baba

as above pros and cons of them?
ive been looking at e39 530ds recently just as a kind of winter hack and to tow the jetski.
what they like?any common faults or certain years to avoid?or check?
and any ideas on rough mpg?
and more importantly what power and trq does a chip add?stu if your reading?

Nath

Turbos can be a weak point. My brother in law has an 02 plate auto that he'll be selling as hes bought the newer shape 3.5 twin turbo.

Great cars to drive IMO

Graceland

Superb car, My 02 530d Sport was Manual and returned 45+mpg even after being remapped, superb performance from a silky smooth ultra refined 6 pot engine - I would have another in a flash if I wasn't looking for an M5

As it happens, my old E39 Diesel is for sale on Pistonheads - http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/786520.htm - the seller is the bloke who bought it off me - he has made a twat of it with the M badges tho, but they are easily removed - Unless he has made a cunt of it elsewhere aswell, then that car wants for absolutely nothing - it is in perfect condition and I rekkon he would take 6k if you waved the cash under his hooter aswell

Edited to add, standard the car is 193bhp and 280 lb/ft - with a remap at Evolution Chips (Stu) - 230bhp and 380 lb/ft torque and more mpg

Coldo

Off topic, but Barry - did you get those stickers fitted to the jetski ok? Hope they look the part

Alps Pacino

I'm looking at the 330d m sport tourers at the mo, i quiet fancy a estate and i think the 330d with the m sport bits look the bollox.

I'm guessing the 530 and 330 has the same motor which is a very good unit?

Graceland

Alps - the same unit yep, in 2000/2001 the engine changed ever so slightly and gained the code TU at the end of the engine code - this simply means technically updated to fix a few small niggles like injectors, turbos, inlet manifold issues - and went up from 184bhp to 193bhp and in the 330d went upto 203bhp amonst other things

baba

ok thanks guys.any other areas to look at when viewing or just same as any car?

baba

aye i got them on and took them off lol........i didnt like them when they were on mate.no worries though.

Alps Pacino

So this 1 will have the better engine then? I might be pxing my vx220 against it if he comes bac to me with a decent deal

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/807022.htm

Graceland

Pretty much so but heres a bit of a list:

watch out for pre-facelift ones as they seem to rot on the boot lid lip where the seal touches once closed, also make sure the aircon works aswell and that the electric fan infront of the radiator comes on when the aircon is on full - another common problem.

On models with the high OBD, watch out for missing pixels in the displays - seems to affect pre-facelift again more than the facelift versions.

When test driving, get a nice open road and put your foot down in 4th from 25mph and it should pull cleanly all the way to 115/120mphish wih no effor at all and no flat spots - a flatspot can indicate that the MAF has failed - easy fix, just change it - but again, on pre-facelift cars you will need to have the ECU software updated when a new MAF is fitted, on facelift models just swap the MAF and off you go

Another thing to look for is the E39 shimmy - wobble from the front end when cruising along between 40 and 60mph, and when braking - this indicates worn TCA and ARB bushes and knackered brake discs - again, common on all E39's regardless of the flavour, but easily fixed with new bushes (X5 bushes are a cheap and effective upgrade).

Manual Gearbox woes on some - check it doesn't jump out of 4th gear when under load, if it does then there could be other issues.

On the rear axle, check for the 4 massive subframe bushes - they are prone to failing more on the touring versions than the saloon, you will notice this when cornering as the back end will feel floaty. Also check for the rear hub spherical bearing - this is the lower bearing holding the hub to the wishbone - these wear around the 90k mark and are aan absolute twat to replace

On the touring versions, the rear suspension is self levelling airbag system - these are problematic sometimes but providing the compressor runs when the ignition is switched on and the back doesn't sit to the floor overnight then it is generally in good working order.

On versions fitted with Xenon (HID) headlights (easy to tell, they have windscreen washers and auto levelling headlights), the leveling arms that are linked to the OSF and NSR TCA's can break - they are only little plastic linkages and are easily fixed - easily checked by turning the headlights on and if they point immediately to the ground then there is an issue there - these little level arms are also linked to the alarm and form the anti-lift/tilt sensor

Electric window regulators have been known to pop when trying to lower the window in freezing conditions - nothing major and I have only seen it once on a colleagues car.

The temperature gauge on the dashboard should work normally and is accurate aswell - if it is reading some erranous temperature then this will affect the air conditioning from working properly. The sensor for the external air temperature is under the OSF side of the bumper on the spray stopping lower wheelarch guard that comes under the bumper - it gets smashed off very easily on Sport models as the bumper sits lower and is easily caught on kerbs.

Handbrakes can be nortoriously poor at the best of times - don't let this put you off, usually they have either been adjusted wrong or not adjusted at all and can be fixed in 10 mins

Propshaft rubber donut (like Cossie ones) take a beating and have been known to break up and cause massive vibration - easy fix and cheap enough to do - an hour job at the most - check this by driving hard and feeling for excessive vibration thru the gear lever and your arse (seat).

Make sure that if you buy a manual it had the clutch pedal recall done - new pedal as the original design snapped easily

Early E39's also had a recall for the front suspension - when the car was jacked up the suspension cup parted company with the spring and when lowered again wouldn't sit right - this problem was fixed early on and after 1998 was erradicated with a small design change to the suspsnion damper/spring arrangement.

If the ABS light is on, then the sensor diagnosis is simple to do aswell - NSR sensor does the satnav, OSR sensor does the speedo, front sensors do just ABS - so if the satnav or speedo fail to work and the ABS light is on then these are your problems The ABS sensors also work with the DSC (on facelift models) and ASC (non facelift) - this won't work properly if there is a problem with a sensor going out of tollerance.

Check the NS engine mount aswell, its easy to get to and see and they can fail easily due to the massive torque of the engine, mine failed and was changed in 30 mins (if you have lifting equipement) or can be a good few hours if you don't have a hoist .

Thats about it off the top of my head - Good luck

Graceland

Alps - that has the 203bhp technically updated engine - superb piece of kit

C4llyT

Thought it was 03 they got the 204bhp, 184 prior to this?

Graceland

Pretty sure it was 2000/1 - but BMW are like Ford and do things randomly accross the board

chris-m

great advice and i also followed it myself and bought a 530d Sport recently. been very impressed so far. 34mph around town driving normal and as much as 49mpg on a run. £310 fully comp for me and missus to insure as well. great drive, handle well for a big car, and worth searching out a sport if you can imho.
bmwland forum is quite helpful, i'm hoping to get mine remapped shortly after chrimbo.

Nath

Oh and the sound systems are fucking awful on the E39's....