E39 530i Sport

[richard300]

Bought this a week ago (although known the car since 2009).

When i picked it up it looked like this:




I have since given the car a really good clean (the inside was particularly grubby) and done a few subtle things including:

• Replaced both front fog lamps.
• Re-fitted the original rear lights
• Colour coded the grille 'T-Piece' - it was silver for some reason.
• Added a 3mm silver coachline just below the swage line (the car was just to black with tinted windows)
• Fitted an ///M badge to the bootlid (I think i am going to bin that though and fit a '530i' badge
• Replaced the horrid metal 'Allen key bolt' Tax disc holder with a normal black magnetic one.

I also put the car through an MOT (Total bill £35.00)

Tomorrow the car is having an oil change using BMW LL spec 5W-30 engine oil and the air & oil filter will be changed along with the spark plugs and rear brake pads.


Some pics taken today:

Edited by richard300 on Sunday 31st March 17:31

[JimNotJon]

Have always loved these cars, glad you have decided against the M Badge, my biggest bugbear on a BMW is it being badged up as something it isn't. Not so sure on the idea of the chrome stickered swage line however the photos might not do it justice. The wheels look great though being diamond cut, i'd be tempted to return the door cards back to standard spec and just upgrade the stock components. Tidy looking 5er though!

[richard300]

Thanks.... The coach-line does look a little distorted in the picture, and it's matt silver as opposed to chrome.

I agree completely with putting 'something it's not' badges on cars which is why i would not put an M5 badge on the car, but i thought i'd give the M-tech badge ago as its an M-tech car. But it's going either way. I do think it needs something on the back, so i'll go for the 530i badge.

I did look into putting the door cards back to original but it was going to be a lot of bother - However, the previous owner has a bespoke grille cover for each door that he's going to did out of his garage for me (Hopefully that will make the doors look much better.

Edited by richard300 on Friday 29th March 17:25

[_Nathan_]

Love those polished M parelels !

Needs an OEM stereo though.

[richard300]

As with the speakers - it's going to be a pain to put an OE head unit back in the car (I looked into it)
I have to say i'm not really into all this stereo stuff and do like OE head units, but the Alpine that's in there has hands free function for my I-Phone and a USB port as well as being able to control all the speakers in the door and the sub in the boot.

It's also got some Clifford gizmo that allows me to start (and stop) the car remotely.

[ukzz4iroc]

Very nice indeed sir.

[lindrup119]

Looks pretty tidy! Agree with the badge comments though, but if it was me I'd just leave all badges completely off it, or under badge it instead

[FlashBastd]

Lovely looking car, wheels are excellent. Not sure about the brown inside; beige / cream yes, but the brown doesn't do it for me. Nonetheless a lovely car.

[Luca Brasi]

Beautiful E39! These facelift sport models still look so fresh imo. Get rid of the alu trim inside though, clashes with the beige leather. Wood trim looks a lot better.

[Amirhussain]

Beauty. Love the alloys as well, look very nice on this E39.

[BeirutTaxi]

Nice car Anyone who knows what "///M" means will just think "Why is there an ///M badge" on a non ///M car? "

[BlimeyCharlie]

richard300 said:

Thanks.... The coach-line does look a little distorted in the picture, and it's matt silver as opposed to chrome.

I agree completely with putting 'something it's not' badges on cars which is why i would not put an M5 badge on the car, but i thought i'd give the M-tech badge ago as its an M-tech car. But it's going either way. I do think it needs something on the back, so i'll go for the 530i badge.

I did look into putting the door cards back to original but it was going to be a lot of bother - However, the previous owner has a bespoke grille cover for each door that he's going to did out of his garage for me (Hopefully that will make the doors look much better.

Edited by richard300 on Friday 29th March 17:25

I am being slightly naughty here, but I just don't get the whole 'M' badge thing.

M-tech is not an M5, or 'M' car of any description, or it would have an M5 badge etc.

Please let us know your exact thought process behind the 'M' badge please. It is a nice car, but it ain't an M5.
It is a 530, so either take the 530 badge off, leaving it blank (so what) or have a 530 badge on it.

Please don't 'explain' that M-Tech is M, because it is not. Hence why it is spelt differently! And priced differently of course.

Like I said earlier, please explain the exact logic behind the badging, as to me it is rather like the Cosworth look-unlike cars we used to have many years ago (cheap insurance as only a 1.1.).

[richard300]

The plain motorsports Badge simply stands for M-tech upgrades on the car, suspension, brakes, looks or any other mod that has been developed by the ///M division.

So therefore the ///M badge should not under any circumstances be compared to the ///M+number badge. BMW has for example, had these ///M options on the regular cars since the late 1970s, which explains why some cars that carry these ///M-badges.

So long as there is not a 3/5/6 etc following the '///M' badge then the '///M' badge does not stand for Motorsport.

Also... BMW themselves have chosen to put at least 9x '///M' badges around the car.

1 on each wheel
1 on each door tread plate and one on the steering wheel
And if my car was a manual there would likely be one on the Gearknob...

Again - there is a massive difference between an ///M badge and an ///M5 badge and my car does not have an ///M5 badge!

Edited by richard300 on Saturday 30th March 07:30

[Howard-]

That's very smart and a great colour combination! Needs more speakers in the doors though.

[BeirutTaxi]

Howard- said:

That's very smart and a great colour combination! Needs more speakers in the doors though.

And less ///M badges on the boot

[steviejasp]

Forthaven?

[richard300]

Forthaven indeed - well spotted!!

Just clocked your username and previous cars..... we used to be neighbors and you used to house your Chevelle in our garage (Loose Lane).

Edited by richard300 on Saturday 30th March 17:21

Edited by richard300 on Saturday 30th March 17:22

[steviejasp]

AHA! Hi Richard. How are you? Car looks lovely.

[BountyHunter]

advertised already ?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-530i-M-Sport-E39-Aut...

[tbc]

BountyHunter said:

advertised already ?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-530i-M-Sport-E39-Aut...

Thats a cracking looking car for the money especially in the black and tan combo