Top Gear E39 Car Knowledge

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What's Good

Great looks. 528i provides huge feelgood factor. Decent economy from 528i and 523i. 15' 8" long by 5' 11" wide; weighs 1,485 to 1,690kg. Petrol V8s overkill, but 4,398cc M62 540i can be had with six-speed manual. Top model is 5.0 litre 32-valve 400 bhp M5. Engine line-up began with M52 150bhp 2.0 six, M52 170bhp 2.5 '523i' six and M52 193bhp 2.8 six. Also old M51 149bhp iron block diesel six, M62 235bhp 3.5 V8 and M62 286bhp 4.0 V8. Steel bore liner M52 EU3 engines introduced for 520i, 523i and 528i in September 1998. M57 direct injected 184bhp 3.0D six diesel introduced September 1998. Facelift September 2000 with clear lens headlights saw more engine changes: 170bhp 2,171cc six replaced 1,991cc six in 520i; 523i became 525i, now with 192bhp; 528i replaced by M52 EU3 530 six with 231bhp; smaller 163bhp direct injected 525d introduced. Four Star NCAP crash test rating. Thanks to Trancer of The Backroom, this may clear up a bit of confusion about badging, engines and power:-

520i M52 6 cylinder 150 HP 220 km/h 1996 - 2000 
520i M54 6 cylinder 170 HP 226 km/h 2000 - 2003 
523i M52 6 cylinder 170 HP 228 km/h 1995 - 2000 
525i M54 6 cylinder 192 HP 238 km/h 2000 - 2003 
528i M52 6 cylinder 193 HP 236 km/h 1995 - 2000

S and T reg cars came 9th in 2001 Top Gear / JD Power Customer Satisfaction Survey. Improved unlimited mileage two year full manufacturer warranty followed by one year full dealer warranty from November 2001, making total three year unlimited mileage warranty. BMW, Toyota and Ford jointly suffered the fewest breakdowns attended by German ADAC during 2001. 5th Top in 144 car 2002 JD Power / What Car? Customer Satisfaction Survey of V and W reg cars so seems to be improving. BMW had sixth lowest average cost in warranty claims for cars up to 10 years old in 2002 Warranty Direct index. 10th = overall in 2003 What Car? J.D. Power Customer Satisfaction Survey. For more info on E39 M5 link to Sportscar Guides www.sportscarguides.com

BMWs generally had below average warranty repair costs in 2003 Warranty Direct Reliability index (index 81.41 v/s lowest 31.93). Link:- www.reliabilityindex.co.uk 2001 - 2003 models rated average for breakdowns, problems and faults in 2003 Which survey. 23rd from top car out of 137 in 2003 Top Gear survey. 8th top model in 2004 JD Power Customer Satisfaction Survey. 98% of cars up to 2 years old breakdown-free over previous 12 months in 2004 Which? survey. 

What's Bad

Have been quibbles about build quality and paint. Dodgy door seals. Electrical niggles reported, including faults with ventilation and airconditining system, airbags, park distance control. Engine gasket leaks. Wipers set for LHD. Old 2.5 litre diesel not significantly more economical than petrol, so best avoided. V8s not worth the extra. 2.8iSE and newer 3.0iSE is as far as you need to go. Franchised dealers know how to charge. Problem with combined navigation and telephone system of facelift 5-Series. Excess rear tyre wear can cause Steptronic autoboxes to stick in a lower gear after ascending an incline. Uneven rear tyre wear itself and clonks from the rear can be caused by worn rear suspension bushes. Reports of repeated thermostat problems blowing radiators on older E39s. Flat spots of 530d due to a known problem with the air mass sensor: replaced under warranty. Turbo trouble with 530d. 17" wheels easily damaged on inner rim. Only 89% breakdown free in 2003 Which survey. 1995-1997 petrol rates average for breakdowns and faults, poor for problems; 1998-2000 petrol rated average for breakdowns and problems, poor for faults in 2003 Which survey. Replaced by E60 October 2003, but E39 Touring continued for 9 months.

What to watch out for

Build date from 2001 shown on engine compartment label on top of front nearside wheelarch. Repaired accident damage. Excessively high franchised dealer prices for over-specified cars. M52 520i six 523i six, 528i six to September 1998 may suffer premature bore wear due to high amounts of sulphur in some UK petrol. Solved by replacement block with steel-lined bores on sixes. Production from September 1998 fitted with 'EU3' steel-lined bores. (No such problems with newer 525i and 530i six cylinder engines, and no problems with M62 V8s in the E39) Check took kit is all there. Service light indicator can easily be re-set, so a paid invoice is the only guarantee of a recent service. If buying a 6 clinder car, particularly a 523i, from a dealer insist on a new MOT because the emissions test will show up potentially expensive catalytic converter failure. 

Recalls

15/12/1999: (E39 built Sept/Oct 1999): brake light switch may fail leading to brake lights flickering or failing and switch overheating. New switches to be fitted. 9/11/2001: Cars built 28/9/2001 to 24/10/2001 with Continental tyres may have cuts in the tyres which can lead to blowouts. 16/11/2001: 5-Series diesels and V8s built 11/11/2000 - 30/9/2001 recalled because fault with radiator fan motor could lead electrics to overload, fan motor to fail and a small electrical fire to result. w/e 23/2/2002: recall in Germany for all models fitted with Conti Eco Contact and Sport Contact 205/55 R16 and 225/55 R16 tyres due to a pressure problem. 22-2-02 Bearing in front strut top mountings may be displaced if car is jacked up. 2023 cars affected. 1-11-3003: on 8,183 cars microprocessor in airbag control unit could develop a fault leading to airbag going off when ignition key is turned. Replace with re-coded unit. 

Some of the information within this database is collated from external sources and may contain third party opinion, but every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy.