This deep indigo with an almost velvet look is called Toledo blue and it certainly suits the lines of the E39. The paint is in excellent condition bearing very little marks from over 20 years on the road, while the panels also line up correctly of course. 

The chrome accents on the trim (specific to the Exclusive Edition) look fresh as do the wheels and the iconic corona ring headlights. This car was cared for and it shows: not a bubble of rust in sight. Wherever you chose to take it, from a country house to a posh downtown neighbourhood, this Touring will look the part.

There is no questioning the fact E39 interiors age well and feel nice, but as is the case for the exterior, the difference with this example is in the details. The leather is high quality Nappa with an exclusive design, the two-tone wood trim that extends to the steering wheel is also specific, and the car is rather well appointed. 

As you might expect, the seats, carpets, panels and headliner are all in stunning condition. Of course, all the equipment has been tested, and both the instrument cluster and MID unit have had their displays repaired professionally to get rid of any dead pixels.

You could be fooled in to thinking a 525i might be a bit short on power, but with its oversquare design, the M54B25 proves to be more rev happy than the larger displacement 3.0 litre variant. When mated to the smooth ZF 5-speed automatic transmission, the difference in real world performance is barely noticeable, making this is a great package to eat up cross-country miles with ease while keeping it on budget.

As you might hope, in the case of this car, comprehensive main dealer service records really mean something. Upon inspection the date codes and quality of the parts used indicate that the fastidious maintenance went well beyond just adding stamps to the book. Having always been serviced by the same shop, there is no doubt the mechanical components received this level of care for over twenty years.

As part of this car’s preparation before sale, it has of course received a full service including new spark plugs, a fuel filter, fresh differential oil and the replacement of the cam cover gasket.

The E39 was an industry benchmark for ride and comfort for many years. Even by modern standards, it still provides incredible refinement, but it does require all components to be in good condition to do so. Inspection of this car’s chassis revealed just that: good and tidy underpinnings, the quality of which have been confirmed on several road tests by the absence of any undesirable vibrations.

It is to be noted this car is fitted with the factory detachable tow bar that has apparently scarcely been used, if ever.