Hi - I've taken the plunge and bought a BMW!

[tmase 19]

Hi everyone!

I've been a long time lurker on this site. I have wanted an E39 for a long time and have finally gone and bought a 530i to replace my Audi B6 A4.

I have a 2002 530i with the M Sport package, though it is an import the previous owner had some help from Jochen to modify the sat-nav so that it works in New Zealand.

I only picked it up yesterday and already can see that it is a lot more car than the A4 - I know that I aren't really comparing apples with apples there.

I am very happy with it so far! I plan to keep it pretty stock, though after parking it a couple of times I think a rear camera might be a wise investment, so I will be looking at installing one of those when I get the chance. I have seen some systems that look like they integrate well with the existing screen.

Pics below (I hope!)

[Smac01 12]

Looks awesome - nice buy with the Sat Nav work already completed!

[allan 295]

Welcome to the 5er family it seems to be growing! . How close to stock do you mean, as a change to LED angle eyes and some stealth bulbs in the rear to give it a clean smarter look imo.

Wise move on the reverse camera or rear PDC as when reversing the e39 you have very limited visibility.

Enjoy

[tmase 19]

Cheers - Sat nav is a little dated by the portable Garmin unit I bought last year for my last car, but it is nice to have everything in it working. Database has been made a bit obsolete by the earthquake road closures near where I live too!

Rear PDC looks to be a bit of an expensive hassle to install. Had my eye on some thing like this as a rear view camera installation;

BMW Reversing Camera

Have yet to make up my mind about LED lighting etc - probably keep the OEM lights for the time being.

Edited October 5, 2011 by tmase

[M5V8 337]

always nice to see another clean e39 on the forum. Welcome!

we're taking over!

Edited October 5, 2011 by M5V8

[Tristan 338]

Hey mate, nice car, I've got an 01 530 M too.

In regards to lights, it's all quite simple.

Indicator bulbs can be stealthed using Narva Phantom bulbs from Repco - Cost about $12.00 ea so $48 for all corners and is a simple DIY bulb swap.

Angel eyes are easy too. Another straight bulb swap - There are some on TradeMe for about $110.00 which change the light from the yellow/orange to white which looks great too.

[tmase 19]

I might take a look at the stealth bulbs next week, and I can see how the brighter angel eyes look more striking. It is going in for new brake pads and rotors and an oil and filter change on Monday as well as getting a couple of minor issues rectified (noticed the idle was a bit lumpy this morning in the cold - though it disappeared after about two sets of traffic lights - maybe spark plugs?), so I will see after that.

I really want to just fix a couple of things that bother me; try and find a colour matching towing eye insert for the front bumper and it does need a towing eye for the tool box. I am aware that it has been towed very early on in its life so I guess that's where they got lost.

[allan 295]

The reverse camera would be the easier option for you have a chat to hotwire he may have something sorted for the e39, trade me one looks ok. As for the towing eye covers shouldn't be to much of a problem silver is a standard colour. Should be a dismantler in Chch that has some or if not get hold of Brent or Ray on here.

[hotwire 352]

Well done on purchase & yep great to have working factory nav. May not have quite the bells/whistles of the new on dash units but I reacon the integrated system is way superior in operation and.... no body can nick it:-)

I have a Navman in my work ute & hate it compared to the BMW system.

Reverse camera - yep can do - PM me fo a good deal

[tmase 19]

Had a play with the sat nav today, it might be starting to grow on me a bit. The data input through the knobs looked like a hassle but then again so is the crappy touch screen on the Garmin unit I've got.

Sent you a PM Grant.

[Michael. 2313]

What a beaut!

[hotwire 352]

Had a play with the sat nav today, it might be starting to grow on me a bit. The data input through the knobs looked like a hassle but then again so is the crappy touch screen on the Garmin unit I've got.

Sent you a PM Grant.

Thats what I reacon is a plus - one knob to push/turn for all commands - rather than touch screen/finger prints all over the screen.

I also find it much more intuitive to use than the Navman - scale changes etc. A decent size screen too:-

Incidentally, which nav unit have you got - Mk3 or 4? The 4 has "DVD" on the front. There is daylight between them in their operation

Edited October 6, 2011 by hotwire

[tmase 19]

Incidentally, which nav unit have you got - Mk3 or 4? The 4 has "DVD" on the front. There is daylight between them in their operation

I think it is the Mk.IV system, I have the DVD drive in the boot. Build date for this car is 07/2002 so I think this might be too early for the Mk.IV at the factory, I guess it might have been upgraded when the system was modified for operation in New Zealand. I looked at this page to try to work out the differences.

The settings screen has the OS as version 4-1/91 which suggests a Mk.IV system with Map Version 29.1 or Version 30

Anyway I took some photos in case I have confused people.

Nav unit in the boot

Possibly not relevant - the inside of the boot lining where the CD changer etc is

Nav Screen up front

Edit: grammar

Edited October 6, 2011 by tmase

[tmase 19]

I was going past SuperCheap on the way back from the auto dismantlers, where I got a towing eye for the toolbox for $10 , and decided to pull in and have a look at these stealth bulbs you guys have suggested. They stocked some Narva bulbs but didn't have the 'Phantom' globes that others have refered to on here. But they did have these, so I decided to give them a go.

I tried them out on the rear. Being cheap - $19 a pair - I wasn't expecting too much but I still am not sure about them, they make the amber globe appear a bit less obvious, but not completely disappear. For a comparison I changed the left side to the new globe and left the original in the right.

The amber light from the new globe when it flashes is also not as orange as the original - as could be expected - it is hard to tell from the photo but it looks a bit yellower.

Anyway I might put the original globes back in for the time being and then maybe try the Narva ones when I come across them.

They might have made a bit more of a difference if I had tried them on the front, but after trying to get my big hands down the front to try to release the very tight cover/plug arrangement and skinning a knuckle I decided to leave it. I am a bit of a gumboot sometimes and probably would have broken something!

I am probably getting a bit away from the original topic here. When or if I get the Narva globes I'll do some before and after pics in the appropriate place.

[hotwire 352]

I think it is the Mk.IV system, I have the DVD drive in the boot. Build date for this car is 07/2002 so I think this might be too early for the Mk.IV at the factory, I guess it might have been upgraded when the system was modified for operation in New Zealand. I looked at this page to try to work out the differences.

The settings screen has the OS as version 4-1/91 which suggests a Mk.IV system with Map Version 29.1 or Version 30

Anyway I took some photos in case I have confused people.

Nav unit in the boot

Possibly not relevant - the inside of the boot lining where the CD changer etc is

Nav Screen up front

Edit: grammar

Yep a MkIV & the only one to have. I only use these with conversions. Had the car been native Euro - it would have had a MkIII as factory but since converting from Jap - it makes sense to use the latest option. They are plug play for each other.

As for 4/1/91 - the "91" is the software version currently installed, not the map data disc.

[tmase 19]

Yep a MkIV & the only one to have. I only use these with conversions. Had the car been native Euro - it would have had a MkIII as factory but since converting from Jap - it makes sense to use the latest option. They are plug play for each other.

As for 4/1/91 - the "91" is the software version currently installed, not the map data disc.

Not sure but I think the map database could be V29.1or V30 but not sure how you find this out. The database still shows a roundabout near here that was removed about three or four years ago.

[hotwire 352]

Not sure but I think the map database could be V29.1or V30 but not sure how you find this out. The database still shows a roundabout near here that was removed about three or four years ago.

V29 or V30, V32 are all software versions - a system loaded with V29 will show as "91" on the screen, a system loaded with V32 (the latest) will show as "00"

In your system showing 4-1/91 - the 4 denotes MkIV nav unit, the 1 denotes colour monitor, & the 91 is the current OS - V29

The map disc version is not shown on the screen or in the system, you may still have the first release BMW NZ map disc - a 2005 disc:-

[tmase 19]

Yep a MkIV & the only one to have. I only use these with conversions. Had the car been native Euro - it would have had a MkIII as factory but since converting from Jap - it makes sense to use the latest option. They are plug play for each other.

As for 4/1/91 - the "91" is the software version currently installed, not the map data disc.

I am not sure but I think the map database is V 29.1 or possibly V 30 but I don't know how to confirm this.

Okay see your last post now, the 2005 disc is a posibility considering the timeframe of the road changes around here!

Edited October 7, 2011 by tmase