I would love to meet the guy who did the rear setup on a E39

 Just did a rear spring on my car and what a job that was as i had to take the rear seats out and shelf just to get to the bolts on the leg. What a dumb idea that was but i guess its so they can make more money. Just to top it off i checked the other side and thats also broken so its another strip down tomoro night after work Starting to loose the faith in bmw cars,,,,,lol

It may be a tough job, but I'm pretty sure its the first time I've heard of someone needing to replace them!

Some replace to upgrade but I've never heard of it being such a chore. 

Don't give up on them just yet!!!

My E39 suffered a broken rear spring, but I traded it in before I could fix it.

It had done 91,000 miles in 9 years when I noticed the small piece of spring on my driveway.

Broken springs on any european make of cars, of a certain age, is the norm I'm afraid.

It's hard to pick a european make that wasn't affected, good old saving the planet stuff, lets use recycled steel to make springs !

As for the fitting .... well those that operate the computers that design such things, aren't the ones that have to work on them

Andrew Rolland wrote: My E39 suffered a broken rear spring, but I traded it in before I could fix it. It had done 91,000 miles in 9 years when I noticed the small piece of spring on my driveway.

Interesting.  I know its a problem on e36 and e46 but haven't heard it so much on the e39.  My old one is now up to about 155k miles, 13 yrs and still on the original springs.

Dergside wrote: Andrew Rolland wrote: My E39 suffered a broken rear spring, but I traded it in before I could fix it. It had done 91,000 miles in 9 years when I noticed the small piece of spring on my driveway. Interesting.  I know its a problem on e36 and e46 but haven't heard it so much on the e39.  My old one is now up to about 155k miles, 13 yrs and still on the original springs.

Ah but my E39 was driven on the roads in Renfrewshire!

Go on to http://www.fillthathole.org.uk/hazards/report - this website and you will see how poor the roads in my area really are.  My E60 is now suffering I think from worn front suspension joints as a result of the poor condition of my local roads at 56,000 miles.

Andrew Rolland wrote: Dergside wrote: Andrew Rolland wrote: My E39 suffered a broken rear spring, but I traded it in before I could fix it. It had done 91,000 miles in 9 years when I noticed the small piece of spring on my driveway. Interesting.  I know its a problem on e36 and e46 but haven't heard it so much on the e39.  My old one is now up to about 155k miles, 13 yrs and still on the original springs. Ah but my E39 was driven on the roads in Renfrewshire! Go on to http://www.fillthathole.org.uk/hazards/report - this website and you will see how poor the roads in my area really are.  My E60 is now suffering I think from worn front suspension joints as a result of the poor condition of my local roads at 56,000 miles.

From that post, you've never been to Ireland have you ?

Nigel wrote: From that post, you've never been to Ireland have you ?

Beat me to it!! 

Just for good measure, that car spent its first 6 years and 44k miles around Glasgow - sold by Harry Fairbairn to the first 2 owners.

No I haven't been to Ireland. Quite fancy it for a trip.  My old boss worked in Ireland for a while and I remember him complaining about the roads.

If it was sold by Harry Fairbairns in Glasgow which is in the posh bit so it quite possible was owned by someone who lived in East Renfrewshire, this being where all the posh people live, has roads in better condition.

http://www.fillthathole.org.uk/authority/east-renfrewshire - East Renfrewshire Total hazards 34.

http://www.fillthathole.org.uk/authority/renfrewshire - Renfrewshire Total hazards 318!