BMW 523i SE Advice

UN Ops Cyprus

Hi, also looking at a 1999 BMW 523i SE with just over a 100 miles on the clock.

NCT'd 2013. Test drove it and seemed fine but what else should i look out for with this type of car?. Discovered a few small issues with car already,

1. Passenger and back electric windows not working.
2. Central lock on both keys not working
3. High beam blub needs replacing

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/2801407

Any advise would be great thanks

CaraFawn

UN Ops Cyprus wrote: »

Hi, also looking at a 1999 BMW 523i SE with just over a 100 miles on the clock.

NCT'd 2013. Test drove it and seemed fine but what else should i look out for with this type of car?. Discovered a few small issues with car already,

1. Passenger and back electric windows not working.
2. Central lock on both keys not working
3. High beam blub needs replacing

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/2801407

Any advise would be great thanks

Don't buy it period.
There are more e39 for sale at the moment than jobs in this country. Find a better example with no fault or very little easily fixable.
NCT'd is a bonus, but does not mean you will not have to spend money right now to fix those things and who knows what else it broken at this stage...

Eoin

The ad says high spec, but it isn't really. Manual box with cloth seats.

From what I remember, 100K miles is about when the coolant system can need a few parts replaced (thermostat housing, various pipes etc).

Replacing bulbs is very easy on the e39 (or at least on the facelift version) - it's not the knuckle-scraping ordeal it can be with other cars. Don't know about the other two things.

CaraFawn wrote:

There are more e39 for sale at the moment than jobs in this country. Find a better example with no fault or very little easily fixable.

Touring versions are a little bit harder to find unfortunately, and seem to command a decent price.

bop1977

That one seems to have a few different shades of silver. The back passenger door is noticable darker than the rest of the car.

JP 1800

Watch out for,

Rust in the spare wheel well and arches

As said earlier, the coolant system. When these cars overheat the engine is as good as scrap

The high beam problem might not be a bulb but a relay

Wheel bearings and other suspension parts get chewed up, a heavy car

Various other electrical issues such as ABS pumps, air bag sensors in seats and boot release solenoid.

I had a 523 and I know from experience. They are a lovely car when everything is working.

Eoin

My 525 did overheat (flashing red light on the temp gauge), but I was able to pull over in time and get it sorted out, thankfully.

On that note, if you can stretch to a 525 go for it. Same tax as the 523, but a far nicer engine.

The dip and high beams should both be H7 bulbs. So just swap them around to check if it's the bulb or relay as JP 1800 suggested.

If a saloon isn't a deal breaker, then that will give you a LOT more cars to choose from.

UN Ops Cyprus

Thanks all for the advice. Yes i did notice the different shade of silver but from what i could tell when standing beside the car it was ok. Can anyone recommend someone to come with me and check car out?.

lomb

1450 is small money, if it runs, no knocking out of the engine, all gears engage smoothly , clutch doesnt slip(nail it it a low gear and the revs should rise with the speed) no noise over bumps and the steering and brakes seem ok, all the lights on the dash like check engine and abs, traction control light and then go out then Id run with it. Who cares at that money if the passenger window goes down or not.
I certainly wouldnt be paying anyone to look at it at that cash, you picked up enough faults with it already so you must know something about cars.

Bigus

lomb wrote: »

1450 is small money, if it runs, no knocking out of the engine, all gears engage smoothly , clutch doesnt slip(nail it it a low gear and the revs should rise with the speed) no noise over bumps and the steering and brakes seem ok, all the lights on the dash like check engine and abs, traction control light and then go out then Id run with it. Who cares at that money if the passenger window goes down or not.
I certainly wouldnt be paying anyone to look at it at that cash, you picked up enough faults with it already so you must know something about cars.

+1 its all relative to the price
and if you want an estate its not dear

surely there's room to haggle because of the issues, arrive with 950 cash and who gives a F*ck

Mad_Mike

CaraFawn wrote: »

...There are more e39 for sale at the moment than jobs in this country....

Robbing this! (For my sig)

As somebody with not one, but 2 E39's at the moment, and selling one of them, I totally agree