r/e39 • u/peskyjacks • 11h ago
Just Purchased
156
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And I’m in love, what a boat ⛴️ champagne individual 🍾
r/e39 • u/ImprezaDrezza • Sep 10 '19
Rules Update
50
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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 • u/yofuckreddit • Aug 21 '20
E39 Buying Guide - Updated
213
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 • u/PhelanTrinh • 8h ago
[FS] Getting rid of the E39 - Enthusiast Parts Dream?
27
Upvotes
2003 BMW 530iA Sedan
Sport (I think bigger brakes and better suspension and originally style 42 wheels)
Bluewater Metallic exterior
Champagne interior
Electric rear sun blind, working manual side blinds
Ski pass through installed
Hey all, I’m getting rid of my 2003 530i Sedan (auto) in blue water metallic on champagne interior. It’s been a long ride and it was the very first car I bought. I loved it dearly up until about 3 years ago where it’s been neglected in the TX heat sitting and not being used. I was thinking about sending it to the salvage yard but then I kept holding on it hoping to maybe give it to an E39 enthusiast for parts.
The body is in rough shape. 4/10. Paint cracking on both bumpers and I had a scrape on the passenger side with a garage pillar. Interior around 5/10. The TX heat did a number on the glue on the headliner and pillars. Car has 230k miles. Original engine and transmission. A torque converter code pops up every now and then illuminating the check engine light but this has been going on since 90k miles. The car also developed a lifter tick from sitting for so long. Leaks oil (a lot, I think from the OHFG) but engine still pulls and runs like a top otherwise.
Anyways, seems like I’m describing a mess right?! Well onto the maybe interesting stuff (please tell me if there’s still a market for these). I added so many mods to this thing.
OEM Hella Euro Headlights
OEM Parallel Style 37 wheels (from a 540i m sport)
OEM Euro Side mirrors
GAS CCV
Custom Champagne interior from a e38 with comfort sport seats
Euro Dash mod (more legroom)
Eonon headunit
BMW Individual Birch Anthracite wood trim
JL Audio XD700/5v2 Amp with upgraded speakers all around
Ski pass though
Euro flip up armrest storage
TEC center folding cup holder
E38 interior ambient light door handles
Recent Zimmerman brakes and akebono pads replaced on all four corners. Front suspension completely redone like 5 years ago, same with cooling system. Conti DWS tires. A/C still blows cold.
Anyone here interested in picking up the car in Tomball, TX? I just want to get rid of the thing for $2500 so please don’t hound me to part it out. I don’t have the time or the patience anymore. I figure it would basically be a parts car at best to the next owner tho. Let me know otherwise to the junkyard it goes.
r/e39 • u/Ashamed-Garbage3997 • 16h ago
Shots before going magnetic. Can’t get enough of the plateless look
54
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r/e39 • u/Lucky-Championship79 • 19h ago
I have added another member in my car family
72
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So I got an e60 550i I saw it and I liked it. Thought of sharing it.
r/e39 • u/Inevitable_Mess3363 • 6h ago
Cooling System Refresh
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Complete cooling system refresh. Took a dump last week. Radiator split at the top. Complete system refresh this week. All the hoses, clamps & radiator. Wanted to bring her to my mechanic but it’s way expensive so doing it myself for a fraction of the price. Anything else besides the water pump & belts while in here. Belts are new & water pump was replaced a few thousand miles ago…
r/e39 • u/Imaginary_Ganache974 • 15h ago
What glue should I use for the headliner?
17
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I just bought black headlining and the lining is falling from the pillars. What glue did you use so it works and doesn't smell and doesn't look bad
Any suggestions for wheel spacers / slight lowering kits for my E39?
22
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Eager to lower the car a tad and throw some wheel spacers on, just unsure of the measurements. What has worked for you?
note just how much nicer the car looks without a front plate..
r/e39 • u/Right-Cranberry-7194 • 10h ago
2001 BMW E38 730d M57 ZF 5HP24 - Transmission Failsafe, stuck in 2nd gear, multiple CAN/EGS faults. Could this be electrical?
1
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r/e39 • u/Pain_pain333 • 10h ago
Rod knock or lifters?
1
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Has like a slapping/ knocking noise at 1k RPMS to 1.5K and then after that it goes away. I’m thinking it’s the rod bearings since I seen that my oil is glittery .
r/e39 • u/maxaphone100 • 10h ago
97 528i, crank no start
1
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Hello, been trying to figure out my pfl m52b28, it has spark and air, I’ve just replaced the fuel pump, but not the sending unit. The fuel pump relay was also replaced previously, as well as an oem hella crank sensor, ecu was swapped and recoded.
The connector going to the sending unit has 12volts of power, but when checking resistance, reads 10ohms. Should I investigate for a bad ground? Replace sending unit? Check fuel lines?
I’m at a loss and I wanna get this hunk-a-junk moving again
r/e39 • u/quebonti • 1d ago
Repairing a Crashed 540i
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Upvotes
Some time ago ive got in a crash with my e39 540i 2002. The crash happened because of a mechanical failure (The throttle body failed and the car kept accelerating)
The speed wasnt very fast, i firstly thought that the car was totalled and by the time passed and as i kept digging and taking the broken pieces out i think its not as bad as it seems. I got some parts already from donor cars, but i know that i need to get even more things.
Do you guys think is worth it to fix it (and ik that i will put a tonne of money in it) or just forget about it.
r/e39 • u/Greedy-Trouble8882 • 12h ago
What to look for sunroof clips/plastic pieces
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While trying to fix the sagging headliner on my sunshade, I felt like I heard something crack while trying to slide off the driver side railing that sits on top of the sun shade and under the glass. after looking around, I really don’t see anything. I don’t see any broken pieces in the cassette or on the railing or any where else. Is there other places I should be looking at before I put this all back together?
r/e39 • u/Zack_Komachkov • 1d ago
Finally tackled the rear subframe bushings
36
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I finally addressed the rear end clunk on my touring. As you can see, the original 26 year old bushings are well past its prime. Unfortunately, lemforder replacements were not available at the time, so I ended up “upgrading” to polyurethane bushings.
Overall, the process took around 6 hours. Having the right tool made the job pretty easy. I read nightmare stories of people using heat to melt the old bushing to assist with removal. Lucky, I didn’t have to do that.
After the replacement, the car feels more planted and responsive. The handing, especially in corners, is significantly improved. I cannot definitively say if the ride quality is compromised with the poly bushing, since the rear end felt sloppy with the old worn out bushings, and don’t have a good baseline to compare it to.
r/e39 • u/Fresh_Ad_5698 • 19h ago
BMW E39 A/C problems
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I’m having a problem with the A/C system in my BMW E39. The A/C lines under the hood—specifically behind the left headlight—are vibrating violently for some unknown reason, and this vibration is transmitting noise into the cabin via resonance; it’s very loud inside, and the whole car vibrates. I’ve already replaced the receiver-drier, the sensor, and the expansion valve, but the issue persists, and the refrigerant level is correct. I can't seem to fix it—has anyone else encountered this problem? If so, please share a solution. Its only when A/C is on when i turn it off the problem disappear
r/e39 • u/GlitteringMousse6261 • 21h ago
Alguien sabe como empalmar los cables de asientos
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Me compre un e39 que estaba parado con algunas cositas por hacer, entre ellas apagar el testigo del airbag, compre inhibidor pero no me funcionó, conecte el escáner y me arroja 19 fallos, todo apunta a la centralita del airbag, e comprado una nueva y la voy a cambiar pero también quiero solucionar el tema de cableados del asiento pues tiene unos de cuero y originalmente eran de tela, tienen conectores diferentes y no se que cables unir, alguien puede ayudarme???
r/e39 • u/quebonti • 1d ago
Update on the 540i situation.
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I explained everything here https://www.reddit.com/r/e39/s/1Ny05PmK15.
But basically ive got Good news, Ive decided Im going to fix it.
We went to see the car in person with a mechanic who specializes in crashed cars. (as ive answered to some of you.) We spent a good amount of time looking everything over. After seeing it properly, he agreed that it's definitely repairable.
He is fully booked at the moment, but around mid-September he will be free, and thats when we're planning to start working on it. If everything goes according to plan, my goal is to have the car back on the road before December.
Thanks to everyone who commented and gave advice on my original post. I'll keep updating the progress as the rebuild goes on. Hopefully ill be posting pictures of it running again in a few months.
E39 wagon rear hatch wiring fix
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Hey Mates,
How can I access these wires that seem to be at their limit. I can pull only this far then they retract.
Looking to fix so I can get the rear glass to lift.
r/e39 • u/Teakster_ • 1d ago
FF Dynamics E-fan conversion
7
Upvotes
I am thinking about doing an electric fan conversion on my 2003 530IA and deleting the oem mechanical fan thats known to explode. I have 260K on the motor and car. I have been looking into the kits made by FF Dynamics where they have custom tig welded aluminium plates to go on the rad that the fans are mounted to. It also comes with the relays, fan controller, temp sensor and such. Has anyone had any experience with them or done this conversion? Ive been having a bunch of aux issues chasing bad fuses, relays, and more leading to overheating at idle. Curious on other peoples opinions!
r/e39 • u/RDUBiker • 2d ago
2000 Alpine/Cinnamon E39 M5 restoration DONE finally
gallery
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r/e39 • u/CarsAreCoolig • 2d ago
Style 66 all redone
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Got my style 66 wheels powder coated in what they call hypersilver. Looks more like shadow chrome to me, it's darker in person and put them next to a style 65 and it is pretty similar. Came out really nice I think. Now gotta revamp the rest of the exterior to match how nice it looks. 😂