Yeah, I'll see how I get on with it, and how intrusive it is. I wonder if it's the original fan as it seems you can buy the viscous coupler assembly separately? Not sure whether parts are interchangeable, but if they are I'll look into just changing the coupling.
FAO Fox: Buying a E39 530i Sport
- Thread starter nichorob
- Start date
Yeah, I'll see how I get on with it, and how intrusive it is. I wonder if it's the original fan as it seems you can buy the viscous coupler assembly separately? Not sure whether parts are interchangeable, but if they are I'll look into just changing the coupling.
Can anyone recommend a decent ///M badge for the boot of my car-to-be? There are loads on the bay, and I can't tell which are pap and which are ok.
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And a decent plastic polishing product to shine up the headlights (they're not bad, but I want them uber shiny when the rest of the car is polished).
/edit:
And a decent plastic polishing product to shine up the headlights (they're not bad, but I want them uber shiny when the rest of the car is polished).
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Don't bother with the badge, and for the headlights, use some 2000, then 4000 grit wet and dry, then polish with a mild-abrasive polish.
I used autoglym metal polish last time.
I thought it was the done thing?
Only if you're particularly sad
.Congratulations, though - looks very nice. Oooh - I see you have auto headlights? If you're thinking you'd like to economise on rubber I'd be happy to swap your 18" Style 37 M-parallels for my 17" Style 66 lesser M-Parallels
. Style 37s - om nom.In my experience you only need to sand if the lenses have gone really badly cloudy. If they're not bad you could just spruce them up with some Meguires PlastX.
Yes that noisy fan will be because a cheapo aftermarket one was fitted.
Get yourself sorted out with INPA, DIS, SSS and check out your error codes. You may have loads of old ones stored like I did which is mildly interesting reading, but the thing to do is clear them out and see which, if any, come back, then investigate those. Particularly keep an eye on the gearbox for errors.
Check out BMW5.co.uk - good E39 section with lots of hands-on guys, how to guides (even one byme
) and plenty of good info.Enjoy, oh and this thread is useless without (better than the Autotrader ones) pics
.![[TW]Fox](/data/man-of-honor/2009.png){kind=avatar}
That's beyond most people though really.
He wasnt calling my bluff. He claims he sold it to the £5900 bidder so makes my £5750 irrelevant. Am truly gutted and peeved. I won't find that again so will have to settle for something second best if I follow my E39 desires.
I am truly hacked off.
I am truly hacked off.
Right, picked my 530i Sport Auto up on Saturday, and have fallen in love with the thing. It's lovely to drive, but it has the following issues (some of which I found on the test drive when I went to view the car):
-PDC is faulty (single beep and flashing light on switch) - should be an easy fix.
-There is a coolant leak, albeit not too major (which is annoying as I couldn't see it when I went to view the car).
-Intermittent slight lumpy idle when started from dead cold (Vanos seals/vacuum hose). I ordered some replacement Vanos seals as the originals are still on there and are probably shot, so replacing them can only be a good thing.
-NS front suspension clonk over bumps - thrust arm/bush/similar will need replacing - thinking of polybushing the whole car - is this a good idea? I probably have access to all the required tools.
-A pigeon that appears to have done 10 rounds with a vindaloo thought my car was an ideal target to unload on.
-The car really could do with a machine polish (might DIY it, but unsure whether to go rotary or DA).
As for my trim Fox - unfortunately it's probably not up to your standards - the driver's side trim has a perfect straight crack near one end, and the centre console trim is a little scratched. I will be looking out for a non-wood, non-silver trim set to replace it (Fox put me off silver).
-PDC is faulty (single beep and flashing light on switch) - should be an easy fix.
-There is a coolant leak, albeit not too major (which is annoying as I couldn't see it when I went to view the car).
-Intermittent slight lumpy idle when started from dead cold (Vanos seals/vacuum hose). I ordered some replacement Vanos seals as the originals are still on there and are probably shot, so replacing them can only be a good thing.
-NS front suspension clonk over bumps - thrust arm/bush/similar will need replacing - thinking of polybushing the whole car - is this a good idea? I probably have access to all the required tools.
-A pigeon that appears to have done 10 rounds with a vindaloo thought my car was an ideal target to unload on.
-The car really could do with a machine polish (might DIY it, but unsure whether to go rotary or DA).
As for my trim Fox - unfortunately it's probably not up to your standards - the driver's side trim has a perfect straight crack near one end, and the centre console trim is a little scratched. I will be looking out for a non-wood, non-silver trim set to replace it (Fox put me off silver).
If its so broken it does a single beep with a flashing light then it has helpfully logged a fault code telling you which sensor it is.
Check the radiator. If its not that, check the thermostat housing.
Whilst doing the VANOS seals isnt a bad idea I'd be suprised if its that. It's true that VANOS seals cause idling problems with the M52, but the M54 received a DME update early in its life which masked this issue. Its probably something else.
Don't polybush it - a fresh E39 has a simply perfect combination between comfort and handling. Do it right - use Lemforder parts.
Cheers for the advice Fox. What do you recommend for fault code reading - a plug in box or cable + laptop (not sure my laptop will work as it annoyingly blue screens with VAG COM).
Just found another bonus - my car has a minor oil leak.
Oil has collected in the valleys on the trasmission casing on the NS, and from what I can see it is most likely to have come from the oil filter area, so hopefully a cheap, easy DIY fix. There is no oil on the OS at all. Oil is also on top of the transmission on the NS, so I think it has run along the side of the engine block and down/along the transmission as I can't seem to see anything around there to suggest a second leak.
I've got a local indy lined up to get it up on his ramps tomorrow and give it a once over to see what needs doing under the car. I think any of the cooling system I'll get him to fix, and if the oil filter housing gasket is where the oil is leaking from, I'll do that myself. My car has had some work done to the cooling system in the last few years, but not the radiator/expansion tank as far as I can see.
Just found another bonus - my car has a minor oil leak.
Oil has collected in the valleys on the trasmission casing on the NS, and from what I can see it is most likely to have come from the oil filter area, so hopefully a cheap, easy DIY fix. There is no oil on the OS at all. Oil is also on top of the transmission on the NS, so I think it has run along the side of the engine block and down/along the transmission as I can't seem to see anything around there to suggest a second leak.I've got a local indy lined up to get it up on his ramps tomorrow and give it a once over to see what needs doing under the car. I think any of the cooling system I'll get him to fix, and if the oil filter housing gasket is where the oil is leaking from, I'll do that myself. My car has had some work done to the cooling system in the last few years, but not the radiator/expansion tank as far as I can see.