Potential E39 M5 purchase

Potential E39 M5 purchase

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58warren

Original Poster:

589 posts

178 months

Monday 30th March 2015
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Hi,

I'm looking for advice on this E39 M5 currently for sale on eBay: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/231501335026#ht_238wt_13...

The price seems about right and it apparently has a full BMW service history. Le Mans blue is my favourite colour and the car seems otherwise unmolested. The mileage is 167,000, which worries me slightly...

Does anybody know this car or has any advice as to what I should look out for? I've had a couple of E39's previously, a 528 and 535 Sport and know the common issues on these. I can check for evidence of cooling system replacement and will hopefully spot any VANOS issues, although I understand they can sound a bit rattly anyway...

All advice gratefully received.

Edited by 58warren on Monday 30th March 12:49

4941cc

25,867 posts

205 months

Monday 30th March 2015
quotequote all
Mileage in and of itself is no major concern on these, they're fundamentally pretty simple things compared with subsequent generations.

Usual E39 high mileage points to bear in mind are the cooling system generally - BMW ones only seem to last for 80-100k so this may need it's second refresh/overhaul.

Suspension would be the main focus of attention provided the engine/gearbox/diff servicing is all to schedule, as it is a heavy, powerful vehicle and they do take some ongoing maintenance of bushes and links to stay feeling as tight and responsive as they did when new - the difference between a tired one and a refreshed one is night and day.

Drive a few examples to get an idea. None of it is particularly dear to sort, only M specific bits like the wheel bearings, dampers and subframe mounts sting a bit more than generic E39 stuff. OEM brake stuff isn't cheap, changes to aftermarket alternatives are accordingly common.

Try and get a good look underneath as at 12-15 years, these are often subject to corrosion.

That one looks in good condition, in a popular colour combination and looks reasonably priced for a leggy facelift car provided it is as mechanically sorted as it appears to be cosmetically in pictures. It's only 10-12k miles per year and BMWs do tend to respond better to continuous use as they age rather than left idle for long periods and intermittently hammered as the second/third/fourth cars these mostly are now.

58warren

Original Poster:

589 posts

178 months

Monday 30th March 2015
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4941, Thanks so much for your reply.

I knew I could count on members here for sound advice. Glad to hear that the mileage isn't a major issue and I also thought it's about average, which is good. Think I'll need to go through all the service records from BMW as apparently it was first owned by a pilot and hopefully he paid attention to the maintenance, but it may have not been as well maintained by the subsequent owner. The tyres all look like Continental's so the rubber hasn't been skimped on.

Just looking for a fun weekend car to use in the Scottish Highlands...

4941cc

25,867 posts

205 months

Monday 30th March 2015
quotequote all
With FBMWSH you can still cover it with their warranty, albeit driveline cover only past 100k miles - might be worth it if peace of mind is a concern on th emajor mechanicals anyway. As the rest is either generic ageing E39 issues or wear and tear items, it's all the cover you *really* need.

https://www.bmw-warranty.co.uk/DriveLine

Took it out when I bought mine last year (at 98k miles then, coming up 103k now), within two months it had paid for itself for the year by replacing both MAF sensors. I'll keep it going, should it develop a more severely wallet-bashing engine fault (main bearings a weak point if they've been ragged too often from cold - I don't but can't be entirely sure what the two owners before me did).

58warren

Original Poster:

589 posts

178 months

Monday 30th March 2015
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Thanks again.

I'll check the car definitely has full BMWSH and look into this warranty as it would give some peace of mind regarding the major drivetrain components.


Depthhoar

673 posts

127 months

Monday 30th March 2015
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Not about your particular car, but have a look here for generic advice on buying a used E39 M5:

http://forum.bmw5.co.uk/topic/104991-does-anyone-k...

There's no mention of 'big ticket' maintenance items having been replaced on the car you're interested in. Suspension is a biggie on these vehicles. Just as an eg., there's 4 arms, two rose joints, 7 bushes and two drop links on the rear suspension alone, to say nothing of top mounts, dampers etc + the front suspension. All this stuff wears out and can have a dramatic influence on the way the car behaves on the road. There should be documented evidence (receipts) to prove work of this sort has been carried out on a car that's covered 167,000 miles. These cars will take that sort of mileage (and then some..) but they need intensive maintenance to keep their performance edge and reliability.

'Full Service History' just means fluids and filters have been changed in addition to someone having a poke around underneath.

I'd be very interested to hear how much that BMW Driveline warranty is on that car. I thought about a warranty when I bought my E39 M5 a couple of years ago and BMW (Mondial) wanted such a stupid amount of money for it I decided it was better to just put money aside and use it for preventative maintenance instead. (Incidentally, I put 2 new genuine Bosch BMW OE MAFs on for a total of £220, which is less than the higher option excess on a single warranty claim.)

4941cc

25,867 posts

205 months

Monday 30th March 2015
quotequote all
Depthhoar said:
There's no mention of 'big ticket' maintenance items having been replaced on the car you're interested in. Suspension is a biggie on these vehicles. Just as an eg., there's 4 arms, two rose joints, 7 bushes and two drop links on the rear suspension alone, to say nothing of top mounts, dampers etc + the front suspension. All this stuff wears out and can have a dramatic influence on the way the car behaves on the road. There should be documented evidence (receipts) to prove work of this sort has been carried out on a car that's covered 167,000 miles. These cars will take that sort of mileage (and then some..) but they need intensive maintenance to keep their performance edge and reliability.
Nail on head. A major factor in deciding to buy mine was that the previous keeper had spent £3.5k within the preceding 12 months on refreshing the suspension, so whilst there were (and still are) a few light cosmetic blemishes, she's about as sound as they get in the more expensive department. Should be good for only needing consumables for the next 50k miles or so.


Depthhoar said:
I'd be very interested to hear how much that BMW Driveline warranty is on that car. I thought about a warranty when I bought my E39 M5 a couple of years ago and BMW (Mondial) wanted such a stupid amount of money for it I decided it was better to just put money aside and use it for preventative maintenance instead. (Incidentally, I put 2 new genuine Bosch BMW OE MAFs on for a total of £220, which is less than the higher option excess on a single warranty claim.)
It was £1,070pa/£100pm for mine (£100 excess, no limit to number of claims, limit of aggregate claims during the 12 month warranty period is the price you paid for the vehicle, of which you need proof in event of a sizeable claim...), taken out at 98k miles, it was eligible for fully comprehensive warranty (the previous owner had kept it on this since he got it 9 years ago) - at £2,600pa. He was still getting things like the inevitable E39 cupholders replaced under warranty etc. and deemed that over that time, he got his money's worth.

Past 100k miles only Driveline cover is possible and I gather there'll be a jump come renewal time as she'll be on around 110k miles by then I expect. How she behaves over the next 6 months will determine if I go for it, or just put the monthly amount in savings on an ongoing basis - seeing as the actuaries will have worked out that's the likely liability over time, including a profit margin.

The warranty T&Cs state that only internally lubricated components are covered, yet they still replaced both MAFs for me (£100 excess per valid claim, I'd already paid a £75 diag bill which went towards the cost) - the invoice that went to warranty was over a grand for that job so I was rather thankful the dealer wangled it!

minimatan

13,720 posts

200 months

Tuesday 31st March 2015
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OP, having viewed a great number of E39 M5s over Christmas and January, I have found that a great number of owners have inflated the value of the vehicles and you will pay an M tax.

This seems very clean and well looked after. A FBMWSH would be impressive certainly. However, you would need to inspect carefully for corrosion under the arches, bootlid, and the bottom corners of the rear doors. A look under the car as has been said is imperative. All you can see from the ground are the brakelines which can be corroded.

Listen to the car running and keep it running for as long as possible to tease out any issues with the cooling system. Test the air con. Drive it and evaluate the gearchange - is it notchy? The usual sports button test, press it at 3000 rpm and the car will lurch.

Original exhausts and air filters? Are the electrics working. How much paperwork is available? If all BMW, can you call them and get copies?

Proceed with caution and factor any real costs into the buying price, else you'll find it tough to realise the cash you have invested in the car.
My gut feeling? £6,000 with this mileage unless you are prepared to take a 25% hit come selling time.

58warren

Original Poster:

589 posts

178 months

Sunday 5th April 2015
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Hi all,
Thanks for your advice. I viewed the M5 yesterday and it turned out to be a good one with comprehensive history documenting the replacement of many suspension components etc throughout its life to date. No corrosion under arches, underbody, filler cap, boot lid etc.

Drives very nicely and everything works including air con. The leather seems to be of much better quality than in my 535 as it's hardly showing any wear at all despite the mileage.

It will need new tyres soon. Anyone suggest the best rubber? Currently on Continentals all round...

Patrick Bateman

12,143 posts

173 months

Sunday 5th April 2015
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Michelin Pilot Super Sports

mondie

622 posts

141 months

Sunday 5th April 2015
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That i a stunner, did you buy it?

POORCARDEALER

8,523 posts

240 months

Sunday 5th April 2015
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Vredesteins great on M5

mr sagman

1,718 posts

235 months

Sunday 5th April 2015
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Vreds are fantastic on E39 M5's.. Hope you bought it as it looks fantastic.. You will never hear a bad word from anyone who has owned an E39 M5.. Epic epic car I loved mine to death it was sublime.. Never missed a beat in 3.5 years sensational cars.

Patrick Bateman

12,143 posts

173 months

Sunday 5th April 2015
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There was one chap on here, 996 something or other, he was comparing it to a sports bike though...rolleyes/biglaugh

TheAngryDog

12,394 posts

208 months

Monday 6th April 2015
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mr sagman said:
Vreds are fantastic on E39 M5's.. Hope you bought it as it looks fantastic.. You will never hear a bad word from anyone who has owned an E39 M5.. Epic epic car I loved mine to death it was sublime.. Never missed a beat in 3.5 years sensational cars.
I wouldn't be so sure about that. Mine pissed me off once too many times.

58warren

Original Poster:

589 posts

178 months

Tuesday 7th April 2015
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Yes I bought the car and it's lovely to drive. Something of a step up from my 535 Sport...
The old and the new together...

58warren

Original Poster:

589 posts

178 months

Tuesday 7th April 2015
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Here it is... Great colour.

4941cc

25,867 posts

205 months

Tuesday 7th April 2015
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Top bombing thumbup

Pip1968

1,346 posts

203 months

Wednesday 8th April 2015
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Lovely car. Still miss my carbon black one. Brilliant motorway cruiser.

Pip

58warren

Original Poster:

589 posts

178 months

Thursday 16th April 2015
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Well I fly down from Aberdeen to Gatwick tonight in readiness for a near 600 mile journey back from Kent to Scotland with the M5...

I'm probably going to do an overnight run late Saturday into Sunday morning. It will be a good test of the car, but I'll be taking spare 10w 60 oil and some coolant just in case anything happens... Wish me luck!!!