[Robert A]

Has anyone here bought the E90 after owning an E39 or E60 5 series? What were your considerations, and what was your thought process when you made this change? Are you satisfied? Any regrets?

[ga-bmwdrvr]

I had a 2002 530i that I traded in for a 330i E90. Even though the interior on the E90 is a bit smaller, it is not significant. The power to weight of the E90 is much better, the handling is better and I like the looks more. The E39 was my first BMW but I feel the E90 is more exciting, just fun to drive. I don't miss my 530 at all. It just had less "sport".

[voltron1011]

I think that the front seat area of the E90 is quite a bit roomier than the E39. I am almost 6'4" and I have so much leg, head, and shoulder room in my E90 compared to my friend's 2001 540i (E39).

[ben1364]

I had a 1999 E39 540i before the E90 330i. They are very different automobiles but both are good. The 540i was a torquer and a highly competent road machine that I drove for 104,000 miles. I returned to the three series because of the size which suits our needs better. I miss some of the gee whiz features of the E39 from time to time but smller car is better for us at this time.

Consumer Reports which seldom says anything nice about either German or American vehicles called the E39 the best car they ever tested. I can't disagree based on my experience.

[spydrz]

I did have an 01 525i, but before the 330 I also had an X5. I enjoyed the 525 but it was from the lot and didn't have the options I wanted. My father still has his (different) '01 E39 and I drive it from time to time. It's a nice car, as was mine, but the E39 feels old and heavy when compared to the E90. I think the interior space is similar; there have been numerous posts comparing the dimensions and they are almost identical.

[chrisbin]

Yep. previous car was 523i. To be honest I wouldn't have picked that car (I inherited it) but was surprised how much I didn't like it..Always felt too much of a bus for me, although it was very solid with great build quality.

E90 has plenty of room for me and family and is so much more chuckable.

No regrets here!

[mrbelk]

I currently am in month 20 of a 36 month 545i/6sp lease. I will be going "downmarket" to the 3er for my next vehicle. My first BMW was a 2001 330i, and I really want to get back to a more communicative driving experience. The power of my 545 is intoxicating, no doubt, but it's just so BIG. I drove a 330 this past Saturday with sport package, and slushbox (I prefer manuals), and it felt so much more "tossable" than my 5er. I have yet to drive a 6sp 330, but I've felt the clutch and shifter action in a static display, and it really felt nice and short.

In my opinion, the E90 3er is just as nice on the inside as my 5er. The materials look and feel the same; I think the center console of the 3er is better integrated with the rest of the cockpit than the 5er. My driving position was excellent (although I have a bit more headroom in the 5er... I'm 6'5").

-MrB

[darkside]

I owned an 01 530i Sport and loved the car. I traded it in on a new 03 M3 three years ago, and I loved that car as well. My new car on order is an 06 330i sport. My opinion is that this car is a combination of the previous two. It has great handling and performance, but with a luxury feel to the ride missing in the M3.

I drove the e90 330i sport back to back with the e60 530i sport and was suprised at how much I preferred the e90. For a time I was considering a 550i, but after this two hour test comparison I was sold on the e90. Now I just have to wait, as I sold my M3 two weeks ago. It is a little odd not driving a BMW for the first time in 5 years.

[325IAT]

I had a E60 2004 model. It had a fantastic engine. I love the inline 6!
But the car was a bit too big. It wasn't snappy and sporty as my E90, even though my E90 is a 320d.

But the biggest disapointment was the interior finnish.
Noises came from everywhere. The doors, the dash, the seats and the iDrive was really slow at times (software). I upgraded the siftware but it didn't help. It's a slow computer. It needs more RAM And it actually felt more plastic and "loose" than my E90. The E90 is tighter.

The noise inside the car when driving is about the same in both cars. I feel the difference in quality goes in the E90's favour. It just feels more exclusive. Remember the big differencies between the E46 and the E39. I believe the E90 feels better in terms of general build quality than the E60. But I haven't tried a 06 E60, so they may have changed it for the better.

C

[BigPapiDoesItAgain]

Twice over for me. I had an "original" E39 528i (MY 1997) and an '03 530i. In between I had a Jet Black 2000 328Ci - which was the best car I ever owned, by the way.

In my opinion, the '03 530 was light years ahead of the '97 528. The early E39 that I had was not a great experience. That car had electrical system woes from the get go. I bet I replaced at least 10 head/tail/brake/fog lamps over the 30 mos. that I drove the car. To make matters worse, those were the days when oil changes were paid for but not things like lights, brakes, etc. like it is now. The ride, power and dependability were all significantly improved in the 2003 model 530i that I had, but I still had some nagging little problems - radio head unit died 6 mos. into my tenure with the car, there was a problem with a temperature sensor that caused the A/C to blow hot air in the middle of a 100 degree summer, and although not as bad, the car went through its share of head/fog lamps.

The 530 had a beautiful ride on the highway, but I missed the agility of the 3er, and missed my E46 coupe almost the whole time I was driving the 530. That being said, I was literally on my way to the dealer to seal the deal on an '05 545i, and changed my mind. I thought about a 645, but ultimately didn't feel good about layin' that much jack for a car. Once I saw an E90 in person, that was pretty much it for me. I had to go out of my way to get my hands on one, and I actually made the deal on this one without a test drive, which had me a little nervous - until I actually drove the thing. Needless to say, I am happy to be back in a 3er.

To me this 330i is hard to beat. The right amount of fun, and still nicely appointed, without heading too far north in the price department.

[tima]

I owned a E39 528i. It was comfy, nicely appointed and surprisngly deft, but not exactly nimble. It was a nice burgher-mobile. I really liked the heated steering wheel which I wish was an E90 option. I did make the mistake of getting the E39 as an automatic - I kept trying to shift - will never make that one again!

The E90 has crept closer to my '95 E36 M3, which I missed v. much and regret selling. The E90 is roomier which is one reason I liked the E39. The E90 makes you want to drive, the E39 was a ride.

[djb]

Got OUT of a 545i SMG 39 month lease after 20 months....was pulled over to the allure of the 330i 6-sp.

This was my third 540/545 (1998, 2001, 2004).

330i is just so much more fun.....545i is more raw power without the range of expression of the new 330i.

Plus, uses less gas....my way of helping the environment!

Expecting delivery Decemeber.
6sp-premium-sport-nav-active steering-CA-sapphire black-terra-bluetooth-rear park distance.

[MTMnet]

I have had E34 and E39 5 series cars in the past and was planning to get an E60 when they first came out, however after spending some time checking the E60 out, I decided that I just could not spend that kind of money on a car with an interior that I just disliked immensely. Retro Buick is what came to mind. I also was not crazy about the exterior styling. ( I ended up with an Audi A6 for a while)

Ironically the E90 has a very similar interior to the E60 however I find it much less offensive with the smaller dimensions and the exterior styling is fantastic in my opinion.

I don't regret my decision for a second. The 3 series has grown large enough that I am now officially converted. It is a blast to drive and somewhat roomy for a smaller car.

Good luck!