Breaker 980 Report post Posted November 30, 2015 So picked this up from Dunedin and drove back to Morrinsville over a couple of days. Wow what a drive, 1500 kms with a mixture of boring straights, amazing scenery, mad hairpins, wicked roads, mental tourists and flickering traction control lights Special thanks to Mason in Dunedin for checking it out for me, LEGEND! Replacing the E500 as the daily driver. Will use this as a bit of a record of works etc. as they come up. So to the details: M62TUB44 540i, Steptronic box Production date 26.07.1999 , Jap export version, first registered NZ 2008 Colour: Biarritzblau Metallic (363) M-Sport Package, sports suspension II, told M5 rear bumper/ Mirrors and M5 exhaust (pic for ref) happy to be told otherwise. Be interested to know. Purrs real nice ! Mileage :152000 km's Summary: Well maintained engine, drivetrain, mechanicals. Stored outside for 3 years but cared for. Works completed by PO: Valve cover gaskets, PCV Valve, all cooling hoses, Valve covers blasted and powder coated, Various engine gaskets, battery replaced, plugs replaced, glass headlight fronts replaced, had three and half years did 20000kms. Avoided metal roads like the plague! Works to do: Aircon doesn't work, apparently not need in DUN (?). been to Hamilton Cool Air and searching for leaks, nothing apparent - refilled and returning for die testing in a fortnight. Clay bar paint surface. Polish and wax. Detail interior. Detail Exterior. Rear window regulator broke on the way down with putting the windows down all the time with no AC, lol. Replacement ordered arriving tomorrow. May put NZ 4:3 or 16:9 radio with RDS in as currently just Business Jap version with band expander, works really well though. Other then that looks OK. Just given it its first wash to remove 1500kms of grime, muck and bugs. 8 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
aja540i 1906 Report post Posted November 30, 2015 Nice! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KwS 2429 Report post Posted November 30, 2015 looks great! Well done, much better than the poxy old merc. Do you have more photos of how the exhaust runs on the RH side of the tyre well to the tips? It looks like the tyre well is intact, is the spare in there still? 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Breaker 980 Report post Posted November 30, 2015 looks great! Well done, much better than the poxy old merc. Do you have more photos of how the exhaust runs on the RH side of the tyre well to the tips? It looks like the tyre well is intact, is the spare in there still? Yeah full size m par spare in there, will wipe a few more pics out. As for the Merc. Yip it runs rings around Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michael. 2313 Report post Posted November 30, 2015 (edited) First off, this is so much better than the outgoing Mercedes! Night and day! Looks like an excellent buy all things considered. How does the exhaust sound, looks like a pretty interesting setup. Is there much drone? Edited November 30, 2015 by Michael. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rusteee 52 Report post Posted November 30, 2015 That is awsome!! Looks like a good buy and well looked after. Cant wait to see it at one of the meets 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BreakMyWindow 1878 Report post Posted November 30, 2015 Looks like a really tidy example and m5 mirrors is a bonus too. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Breaker 980 Report post Posted November 30, 2015 How does the exhaust sound, looks like a pretty interesting setup. Is there much drone? No mate, zero drone, nice rumble at start up and acceleration, then settles down, pretty damn near perfect for me 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kulgan 1042 Report post Posted November 30, 2015 Way cooler than the merc Brent. Gorgeous color. Whats not to like. Nice find. And always a bonus when you make it home without any unforeseen stops on the side of the road. Well done. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
qube 3570 Report post Posted November 30, 2015 im really jealous.. its amazing what a clean and decent photos do for a car.. looks way better than it did in the trademe ad.. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Breaker 980 Report post Posted November 30, 2015 Cheers Kyu, never fails to amaze me how badly people take photos for trademe and wonder why things don't move?? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Young Thrash Driver 1020 Report post Posted November 30, 2015 Crikey that looks good for a pre facelift! Looks like regular Motorsport bumpers rather than M5. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
charles28 138 Report post Posted November 30, 2015 Very Nice car, great daily driver and good that its been looked after previously. I was tempted to buy it, but still have not go around to selling my 530i, which is already my 3rd E39 hehe 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ahmedsinc 414 Report post Posted November 30, 2015 Score, probably my favourite E39 colour. Got it booked in to get the timing guides sorted yet? If they haven't started to rattle they will soon 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Breaker 980 Report post Posted November 30, 2015 Score, probably my favourite E39 colour. Got it booked in to get the timing guides sorted yet? If they haven't started to rattle they will soon I know, the curse of the timing guides, oh well probably have the E38 go at the same time, lol 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michael. 2313 Report post Posted November 30, 2015 No mate, zero drone, nice rumble at start up and acceleration, then settles down, pretty damn near perfect for me Excellent, I look forward to hearing it at one of our Coffee meets in Penrose! 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dn540 67 Report post Posted November 30, 2015 Good to see you got it home safely! I never even thought to check the A/C sorry haha, when it gets above 20deg here it's just a windows down kind of thing. Really is a nice machine! 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NUSTAD 243 Report post Posted November 30, 2015 Nice one - looks mmmmmmmm. M5 rear valance a bonus. Exhaust looks to be sitting differentry but still looks good. Does it have 4 cans or two? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Breaker 980 Report post Posted December 2, 2015 Window regulator sorted, much improved 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Matth5 471 Report post Posted December 2, 2015 (edited) Those aircon specialists will waste your time and money, go to a BMW specialist who will fix the issue in a day at a fraction of the cost. Issue might be much simpler than you expect. I speak from experience... That car looks like it's been very well cared for, must be awesome for long trips with that V8. Edited December 2, 2015 by Matth5 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dkonsta1 109 Report post Posted December 2, 2015 Great car. Beautiful condition. Just out of curiosity what did you pay for it? You don't have to answer if you don't feel like. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Breaker 980 Report post Posted December 2, 2015 Paid $7500, which I think is fair for a moderate mileage M-Sport version 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
qube 3570 Report post Posted December 2, 2015 I think its a great price. a few hundred dollars isnt important when you find a car like this. you just have to have it. am i right or am i right? 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BreakMyWindow 1878 Report post Posted December 2, 2015 For a 15yo car, i would say 153k is low mileage. 4 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Breaker 980 Report post Posted December 4, 2015 Those aircon specialists will waste your time and money, go to a BMW specialist who will fix the issue in a day at a fraction of the cost. Issue might be much simpler than you expect. I speak from experience... That car looks like it's been very well cared for, must be awesome for long trips with that V8. I've gone to Hamilton AC car specialist that have good reviews and have been in the business for 25 yrs. happy so far they have run a dye and refill through it and I'm back in a fortnight. Was only there 45min including inspection so can't complain at all Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites