Another e39 m5

[Arma 134]

I might go check this out soon. Since it's pretty high mileage, anything in particular I should be checking for (other than checking the bonnet etc. repair was done correctly as advised by Josh)? Do these engines require that big timing chain rail guides job as well? I'll just list the things the owner has said been done recently, and by previous owners:

Major items replaced/repaired over the past 23k km (should now be well till ~200k+ km)

• New front discs & pads all round
• New struts/shocks all round
• New front lower joints
• New drivers side headlamp (water ingress)
• New cam cover gasket
• New power steering hoses
• New driveshaft coupling
• Vanos – left bank (solenoids replaced & wire connections repaired)

Major service items pre my time

• New clutch & roller bearing (126k)
• New power steering pump (146k)
• New thermostat & housing
• New rear discs (96k)
• New vanos (right bank & under warranty)
• All other minor & medium servicing as per full service history

[M5V8 337]

there's alot of $ in maintenance listed as done there. The car's got high kms you need to expect it's not going to be perfect. And the price reflects that.

I think the important part is checking the service history. Has the services been by the book, regular, and by qualified technicians. All the listed work he should have paperwork for also.

a compression report to check the health of the motor wouldn't hurt but that will cost as it will take a few hours to complete.

[BreakMyWindow 1870]

Timing chain guide failure doesnt seem to affect the s62 as badly. GT1 diag testing - get the vanos tested, check for any other faults. Take it for a good test drive, get the car up on a hoist and poke around underneath it. Orr pay for a PPI if interested.

Edited October 3, 2013 by BreakMyWindow

[Phil-540i 166]

If this was probably 3months down the track, 20k in cash woulda already been waved under his nose & this would now be sitting in my driveway..... It can be analysed from here to eternity, but the car seems genuine, the owner appears to be very honest about things, & 'if you snooze, you lose'.......

[kiwi535 538]

I'm guessing with something like this it wouldn't be unlikely to have to put in a few grand of maintenance to bring it up to decent condition

you better have a few grand in the bank to own any M car.I klike the look of this,well optioned too,Xenon lights werent exactly common place in 1999

[m325i 705]

FWIW I park in the same building as this and noticed it after the 'bump'. It looked like it was very minor and not much more than broken trim. It is pretty tidy and looks as good as the pics. Cosmetically it looks good.

[BreakMyWindow 1870]

No ones snapped this one up yet? Must be the colour haha.

[Allanw 1051]

No ones snapped this one up yet? Must be the colour haha.

Nah... they're just SOOOO Common My manual 525i is probably a rarer model

[DC3 46]

178ks & going strong. makes me think. With regular maintenance what would be the expected lifespan of one of these engines? has anyone heard of one with double that still going?

http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/e39-m5-e52-z8-discussion/190847-who-has-most-miles.html

Some impressive figures!

[Tristan 338]

262K Miles - Wow!

[kiwi535 538]

this is interesting to me...cant stop thinkin about it

[Palazzo 429]

Has anyone got the $ figure to maintain it properly to that mileage?

[Phil-540i 166]

Certainly some of the ones within that M5 link have done big mileages (4-500,000km), without anything more than 'normal' maintance that would be required of anything else doing those huge kms, IMO. Theres the odd one that's done rod bearings in there, but on a whole, they seem to come across as being fairly bullet-proof really for something that's really a high end, high performance car. Imagine trying to run up those mileages in a Ferrari or a Porsche.............and what the $$$$ costs would be to keep that going.....

I'd have no problem with the thought of owning one anyway. A lot of it has to do with doing the routine periodic maintance when its required (before not doing so creates problems), & do all the normal 'good stuff' like not thrashing the snot outa them when they're cold, use good quality lubricants, etc etc.

A common theme seems to be those that have brought later model M5's, don't seem to think they're as good a car as what the E39 M5 was, which I found interesting.

[Tristan 338]

A common theme seems to be those that have brought later model M5's, don't seem to think they're as good a car as what the E39 M5 was, which I found interesting

I'd like to drive them back to back.

[vtgts300kw 90]

I'd like to drive them back to back.

They are different cars. Much like the E46 and E92 M3's are.

[39KiwiTouring 2]

In the M series and non M series the E34 and E39 appear to be in the higher percentile of over all reliability of most cars out there.

[Phil-540i 166]

I'd like to drive them back to back.

Within that link, it seems to not be so much about the difference in the 'driving' of them, more the difference in the 'owning' between the E39 & its later reincarnations.....(hope that makes some sort of sense...???)

Certainly some great reading there IMO......