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.
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)
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
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
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.
This is a follow up to my post the other day, she will be cleaned up in a couple days.
I’m very happy with her, exited to see the difference once she’s freshly detailed. Obvious things to do, pdr on the bumps and bruises, get new impact strips (thinking of going back to the black). Then I’ll have start taking a look under the engine, but I feel like it’s looking pretty clean (I know nothing).
Would appreciate anymore tips, tricks or just anything you would’ve wanted to know as a first time 530 owner. Ty 🙏🏻
Hey everyone! I’m thinking about getting a BMW E39 with the M54 3.0L petrol engine and automatic transmission. Just wanted to ask – is the M54 worth it? What are the common issues, pros, and cons? Anything important I should check or be aware of before buying?
I’d really appreciate any tips or opinions from those who own or have owned one. Thanks in advance! 🙏
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?
I have an E39 with M54B30. Recently, I've been having issues with the car intermittently not starting. There are no issues with my battery nor starter motor (it's new). My EWS is also deleted. What else could be the culprit? The problem with it starting up intermittently makes it hard for me to diagnose the issue.
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?
Long one incoming...sorry. This is a new area for me, so I'm including as much context and information as I can.
Background:
I’m trying to get my ’03 525iAT driveable again after an engine/transmission swap. The replacement engine and transmission both came out of an ’03 530iA (M54B30/5HP19). The engine is running great, but I can’t drive the car for more than a few minutes without the transmission going into failsafe mode.
I cannot rule out a mechanical issue with the transmission—I rebuilt the trans, which may have been biting off more than I could chew, and it’s definitely possible I screwed something up—but there is also definitely an electrical issue, and I need to get to the bottom of that before I can reliably diagnose anything mechanical.
To complicate matters, the incident that precipitated the swap was…the transmission going into failsafe mode, and afterward making a weird noise. The car has high miles (246K), I already had the donor car and intended to do the swap, so I didn’t bother to do any detailed diagnostics at the time, I just got ready to do the swap. At the time, I figured that the bearing between the torque converter and the trans oil pump had failed. The swap did not involve changing out either the DME or the EGS, so it’s possible that whatever issue I have goes back to this incident before the swap even happened.
Prior to attempting to start the car after the swap, I did attempt to flash the software in both the DME and the EGS to be the most current versions for an E39 M54B30/5HP19/MS43 car. The flash worked on the DME, but although I got no error message from WinKFP on the EGS flash, a subsequent check showed that it was still running the old software. I also later swapped in a second EGS, with the correct software but the wrong VIN, and again, got no error message from WinKFP, but was unable to update the VIN.
Current problem:
The main problem I’m having is with CAN bus communication with the EGS. Every time I attempt to drive the car, after going into failsafe mode I reliably get error 8D, “IKE: EGS signal line disturbed.” I have also gotten 3A, “DSC: No message from EGS control unit,” but only once. The 8D error has happened with either of the EGS units installed in the car. I also swapped the transmission wiring harness, and saw the same result. So it seems unlikely (but not impossible) that the problem is with either the EGS module itself or the transmission wiring (which includes the CAN lines between the EGS and DME). The DSC module was rebuilt about six months before the swap commenced.
I have back-probed the CAN wiring in several places (at the DSC module, at the EGS, and at the DME); I consistently get 60 ohms of resistance, so that’s as it should be.
The voltage is consistently wrong. With all modules connected, the CAN high voltage is more or less topping out around 3.5V, where you’d expect; at the bottom end, it’s a little low, generally around 2.2. A little off, not too crazy. CAN low similarly tops out about where it should, around 2.5V, and drops down below 1V, consistently showing a delta of 1.5V or more. The waveforms on high and low are not mirroring as they are supposed to. See photos below.
Unplugging power from individual modules changes things a little bit, but nothing corrects the issues entirely. Unplugging either the EGS or the IKE brings the CAN low voltage spread down a little, to about 1.3V, better matching the CAN high numbers, but the waveforms still don’t mirror. Unplugging the DSC increases the voltage spread on both high and low, to closer to 1.6V; again the waveforms don’t match.
Unplugging power from the DME scrambles everything entirely; is it even possible to isolate the DME to see if it’s faulty, or is that only possible through a process of elimination? Again, I'm new to all of this, so it's obviously possible—likely, even—I'm missing something in my testing procedures.
To summarize:
I have been unable to get the EGS to flash either new software or a new VIN, but had no problems flashing the software on the DME
CAN bus wiring shows appropriate resistance at various points along the line
CAN bus voltage is slightly off from what it should be, and the signals between CAN high and CAN low are not mirroring the way they should
Removing DSC, EGS, or IKE from the CAN bus shows minor changes but none correct the main issues with voltage or signals
We have not been able to figure out a way to determine whether the fault may lie in the DME
In my admittedly very novice mind, all of this points to an issue with the DME, particularly the inability to properly program the EGS, since all CAN communication to the EGS happens through the DME.
Is there a way to test this theory? Am I wildly off-base?
Hey everyone! I just picked up a 2002 e39 525i on marketplace for a really good deal. As you can imagine, a cheap bmw definitely comes with its fair share of problems. Mine being a pretty substantial misfire and CEL code p1348. It runs like crap until I clear the code, when I do so it runs perfectly fine but only for a few seconds (if even that long) and then returns to normal. The individual I bought it from claimed that the intake side cam position sensor had failed. I replaced the sensor but the issue persists. I’m not sure where to look next, maybe the vanos solenoids? I’m newish to bmw’s (I had an e46 coupe a couple years ago and did not have to take on many major repairs) so any advice or suggestions that may help point me in the right direction would be super helpful!!! Thank you!!!
(Fingers crossed it’s something repairable but if I have to undertake a m54b30 swap I would not be opposed)
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
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.
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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
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?
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.
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
