by "DaftRyosuke - So Long and Thanks for All the Fish!" (daft-ryosuke)
Published 08/22/2017 at 23:28
by "DaftRyosuke - So Long and Thanks for All the Fish!" (daft-ryosuke)
Published 08/22/2017 at 23:28
No Tags
STARS: 1
Based on previous posts and antics, it’s safe to say that I’ve shown myself to be a BMW enthusiast. Hell, I showed up to my last C&C wearing a BMW Motorsport hat...and I was driving a Subaru. So I figure it may be time to finally cross that threshold into BMW ownership, and I’d like to do it in an E39, my all-time favorite generation of any BMW, ever.
So, my question for you tonight, Oppositelock: are there any E39 owners or former E39 owners who can give a brother some advice on the matter, are there any years or engines I should avoid completely? Any questions, comments, smart-aleck remarks are welcomed.
And yes, I am also still considering a 90s Lexus at the same time, so if there’s any odd people out there who’s had experience with both could shed some light on that, that’d also be welcomed.
"AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC" (addictedtom3s)
08/22/2017 at 23:34, STARS: 3
E39 M5. End of thread.
Don’t let people persuade you and make you compromise for a 540i saying it’s just as good or it’s the budget M5 of that generation. That’s all bullshit. It’s still a compromise. Yes maintenance will cost you more but you get a much more capable and complete car.
The steering is telepathic. The throttle is spectacular and the handling is spot on. You can’t go wrong.
"MrDakka" (mrdakka)
08/22/2017 at 23:36, STARS: 3
E39 540i owner here. Make sure the VANOS seals and chain guides are still good, along with the usual wear and tear items.
"DaftRyosuke - So Long and Thanks for All the Fish!" (daft-ryosuke)
08/22/2017 at 23:40, STARS: 0
I’d love to have the M5. The M5 is the car that got me into the E39 in the first place.
But I don’t think I’ll have $15k to drop on a car any time soon, unfortunately.
"BlueMazda2 - Blesses the rains down in Africa, Purveyor of BMW Individual Arctic Metallic, Merci Twingo" (bluemazda2)
08/22/2017 at 23:49, STARS: 0
I distinctly remember lusting after an LCI E39 530i in Titanium Silver over Black leather with the Style 82 wheels when I was a kid.
My dad’s best friend had a black 540i M-Sport back when they were new. What a car. I miss it.
"DaftRyosuke - So Long and Thanks for All the Fish!" (daft-ryosuke)
08/23/2017 at 00:12, STARS: 1
Black E39s on Style 37s really give me a heavy crisis in the gentleman’s area.
"Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle" (1500sand535)
08/23/2017 at 00:19, STARS: 0
Did they ever make the 530i with a manual?
"AM3R, lost another burner" (am3r17)
08/23/2017 at 00:19, STARS: 1
I learned to drive stick on a 540i m-sport. I’m a lucky guy
"AM3R, lost another burner" (am3r17)
08/23/2017 at 00:21, STARS: 0
I was obsessed. They are still my favorite BMW.. I spent hours researching and looking at ads. If you go V8, don’t waste time on a 540i. Just get an M5, it’s worth it. I’d avoid a 525i, and either get a 528i (manual wagon!) or a 530i. 525i was a little too slow for me.
"DaftRyosuke - So Long and Thanks for All the Fish!" (daft-ryosuke)
08/23/2017 at 00:33, STARS: 0
I fell in love with the E39 M5 whilst playing Need for Speed: High Stakes for the first time. Something about the handsome curves and well-done proportions mated with the understated muscle stood out on the car. I remember seeing the my first one in person years back and something about it moved me. There’s a guy who comes out to my local C&C with a CLEAN black 02-03 M5, he always makes sure it’s nice and shiny when he shows up.
I’m looking at 530s because of that exact reason. I’m in a 170 hp lifted wagon right now and I’d love a little bit of power.
"BlueMazda2 - Blesses the rains down in Africa, Purveyor of BMW Individual Arctic Metallic, Merci Twingo" (bluemazda2)
08/23/2017 at 00:46, STARS: 0
I’m very jelly right now. Like 17/10 jelly.
His was an automatic.
I learned stick on my grandpa’s Blue Mazda2 (the one in my profile picture).
"Spasoje" (Spasoje)
08/23/2017 at 01:15, STARS: 0
My friend has one (LCI 530iA sedan). I’ve helped him mod it, research repairs, and have driven it.
The 530i is likely the sweet spot between power and reliability. While still not exactly cheap to work on, it’s a damn sight less costly than the V8 to service. On the other hand, the 525i was made to sell at a lower price point when new – i.e. less power w/ the same fuel economy – no need to buy someone else’s compromise... Speaking of power, the 530i will satisfy, provided you get the manual: the automatic is rather slow. As a bonus, you could argue that manual BMWs of this era have among the best-feeling gearboxes out there...so there’s that.
The steering is actually different b/w the L6 and V8 models (because packaging), with the L6 having the better setup here. And while there’s nothing like a bassy V8, put the right Magnaflow muffler on a 530i and you’ll have this satisfying melodic note with just the right amount of volume, which is incredibly intoxicating. Most new cars don’t sound as good.
Handling...oh man. Even with the base setup, the mofo is FLAT in a corner. Unbelievably so. The steering is surprisingly heavy, but enjoyable because of it.
In terms of general E39 reliability, the main stuff to look out for is electronics, issues which plague all BMWs of this era:
- Dead pixels in the instrument clusters. Works fine, except you can’t read what it says. Must replace the whole unit, b/c this is the start of the modern era, after all.
- Problems w/ trunk-related electronics, like inability to lock, plate light goes, out, etc. It’s b/c the wiring loom that goes along the trunk hinges is too short, so opening and closing the trunk breaks the wires over time. Simply extending them is the solution, which is a very cheap DIY fix.
- Sunroofs that can no longer tilt. Expensive repair, as the entire tray has to be removed to replace a tiny-ass part. DIY if you dare. Some have.
- Dying electronic adjustments, like the power tilt/telescoping steering wheel, power headrests, etc. My friend’s power steering wheel adjustment works ok, but it sounds like death.
* * *
If at all possible, shop for one that’s 2001 or newer, as facelifts generally tend to solve teething issues, and the features are better. Plus, the last thing you need with an E39 is more reasons to take it into the shop!
Good luck with your search! Wait it out and find a good example, preferably w/ service records, and you’ll be enjoying what some say is the best 5-series to date...
"DipodomysDeserti" (dipodomysdeserti)
08/23/2017 at 02:37, STARS: 0
I once traded a Forester XT for a 335d. The bimmer was the biggest piece of shit I’ve ever owned. Never get rid of a Subie for a bimmer. The subie gods will haunt you. I still have a bmw, and it’s been great, but I’ll eventually go back to a Subaru.
"adamftw" (adamftw)
08/23/2017 at 06:46, STARS: 0
My buddy bought a CHEAP 530i M-Sport 5 speed, his third old BMW. Great car. It was cheap though, so it needed some help along the way. He decided not to fix all the electrical issues (needed a new traction control ECU and something else, I can’t remember) that would have cost a little under 3 grand total from the dealer since it required some sort of programming. I think the fading paint job is what made him get rid of it more than anything, but man, that was a sweet car. Those angel eye headlights are kitties. If he fixed the paint, electrics, and added the maintenance we did (wheel bearings, brakes, fluids, bushings, etc) he probably would have been all in around $7k. Then it could’ve used a set of nice UHP tires too. To be honest, it wasn’t a bad car to work on, just those couple BMW issues. It eventually became unreliable due to not fixing that stuff, so he donated it and will get almost all the money he spent back in tax refunds. He has a brand new WRX now, but he says still misses it and liked it better than his E30.
"DaftRyosuke - So Long and Thanks for All the Fish!" (daft-ryosuke)
08/23/2017 at 06:47, STARS: 1
What if I keep the Subie and buy the Bimmer for the side?
"adamftw" (adamftw)
08/23/2017 at 06:47, STARS: 0
Yes
"adamftw" (adamftw)
08/23/2017 at 06:48, STARS: 0
My buddy bought a CHEAP 530i M-Sport 5 speed, his third old BMW. Great car. It was cheap though, so it needed some help along the way. He decided not to fix all the electrical issues (needed a new traction control ECU and something else, I can’t remember) that would have cost a little under 3 grand total from the dealer since it required some sort of programming. I think the fading paint job is what made him get rid of it more than anything, but man, that was a sweet car. Those angel eye headlights are kitties. If he fixed the paint, electrics, and added the maintenance we did (wheel bearings, brakes, fluids, bushings, etc) he probably would have been all in around $7k. Then it could’ve used a set of nice UHP tires too. To be honest, it wasn’t a bad car to work on, just those couple BMW issues. It eventually became unreliable due to not fixing that stuff, so he donated it and will get almost all the money he spent back in tax refunds. He has a brand new WRX now, but he says still misses it and liked it better than his E30.
"diplodicus" (diplodicus)
08/23/2017 at 08:08, STARS: 0
Yuppp. If you test drive one make sure it’s cold, that way you’ll be able to hear vanos knock/chain rattle. Learn from my stupidity daftryosuke.
"Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap" (ddadragon)
08/23/2017 at 08:23, STARS: 0
Track down a wagon.
"If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent" (essextee)
08/23/2017 at 09:04, STARS: 0
I’ve got a 2000 528i. Any particular questions you have?
"DaftRyosuke - So Long and Thanks for All the Fish!" (daft-ryosuke)
08/23/2017 at 11:23, STARS: 0
I’d just like to know about basic reliability stuff, what to look out for, especially on the straight 6.
"DaftRyosuke - So Long and Thanks for All the Fish!" (daft-ryosuke)
08/23/2017 at 11:32, STARS: 0
Help me track one down.
"AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC" (addictedtom3s)
08/23/2017 at 11:39, STARS: 0
That’s understandable. If you can swing 10k then you might be able to get one that’s in decent condition. You’ll need to DIY some maintenance on it though. But there’s a wealth of guides on forum for the e39 M5 and most owners of these now are genuine enthusiasts so they’ll be very helpful should you run into issues while DIY-ing.
"functionoverfashion" (functionoverfashion)
08/23/2017 at 11:46, STARS: 0
Look up any posts by user bluebee on Bimmerfest.com. Seriously, I don’t know what this individual does for a day job, but they are incredible. I don’t even have an E39 but have had two E46's since ‘09 and they share a lot of systems, especially the engines. Bluebee will compile every piece of information on the issue being discussed, distill the results into a bulleted list and then ask specific questions of the group, always circling back to the original topic to try and get to the absolute bottom of whatever is being discussed.
Paying a little more for a well-maintained example will pay back in the long run. My E46 had just had a lot of cooling system components replaced, along with the CCV system and some other engine accessories, just before I bought it - I think the previous owner took a bath, big time. Now it’s been generally great for the past 3 years, dead reliable and fun to drive. Neglected ones are nightmares.
"If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent" (essextee)
08/23/2017 at 11:51, STARS: 0
Ideally you want a post facelift 530i, they cost a bit more but have more standard features than the pre-facelift models. The biggest issue with these cars is the cooling system. The stock water pump had a plastic impeller that would eventually shatter and destroy itself. Most if not all aftermarket pumps have a metal impeller that solves this. On any car you look at, find out if the pump has been replaced yet. If not, you should preemptively replace the pump.
The radiator is also an issue. The two pieces of the shell are crimped together rather than welded. The crimps tend to fail and then you lose all your coolant.
If the car has nonactive ABS/DSC accompanied by a dash light the issue is most likely a wheel speed sensor, it’s not uncommon to have multiple ones having failed.
Camshaft sensors fail pretty frequently. The engine still runs fine but you lose your VVT when they do.
The valve for the variable length intake can shatter and sent parts into the combustion chamber. This obviously destroys the engine. It makes a very specific rattle when it’s failing, look up “DISA valve sound” on YouTube so you know what to listen for.
This all sounds kinda scary but really it’s not. My 528i has 250k miles on it and in the three years I’ve had it it’s been no less reliable than any other car I’ve had. It’s the V8s that give the E39 a bad rep.
I can give you some info on model differences if you want.
"ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com" (ita97)
08/23/2017 at 12:17, STARS: 0
A few years back, I owed a 2000 528i w/sport package as a daily driver with 130k on it when I sold it. It was a fantastic car and a supremely good highway cruiser. I would certainly seek out a car with a well documented service history, and are also okay with either wrenching yourself on a fairly complex car or paying someone else to do it and not caring about the cost. Consider the cooling system to be a maintenance item that is replaced in its entirety every 60-80k, which will go a long ways towards avoiding unplanned rides on a tow truck.
As far as parts, they are surprisingly widely available from a variety of sources. The BMW dealer will bend you over, but the various big German car parts sellers online are not unreasonable. Ebay was also a fantastically good source for OEM parts for cheap. There seemed to be a couple of sellers out of Florida who had bought up large quantities of NOS parts from BMW USA and were selling things cheap on ebay. The most consistent thing my car needed was lots of bits of rubber trim and weatherstripping that were failing after 12 years in the desert Southwest. I also replaced various oil seals and gaskets, along with an electronically controlled thermostat that started setting CEL codes. The original owner leased it in CA and the second owner took fantastic care of it for 11 years before I owned it. He had already done most of the expensive and common wear items on the car like all of the suspension control arms, struts, VANOS o-rings and most of the cooling system.
As far as working on one, I found them to be strangely easy to work on so long as one follows directions well. There are some special tools needed, but the service manual on the car is the most detailed one I’ve ever seen. What I learned was that following the directions explicitly was the key. Sometimes it would tell you to do something that seemed wrong and out of order from how I would’ve done it as one who has turned wrenches for a living in the past. Provided you did the steps in the order the shop manual said, you would always find out three steps later why they had you do things in a very specific order. This is all to say that there was always a method to madness on the car, and I appreciated that.
"Bylan - Hoarder of LS400's" (africantacoman)
08/23/2017 at 18:38, STARS: 0
I’ve driven a 2002 530i and I felt like all the driver inputs were really vague. The steering was stiff and completely disconnected from the road, and the gas pedal felt like a knock-off video game trigger. However the ride was was very stable and took to turns well. I daily drive a 1997 LS400 for reference, and even my steering feels way more communicative.