aja540i

Ride height sensors back in, wheel speed sensors back in, brake calipers bolted up, sway bar back in, next up tighten the driveshaft bolts, put wheels back on, put the car on ramps and tighten all the suspension bolts, then chuck the exhaust back on!! Should be all good for a wheel alignment booked for tomorrow morning, I have to say I am looking forward to driving an E39 touring with mostly refreshed suspension again, its been a while! Then, 1500 km round trip to visit family next week, towing a trailer with a dog kennel on it! Kind of a "what will break next" roulette wheel.🤔

Rain didn't happen so subframe went back in, mostly done, just a few minor details like the brakes to bolt back up!! Then hoping I can get a wheel alignment over the weekend!

Sub frame reassembled and ready to go back in, so tomorrow night will be; Re-fit handbrake cables, lift subframe into place, bolt up driveshaft, bolt up subframe, attach air springs, attach sway bar, attach exhaust, attach ride height sensors, attach brake calipers, put wheels on, put car on ramps and bounce it up and down, tighten suspension bolts, adjust handbrake, do a skid! Or it will be raining so I will watch some old project Binky on you tube.......

4 new Meyle HD subframe bushes in, unfortunately that concludes the "spare time" portion of my Saturday!

Let me know how you get on with your "worlds fastest LPG powered station wagon" record attempt!!

If I want to feel good about mine I just go for a drive in it, still makes me smile every time!

On mine it is the surround that holds the number plate, if you pull the outer layer of the surround off the number plate will fall out and you can unscrew the surround from the car. Its a BMW supplied plate surround and its actually quite flimsy and doesn't fit particularly well!!

All 4 bushes out, no dramas! Also more shiny parts....

Did you provide the purchaser with a written guarantee when you sold him the car? If you did then honor the terms of the guarantee. If you didn't then he has no right to come to you asking for money for repairs, UNLESS YOU DELIBERATELY MISLED HIM about the state of the vehicle, and I don't believe you did! Feel free to suggest he researches his rights under the consumer guarantees act.

also, shiny new parts....

So far, so good! 2 bushes out with no drama. A little bit of heat and some gentle persuasion, and in the fluke of the decade I found a piece of aluminium from the leg of an old computer desk that was a perfect fit for the size of the bush and even had an indent in the center the correct size to push them out with!! I took the opportunity to remind my wife that I am a genius for keeping everything that " looks like it might be useful someday"

All apart, water blasted 24 years of experience off the subframe, everything else will get a clean up as well, time to order some parts.....

Both of the sway bar links fell apart, so they will be getting replaced as well!

Most of the bits unbolted now, bushes are absolutely knackered!

hand brake cables disconnected, driveshaft unbolted, subframe bolts out and hey presto!

Exhaust is off with a little help from my friends..

The only thing more infuriating than the look of that grille is the fact that it doesn't even need a grille!

A bit of heat and some swearing will probably be enough, if not I have various sizes of angle grinders...

I assumed it was a resonator of some kind, but it could have been a cat/ dpf of some kind ( if old diesels had cats?) Its not a major problem as its just a couple of quite rusty bolts to the turbo, what could go wrong?

something has been cut out of the front and a straight pipe welded in, not sure what was there originally.

How much did the dealer quote to do the work?

Brake calipers off, ride height sensors, ABS sensors, lower shock bolts all out, one side down, one to go. I think the exhaust is going to be the biggest hassle as it is one piece from the muffler to the turbo!

Right, time to tackle the rear subframe bushes! I have decided to remove the rear subframe from the car to do this, I have my reasons but the main one is that I have a press to remove and install the bushes, and I want to replace some suspension arms and bushes at the same time, so why not! I may come to regret my decision..... Firstly, up on Jack stands, wheels off, disconnect air springs, so far so good!

Could you glue a bit of something to the bottom of the mat to stop it curling? A bit of hard plastic or thin aluminium or stainless might do it? Or maybe sew a bit of stiff wire along the edge underneath, some stainless TIG wire or similar? Mine does the same thing but I never move the seat so its not an issue for me. Or maybe take the mat out and get some bright red "chrome" plastic chequer plate from Supercheap auto.......😉

I do like some of the comments, "it will cost you a lot of money!!!" No sh1t genius, its a 500 hp n/a V10 in a station wagon!