Potential E39 M5 purchase
Discussion
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.
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
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...
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...
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...
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...
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!!!
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!!!
Well I made it to Scotland without any issues. The car ran beautifully although the temperature gauge stayed on the cool side of the dial (I assume this may be the thermostat requiring replacement???)
I did a gentle overnight run using the cruise control set between 65-70mph for 95% of the journey and notched up an impressive 28.7mpg, confirmed by the OBC indicating 431 miles range after filling up at Southwaite services near Carlisle.
I swapped the analogue tuner with a hybrid tuner to regain the TV function (£300 on eBay for a genuine BMW unit). Very pleased with the car so far and it's getting new tyres all round next Saturday.
I did a gentle overnight run using the cruise control set between 65-70mph for 95% of the journey and notched up an impressive 28.7mpg, confirmed by the OBC indicating 431 miles range after filling up at Southwaite services near Carlisle.
I swapped the analogue tuner with a hybrid tuner to regain the TV function (£300 on eBay for a genuine BMW unit). Very pleased with the car so far and it's getting new tyres all round next Saturday.
Thanks,
The car looks great and drives well. I'll look into the rod issue you mentioned. The car has a stack of paperwork, so I can check what's been done maintenance wise to date in more detail. I'm from Kent originally and will be returning in 2-3 years after my current project finishes up in Aberdeenshire.
The car looks great and drives well. I'll look into the rod issue you mentioned. The car has a stack of paperwork, so I can check what's been done maintenance wise to date in more detail. I'm from Kent originally and will be returning in 2-3 years after my current project finishes up in Aberdeenshire.
You just need a BMW 'hybrid' tuner box from eBay or similar. Main dealers want serious money for them new.
No other parts are required at all and it's a straight swap taking about 5 minutes in total to undo the blue and white wiring plugs and aerial connection. These plugs have a black 'lever' that needs to be slid from its vertical locked position to the horizontal position to 'unlock' and remove each plug and vice versa to lock them back in position again once each plug is reattached to the new tuner.
Next remove the single securing bolt that is located through the protruding silver metal tab of the tuner unit, slide the old unit out and replace with the new.
I found the sat nav unit makes it quite tight to get out straight away, so I slightly bent over the projecting metal tab mentioned above before sliding the existing unit out and then similarly bending the one on the replacement unit to allow it to go back into place before bending straight again and reaffixing the securing bolt and reconnecting the aerial, the blue plug and finally the white plug. To make sure it's a genuine hybrid tuner (analogue and digital tuner combined) it must be one of the following part numbers (printed on the label on the unit).
6126251
6908079
6956832
6962190
6962212
6966615
6966696
6988906
9112837
9118577
9126252
9147138
9147139
If you go down the route of getting an aftermarket digital tuner, then you'll need adapters and separate aerials on the rear screen, which is a pain and spoils the look of the car.
No other parts are required at all and it's a straight swap taking about 5 minutes in total to undo the blue and white wiring plugs and aerial connection. These plugs have a black 'lever' that needs to be slid from its vertical locked position to the horizontal position to 'unlock' and remove each plug and vice versa to lock them back in position again once each plug is reattached to the new tuner.
Next remove the single securing bolt that is located through the protruding silver metal tab of the tuner unit, slide the old unit out and replace with the new.
I found the sat nav unit makes it quite tight to get out straight away, so I slightly bent over the projecting metal tab mentioned above before sliding the existing unit out and then similarly bending the one on the replacement unit to allow it to go back into place before bending straight again and reaffixing the securing bolt and reconnecting the aerial, the blue plug and finally the white plug. To make sure it's a genuine hybrid tuner (analogue and digital tuner combined) it must be one of the following part numbers (printed on the label on the unit).
6126251
6908079
6956832
6962190
6962212
6966615
6966696
6988906
9112837
9118577
9126252
9147138
9147139
If you go down the route of getting an aftermarket digital tuner, then you'll need adapters and separate aerials on the rear screen, which is a pain and spoils the look of the car.
Edited by 58warren on Wednesday 22 April 13:42
Correctamundo... As said, it's a simple 5 minute job at most and you'll receive all the Freeview channels. When you retune, it takes a while to search for all the available channels, but it'll get there. Some of the tuners have been recoded so they can receive TV in motion, but it probably isn't wise to have this option and I'd imagine moving at much above 30 mph, the signal would keep dropping out.
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