BMW and M Power Owners

[TW]Fox;25436391 said:
How did you blow the head gasket!?
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Classic failed thermostat unfortunately - the temp didn't get too high as I caught it in good time but they're just so sensitive to temperature. After that it just kept causing me issues on cold starts and gradually burning coolant over time.
 
It's a really good indicator of the owners approach to spending money on the car. Basic refurb instead of the more expensive OEM shadow chrome finish and a set of budgets on a car like that is a good indicator of an owner who perhaps has had a more spendthirft approac to it's maintenance.

Which given the price of good ones now is counterproductive. E39 M5's are old cars but not cheap cars, I'm really quite suprised how values are now comfortably outstripping the M3.
 
I am quite suprised you haven't upgraded from your 530i to an M5 of the same era now that you can pick up a low mileage one for sub £15k?
 
The problem for me is that it looks the same inside and out and for 90% of what I do, I just drive to work and back in traffic, it would be like sitting in the same car. And I'm not sure the other 10% is worth the massive additional cost of purchasing and running the M5 given mine is worth approrimxately 20p but is otherwise immaculate.
 
[TW]Fox;25437821 said:
The problem for me is that it looks the same inside and out and for 90% of what I do, I just drive to work and back in traffic, it would be like sitting in the same car. And I'm not sure the other 10% is worth the massive additional cost of purchasing and running the M5 given mine is worth approrimxately 20p but is otherwise immaculate.
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That's what I thought but it feels completely different.
 
jamoor said:
That's what I thought but it feels completely different.
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How different is it going to feel stationary in a queue of traffic or doing 30 in a 40? On the open road of course it feels different but I hardly ever drive like that really :(

The biggest thing for me is that mine would sell for quite literally nothing and yet buying an M5 in the same condition as mine would require a top end example, so potentially 10 figure sum to swap one 2002 E39 for another 2002 E39 which is identical to look at and sit in and only different mechanically. I love E39's but... maybe not THAT much :p

I think it would take a forced change really, if somebody ran into the back of mine or something and I was forced to buy a new car then I might consider it.
 
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[TW]Fox;25438498 said:
so potentially 10 figure sum to swap one 2002 E39 for another 2002 E39 which is identical to look at and sit in and only different mechanically.
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£1,000,000,000 to change from a 2002 530i to a 2002 M5? Now you're just exaggerating. :p

Seriously though, I follow your thinking, but sometimes you've got to make the illogical decision to get the best from life. I figure I'm only going to be young once, and I'd love to have an M car in my life at some point sooner rather than later.
 
I'm not really that bothered about the whole box ticking side of car ownership. As long as I've always got a car I really like, I don't need to 'Have some XYZ in my life at some point'. When it's time to move on from E39 ownership it will be for reasons which another E39 won't address however awesome the engine is.
 
Do you not drive anymore other than your commute?

I don't and I am in a similar position, on paper my car is worth around £4k but in practice, I had it on AT and PH etc and didn't even get one phone call, so to sell it I either need to practically give it away or P/X it and probably get less than £1k for it. And then you look at what it is subjectively and it seems stupid to give it away for that. So you keep it... but then you have to insure 2 cars on one policy, big expenses etc.

I would love that grey M5 up above and I can afford it and more, but I don't really see the point considering I drive to the Post Office twice a day, do a 60 mile round trip to Truro M&S once a week, and other than that never go out!

Cars are boring when you get older... anyone reading this and into "cruising" etc enjoy it whilst you are young!
 
[TW]Fox;25438498 said:
How different is it going to feel stationary in a queue of traffic or doing 30 in a 40? On the open road of course it feels different but I hardly ever drive like that really :(

The biggest thing for me is that mine would sell for quite literally nothing and yet buying an M5 in the same condition as mine would require a top end example, so potentially 10 figure sum to swap one 2002 E39 for another 2002 E39 which is identical to look at and sit in and only different mechanically. I love E39's but... maybe not THAT much :p

I think it would take a forced change really, if somebody ran into the back of mine or something and I was forced to buy a new car then I might consider it.
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Take one for a test drive.

An e39 M5 is probably a good place to put your money anyway as I don't see them falling in value massively.
 
Done more research into the Disa valve and now confident to get it out and take a look at it, so will be doing that over the weekend to see what's going on then I can order the relevant repair kit and make sure the pin wont fall out in the mean time.

commited said:
Has anyone fitted their e39/e46 with a 1.2/1.4bar expansion tank cap to replace the standard 2bar cap? From what I've read it can significantly prolong the life of the cooling system and if you get to the boiling temp (120 vs 138 iirc) then there is already something else seriously wrong. Seems like a no brainer?
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Missed this post. Didn't know these existed and after taking a quick look seems like a no brainer as you say. Couldn't find any links to buy one though or how much they were?
 
still struggling to find 6 cylinder petrol manual m sports :( BMW dealer network has none within 100 miles of me lol (Essex)

at this rate it'll be a VRS or 10 plate S-Line A4 :( - of which I've heard neither handle as well
 
If you're going through a bmw dealer tell them to go find you what you want in the network and have them bring it to you. Costs then pennies, especially compared with the potential sale price
 
Voxination said:
Done more research into the Disa valve and now confident to get it out and take a look at it, so will be doing that over the weekend to see what's going on then I can order the relevant repair kit and make sure the pin wont fall out in the mean time.
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DISA is a fairly easy one as far as it goes - should be a 15 minute job to get it out and off the intake :)

Ps, oil filter gasket went out from work this afternoon so should be with you early next week
 
ah ok - how does that work though ?

when I spoke to a dealer a while back (over a year admittadly) he implied that you pay a deposit and when it arrives - if described you sort the rest and all aok

I guess the issue is whether as described matches your expectations - I went to look at a very smart 130 M Sport last year that looked perfect in the photos - but then went to look at it had quite a few scratches and scuffs on bodywork - something I'd have not found acceptable at the price they were asking
 
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