What to do

[splitpin 0]

Hello wise ones ..... i just joined today, and i feel i may become a pain with all my questions.

Let me fill you in ... a month ago i found a 98 525i in a garage ( was actually a garage sale ) ... but thats a long story.

Anyway, i paid the guy $3000 and off i went (sale was as is where is)

First problem ....radiator leaked real bad , and to his credit , the old guy offered to pay for a new one.

The car has been sitting for 3 years.

He also gave me a replacement door handle for the drivers door ... which was missing.

As far as he was concerned , all it needed now for a WOF , was the handle fitted .... so off i went to a local company who deal with these .

I told them i had $1000 to spend , so fit the handle , change the belts , service it , balance the wheels (it had a shimmy over 70k) and re charge the aircon ..... how naive i was.

Dont get me wrong , these guys were great, and kept me informed all the way through ....my $1000 was eaten up by ...the belts, new water pump, Fix an SRS fault , and door handle fitting .... but they found more ..... much more.

Seems Im up for the following:

Front headlight adjusters.

Both rear lower swivel joints.

Left rear upper outer ball joint.

Right front sway bar link.

Left rear tyre (235/40 x 18)

And the killer ..... Power steering rack is leaking.

Comments mention the L/R swaybar is wearing.

I was told not to expect any change from $3000 !

The thing is , i love this car .... but, i cant afford another $3000 , i know i should have checked first ......

So, do i put it on trademe and try to get my $3000 back ..... or just save for a while and get it fixed ?

I planned an add for trademe ...... the first part sounded great ..... 18 "Alloys , Black leather, etc etc .... but then i would have to mention the rest......

What do i do ?

Sorry to dump this on you ...... I cant think anymore.

[Allanw 1071]

Do you have good tools?

[huff3r 347]

Sounds like a reasonably minor list if you have any decent mechanical skills, or friends you can bribe into it.

[splitpin 0]

Do you have good tools?

No i dont ....

[splitpin 0]

Sounds like a reasonably minor list if you have any decent mechanical skills, or friends you can bribe into it.

huff3r ..... i have none of the above .... but I will save some coin and get her fixed , i cant let it go..... just soooo nice.

Will post some pics asap.

[KwS 2425]

How many km does it have and what condition is the rest of the car? E39s are getting cheap now, it might be cheaper to sell it and get a cheap one that has had all the work done already if yours isnt tidy.

[qube 3570]

if you're in auckland i have a 235/40/18 tyre, good year eagle f1 with about 5mm tread, slight camber wear but nothing major.

all those problems sound typical of e39s..

to be completely honest, in my opinion, you probably wont get far trying to sell a car with those problems for $3k, when the current market is flooded with decent e39s for only a little bit more. So since you like the car, i say take your time to get those things fixed and you should be rewarded with a lovely car in the end.

there are plenty of DIY guides floating around should you choose to give it a go yourself, which should save you a lot (A LOT) of money.

all the best!

[Michael. 2313]

huff3r ..... i have none of the above .... but I will save some coin and get her fixed , i cant let it go..... just soooo nice.

Will post some pics asap.

Not having a go, but it seemed a little silly of you to buy a cheap & modern 5 series that had been sitting around for a while & try get it all up to scratch on a tight budget...

I can understand it being temping as they are nice cars. But IMO unless you have a decent collection of tools, time, space and the know how to do common maintenance on these specific cars with ease it can get a little tricky.

My advice would be to save for a bit, and then get it fixed as required. Then you would be able to enjoy the car for at least 6-12 months or longer - and through that you will have gotten something out of it rather than just selling it at a loss without the enjoyment.

[kiwi535 538]

is all that to be done BEFORE a WOF will be issued?Its a heel of a lot of car for 3000 .Alot of those issues will be faced with ANY car of that age.Good luck!

[OP6 27]

Looking at that list, it ain't too bad.

Braxtons will fix your light adjusters.

Eurorec (Pete) will be able to replace your steering rack with a good secondhand one and fit it. He may also be able to sort you out with much of the rest too. I am sure Pete will have a couple of suitable 2nd hand tyres.

The Power Steering Shop can also deal with the rack - if you are wishing to repair.

I have found that if you deal with garages that deal mainly with BMWs, sure the hourly rate is higher, but they know where to source the necessary parts quickly and cheaply, also they can get the job done in a lot less time, so, cheaper.

[Allanw 1071]

.Alot of those issues will be faced with ANY car of that age.Good luck!

Agreed - MOST (the vast majority) of E39's will require at least some of those things, and more. People THINK they maintain them well, but really they just do the bare basics to maintain them, and often that's not done correctly either.

Most E39's feel OK to drive, but the suspension is poked and has had bits and peices done as they were required for a WOF etc. I've replaced the vast majority of the suspension components in mine, and it feels like an entirely different car. They basically need a complete rebuild every 100k to 150k. I did mine at 120 ish, and it was entirely needed - it was shagged. Most E39's don't get it done and drive like a Corolla, instead of the complex, great handling and nice riding car they are.

There is also a really good chance it will require other cooling system parts done. NEVER EVER let it overheat, or dive it hot, or drive when it has over heated and may be still doing so, or maybe low on water. If the gauge reaches the red, it may already be WAY too late.

Generally, ANY E39 probably needs at least $2000 spent on parts for it at the time of purchase (some a LOT more) if you want to make it "right".

[Nobimmer 694]

Where are you from? Ray at HellBM will be able to sort all of that stuff out.

[splitpin 0]

Again !! thanks for the input .... amazing

Anyway ...here it is , took these at the olds place today (i keep it there )

Thats dust on the bonnet not damage.

Thanks for looking.

[kiwi535 538]

looks in exceptional condition,the interior is immaculate!

[huff3r 347]

Definitely worth fixing! It looks mint.

[Nobimmer 694]

Lot of car for 6k all up!

[jeffbebe 1560]

Lot of car for 6k all up!

+1. Looks very well looked after. Almost immaculate interior and pretty tidy engine bay suggests a very conscientious previous owner. Well worth fixing. I got my 1996 528i for a a grand or two more and have spend the same again at least on improvements and repairs in the 14 months I've owned it but I love it. Best car I've ever owned and there's a real sense of satisfaction restoring it.

I keep a list of things I have to do and want to do. Prioritise the must dos over the want to dos and gradually tick them off. Do as much of it as you can yourself. When you can't go to trusted mechanics (plenty of recommendations on this forum). You can source E39 parts really cheaply on the internet - particularly eBay, if you don't mind waiting for them to show up.

[Michael. 2313]

Yeah as the others said, looks very good.

Definitely worth the buy, just clean it up, fix the issues, polish the headlights and you'll be away!

[my_e36 43]

Very tidy indeed, can do with some facelift headlights (though connectors are different, simple soldering job). As other said, well worth fixing.

[charles28 136]

Nice Looking Car

Its actually a 523i, for some reason a lot are registered as 525i when they come to NZ, with your one it was due to the car having the model removed as an option, when it came to NZ they assumed that its a 525i due to being 2.5L

Your seats actually have Vinyl Seat covers on them, underneath these will have the cloth seats (I know this as my E39 had exactly the same seat covers).

A giveaway is also the door cards, these don't have the cloth bits when you have the factory leather seats.

Alternatively they may have been recovered completely, not that it matters.

Details from the Vin:

Type

Value

VIN WBADD42000BV14085

Type code DD42

Type 523I (EUR)

E series E39 ()

Series 5

Type LIM

Steering RL

Doors 4

Engine M52

Displacement 2.50

Power 125

Drive HECK

Transmission AUT

Colour OXFORDGRUEN METALLIC (324)

Upholstery STOFF FLOCK STREIFEN/ANTHRAZIT (D3AT)

Prod.date 1997-11-13

Options

Code

Description (interface)

Description (EPC)

S320A MODELLSCHRIFTZUG ENTFALL Deleted, model lettering

S354A GRUENKEIL-FRONTSCHEIBE Green windscreen, green shade band

S401A SCHIEBE-HEBEDACH, ELEKTRISCH Lift-up-and-slide-back sunroof, electric

S415A SONNENSCHUTZROLLO FUER HECKSCHEIBE Sun-blind, rear

S423A FUSSMATTEN IN VELOURS Floor mats, velours

S428A WARNDREIECK Warning triangle and first aid kit

S431A INNENSPIEGEL,AUTOMATISCH ABBLENDEND Interior mirror with automatic-dip

S441A RAUCHERPAKET Smoker package

S473A ARMAUFLAGE VORN Armrest front

S534A KLIMAAUTOMATIK Automatic air conditioning

S548A KILOMETERTACHO Kilometer-calibrated speedometer

S555A BORDCOMPUTER On-board computer V with remote control

S676A HIFI LAUTSPRECHERSYSTEM HiFi speaker system

S694A CD-WECHSLER VORBEREITUNG Provisions for BMW 6 CD changer

S800A KATALYSATORANLAGE LAENDER Exhaust system, complete, countries

Code

Description (interface)

Description (EPC)

L807A JAPAN-AUSFUEHRUNG NATIONAL VERSION JAPAN

S818A BATTERIEHAUPTSCHALTER Battery master switch

S823A HEISSLAND-AUSFUEHRUNG Hot-climate version

S845A AKUSTISCHE GURTWARNUNG Acoustic belt warning

S875A INFRAROTFERNBEDIENUNG Infrared remote control

S925A VERSANDSCHUTZPAKET Transport protection package

Standard equipment

Code

Description (interface)

Description (EPC)

S240A LEDERLENKRAD Leather steering wheel

S260A SEITENAIRBAG FUER FAHRER/BEIFAHRER Side airbag for driver/passenger

S411A FENSTERHEBER,ELEKTRISCH VORN/HINTEN Window lifts,electric,front/rear

S510A LEUCHTWEITENREGELUNG ABBLENDLICHT Headlight aim control

S520A NEBELSCHEINWERFER Fog lights

S853A SPRACHVERSION ENGLISCH Language version English

Edited April 13, 2013 by Charles32

[splitpin 0]

Ive been talking to the guy i got it from .... he's pretty gutted at what has come to light, and has even offered my money back ! I said no .

Re the trim .... its been recovered (he told me) with leather ....the Last Japanese owner wanted that.

Charles42 ... thanks for all the info .... amazing forum .... Im going to stick with it , and do what i can when i can....now, along those lines ....what should i do first ?

Cant afford the whole lot at once , so .... power steering first? or the other bits ?

I will call Braxton's on monday re the headlight adjusters .... thats a start at least.

Some body asked about the K's (on the beam) .... 157,110 so the service guys say ..... i cant see the mileage ...the light has gone out.

Its hard to come to terms with all this needed work at less than 100, 000 miles (160,000 K) .... my old toyota(200,000 + K'S) passes vinz checks every 6 months .... no problem.

[charles28 136]

Ive been talking to the guy i got it from .... he's pretty gutted at what has come to light, and has even offered my money back ! I said no .

Re the trim .... its been recovered (he told me) with leather ....the Last Japanese owner wanted that.

Charles42 ... thanks for all the info .... amazing forum .... Im going to stick with it , and do what i can when i can....now, along those lines ....what should i do first ?

Cant afford the whole lot at once , so .... power steering first? or the other bits ?

I will call Braxton's on monday re the headlight adjusters .... thats a start at least.

Some body asked about the K's (on the beam) .... 157,110 so the service guys say ..... i cant see the mileage ...the light has gone out.

Its hard to come to terms with all this needed work at less than 100, 000 miles (160,000 K) .... my old toyota(200,000 + K'S) passes vinz checks every 6 months .... no problem.

Awesome, you will love the car once its all sorted.

In a way, i'd be tempted to leave the Reg on Hold for now, store the car a while until I had the $ to do it all at once, and in the mean time drive the trusty toyota.

During that time you might find some good parts cheap and save some money on the way and learning to do some the jobs yourself will save you loads, however you would need to invest in some tools.

I tend to import all my Parts, but the shipping often cancels out the savings, there are some good dealers here in NZ that don't charge the earth, but small items that don't cost much to ship, it can be worth it.

As previously mentioned, Eurorec is a good option in regards to the steering rack.

I can see headlight adjusters on Ebay for $10 USD + Shipping.

Later on, if you want the LED on the Dash cluster fixed, I know of a guy in CHCH that does this repair. (He repaired mine for me) its not overly cheap, but I like everything to work, it only takes 10mins to remove the dash cluster from these cars.

I might get myself another E39 sometime, good sold safe cars, that still get rated 5 stars for safety on that rightcar.govt.nz site.

[hotwire 352]

Nice looking car there. Do fix it! As you have alreay noticed - E39's are a magic car, but in comparison to the Toyota - way more complicated & advanced - meaning... more to go wrong. And things do. That said, when maintained - they are a reliable car.

It is badged as a 525i being that it is Jap spec. This actually more true to label than the the Euro spec where the same 2.5l is badged as 523i

Your list is realitively minor & really I doubt the 3k fix.

-Front sway bar links - been there at 120k, replace both - about $100 from Milland on TM. Simple job

-Headlight adjusters - been there too, common plastic failure, easy fix to those pre facelift lights, maybe Milland or not expensive from dealers. Replace the adjusters. Braxtons are for replacement lamps, don't know that they do the adjusters

-Rear suspension - not major

-Tyres - thats life with any car

-Steering rack leak, a little surprising & not that I have noticed as common. Ray (HellBM) maybe for a good S/H

If it has pixel failure for the milage display (again common) there is a guy down your way that supplies/fits a new ribbon to them. Very cost effective

Has the "E39 shimmer" gone away? Another common issue with these cars after the milage gets up - front suspension components - track arm bushes etc

Do you know the cooling system history, apart from radiator? Plastic components & water pump are due if not done already.

There is a link to an E39 review guide on this site somewhere, have a look at that

Edit Here: http://www.bimmersport.co.nz/forums/index.php?showtopic=7327

Edited April 13, 2013 by hotwire

[qube 3570]

btw "track arm bushes" same as thrust arm or reation arm as bmw calls it. common problem for the e39 (and e34) 5 series. again, buy part from milland and replace diy or any mechanic. an hour or so labour. nothing major to get rid of the "shimmer"

[Allanw 1071]

It does look tidy.

I thought that leather looked a bit different to normal. A lot of them had cloth. And it doesn't have wood trim - BONUS!