Anyone in Boston up for a '97 528i test drive?

[ChefJRD]

Just when things were finally going right the car, I get hit buy a guy running a red light. My '95 525i is probably going to be totaled, though I haven't heard the official word from the insurance company yet, and I'm planning to move a few years forward to an E39 528i.

The best looking 5-speed I've found so far is in Concord, MA, a little outside of Boston, but I'm down in the Northern Virginia/Washington DC area. Would anyone living closer to Boston be willing to go check out this car for me? I know this is asking for a huge favor and I have no idea if anyone will have the time for this, but I figured it was worth giving a try. This is, of course, dependent upon the insurance company totaling the car, but I should know by tomorrow and wanted to get things moving.

As for the accident, thankfully both I and the other driver are fine, but my car is definitely not. The front and back driver's side doors and front quarter panel are smashed in, plus the stick shift literally dropped about 3" - any idea what would cause that? I wouldn't be surprised if there was frame damage as well, the guy was probably going ~30mph - I'm sure thankful I was in an E34!

Thanks,
Jon

[bmwrp8]

any pix of the accident??

[Zeuk in Oz]

Would recommend the upgrade model from about build 6/98 on. Double vanos and side curtain window bags.

[CharlesAFerg]

Would recommend the upgrade model from about build 6/98 on. Double vanos and side curtain window bags.

Ditto - those saved my ass in an E39 M5 I was riding in when it crashed into 6 small trees and two curbs going from 80 to 50 to a stop..
...and people ask, "why the 5?" They're in for quite a story.

[ChefJRD]

No, I don't have any pics of the accident. From a legal perspective, the police recorded that he was at fault on the police report. From an insurance perspective, I haven't taken my camera to the shop it's sitting at yet. From a parts car perspective, the driver's side is messed up, but I don't know about internals.

After 6/98, huh? Hmmm, I'll have to take a look at that. I've been kind of limited in what I've found, since there aren't many E39 5-speeds in my area and I'm trying to set my price limit at $10k since this is a very unexpected expense. I'm hoping to get around $4k from insurance, but we'll see how that all pans out....

[ChefJRD]

Would recommend the upgrade model from about build 6/98 on. Double vanos and side curtain window bags.

From my understanding, the main advantage of the double VANOS is improved torque - anything else? Are there any problems with the double VANOS since that was the first year it was produced? Then again, the car I'm looking at is the first year the E39 was produced.

Any other reasons to look at '98 and newer E39s?

Just heard from the insurance company: they're offering $6,000 for my '95 525i with 169,xxx miles on it. I paid $4,500 for it 2.5 years ago

[Tiger]

That's awesome...

[repenttokyo]

. The front and back driver's side doors and front quarter panel are smashed in, plus the stick shift literally dropped about 3" - any idea what would cause that?
Jon

tranny mounts or crossmember broke, dropped the trainny. Also, the diff could have ripped the driveshaft sideways.