E39 M5 Camshaft sensor. Big deal?

[Ritchie335is]

I am looking for an E39 M5 at the moment and phoned about one this morning.
The car sounds pretty good but the seller told me that the EMS light came on recently.
He had it checked at the dealer and they told him it was a faulty camshaft sensor.
Is this a bit deal to fit? The car has done over 100k.

Edited by Ritchie335is on Saturday 24th October 11:12

[paoloh]

Just had one down on an E39.

Part was about £40 from memory and £20 labour.

[E38]

If the above post is right, then why did the dealer not get it done?

Suggests that they dont want to reveal any more serious problems...

Go see it, tell them to get it fixed and only then will you chat about buying it.

[Neil.D]

Hopefully this link works...

http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/e39-m5-e52-z8-dis...

I know youre not interested how its done but this explains that it is hard.

Neil.D

[Foggy Fields]

We had an M5 in last week to replace all camshaft sensors. Not an easy job. Definetly more than £20 labour. I will check how long it actually took tomorrow.

[paoloh]

Foggy Fields said:

We had an M5 in last week to replace all camshaft sensors. Not an easy job. Definetly more than £20 labour. I will check how long it actually took tomorrow.

I paid £20 ( trade ) to replace cam shaft sensor.

[mat205125]

It's not a big issue at all, as under no circumstances would you buy a car like an E39 that had an engine management issue without the problem being completely rectified (with a supporting invoice from a dealer or Indy) at the current owners expense.

If its such a minor job, then they will be happy to get it done for the sale to be considered. Without it done, the car is unsaleable without a massive discount .... I'd hope the vendor is being straight with you, and quite possibly is, but its not worth the chance.

[mondeoman]

I've just gone through the pain of stripping the front end of mine, and the camshaft sensors are buried at the back of the camshafts parts 8 and 9 here

You "might" be able to do it by just taking off the air-con duct behind the plenum chamber and get at the bolt that way, but I wouldn't want to try it - you'd be working blind, totally. Minimum for me would be to take of the inlet plenum, intake trumpets, plenum base and even then you have to negotiate around the ignition wiring, which is in trunking... To get that out of the way you have to remove all the coils and covers and possibly the cam-covers as well. This is now about 1.5 hours in, easy. Then the wiring loom, then you should have clear access.

So unless I've missed something, it aint easy

Then I looked at Neil D's link - that way should work...

Edited by mondeoman on Sunday 25th October 23:32

[Fordo]

Ritchie335is said:

I am looking for an E39 M5 at the moment and phoned about one this morning.
The car sounds pretty good but the seller told me that the EMS light came on recently.
He had it checked at the dealer and they told him it was a faulty camshaft sensor.
Is this a bit deal to fit? The car has done over 100k.

Edited by Ritchie335is on Saturday 24th October 11:12

I think we've both been looking at the same M5!

The chap was quite honest about the car via email, but i'm always suspect about engine lights. I emailed back and thanked him for answering all my questions, but i'd only be interested if he got the car repaired and the engine light went away. I havent heard back from him.

[Ritchie335is]

Fordo said:

Ritchie335is said:

I am looking for an E39 M5 at the moment and phoned about one this morning.
The car sounds pretty good but the seller told me that the EMS light came on recently.
He had it checked at the dealer and they told him it was a faulty camshaft sensor.
Is this a bit deal to fit? The car has done over 100k.

Edited by Ritchie335is on Saturday 24th October 11:12

I think we've both been looking at the same M5!

The chap was quite honest about the car via email, but i'm always suspect about engine lights. I emailed back and thanked him for answering all my questions, but i'd only be interested if he got the car repaired and the engine light went away. I havent heard back from him.

I decided not to touch it, i was going to call him and say the same thing as you but didnt bother.
Thanks for the advise!
Is it possible to get a decent facelift M5 for under 10k?
Im beginning to doubt it.

[uggs4u]

I think ive been looking at the same M5 too! Ive told the bloke to get the sensor replaced and i will leave him a deposit till the work is done and take the car afterwards.He just kept fobbing me off saying he doesnt have time...so have decided to give it a miss plenty of other fish in the sea!

[Fordo]

Ritchie335is said:

Fordo said:

Ritchie335is said:

I am looking for an E39 M5 at the moment and phoned about one this morning.
The car sounds pretty good but the seller told me that the EMS light came on recently.
He had it checked at the dealer and they told him it was a faulty camshaft sensor.
Is this a bit deal to fit? The car has done over 100k.

Edited by Ritchie335is on Saturday 24th October 11:12

I think we've both been looking at the same M5!

The chap was quite honest about the car via email, but i'm always suspect about engine lights. I emailed back and thanked him for answering all my questions, but i'd only be interested if he got the car repaired and the engine light went away. I havent heard back from him.

I decided not to touch it, i was going to call him and say the same thing as you but didnt bother.
Thanks for the advise!
Is it possible to get a decent facelift M5 for under 10k?
Im beginning to doubt it.

i know the feeling - when you first start searching, there seem to be quite a few, but they always have issues under 10k. I test drove one a few weeks ago priced at smidge over 10K, at a slightly dodgy looking dealer. (square of tarmac and a portacabin) Car was mechanically spot on, and drove very well indeed, but all the alloys were curbed, and curbed very very badly. I didnt want to buy a car if the past owner cant even park the thing!

[Fordo]

uggs4u said:

I think ive been looking at the same M5 too! Ive told the bloke to get the sensor replaced and i will leave him a deposit till the work is done and take the car afterwards.He just kept fobbing me off saying he doesnt have time...so have decided to give it a miss plenty of other fish in the sea!

thats interesting- he's had 3 people interested now, but he wont get the work done.... hmmmm. I wonder if its more than a cam sensor...