Buying E39 M5 advice please.

[DuncsHDND]

Good Afternoon fellow PH'ers,
After a bit of advice.
Have been looking at getting back into ///M Power ownership and saw this E39 M5 for sale.

I want a facelift model, and saw this which is the right year for the facelift options, it seems to have the 'widescreen' sat nav but can anyone confirm if it is a facelift model??
It doesnt appear to have Front PDC which i thought was standard on facelift cars.

Also does anyone know the car in question???
Any good / bad reports of Sterling Performance as dealers?? Has anyone dealt with them before......

Thanks in advance

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/b...

Duncs

[RichardM5]

Facelift lights, front and rear.
Facelift wide screen Nav.
Pre-facelift steering wheel.
Pre-facelift no front PDC.
Pre-facelift handbrake handle (and non original gear knob).
Mk II Nav, so Pre June 2000
'Rest' option on A/C, so pre September 2000

I'd guess pre-facelift, but just ask for the VIN and find out when it was built. However, don't get too hung up on facelift/pre-facelift, the condition/history of the car is way more important.

[R8Steve]

I would need the vin no to double check but i'm pretty sure that's my old one!

Sold for 5.8k in 2008

[RichardM5]

If the bits that I can see are factory fit (Nav, Phone, Folding rear seats, tow bar, Rear and Side Blinds) then it can only really be one car (assuming UK spec and not a Km speedo!), Folding seats and tow bar are a rare combination.

BJ11862 Built May 2001.

[R8Steve]

RichardM5 said:

If the bits that I can see are factory fit (Nav, Phone, Folding rear seats, tow bar, Rear and Side Blinds) then it can only really be one car (assuming UK spec and not a Km speedo!), Folding seats and tow bar are a rare combination.

BJ11862 Built May 2001.

That was the spec of mine...although i'm starting to question the folding seats now. I'll check when i get home.

If it is mine it will be full BMW service history up to 2008 and the reg will be (or was when i sold it) M5 MXL.

[DuncsHDND]

Thanks for the help already,
I saw the folding seats and that was a big want for me. I know its a fairly rare option as have been looking for a while.
Will get the VIN No and do some checking / double checking.

[DuncsHDND]

RichardM5 said:

If the bits that I can see are factory fit (Nav, Phone, Folding rear seats, tow bar, Rear and Side Blinds) then it can only really be one car (assuming UK spec and not a Km speedo!), Folding seats and tow bar are a rare combination.

BJ11862 Built May 2001.

Richard, how do you find this info out??? Guessing there is an online register or soemthing with all the details on??

[RichardM5]

There are various places on line where you can get the details from a VIN but not the other way round that I know of. I have the details of all RHD E39 M5s so I can search across them for particular option combinations.

If it is BJ11862 it will also have the M-Audio system with large boot mounted subs, Glass sun roof (can't tell from the pictures) and will have originally had a Climate Comfort windscreen.

[DuncsHDND]

R8Steve said:

That was the spec of mine...although i'm starting to question the folding seats now. I'll check when i get home.

If it is mine it will be full BMW service history up to 2008 and the reg will be (or was when i sold it) M5 MXL.

Steve, did you get a chance to check when you got home to see if it was your old car??

[DuncsHDND]

RichardM5 said:

There are various places on line where you can get the details from a VIN but not the other way round that I know of. I have the details of all RHD E39 M5s so I can search across them for particular option combinations.

If it is BJ11862 it will also have the M-Audio system with large boot mounted subs, Glass sun roof (can't tell from the pictures) and will have originally had a Climate Comfort windscreen.

Richard, it does have the glass sunroof, after looking at the Sterling website you can see the sunroof fitted and raised whilst in their showroom.
Work dependant i will give them a call and get some more info from them regarding the car.
Thanks again for all the help so far.
Duncs

[2stis]

DuncsHDND said:

Any good / bad reports of Sterling Performance as dealers?? Has anyone dealt with them before.

Have dealt with them before (bought). Didn't get my M5 from them though. I would look elsewhere is probably the advice that I am allowed to pass on.

[Seesure]

RichardM5 said:

Facelift lights, front and rear.
Facelift wide screen Nav.
Pre-facelift steering wheel.
Pre-facelift no front PDC.
Pre-facelift handbrake handle (and non original gear knob).
Mk II Nav, so Pre June 2000
'Rest' option on A/C, so pre September 2000

I'd guess pre-facelift, but just ask for the VIN and find out when it was built. However, don't get too hung up on facelift/pre-facelift, the condition/history of the car is way more important.

Am with Richard, dials look to be black... early cars had black dials, IIRC ALL facelift cars had grey dials...

Would be interesting to see the colour code of the car... LMB was a facelift colour available March 2000 + prior to that it was Avus blue...

[nevm3]

Advert says it has FACELIFT HEADLIGHTS not that it is a facelift

[R8Steve]

DuncsHDND said:

Steve, did you get a chance to check when you got home to see if it was your old car??

Sorry, not mine i'm afraid, it's identical in spec as mine had several facelift upgrades but on checking mine was a year older -

Details
Manufacturer- BMW
Model- M5
Colour- Blue
Fuel Type- Petrol
Engine Size- 4941cc
Registration Date- 30 March 2000

[Tom W]

I am pretty sure this is an early 2001 pre facelift car. Pre facelift steering wheel and dash dials give it away. Low mileage, good condition post facelift cars are getting thin on the ground. One drive though and you will be smitten!

[foxworth]

Hi Duncs

I'm just prepping my carbon black 2002 96k miler to go up for sale this week. I've had it 4 years with zero issues. It needs tyres but other than that it's a good car with good history and a folder if receipts etc and has no stories. Check my posts on PH and drop me a PM if want to discuss further. I've just bought a 997 GT3 and was hoping to keep the m5 as well but financially not justifiable unfortunately.

Thanks
Piers

[foxworth]

Hi Duncs

I'm just prepping my carbon black 2002 96k miler to go up for sale this week. I've had it 4 years with zero issues. It needs tyres but other than that it's a good car with good history and a folder if receipts etc and has no stories. Check my posts on PH and drop me a PM if want to discuss further. I've just bought a 997 GT3 and was hoping to keep the m5 as well but financially not justifiable unfortunately.

Thanks
Piers