E39 540i - bargain or potential moneypit?

[JQ]

I need a cheap runaround for 6 months and the above has peaked my interest. Circa £3,500 for one with 100,000 miles.

Are they any known issues I should be looking out for? I don't do many miles so 15 mpg won't hurt too much.

[anonymous-user]

Plenty of buyers guides around for the E39 with a bit of a google.

Rust hidden in the sills is becoming a real E39 killer. Also rust not hidden in lots of other places.

Cooling system does not age well, hoses need to have been replaced - most probably have by now.
Leaking rocker cover gaskets.
Ignition switches or a weak battery can cause a whole host of random electrical issues.
“E39 shimmy” - possible to waste a lot of money replacing bits to try and resolve a shimmy through the steering.

A good one is wonderful, don’t throw money away trying to fix up a ropey one.

[kiethton]

Had one for 4 years, a 2003 sport and sold it finally in July. Key things are:

Cooling system - make sure it's been replaced or budget to do so

Rust - goes on rear arches/boot lid/petrol cap area/sills - if coming from near plastic covers (e.g. Sills) it's far worse behind.

Dash pixels - common for them to go and annoying

Remote locking - stops working it's a new key, not a new battery

They can get through suspension components so check them for age/condition/MOT history

Auto box - can play up. Check for smoothness of gear changes, clunking, ease moving between 1st and reverse and throbbing under constant load/gear (torque converter - how mine went)

Alternator/hedgehogs - latter cheap but fiddly, former, expensive - I had both

Rocker gaskets leak - I just topped up as and when

Vanos can tick, if it's running well it'll be fine

Great cars though, I half regret selling mine but well cared for cars are few and far between.

FYI mine was written off and I got paid out £5.5k Apr-17, bought back and fixed (cheaply/badly) for £1500, sold again for £2.5k in July (bond had gone)

[J.R.B.]

Loved mine but as said they can throw up some large bills. Bought mine as a stop gap after having my car stolen and ended up keeping it for 4 years.

[RSTurboPaul]

Thanks to everyone contributing to this thread, it's really useful for future reference.

I've looked at these longingly for a while, but I fear the ruinously expensive bork-factor!

[JQ]

RSTurboPaul said:

Thanks to everyone contributing to this thread, it's really useful for future reference.

I've looked at these longingly for a while, but I fear the ruinously expensive bork-factor!

Yep, that's the conclusion I'm coming to. Unfortunately I've been in one with the exhaust scuba tank removal mod and they sound epic, I can't help but keep listening to them on Youtube.

[kiethton]

On that note I was gifted (by a PH'er) a replacement exhaust section for my 540i with one of the rear-most silencers removed, with it never fitted and the car now gone its available FOC to anybody that wants it? (I'm SE London based)

[RobinRhysJones]

If you buy a bad one it can get very expensive. A good one and you might be ok for a few months.

I’d also watch out for the ticking, the plastic timing guides are a ticking time bomb.