2002 E39 530i Touring - Japanese import

[d_a_n1979]

beambeam1 said:

As you're already aware, my car had a recent application using 3M Body Schutz Coating. It's clear there are so many variances of products offering the same type of protection so I can understand why you might prefer a certain type ie. clear finish.

Liking the ferric grey idea, be interesting to see how that looks against the silver!

Thanks for that; I think ferric grey will work well. The gunmetal of my alloys now works with the silver paintwork of the car; I just think the slightly lighter ferric grey and it's metallic pop will give the alloys a bit of 'lift' if that makes sense?

But when I drop my alloys off; I'll look at their colours more closely and make a decision then

Agree re the underseal too; there are so many variations it's hard to decide which to go for.

And having thought about it; I'll be undersealing areas that cannot be seen (inside wheel arches, sills etc), so maybe aiming for a clear coating is narrowing it down too much

[d_a_n1979]

First full hand-wash & detail of 2021

Pre-wash applied; to all 4 wheels, wheel arches, sills and lower quarters of the car, rinsed. Autoglym Polar Blast snowfoamed & left to dwell for 10mins or so, rinsed; AG Ultimate Shampoo hand washed, rinsed, AG Polar Seal applied, rinsed, towel dried.

All door shuts towel dried including the tailgate areas; tyres treated with Chemical Guys Tire & Trim Gel; load area black plastics & all 4 corner bump strips treated with the Tire & Trim gel too

Exhaust tail pipe polished with Autosol & buffing drill attachment

Forecast for the next 4 days; heavy rain

Edited by d_a_n1979 on Wednesday 17th February 15:48

[DC.11]

d_a_n1979 said:

I have got another set of Style 66s, 17x8s all round. So they're being dropped off to be refurbed and I think I'm going to go with BMW ferric grey or a lighter anthracite I think; powdercoat and lacquer

I've recently refurbished my MV3's in Ferric Grey, and whilst they look good when perfectly clean, they can look a little 'flat' at other times. Here they are having just been re-fitted:





On a previous Titan Silver car, I had my 208m refurbished in Shadow Chrome, which would look quite different dependent on the light conditions:







Hope this helps the decision making process.

[d_a_n1979]

DC.11 said:

d_a_n1979 said:

I have got another set of Style 66s, 17x8s all round. So they're being dropped off to be refurbed and I think I'm going to go with BMW ferric grey or a lighter anthracite I think; powdercoat and lacquer

I've recently refurbished my MV3's in Ferric Grey, and whilst they look good when perfectly clean, they can look a little 'flat' at other times. Here they are having just been re-fitted:





On a previous Titan Silver car, I had my 208m refurbished in Shadow Chrome, which would look quite different dependent on the light conditions:







Hope this helps the decision making process.

Thanks for that

Your picture of Ferric Grey looks a lot lighter than the pic I used on the previous page...

I will have a good look over their paint samples before I make a concrete decision; I do want to keep them a darker grey, as per my winter Style 66 alloys are now. Think that contrast works really well

[DC.11]

I agree, the contrast you have with the winters is perfect in my opinion.

Great thread BTW!

[d_a_n1979]

DC.11 said:

I agree, the contrast you have with the winters is perfect in my opinion.

Great thread BTW!

Thank you

I agree; the darker gunmetal grey does work really well. That, done professionally, powdercoated and lacquered too will make them look even better

[d_a_n1979]

Typical of silver cars; but the paintwork I had done recently has had a few niggles...

The rear passenger door has got bit of a 'halo' where it's been blended in. I've only just noticed it and it seems to have appeared over time; a very common issue unfortunately. It's hard to see; my Dad & father in law cannot see it; it won't be captured on camera, but at the right angle in the right light; it's there I thought it was reflections to start off with...

So my body shop pal is going to redo that part and blend the paintwork in further (probably onto the rear quarter fully) and then he's going to give the whole car a full professional detail & polish and fill a few very small stone chips the front end has already picked up

It'll be a 19 year old car in October; I'm not expecting 100%; but it'll look amazing I'm sure

Other set of 17x8 Style 66s to be dropped off as well for a full refurb; still haven't decided their colour. But for tyres; I'm going to go with either Falken FK510s or Uniroyal RainSport 5s I think

[B'stard Child]

d_a_n1979 said:

It'll be a 19 year old car in October; I'm not expecting 100%; but it'll look amazing I'm sure

It looks amazing now for it's age

d_a_n1979 said:

Other set of 17x8 Style 66s to be dropped off as well for a full refurb; still haven't decided their colour. But for tyres; I'm going to go with either Falken FK510s or Uniroyal RainSport 5s I think

I've got Rainsport 5's on the SLK - but I've always been a bit of a Uniroyal fan boi

The Falken 310's I have on the E38 seem quite good so far - very quiet (I can't abide tyre noise and some tyres are terrible for it)

[d_a_n1979]

B'stard Child said:

d_a_n1979 said:

It'll be a 19 year old car in October; I'm not expecting 100%; but it'll look amazing I'm sure

It looks amazing now for it's age

d_a_n1979 said:

Other set of 17x8 Style 66s to be dropped off as well for a full refurb; still haven't decided their colour. But for tyres; I'm going to go with either Falken FK510s or Uniroyal RainSport 5s I think

I've got Rainsport 5's on the SLK - but I've always been a bit of a Uniroyal fan boi

The Falken 310's I have on the E38 seem quite good so far - very quiet (I can't abide tyre noise and some tyres are terrible for it)

Yeah it does; it's immaculate compared to 99.9% of UK cars, simply with it being a Jap import. But up close there were the issues that needed sorting and now it's just little bits and sods law that the paints reacted this way. But as we all know, silver cars are a sod for colour matching!

I loved the RainSport 3s I had on my previous E39, albeit in 19" size. Falkens I've never ran before; but know they're well thought of by Sreten of M539_Restorations fame really rates them, so that sells them for me I think it'll be down to best price when I sort tyres

I don't need nor want to spend mopney on premium tyres (ie PS4s or Conti 6s etc); but I am still considering the Goodyear F1s though too...

[mercedeslimos]

Always found Conti to be horrendous for tyre noise, Goodyear Asymmetric seem to be good and quiet but life is measured in minutes. Running Kumho at the moment which seem to be OK but not in the same grip league, but also cant justify Pilot Sport etc for a 35k a year car.

[JakeT]

mercedeslimos said:

Always found Conti to be horrendous for tyre noise, Goodyear Asymmetric seem to be good and quiet but life is measured in minutes. Running Kumho at the moment which seem to be OK but not in the same grip league, but also cant justify Pilot Sport etc for a 35k a year car.

On similar cars, driven on similar routes by me I found that Michelin Pilot Sport 4s lasted twice as long as Kumho Escta PS71s. Both on E46 BMW 3 series. The Kumhos were a great tyre for the price and I would buy them again, but the Michelin tyres were really quite good value for money.

[d_a_n1979]

JakeT said:

mercedeslimos said:

Always found Conti to be horrendous for tyre noise, Goodyear Asymmetric seem to be good and quiet but life is measured in minutes. Running Kumho at the moment which seem to be OK but not in the same grip league, but also cant justify Pilot Sport etc for a 35k a year car.

On similar cars, driven on similar routes by me I found that Michelin Pilot Sport 4s lasted twice as long as Kumho Escta PS71s. Both on E46 BMW 3 series. The Kumhos were a great tyre for the price and I would buy them again, but the Michelin tyres were really quite good value for money.

Not surprised; the compound that Michelin use is superb; but I've found it to go very hard over time and then I got a lot of droning and I'm not the only one to say this...

For the c3-4k miles I might do this year; PS4s are overkill for my needs.

Plus as the E39 tourings are much firmer damped on the rear due to the SLS, I want a tyre that has a bit of a softer sidewall; hence the FK510s or RainSport 5s. The ride is firm with the all new suspension; it was quite crashy on rough roads on the Vredestein Ultrac Vorti's unfortunately, albeit they were 18" sizes.

I want good wet & dry grip as well as a more compliant ride

[LetsTryAgain]

I love Uniroyals. They go on every daily driver I have whenever I need new tyres.

[Court_S]

The car is looking good in the photos. Bummer about the paint issues though.

I’ve started using AG Polar Blast. It’s good stuff but it’s a sod for hanging around on the driveway afterwards. I’m not sure the cleaning power is better than the Bilt Hamber I’ve been using to date (I know you’re not a fan of the Bilt Hamber).

I’m looking forward (sad I know) to some detailing days over the meet few weeks. Both cars need doing a s the weather is finally getting better and I’ve just taken deliver of my spring stock up.

[d_a_n1979]

Court_S said:

The car is looking good in the photos. Bummer about the paint issues though.

I’ve started using AG Polar Blast. It’s good stuff but it’s a sod for hanging around on the driveway afterwards. I’m not sure the cleaning power is better than the Bilt Hamber I’ve been using to date (I know you’re not a fan of the Bilt Hamber).

I’m looking forward (sad I know) to some detailing days over the meet few weeks. Both cars need doing a s the weather is finally getting better and I’ve just taken deliver of my spring stock up.

It's not that I'm not a fan of it; I just didn't think it did a very good job when compared to AG Snowfoam... But agree; that stuff does hang around for ages

I am going to back to the BH stuff when my Polar Blast runs out; just to trial it again. It's been nearly 18 months since I used it last and folk have said recently that it seems to be much better than it used to be!

Yeah; paintwork is sods law, typical silver though. As said, it's really hard to tell unless you really look and know where to look. But now I know; it does my nut in haha

I'm waiting for the warmer weather too so I can give the essential areas a good underseal; going to go with the Bilt Hamber clear stuff and then use Lanoguard on the suspension and subframes etc

[Court_S]

d_a_n1979 said:

It's not that I'm not a fan of it; I just didn't think it did a very good job when compared to AG Snowfoam... But agree; that stuff does hang around for ages

I am going to back to the BH stuff when my Polar Blast runs out; just to trial it again. It's been nearly 18 months since I used it last and folk have said recently that it seems to be much better than it used to be!

Yeah; paintwork is sods law, typical silver though. As said, it's really hard to tell unless you really look and know where to look. But now I know; it does my nut in haha

I'm waiting for the warmer weather too so I can give the essential areas a good underseal; going to go with the Bilt Hamber clear stuff and then use Lanoguard on the suspension and subframes etc

I’ve only been using the BH stuff for the last year or so. It doesn’t foam up like the AG, but I think it might be better at lifting road film and cleaning etc. Plus it doesn’t sit at the end of my drive for ages The worst foam I tried was Auto Finesse. That was utter crap.

[LetsTryAgain]

I was a Meguiars (may not be spelled correctly!) man when I used to own cars that I liked enough to keep nice, but recently moved on to Autoglym now as it’s what my Dad uses and reminds me of my childhood.

Almost entirely useless story, and only sort of related, but hey ho.

[d_a_n1979]

LetsTryAgain said:

I love Uniroyals. They go on every daily driver I have whenever I need new tyres.

They've been one of the 'go-to' tyres for me too pal; them and the Nexen N'Fera SU1s which I personally really rate. The cheapest tyre I'll consider too; but they've always done me a great job

[Sf_Manta]

Really enjoying the thread and do like this E39 Touring

Just hope to get my 330i back up and running, not had much luck lately

[d_a_n1979]

Sf_Manta said:

Really enjoying the thread and do like this E39 Touring

Just hope to get my 330i back up and running, not had much luck lately

Sorry to hear that pal; haven't caught up with your thread since you sorted the box and bits

What's up with it currently?