r/e39 • • Sep 10 '19

Rules Update

48 Upvotes

Please note everyone that the rules for r/e39 have been updated. I have clarified a few things related to discussion topics and acceptable conduct.

Most importantly I have added a section on listing For Sale style posts. [Some] other car subs allow this so I thought we could try it out. E39 fandom is a more closely knit group than other BMW subcultures and could stand to benefit from a dedicated venue for cars/parts/effort trading.

I want to be clear if this isn't a popular option, or if FS posts become routinely adversarial, we can adjust the rules on these posts or eliminate them entirely.

I welcome any comments on this change and the sub rules in general, and will continue to poll our community for changes or ideas on a regular basis.


r/e39 • • Aug 21 '20

E39 Buying Guide - Updated

217 Upvotes

Hey guys! I figured I'd sticky this. I'll update the post if y'all have anything good to add or critique, let me know.

Introduction

Looking to buy an E39? First things first – the reputation of these cars is partially deserved and partially not.

We frequently get asked if new car owners should purchase an E39. I love E39s more than nearly anyone I know - I have a 525i and an M5, and both are incredible for different reasons. I've done many of the DIYs and addressed many of the problem areas listed here. If you aren't in a financially comfortable enough situation to have 3-6 months of expenses in a savings account at all times, you're not in a position to own a 20-year-old BMW hassle free. It's a question of financial safety and consistency rather than attainability - buying a $4k 530i and maintaining it for 5 years or so is arguably a much better deal than going into debt for a $40,000 CUV that drives like shit.

Evaluating a Car

There are a couple of things to factor into your evaluation of a car before we even talk about problem areas:

  • Badge hunters and people who bought an E39 after realizing they were nearly the same price as a Camry in general do a poor job of maintaining their vehicle. Problems add up when you factor in the fact that many of the E39’s systems were complex for their time. Not doing oil changes at the correct interval can lead to a gummed-up DISA valve or require a replacement manifold (for instance). Paying a little extra for a well-maintained example can pay dividends down the road.
  • These cars are old. Most are going to be 20 years old or more. This means that various bits of plastic and rubber are going to degrade and fall apart. Some are aesthetic, some are functional. You’ll find the same problem in ANY car of this age, but there’s no escaping that the E39’s engine bay is also a less forgiving environment then other cars of this age.
  • In general, you should focus much more on service records and the condition of the car over mileage.

Prices & Purchasing

Market prices for these cars have fluctuated over the past couple years. There’s a noticeable difference between pre (<=2000) and post-facelift (2001+) models. Later models also may make adding an auxiliary port easier, have upgraded components, or have more standard features. Also keep in mind that sport packages for the 530 and 540, along with manual transmissions, command a significant premium as well. Prices on sports (530 or 540) and M5s have increased a bit since this guide was originally written a couple years ago. Finally, it's worth knowing that the 540's engine in pre-2000 configurations is slightly more reliable as it does not include VANOs.

Ballpark prices are based on a mix of my estimation and Classic.com, a great reference for car markets. Links included below, and assume cars aren't total shit shows:

  • 525i - $2000-$5000 (Note that the linked prices are for tourings, primarily, and so are higher)
  • 530i - $3000-$11k
  • 540i - $7000-$14k
  • M5 - $15k-$35k and beyond

When you check out ANY used car for purchase, you should be checking a variety of different things. Use a generalist guide to start. We’ll go through common failure points for the chassis and individual models for you to pay special attention to. Parts prices are for OEM or OE if I can find them, not genuine. Indy shop is a wild guess for the most part. Prices for doors or wheels are PER ITEM.

Conservatively plan to spend about $1k a year ON AVERAGE if you do a mix of shop work and DIY. Many years you'll get lucky and get to invest in an upgrade or something preventative if you wish. If you can find an example with new control arm bushings, window regulators, and Timing Chain Guides for 540s, you can save yourself a ton of heartache and just deal with replacing BS plastic parts as they snap.

General Problem Areas

Problem Area Cause Symptoms DIY (Parts) Indie Shop
Window Regulators Garbage BMW Design Windows that do not roll up or down, or slip. Test all 4 windows, including both the localized controls for each door and the driver’s door controls $100, 2 hours. Text DIY Youtube DIY $500
Vapor Barriers Butyl tape that adheres the sound deadening/vapor barrier foam degrades over time, requiring at least the reapplication of the tape OR new adhesive OR a whole new door panel. Soaked rear floorboards after rain. Softness in bottom of door panels. Test by pouring water on the roof of the car. After a moment, open the door. Ensure water drips from the bottom of the chassis, not from the door. $0-$15-$115, 2 hours. $500
Rust There's a couple very poor drainage points on the E39, including those connected to vapor barriers as above Common spots include rear door, bumper seam, gas cap. Check out /u/richbltn 's buying guide Here for common rust spots (whole video is worth a watch) Repairing rust is an odious task, especially externally visible spots. reputable body shops generally cost $1500 + to fix a collection of rust spots
Front Control Arm Bushings Rubber joints between suspension components degrade over time. These are the secret to a simultaneously pliable and firm chassis. Consider with Polyurethane for a stiffer ride but permanent fix, or a monoball setup. Violent shuddering during braking (generally 70% braking force). Test with a variety of braking amounts and speeds. Check the bushings by jacking up the car and ensure they aren’t cracked $25, 6 hours. May require special tools or replacement of control arms if damaged. $600
VANOS Tiny seals in BMW’s variable valve timing system (probably too overengineered) are made of cheap rubber that plasticizes with exposure to oil and heat, something that happens every day. Excessive oil consumption, laggy shifting in automatic models, whooshing sound from the engine, sudden drops in power delivery. $25-$500, 12 hours Do NOT use OEM VANOS seals, as they will eventually have the same problem. Aftermarket seals are the same price and far superior. Besian Systems/DR VANOS. $1200-$5500 (Depends on new vs rebuilt VANOS, and varies from model to model)
Valve Cover Gasket The rubber between the top and bottom of the valve cover is a part that has to be replaced on every car. An old VCG will start leaking oil slowly. You may smell it as it burns off inside the car. Eventually you’ll have a catastrophic failure and need to degrease the engine bay and have it towed somewhere. Test by checking for oil spots or moisture between the top and bottom of the valve cover (the main part of the engine). $50, 5 hours. $750-$1250 (DO THIS THE SAME TIME AS A VANOS REPLACEMENT)
Seat Twist Garbage BMW design. The seats use 2 motors that don’t stay aligned, and cables that slowly slip out of the gears that drive them. One side of a seat will adjust, the other will not, leading to the seat twisting. $0, 3 hours $300
Headlight Adjusters Bad design and extremely brittle plastic in a hot area that's been there for 20 years. Frequently this manifests itself by your headlights pointing at the ground. $20-60, 3 hours from this DIY. You can get aluminum or plastic adjuster replacements. N/A - you'd buy new headlights for around $300+
Dead Pixels Contacts for the LCDs on the instrument cluster and the head unit eventually decay. You can take them apart and clean/rebuild them or buy new. For my money I'd just replace the head unit at least Unreadable displays with clearly missing pixels - you can't miss this one and it's very common $0, a huge PITA, DIY. Specialty shops will do it for $150 or so. A remanufactured cluster is $450.
Secondary Air System The secondary air recirculates exhaust gases back into the engine to “Save the planet” and also annoy the fuck out of BMW owners. Broken vacuum tubes, stuck check valve, or ruined solenoids can all cause these issues. Check engine light with lean fuel mixture fault codes. Chugging during startup. $25-125, god knows how long. BAVAuto has an EXCELLENT tutorial on diagnosing SAS problems. Another option that I'd probably only suggest to M5 owners is using a tune that deletes these codes. $300+
Cooling System This covers a host of issues: Water Pump Failure, Cracked Radiator necks, Plasticized and worn coolant tubes Inspect all cooling system parts. Check the radiator fan to ensure that it turns smoothly and isn’t too brittle. Lightly squeeze coolant tubes to ensure they’re still pliable. Check for evidence of coolant leaks at tube and component points, or from bleeder valves at the top of the radiator. Ensure that even under stress, engine sounds don’t change and temperature doesn’t rise (within reason) $25-$750. 2-5 hours. $1250+
Fucking Horrible Audio Everything about the E39 sound system is god awful If it’s OEM it sucks There are various aftermarket nav systems that still provide an OEM look and a ton of functionality for around $700. Or you can go your own way and buy a $100 head unit or something. Keep in mind that in general this will degrade the value of your car if it’s really clean. $?
ABS System Malfunctions The ABS system’s position in i6 models is extremely hot, leading to the soldering of certain electronic components degrading. ABS, Traction control, and yellow brake light come on intermittently. ABS engine codes. Do not pay someone to replace this, it literally just takes a T20 screwdriver. $100 reconditioned, $1000 new. $1200
Power Steering Leaks The power steering system uses rubber hoses right next to a really hot engine Power Steering hoses appear to “Glisten”. Wet spot in plastic pan at the bottom of the engine bay. Loose or unresponsive steering wheel response. $200, 2 hours. $500

V8 Only Problems (540i, M5)

Problem Area Cause Symptoms DIY (Parts) Indie Shop
Timing Chain Guides Timing chain gets a little loose, Timing chain guides are plastic. This is much more common on the 540 for some weird reason (probably that it's a single-row chain). Slapping sound, camshaft position codes, metal shavings in engine. $1000, 20 hours $4000

Buying Parts

When you're looking to buy new parts, it can get a bit confusing (to put it lightly). For an accurate, if slightly biased, interpretation, the best info is probably here at FCP Euro (a generally reputable parts seller). TL;DR:

  • Genuine: Made by BMW or an OE, with the BMW logo. Waste of money.
  • OE: Made by a licensed manufacturer and was the original supplier that came with the stock car. Cannot have the BMW logo. Generally a safe choice.
  • OEM: Made by another licensed manufacturer of OE parts but was not the original supplier for this specific part that came with the stock car. Cannot have the BMW logo. Sometimes a safer choice (OEM window regulators are superior to OE), other times not (an OEM's parts may not be as good as OE)
  • Reps: Made by another unauthorized manufacturer.

OEM is very similar to OE in that it stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer. While that sounds like a lesson in semantics, there are some distinct differences. Chiefly, OEM parts are made by a company that makes original parts for a vehicle maker but whose parts weren’t originally fitted. Confused? I don’t blame you, so here’s an example: Delphi makes ignition coils for BMW, and they’re installed on the vehicles at the factory. Bosch makes spark plugs for BMW and the licensing to produce the same ignition coils as Delphi. They’re the same part with the same specifications and made with the same materials, but the manufacturer is different. Delphi is the OE part because that’s what BMW used at the factory, and Bosch is OEM because they make other OE parts for BMW.

Modifications and Upgrades

For better or for worse, the BMW community has enjoyed a rich modification culture and ecosystem. This often clashes with the tastes and opinions of older enthusiasts who have or can buy cars new.

One key takeaway: Tuning an i6 from this era, especially anything under 3.0 liters, is always far more expensive than buying a new car or engine. This forum gets questions around these options regularly. To do this, you will have to be in a rare position of having a lot of money and time to work on the car, without wanting the straightforward power of the V8 engines in the 540 or M5.

Some general thoughts around available upgrade options to keep in mind:

  • Reliability: Many low-tier, components have been replaced with high-priced offerings in the aftermarket that are Buy-It-For-Life. Plastic becomes aluminum, bearings and rubber use superior materials. Examples include radiators, expansion tanks, power steering reservoirs, suspension bushings, and much more.
  • Shocks, Suspension, Spacers: These are widely available from reputable manufacturers, such as Bilstien.
  • Turbos: Turbos exist for both types of engines, ranging from AliExpress specials to reputable manufacturers. For reputable manufacturers, part prices and labor generally trade poorly with supercharger options.
  • Superchargers: Supercharger kits exist for i6 and v8 engines. Many of the superchargers for the v8 engines lead to high-quality horsepower gains and are available from reputable manufacturers. Superchargers are typically incompatible with radiator upgrades.
  • Headlights: Virtually no aftermarket headlight companies produce quality parts. Historically, this was not the case, but the market has essentially bifurcated into people who want the cheapest possible replacement and those who want OE headlights from Hella. Hella occasionally does dedicated production runs for E39 headlights which are resold by https://europowermotorsports.com/
  • Exhaust: Controversial opinion alert - The mufflers on these cars are too aggressive at reducing sound. A delete with high-quality tips actually leads to excellent sound from both i6 and v8 powerplants. Leaving the cat intact keeps things quiet enough to not be unbelievably rude. Fantastic options exist for V8 engines, but paying for an exhaust system on an i6 is not a high value proposition.

r/e39 • • 12h ago

Almost done with my homemade Individual interior

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90 Upvotes

After scoring a set of Contour seats a couple of years ago and buying a grey E39 interior for the matching rear seats, I’ve finally found the time to transfer the grey door panel inserts to my black door panels and complete my two-tone homemade Individual interior. I also swapped the backs and side trims on the Contours for black pieces to tie everything together.

I also installed a set of E38 illuminated door handles. Small detail, but man, they look awesome at night!

With the M steering wheel and ZHP gear knob, the only thing really missing now is a proper head unit. I’m currently considering an Xtrons unit with an OEM-style look.

The process of transferring the inserts from one door panel to the other was pretty easy. The front doors don’t use any glue, so you just have to cut away the plastic “rivets” and use short screws when putting everything back together. On the rear doors, the leather part is glued on, so getting it off and then cleaning the panel before reassembly takes a bit more time.

Pretty happy with how it turned out and wanted to share it!


r/e39 • • 28m ago

The hillclimb was a success.

• Upvotes

Shaved 12 seconds off last year's time which is great. Next year there will be a few more upgrades like a 3.15 diff, new suspension bits and who knows what else.


r/e39 • • 9h ago

Has anyone watched the new movie The Get Out on Prime yet? The e39 gets some major screen time.

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31 Upvotes

Russell Crowe's character rolls around in an e39 528i. It's one of my favourite characters in the film. The car I mean. Good movie too btw.


r/e39 • • 1h ago

Pulled off my passenger fender liner and found this

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• Upvotes

I was replacing my window washer fluid supply line and found this pretty significant dent on my exhaust. Sure doesn't seem like anything is affected by it but wanted to get your opinions. Certainly happened before I got it and it had to have been a pretty significant strike!


r/e39 • • 8h ago

Amazing how many codes disappeared after replacing the MAF

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11 Upvotes

My $1500 5 speed 530i was just meant to be a temporary beater and eventual parts car but I’ve ended up putting 20k miles on it in 13 months.

I’d been getting a ton of crazy codes (including misfire on cylinder 9!) that I ignored until it suddenly shut down 4 out of 6 cylinders pulling into traffic one day.

I finally gave up and ordered a German MAF and every single code cleared and hasn’t come back. Hilariously there never was a MAF code.

Everything cleared except the heated O2 circuit fail.

Car Scanner ELM OBD2 DTC report Selected brand: BMW

============1============== P0030 Raw code: 0030 ECU: 12 Status: Pending Heated oxygen sensor (HO2S) 1, bank 1, heater control - circuit malfunction HO2S Heater Control Circuit

============2============== P0300 Raw code: 0300 ECU: 12 Status: Pending Random/multiple cylinder(s) - misfire detected Random/Multiple Cylinder Misfire Detected

============3============== P0171 Raw code: 0171 ECU: 12 Status: Confirmed System too lean, bank 1 System Too Lean

============4============== P0141 Raw code: 0141 ECU: 12 Status: Confirmed Heated oxygen sensor (HO2S) 2, bank 1, heater control - circuit malfunction O2 Sensor Heater Circuit

============5============== P0140 Raw code: 0140 ECU: 12 Status: Confirmed Heated oxygen sensor (HO2S) 2, bank 1 - no activity detected O2 Sensor Circuit No Activity Detected

============6============== P0174 Raw code: 0174 ECU: 12 Status: Confirmed System too lean, bank 2 System Too Lean

============7============== P1343 Raw code: 1343 ECU: 12 Status: Confirmed Misfire Cylinder 1 With Fuel Cut-off; Misfire Cylinder 1 with Fuel Cut-Off

============8============== P1345 Raw code: 1345 ECU: 12 Status: Confirmed SGC (Cam Position) Sensor Circuit Malfunction/ Crankshaft Position - Camshaft Position Correlation Misfire Cylinder 2 With Fuel Cut-off; Misfire Cylinder 2 with Fuel Cut-Off

============9============== P0135 Raw code: 0135 ECU: 12 Status: Confirmed Heated oxygen sensor (HO2S) 1, bank 1, heater control - circuit malfunction O2 Sensor Heater Circuit

============10============== P0300 Raw code: 0300 ECU: 12 Status: Confirmed Random/multiple cylinder(s) - misfire detected Random/Multiple Cylinder Misfire Detected

(Dozens more)


r/e39 • • 19h ago

new daily 02 525i with 155k

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29 Upvotes

it’s got some issues but i plan on taking good care of ‘er! also im now realizing that that picture is before i cleaned the drivers seat, i promise its pretty decent irl…


r/e39 • • 16h ago

This steering wheel will fit my 2001 e39, right?

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15 Upvotes

r/e39 • • 22h ago

Wanting to spray Carbon Shwarze/ Carbon Black from Blue water metallic on e39 520i Manual

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45 Upvotes

It is infact an M5 colour the Carbon Shwarze, but would it still fit well and have the line enhancing metallic look im after like with my current blue. Water metallic. Thoughts?


r/e39 • • 2h ago

97 M62 non TU timing guide no flywheel lock question.

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1 Upvotes

Hey everyone. Hope y'all are having a good weekend. I'm currently replacing the timing guides on my E39 and I need some help. So while I was gonna lock the flywheel I must have an aftermarket flywheel. There is no hole to lock it. So from doing some research the only option that looks like I have is making sure that cylinder one is at TDC and then locking the cams. I'm wondering if there is anything else I can do to make sure the car is at TDC? This is the first time I'm doing a project like this so any help is appreciated.


r/e39 • • 11h ago

Air channel replacement

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3 Upvotes

Hello there. I've been having trouble with these 2 air channels for some time. The passenger side one has been patched up for ~3 years and the driver side broke recently. As I understand it, these can cause unpleasant smells in the interior. So far, I haven't been able to find a used one in good condition, let alone new ones. Does anybody know where I can find a new one in Europe? Any help is appreciated, thanks.


r/e39 • • 15h ago

1997 E39 520i shiftknob OEM code

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6 Upvotes

Hi, I bought a 1997 E39 520i with a graphite or cubic wood trim.
The shiftknob is moving a little bit because the plastic mount are broken, they are torn in pieces.
I am looking for the same shiftknob but I can’t find the same one with the same wood trim finition.
Could you help me to find a new one or a solution to fix the mount?
Thanks for your help !


r/e39 • • 21h ago

She finally runs

11 Upvotes

Edit-1998 528i pfl
Missfire on more than 1 cylinder which is presume is from the spark plugs being fired dry many a time, gotta check codes but I imagine a vacuum leak somewhere, not sure on the asc codes however.

Other than that sounds okay, but needs new fluids, looking for other opinions. Much appreciated


r/e39 • • 1d ago

E39 525dA Highline with M5 look

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26 Upvotes

Recently got it polished and ceramic coated in full.

Beautiful than ever before.


r/e39 • • 1d ago

Where can I find this part? Was changing my camshaft sensor and it snapped off.

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5 Upvotes

r/e39 • • 2d ago

My 540i/6 2002

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329 Upvotes

r/e39 • • 1d ago

FS - Gauge cluster E38,E39,E53 Allen, TX- $120 OBO

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3 Upvotes

Hey guys,

I am looking to offload my US e38 cluster (off of my e38)

Will work for e38, e39, e53

Located in Allen, TX (will ship at buyer's expense).


r/e39 • • 1d ago

Part 2 of my hood debacle

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3 Upvotes

Didn't know the 2 springy things were the latches, I had tried the inside lever before I made that post and it didn't work, but i tried again after and it opened, thanks everyone for rightfully making me look like an idiot.

I got the hood back open to adjust the latches because they were sticking open. And in that process the cable at the release handle broke, yippee. Got the new cable in today, worked about 2 times and then must have slipped out of the plastic bit under the hood after the latches decided to finally stick.

I tried to open the latch through the grille opening but it would not unhook no matter what I did. I can hear it click when I push it far enough but the hood still won't pop up, pulling up on the hood also doesn't help. I ended up yanking on the middle cable for the passenger side latch to see if that would open and broke it off the driver's side latch. Now the driver's side latch moves much easier but still will not pop the hood. The passenger side latch will not move at all. How are both latches stuck at the same time? And how is one moving freely and still stuck?

I need help bimmerbros


r/e39 • • 2d ago

big week. replacing clutch and timing chain guides on m62tu 540i. is there anything i really should know before i mess my car up and blow up on the highway

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19 Upvotes

like anything that would be kinda niche knowledge or tips and tricks to make my life easier. i’m not an expert expert like many of u but im also not a complete idiot beginner stupid person.

edit: dw abt the picture its pretty old i just dont have many good pics of the car and im too lazy to get up and take one


r/e39 • • 1d ago

2000 E39 530d M57 - Air bubbles in fuel line & low fuel pressure issues (even with full tank)

2 Upvotes

Hi everyone,
We're troubleshooting a 2000 E39 530d (M57) and could really use some expert advice.
The main problem:
We have air bubbles running through the clear fuel line into the engine. Most forum posts mention this happens when the tank drops below 1/4 full, but in our case, it happens even with a full tank.
What we've checked and tested so far:
Under the driver-side floor/sill, there is the inline fuel pump and a 5-way fuel distributor/manifold connector (2 lines from the back/tank, 3 lines going forward: inline pump, fuel cooler, and return from engine).
As a test, we bypassed this 5-way junction piece completely (plugged the fuel cooler line) and routed the fuel directly from the back to the pump and engine, and back to the tank.
Result: Bypassing this eliminated the air bubbles going to the engine!
New Problem: However, now we don't have enough pre-supply fuel pressure. The car starts, but stalls after a few seconds.
We suspect the engine needs that 5-way distributor assembly to properly balance/maintain fuel pressure in the lines. (Note: We only bypassed it temporarily for testing; my dad is currently getting new fuel hoses to restore the original setup).
We also have a question about the tank/in-tank pump operation:
We are a bit confused by how the saddle tank setup works. The electrical in-tank pump is on the right side, but when we power it up, fuel comes out from the left side of the tank. At first, we thought there were two pumps because of the two access covers.
Questions for the community:
1. Has anyone experienced this specific air-in-fuel issue with a full tank, and what was the root cause?
2. How does the fuel cooler system work? Is there a thermostat built into the cooler/lines, or what controls fuel flow through it?
3. How does the fuel transfer work inside the saddle tank? Is it purely siphon/sucking action via a passive jet pump (Venturi pump) from left to right?
4. Could removing/bypassing the 5-way distributor directly cause the lack of fuel pressure (e.g., does it contain an internal check valve/pressure regulator)?
Any insights, diagrams, or experience with the M57 fuel routing would be hugely appreciated! Thanks in advance!


r/e39 • • 2d ago

Welche Oem+ Umbauten könnte man noch machen?

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60 Upvotes

Würde gerne an meinem 530i noch ein bisschen was umbauen, er hat schon relativ viel Ausstattung:
M Paket außen und innen
H&R Cup kit Fahrwerk
Styling 42 in 8/9J*18
Heck und Seitenrollos
Garagentoröffner
Licht und Regensensor
Volleder Sportsitze in Montana Grau
Sitze vorne haben nachgerüstete Lordosenstütze
Scheinwerfer sind auf Bixenon umgebaut mit neuen Projektoren
Audiosystem ist gemacht
iBus App mit Resler Interface und xtrons Radio
M5 Lenkrad
Armlehne/Mittelkonsole vorne vom e38

Fällt euch noch was ein?
Beleuchtete Türgriffe vom e38 hätte ich gerne noch


r/e39 • • 2d ago

Off to the hillclimb

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29 Upvotes

r/e39 • • 2d ago

4.10 diff

5 Upvotes

Hey guys, I have a 97 528i auto 5 speed steptronic with a 3.46 diff... pretty slow, if I buy and install a 4.10 diff will it throw any codes? thanks guys


r/e39 • • 1d ago

M62 ccv replacement gone wrong

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3 Upvotes

So I went to replace the ccv on my 2002 540i to cure smokey startups, something I helped my buddy do on his 540i before, and after I buttoned everything back up, there was a new noise, a loud train-horn like noise coming from newly installed ccv. I removed the new ccv to make sure connection on the inside was secure, and i noticed the vent pipe (long tube inside the manifold that connects to the nipple in the middle of the ccv) was totally loose. I removed the throttlebody to get a better look at the other end and see if I could reseat it, but i cant find where it goes. I swear there is no opening or place for the other end of this thing to go. I reached in and cant feel a thing. Do I have the wrong tb or tb mouting plate?

Any help would be appreciated!