jeffbebe

+1!! 3 years ago an LED 3D TV was pie-in-the-sky stuff. They cost about $10K. I got a 42" one a few months back for less than a grand brand new. Home technology depreciates faster than cars even. You just lose a lot more money on an expensive car!

Just an ordinary weekend at my house...

Humming and hawing about reconditioning the wheels now since getting a like-for-like quote from Manukau Auto & Tyre Centre of only $250 per wheel (or $300 including black chromed bolts). That's a massive difference but I've had a lot of people tell me Arrow Wheels (who I got the original quote) from are the real deal. Anyone know the place in Manukau. Will I get what I pay for? i.e. should I pay the extra and get Arrow to do it or save $6-800 and take a chance on the other guys? Looked at all sorts of other wheel options and can't find anything I like as much as my original wheels.

But can be done!

Probably cost me in petrol what I'd save unfortunately. Not too keen on the style 19s sorry.

haha! The centre caps on mine look okay - the original BBS ones have been replaced with BMW caps. If I could find a set of 740s in good nick or $600 I'd be v.interested!

Hard to see from that pic. Has it been wrapped in something? Have you tried using some sort of wheel degreaser/agent to clean them?

+1

Amazing the effect 200+ million consumers can have on competition!

It's the stainless steel lips that are the expensive bit from what I understand. Painting and re-forming the lips is about $400 per wheel. To black chrome the bolts $50 per set. I tried Brugar on the N. Shore and the cost was much of muchness, plus they can't store my car while the wheels are fixed. Since I don't have a tow truck or spare set of wheels that's not much good to me. Anyone knows of anywhere else I'm all ears.

$450 quote is from Arrow. Apparently they just did an identical set and it was a lot of work. I have to admit I prefer these wheels to the M5 ones, and the staggered fitment looks pretty tough.

Don't want to split hairs but aside from the deep dish they look fairly similar to my average looking wheels, don't they? How much would a set of new RS740s cost w/ tyres?

About to dig (very) deep to get these wheels reconditioned. Gonna cost approx $450 per wheel to bring them back to new and black chrome all of the bolts which should look pretty good. Before I part with the best part of $2K anyone got any alternative suggestions to talk me out of it?

My 528i has exactly the same issue. Let me know if the replacement works. I've got the seals but haven't done anything with them yet.

If I can keep my E39 in good shape for another 34+ years I'll almost get back what someone paid for it in 1996 and I may only have spent $50-60K keeping it mint. What an incredible investment.

Would love to own one, would be happy just driving one but gotta say the rear is literally butt ugly. Saw a silver one valet parked at AKL domestic airport yesterday and the rear looks horrible - looks dated and as though a weird sport hatch had a saloon rear glued on after market.

+another

I got this thing pretty cheaply (around $7-800 shipped) on eBay: It's basically a rip off of the Dynavin system. Seems to work well. It doesn't look quite as flash as the more expensive Dynavin and the software is functional but not flash. It was easy to install - straight plug and play (as long as your current system doesn't have DSP) and has built in DVD/CD player. Also has SD card slots so you can rip up to 6 albums onto the SD card, so no need for the CD changer in the boot. Bluetooth is good and the built in mic has been fine so far (you can plug in an external mic and run it up the side of the windscreen for better sound). The nav system works well - I just installed the GPS aerial on the metal bar behind the unit in the dash so it's hidden away. You can get a wireless reverse camera for it for around $60 and they do a version with digital TV aerial built in, though I didn't bother with that.

I got my E39 528i for a steal. It's got 164,000kms on the clock but it's in good shape and if I keep it in good nick it'll do 3 times that. I'm also gradually restoring anything that's buggered back to new or as close to new as possible... It'll be a classic car in a few years and hopefully by then I'll have a mint example of one... And perhaps some fool will pay $$$$$s for it. Haha

Oh dear, I let the side down. Only 23/26 for me. Not very familiar with the US makes - there weren't many US cars in Europe when I grew up... That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

Very nice!!

Right indicator is intermittently hyper flashing - it seems to happen in the same place every morning after I drop my lad off at day care - so I'm guessing it's a connectivity issue that's affected when the car is on a certain incline, etc. I've checked front and rear bulbs and they look fine and there doesn't seem to be any visible corrosion, or anything that might affect the connection. Wiring fault? Wiring's not my strong point. What should I look for and where?

Cold air intake is sold. Still got window controls, black grille, a pair of comfort seats (electrics all working except the lumbar support) and a few other bits and pieces.

Sorry only got pics of the PFL black one on my car. But here's mine with a couple of other black E39s with the others. PFL black FL black FL and PFL chrome (FL on the left)

KAPOW!!