Green on green e39 M5 - intergalactic mileage

Green on green e39 M5 - intergalactic mileage

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Nurburgsingh

Original Poster:

5,104 posts

237 months

Thursday 14th September 2017
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Evening all, I'm a bit late starting this this thread. I've recently picked up a 2000 E39 M5 finished in Oxford Green with green heritage leather interior.



By no means a garage queen... she's been around the block...



....two hundred thousand times!

I went into it with my eyes wide shut and I left my senses on the kitchen table before I left the house.

I've managed a few days driving, and it mostly all works, sort off.
It's been a while since I had an M car and I've missed it terribly, I can't believe I waited this long to get back into an M5 - it's amazing!
There was a lot of paperwork with the car, lots of bills to wade through, most of it good and then there was a heart stopping moment... a bill from a certain herr Bongard in Adenau..

That nearly floored me.. "Oh...tits.. its been rolled at Brunchen!! " thankfully a quick google later and it turns out it was a coolant leak tens of thousands of miles ago so that was panic over.

With all of the scare stories of things falling and monsterous ownership costs I drove it very very carefully for a few days. Every rattle, squeak, knock and thud had me picturing £10notes flying out of my wallet like Bats at dusk.

So I figured I'd get it looked over and work out if I'd bought a pup.. off to my local bmw specialist.
Couple of hours later I get the call.. it starts with "are you sitting down" .... arse! This isn't going well.

" on the whole it's a good car, just some age related things that need to be looked at"

What came next sounded like he was just reading a list of every part that's needed to build a new car..

... almost

So I figured in for a penny in for a pound.. the engine and gearbox are all good.. it's just everything else around them!!

So new bushes all round - ALL round.
New brake lines - while the rear subframe is off
New gearbox mounts
Diff oil change - as they fix the leak
New pads and disks
New tyres
Refurb wheels
Redo the crap fix on the jacking points
New locking wheel nut
Calliper rebuild

.... and then I'll sort out bits of trim and stuff...




MOTK

308 posts

133 months

Thursday 14th September 2017
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Bearing in mind buying a car with probably half that mileage you ( or most definitely I) might be thinking of doing much the same work, I'd say that's most likely a bargain. Caveat being I have no idea how much you paid for it of course;)
Love Oxford Green and these cars. Get it back to Adenau I say in full health.whistle

pottman

320 posts

254 months

Thursday 14th September 2017
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Congratulations. Definitely the best colour for an M car.



hippy

Nurburgsingh

Original Poster:

5,104 posts

237 months

Thursday 14th September 2017
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Very nice Pottman!!

Ok so today's dilemma has been KW or Bilstein ?

What have others done ?

_Marvin

134 posts

100 months

Thursday 14th September 2017
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If you're looking for stockish ride comfort, better body control (than the inevitably knackered stock dampers), a slight drop in height, then the Bilstein B8 + Intrax springs combo is rated very well (all available from Evolve, but you can save ~£150 by buying the dampers elsewhere).

I've got ST XA coilovers on mine, and with them approaching their softest settings they're fine, but I do kind of wish I'd gone down the B8 + Intrax route as it's a daily and I don't make use of the adjustability.

LaurasOtherHalf

21,429 posts

195 months

Thursday 14th September 2017
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Gorgeous

PowerslideSWE

1,116 posts

137 months

Friday 15th September 2017
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Nurburgsingh said:
Very nice Pottman!!

Ok so today's dilemma has been KW or Bilstein ?

What have others done ?
Mine has new Bilstein B14 (PSS9?) the fixed rate ones and strangely enough I find them a little too stiff at high speeds on un-even surfaces, especially in the rear.
Driven in town or at a non-lunatic speeds they are great however, very compliant and not un-comfortable. Mine is very close to stock ride height, maybe 1cm lower. The car is on 19's however which may contribute to the bumpiness having lower sidewall tyres.






As I said in the other thread, the colour combo is just bhing, and a very brave buy at those miles, mine is at 88.000 and it makes me nervous of impending doom biggrin

Edited by PowerslideSWE on Friday 15th September 14:24

RichardM5

1,733 posts

135 months

Friday 15th September 2017
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I do like Oxford green, but it has to be kept swirl free as it can look very tired. But when it's well looked after I think it's stunning.

I assume by 'Green on Green' you mean it ha the 'English Green' seats, if so that's pretty rare, only 16 UK cars, 11 with standard Heritage and 5 with full leather.

Looks like it's got the old black dial cluster too, if all the pixels are working then that's a nice and rare thing to have.

SebringMan

1,773 posts

185 months

Friday 15th September 2017
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TBH the mileage wouldn't worry me. They are now a 20 year old design.

That repair list doesn't look too bad either. Many E39s will need a number of new bushes by now if they are to be driven, irrespective of mileage.

The colour is a lovely choice.

FWIW the subframe bushes in my E46 M3 were shot at half of those miles. Just changing them for Poly items from SuperPro has transformed the car. It is one of the few night and day difference chances that I have done to the car.

BTW, is that you Lali? If so how are you keeping? Do you still go down to Kevin and his lads on a few occasions?

CB 987

382 posts

146 months

Friday 15th September 2017
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Love this, really nice to see the investment being made!

Oxford Green is my favourite colour on these, a couple of years ago I was offered a late facelift in OG with Caramel Heritage Leather. Unfortunately the timing was all wrong, I still regret it now! I am still tempted, if the right car comes up.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Cheers.

(P.S if you ever consider selling it let me know)

Nurburgsingh

Original Poster:

5,104 posts

237 months

Friday 15th September 2017
quotequote all
SebringMan said:
TDo you still go down to Kevin and his lads on a few occasions?
yes

Not quite the every week I used to... but EMC still look after my 993 and stuff.

Nurburgsingh

Original Poster:

5,104 posts

237 months

Friday 15th September 2017
quotequote all
Rear subframe with the powerflex bushes fitted. The guys at Crackly Garage are storming through it.




Turns out the calipers are fine, so I'll bank that saving towards an AP kit later.

New brake lines are also in and they also fitted new handbrake cables.

Should be back with me next weekend

pottman

320 posts

254 months

Friday 15th September 2017
quotequote all
CB 987 said:
Love this, really nice to see the investment being made!

Oxford Green is my favourite colour on these, a couple of years ago I was offered a late facelift in OG with Caramel Heritage Leather. Unfortunately the timing was all wrong, I still regret it now! I am still tempted, if the right car comes up.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Cheers.

(P.S if you ever consider selling it let me know)
PM me if you are serious ....

hippy

Nurburgsingh

Original Poster:

5,104 posts

237 months

Friday 15th September 2017
quotequote all
I forgot I took some pics of the inside..



And the important part of the inside



It needs a bloody good scrub!

Nurburgsingh

Original Poster:

5,104 posts

237 months

Friday 15th September 2017
quotequote all
So I've been doing some more digging... and it looks like there used to be a way to fit Porsche calipers on e39's...

https://www.zeckhausen.com/catalog/index.php?cPath...

Anyone know anything about it? Anyone got them fitted in their car?

I've got a spare set of Porsche brakes so this would be a massive cost saving over an AP or similar kit

RS Grant

1,416 posts

232 months

Saturday 16th September 2017
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Love an E39 M5, will be keeping an eye on this thread.

It's great to see one wearing it's miles so well too; that leather on the drivers seat might look a little used, but nothing like you might expect the leather in a car with 220k+ miles to look.


Cheers,
Grant

SebringMan

1,773 posts

185 months

Sunday 17th September 2017
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RS Grant said:
Love an E39 M5, will be keeping an eye on this thread.

It's great to see one wearing it's miles so well too; that leather on the drivers seat might look a little used, but nothing like you might expect the leather in a car with 220k+ miles to look.


Cheers,
Grant
A number of high milers generally are people who IME tend to take care of them ; after all, the car is necessary to them smile.

That and I have a suspicion and a few lower mileage cars don't wear their miles as well for a reason but I am cynic smile.

Nurburgsingh

Original Poster:

5,104 posts

237 months

Sunday 17th September 2017
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The picture makes it look worse than it is. It truly is in exceptional condition for the mileage. It's worn much much better than my newer 1 series leather.

As for the brace pills.. well I figure if it's got to 220k miles then anything that has gone wrong must have been replaced to get it this far!?

Was looking at the jacking points with the garage yesterday. It's going to go off to the body shop to have them sorted and then I'll get the underside treated to make sure it's ready for its winter driving.


Oh... Does anyone know if the E39M5 and E36M3 had the same/similar front brake set up? I think I've got a line on some brackets designed to fit Porsche calipers to an M3.

I'll keep you all posted either way

Edited by Nurburgsingh on Sunday 17th September 17:28

_Marvin

134 posts

100 months

Sunday 17th September 2017
quotequote all
I don't believe they do, the calipers are different as well (they're big buggers on the M5). The general consensus appears to be that you'd need some monster brakes from a 911 or Cayenne to get the same pad area, but it's not an area of expertise. More popular seems to be fitting Porsche brakes to the rear as a less expensive rear BBK to match a 'proper' front BBK.

Nurburgsingh

Original Poster:

5,104 posts

237 months

Sunday 17th September 2017
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I'm not sure our ideas of what "big buggers" are is the same...
These look woefully inadequate, which is why everyone upgrades I guess...


It's something I'll work out over the winter. For now I'm just itching to get it back so I can drive the bugger!!