E39 M5 buying tips
Discussion
There's loads of good info on M5board and here as well.
Some basic points to look out for are the MAFS, a very common problem and about £250 to replace but is a very simple DIY job. You can test by accessing the secret menu (have a search to find out how to access this) and choosing option 4 (I think), good MAFS should be given a reading of about 140 or more simply engage sport in 3rd gear at about 3000rpm, the car should feel like it lurches forward. The thermostat is also poor, if the water temp gauge doesn't get above 1/3 it's gone, budget about £200. The VANOS can rattle on idle, this is not an issue apart from the noise itself and disappears under load.
They were facelifted in 2001, a lot of cosmetic stuff like angel eye headlights, new rear lights, wide screen monitor in the dash, grey dials, it looks generally fresher all round. The VANOS was also modified which makes it more reliable.
Obviously history is important, make sure there's no nasty noises anywhere etc.
I've read they can be moneypits, but I've had mine a year and have only spent out on consumables and it still feels as tight a a drum. Oh, they are great cars as well!
Also, if you get one, remove the rear silencers from the exhaust, the noise is amazing and it doesn't drone. I did mine a couple of weeks ago, it's the best mod you can do imo.
Some basic points to look out for are the MAFS, a very common problem and about £250 to replace but is a very simple DIY job. You can test by accessing the secret menu (have a search to find out how to access this) and choosing option 4 (I think), good MAFS should be given a reading of about 140 or more simply engage sport in 3rd gear at about 3000rpm, the car should feel like it lurches forward. The thermostat is also poor, if the water temp gauge doesn't get above 1/3 it's gone, budget about £200. The VANOS can rattle on idle, this is not an issue apart from the noise itself and disappears under load.
They were facelifted in 2001, a lot of cosmetic stuff like angel eye headlights, new rear lights, wide screen monitor in the dash, grey dials, it looks generally fresher all round. The VANOS was also modified which makes it more reliable.
Obviously history is important, make sure there's no nasty noises anywhere etc.
I've read they can be moneypits, but I've had mine a year and have only spent out on consumables and it still feels as tight a a drum. Oh, they are great cars as well!
Also, if you get one, remove the rear silencers from the exhaust, the noise is amazing and it doesn't drone. I did mine a couple of weeks ago, it's the best mod you can do imo.
Great advice above, the m5board buyers guide is comprehensive as are the collection of articles on the BMW 5 forum. Just to point out the obvious as a recent buyer myself...these are at least 10 years old now so don't get hung up on mileage (its all about the history), buy privately so you know what kind of person they are and budget for some general maintenance replacement of parts if you're fussy as I suspect most of here are.
Apart from that they are amazing vehicles. I've got a short shift on mine as I think the standard throw is way too long. Improves things immensely IMHO.
Apart from that they are amazing vehicles. I've got a short shift on mine as I think the standard throw is way too long. Improves things immensely IMHO.
broster said:
Look out for rot on the fuel filler cap area, boot lid, bottom of the doors, jacking points and rear arches.... To name a few places!
Good cars tho, excellent performance for the £££
Plenty of great advice already, but I'll echo this bit. I looked at a bunch of cars when shopping for mine last year and they all had rot, including the one I ended up buying. Most common spots I came across were inside the fuel filler area and above the rear bumper (two small spots). The bumper one is easily fixed but the fuel filler job is much more involved if you want it done right. The rear brake lines also go and will need doing if they haven't already.Good cars tho, excellent performance for the £££
Above all take your time and ensure you get exactly what you want as there are still plenty to choose from.
Just see this in BB, i've sold mine OP and looking at TVR/911 to replace don't believe the hype IMO with the E39 M5 and if you do really want one take it out for a long, decent test drive:
podman said:
Case in point today OP and typical of my ownership of "fast" cars, M cars, Impreza's and Cossies.
Maybe once of the nicest/fastest cars you can get for budget, 10isk E39 BMW M5, low mileage, full BMW history, only run on Optimax, recently serviced with new pads, discs, braided lines , good fluid ..£800 worth in the last few weeks . Dyno checked and with all its 400BHP
Tidy 750 SRAD, £1,500-£2000, next to no history, run on what ever pump I can get it on quickest, oil change once a year, plugs every 2/3 summers and air filter the same.
After a 60 mile hard , hard thrash and chasing the bike, the car cried enough, brakes went to mush and become "dangerous", clutch gave up the fight and let go...oil temp went up to 125 degrees and the whole thing stank.
We let it cool down for a while but it wasnt a happy bunny and ended up being towed home, the bike run no different from when it was first wheeled out of the garage.
If you want to spend 10K on a car and want decent performance, you need this level of power / power to weight , or anything else feels slow to be honest, ive driven this car and to honest, it feels tepid up to 120MPH, about the same as a 400 maybe.
Be prepared for failures like this to crop up, I understand the clutch and its replacement will cost similar to what you can get a 750 SRAD for and the uprated the calipers the owner now wants, the same again.
Just a small illustration of what a PITA £10,000 400BHP cars are.
Maybe once of the nicest/fastest cars you can get for budget, 10isk E39 BMW M5, low mileage, full BMW history, only run on Optimax, recently serviced with new pads, discs, braided lines , good fluid ..£800 worth in the last few weeks . Dyno checked and with all its 400BHP
Tidy 750 SRAD, £1,500-£2000, next to no history, run on what ever pump I can get it on quickest, oil change once a year, plugs every 2/3 summers and air filter the same.
After a 60 mile hard , hard thrash and chasing the bike, the car cried enough, brakes went to mush and become "dangerous", clutch gave up the fight and let go...oil temp went up to 125 degrees and the whole thing stank.
We let it cool down for a while but it wasnt a happy bunny and ended up being towed home, the bike run no different from when it was first wheeled out of the garage.
If you want to spend 10K on a car and want decent performance, you need this level of power / power to weight , or anything else feels slow to be honest, ive driven this car and to honest, it feels tepid up to 120MPH, about the same as a 400 maybe.
Be prepared for failures like this to crop up, I understand the clutch and its replacement will cost similar to what you can get a 750 SRAD for and the uprated the calipers the owner now wants, the same again.
Just a small illustration of what a PITA £10,000 400BHP cars are.
It was more the :
- epic derailing of what was turning into a useful thread
- Talking about a TVR/911 (sports cars) in the same breathe as the m5 (super saloon). Different beasts and what tickles your fancy will depend on what you want from a car. But blaming the car for not being what you want it to be when it doesn't pretend to be is a little odd.
- The rest of the quote is basically informing us that bikes are quicker than cars (thanks) and that if you take a 10 year old, road prepped performance car out for 'a 60 mile hard , hard thrash' you might boil the fluids and have some problems. I'm not sure any sports or performance car could be exempt from that little issue. Most track days have a concept of cool down laps / areas for this very reason.
I'm really not sure what you expect from an M5 let alone any car and it's fine if you didn't get on with it (even though it seems to be because it has two too many wheels and can't be ragged to within an inch of its life every day)..but blimey don't we half get the message already. I hope that's fed the troll sufficiently.
- epic derailing of what was turning into a useful thread
- Talking about a TVR/911 (sports cars) in the same breathe as the m5 (super saloon). Different beasts and what tickles your fancy will depend on what you want from a car. But blaming the car for not being what you want it to be when it doesn't pretend to be is a little odd.
- The rest of the quote is basically informing us that bikes are quicker than cars (thanks) and that if you take a 10 year old, road prepped performance car out for 'a 60 mile hard , hard thrash' you might boil the fluids and have some problems. I'm not sure any sports or performance car could be exempt from that little issue. Most track days have a concept of cool down laps / areas for this very reason.
I'm really not sure what you expect from an M5 let alone any car and it's fine if you didn't get on with it (even though it seems to be because it has two too many wheels and can't be ragged to within an inch of its life every day)..but blimey don't we half get the message already. I hope that's fed the troll sufficiently.
Tip: check the options carefully.
There have been several versions of the sat nav, I understand some of the earlier ones are a bit naff, and most people end up spending quite a bit of money upgrading them.
Also, not all of them have folding back seats. I just did not imagine that such an option would not be standard on them, that I did not check that mine had it when I bought it. Luckily, turns out it had. Also has the ski bag option, which will be useful for when I buy skis.
Twisted seat issue: it is common for the seats not to adjust well, as the cables age, get too short, and disengage from the motors. Google " e39 seat twisting", you will get plenty of info. Easy DIY I understand, but a pain. (and a good bargaining tool! ;-)
Gearbox cannot be serviced, so make sure it is ok. First one I saw had worn synchros, that means new gearbox.
That's all I can think of, see m5board for buying guides.
Apart from that, had pretty much zero trouble in one year and 10000 miles. Apart from the fuel pump failing, which is classic around that age (it does work hard! ;-)), so if it has not been replaced yet, budget for one. (it is quite cheap)
I like mine, just go buy one.
There have been several versions of the sat nav, I understand some of the earlier ones are a bit naff, and most people end up spending quite a bit of money upgrading them.
Also, not all of them have folding back seats. I just did not imagine that such an option would not be standard on them, that I did not check that mine had it when I bought it. Luckily, turns out it had. Also has the ski bag option, which will be useful for when I buy skis.
Twisted seat issue: it is common for the seats not to adjust well, as the cables age, get too short, and disengage from the motors. Google " e39 seat twisting", you will get plenty of info. Easy DIY I understand, but a pain. (and a good bargaining tool! ;-)
Gearbox cannot be serviced, so make sure it is ok. First one I saw had worn synchros, that means new gearbox.
That's all I can think of, see m5board for buying guides.
Apart from that, had pretty much zero trouble in one year and 10000 miles. Apart from the fuel pump failing, which is classic around that age (it does work hard! ;-)), so if it has not been replaced yet, budget for one. (it is quite cheap)
I like mine, just go buy one.
Look at and drive as many as you can and even if you get a good one keep some cash in reserve in case you get any little surprises. Oh, and get a decent a decent exhaust or muffler delete. This is by far the best upgrade you can do and £ for £ its a no brainer.
Your TVR is lovely by the way.
Your TVR is lovely by the way.
996 sps said:
Just see this in BB, i've sold mine OP and looking at TVR/911 to replace don't believe the hype IMO with the E39 M5 and if you do really want one take it out for a long, decent test drive:
Wooh, you're saying that an e39 M5 would struggle to live with a 750cc motobike? That after hammering it for 60 miles in the attempt the fluids got hot? That the bike is cheaper? After all, I'm sure the remit for the engineers at M Division was to deliver a car that could see off motorbikes and not deliver all round fun and performance wrapped in a luxury saloon. podman said:
Case in point today OP and typical of my ownership of "fast" cars, M cars, Impreza's and Cossies.
Maybe once of the nicest/fastest cars you can get for budget, 10isk E39 BMW M5, low mileage, full BMW history, only run on Optimax, recently serviced with new pads, discs, braided lines , good fluid ..£800 worth in the last few weeks . Dyno checked and with all its 400BHP
Tidy 750 SRAD, £1,500-£2000, next to no history, run on what ever pump I can get it on quickest, oil change once a year, plugs every 2/3 summers and air filter the same.
After a 60 mile hard , hard thrash and chasing the bike, the car cried enough, brakes went to mush and become "dangerous", clutch gave up the fight and let go...oil temp went up to 125 degrees and the whole thing stank.
We let it cool down for a while but it wasnt a happy bunny and ended up being towed home, the bike run no different from when it was first wheeled out of the garage.
If you want to spend 10K on a car and want decent performance, you need this level of power / power to weight , or anything else feels slow to be honest, ive driven this car and to honest, it feels tepid up to 120MPH, about the same as a 400 maybe.
Be prepared for failures like this to crop up, I understand the clutch and its replacement will cost similar to what you can get a 750 SRAD for and the uprated the calipers the owner now wants, the same again.
Just a small illustration of what a PITA £10,000 400BHP cars are.
Maybe once of the nicest/fastest cars you can get for budget, 10isk E39 BMW M5, low mileage, full BMW history, only run on Optimax, recently serviced with new pads, discs, braided lines , good fluid ..£800 worth in the last few weeks . Dyno checked and with all its 400BHP
Tidy 750 SRAD, £1,500-£2000, next to no history, run on what ever pump I can get it on quickest, oil change once a year, plugs every 2/3 summers and air filter the same.
After a 60 mile hard , hard thrash and chasing the bike, the car cried enough, brakes went to mush and become "dangerous", clutch gave up the fight and let go...oil temp went up to 125 degrees and the whole thing stank.
We let it cool down for a while but it wasnt a happy bunny and ended up being towed home, the bike run no different from when it was first wheeled out of the garage.
If you want to spend 10K on a car and want decent performance, you need this level of power / power to weight , or anything else feels slow to be honest, ive driven this car and to honest, it feels tepid up to 120MPH, about the same as a 400 maybe.
Be prepared for failures like this to crop up, I understand the clutch and its replacement will cost similar to what you can get a 750 SRAD for and the uprated the calipers the owner now wants, the same again.
Just a small illustration of what a PITA £10,000 400BHP cars are.
It's obviously not for you, fair enough, your opinion is as valid as anyone's, but ridiculous comparisons to bikes are totally pointless.
OP, have you considered of a £1500 750 SRAD instead? I believe they run rings around an M5.
lots of good stuff here, just go in with your eyes open and a reserve for things that can go pop or you want replacing. Mine is a 2001 facelift.
to date in 8 months I have spent
2 new rear tyres
removal of small corrosion spot top of rear bumper and new black trim for the front
new brake pipe (corrosion)
rubber seal for window
alloy refurb
and an inspection 1 service
soon to get silencers removed
all in all though not 1 reliability issue and no big unexpected bills, she has always started, runs well and looks great and I never regretted buying her. I think these cars are relatively bulletproof if they have been looked after, the ones to avoid are the ones that have been thrashed or neglected and you can tell those very quickly usually. I wouldnt have an issue getting one with 150k miles on the clock if it has been looked after
to date in 8 months I have spent
2 new rear tyres
removal of small corrosion spot top of rear bumper and new black trim for the front
new brake pipe (corrosion)
rubber seal for window
alloy refurb
and an inspection 1 service
soon to get silencers removed
all in all though not 1 reliability issue and no big unexpected bills, she has always started, runs well and looks great and I never regretted buying her. I think these cars are relatively bulletproof if they have been looked after, the ones to avoid are the ones that have been thrashed or neglected and you can tell those very quickly usually. I wouldnt have an issue getting one with 150k miles on the clock if it has been looked after
feanor75 said:
I wouldnt have an issue getting one with 150k miles on the clock if it has been looked after
+1Buy on condition and and drive it!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedd...
Brother in law has been in one for @ 5 years now & i have done all his repairs.
In that time its had no breakdowns (bar a tyre blow out no spare just some goo in the boot)
In its time bar servicing its needed front pads & discs & rear pads once (are warped so need doing agin) front control arms a set of diff seals (quite common i believe) handbrake cable (seized)a viscous fan coupling & one lambda sensor.
Tbh i thing thats amazing for the performance & apart from its appetite for tires (drives so much better on Michelins) its been a cheap car to run!
In that time its had no breakdowns (bar a tyre blow out no spare just some goo in the boot)
In its time bar servicing its needed front pads & discs & rear pads once (are warped so need doing agin) front control arms a set of diff seals (quite common i believe) handbrake cable (seized)a viscous fan coupling & one lambda sensor.
Tbh i thing thats amazing for the performance & apart from its appetite for tires (drives so much better on Michelins) its been a cheap car to run!
neiljohnson said:
Brother in law has been in one for @ 5 years now & i have done all his repairs.
In that time its had no breakdowns (bar a tyre blow out no spare just some goo in the boot)
In its time bar servicing its needed front pads & discs & rear pads once (are warped so need doing agin) front control arms a set of diff seals (quite common i believe) handbrake cable (seized)a viscous fan coupling & one lambda sensor.
Tbh i thing thats amazing for the performance & apart from its appetite for tires (drives so much better on Michelins) its been a cheap car to run!
Mine needed new discs due to warping, they were done under warranty, must be a common problem. You are right about the diff seals, mine also started to leak oil from the rocker cover so worth checking. In that time its had no breakdowns (bar a tyre blow out no spare just some goo in the boot)
In its time bar servicing its needed front pads & discs & rear pads once (are warped so need doing agin) front control arms a set of diff seals (quite common i believe) handbrake cable (seized)a viscous fan coupling & one lambda sensor.
Tbh i thing thats amazing for the performance & apart from its appetite for tires (drives so much better on Michelins) its been a cheap car to run!
Check the Aux fan works for the Aircon too. (If it doesnt the temp with rise a lot in traffic/when idling).
ewan221 said:
Thanks for brilliant response lots of good info and appreciated the positive comments on my wee TVR. Must admit I'm finding the M5 option very temping (was originally thinking XKR).
Is there a UK M5 forum ?
Your best bet is probably still the M5 Board, where you'll find all the info you could possibly learn (and more) on these cars. Most of the members are yanks, but quite a few E39 owners are Brits too. You'll be welcomed for sure.Is there a UK M5 forum ?
In truth, I am one of the harbingers of doom when it comes to the M5. I've owned five of them (three E4s and two E39s) and all have been money pits. However, I am willing to concede that because I like my cars perfect, a >£10k, 400bhp, ten year old car will take a lot to make absolutely spot on. So that's all I'll say. Buy wisely (something I have been guilty of ignoring in the past) and you could well get a car that will behave itself. Failures are generally expensive though, so be wary.
Otherwise, I still cannot think of a better all-round car in which to do big speeds in for sustained periods of time. I miss my E39s a lot, (despite the grief I had) and may well have another as a daily hack. It's the Jekyll/Hyde persona which makes them so well regarded; docile as a diesel Mondeo one minute, 911 chaser the next (and Lord knows I chased a few).
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