Hello Auto experts in the house,

I need your opinion on this.

I'm planning to buy a BMW 5 series E39 directly from Europe. I have the option of buying of one of two cars, 1 is automatic and the other is manual. Both have mileage in excess of 200,000 km, though highway miles. Both are in great shape.

Which gear system will you advise. I want something that I can use for a long period without worrying about rebuilding or replacing the gear.

My preference is for automatic because of the traffic situation in Lagos, but I don't mind a manual as I've driven one before.

My question is: if I can maintain the car religiously, keeping up with the oil changes, flushing, etc, is there any technical reason why i should not go for the automatic?

Simon,

You know the answer to your question. You just needed people to tell you what you want to hear, not what you need to hear.

I will be straight with you. There is nothing wrong with automatic trans. You just have to bear and deal with it annoyances as it shows up. Because, it will surely does. Why, Auto tranny hates heat. Its a straight ticket to its graveyard. Traffic jam situation in Lagos will make sure of that. Only if you will have to be religiously maintaining the box, by changing the fluid regularly/frequently with quality auto box oil with recommended viscosity.

Manual tranny, can be a nightmare for someone who is not an expert in driving them (lacks good knowledge of Clutch engagement). People that complain about how unreliable clutches are, are people who do not deserve such cars. Not every person you see on the steering wheel is a driver.

Final note, if you are ready to maintain the auto box, buy the auto option. It could suite your need.

Ikenna.

Man, go for the manual, the auto will get hot and will cost money to fix, replacing a BMW gear well, because 200k miles on a gear is serious, the gear is just entering its problem prone stage. You will get used to the manual after about a month, BWM manual gear should be smooth like water, i dont think there are much heels in lagos anyway,

Sanmmy and Ikenna,

Thanks for you opinion.

I would like to hear from someone using an E39 automatic or manual. Please share your experience.

Siena:

I'm an auto engineer, and my speciality is German cars.

I'm an avid fan of manual transmission, despite currently running a 2002 Audi A4 3,0 V6 Quattro, with 5-speed Tiptronic.

Automatics are at their best, and most efficient on long runs, where a constant speed can be achieved. Slow-moving, or stationary traffic is not good for automatics. Heat builds up, despite the provision of transmission fluid coolers. The ATF will degrade a lot quicker, if the car is used frequently in heavy traffic conditions. Automatics are not maintenance-free, whilst manuals are. There's little to go wrong with a manual tranny. A lot of breakers will throw away manual trannys, as they seldom sell them, and will eventually run out of storage space.

Automatics on the other hand are always in demand, and are often sold before the trannys are removed from the cars, sometimes the sellers have waiting lists! I have worked on E39's, both manual and auto. I have never sold, or fitted a manual tranny, on the other hand, I have replaced 3 auto trannys in the last 18 months - a 2000 E39 528i, and two E39 523i's. Both suffered loss of drive, the 528i lost reverse. I have also fitted several replacement TCU's, (Transmission Control Units) with some failing before 80,000 miles.

I can run auto tranny, as it's my job to work on them. I know their weak points, so am unlikely to get caught out. A lot of users however, will neglect maintenance, hoping to save money. Which will become an expensive mistake later on.

My advice? If you plan to run your car in dense traffic conditions on a regular basis, get a manual. They are not affected by heat, and are maintenance-free. If you plan to do a lot of cross-state, long-distance driving on the open road, then an automatic could well be the best option. The choice is yours.

Thanks Siena,

This was the technical analysis I was looking for. Seems I may have to go with the manual. But what do you think if the situation is this:
- the automatic E39 has just had its transmission rebuilt.
- there is a detailed service record
- I drive for about 2 hours in slow moving traffic everyday. I hour in the morning and 1 hour in the evening.

If I'm ready to religiously do an ATF change every month, whether its due or not, do you think its worth the risk going for an automatic tranny.

The reason I'm biased towards the auto tranny, is that I have an E30 automatic that has been in use for over 5 years and has never had transmission problems.

N.B. You may want to consider opening a blog to disseminate your wealth of knowledge. You can also consider a paid subscription service that people can consult you. I for one will register.

Thanks Siena,

Right now I'm veering towards the manual, cause its loaded with features.

If you don't mind, i'd like you to take a look at both cars on the dealer's site and use your professional knowledge to make a recommendation. I would have pasted the links to the cars here but I'm afraid the dealers on Nairaland may quickly snatch them up because they are both great bargains!

How can I reach you, my email is kSimonTemplar@gmail.com

I know you may be reluctant to put your email here because of spammers but if you send me your mail, i can send you the link to the cars.

^^^ I don't mind. My email address is:

info@euro-asian-autoparts.com

Siena:

^^^ I don't mind. My email address is:

info@euro-asian-autoparts.com

You got mail.

SimonTemp:
Thanks Siena,

Right now I'm veering towards the manual, cause its loaded with features.

If you don't mind, i'd like you to take a look at both cars on the dealer's site and use your professional knowledge to make a recommendation. I would have pasted the links to the cars here but I'm afraid the dealers on Nairaland may quickly snatch them up because they are both great bargains!

How can I reach you, my email is kSimonTemplar@gmail.com

I know you may be reluctant to put your email here because of spammers but if you send me your mail, i can send you the link to the cars.

Hello Op, did u get the very ride eventually? And what has been the experience?