Big, quickish saloon/estate 4k

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[TW]Fox;24273994 said:
I was always under the impression it was 2004 when they stopped it being a pile of junk - the 2003 models still had the terrible rattly interior, suspect reliability, etc etc?

Nope - The big update was mid 2002. The new 6-speed box, revised interior and Nav, new v8, suspension upgrades was all April 2002.

2004 was facelift and introducing the Diesel.

The 6-speed box was unreliable initially though, sorted from 04 I think - mine would occasionally lurch when pulling away.

I bought a fully loaded high-miler in Feb 2011 for £3k. I thought it was a great car, fantastic engine although around £1k in various little repairs in the year I ran it. With 18" wheels and a mesh grille, I liked the look - although appreciate it was a bit of a marmite car.

Sounds like the Op has settled on a 5 series though - only driven a 528i but was a very solid car.
 
Soldato
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Nope - The big update was mid 2002. The new 6-speed box, revised interior and Nav, new v8, suspension upgrades was all April 2002.

2004 was facelift and introducing the Diesel.

The 6-speed box was unreliable initially though, sorted from 04 I think - mine would occasionally lurch when pulling away.

I bought a fully loaded high-miler in Feb 2011 for £3k. I thought it was a great car, fantastic engine although around £1k in various little repairs in the year I ran it. With 18" wheels and a mesh grille, I liked the look - although appreciate it was a bit of a marmite car.

Sounds like the Op has settled on a 5 series though - only driven a 528i but was a very solid car.

The big update was 2002 but Fox is right - later updates further improved matters. For best reliability aim for 2005 on.
 
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I like the way everyone mentions 530i sport Manual like they are growing on trees. I was seriously tempted by one and even went to view one which was a dog. Decent ones do not come up very often and will often require retrofitting to spec. I would want Style 37's yet most of the sports have the standard 17" on them. Maybe you find a decent low mile example but it has cloth seats etc etc.

For 4k I would say you can not get better for a large quickish saloon/estate but it is finding one thats for sale in good condition and in a nice colour (unless silver is your thing).
 
Soldato
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Appreciate all the input chaps, I ended up getting this manual 530i Sport in the end.

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifi...6-04/bmw-5-series-e39-530i-sport-2002/1304378

I'll post up some proper pictures once I've given it a thorough clean inside and out. There's some rust one the lip of the boot lid and where it meets the bumper which I'll need to sort out at one point, as well as a tiny spot on the lip of the rear nearside door. Thinking of doing it myself if I can get the colour mixed up in an aerosol unless anyone thinks this is a bad idea?

Also, thoughts on using waxoyl as rust prevention on the underside of the car?

This is one for Fox next. When I unlock the car and get in, there's a quiet noise (sounds mechanical) emanating from behind the centre console. This is even quieter if I turn climate control off completely before turning off the engine and reentering thecar. I'm just a little concerned something is going to be draining the battery while it's not in use. Any ideas?
 
Don
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IMO, that interior is ming.. but then I don't "get" the BMW thing. :p

How long are you keeping the car for, as a bodge-it repair on the boot lid is just that?
 
Soldato
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Personal taste I suppose, it's growing on me I must say, I've never really had a light interior before so it's a nice change.

I intend on keeping it for many years, so it'll get looked after very well. I just think I can sand, treat and spray the rust myself, so why not? I think it's easy enough to get a colour matched aerosol, some companies even take into account aging and alter the colour accordingly.
 
Don
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This is one for Fox next. When I unlock the car and get in, there's a quiet noise (sounds mechanical) emanating from behind the centre console. This is even quieter if I turn climate control off completely before turning off the engine and reentering thecar. I'm just a little concerned something is going to be draining the battery while it's not in use. Any ideas?

That is the little fan that sucks air in to determine the temperature of the car. It gets clogged up with dirt. Take the climate module out and you can take it to bits to clean it. Sometimes a quick blast of air in to the tiny vent it sits behind sorts it......for a while.
My Rangie does it too by the way. Same climate module with different buttons.

You will also notice that the intake is just behind the cup holders. Well done BMW. Put a hot coffee there and you get frozen by the air-con. Stick a nice, cool can of coke there and get blasted with heat.
 
Soldato
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That is the little fan that sucks air in to determine the temperature of the car. It gets clogged up with dirt. Take the climate module out and you can take it to bits to clean it. Sometimes a quick blast of air in to the tiny vent it sits behind sorts it......for a while.
My Rangie does it too by the way. Same climate module with different buttons.

You will also notice that the intake is just behind the cup holders. Well done BMW. Put a hot coffee there and you get frozen by the air-con. Stick a nice, cool can of coke there and get blasted with heat.

Ah thank you very much! How do I tell if the noise is just the fan spinning as it normally would, or that it's clogged up with dirt.

How big a job is removing the climate module in the E39? I've done similar in other cars and it ranges from a 10 minute job to 6 hours (I'm talking to you Jeep Grand Cherokee).
 
Don
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Ah thank you very much! How do I tell if the noise is just the fan spinning as it normally would, or that it's clogged up with dirt.

How big a job is removing the climate module in the E39? I've done similar in other cars and it ranges from a 10 minute job to 6 hours (I'm talking to you Jeep Grand Cherokee).

If it's making the noise then the fan is spinning.
Taking the panel off is easy in the E39. 10 minutes. IIRC you take the radio module out, then the computer, then the bottom panel. Can't remember exactly though as it's been 5 years+ since last I working on an E39.
 
Soldato
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Appreciate all the input chaps, I ended up getting this manual 530i Sport in the end.

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifi...6-04/bmw-5-series-e39-530i-sport-2002/1304378

I'll post up some proper pictures once I've given it a thorough clean inside and out. There's some rust one the lip of the boot lid and where it meets the bumper which I'll need to sort out at one point, as well as a tiny spot on the lip of the rear nearside door. Thinking of doing it myself if I can get the colour mixed up in an aerosol unless anyone thinks this is a bad idea?

Also, thoughts on using waxoyl as rust prevention on the underside of the car?

This is one for Fox next. When I unlock the car and get in, there's a quiet noise (sounds mechanical) emanating from behind the centre console. This is even quieter if I turn climate control off completely before turning off the engine and reentering thecar. I'm just a little concerned something is going to be draining the battery while it's not in use. Any ideas?
a lot of car for the cash, nice colour as well, quite unusual!!! Nice.
 
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Ah thank you very much! How do I tell if the noise is just the fan spinning as it normally would, or that it's clogged up with dirt.

How big a job is removing the climate module in the E39? I've done similar in other cars and it ranges from a 10 minute job to 6 hours (I'm talking to you Jeep Grand Cherokee).

Removing the panel is about 60 seconds once you know how - it just prizes out of where its sitting and then unplugs. Easier if you take the radio out and push from behind but there are clips on either side you can release by poking something thin through the side of the panel.
 
Soldato
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If it's making the noise then the fan is spinning.
Taking the panel off is easy in the E39. 10 minutes. IIRC you take the radio module out, then the computer, then the bottom panel. Can't remember exactly though as it's been 5 years+ since last I working on an E39.

[TW]Fox;24292080 said:
Removing the panel is about 60 seconds once you know how - it just prizes out of where its sitting and then unplugs. Easier if you take the radio out and push from behind but there are clips on either side you can release by poking something thin through the side of the panel.

Brilliant, thanks I'll check this out at the weekend.

a lot of car for the cash, nice colour as well, quite unusual!!! Nice.

Cheers :)

At first I wasn't too keen but the colour has grown on me a lot.

Thinking of getting the steering wheel retrimmed so it feels a bit nicer, anyone know of somewhere that does that sort of thing?
 
Man of Honour
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The colour is fantastic - it is Slate Green. My Dads first E39 many years ago was that colour.

I used Royal Steering Wheels (Google it) for mine. He took ages but the job was excellent.
 
Soldato
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Also, thoughts on using waxoyl as rust prevention on the underside of the car?

If you decide that you want to rustproof the car, make an order from www.bilthamber.co.uk and grab some Dynax S50 for cavities and Dyanx UB for underbody. I'm actually surprised how much e39s are rusting, I still don't think of them as that old a car but the newest is 10 years old now :(
 
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I went out in a friends B5 S4 the other night. Such an awesome little car, totally understanded but absolutely hammers down the road. It looks unremarkable but all the S4 garnish makes it feel like a special car.

DSCF3177.JPG
 
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Soldato
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Always had a soft spot for the S4, was handed my arse by one when I had the MR2 turbo too. Should have known better, it had mtm badges all over which made me think it was just a cooking model in drag...nope!
 
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