buyer's guide Brand value ‘The £39 5 Series is the perfect embodiment of the classic BMW brand values: sportiness and agility, quality and luxury. Plentiful on the used-car market, it's also a terrific bargain. arwin's theory of evolution die- tates that a species continually improves over time, adopting and retaining favorable characteristics while simultaneously eliminating unfavorable ones, Darwinism does not, however, always apply in the man-made automotive kingdom, where newer models are not nec- essarily more desirable than their less “evolved” ancestors. At any point in auto- motive history, certain specific models, attain a sense of perfection and “tightness” that somehow eludes their successors. One such model is unquestionably the £39-gen- eration BMW 5 Series. ‘The E39 followed in the footsteps of ‘another very good BMW, the E34 5 Series ‘of 1989-1995. Infact, the £39 did not really alter the E34's successful formula in any significant way. Instead, it brought new technology and sophistication tall aspects of the cay improving it in every quanti able aea without dilating the strong sport Sedan spirit that had defined each 5 Series Since the original B12 Both the sedan and wagon (or “Touring”) were styled by Jo Nagashima ‘under the diecton of BMW design legend Claus Luthe, who had also overseen Ercole Spada’s design for the E34 models. While some were cial of the E39’s conservative Tines few denied that its shape was tasteful and well-executed, The interior once again emphasized logic and clarity, retaining the dtiveroriented dashboard and impeccable fergonomics that had become a BMW hall- ‘mark, But the E39 showed marked improve- iments to every surface and texture, a well as build quality that easily met or surpassed the standard setby any of BMW's rivals, Classic sixes or powerful V8s, Like the previous 5 Series, the E39 was again offered with either inline-6 or VB engines, the latter forming the basis for the righty 354-hp M5. Both engines were evo: Intions of existing powerplants, revamped for mote torque and fewer emissions, and both were again offered with a choice of ‘manual or automatic transmissions (M5 ‘excepted). Though the proven MacPherson strut front suspension design carried over, BMW abandoned its trusted semi-trailing arm rear suspension in favor of a more complex multi-link system similar to the ‘one fitted to the E38 7 Series. In addition, ‘both front and rear suspension components were now made almost entirely of alu- sina for reduced unsprung mass. This, in part, helped keep the curb ‘weight of the larger £39 5 Series down to Bimmer AUGUST 2005 69The E39 pantheon: From 525 to MS Model Body Prod. dalos Engino Horsepower/torque $28 Soden 1997-1998 2Biter M62 nine’ 190 /206 fost 828 Seon 1999-2000 2eier M52 TUinine-6 193/206 10-1 628 = Wogon 1999-2000 28ierME2TUInine-6 ——193np/Z06 Io 826 Sedan 2001-2003 25 itor M64 nine’ 75 hp/84 lost $251 Wagon 2001-2008 25ilter M54 inline 75 np/84 lost 530, Sedon 2001-2008 30lferMB4inines ———-225hp/214Io-t The sle-cyindor E39 models aro loss powerful than tho upmarket VB cars but also weigh Jess uso an aluminum front subframe and benefit rom a rack-onct-pinion stesring 5y- fem. giving thern neaaly the agity and responsiveness of a 3 Series. ho early 528 sedon Uses the Fon-block engine from the E36 3281, whi tho lator sodans and af wagons use the atumitur-biock VANOS motor shared with tho E46 328. Al 6281 modals were offered \with eter §sp2ed manual or automatic transmissions, the later of which changed from 1a 4sp0ed fo a 6 speed Stoptranic starting with 9/99 production. Leatherette upholstery Wor always standard, but most cars have Premium Packago with leather seating and Vavona wood tim, Sport Package was iniroduced for 1998 but could not be combined with Fremium until model yoar 1999. Colneiding with a mil facelift, the 6281 was replaced by the less expensive 5281 (sedan or sport wagon) and more powerful 530, ‘Gedan only) for MY 2001. Equioment levels varied sight betwoen the two models but ralher difered much from those of the 6281, Moro standard features were added for ‘each of he final two model years. 84 Sodan 1997-1998 ater M62 V8 2829/3100 64 Sedan 1999-2003 4étterMé2TU VB 282 0F 290/924 bt 40 Wogon 1999-2008 4aittor M62 TU VB 282 or 290/824 bt Tho 640! the sole V8-powered E3P, aside from the exotic MS. Early secians have less forque than the lator VANOS-equlpped motors. From 2002, Mé2 TU engines produced 290, hp. up from 282, Sedans could be had with a 6-spa0d manual or a Sspeed automatic fransmision, the latter equipped with Stoptonic siting and a lower rear axle rato stat- ing with 1999 mode when paved wih Sport Package, Tis same fransmision was the ‘only one offered on sport wagons. Al 8401 sedans and wogons have genorous standard ‘equipment Including leather uphoktery, Bur Wainut wood tm and @ power moonvoot. Sport Package debuted as stanclard equipment with the 1997 éspeed manual sedan ‘but became optional on automatic-equlpped models staring with MY 1998. Sport Package was enhanced for 2003 with M-Technic aero package, rafuned suspension ‘and (on sedans only) 18-inch M Paratel spoke aloy whoo! Ms Seden 20002008, Agaters62V8 394 9/368 tot The £9 reintraduced the MS lo North America offer a si-year absence, trading the pre ious race-bred inine-sikes for a 4.ter V8 producing nearly 400 hp. Mated fo a stan- ‘dard ¢ peed manual gearbox, the M5 could reach 60 mph in under five saconds. The ‘Mtuned chassis included stitaned suspension. a unique steering rack and massive four- \wheel vented disc brakes behind 18-inch whee’. A sublle aero package and quad ‘exhaust fis dlstinquished the model rom lesser E80. Standard equipment was extensive. Including satelite navigation and sovoral choices of leather and wood tims. Asde fiom {@ sight facoltt and minor Interior upgrades for 2001, ile changed over the four years that the E99 Mé was produced. It proved fo be Ihe most popula MS in North America by {a trge margin, wth nearly 8000 imported. about that of the smaller B34 models. Six cylinder £39%s further benefited from an alu- ‘minum front subframe and more precise rack-and-pinion steering with a variable 0. All E39 5 Series sold in North ‘America wore equipped with Automatic Stability Control plus Traction (ASC*"), 90 AUGUST 2005 Bimmer which was later integrated into the more advanced Dynamic Stability Control (DSC). ‘The E39 5 Series can be broken down into three distinct groups: six-cylinder ‘models, the 5401 and the M5. Most buyers ‘willbe perfectly content to own a six-cylin- or 525i, 5281 or 530i, Not only are these the most affordable and fuel-efficient F39s sold in North America, but they are also the most lightweight and nimble due to their mare extensive use of aluminum and ‘more responsive steering rack. The cylinder cars also tend to have fewer main- tenance issues, The 540i, though not quite as balanced and communicative as a six- cylinder ear in the comers, packs enough Tow-end grunt to outrun many exotic sports cars in a straight line. And then there is the F39 M5, acar that redefined the super sedan segment with nearly 400 hp ‘and a chassis that is highly entertaining, if slightly aloof, when pushed to the limit, ‘One of these models is sure to sult just ‘about every need, and few ears on earth ‘make more sense as a used purchase than an E38, 525i, 528i & 530/: Much more than the sum of their parts ‘The 5281 was initially the sole sivcylin- ‘der £39 model, replacing both the E34 5251 land the V8-engined E34 530i Its 2,793ce (M52 engine, an evolution of the 2494cc M50 TU, had debuted one year earlier in the £36 326i. The M52 retained the iron block and two-stage VANOS variable valve timing (intake stroke only) of the earlier M50 TU motor but gained revised ‘camshafts, valves, valve lifters and spring seats in addition to the added displace- ‘ment, Horsepower increased by just one to 190 hp at 5,300 rpm bot torque was boost- ce considerably to 206 Ib-ftof torque at 3.950 rpm (up from 184 Ib-f at 4,200 pm), ‘The engine could be mated to either @5- speed manual gearbox (the same ZF unit ‘used in the E36 M3) or an optional GM- sourced 4speed automatic, both combined with standard ASC#T traction control. In either case, the 5281 was appreciably quick- cer than the E34 525i, with a 0-to-6) mph time of just over seven seconds for the manuial version (roughly the same as an ‘equivalent F34 580i). This was more than adequate performance for BMW's entry- level 5 Series, especially considering that the modern chassis provided a far better ride and muuch more responsive handling than any mainstream 5 Series ever before. Braking was also more than adequate, with 11.7-inch vented rotors on all four wheels ‘Standard equipment was generous but not extravagant, including power front seats with driver-side memory, a dual-zone climate control system, a 10-speaker audio system and a multi-function leather- wrapped steering wheel. Leatherette ‘upholstery and “technical surface” interior trim were the base materials, but most cars were equipped with the optional PremiumPackage upgrade consisting of real leather and Vavona redwood trim, as well as cross- spake alloy wheels "New options for the E395 Series includ- ced an upgraded 440-watt audio package, Y6-way “comfort” front seats (only avail- able with the Premium Package), a power rear sunshade and satelite navigation. The optional Sport Package arrived for 1998 fand brought stifle, lower chassis, 17-inch ‘ross-spoke alloy wheels with 235/45ZR17 high-performance tires and Shadowline (dechromed) exterior trim “The 528i Touring (now known as the “sport wagon” in the US.) debuted for 1999 and was olfered with essentially the same drivetrain and equipment choices as the sedar, including Premium Package (upgrad- ed to include larger 16-inch wheels) and Sport Package (upgraded to include an M three-spoke steering wheel} ora (newly- avaiable) combination ofthe two. The novel ual-panel power sunroof that had been Available on the E34 wagons did not cay ‘over tothe £38, but there was an optional rettalabe Hor forthe cargo area, designed tocease the loading of heavy objects ‘A number of revisions to the M52 engine (now known as the MS2 TU for ‘Technically Updated”) were also intro duced for 1959, including the addition of Double VANOS continuously-vatiable valve timing on both the intake and exhaust stokes, an aluminum engine block fand a dual-esonance intake system, These improvements yielded just three additional horsepower but broadened the torque carve (though not the peak torque figure) Considerably. In. addition, Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) became an optional upgrade over ASCH. “The finel 2000 model year for the 528i sedan and sport wagon bogan with June 1999 production, at which time DSC became standaed, two-stage “smart” airbags were introduced and a few small equipment upgrades were added. But the biggest improvement was not introduced until three months later, when the outdated A-speed automatic transmission was replaced by a more advanced S-speed unit with both sport and Steptronie (manums ic) shifting options. For anyone inthe mar- ket for a selfshifting 528i, we highly rec- commended searching for one of these late 2000 models with the Steptronic box. ‘Though BMW claims the same perform- ance and mileage figures for either trans- mission, the 5-speed is much more willing to swap gears and makes far better use of the engine’s power. ‘The 528i was replaced for the 2001 model year by the 525i and 8301 models. ‘Though the 525i could be had as either a sedan or sport wagon, the 530i was offered only as a sedan in North America, (Considering thatthe 530i sedan outsold the 525i sedan by about 25 percent in the US. market, this proved to be an ill-con- ceived marketing decision that BMW of North America will thankfully nat be repeating with the forthcoming, B60 530xi sport wagon for 2006.) Al were powered by an improved M54 inline-6 incorporating a fully electronic “drive-by-wire” throttle system, a revised intake manifold and increased valve lit. The smaller 2494cc version fitted to the smote affordable 525i produced 181 hp and 175 Ibetof torque, while the upscale 530i upped displacement to 2,979ce for 225 hp ‘and 214 Toot of torque. Again, both Sspeed rmanual and S-speed Steptronic automatic transmissions were available on all modes, and the exceptional chassis dynamics of the previous 528 continued unchanged. Engine Size aside, the 525i and 530i were mechani- cally identical, with the sole exception of the 530i's larger 12.8-inch vented front disc brakes (iclentical to those of the E39 540i except for thei aluminum caliper). ‘A subtle facelift (body-color rub strips, ‘Tho E39 sedan “jeweled” taillight lenses, revised head lights with glowing “angel eyes" outer rings and some new alloy whee! designs) coincided with the introduction of the new ‘models, On the inside, an in-dash CD play- er finally appeared, and there was a revised satellite navigation system incorpo- rating a larger screen, but otherwise stan- dard and optional equipment carried over more or less unchanged from the 528i, Production of the 525i sedan, 525i sport ‘wagon and 530i sedan continued for 2002 ‘and 2003, with changes limited to new exterior color choices and increased stan- ‘dard equipment, Though even the entry- level 525i makes a fine daily driver, the 590i sedan is unquestionably the most desirable of the 6-cylinder E39 range, if not the best £39 of them all. 540i: Serious muscle, serious luxury BMW offered the 540i sedan for every ‘one of the E39's seven model years (1997- 2003) and the 540i wagon from 1999 to 2008, Though bureened with 300 pounds of added weight and less precise reciculat- {ng ball steering, the E39 540i offset the reduction in overall handling finesse with an abundance of grunt from its 4398ce au- sminum-block VB. In addition to being 400cc larger than the fourliter M60 VB used in the E34 540i, the Mé2's block was coated with Alusil, siliconimpregnated material that does not deteriorate (like the early Nikasil M60 blocks) when subjected to sulfurrch fuel Farly models produced 282 hp at 5,700 xpm and 310 Tb of torque at 3900 rpm, while the VANOS-equipped M62 TU version introduced for 1999 developed an identical 282 hp (upgraded to 290 hp for 2002) at a ower 5400 rpm but also a more robust 324 Tet of torque at ust 3,600 pm. ‘Three different transmission choices were available for the 540i, and itis often immer AUGUST 2005 91E39 Maladies: From major to minor Judging from letters flowing Into Tech QBA, the £3? 6 Series repre: senls an improvement In quality over the E34 8 Sees it replaced, It 's,of course, a highly electronic car, 0s are all modern Bimmer, But \whie that makes the car more complicated overall it ao makes ‘ha E39 easier for deoleship technicians to diagnote electionicaly Below Ia shor Ist of problems common to the E99, which apply ‘equally fo 6 and V8s except where they apply to engines. V8 engine woes: BMW's V8 engines do not represent a shining moment in teres of durcbilly. Although the Mé2 VBs used inthe £39 ‘5401 cre not subject fo the same problems with cylinder bores that Offect those used In the earller E2ds, we see problems with water pumps, of leaks, the oll soparator at the back of the intake rman! fald, plastic cooing fan dntegration, cracked plastic engine pul leys and oll pumps (whase bolls back out and cause a los of oll pressure), Check these things on any purchase, We also s0e the ‘occasional VANOS falure, offen choractertzed by poor Kile quality ‘when the unit sticks inthe advanced postion. The $42 used In the E89 MS Is sl a question maak in long-term ‘durabilty. simply becouse we haven't heard from enough high ‘mileage owners. We have had reports of high oll consumption, ‘though, ond if you exe running BMW's factory oll we recommend Using the TOW-60 product rather than 8-20 unless you encounter ‘extreme cold temperatures. ke those below O°, Noisy hydraullc lifters: It ls normal to hear the occasional hydraulic Iftertick-ick noise In ony engine so equipped. Thi the pice we pay for not having to adjust valves anymore, There Is no need to replace the liters unos the noise is excessive, Tune-ups: Forget about the factory 100,000-mie tune-up interval Replace the alr fier and fuel fter every 30.000 mies, the spark plugs every 60,000 mies ‘OBD.-Ilodaltes: BMW trivia heads wil note that there was no US. {6 Sees for MY 1996. Tis is because BMW was burning the might ‘ol fo sor out the vagaries of the new federaly- mandated Onboord Diagnostics System (ORD). The chiet function of BDU isto pre- ‘vent forpering with emisions equipment and to monitor the var- ‘ous control systems, Including the enhanced evaporative emissions _yster ond exhaust gas recirculation system. For dealetships, OBD:l fs veitable comucopla, becoue It cre- ‘ated many more fault codes that can sot off the “check engine” light. All require computer deciphering, but very few actually affect civablily The dealer of course, charges to read the codes, ond tiven you have to pay to replace whatover obscure part offended the system, OBD-is not consumorfrondly. Consumer frienciness ‘could have been achieved by providing precite information about ‘which pat falled dectly to the etvor via some sort of information splay in the dashboard—or even via a USB interface with o laptop ‘computer But that would make too much sen, and it would as provide too much cholee in determining whether to effect repairs Cooling system failures: Proventivo water pump, mechanical thermostat, cooling fan. fon clutch and thermostat housing teplacements are strongly recommended every 60,000 miles. Preventative radiator ond pulley replacement i less strongly recom- ‘mended every 90.000. These components ail have consistenty high {lure rates and can cause damage fo other components, Inckid- ing the engine, We have no teal opinion on electronic thermostats: they're sll too new, ‘Manu geatbox ond aliferentil failures: Now that BMW dealer. ships refuse to change manual goarbox and differential ols, recting their “ifetime fi" mantra, we are starting to see failures of these 92AUGUST 2005 Bimmer ‘components in the 100,000-nile plus range. This apples to all goar- ‘bows 5 ond 63peed, and all ilferental, open and limited sp. 1 recommend manual gearbox and differential ol changes every 30,000 mies. If you bring the car fo an independent shop, | would ‘obo Nighly recommend Red Line MIL (preferable) or Red Une D4 AIF fn the manual gearbox and Red Line 751-90 synthetic goar ol In the ifferentia, with the same drain Intervals ‘We aiso see occasional cases of loss of fith gear detent on the S-speed manual gearboxes. Tis Is due to a sticking detent piston. The fics smple and does not require gearbox dsassembly, though It does require remaval of the gearbox from the car. Once In a ‘while, we sea problems with dy Input shatt soines on the gearbox. \ihich inhiot clutch action and therefore gear changes, This ato requies gearbox removal ln order to lubricate the splines and otter ‘clutch ports witha high-qualty moly grease, ‘Automatic transmission fallutes: These fend to occur between {80,000 and 120,000 miles on all contemporary BMW The tronsmis sons used on VE-powered cars are quite expensive. Goneral electronic fallures: In particular wo se0 probloms with d00¥ lock actuators, HVAC control modules. ighting contol modules ‘ond elactonicinskurent clusters. However the EB? does seem to be ‘ot ease for technicians to clagnose electronically forget oboutiy- Ing to diagnose electonic problems ond diivoabiyksuos othonvio, ‘Weak baal joints: Check bal joints as well as tle rod ends once year by squeezing them top to bottom with a 1é-Inch pai of ‘Channellack plies. A good component should not move at at it thece’s play, throw it away. Replace ball ols with new upgraded styles from BMW. Sport Package tire wear: We've gotten a number of letters regarding excessive te weor and noise on £893 equpped with Sport Package. BMW does a certain disservice to buyers by not ‘leat Inforring them exact how these heavy cars ore mado to hhandle so wall which s by creating a lt friction at the tres that in tun cteates tke nose ond a high degree of wear. An E39 con easly tear through a set of ulra high;performance summer tres in 7,000 ‘miles, espackaly the reat. That's the price you poy to make a bio, heavy mo handle tke a sports car—which wil only happen through the use of lage contact patches and aggresive suspension geom- etry that uses a lot of negative camber. (o learn more about he effects of suspension algrment and negative camber in particular Vlt wurw.trerack comlvesfretech/general/align isp) ‘To reciuce tre weax, you'll have to do a few things that wl oso reduce coinering performance: adust comber as close os possibte to non Spat seings. run harder tres and use hes and wheots in o ‘newrower see, such os the standard 226/66-16 Jacking dffcully: Simply jacking up an E39 and supperting It on. {our jack stands can require no small amount of finest. As Brett ‘Andatson at Koala Motorsport (www.koalamotorsport.com) explains, “The best E39 5 Satis front/rear jacking points ore tho tubulor ross brace in front, which has @ section right in the midclo designed for a jack to sit under ond the differential caso or the steel rear suspension care in the rear on older models. Moke suo you don’t have a pressure point on the jack—Hke « lp—that wil ‘damage the difereniial housing. Put @ block of pressure-reated ‘wood or @thockey puck on the jack to spread the load” To which we would ade: No warranties given or implied. It you hut youssatf or your car i's not our fout—i’s your fault Do not even think about jacking up your car by yours If you have never done ‘s0-find an experianced mentor to show youhow.—Miko Milarquite difficult to determine when and here each version was used. Only the 540i sedan was offered with a Getrag 6- Speed manual transmission, which Was always bundlled with the Sport Package. All non-Sport Package sedans were fitted with a ZF 5-speed automatic (without Steptronic shifting) mated to a relatively tall 231 final drive. This allowed BMW to Federalize the 5404 without making it sub- ject to the added Gas Guzzler Tax, The same gearbox wvas available with Sport Package for 1998; the package was upgrad- ‘ed for 1999 to include a Steptronic version of the same transmission with a shorter 3.15 final drive. This unit was fitted as standard equipment to all 540; sport wag (ons regardless of whether or not they were equipped with Sport Package. All configu: rations are good for a 0-o-60 mph time of around six Seconds and an electronically- limited top speed of either 128 mph (non- Sport Package) or 155 mph (Sport Package). Considering that only chrome grille slats and unique alloy wheels distin suish the 540i from other £39 models, this rakes it a very understated performance sedan (or sport wagon). (Over $10,000 separate the 540 from its sixcylinder siblings when new, so BMW ‘understandably equipped the V8 model with more than just a larger engine. All 540i models have leather upholstery, a power sunroof, Burl Walnut wood trim and an extended on-board computer, These added standard features negated the need for a Premium Package, though individual options such as Xenon headlights (stan- dard from 2000), Comfort seas, satellite navigation, premium audio and Park Distance Control remained. ‘To better match the added power and weight of the V8, BMW wisely opted for larger 12.8.inch front brake rotors on all 5401 models. Initial 1997 models were equipped with only ASC+T traction con- trol, but the more advanced DSC system became standard on automaticetransmis- sion models for 1998 and manual-transmis- sion models for 1999. Multi-spoke 16-inch alloy wheels carrying 225 /SSHR-16 allsea- son tires were standard and the suspension tas tuned to favar a smooth ride over out- right handling, though it remained capable enough to keep things ty in the comers. ‘The optional Sport Package tightened down the chassis and upgraded the tres to {7-inch performance rubber. The package debuted on the manual-gearbox sedan but ‘es added to the option list on automatic. transmission models for 1998 and eventu- ally grew in content to include Shadowline trim, sport seats, a three-spoke steering wheel and a choice of several alloy wheel designs with staggered sizing (8 x 17-inch in front, 9x 17-inch in the back) on sedans. Like its six-cylinder counterparts, the 540i was facelifted for 2001 and offered in several new exterior colors for 2002 However, the most significant change to the 540: was the introduction of the more extensive “M” Sport Package for the final 2003 model yeat. Available on sedans (6- ‘peed manual or 5-speed Steptronic auto- rmatie) and sport wagons (Steptronic only), it expanded upon the previous Sport Package with soveral items from the BMW M parts bin. These included an M-Technic ‘aero package similar to that on the M5, leven more aggressive M sport suspension and staggered 18-inch M Parallel Spoke alloy wheels (sedans only). Though sill not ‘an M5, the 2003 540i Sport is unquestion- ably the most compelling runner-up in the \V8:powered £39 hierarchy. MS; A new breed of super sedan ven the 40's remarkable abilities were The EPS upstaged for 2000 with the reintroduction ‘of the formidable MS. With the legendary ‘538 inkine-6 no longer in production (nor capable of producing the required horse- power), BMW M developed a new 4-lter ‘V8 for its third super sedan. Based upon the 'Mé2 unit from the 540i, the $62 incorporat- ced a redesigned cylinder head, hollow iron camshafls, eight individual throttle bodies and continuously-variable Double VANOS ‘valve timing. The resulting 394 hp and 368, Th-ft of torque were enough to propel the 4,000-1b. MS (via a Getrag 6-speed manual ‘gearbox and DSC stability control) from ero fo 60 mph in under five seconds. ‘The steering, though sill of « recireulat- ing-ball design, benefited from a quicker ratio and Servotronic assist with driver- adjustable weighting, while the springs and shocks were both stiffened and matched to 18-inch tires. Brake rotor sizes increased to 13.6 inches in the front and. 129 inches in the rea. A subtle yet distine- tive M aero package distinguished the MS from other E39 sedans, as did its unique M \wheels and four exhatist pipes. Interior revisions were equally subtle bout telling: sport seats in a choice of two leathers, aluminum or wood trim, special 'M gauges (including a tachometer with variable illuminated redline and oil tem- perature gauge) plus an available Alcantara headliner (standard from 2001). ‘Aside from some subtle exterior and interior revisions for 2001, the E39 MS con- tinued essentially unchanged throughout its production. Even though it was no Tonger assembled by hand or powered by the legendary $38 inline six, Americans fell forthe car’ stellar combination of supercar performance and everyday practicality. Nearly 5,000 examples eventually crossed the Atlantic, making the E39 M5 nearly three times more popular than the E34 M5. Bimmer AUGUST 2005 93Performance Mods: Upschporten der E39 Era 2 £299 Sais may be o hour cox but it's ao a fine sport ‘zedon that responds st as well fo modification as other BMWS. ‘You won't fd tho volume of pats fr the § Series os you wil he 3s, but the lorger parts houses wil have plenty of options available to ave your BMW bettering, more power and even a diferent ook than sock, What you select wlldepend on your personal taste ond budget. \Whon it comes fo handling, cl [9s have a sof! but welkcontroled tide in standard form, ond @ maderotely fim and even better-con- ‘roled fide wth Sport Package. Sport Package Is very good-Hf you hheve P, think long ond hard befor modifying your suspension. When ‘you need naw shocks, consider original BNW replacements if you don't upgtade to Bisten HD unis or Koris. Of course anything you do to improve your E39's handling wil result In a fimer ide. Where re soinessisc.concem and the diver wants a spor suspension anyway. suggest Dinan Engineering (wwwdnanbmw.com), whose refined su: pension systems veld real handing improvements while ako meintain- ing @ foctorytke ride qualty—but no factory ride softness. you want {actary ido sofiness leave your suspersion clone. To reduce body roll, you can dso upgrade your antl bar. The only dowmsde sa sight fimer ide that resus when the bars toner mote Impact force through the chasis. Antal bar sizes for tho E3? Vary according fo suspersion configuration: Standard bors are 22mm front/13mm reat, while cars with Sport Package have 24mm front/ Mmm recx bors ard those with M Sport I suspension have 26mm ffont/1Smm fear bars, The E39 MS uses 27mm font/16Emm cr antok ‘bats, Aftermarket anti‘al bars for the E99 are conspicuous by their ‘ebsenee, though Dinan makes 28mm front/17mm rear bas for V8- owored £39% and 25mm tront/7mm rear bars for sk-cyinder pow ‘ered E395, Bal! Andrson of Koala Motorsport (www koolamotor- sport.com) fold us thatthe front MS bor wl wok cn other V8-powered '5¢ though he wasn’ xo about the ses. “The rear inks ond brackets ‘16 the samme for i E39.” he said, “but front M5 inks ond brackets ore Con shored with V8.cors. The front subframe i aso cterent, so the M5 front bor ona si-cyincer E39 suspect, However a sifer rear bor wh stock ont bar wi hap dal out some ofthe inherent uncensteer” ‘Obviously, larger wheels and fires cre Popular upgrades on ony ‘BMW, Your bes! options wil be found in the Oiginal BMW Wheel cata- fog or ftom big te and wheat houses tke worwrlrerack.com and ‘wawtkes.com, A few things need to be borne In mind when tryng 10 fi larger wheel to an E89 5 Saris. Fist, the E39 has a unique whes! center hub bore diameter—only £39 wheels wotk on E393, and £8? ‘wheo's won't workon anything eke. Second, clways try to avoid wheat {iments hot requre spacers—spacers Give installers one rnore thing to sc1eW Up, especialy I they'e different front and reat Third, most ES ‘akeady have pretty big wheels In my opinion, anything over 18 inches {s pure biing-bing. without much performance benofit, More real Improvement con be had by titing lkerhigh performance fies to the ‘wheels hat cre ready on the cor Fourth, the wider and heavier your fires ond wheok the foster your res wll wear out. 'BMi's standard brakes tend fo lack sex oppedk which mols big ‘broke kis popular on any made, Dinan Engineering sells Brembo rotors ‘ond calpes forthe E39, even though Stove Dinan wos quotedin Pete Stout's fst crve teport cn the E60 MS in Bimmer #48 0s saying ba sn- ‘dle-pston floating capes are the real ded! while sexy red calipers ore ‘verted. My take on this Look tthe performance and brake ro ‘biity of cas that use Brembo mutiplepiston calipers and Bromo fotors—we'te faking about Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Porsches. .even stodgy old Metcedas in some cases. These cass have superb broke performance right out of the box. with no warping problems, no broke overheating and no fode ksues, even atthe hack. Now consider tho ‘broke reliability ecord of our favorite car company, the one that uses 94 AUGUST 2008 Bimmer single piston floating calpes. (Eyebrow raised tke Mr Spock) Enough sald, At the end of the day, single-pston floating calipers are less ‘expensive fo produce. And in al fatness to BMI, its market, techn Cclons and customers af diferent from those of the manufacturers ‘menitoned, For example, f you fi Brembo big broke it on your cor ‘ond then don't change the brake fhid for ve year, your VA cord ‘willbe a smoldering gop of matin plastic by the time your techricion is done rebulcing Your sexy red calipers. f your one-calper piston sets up from water Inthe broke fuld. you can throw iin the sro ‘motal pile and bolt on «new one. Let's ao bear in tind that BMW ‘did use mutiple-pston calipers until the ecty 19603, ond that they sh ‘do when they get seious as onthe Euro BSOCS ond the M3.CSL. ig brakes have a number of downsides. Pads con be hord fo find, ‘ond the brokes requte a certain minimum whee! see fr clearonce—i ‘you fi snow tes and winter wheels you may wind Up having to Use Jaxger s2es thon you planned, reducing snow performance. There's ‘abo cost: You can buy a decent E90 925es for what a Brembo Gran Tutgmo broke tt wl un. Everyone wants mote power, bul contemporary BMW enalnes Fe ‘thote filed fo £39s ate falty wel optimized right off the casembiy Ine. ‘hat sald, performance software can enhance thiotle response, rd "your cor of BMW's riciculous top speed leniter bump the redline ond provide « smal power increase, Whether its worth ft depends on how {you value these things. though I con tel you that a 3450 826i with 184 horsepower mexghnally underpowered—and 30 « 3.450 6251 {peed monul with 189 hosepower. Unless you're ready fr @ super ‘charger you're not going fo get a dramatic power Increase wih sot- ‘wate dione. You'l ao need a performance exhaust system ond per- hops @ cod or Intake stern, and even then you won't see dramatic power incteoses.Thate days the nome of the game forced induc lon plain ond simple, [Active Autowerke (ww activequtowelke.corn) has estobished Iso 0s he premier supercharging and fubocharging tuner for BMWS ‘but AA does not offers for the 5 Sais jst yet. They'e working on a supercharged MS, and iis for the 8401 and 630% wil foiow. Dinan Enginecting has on MS slayer supercharging package for the 640 that produces 472 hp ot § 800 rpm and 347 Ib torque at 4800 rpm. I Sod as pat of he $8 package, which abo Includes Stage S suspension systom, Stoge 2 Dinan/Brembo front and rear brake convertion, 18 Inch ightweight forged wheels, Stage 1 fghtwelght clutch assembly ‘and much more. 'm not sure what they would say F you caled ond sci, “ust the big blower, pleose.” but | do thnk they are right 1 so ‘better bres ond suspension with the supercharger ‘Alowet diferent rato wil improve acceleration by moking bettor so of avaliable torque fn eny £99. Since 1996, only M-cars have Intec ‘ip iferentios, though cs Batt Anderson told us, “The E89 MS diferen- fol wil ott nto ony 6401 speed clong with on MS civeshaft and MB ‘les. 's round $4200, | balave, bul parts can be sourced fom tho ‘dooler for les. A 5201 automatic would requite a custom aiveshatt'm sure." Koala Motorsport can ako build you a lowersctio differentia vith a Quaite automatic torque biasing aif that wil unleash the coco eration power you already have. Plan on spending about $2,860. ‘Snce KMS onty handles VB-powered £39 diferentias, those with sh- ‘evince E39 should check with Jin Blonton at Performance Gearing (wu.performancegearing com). Speaking of aerodynamic drag. cero pars are avaliable for ho £89 6 Sofles that create downforce atthe front and ear at speed ond also look pretty coal, BMW has some vary nice aero parts in its BMW ‘Accessories catoiog forthe E89, and Bavaton Autospot (wiybavau- o.com) carrles wonderful aerodynamics from AC Schnitzer, my {avorte German tunec clang with Homann and G-Power.—Mike MilorThis also makes the E39 M5 a tremendous bargain on the used market, with a healthy supply of great examples keeping prices down and giving buyers a wide selection fom which to choose, Which £39? A few considerations While price will be your most obvious ide, a few other factors should be taken into consideration when you start looking fora used F395 Series, ‘Any E39 makes a competent and com- fortable daily driver, even an M5, but those commating long distances will want to ‘consider fuel economy before they buy, ‘especially a8 the price of premium hovers around $3 a gallon. This is one category in ‘which the MB definitely loses out to the lesser models: EPArated at 13 mpg cty/21 hwy, the M3 makes owners pay at the ‘pump for the privilege of driving a4,000- Ib. car powered by a 400-hp V8. The 540; sedan doesn’t do much better when equipped with the same 6-speed transmis- sion, returning just 15 mpg, cty/23 hwy (an automatic brings it up to 18/24). Make your 540i a wagon and that chassis’ extra 300 ts, will bring mileage down almost 19 M5 levels: 15/21 forthe earlier cars and 1721 for later models TF you want good fuel economy, you'l have to go fora six. Fortunately, the sx that delivers the best mileage is also the one with the best performance: the 3.0-liter engine that povters the 530i, With a manual transmission the 530i sedan retums 21 mpg city/30 mpg highway: an automatic drops that to 19/27. The 525i sedan gets a slightly lower 20/29 mpg, with a mana, while the 525 wagon gets 19/25. That's almost exact- ly the same as the earlier 5281, which in 1999 retuened 20 mpg city/29 mpg in sedan form and 18/26 a8 8 wagon. Add an auto- matic to the sedan and mileage dropped to 18/26, though it remained the same in the wagon. None of those figures are horible— infact, they're eally quite impressive given that the lightest of the E39 models weighs around 3,500 Ibs. ‘Because it offers the best fuel economy with the best six-cylinder performance, we'd recommend looking for a 530i if your budget can accommodate it If you want a ‘wagon instead of a sedan, however, the pick of the sixes is the 528i if you want a ‘manual; its extea 8 hp may be negligible, but its additional 29 lb-ft of torque over the 525i are definitely not. You'll be especially ‘grateful fr them when that cargo compart- ‘ment is loaded with stuff. If you require an automatic, your best wagon bet is @525i despite its lower output ‘That 5-speed transmission represents a huge improvement over the 4-speed, and having the Steptronic manual shifting ‘option isalso worthwhile If sportiness is your primary concern, you'll have to decide whether you want the handling agility of the sixes or the straight-line speed! of the V8s—even an M5 ‘won't really out-handle a 530i with Sport Package until it's been reworked by Dinan, Dut its 400 hp are enough to compensate fora lot of understeer. Finding the E39 of your dreams Regardless af which model you want, you'll find plenty of E3%s on the used-car ‘market, Those who live in areas with few BMWs might have to travel a bit, but no ‘one should have to travel moze than a few hhundted miles to find @ good E39 in exact- ly the color and configuration desired. It should also be possible to find that car in perfect condition with respect to both mechanics and appearance. In that respect, the 5 Series cars benefit from having been ‘more expensive than their 3 Series counter- ‘Tho £39 sport wagon parts and also from attracting a more mature buyer when new. ‘As a used-car buyer, you're buying a car’s former owner as much as the car itself, 0 make sure to buy your Ser from. someone who seems to have taken pride in their BMW. That means someone who not only had all maintenance performed on time but who kept the car looking clean and new, and whose knowledge of the car is extensive, If a mode! is misidentified or its features mis-stated, give that car extra scrutiny before you part with your cash. If its seller doesn’t even know that the car has an inline six rather than a V6 engine, they probably don’t know enough about the car tohhave taken good care of it. Since the E39 has only recently gone out of production, we'd suggest looking for a Certified Pre-Owned example if your budget can accommodate it. You'll pay a Tittle more for a CPO car—pethaps another $1,500 or $2,000—but youll get an addi- tional 2 years and 50,000 mies of CPO war- ranty coverage on top of BMW's original 5 ‘year/50,000 mile warranty. The premiuin price of a CPO car will pay fr itself should your E39 actually need work during its first 100,000 miles, and even if it doesn't it willbe well worth it for the peace of mind that warranty provides, especially if you buy a car with a V8 engine or an automatic transmission, (No warranty will cover pre ventive cooling system maintenance, hov'- ‘ever, you'll have to pay for that yourself if you decide to take Mike Miller's advice.) ‘You can search for CPO cars near you at ‘wwrwbmuvusa.com. We asked for a5 Series sedan within 50 miles of Bimmer HQ and turned up a staggering 100 cars to choose from. The neat thing about BMW's search ‘engine is that it presonts its results in order of proximity, which means that all the cars at a particular dealership will be listed Bimmer AUGUST 2005 98Kelly Blue Book Values, E39 EACH VAIUE USTED Is oro cor betng sold by ‘Opiate pary "Good" condtion (0. wh fhe mechonicdl dafecis a dlaon body ond Intetar etc). Most used cors fal into ho “Good! category thosein “Excelent” cond tion have a higher KBB value by approx. ‘mally 10% A volves sted or fro cor wt ‘50.000 ries ond on automate ronson, localedin amare home tip code of 949 ‘on Apa §, 200. To find the Bue Book walue ‘of on naiicuct cat so6 wiwkbb.com, 1997 39 251 Secon ¢D 915125 39 01 Sedan aD 318975 1998 39 528|Sedan 315750 39 540\Sodon 4 520800 1999 £39 5281Secion 4D 313.55 £39 528 Wagon 40 517.555 £39 540)Secion 40 523125, 39 S40 Wagon 4D 521980 2000 39 5281 Secon aD szs7o 39 628 Wagon 4 519585, 39 404 Sedon dD. 25850 39 640 Wagon > Sass 39 MS Sadon 4D saasis 2001 £39 5251Sodon 4D 323505 39 5251 Wagon 4D 522485 £39 530|Sadan 40 525905 {5401 Sodan 4© 323.250 ‘5401 Wogon > 327705 MB Sodan aD $5430 2002 99 §251Sedan 4D 24778 89 528 Wagon 4D sass 99 630|Secn 40 s27078 39 san Secon 4D. 320450 39 5407 Wogon 40 ss 39 M5 Secon 4D 346.905 2003, £99 5251Sedon 40 2455 £39 525 Wagon 40 sass 99 530\Sedan 4D 26.900, 39 5¢cl sedan 4D $00250 £39 640 Wogon 40 28838 9 MB Sadi 2D 345.005 together, making it easy to see which deal- es tend to have the best prices or the most interesting vehicles, Prices for CPO Sers ranged from a high of $47,995 to a low of $21,900. The higher figure purchased a 2003 540i in Alpine ‘White with black leather, manual transmis- sion, Cold Weather Package, premium sound and 31,000 miles on the odometer. ‘The low price netted a silver 1999 528i automatic with a black leather interior, Premisum Package and 64,000 miles. If we'd been shopping for a used Ser sedan at the time, we'd have definitely 96 AUGUST 2005 Bimmer rade the trip over to Berkeley to check out 2002 530% at Weatherford BMW. This Slate Green car with black leather had a manual transmission, Premium Package, Xenon headlights, Park Distance Control and just 40,000 miles on the clock. At $29,777, this ‘car was priced almost $16,000 below its [MSRP of just a few years ago, yet it comes with the added security of the extended ‘CPO warranty. Assuming it was in perfect mechanical and aesthetic condition as a CPO car should be this was a killer deal. ‘Asa manual transmission model, it was also a rarity among CPO cars. Of the 100 ‘ars turned up by our search, only 14 had ‘manuals, BMW doesn’t release stats on hhow many cars are sold with each type of transmission, so we don’t know whether that figure represents actual availability or merely dealer preference. Tin either case, we had much better luck finding used Sers with manual transmis- sions on Craigslistorg. At any given time, there are a few hundred BMWs for sale on ‘our local Craigslist, and i's a great place to find cars that are a little too old to make it into the CPO program. A new feature allows the list to be sorted by whether a car is for sale by a dealer or by a private party, which makes it easy to eliminate those BMWs which have found their way onto used car lots via the auction block. With Sers as well as other BMWs, we strongly caution against buying cars from used car dealers largely because most have no known vehicle history beyond what can be divined from a Carfax report. A used car without a known maintenance history is a huge gamble, and we encourage our read- ers to buy only those cars for which the ‘owner has all records and receipts. With that caveat, we scoured Craigslist for used Sers and turned up quite few ba ‘gains and a few real gems. Inthe former cat- ‘egory, we quite liked a 1999 528i sedan with fan automatic transmission, Sport and Premium Packages, Titanium Silver paint with grey leather interior and 65,000 miles for $18,500, It wasn’t as much of a bargain, Dut a one-owner 2001 5251 manual, black- ‘on-black with Sport and Premium Packages, Xenon lights and 29,000 miles could have ‘been a sound purchase at $27,900. ‘Our real favorite among the cars available ‘on Craigslist, however, was a 2002 520i man- tual in Stel Blue with a black lather interior, Sport /Premium/Cold Weather Packages, Xenon lights and a nav system/CD player. “This one-owmer cat was sad to be in excep- ional condition, and it appeared to have been very sensibly modified with 18-inch ‘Hamann wheels, Bridgestone Potenza $-03 tices, a Rogue Engineering short shift kit, MS anti-roll bars and a Ben-Fer carbon fiber intake, The owner had al the original parts as well—a vary good sign—and wanted just $96 999 for this beauty. Those in the market for a tastefully mosified Ser could do very ‘welto check out car ke this. They'd also do well to check the ads on Roadty.org, which tond to be posted by enthusiasts and often feature interestingly ‘modified machines. The only drawback is Roadfly’s national coverage, which means that cars can be located anywhere within the US, and nat necessarily near you. Stil, its a good place to start looking, and you might get lucky to find a good cat nearby Time to buy: Looking for a solid Spori Wagon ‘When Binmer advertising director Stan ‘Michelman so his Porsche 928, he wanted to replace it with a vehicle that hdl more carying capacity and room for his dog, He firs considered a Subars Legacy wagon but a weekend behind the whee! lft him unin pressed with that cars interior quality even though he liked its quickness and sporty hanaling Why nota BMW? we asked. Stan wanted to find a nice 5 Series ‘wagon in the suib-$25,000 range, which put CPO cars out of reach but left his with plenty of options where private-party cars were concerned, A fer weeks after he stat- ea looking, a gorgeous Titanum Silver $28: wagon turned upon a nearby steot with 2 “or Sale” signin its window. Its original ower was asking $21,500 fo this aesthet- cally perfect 1999 example with a black Teather Interior, Sport and Premium Packages and 66,000 miles on the lock Stan took it for test drive and found its handling flawless and its interior spotless, ‘while a pre-purchase inspection showed the ear to bein excallent mechanical cond tion, Since it hada’ yet had its 6,000-mile service, Sian was able to purchase it for £20,200. He immediately spent $500 having the service performed and all fluids changed, but since then he's had to do nothing to keep the car running perfectly. ie wouldn't mind having moce power, finding the 264Kter sia litle anemic after a Porsche V8, especially with an automatic transmission. The car's OBD-I electronics make extra horsepower hard to ind, howev- ‘er, $0 Stan has decided to leave the car alone and enjoy itsother quate in the absence of big power, He's happy with dhe mileage—18 imp city, 23 hwy-that his 5285 wagon is returning, and he loves its nimble handling. Best ofall his dog is thule to have its own space inthe cargo hold —making Stan's pure hase a sacess i the most important cate gory ofall at least to dog owners! @