RE: BMW M5 (E39): PH Carpool

[RoverP6B]

I may soon be in the market for one of these, and I know most of the E39's foibles through six years in a 520iT and eight months in a 535i. Anyone in the south-east in need of a really good independent, I cannot overemphasise how strongly I recommend the brilliant MJF Engineering of Beare Green, just the Surrey side of the West Sussex border, who have done a great deal to save me money and maintain my cars meticulously. What should I look to spend in acquiring a fairly tidy rust-free example? I understand I've missed the bottom of the market, as they're starting to appreciate again...

[9mm]

RoverP6B said:

I may soon be in the market for one of these, and I know most of the E39's foibles through six years in a 520iT and eight months in a 535i. Anyone in the south-east in need of a really good independent, I cannot overemphasise how strongly I recommend the brilliant MJF Engineering of Beare Green, just the Surrey side of the West Sussex border, who have done a great deal to save me money and maintain my cars meticulously. What should I look to spend in acquiring a fairly tidy rust-free example? I understand I've missed the bottom of the market, as they're starting to appreciate again...

TBh, the best thing you can do is have any potential purchase inspected by an expert.

Lots of the following is generic but in terms of screening candidates before you get to that stage:

They do rust - check arches, door bottoms, bootlid, topp of screen surround and the area around the petrol filler. Door external trim always corrodes.

Unless the car is dirt cheap I wouldn't look at a car without a comprehensive service history and all the bills to match.

Don't dismiss any damage to trim as trivial. The car shares very few parts with cooking versions and the M tax is horrendous. IIRC a mirror glass (just the glass, photochromic) was best part of £200.

Spend 20 minutes checking every single piece of equipment and if the seller says it's 'just a sensor, only a hundred to fix but it has never bothered me' - they're lying. ANY warning lights on can lead to huge expense.

Do a top gear clutch test. Clutches tend to go at around 70,000 miles and are best part of a grand to sort.

'Everything' is apparently starting to appreciate again. Tread carefully.

[TheAngryDog]

I know I said I'd probably not have another, but this thread is making me want another!

[CrouchingWayne]

Tempted to chop the VX220 in for one, doubt many M5 owners want a VX in PX though

[Depthhoar]

9mm said:

RoverP6B said:

I may soon be in the market for one of these, and I know most of the E39's foibles through six years in a 520iT and eight months in a 535i. Anyone in the south-east in need of a really good independent, I cannot overemphasise how strongly I recommend the brilliant MJF Engineering of Beare Green, just the Surrey side of the West Sussex border, who have done a great deal to save me money and maintain my cars meticulously. What should I look to spend in acquiring a fairly tidy rust-free example? I understand I've missed the bottom of the market, as they're starting to appreciate again...

TBh, the best thing you can do is have any potential purchase inspected by an expert.

Lots of the following is generic but in terms of screening candidates before you get to that stage:

They do rust - check arches, door bottoms, bootlid, topp of screen surround and the area around the petrol filler. Door external trim always corrodes.

Unless the car is dirt cheap I wouldn't look at a car without a comprehensive service history and all the bills to match.

Don't dismiss any damage to trim as trivial. The car shares very few parts with cooking versions and the M tax is horrendous. IIRC a mirror glass (just the glass, photochromic) was best part of £200.

Spend 20 minutes checking every single piece of equipment and if the seller says it's 'just a sensor, only a hundred to fix but it has never bothered me' - they're lying. ANY warning lights on can lead to huge expense.

Do a top gear clutch test. Clutches tend to go at around 70,000 miles and are best part of a grand to sort.

'Everything' is apparently starting to appreciate again. Tread carefully.

Lots of good sense here /\

Rust: in addition examine jacking points and beneath the sill cover as serious corrosion here will kill the car. Careful owners will have taken expensive remedial action but most others wont. (Those sill covers hide a lot of sins!)

Clutches: yes, can almost be considered a consumable item on hard driven examples but some cars will still be on original clutches at 140k+ miles with plenty of life still in them. A lot depends on driving styles of POs.

Prices: low mileage original cars at the likes of Hexagon for sale at £24k but prices are all over the place and not always an indication of quality. Usable 'project' cars start at £4k but will require plenty of TLC & cash to fettle. Mid-market values are around £7.5k to £11.5k but again price not always an indication of quality. Facelift cars fetch slightly better money but a good pre-facelift car gives the same performance and can be better value if you buy well at the outset. Buy privately from an enthusiast who's spent bucket-loads on it (with documented evidence). I'd be shopping on one of the enthusiast BMW forums like BMW5 since you're more likely to pick up a good one and prices/quality seem better.

Be wary of highly polished examples at non-specialist dealers with "FSH" but no mention/evidence of the all-important maintenance expenditure on innumerable suspension & steering components, to say nothing of the brakes, thermostat, fuel pump and VANOS solenoid 'O' rings.

Maintenance is important but you can save money by searching out parts from OE manufacturers like Lemforder, TRW, FAG, LUK, Bosch (O2 sensors & MAFs in particular), NGK, ATE, Jurid, Textar etc and save thousands on parts compared to dealer prices. Most sensors best bought from BMW though as aftermarket generics seem to give problems. The 'M' tax definitely applies with these cars but careful shopping can mitigate wallet damage to some degree. These cars are relatively simple machines compared to the modern iterations and a garage with good technical competence will be able to look after straightforward mechanical stuff like clutch changes, suspension & brake work. More complex stuff best left to a trusted indi.

Edited by Depthhoar on Friday 15th May 09:39

Edited by Depthhoar on Friday 15th May 13:21

[Neil E 99]

Owned a 2000 car. Bought with 80k on it owned it for 5 years. I loved it. There were three things I changed.
1. K&N filters. Did make a small difference. 2. B&M quick shift gear leaver. A fantastic short shift. 3. A Miltek exhaust cat back.Made the car sound as it should without being to loud.

The best car I have ever owned. And one of the only cars all the mags liked loads as well.
I bought it on a whim and it was the first car I looked at which is not ideal but the way it went, looked and sounded made me part with my money very quickly indeed.

No vanos faults / engine faults to speak of.

Stupid electrical gremlins were a pain and never got sorted dispite various trips to BMW and the like.

Overall one of the great M cars without question.

Now own a 2002 540 as the wife can only drive autos.

Enjoy it.

Edited by Neil E 99 on Saturday 16th May 09:56

Edited by Neil E 99 on Saturday 16th May 09:57

[TheAngryDog]

Looks nice does that Neil.

Really starting to miss mine now! RAGE. Perhaps I'll get one as a second card again at some point when I can afford one.