E39 as a daily driver

[Panamax]

If you want a school run car that can be run for Fiesta money - buy a Fiesta.

E39 was a complicated executive car that was expensive to buy and run when it was new. Routine service parts are readily available at sensible price but anything else tends to be ££££. It's also a heavy car and can hammer control arms etc.

Auto transmission should be OK although a preventive fluid change around 100,000 miles is considered a good idea. Any significant auto trouble can easily become ££££

If you buy a 6-pot be careful how you use it. Especially avoid starting a cold engine, moving the car a few feet on your drive and switching it off again. They love to flood the next time you try to re-start and can then become absolute swines. Excess fuel washes the bores, you lose compression and then the thing is even harder to start. Ask me how I know....

I'd be surprised if insurers consider a suitable car for a learner.

[MightyBadger]

Panamax said:

If you buy a 6-pot be careful how you use it. Especially avoid starting a cold engine, moving the car a few feet on your drive and switching it off again. They love to flood the next time you try to re-start and can then become absolute swines. Excess fuel washes the bores, you lose compression and then the thing is even harder to start. Ask me how I know....
.

I have never had or heard if this problem before.

Edit, was yours a bit duff?

Edited by MightyBadger on Friday 11th July 17:51

[M5-911]

MightyBadger said:

I have never had or heard if this problem before.

Edit, was yours a bit duff?

Edited by MightyBadger on Friday 11th July 17:51

A bit surprised as well. Never heard of such issue. 160k with my automatic gear box, no oil change, no issue either.

Edited by M5-911 on Friday 11th July 20:13

[MightyBadger]

M5-911 said:

A bit surprised as well. Never hear of such issue. 160k woth my automatic gear box, no oil change, no issue either.

In two years mine has just had consumables really and stuff the last owner didn't get round to doing. Its had calipers and pads, breaklines (salty cornish mizzle and being parked on grass ate them).

Had ccv refresh. It has been reliable over two years and hasnt left me stranded anywhere.

Future plans are a cooling system overhaul and new clutch as they are now 25 years old. New belt too maybe.

As a daily its a comfy place to be and rides nicely, enough power to be fun and a great noise whilst still looking stylish imho.

I feel I have already had my £2.5ks worth.

[danb79]

Panamax said:

If you want a school run car that can be run for Fiesta money - buy a Fiesta.

E39 was a complicated executive car that was expensive to buy and run when it was new. Routine service parts are readily available at sensible price but anything else tends to be ££££. It's also a heavy car and can hammer control arms etc.

Auto transmission should be OK although a preventive fluid change around 100,000 miles is considered a good idea. Any significant auto trouble can easily become ££££

If you buy a 6-pot be careful how you use it. Especially avoid starting a cold engine, moving the car a few feet on your drive and switching it off again. They love to flood the next time you try to re-start and can then become absolute swines. Excess fuel washes the bores, you lose compression and then the thing is even harder to start. Ask me how I know....

I'd be surprised if insurers consider a suitable car for a learner.

Owned E39s (x3 530i and x1 540i) from 2011 to 2022 and not once did I have any of those issues and they got moved up/down our driveway a lot (long but narrow etc)

I'd say you had a bad experience and maybe an engine with more issues than realised; all 3 of my M54s ran perfectly - they were maintained to within an inch of their lives mind you...

[Mr Tidy]

I ran an E46 325ti Compact for 3 very enjoyable years, and apart from the usual banana shaped radiator and split PAS pipe the only issue I had was when I did several very short drives helping a friend move house.

I ended up with an amber EML and a misfire. On my way home I drove 10 miles or so, turned it off and restarted it. The EML went out and the misfire was cured!

Then I drove 200 miles home and never had another problem.

[Panamax]

Here ya go. Yes, you're right. The problem doesn't exist - that's why people make so many Youtube videos about it,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TNeFEREYb0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUYgSFgc7-c

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhtT74ywjFQ

[danb79]

Mr Tidy said:

I ran an E46 325ti Compact for 3 very enjoyable years, and apart from the usual banana shaped radiator and split PAS pipe the only issue I had was when I did several very short drives helping a friend move house.

I ended up with an amber EML and a misfire. On my way home I drove 10 miles or so, turned it off and restarted it. The EML went out and the misfire was cured!

Then I drove 200 miles home and never had another problem.

That's the correct procedure for fixing an E39 and E46 - switch it off and back on again

[danb79]

Panamax said:

Here ya go. Yes, you're right. The problem doesn't exist - that's why people make so many Youtube videos about it,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TNeFEREYb0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUYgSFgc7-c

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhtT74ywjFQ

Aye ok...

You're ALWAYS going to get issues; someone is always going to make videos about it and no one is saying that it doesn't happen

It does but very far & few between - you're highlighting niggles that rarely crop up re petrol E39s and over-blowing them too

Cam/crank sensors, MAFs, fuel pumps and ignition switches are much more common issues on this period of BMWs - not 'bore wash'

[Huff]

danb79 said:

Aye ok...

You're ALWAYS going to get issues; someone is always going to make videos about it and no one is saying that it doesn't happen

It does but very far & few between - you're highlighting niggles that rarely crop up re petrol E39s and over-blowing them too

Cam/crank sensors, MAFs, fuel pumps and ignition switches are much more common issues on this period of BMWs - not 'bore wash'

Bang-on.

And for these cars, these things are trivial, easy, cheap, hugely-shared know-how available to assist any owner to diagnose & fix yourself at the age these wonderful cars, are. There is simply -just so much community help out there! And - the OEM quality sensors etc, are /still/ widely available, and <shock> really-good-value compared with anything made in the last decade...

& which said- only-ever-fit true OEM equiv parts; cheapo equivs are /always/ a false economy here. 'When you absolutely, positively have to clear every faultcode in the room: Bosch, Siemens -VDO, etc - accept no substitute.'


THEN - just as W.O. Bentley said - 'Quality remains long after the cost is forgotten.'

[McGee_22]

I ve been using my E39 as a daily for the past 15 years or so - being a V8 it s had its cooling system issues as well as some rust. In the past few years I ve had to replace the ABS control unit, Light Control Module, widescreen head unit and nav drive.

Being a V8 I tired of the stupid cooling system failures created in part by the 110 degree thermostat and its effect on the plastic/chocolate cooling system components so about 4 years ago I swapped in an 85 degree thermostat and I ve had no problems since.

When it works it s like driving a brand new car, when it fails it s infuriating that so many accountants got involved in speccing the build quality.

It is a nice looking old thing though



Edit; better pics

Edited by McGee_22 on Saturday 12th July 15:40

[danb79]

McGee_22 said:

I ve been using my E39 as a daily for the past 15 years or so - being a V8 it s had its cooling system issues as well as some rust. In the past few years I ve had to replace the ABS control unit, Light Control Module, widescreen head unit and nav drive.

Being a V8 I tired of the stupid cooling system failures created in part by the 110 degree thermostat and its effect on the plastic/chocolate cooling system components so about 4 years ago I swapped in an 85 degree thermostat and I ve had no problems since.

When it works it s like driving a brand new car, when it fails it s infuriating that so many accountants got involved in speccing the build quality.

It is a nice looking old thing though

This is one thing my pal Chris has done with his newly rebuilt E39 M5 - fitted the lower temp stat and has gone with Evans waterless coolant too and he said it runs like an absolute dream (it's been a £10k rebuild so he obviously wants to protect it)

One thing he did and then un-did was an electric fan conversion; had quite a few niggles with it etc even with a manual switch fitted; went back to the OEM rad and viscous clutch fan and zero issues!

[The Conflated Outlier]

Panamax said:

Here ya go. Yes, you're right. The problem doesn't exist - that's why people make so many Youtube videos about it,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TNeFEREYb0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUYgSFgc7-c

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhtT74ywjFQ

It is quite common - seen it myself many times. When fired up it's best to let it run for 20 seconds or so. Not just E39's but any BMW 24 valve starting with the old iron block M50 so E34's as well. These engines have quite aggressive cold start fuelling and they're easy to flood. The last two times were a 1997 528i at the workshop and an E36 323i in a car park near Beaulieu. The engine spins over with very little compression due to bore wash. The quick fix is to pull the fuel pump fuse and crank it with the throttle wide open and it will eventually catch, fire up and burn off the excess fuel before it dies. Refit the fuse and it'll start and run fine.

Nikasil engines though are more tricky and often require the plugs removing, a squirt of engine oil down the bores and then cranking before refitting the plugs. Nikasil V8's could be buggers for this. Nikasil finished in 1998 with many of them replaced long ago so I doubt you'll encounter one now.

So yes, it's a thing.

E39's; yeah. Lovely when new and, if you buy a really good well maintained example they can be a good servant. But like any old car you really need to be on top of it and be able to spanner yourself. Buy on condition rather than spec so if you've only got 3 grand to spare, a really clean cloth trimmed 520i is a better bet that some leggy 'just needs' 530i. Just look for a car with a stack of invoices that's obviously been looked after.

The rust is a real problem now and the backs of the sills are the killer - it's a fuel tank out weldathon to fix them properly. Later cars seem to rot worse than early ones. New ABS modules are about 500 quid now and used ones aren't as common as they were. ECU testing can repair them sometimes but more often than not they are just knackered. Headlight adjusters break, a cheap but fiddly repair although later ones with the sealed lenses can be a right bd. 2.2 520i's can really, really drink oil.

Not a bad car but so many have just been run into the ground.

[olliete]

I am new to e39 ownership.

Bought a 120k 540i (pre vanos). It was a colour combo that reminded me of my late fathers bmw that I rode in growing up - green over cream - so had to have it!

Ive spent a bit of money already on expected consumables like new braking system, spark plugs, gearbox service, and will check the oil pan for plastic debris when doing next oil change.

I bought it with full intention for it to be our daily car when our iX3 goes back to leasing company. Id much rather spend on preventative maintenance for a car I want to keep, than leasing payments for a car that depreciates like a rock.

In retrospect, the straight 6, 3 litre would be my choice, but im happy with the burble and additional power of the 4.4 v8

[danb79]

olliete said:

I am new to e39 ownership.

Bought a 120k 540i (pre vanos). It was a colour combo that reminded me of my late fathers bmw that I rode in growing up - green over cream - so had to have it!

Ive spent a bit of money already on expected consumables like new braking system, spark plugs, gearbox service, and will check the oil pan for plastic debris when doing next oil change.

I bought it with full intention for it to be our daily car when our iX3 goes back to leasing company. Id much rather spend on preventative maintenance for a car I want to keep, than leasing payments for a car that depreciates like a rock.

In retrospect, the straight 6, 3 litre would be my choice, but im happy with the burble and additional power of the 4.4 v8

Sounds superb

When doing the oil sump (easy on the 540i) replace the gasket with the Elring one and use new bolts from BMW if you can (not expensive) and maybe fit a new oil sensor whilst you're there too...

Do you have any pics of your 540i?

I know now I didn't give my Jap import 540i enough time; but at that time, it was the right thing to sell it on

[olliete]

danb79 said:

Sounds superb

When doing the oil sump (easy on the 540i) replace the gasket with the Elring one and use new bolts from BMW if you can (not expensive) and maybe fit a new oil sensor whilst you're there too...

Do you have any pics of your 540i?

I know now I didn't give my Jap import 540i enough time; but at that time, it was the right thing to sell it on

Thanks very much for the tips, will do the oil sensor too.

Here she is! Sounds mad but I dont miss my F13 M6, genuinely prefer wafting around in this thing

[MightyBadger]

olliete said:

Thanks very much for the tips, will do the oil sensor too.

Here she is! Sounds mad but I dont miss my F13 M6, genuinely prefer wafting around in this thing

That is a thing of beauty, enjoy.

[pistonheadforum]

Thanks all - appreciate the advice for the old car in the garage.

Maybe it's not quite as ardious as I imagined. I guess that I'm kinda frightened to move it incase it collapses half way out the garage and gets stuck!

It's got the slightly less common wheels which I prefer.

[Triumph Man]

pistonheadforum said:

Thanks all - appreciate the advice for the old car in the garage.

Maybe it's not quite as ardious as I imagined. I guess that I'm kinda frightened to move it incase it collapses half way out the garage and gets stuck!

It's got the slightly less common wheels which I prefer.

My old 530i had sunflowers (style 81) on it - always liked them as a wheel

[williamp]

Ahh man that's a rabbit hole I didn't need this evening:

http://www.bmwstylewheels.com/5/E39

Whats your favorite E39 wheel design?? My 540 had Style 49.