Need advice - 2003 BMW E39 525i OR Audi A6 2008

SSDS_92 · June 22, 2024

Hey yall, first post here,
I basically want to understand which of these cars would be the best technically to buy.

Context:

My MAX budget is 7 million (Preferred is 6.5)
I'm very much of an enthusiast, who is willing to spend time working on the vehicle myself, thus i don't mind a fixer-upper.
I'm buying this as a family car (Family of 4)
I'm planning to own this one for at least 10 years.
I'm willing to spend millions on restoring the car and improving it if required, over the course of the ownership.

My thoughts on the two options:

My preference is the E39, I LOVE the history behind that car, it's basically known as one of the best 4 door sedans to be ever built. I also love how open the aftermarket scene is with this one. And quite frankly i love how it looks too. And I'm very much a fan of a "fun drive" which this car is. Plus, i think this car has soul. Which is really important to me.
On the negative side of things,
- i know the latest E39 model year is 2003 so it's relatively older than the other option.
- And most likely than not, almost all E39s in Sri Lanka i would say is in a mid state.
- I'm not quite sure about the spare part availability or access to services here too.
- I also know 525i came with an M52 V6 with 190~hp, and that the other option is more powerful at 255hp (Although power loss over time may come into play)
- All current options for sale in LK have garbage interior.
- I'm also very much aware of the amount of repairs that this one usually requires to have it be pristine (Constant oil leaks and whatnot)
On the other hand, the only few reasons that I'm even considering the 2008 A6 as an option are,
- It's a newer car, so everything relatively could be in a better state
- Has a more powerful engine
- One option i saw has such good interior
On the negative side for that car,
- I really don't see this even close to being an "Enthusiast" car.
- There's really no build videos for this car in YouTube, so i assume the whole DYI-ness of the car is absolutely awful.
- It looks SO bad in my personal opinion - It looks like a bar of soap that had soaked in water for 2 days 😅

Guys i need someone to actually either convince me that E39 is the best option for me, or tell me that it's too much of a hassle to maintain please.
The way things are right now, i can't even purchase the E39 with a clear mind because i will eternally be thinking if i made the wrong decision. (I hate my brother for even showing me the listing for the A6 lol)

Thank you so much!

Edited June 22, 2024 by SSDS_92

iRage · June 23, 2024

Test drive either one and see which one you like the more in terms of handling, performance and character. I always found the E39 a handsome car and more fun than the A6 (4F). The BMW felt more agile and composed. The A6 felt more powerful, but it felt more like a mid-ranged chauffeur taxi than a fun car. The A6 felt a bit more front heavy as well. Granted the power was quite obvious. Also, every A6 I know of had oil issues. Looks wise I feel it is the same. The E39 is much prettier to look at whilst the A6, well it looks like a black taxi waiting for the client to come down to be driven to the airport.

So apart from buying the model that you feel good about driving...where the resto is concerned, I do believe the BMW will offer more flexibility in terms of aftermarket parts and even support in SL (Isn't the BMW crowd in SL more active than the Audi groups ?).

As for age, since Sri Lanka has no age-based taxation policy, things are a bit easier. In terms of safety the newer Audi will be somewhat better than the older E39, but then the E39 still has better safety equipment/ratings/performance than most 30-year-old econo boxes running on our road (it will be more about you not driving like an idiot than anything else).

But at the end of the day....you should buy whichever model is in the best possible shape for you to start your rolling restoration. By things of it it sounds like you are willing to do a rolling restoration and not something where you dump the car in a garage for a year to get it up to factory spec (or something). So you will need to have a car that meets your daily needs as well. So an E39 that is breaking down every 1km and spending more time sorting out stupid repairs (apart from your restore) would not be the most practical car to do this than an A6 in really good shape (smae has to be said the other way around too).

So..yes E39...but one that works. If not working decently..A6

SSDS_92 · June 23, 2024

10 hours ago, iRage said:

Test drive either one and see which one you like the more in terms of handling, performance and character. I always found the E39 a handsome car and more fun than the A6 (4F). The BMW felt more agile and composed. The A6 felt more powerful, but it felt more like a mid-ranged chauffeur taxi than a fun car. The A6 felt a bit more front heavy as well. Granted the power was quite obvious. Also, every A6 I know of had oil issues. Looks wise I feel it is the same. The E39 is much prettier to look at whilst the A6, well it looks like a black taxi waiting for the client to come down to be driven to the airport.

So apart from buying the model that you feel good about driving...where the resto is concerned, I do believe the BMW will offer more flexibility in terms of aftermarket parts and even support in SL (Isn't the BMW crowd in SL more active than the Audi groups ?).

As for age, since Sri Lanka has no age-based taxation policy, things are a bit easier. In terms of safety the newer Audi will be somewhat better than the older E39, but then the E39 still has better safety equipment/ratings/performance than most 30-year-old econo boxes running on our road (it will be more about you not driving like an idiot than anything else).

But at the end of the day....you should buy whichever model is in the best possible shape for you to start your rolling restoration. By things of it it sounds like you are willing to do a rolling restoration and not something where you dump the car in a garage for a year to get it up to factory spec (or something). So you will need to have a car that meets your daily needs as well. So an E39 that is breaking down every 1km and spending more time sorting out stupid repairs (apart from your restore) would not be the most practical car to do this than an A6 in really good shape (same has to be said the other way around too).

So..yes E39...but one that works. If not working decently..A6

Hey, thanks so much for taking the time to give me that great explanation. I'm starting exploring E39 listings and visiting them next week. Have around 4 around the country i will physically visit to check out. My final decision is, for how much i love the E39, i will keep looking for a well-kept pne for at least a few months before i pull the trigger on a different car. And A6 is out of the equation.

Edited June 23, 2024 by SSDS_92

iRage · June 23, 2024

41 minutes ago, SSDS_92 said:

Hey, thanks so much for taking the time to give me that great explanation. I'm starting exploring E39 listings and visiting them next week. Have around 4 around the country i will physically visit to check out. My final decision is, for how much i love the E39, i will keep looking for a well-kept pne for at least a few months before i pull the trigger on a different car. And A6 is out of the equation.

You are welcome....but once you find a candidate or two...make sure you take it to get a professional inspection done. Also, go check the local BMW FB groups. A lot of the good BMWs, Mercs, etc...change hands without even getting advertised.