really nice I think) with the manual and then after that the premium sound system and sport package would be nice.

i drove a 2000 528 sport and was very pleased. Great acceleration, handling and brakes.

It's an easy decision, if your dad is willing to drop the coin on a 01+ model (525i and 530i) go for it. You get the upgraded headlights, color matched molding, half clear tails and a more updated steering wheel. One bit of advice however, ONLY consider a sport model as they are already lowered and feel perfect. I've had a 528i 5spd and auto and I can tell you the manual is a bit faster (duh) than the automatic, but the car is not (nor was it intended to be) fast so the automatic doesn't detract too much from the driving experience. Good luck on the purchase, it seems you realize you are a fortunate "kid" so please treat your BMW (and parents for that matter) with respect. :buttrock