BMW 520i (E39)

Pedro32561

Hi,

Thinking about getting an E39. Like the look of the following:

http://www.carzone.ie/search/BMW/5-Series/M-Pack/200951196236629/advert?channel=CARS


http://www.carzone.ie/search/BMW/5-Series/520-AUTO/201005196797828/advert?channel=CARS

Is there anything I should be looking out for?

I've heard these are a bit heavy on fuel but I don't do a whole lot of mileage so it's not a big concern. Preference is for an automatic. I just want something comfortable and reliable.

Seweryn

Pedro32561 wrote: »

Hi,

Thinking about getting an E39. Like the look of the following:

Is there anything I should be looking out for?

I've heard these are a bit heavy on fuel but I don't do a whole lot of mileage so it's not a big concern. Preference is for an automatic. I just want something comfortable and reliable.

They are not too heavy on fuel. I used to drive an E39 523iA (2.5, Automatic) and my total average fuel economy was 30.8 mpg during my ownership (my own calculations). On an easy long run I could get around 40 mpg.
The above examples are barely run in, so there should be no problems with them. I would check the cooling system, as this is the weakest point of these cars. But obviously, firstly go through the service history and if there is nothing missing, it should be OK.

Good Luck.

Eoin

They're actually 2.2, not 2.0. A nice improvement over the previous 2.0 engine that was in the 520.

The M-Sport model has stiffer suspension, so not as much of a luxo-barge as some people would like. The standard model is a bit more comfortable (but more dated looking in my opinion).

The blue one doesn't have leather, but does have Alcantara suede as far as I can see. That's what I have in mine, and it's very comfortable and nicer in very cold or warm weather. Neither of them have climate control or a multi-function steering wheel. I find myself adjusting the fans quite a bit in mine, so I'd want climate control in my next car. I had a MFSW retro-fitted as I really wanted cruise control.

Mine is a 525 auto and I get just under 30mpg in motorway and national road driving. The 520 will probably get a couple of extra mpg, but there isn't really a huge difference until you get into the V8 engines. If a little more tax isn't an issue, I'd go for the 525 or 530.

I can't think of any major issues off the top of my head. Shocks and coolant system can need doing at ~100k. Heater blower motor has a tendency to go, and that's about 160 all in to fix.

Leonard Hofstadter

Cooling systems(as mentioned), suspensions(they need a rebuild at around 100,000 miles), aircon, and most famously in that generation 5 series... the pixels fade/fail to display meaning you need new dash clocks.

They are a great car but need leather. Auto is probably more desirable(especially with the models above the 520i, it is essential with the diesels so as to avoid having trouble with the DMF but those diesels were a disaster so best avoided) but at that age go for what gearbox you want.

A lot of people say that the 520i is underpowered but the most popular versions of the A6 and E class these days have far less power than that car has and I haven't heard of anyone complaining about the power in those cars(admittedly they are diesels though so have low down shove that the 520i probably doesn't have). A 525i is probably worth the extra because the tax increase is not too much over the 520i which is a 2.2, not a 2.0.

veetwin

Nice cars but the mileage is suspiciously low on both esp the one with less that 50K in 10 years. Even the other one has covered less than 10K a year. I would be scrupulous in checking the service history and any other data to hand. A 523/525 will offer much better performance for only a small penalty in road tax. Economy would be broadly similar and the bigger engine should be more reliable.

Eoin

captainspeed wrote: »

They are a great car but need leather

I have to disagree! It was a "must have" for me, until I tried out the suede. It's very comfortable, and a good few owners have actually swapped out their leather in favour of it.

veetwin wrote: »

Nice cars but the mileage is suspiciously low on both esp the one with less that 50K in 10 years. Even the other one has covered less than 10K a year. I would be scrupulous in checking the service history and any other data to hand. A 523/525 will offer much better performance for only a small penalty in road tax. Economy would be broadly similar and the bigger engine should be more reliable.

10K a year is just under the average mileage, so I wouldn't find it suspicious.

veetwin

eoin wrote: »

10K a year is just under the average mileage, so I wouldn't find it suspicious.

10K a year is average for a Micra/Focus etc. Most BMW 5 series especially of that era (when the 5 series cost alot more) would be doing a whole lot more. I'm not saying they are not genuine I'm just saying I would examine them thoroughly.

Eoin

If it was a diesel d-segment car, it might raise a flag for me but a petrol 5 series is not as likely to be doing huge mileage. 10K a year still allows for a roundtrip of nearly 30 miles a day. I'd say half that again is average for a micra.

Either way, as with any car, it's definitely a good idea to verify the mileage and service history.

Pedro32561

Cheers for all the great responses.

Found another one that looks good:

http://www.carzone.ie/search/BMW/5-Series/525-M-TE/200948195997469/advert?channel=CARS

Has a lot of extras. 100k on the clock with FSH.

Eoin

Looks well. Be prepared for 25mpg or so in urban driving in an auto 525 though. Worth it though - that's a lot of car for under 8k...

rabbitinlights

It's an amazing amount of car for the money. Just make sure you buy a good one (It took me 3 months to find the right one for me) as if anything out of the ordinary goes wrong, your wallet is in for trouble, so if you see one you want, get it fully checked out.

I bought mine from an indy garage the week before Christmas last year (great bargaining time of the year, it turns out!)

It's a 2002 520i (2.2l) M-Sport (auto) with 55k miles and full service history from Murphy & Gunn. The only extra that it's missing are parking sensors but that's what mirrors are for!





I live in Dublin city centre and it's a pig on the juice around town (16-24mpg) but I did nearly 1000 miles last week outside of major cities and saw 32mpg over the trip. It's a bit of a shock coming from a Vag 2.0TDI but that straight six sound more than makes up for it. (Smiles per gallon)

One thing to mention is that the M-Sport suspension is pretty stiff over broken city centre roads especially at slow speeds, the standard wheels are 17" but I've 18" M5 wheels on mine and it's pretty harsh, but once on the open road you forget all about that!

I've black leather on mine which I love, but that alcantara leather (suede) is bloody gorgeous and really suits the M-sports. I was actually looking for that in my car, but it never worked out. You might have a few people turn there nose up at not having leather when you going to sell, but I would not loose sleep over it.

The 2.2 have 170bhp and the car weights around 1550kg so it's not going to be very quick off the line (you could burn most people at the lights though! ;-) ) but once in it's stride it can certainly hustle down back roads and feels like a much smaller car.

Buy one. Just make sure it's a good one.

Fishtits

rabbitinlights wrote: »

Buy one. Just make sure it's a good one.

Best advice yet.

Auto boxes reportedly can give trouble after 100K.

Dash pixel issue doesn't effect lower spec dash ie 520.

Mid to low 20's would be normal for urban driving.

M-Tech has harsh ride on poxy Irish urban tracks (looks sexy though...)

Leather seats are fall asleep comfortable, but tend to look tatty with use.

Major cooling issues are notorious in hotter climates, not so much here. Waterpumps do give trouble however.

As mentioned, don't discount a 525i, 130 extra in road tax and you tend to get a better spec for less money.

I wouldn't expect to pay over 5K for any of the cars you've found. They are not easy to shift.

If you get a good one expect to hold on to it for a long time, they are an amazing piece of machinery and very hard to replace.

Good luck.

Idbatterim

Eoin what was the cost of getting the MFSW retrofitted?

Mena

Fishtits wrote: »

Dash pixel issue doesn't effect lower spec dash ie 520.

My '02 520i has the pixel issue (but it's an import from Singapore if that makes any difference).

Fantastic car, can't go wrong with it, but check, re-check and then check again on the Cooling system. Had to replace the radiator on mine 6 months after I got it - 700 Euro from a dealership all inc, but you can get them for 250 Euro online if you can arrange someone to install it.

Eoin

Idbatterim wrote: »

Eoin what was the cost of getting the MFSW retrofitted?

It depends on the car - whether it's pre-wired and whether you need a new steering wheel.

I've attached a picture of my wheel. The panels to the side just pop out, and the buttons pop in. The wiring goes behind the airbag. If your wheel doesn't have a panel for buttons, then you'll get an older style one like mine for 150 or less. Newer ones are probably twice that, plus you'll probably need to get a new airbag.

If your car isn't pre-wired, then the loom is around €70 or so from BMW, with at least 2-3 hours labour needed. If it is pre-wired, then it's pretty much plug and play - it didn't need to be hooked up to any diagnostic hardware.

Personally it was worth it for me as 90% of my driving is on Motorway or National roads (with a good few speed cameras around too).

MojoMaker

With regard to the red one in the links above with 48k miles, how was the most recent service from Murphy & Gunn €1700! At that mileage it shouldn't have had to have that expensive a service - even with 18" tyres thrown into the mix - I'd be asking questions about exactly what occurred at such low mileage to incur that kind of expense.

rabbitinlights

Good point, hopefully it was on the old service pricing as that's a stinger. Would it be tyres/brake pads?

All E39's are now on BMW's Value servicing:

http://www.bmw.ie/ie/en/owners/maintenance/Value_Service_5_Series.html

If your buying one with full BMW history and want to keep them stamps coming, then this is a great news.

Fey!

That burgundy/beige leather mix is lovely in the flesh; my mother has it in her 1998 e39 520, and it still looks very fresh.

I used to get about 25-28mpg urban in my 2.0 520, and get slightly better than that in my 2,5 525 (have seen 38mpg rural in it). Both manual.

daveharnett

eoin wrote: »

It depends on the car - whether it's pre-wired and whether you need a new steering wheel.

Also depends on the age of the car. AFAIK the facelift (2000+) E39s are drive by wire, so the cruise control is all electronic. The pre-facelift cars use a conventional throttle cable, so adding cruise control would mean adding a throttle actuator and bowden cable (as well as the wiring eoin describes).

VolvoMan

I think the E39 is a wonderful car that has aged beautifully. People may say how much they like the E60 but it just doesn't compare to it.

Eoin

Certainly good value for money anyway. I'm gutted on how cheap they are now, considering what they went for 2 years ago when I bought mine.

VolvoMan

eoin wrote: »

Certainly good value for money anyway. I'm gutted on how cheap they are now, considering what they went for 2 years ago when I bought mine.

I actually thought they went for cheaper than eight grand to be honest, I was surprised to see they are still fetching that money.

Eoin

VolvoMan wrote: »

I actually thought they went for cheaper than eight grand to be honest, I was surprised to see they are still fetching that money.

Well, as we know - what they go for is usually quite different to what they're listed at on carzone!

Two years ago you wouldn't have gotten a clean 2000 M-Sport (even pre-facelift) for less than 12.5K or so. I'd say you'd have been looking at 16K or so for a 2002 one.

rabbitinlights

VolvoMan wrote: »

I actually thought they went for cheaper than eight grand to be honest, I was surprised to see they are still fetching that money.

Depends on the standard of the car really, when I was looking some were 3k, some were 11k!!

A good example will fetch between 5-9k (9k would want to be special!) depending on the mileage, spec, extras and service history. There are not too many people out there who would are realistically looking to buy a 2.2l Petrol (semi)luxobarge at the moment so dealers will be open to offers if you have the cash.

It took the old classic move of showing him the wad of cash for him to accept my offer (2k under the asking) and for him to know I was serious. He was taking the piss out of me afterwards as he thought I was a timewaster as I was wearing a hoodie at the time and I'm 29.

S.

VolvoMan

eoin wrote: »

Two years ago you wouldn't have gotten a clean 2000 M-Sport (even pre-facelift) for less than 12.5K or so. I'd say you'd have been looking at 16K or so for a 2002 one.

I'd say anyone who bought a car back then has suffered to be honest. It was a time when the market was at its most inflated.

yuri_werewolf

Hi,

i'm looking to buy a 520i (2002-2003) E39, was wondering if there is a good bmw specialist in Dublin that can do a comprehensive car check before i commit?

Thanks

Eoin

Try AC Car Sales or Chelmsford motors. I've not used the latter, but I've only heard good about them.

Idbatterim

I have used both AC and Chelmsford very recently. Both I can highly recommend. If i was getting a car checked, i would probably lean towards chelmsford as you can deal directly with the owner / mechanic Gary. I would ring both up and get a price on getting car checked. If it is cheap having two opinions may be worthwhile, bear in mind that research and hedging your bets now as much as possible, could save you serious money & hassle!

Voodoomelon

Do genuine Sport E39s come with a lower ratio rear diff and a higher stall speed torque converter like the E38?

If so i'd definitely plunge for a genuine Sport and not an E39 someone has stuck a kit and alloys on.

bmwguy

I have a 530i 2001 sport model black, cream leather, wood trim, automatic 85000 miles i'm considering selling - only because I'm buying a house though and need the funds to keep bank happy. Would be going for a good bit cheaper than the examples in this thread. Will get something cheap for a while, then get another E39 when the banks are off my back.

There has been a bit of interest in the E39 here, if its genuine I thought I'd throw it out there. Not up on any car sites or anything at the moment.

bazz26

Here is a low mileage 2001 525i:

http://www.adverts.ie/showproduct.php?product=190150&cat=2

Not gone on those aftermarket alloy wheels though.

Eoin

bazz26 wrote: »

Here is a low mileage 2001 525i:

http://www.adverts.ie/showproduct.php?product=190150&cat=2

Not gone on those aftermarket alloy wheels though.

Quite a lot would turn me off that car. No MFSW, the aftermarket stereo which tends to look crap in the e39, the alloys as you mentioned, and the lack of service history after 10K miles. Plus the grey leather and silver paint is one of the most boring combos around IMO. That's an replica M5 front bumper as well, so I wonder if the entire kit is aftermarket.

21inchguns

The air conditioning "hedgehog" is a well known fault, check it on a test drive by turning on the heating to a low power and if you can hear it changing from low power to high power it needs to be changed. It can be a pain not just because the power goes up and down but the heater can stay on (or turn itself on) while the car is not running and run down the battery.

Also some e39's have a strange problem which no one seems to be able to work out, when they are cold they have nearly no power and feel like they are missing a cylinder. When they warm up they don't fix themselves, they need to be turned off for a second and started again and then they run perfectly...

Matt Simis

21inchguns wrote: »

The air conditioning "hedgehog" is a well known fault, check it on a test drive by turning on the heating to a low power and if you can hear it changing from low power to high power it needs to be changed. It can be a pain not just because the power goes up and down but the heater can stay on (or turn itself on) while the car is not running and run down the battery.

Also some e39's have a strange problem which no one seems to be able to work out, when they are cold they have nearly no power and feel like they are missing a cylinder. When they warm up they don't fix themselves, they need to be turned off for a second and started again and then they run perfectly...

I had the first problem too. Easy enough to fix.

The second problem could be Vanos failure or the Air Injection Paddle thing that BM's have to vary airflow at different RPMs. Ours jammed and was randomly letting in too much/too little air depending on your RPM.
Or MAF failure, but thats not BMW specific.

Our 3rd problem was the Wiper Relay needed to be replaced, other wise the wipers decided to stop working. Easy to fix too.

The final problem Im aware of is the adjustable arms in Xenon headlights (inside them) break as the plastic isnt resistant to heat (not enough anyhow) and the Xenons point directly down in a failsafe position. Have to dismantle the headlights to fix.

rabbitinlights

eoin wrote: »

Quite a lot would turn me off that car. No MFSW, the aftermarket stereo which tends to look crap in the e39, the alloys as you mentioned, and the lack of service history after 10K miles. Plus the grey leather and silver paint is one of the most boring combos around IMO. That's an replica M5 front bumper as well, so I wonder if the entire kit is aftermarket.

That steering wheel was from the pre-facelift models so that is almost certainly an SE with a sport kit bolted on to it. You can tell by the high ride-hight above the wheels as there is no M-Sport suspension.

That problem with them starting with no power and dropping a cylinder sounds like a coil pack failing, which are about €40 and take about 20 min to swap out.

S.

21inchguns

rabbitinlights wrote: »

That steering wheel was from the pre-facelift models so that is almost certainly an SE with a sport kit bolted on to it. You can tell by the high ride-hight above the wheels as there is no M-Sport suspension.

That problem with them starting with no power and dropping a cylinder sounds like a coil pack failing, which are about €40 and take about 20 min to swap out.

S.

It's not coils, that was the first thing I did and it did nothing. It's not maf sensors either(in ours anyway), here are two threads about it but no definite conclusion:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055341724
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055254842

Pedro32561

Thanks everyone for all the advice given so far.

Went to take a look at this today: http://www.carzone.ie/search/BMW/5-Series/525-M-TE/200948195997469/advert?channel=CARS

Very nice car. Extremely nice to drive. NCT is up in April but said he would service and put through NCT before I buy. Couple of things I noticed on it:


- Only one key - got a quote for €180 to replace.
- Couple of scrapes on the paint work. One very noticeable one which I would like to get fixed. The rest is mostly normal wear and tear.
- Car has had one lady owner who was obviously fond of kerbs! All 4 alloys have very noticeable scrapes all around the outside rims.


Other than that it seems to be in good shape. There's a full service history. Looking through history doesn't say if anything was ever done with the suspension, cooling system or transmission which some people are saying is an issue on these cars. Do I need to be worried about this or will the NCT pick up any issues?

He's asking €7,900. Anyone have any thoughts on what I should offer? I'll be paying cash with no trade in.

Stevie Dakota

A 525i with only one key would worry me, where is it? Kerbed wheels imply an owner who was not too fussed about the car, what else was neglected? Ditto unrepaired bodywork. Maybe I am being overly cautious but if I was looking for a good E39 I would be VERY fussy. The wrong one could break your heart.

Re the FSH who is it with, can you contact them to see what was done on the car? If there is no record of what was done you could be looking at waterpump, T-stat, hoses, belts, tensioners, viscous coupling straight away.

Seweryn

Pedro32561 wrote: »

He's asking €7,900. Anyone have any thoughts on what I should offer? I'll be paying cash with no trade in.

Nice car...
Regarding the price, it is hard to judge, but just to compare - see below my E39, which I sold last year. The mileage was 107k, very well equipped (BMW Business Stereo, cruise control, dual climate control, Steptronic transmission, multi f. leather steering wheel, no leather), car in very good condition and I got only 1,700 for the car...




Good Luck with your choice.

daveharnett

Pedro32561 wrote: »

Other than that it seems to be in good shape. There's a full service history. Looking through history doesn't say if anything was ever done with the suspension, cooling system or transmission which some people are saying is an issue on these cars. Do I need to be worried about this or will the NCT pick up any issues?

He's asking €7,900. Anyone have any thoughts on what I should offer? I'll be paying cash with no trade in.

Expect to spend €1-2k on the suspension in the next 30k miles, depending on whether you can tackle the easier stuff yourself. The transmission and cooling is a bit of a lottery - inspection is the only way to get an indication.

I can't guide you on prices - I only looked at pre-2000 models when buying mine. I can tell you that this car has an incredibly large range of prices in terms of seller expectations, and the price does not necessarily reflect the quality/servicing.

Seweryn wrote: »

Nice car...
Regarding the price, it is hard to judge, but just to compare - see below my E39, which I sold last year. The mileage was 107k, very well equipped (BMW Business Stereo, cruise control, dual climate control, Steptronic transmission, multi f. leather steering wheel, no leather), car in very good condition and I got for it only 1,700...

Bloody hell. Was the 1700 for a gun and balaclava? That's an astonishing price.

Seweryn

daveharnett wrote: »

Bloody hell. Was the 1700 for a gun and balaclava? That's an astonishing price.

No, that's how little I got for it when I was selling the car. She had fresh NCT, I serviced the car well and there was nothing wrong with it at all. Suspension, engine, transmission, steering - all in top condition (low mileage). However, over a month I had only one person viewing it and a single offer of the amount as above...

unkel

Seweryn wrote: »

No, that's how little I got for it when I was selling the car. She had fresh NCT, I serviced the car well and there was nothing wrong with it at all. Suspension, engine, transmission, steering - all in top condition (low mileage). However, over a month I had only one person viewing it and a single offer of the amount as above...

Bloody hell is right - that's shocking

I can see from the reg it was a '97 so that will be worth a good bit less than a 5 year younger one, but still. It was a 2l 520i was it? Or did it have a bigger engine - which nobody seems to want anymore because of the motor tax. I tried to sell my very good condition 735 2 years ago when nobody had mentioned the R word yet and it just did not sell at all.

bmstuff

Get a sport one definitely, I agree the SE is boring...



If you are not inclined big torque and power, a 520i/520d will do.
Now if you want power, anything from 530i/530d and up will do nicely...

TJJP

I wouldn't rush into any of those to be honest. I traded a mint fully loaded 525d before Christmas and I got 6k for it (leather, park, 80k miles, CD, CD changer, cruise, tax to august, and more). E39s seem to be moving at 7k dealer and 5-6ish private. Mind you used prices seem to be going up again.

There are a few on adverts too (no relation to me):

http://adverts.ie/185228 Nice looking car, doesn't have climate but similar miles to what you're looking at. It's in limerick though. 6k and open to offers it seems.

'03 one here too: http://adverts.ie/186147 again looks well loaded, in Dublin and 6k.

If I was paying the 7.5 you seem to be suggesting I'd want FSH, leather, multi-function wheel, park distance, climate and 90k ish.

TJJP

bmstuff wrote: »

Get a sport one definitely, I agree the SE is boring...

They can look nice though I reckon.

Fishtits

I bought a straight '01 525i manual last November

100K, FBMWSH until 92K, verified ownership etc.

Body has a few tesco dings, Vanos seals fcuked. Leather tired, in need of a good clean, OW perfect.

4 new tyres, 18 month NCT. Less than 3 grand.

Does mid thirties to the gallon.

Keep it for three years and scrap it, cheapest motoring ever.

Edit, if you wind it up it goes like stink (scary in the wet) cruise, tyre noise only, and can be hussled around the back roads just like my E36.

Amazing piece of kit.

TJJP

There is an '02 525 sport auto here on done deal too: http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/1181141

Doesn't look too bad. Auto with dual-climate control.

bmstuff

TJJP wrote: »

They can look nice though I reckon.

With a M Tech body kit they do yeah

ikb

Hi All,
Just sold 99 520i, (1200 yo yos). 150k miles,14 months NCT, 3 months tax,. leather, alloys etc... Best car I have ever owned, EVER.. 30 years driving, (Have 05, 320d...Hate it). Had probs with heater,Battery discharging, etc. Charge alternator packed up on way back from N.I. ( cost 320 yos and a tow). Lately started to Guzzle oil??? Was great on fuel 30 ish. .. That said, put 80,000 on her in 5 years, Never had to do more than keep her Serviced.. until the last year when she wasnt getting used much, Just be careful about 150k miles, stuff starts to wear out..( Even on BMWs)... Check out some of the Beemer forums for more info.....Great car though, The best.!

Seweryn

unkel wrote: »

Bloody hell is right - that's shocking

I can see from the reg it was a '97 so that will be worth a good bit less than a 5 year younger one, but still. It was a 2l 520i was it? Or did it have a bigger engine - which nobody seems to want anymore because of the motor tax. I tried to sell my very good condition 735 2 years ago when nobody had mentioned the R word yet and it just did not sell at all.

Yeah, that is shocking, guys...

Sure, the car was a 523iA 1997 first registration, but that's just a number on the plate, as there would be hard to find any better one even 3-4 years younger - the car was very clean, low mileage, almost fully equipped and in top condition, just after serviced with new oil, filter, new thermostat with housing, new coolant, new water pump... I do look after my cars. It would probably be better to keep it, rather to give it away ...

yuri_werewolf

Hi lads,
i'm looking to buy an E39 and checked service history on it. In some stamps mileage is higher than current but was told by the seller that it's in km, not miles, as it is a standard BMW practice.
Is it correct?

Thanks