Is the BMW 530 E39 much better, more gutsy than the 528?

You're talking about the difference in .2 liters of engine size, or going from a large 4-cylinder to a small 6-cylinder. There should not be any noticeable difference in performance, some people just get hung up on having a larger engine (or bigger numbers for the pretentious BMW owner). I'm sure you're aware of the breakdown of the numbers, but here's a reminder: a 530 is a 5-Series with a 3.0L engine (6 cylinder), and the 528 is a 5-series with a 2.8L engine (4 cylinders). The only time you see the numbers not reflect engine size are in the cars with the number ending in 50, as in 550i. That has a 4.8L v-8, but BMW wouldn't put a 548 badge on their car - it just looks silly. Honestly, I would choose any series with a 3.5L v-6. A 335 has plenty of pep and is lightweight. A 535 has a good weight/size/performance ratio. The 8 cylinder will be more expensive to run in that year of vehicle. The later models have much better mileage. My 06 550i gets 30 MPG, but my 02 530 got just over 23 - go figure...

Thanks, pburke - very helpful.

My pleasure Marybm ;)

Wrong. No petrol E39 was ever produced with a 4 cylinder engine. 520, 523, 525, 528 were all sixes with 530 as king of the hill. On top of that were the 535, 540 and M5 V8's.