r/e39 • u/Immediate-Can9212 • 6h ago
What would you change on my e39?
77
Upvotes
What mods would you recommend for my '96 E39?
r/e39 • u/ImprezaDrezza • 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 • u/yofuckreddit • Aug 21 '20
E39 Buying Guide - Updated
215
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/fedja_rus • 7h ago
Piston rings
3
Upvotes
Hi there,
In looking to buy an E39 with M54 engine and I've heard a lot about piston ring issues, so I wanted to ask for some opinions how common it is and should it be a big concern of mine?
Thanks in advance :)
r/e39 • u/4evaYung_ • 47m ago
Aux pluggin
•
Upvotes
Hi! I am looking for the best option to connect my phone audio to my 530i. I was about to purchase the Bluebus, but I'm not sure i want to spend almost US $250 on something for a car with almost 100k miles on it and a check engine light. I dont think it's worth it. I was looking on ebay for an aux wire for like 30 bucks, but no reviews or anything. Just wanted to know thoughts some ways to finally get to listen to anything other than the radio 😄
Thanks in advance!
r/e39 • u/Logical_Material9344 • 16h ago
Why does nobody talk about the BMW E39 525i
14
Upvotes
I see people talk about the 528i and 530i all the time, but I barely see anyone mention the 525i. Is there a reason people overlook it, or is it actually a good car? I'm curious what people who have owned one think about it.
r/e39 • u/Flying_E39 • 3h ago
Valve cover + gasket 525i
1
Upvotes
Hello all.
Over a year ago I replaced my valve cover gasket on the 2003 525i touring as it was torn at the front and leaked oil. Used elring gasket with new grommets and placed RTV silicone on the half moons, but after a while I could still smell some burnt oil when revving hard on the highway. I’m assuming it’s because my lazy ass didn’t use a torque wrench and overtorqued the bolts. Lately the smell has increased and I decided to buy a whole new valve cover in case mine was warped. (Not impossible after 370.000km+).
I always use original or recommended high end replacement parts for my E39, but since I’m not even sure whether my valve cover is warped, I decided to pull the trigger on a relatively cheaper Ridex valve cover which had decent reviews.
The thing is however, that the gasket that comes with it is slightly bent upwards at one of the fastening points in the rear. (See pics).
It aligns perfectly when flattening, but should I still go ahead and throw it away and purchase an Elring gasket to put in it? The gasket looks fine for the rest and I doubt Ridex would produce shit gaskets, but I wouldn’t be happy to have to redo the job and an Elring gasket is not that expensive.
Also can my original oil filling cap be used on this valve cover? The one that comes with the ridex one looks funny and generic.
r/e39 • u/Tough-Flamingo • 10h ago
540i Auto Tranny Pan Bolt Replacement
2
Upvotes
Need to replace the trans pan and want to replace all the aluminum bolts securing the pan. The cost per bolt seems obnoxiously high at around 6-10 dolle4s per.
Can I replace these with Stainless Steel bolts?
r/e39 • u/DoEnEr29 • 8h ago
MS4X/Tunerpro help needed :)
1
Upvotes
Hello,
I own a 1998 pre Facelift 523i M52TU and since I already invested quite a bit of time under the hood and under the car itself, I now want to change some things software wise. At the moment there is a older firmware (0110AD) on the ecu that I want to update. Also lowering the operating temperature; linear gas pedal and a tiny bit of burbble activated through the ACC. I already did a backup and changed some things like temperature... I would really appreciate help from someone who knows what he does. Maybe check over my file and also help with EWS sync because I dont want the EWS to be off all the time.
Thx in advance.
r/e39 • u/avgJuan- • 8h ago
Are brake light bulbs supposed to have double filaments?
1
Upvotes
I’m a bit lost. I bought the correct part number for brake light bulbs and they light, but they don’t change when I press the brake pedal. I went to autozone and asked for another set with my make/model/year and these ones (Sylvania 7506, also one filament) do the same…
r/e39 • u/Fit_Entrepreneur_918 • 21h ago
E39 digital hvac retrofit
9
Upvotes
I bought e39 with low kms in really good condition, and have heating seats, auto headlights, auto dim mirror, garage door opener, sunroof etc. But for some reason have manual hvac.
I just put panel but.
What i need do to full digital swap steo by step?I had donor car with factory digital hvac.
Large wheel spacers
0
Upvotes
Hello, after seeing a lot of pictures of different offsets, i found that around ET0 is perfect for me. Unfortunately the wheels that i'm buying are ET35 so i have to get a large set of wheel spacers of 35mm. After talking with a supplier, he told me that the lug bolts are not included (unlike the 10mm that i'm buying for the rear) but "inserted nuts" are included and that the lug bolts to mount the wheel into the car hub aren't included but that original lug bolts should be good and he sent me the picture shown with the "inserted nuts". What i don't exactly get is how this actually works and how its safe if the lug bolts to mount the wheels are not being mounted in the wheel hub but on the "inserted nuts".
And can it be possible to instead of putting the "inserted nuts", buying 35mm longer lug bolts which would actually go from the wheel, through the wheel spacer to mount it in the actual wheel hub?
Does any one have experience with large wheel spacers that can actually help me here please?
r/e39 • u/kit-freeman • 11h ago
Help finding CarPlay
1
Upvotes
Ok so this might be a super specific thing that doesn’t exist but does anyone know of a CarPlay screen that just replaces where the cassette player goes and is like one of those ones that pops out and up that can be hidden by the wooden fold down panel thing. The explanation is really bad I’m sorry but does anyone get what I mean?
r/e39 • u/Flounder719 • 23h ago
M62TU milky oil pan, blown head gasket?
7
Upvotes
Hey Reddit looking for some advice here. We have started work on the timing guide chains and valley pan gasket on my M62TU (2003 540i). When we drained the oil the color was normal and with the valve covers off there are no signs of any “milky” film anywhere. However the bottom of the pan seems to have this faint film/milkiness resting on the bottom. The car has not been driven in probably close to 2 months as I’ve had cooling issues and have been waiting to start this work.
For those of you with more experience, would this indicate to you signs of head gasket failure?
Any advice or opinions would be appreciated, we are all pretty new to this and haven’t broken an engine down this far before. Thanks in advance.
r/e39 • u/PassionMuch4881 • 21h ago
Getting my M52 to TDC with the head off
5
Upvotes
Hi everyone !
I’m getting ready to put the head back on my M52B28 and need to get the block to TDC. The engine is still in the car, and I currently have the crank bolt removed.
I have this timing tool kit, but I’m not exactly sure how to use it to get everything lined up.
What’s the easiest way to get cylinder 1 to TDC? Do I need to put the crank bolt back in to rotate the engine, and where exactly does the locking pin go?
First time doing this, so any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!
r/e39 • u/Logical_Material9344 • 1d ago
E39 525i vs. 528i vs. 530i — Which would you choose as a first car?
6
Upvotes
I'm looking at getting a BMW E39 as my first car, and I'm trying to decide between the 525i, 528i, and 530i, preferably with an automatic transmission.
I really like the classic E39 styling, and I'm mainly concerned about affordability, reliability, maintenance costs, fuel economy, and daily driving.
For people who own or have owned these cars:
- Which model would you recommend?
- Is the 528i worth considering over the 525i?
- Is the 530i worth the extra money for the additional power?
- Which one is the most affordable to maintain?
- What common problems should I look out for before buying one?
I'd appreciate honest advice from actual owners. Thanks!
r/e39 • u/kemosabe6296 • 17h ago
Upgrading to High OBC, is it worth it?
1
Upvotes
Considering to upgrade my low OBC E39 to high OBC. Shop quoted me ~475$ for the job, all in--which is not cheap.
People who have done the upgrade, or have tried both E39s with low and high OBC, is the high OBC really worth it?
r/e39 • u/Calm_Specific_5874 • 1d ago
Why wont ZF 5HP19 shift up
4
Upvotes
So the problem is that it wont shift up when accelerating hard. It gets stuck to 2nd or third gear and stays there no matter what you do. Manual mode works fine.
When going easy it has no problem
Gearbox oil is good and topped up
No fault codes
r/e39 • u/SuspiciousSession781 • 1d ago
Right radiator hoses?
2
Upvotes
Working through parts for all my radiator hoses.
Ordered these and read somewhere Gates aren’t great and sometimes the fitment isn’t right.
Has anyone had similar or good experience with them?
r/e39 • u/rai2aisu • 1d ago
Hi-fi speaker system vs Bavsound upgrade?
3
Upvotes
Hi all, I'm considering upgrading the speaker system in my 2003 E39 with Hifi Speaker System option. It's pretty decent sounding already IMO, but looking for reviews from anyone who's made this exact upgrade - how is the difference?
Thanks 🙏
r/e39 • u/That_Comparison6010 • 22h ago
Any1 wanna buy my 528i
0
Upvotes
So I got a 99 e39 has a few problems but still starts runs and drives...needs alternator and has broken motor mount other then some body damage it's a great car email me if interested ghouchins7@gmail.com asking 1000 firm it's parked outside my apartment building and I live in the ghetto so if ur interested please come get it b4 they fuck it up more I'm in chinatown Seattle wa 98144 thank u nd god bless
r/e39 • u/Nokraut_E39 • 2d ago
Sound clip + fall
Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification
21
Upvotes
r/e39 • u/kemosabe6296 • 1d ago
Vacuum leak problem getting better after replacing brake caliper?
3
Upvotes
So after a week I did the 525i -> 530i front brake conversion, I noticed that my vacuum leak problem is gone. Before this conversion, the car was shaking moments after cold start--which goes away when the car warms up, like a classic minor vacuum leak problem.
A week after the conversion I use the car daily and I noticed that the shaking after cold start is now way much better than before. I thought maybe it's just coincidence because of outside temp or something but the car shows consistent behavior.
How could this possible? The only vacuum line I know that related to braking system is the one that connects brake booster and intake boot--in which I didn't touch during the conversion. I only open the brake fluid reservoir when bleeding the brake.
I'm glad that for whatever reason the problem is gone but now I am curious how does a job solved an unrelated problem.
r/e39 • u/ReWerked2002 • 2d ago
Replacing Light Control Module
5
Upvotes
I made a short video last year about how to swap out a faulty light control module. My 2000 528i lights reacted poorly to a jump start and I ended up swapping the LCM in from a parts car. I didn’t address coding the module in the video because I was unaware it needed it. Without coding your lights will work but you’ll have a tamper dot next to your odometer.
r/e39 • u/showmehomie • 2d ago
Can anyone tell me where this line is supposed to go? M62tu
4
Upvotes
Checked real oem but cant seem to find this particular part. Thanks in advance!