![]() 01/08/2020 at 09:27 • Filed to: unnecessary car shopping with E90M3 | ![]() | ![]() |
However, once you parse through all the examples with mislabeled transmissions, you do occasionally find a decent example. Searching nationwide for manual 535i’s usually results in a page or two of mainly mislabel F10s 535i’s with automatics. Occasionally the odd manual will squeak in there, !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , but the vast majority are automatics. That F10 isn’t the car I would like to address now. No, !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .
While the F10 is a better car, the E60 is a better drivers car; the last 5 series, excluding the F10 M5, to be equipped with hydraulic steering.
The interior might look a bit dated with the CCC iDrive, and is slightly let down by the fact that the sport pack was not selected , meaning no sport seats. One option that was selected was the manual. Bask in its magnificence .
It’s also somehow managed to cover just over 60k in its 12 years of existence.
Despite having three owners, it looks remarkably clean.
Computer even gives it a clean bill of health, not that it proves anything.
Unless I’m missing something, this looks like it could be one sweet deal. Anyone got just under $9k lying around and an E60 shaped hole in their heart?
![]() 01/08/2020 at 09:40 |
|
Just talked to a friend last night who said he was really regretting selling his manual, V8 E60. But he’s got 4 other cars (himself) including a newer 911, a new Raptor, and an S2000...
![]() 01/08/2020 at 09:41 |
|
I am always so confused that anyone would mislabel a car’s transmission . There are VERY few people that do not have a strong preference. And it is so common, especially with dealers.
Really, no one pu ts in automatic in their internet search because they just assume. Therefore dealers can get away with it.
![]() 01/08/2020 at 09:51 |
|
It doesn’t make any sense to me either, mainly because it’s not a common thing anymore. The people who want manuals, want manuals not some shift able automatic.
![]() 01/08/2020 at 09:52 |
|
So the E60 was either that good or it was nostalgia or something. That said, if I ever got a 911 and got rid of my E90, I think I’d miss it, even if the Porsche might be the better car.
![]() 01/08/2020 at 09:55 |
|
I am such an intensely practical person that the vehicle most likely to fit in that price range that I’d buy would be a well-kept ‘63 Thunderbird or ‘58 Sedan De Ville Extended Deck.
That being said,
I actually had to kind of think for a minute.
![]() 01/08/2020 at 10:01 |
|
Seeing those interior pics really makes me miss my 535. That thing was the best-driving sedan ever.
![]() 01/08/2020 at 10:13 |
|
A lot of times, it’s better to not even put anything in the transmission field, aside from the mislabled ones, some dealers just don’t put anything there and those ads get totally filtered out if you search with that criteria.
How hard is it to create an online ad that so many people screw it up?
![]() 01/08/2020 at 10:14 |
|
More often than not, it’s a computer error. Most cars from the 20 00’s and earlier came standard with a manual, while the automatic was an optional extra.
When dealers get a new car in on trade/auction, they often only have the VIN and maybe the color and trim level. With no other info, the computer defaults to the standard options...including the standard transmission.
![]() 01/08/2020 at 10:15 |
|
I think it was a good car, but definitely a high level of nostalgia as well, and the fact that it was a unique car (especially today).
I’m very much the same as you - my car is so special to me now, and I’ve made so many memories in it, it’d be hard to part with it, even for a better car. Mine’s probably worth like $15k today, so thinking about putting $5k back into it in maintenance (suspension, clutch, RBs?) over the next few years seems a little crazy, but then I think - what else could I get for $20k that would even come close to the enjoyment I get from my car?
We’ll see. Hopefully I can keep her healthy. Drove her to work on Monday and again today. Feeling pretty solid, overall. Would love to keep her in the stable for the long term and eventually add something smaller & lighter.
![]() 01/08/2020 at 10:21 |
|
Despite something failing at least quarterly, I loved my E60s. The 550 was a piece of shit that never really worked, but the 535 was just a different animal entirely, and just felt so damn good. Starting that thing up at night just felt so fucking boss. Wanna set the cruise at 95 and just play executive jet? No problem. Want to hit sport mode and drive some fun roads? Cool. Let’s go.
And I still hold the seats as the most-comfortable thing I’ve ever sat in or on. Granted, I haven’t driven new Volvos, but those sport seats were just the absolute business. I loved that interior. Liked the exterior a lot. The E60s were the first cars I ever had with screens and techy stuff, but there was also the beautiful analog on the IP, and the combo just felt right.
F10s just
felt like the biggest letdown of a car I’ve ever experienced
.
But someday I’m gonna be banging on an old Porsche.
![]() 01/08/2020 at 10:23 |
|
But there are pictures right there in the ad, that some desk jockey created by hand.
![]() 01/08/2020 at 10:27 |
|
It was that good. That said, I drove a couple manuals, and the development time on the auto vs the manuals was painfully apparent. After driving a couple manuals, even one that I thought would tick all my boxes, I thought it was kinda crap.
![]() 01/08/2020 at 10:29 |
|
I think we’re all looking forward to that “someday”.
How old? Which one do you dream about owning (and which will you realistically end up with)?
![]() 01/08/2020 at 10:31 |
|
Just gonna copypaste my reply to davesaddiction:
Despite
something failing at least quarterly, I loved my E60s. The 550 was a
piece of shit that never really worked, but the 535 was just a different
animal entirely, and just felt so damn good. Starting that thing up at
night just felt so fucking boss. Wanna set the cruise at 95 and just
play executive jet? No problem. Want to hit sport mode and drive some
fun roads? Cool. Let’s go.
!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!
And
I still hold the seats as the most-comfortable thing I’ve ever sat in
or on. Granted, I haven’t driven new Volvos, but those sport seats were
just the absolute business. I loved that interior. Liked the exterior a
lot. The E60s were the first cars I ever had with screens and techy
stuff, but there was also the beautiful analog on the IP, and the combo
just felt right.
F10s just
felt like the biggest letdown of a car I’ve ever experienced
.
But someday I’m gonna be banging on an old Porsche.
![]() 01/08/2020 at 10:35 |
|
Well, I *know* that at some point I’m going to be banging on my Creamsicle.
![]() 01/08/2020 at 10:35 |
|
When I see ads mislabelled regarding the trans I message the seller to let them know. You’d be surprised how many message back and just tell you it’s for more exposure...dicks. You’re right in that VERY few people don’t care what trans
![]() 01/08/2020 at 10:40 |
|
I don’t get what all the complaint about the manual box in the cars is.
![]() 01/08/2020 at 10:42 |
|
This one?
![]() 01/08/2020 at 10:42 |
|
I’ve only driven mine a little over 2k in the past two years . Planning on some maintenance soon so I can drive it more. It’s a long term hold for me. Think once it’s more accessible , aka in an attached garage, it’ll get some more love. Pretty much told my girlfriend that if we end up together, a garage is non-negotiable .
![]() 01/08/2020 at 10:43 |
|
If you ever met the semi retired guy at my friends dealership who was responsible for photographing and listing trade in vehicles, you'd understand. It's not intentional, he just doesn't care. My Miata was a manual but he listed it as an automatic because that was the default transmission in their software.
![]() 01/08/2020 at 10:43 |
|
Apparently it’s really easy to screw up, based on empirical evidence.
![]() 01/08/2020 at 10:44 |
|
I mean, that would be in keeping with your mantra, so it makes sense.
![]() 01/08/2020 at 10:45 |
|
Well, I *know* that at some point I’m going to be banging on my Creamsicle.
But beyond that, there’s still all the old Beetles that I need to fuck up.
![]() 01/08/2020 at 10:46 |
|
Yep. Kinja borked on my reply, keep looking. I added pics.
![]() 01/08/2020 at 10:52 |
|
As it should be!
Mine’s living in my shop now, so it’s just a couple extra minutes in the morning to walk out there and get it out, but always worth it.
![]() 01/08/2020 at 10:53 |
|
I’d love to see you take an old, beat 911 and modify it to bring one of your creations to life...
![]() 01/08/2020 at 10:54 |
|
It just felt... slow and dumb, I guess. Probably because the car was built with the auto in mind. I
wanted
to like it. The first 5 Series I ever drove was an E34, and I still remember how the shifter felt like it was gyro-synchronized (coming from what I had experience with at the time, given that this was in the mid-90s) and like rowing through olive oil.
These just felt like the ratios were mismatched for the car, and didn’t know where to be, or when.
Your mileage may vary.
![]() 01/08/2020 at 10:56 |
|
Well, that makes all of two of us. :)
![]() 01/08/2020 at 11:18 |
|
The F 10 is a better car than the E60? Can guarantee it’s not better drivetrain wise. N20 and N63 are absolute money pits. N55 suffers from the same belt eating issue as the N54 (granted less common). Jury is still out S 63, but so far more reliable than the V10. But it’s a frickin V 10!
IMO E60s still looks new, F10 looks uninteresting/boring design. It was a safe design
Interior and infotainment might be better, E60s i -drive was known to be slow and complex at times but advanced for 2004. No back up camera until F10 as well
![]() 01/08/2020 at 14:55 |
|
Mis-labeled transmissions and... am I the only one who gets pissed when he sees a CL ad for a “BMW with the V6 engine option”????
I mean, to be a BMW owner, don’t you have to know the basics?
![]() 01/08/2020 at 14:57 |
|
Does the VIN decode down to the transmission option? At least on GM VINs I can easily sort the LQ4 from from the high-compression LQ9 engine options... is handy when weeding out shady (and clueless) parts’ sellers.
“What was the donor car’s VIN?”
![]() 01/08/2020 at 14:58 |
|
I mean I would hope so, then again my girlfriend, who also happens to have an MD, has no idea what a cylinder is, let alone their configuration .
![]() 01/08/2020 at 15:01 |
|
I’m not completely sure. I believe the E90 M3s had a different number for manual vs DCT, I never looked into the regular BMWs.
![]() 01/08/2020 at 15:11 |
|
I don’t think GM goes down that far-- but it’s really, really handy when the Seller posts a pic of the “Options Build Tag” with all the option codes. Ratios, color codes, transmission type... all in one spot.
![]() 01/08/2020 at 15:13 |
|
Have a buddy with a 550i and he loves it. Totally prefers it over the E60 M5... most of the power, but with actual reliability
![]() 01/10/2020 at 10:40 |
|
My wife’s an MD as well. I was horrified that with “a top tier undergrad degree and top flight medical school”... she’s actually never had ANY statistics coursework.
How the hell are you supposed to understand the drug research, efficacy guidelines and placebo comparison studies-- not to mention the mountains of drug-specific info-- with NO background in statistics. I was floored.