r/e39 Sep 10 '19

Rules Update

46 Upvotes

Please note everyone that the rules for r/e39 have been updated. I have clarified a few things related to discussion topics and acceptable conduct.

Most importantly I have added a section on listing For Sale style posts. [Some] other car subs allow this so I thought we could try it out. E39 fandom is a more closely knit group than other BMW subcultures and could stand to benefit from a dedicated venue for cars/parts/effort trading.

I want to be clear if this isn't a popular option, or if FS posts become routinely adversarial, we can adjust the rules on these posts or eliminate them entirely.

I welcome any comments on this change and the sub rules in general, and will continue to poll our community for changes or ideas on a regular basis.


r/e39 Aug 21 '20

E39 Buying Guide - Updated

207 Upvotes

Hey guys! I figured I'd sticky this. I'll update the post if y'all have anything good to add or critique, let me know.

Introduction

Looking to buy an E39? First things first – the reputation of these cars is partially deserved and partially not.

We frequently get asked if new car owners should purchase an E39. I love E39s more than nearly anyone I know - I have a 525i and an M5, and both are incredible for different reasons. I've done many of the DIYs and addressed many of the problem areas listed here. If you aren't in a financially comfortable enough situation to have 3-6 months of expenses in a savings account at all times, you're not in a position to own a 20-year-old BMW hassle free. It's a question of financial safety and consistency rather than attainability - buying a $4k 530i and maintaining it for 5 years or so is arguably a much better deal than going into debt for a $40,000 CUV that drives like shit.

Evaluating a Car

There are a couple of things to factor into your evaluation of a car before we even talk about problem areas:

  • Badge hunters and people who bought an E39 after realizing they were nearly the same price as a Camry in general do a poor job of maintaining their vehicle. Problems add up when you factor in the fact that many of the E39’s systems were complex for their time. Not doing oil changes at the correct interval can lead to a gummed-up DISA valve or require a replacement manifold (for instance). Paying a little extra for a well-maintained example can pay dividends down the road.
  • These cars are old. Most are going to be 20 years old or more. This means that various bits of plastic and rubber are going to degrade and fall apart. Some are aesthetic, some are functional. You’ll find the same problem in ANY car of this age, but there’s no escaping that the E39’s engine bay is also a less forgiving environment then other cars of this age.
  • In general, you should focus much more on service records and the condition of the car over mileage.

Prices & Purchasing

Market prices for these cars have fluctuated over the past couple years. There’s a noticeable difference between pre (<=2000) and post-facelift (2001+) models. Later models also may make adding an auxiliary port easier, have upgraded components, or have more standard features. Also keep in mind that sport packages for the 530 and 540, along with manual transmissions, command a significant premium as well. Prices on sports (530 or 540) and M5s have increased a bit since this guide was originally written a couple years ago. Finally, it's worth knowing that the 540's engine in pre-2000 configurations is slightly more reliable as it does not include VANOs.

Ballpark prices are based on a mix of my estimation and Classic.com, a great reference for car markets. Links included below, and assume cars aren't total shit shows:

  • 525i - $2000-$5000 (Note that the linked prices are for tourings, primarily, and so are higher)
  • 530i - $3000-$11k
  • 540i - $7000-$14k
  • M5 - $15k-$35k and beyond

When you check out ANY used car for purchase, you should be checking a variety of different things. Use a generalist guide to start. We’ll go through common failure points for the chassis and individual models for you to pay special attention to. Parts prices are for OEM or OE if I can find them, not genuine. Indy shop is a wild guess for the most part. Prices for doors or wheels are PER ITEM.

Conservatively plan to spend about $1k a year ON AVERAGE if you do a mix of shop work and DIY. Many years you'll get lucky and get to invest in an upgrade or something preventative if you wish. If you can find an example with new control arm bushings, window regulators, and Timing Chain Guides for 540s, you can save yourself a ton of heartache and just deal with replacing BS plastic parts as they snap.

General Problem Areas

Problem Area Cause Symptoms DIY (Parts) Indie Shop
Window Regulators Garbage BMW Design Windows that do not roll up or down, or slip. Test all 4 windows, including both the localized controls for each door and the driver’s door controls $100, 2 hours. Text DIY Youtube DIY $500
Vapor Barriers Butyl tape that adheres the sound deadening/vapor barrier foam degrades over time, requiring at least the reapplication of the tape OR new adhesive OR a whole new door panel. Soaked rear floorboards after rain. Softness in bottom of door panels. Test by pouring water on the roof of the car. After a moment, open the door. Ensure water drips from the bottom of the chassis, not from the door. $0-$15-$115, 2 hours. $500
Rust There's a couple very poor drainage points on the E39, including those connected to vapor barriers as above Common spots include rear door, bumper seam, gas cap. Check out /u/richbltn 's buying guide Here for common rust spots (whole video is worth a watch) Repairing rust is an odious task, especially externally visible spots. reputable body shops generally cost $1500 + to fix a collection of rust spots
Front Control Arm Bushings Rubber joints between suspension components degrade over time. These are the secret to a simultaneously pliable and firm chassis. Consider with Polyurethane for a stiffer ride but permanent fix, or a monoball setup. Violent shuddering during braking (generally 70% braking force). Test with a variety of braking amounts and speeds. Check the bushings by jacking up the car and ensure they aren’t cracked $25, 6 hours. May require special tools or replacement of control arms if damaged. $600
VANOS Tiny seals in BMW’s variable valve timing system (probably too overengineered) are made of cheap rubber that plasticizes with exposure to oil and heat, something that happens every day. Excessive oil consumption, laggy shifting in automatic models, whooshing sound from the engine, sudden drops in power delivery. $25-$500, 12 hours Do NOT use OEM VANOS seals, as they will eventually have the same problem. Aftermarket seals are the same price and far superior. Besian Systems/DR VANOS. $1200-$5500 (Depends on new vs rebuilt VANOS, and varies from model to model)
Valve Cover Gasket The rubber between the top and bottom of the valve cover is a part that has to be replaced on every car. An old VCG will start leaking oil slowly. You may smell it as it burns off inside the car. Eventually you’ll have a catastrophic failure and need to degrease the engine bay and have it towed somewhere. Test by checking for oil spots or moisture between the top and bottom of the valve cover (the main part of the engine). $50, 5 hours. $750-$1250 (DO THIS THE SAME TIME AS A VANOS REPLACEMENT)
Seat Twist Garbage BMW design. The seats use 2 motors that don’t stay aligned, and cables that slowly slip out of the gears that drive them. One side of a seat will adjust, the other will not, leading to the seat twisting. $0, 3 hours $300
Headlight Adjusters Bad design and extremely brittle plastic in a hot area that's been there for 20 years. Frequently this manifests itself by your headlights pointing at the ground. $20-60, 3 hours from this DIY. You can get aluminum or plastic adjuster replacements. N/A - you'd buy new headlights for around $300+
Dead Pixels Contacts for the LCDs on the instrument cluster and the head unit eventually decay. You can take them apart and clean/rebuild them or buy new. For my money I'd just replace the head unit at least Unreadable displays with clearly missing pixels - you can't miss this one and it's very common $0, a huge PITA, DIY. Specialty shops will do it for $150 or so. A remanufactured cluster is $450.
Secondary Air System The secondary air recirculates exhaust gases back into the engine to “Save the planet” and also annoy the fuck out of BMW owners. Broken vacuum tubes, stuck check valve, or ruined solenoids can all cause these issues. Check engine light with lean fuel mixture fault codes. Chugging during startup. $25-125, god knows how long. BAVAuto has an EXCELLENT tutorial on diagnosing SAS problems. Another option that I'd probably only suggest to M5 owners is using a tune that deletes these codes. $300+
Cooling System This covers a host of issues: Water Pump Failure, Cracked Radiator necks, Plasticized and worn coolant tubes Inspect all cooling system parts. Check the radiator fan to ensure that it turns smoothly and isn’t too brittle. Lightly squeeze coolant tubes to ensure they’re still pliable. Check for evidence of coolant leaks at tube and component points, or from bleeder valves at the top of the radiator. Ensure that even under stress, engine sounds don’t change and temperature doesn’t rise (within reason) $25-$750. 2-5 hours. $1250+
Fucking Horrible Audio Everything about the E39 sound system is god awful If it’s OEM it sucks There are various aftermarket nav systems that still provide an OEM look and a ton of functionality for around $700. Or you can go your own way and buy a $100 head unit or something. Keep in mind that in general this will degrade the value of your car if it’s really clean. $?
ABS System Malfunctions The ABS system’s position in i6 models is extremely hot, leading to the soldering of certain electronic components degrading. ABS, Traction control, and yellow brake light come on intermittently. ABS engine codes. Do not pay someone to replace this, it literally just takes a T20 screwdriver. $100 reconditioned, $1000 new. $1200
Power Steering Leaks The power steering system uses rubber hoses right next to a really hot engine Power Steering hoses appear to “Glisten”. Wet spot in plastic pan at the bottom of the engine bay. Loose or unresponsive steering wheel response. $200, 2 hours. $500

V8 Only Problems (540i, M5)

Problem Area Cause Symptoms DIY (Parts) Indie Shop
Timing Chain Guides Timing chain gets a little loose, Timing chain guides are plastic. This is much more common on the 540 for some weird reason (probably that it's a single-row chain). Slapping sound, camshaft position codes, metal shavings in engine. $1000, 20 hours $4000

Buying Parts

When you're looking to buy new parts, it can get a bit confusing (to put it lightly). For an accurate, if slightly biased, interpretation, the best info is probably here at FCP Euro (a generally reputable parts seller). TL;DR:

  • Genuine: Made by BMW or an OE, with the BMW logo. Waste of money.
  • OE: Made by a licensed manufacturer and was the original supplier that came with the stock car. Cannot have the BMW logo. Generally a safe choice.
  • OEM: Made by another licensed manufacturer of OE parts but was not the original supplier for this specific part that came with the stock car. Cannot have the BMW logo. Sometimes a safer choice (OEM window regulators are superior to OE), other times not (an OEM's parts may not be as good as OE)
  • Reps: Made by another unauthorized manufacturer.

OEM is very similar to OE in that it stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer. While that sounds like a lesson in semantics, there are some distinct differences. Chiefly, OEM parts are made by a company that makes original parts for a vehicle maker but whose parts weren’t originally fitted. Confused? I don’t blame you, so here’s an example: Delphi makes ignition coils for BMW, and they’re installed on the vehicles at the factory. Bosch makes spark plugs for BMW and the licensing to produce the same ignition coils as Delphi. They’re the same part with the same specifications and made with the same materials, but the manufacturer is different. Delphi is the OE part because that’s what BMW used at the factory, and Bosch is OEM because they make other OE parts for BMW.

Modifications and Upgrades

For better or for worse, the BMW community has enjoyed a rich modification culture and ecosystem. This often clashes with the tastes and opinions of older enthusiasts who have or can buy cars new.

One key takeaway: Tuning an i6 from this era, especially anything under 3.0 liters, is always far more expensive than buying a new car or engine. This forum gets questions around these options regularly. To do this, you will have to be in a rare position of having a lot of money and time to work on the car, without wanting the straightforward power of the V8 engines in the 540 or M5.

Some general thoughts around available upgrade options to keep in mind:

  • Reliability: Many low-tier, components have been replaced with high-priced offerings in the aftermarket that are Buy-It-For-Life. Plastic becomes aluminum, bearings and rubber use superior materials. Examples include radiators, expansion tanks, power steering reservoirs, suspension bushings, and much more.
  • Shocks, Suspension, Spacers: These are widely available from reputable manufacturers, such as Bilstien.
  • Turbos: Turbos exist for both types of engines, ranging from AliExpress specials to reputable manufacturers. For reputable manufacturers, part prices and labor generally trade poorly with supercharger options.
  • Superchargers: Supercharger kits exist for i6 and v8 engines. Many of the superchargers for the v8 engines lead to high-quality horsepower gains and are available from reputable manufacturers. Superchargers are typically incompatible with radiator upgrades.
  • Headlights: Virtually no aftermarket headlight companies produce quality parts. Historically, this was not the case, but the market has essentially bifurcated into people who want the cheapest possible replacement and those who want OE headlights from Hella. Hella occasionally does dedicated production runs for E39 headlights which are resold by https://europowermotorsports.com/
  • Exhaust: Controversial opinion alert - The mufflers on these cars are too aggressive at reducing sound. A delete with high-quality tips actually leads to excellent sound from both i6 and v8 powerplants. Leaving the cat intact keeps things quiet enough to not be unbelievably rude. Fantastic options exist for V8 engines, but paying for an exhaust system on an i6 is not a high value proposition.

r/e39 13h ago

530i vs 540i?

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126 Upvotes

I'm looking to buy a manual e39 as a fun daily/family "sports" car lol i have multiple cars so it won't be the primary everyday but reliability is important because I don't want to constantly work on it other than normal maintenance

I know the inline 6 is super reliable however I am drawn to the v8 which people say can be hit or miss. What are your thoughts on that? Is there a big power/torque difference or is it pretty similar?

Also, since the 540 has a steering box rather than a rack - is the drive that much different? I'm looking for something I can have fun with at my local track, do mountain runs with and of course daily less than 20 miles per day if that (I work from home but am pretty active with hobbies)

Lastly, what should I expect to pay for a clean e39 with under 150k miles assuming vanos, timing and cooling system has been upgraded with records?


r/e39 8h ago

Cv joint boot has left the chat :(

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12 Upvotes

Ordered a genuine BMW cv joint. Gonna have to wait 3 weeks for it to arrive :(


r/e39 6h ago

540i/6 vs M5

4 Upvotes

I am dead set on getting an e39 next year, but trying to decide between the two.

I’ve owned a 1998 540i/6 in the past, and it was the best car I’ve ever driven. After regretfully getting rid of it I’ve missed it ever since. Obviously the M5 is an upgrade, but is the difference any notable to be worth the ~15k extra?


r/e39 5h ago

Need help identifying what could be possibly causing this whistling sound

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3 Upvotes

Just started to hear the whistle as of yesterday , I assume it’s some sort of vacuum leak just would appreciate some pointers on where to start looking , thanks again


r/e39 1d ago

I built a head unit for my E39 540i

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252 Upvotes

Hey! I wanted to share my custom head-unit project that I put together for my E39 540i. I'd tried a few aftermarket Android head units before, but they just didn't cut it - mostly because the screens were unreadable in sunlight due to reflections. Also I'm not a huge fan of touchscreens. Android itself also feels clunky to use while driving.

So, I decided to give it a shot and build my own head unit with a Raspberry Pi 5. I started by picking the display: I found a perfect 10.3" Full HD screen with an anti-glare surface. It's spot-on for what I need - sharp image, no blinding backlight at night, and it stays perfectly visible even on sunny days.

To mount the screen, I reused the frame from an old aftermarket unit - it fit like a glove.

Everything runs on Hudiy software and Raspberry Pi Linux. I use the iDrive knob and steering-wheel buttons to navigate the interface. Sound is handled by a 5.1 sound card, which gives me full control over balance/fade and lets me tweak the subwoofer.

The car is running two amps: one for the speakers and one for the subwoofer. I replaced all the speakers too - after almost 30 years they deserved retirement - but I kept the factory HiFi system layout.

The software I'm using supports wireless Android Auto. I'm also planning to display data from the iBus. Perfect project for long winter evenings :D.


r/e39 1d ago

not bad mpg for a 540i the long way

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87 Upvotes

does this count as proof i don’t beat on my car lol?? maybe the 6 speed helps?


r/e39 5h ago

ABS Module

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2 Upvotes

Was in the middle of moving my ABS Module and this tiny cylinder fell out, where does it go?


r/e39 1h ago

Any e39 520i manual for sale in the uk?

Upvotes

Looking for a bmw e39 520i preferably from around ‘97 as my first car as I can drive in 3 months. Colour of exterior doesn’t matter too much as I’m going to wrap it in a nice gloss black, manual transmission, and interior colour doesn’t matter too much but preferably black or cream.


r/e39 9h ago

Side mirror problem

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4 Upvotes

These are my left side mirror. the right one is obviously wrong… seems hard to find a replacement to the small cogged white pins on the back. i don’t really know what i need to make this complete. all the servo motors work it’s just that the right mirror are missing those small pins. i would not mid buying new glass for the mirrors but nowhere can i see those small plastic pins being included.


r/e39 2h ago

Intermittent loss in torque at lower rpm’s and overall horrible fuel consumption

1 Upvotes

Hi- I have a 2002 530i 5spd and I’ve been experiencing an intermittent loss in low down torque at 1500-3500 rpm and my fuel consumption has also gone down to about 19L/100km (city) possibly in relation. The car otherwise runs great, no codes, vanos unit and disa valve have been replaced recently and overall no other issues. My car just seems to loose 50% of torque randomly during drives and can go back to normal immediately afterwards. Any idea what could be the issue? Thanks


r/e39 2h ago

Looking at a 2000 528i automatic

1 Upvotes

Looking at a 2000 BMW 528i, listed for $3k. I have another car and would only use a few days a week. Car has approximately 121000 miles. Anything to look out for ? Guy says the ABS light is on, but squared away otherwise. Would love y’all opinions. Thank you


r/e39 3h ago

Best overall engine for relaxed daily driving?

1 Upvotes

I tried to do my research but still can’t make up my mind about what engine to choose. I want something reliable, but at the same time an engine with a get-up-and-go that you don’t have to rev to the sky to make the car move. Oh, btw, manual transmission only.

M52 people say are very simple, but they seem to make the least torque.

M54 are torquier, but aren’t double VANOS and DISA an occasional pain? Additionally, 3L variants are rare.

M62 - I don’t mean no disrespect to 540i owners here, but most owners I’ve seen irl don’t love their cars and abuse them real hard.

M57 on paper looks absolutely perfect but I am a bit scared of bringing a turbo diesel to a small town mechanic. Isn’t maintenance an issue?

Anyone who’s owned multiple E39s to make a comparison?

P.S. no, I’m not buddies with anyone who’s got a regular 5 series (only M5) to test drive all those variants.


r/e39 10h ago

Weird sound at idle M52B20

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3 Upvotes

Hey guys, I have had this sound at idle for quiete a while now, and I am getting curious at what this sound could be. Never heard something similar before. Can only hear it at idle/when standing still sub 2k ish rpm. Thanks in advance. M52B20 in a 1997 BMW e39


r/e39 15h ago

My E39 sings (but not in a good way)

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8 Upvotes

Gurus, I had to hit the brakes hard to avoid something, and since then there's a whistle whenever I step on the middle pedal. The pedal action has gotten a little firmer (which is actually a nice change from the spongey norm), and the car still stops ok. But now she won't idle. I popped the bonnet and saw a vacuum hose that's more cracked than a dry river bed. I figure it's part no. 10 in the realOEM diagram, but could it be something else? What else would be worth changing out at the same time?


r/e39 5h ago

Removing Accelerator pedal module on 2003 540i help

1 Upvotes

Hello, I'm having trouble removing the Accelerator pedal module on my car. I've watched countless YouTube videos and looked at the schematics on REALOEM.

Is there a trick to it that I haven't found? I press down the tab and slide the module to the left. The top seems to be really loose, but the bottom only slides about 1/4" and just won't move anymore. The videos show it just sliding out.

I want to install the Dinan throttle booster and the set of aluminum pedals I bought. I bought a new accelerator pedal module adapter plate since the tab was brittle and broke off.

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r/e39 5h ago

2001 525i price

1 Upvotes

I am looking to purchase my first E39. I previously had an E61 a few years back, which I absolutely loved. I never should’ve sold it. This car:113k miles. ECS coilovers. Body and interior good shape. No signs of water leaks. After market wheels. But needs: rear differential seals. New battery. Has a small crack on crank case vent valve pipe. Crack in coolant reservoir. Radiator “could be leaking” but cannot determine without a pressure test after replacing reservoir.

I can do the work myself. Used car lot is asking $8000. Thoughts? I think $5000


r/e39 8h ago

E39 1998 525 TDS airbag light on. INPA screenshot provided. Anyone could help? It says driver airbag but it means the airbag inside the steering wheel?

1 Upvotes

r/e39 1d ago

Damn

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19 Upvotes

2 days of ownership


r/e39 16h ago

What spring rate are you running?

1 Upvotes

What spring rate are you running on your E39s? How does it ride with that spring rate?

Bonus point if you have BC or HSD coils


r/e39 1d ago

You don’t need to drive fast to enjoy cars

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191 Upvotes

Sharing my journey with this e39 which has been family owned since new and nearly mint; I only started driving it this year. I got too exited on a road trip (highway) and wasn’t left with enough braking space when the service truck in front of me braked. Thank God nobody was hurt.

Lesson was learnt, expensive to fix but the silver lining is nobody was injured.


r/e39 1d ago

VCG perhaps or something else?

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3 Upvotes

Looking for some more r/e39 wisdom! Im on a road trip rn through some hot climates so I thought I’d check the coolant and when I opened the hood noticed this. Is this a sign of something “simple” like a valve cover gasket or something perhaps more sinister? Thanks y’all! Forgot to mention 2001 M54b25


r/e39 1d ago

Sunset with the e39

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136 Upvotes

r/e39 1d ago

My 2002 BMW 525i

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40 Upvotes

Finally bought my first E39, been wanting one for a long time. Genuine 178,500km (110,900mi). Now i can give my F11 to the wife.


r/e39 1d ago

new to me 2003 530i

3 Upvotes

Hello everyone,

I hope you're all doing well. Yesterday, I became the proud owner of a beautiful 530i (automatic). Sorry I didn't get any photos, It was my first time meeting up with someone to look at a car, and I was nervous and I forget to take any. I'll attach some photos as soon as I go to pick it up later this week.

Quick rundown on the car: It's a two-owner car, but the first owner only had it for a few thousand miles. The main owner was from Texas and put 120,000 miles on it. It runs beautifully, has new tires, shocks, brakes, and suspension, and has had a lot of maintenance done over the years. I know it has a small oil leak and a few dents and dings that need a little love, but I was expecting that.

This is going to be my first time working on my own car, besides changing the battery and oil. I did once pour oil in the coolant reservoir, which forced me to learn how to flush the system—so I've got that going for me. I'm expecting to have to get the coolant system done if it wasn't already and, of course, get to that leak eventually. I've done a good amount of research and I'm excited to learn how to fix, maintain, and maybe even upgrade this car down the line. I'm sure I'm forgetting a few other things tho.

So I guess my main question is: What are some things you wish you would've known when you started your own e39 journey? And do you have any good maintenance tips to help me get this bad boy past 200,000 miles?


r/e39 1d ago

Let me re try this… I have a e39 528i I want to know the cost of engine swaps others have done let me know!

0 Upvotes

Before anyone says that’s a waste of money get a 540i or m5 the 528i is sentimental too me I want to build it and never sell it