A lady wants my E53...

[PropellerHead]

Kind of a weird story until the dots are connected between the lady and the sale 5 years ago of my 3.0 E53 to my neighbor. They're friends. The lady's teen daughter will turn 16 in July and she's been asking me about the E53 for about a year, now.

On the one hand, I have to agree. Had I the means, I would happily put my own child in an E53 for all the reasons we'd agree on here. In fact, that's sort of been the path we're expecting with my mother-in-law's '01 3.0. At just over 100k, it's been free of most major trouble. We're in countdown mode with my daughter who in 4 years will be 16 in the blink of a father's eye.

But there's my 4.8is. We're supposed to go West again this year. It will be another 5k miles to include Seattle, Oregon, and California's majestic Yosemite National Park. Do I want one last hurrah in my 80k mile 4.8is? Or.. Do I want to bite the bullet and start making new memories in an F15 X5M?Or is all of this crazy talk? Should I just buckle down and start planning next year's E53 National Park tour with longer stays in Glacier and Yellowstone?

I thought of a number. SO SILLY. But if this woman is so inclined and persistent, maybe she'll agree. But what then? It wouldn't be the first time a woman's persistence drove me to a decision I was sorry to make.

[Ricky Bobby]

I'll be first to chime in - the E53 and especially yours has a ton of soul. You'd have to get a stupid high number to even be entertaining it -

Secretly I love reading the E53 Goes West trip threads, so I would miss that a lot.

But everything has a price, my E53 has a price as well, if someone were to give it to me, I'd probably part with it. But I feel like after these years its more the devil I know, and I don't know what I'd get that would have the same "soul" when I drive it. I drove a 435i that I detailed last weekend, nice looking sure but felt pretty numb. My E53 still makes me grin when I drive.

[squidzilla]

The consensus with all of the new F platform Bmw's is they have lost much of the soul the E platforms had. I will not own a new BMW and if I buy a new car it will be a Cadillac since they have picked up where BMW left off with the E's. I was given an F10 5 series while the dealer worked on my 545i and I thought it was a Lexus. Nice but boring. The e53 has more of the old BMW dna in it than any new one.

[dkl]

Originally Posted by squidzilla

The consensus with all of the new F platform Bmw's is they have lost much of the soul the E platforms had. I will not own a new BMW and if I buy a new car it will be a Cadillac since they have picked up where BMW left off with the E's. I was given an F10 5 series while the dealer worked on my 545i and I thought it was a Lexus. Nice but boring. The e53 has more of the old BMW dna in it than any new one.

The E platform will most likely (99%) be my last BMWs as well since the brand has lost all that I loved about it.

Funny how this topic came up as I had various co-workers asking to buy my X over the years, but had never entertained the thought of parting with it. I had a serious offer yesterday, but turned it down without a 2nd thought. May be someday

[mjpgolf1]

In my household we have a 2000 E46 that has been completely restored and is just one of those cars that would be hard to part with because of its history with me, also a 2012 E70 X5 sport, and the 2003 E53 3.0. I personally still much prefer the look and driving feel of the E53 over the E70. Sure the E70 looks mean with its wide tires on its 20" sport wheels, but there is just a feel that the older BMWs have that just isn't present in the newer ones. Even though I've been chasing down a terrible electric gremlin in my E53 for the past few months I still get a big smile on my face when I drive it. Same with my E46. I've been behind the wheel of all of the newer model 3 series cars and they can't even come close to producing the road feel of that E46. I'm sure at some point my E53 will become at its point of needing to move on, but I would be more inclined to look for a newer E53 sport next time to replace it.

I say keep the E53 and drive it until the wheels start to fall off. They just have character that a true BMW enthusiast will always appreciate.

[Dking078]

While I haven't driven any E70-onward variants. I've had some time in the 5 & 6's over the generations. To this day I still refuse to move from E39 > E60.

The soul/performance is there, but heavily clouded.
Will an F15 perform better than the 4.8is? Absolutely.
Will it be more driver oriented? I would think not.

It's all luxury first, performance second now.

KEEP IT!

[tmv]

She can't afford your iS for her teenager daughter. Maybe a 3.0i with no mods, might not be a V8 and certainly not an iS as yours, Propellerhead.

Originally Posted by Dking078

... To this day I still refuse to move from E39 > E60.
...

You're not alone. That day would never come, for me.

[X53Jay4.8is]

Originally Posted by Dking078

While I haven't driven any E70-onward variants. I've had some time in the 5 & 6's over the generations. To this day I still refuse to move from E39 > E60.

The soul/performance is there, but heavily clouded.
Will an F15 perform better than the 4.8is? Absolutely.
Will it be more driver oriented? I would think not.

It's all luxury first, performance second now.

KEEP IT!

My E39 M5 and E53 4.6is are my constant reminders at what BMW use to inject in their products for the driving enthusiast. Back in 2005 I purchased a 2002 M5 sold two years later to start a business and regretted every moment without it. In 2012 went back and repurchased a E39 M5. Even my wife who is not enthusiat agrees that the M5 and X5 4.6is are special vehicles in terms of how they handle, move and sound. These newer BMWs just do not communicate this level of experience for the BMW enthusiast so hold on as long as you can.

[Joshdub]

Originally Posted by X53Jay4.8is

My E39 M5 and E53 4.6is are my constant reminders at what BMW use to inject in their products for the driving enthusiast. Back in 2005 I purchased a 2002 M5 sold two years later to start a business and regretted every moment without it. In 2012 went back and repurchased a E39 M5. Even my wife who is not enthusiat agrees that the M5 and X5 4.6is are special vehicles in terms of how they handle, move and sound. These newer BMWs just do not communicate this level of experience for the BMW enthusiast so hold on as long as you can.

It is funny that you say that. Almost every generational enthusiasts thinks the newer generation is less of a drivers car. E30 drivers feel that way about the e36, e36 about the e46, e46 about the e90, ect. I am sure the F15 guys will be saying the same thing about the next Fxx.


Propeller, I don't know what I'd do if I were in your shoes. I haven't experienced the new X5M, but I'd wager it's pretty sweet. It would suck to see all your heard work go down hill if the neighbor girl doesn't take care of it.

Who knows though, whats to say she wouldn't appreciate something as bad ass as your 4.8is.

[ajs116]

Originally Posted by Joshdub

It would suck to see all your heard work go down hill if the neighbor girl doesn't take care of it.

Who knows though, whats to say she wouldn't appreciate something as bad ass as your 4.8is.

Agreed. The 4.8 is probably too much car for the typical 16-year-old learning to drive, but we don't know anything about this girl. She could turn into a die-hard BMW enthusiast for all we know. I got a pristine e36 when I turned 16 and I babied the hell out of it.