Sir Anthony Regents-Park

Nothing new. From 1989:

I would retain the standard diff, a 3.23. The five speed box in the 530i is the ZF 310Z 525i unit but in a different casing with a big bell housing for the V8. Fifth gear is a direct drive 1:1 so with a 3.64 diff it'll be revving its tits off at 80. The sixth speed in a 540i is an overdrive. The problem is finding all the bits - flywheel and clutch, propshaft and gear linkage are all unique to the 530i. The M50 525i prop and gear linkage are close but not close enough.

This looks like a lot of car for 26 grand to me; it's pretty much brand new. https://usedcars.bmw.co.uk/vehicle/201811132398334?location=Rushdale Rd, Sheffield S8 9QB, UK&quoteref=9686ff7c-86a5-4072-babd-8769d3e5df53

Despite flopping in the F10, BMW GB have launched the 520i here again in the G30. I drove the F10 version and whilst not a rocket, it wasn't bad. Surprisingly nippy and much quieter than the 520d, it did 40 odd on a run. The new B48 2.0 petrol in the G30 is a very good engine as well, 181 bhp and 290nm with a very wide spread of torque. A mate at Sytners has driven one and really rates it. The 530i is the same engine with more boost to give nearly 250 bhp. A good torquey engine and the 8 speed ZF means you don't really need the 6 cyl. I'd be giving diesel a miss for the time being.

The ride on mine is shocking - SE on factory 18's. Then you get into an E34 on 225/60x15's and it's absolute luxury. Progress?

Good. I would have cut the cats off and weighed it in tbh, more than £200 that way.

Not always. They have issues - very expensive ones - with wear to the camshaft ledges resulting in Vanos failure. Plus the coolant pump but they're 200 quid. They can piss oil out but, for all that, a decent one is alright.

E39's are just too old now imo. Our 55 plate 530d was £2000, 125'000 miles with FSH, recent turbo, manifold, crank pulley and starter plus it's had a gearbox sump and oil already. They're a good car but I just could never warm to them. A tool for a job. Perhaps in time I'll grow to respect it. It needs some stuff doing - the coolant temp never goes past 70 degrees so it's in dire need of a thermostat but at least the swirl flaps have been removed.

Leave the steering box alone, but tighten the 32mm nut at the base of the steering column. This is for the in-out column slider and the splines wear. This generally removes a lot of steering free play.

I would drive an E60 before setting your heart on one. I'm driving one at the moment - a 530d - and I think they're bloody horrible. I had the same opinion in 2003 and it's all come back to me. The ghastly interior is one thing, but the feeling of being hemmed it by the screen pillars is another - vision to the left when pulling out of a tricky junction is poor. They also feel big, heavy and tankish, the ride is poor (standard SE here on 18" runflats) and they're not as effortless to hustle along as a 3 Series obviously. iDrive was always an answer to a question nobody asked. You do get used to it but the E39 was far easier to use as a car. I find it a distracting nuisance. I wouldn't touch a petrol now, especially a 10-14 year old N53 with its flaky injectors and misfire issues. Manual gearbox? Forget it. An old tank like these needs automatic and the 6 speed ZF is a bit dated but not bad. 530d Auto is the way to go imo. The M Sport does look a lot better but they're old, high tech cars so be prepared for some big bills.

My views concur with Tims. A 15 year old 520i with rust and issues is scrap. I'd take a few choice bits off and weigh it in. Wheels Cats (two on these) Headlights ABS module Clear indicator rear taillights Cup holders If the radio works well, remove that (Becker flat pin) and the amp/antenna modules. Aircon fan if it still works Or just sell it on for 3-400 quid. That's what I'd be doing.

Not really. Just look at our own gutter press - that started with the Mail and the Sun and has now worked its way out to anything Tory/Murdoch. The stuff they write about Corbyn is just laughable - but folk actually believe it. They still believe that papers tell the truth. Astonishing.

PM'd.

TRX GT's were a lot better but they're NLA as a 390, just a 415. The original TRX's are utter shite. Sadly there's not enough meat to machine the wheels down to take 16 inch rubber. They're concours/plant pots.

Sorry for the tiny picture but it's biggest I can upload here. I have a very good one that works if you need it. I've tested it in hot water and it opens and closes as it should.