Sanity or Stupidity? - 260k e39!
- Thread starter Scania
- Start date
![[TW]Fox](/data/man-of-honor/2009.png){kind=avatar}
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Bargain, good job 
Built in January 1997, Registered May1 1997.
Cheers Peter, I'll have a look at that tomorrow.
[TW]Fox;17937164 said:Why is it wearing EU spec headlights?
Iirc, around 2001 Dad spotted a later e39 with the Xeon style lights and decided - after trying a demonstrator - to upgrade.
As far as I recall, the EU spec light upgrade was either cheaper or easier than the alternative offered by BMW at the time, I do remember it was expensive though, I'm trying to find the invoice.....
Trouble is, theres a lot to go through!
As for upgrading it, well, yes, I could, but, on the other hand, Oxford Green? Sport?
Personally, I don't think so.
I quite like the front lights, and if anything will possibly update the rears.
Why swap bumpers when they are unmarked? And why make it something its not?
Edit: It seems it had a short engine under warranty @ 48k miles - Nikasil I guess?
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Double post.
I don't think they are Xenons are they?
They are both the same price, the only real difference is that the EU spec ones have amber corners. I'm suprised BMW would even order those.
Not suggesting Sport bumpers - just facelift ones to go with the lights.
I don't honestly know if they are Xeons or not tbh.[TW]Fox;17938856 said:
I do know they were an OEM BMW part though.
[TW]Fox;17938856 said:
Not sure what you mean, got any pics? - As if you would not - eh?
Cheers, I see the difference now.
I doubt I'll upgrade it, at 200k+ I think I'd be wiser to stick the money in the "just in case" fund!
That said, a Widescreen appeals....
I doubt I'll upgrade it, at 200k+ I think I'd be wiser to stick the money in the "just in case" fund!
That said, a Widescreen appeals....
CheerThat said, a Widescreen appeals....
That isnt happening for this side of a grand. Trust me.
[TW]Fox;17939209 said:
Its not happening at all in that case!
Update: - As I personally hate threads that don't have them!
Well, I have only had it for week (for which it stood for 5 days!) but thus far, I'm very happy.
Fuel consumption is thus far considerably lower than my 328i,21MPG over pretty much the same 200 or so miles I travel every weekend, the engine seems to like the 97 octane fuel I've switched it to though, seems a fair bit more responsive.
And after re-setting the gearbox (which effectively wakes up the 'box's ability to adapt to a particular drivers style) I'm far happier with the way it now snaps up & down ratios, previously, it was reluctant to kick down - even in sport mode - and totally in keeping with the driving style of its previous 73year old driver! Some feel this is something of a myth, personally, having done the same with my Steptronic gearboxed e38, I swear by it!
Popped a Pay as you go SIM into the built in phone and it works a treat, just trying to get my head around the prehistoric handset that you have to use to program numbers etc into it, but all good anyway, I was not expecting to get that working for some reason...
I'm fairly sure the heater resistor (Hedgehog) is duff, there is a faint whine inside the car when i get into it after its stood overnight.
I am also wondering if the prop is on its way out, there seems to be a vibration from under the car if I accelerate hard although its faint so not worrying me too greatly...
And it certainly runs a tad rough momentarily (seems to start on 5) from cold,my experience of my previous e38 728i and e36 328i confirm this - they both did not - so I'm guessing I probably have a duff coil pack (ok, its what my garage diagnose!) I'm half tempted to swap the coils from my e36 before I sell it......
The brakes seem perfect, the ABS functioning as it should, it stops cleanly & in a straight line even if I'm not holding the wheel (firmly) and I stop hard.
And with a bit of luck, I'll be getting around £400 for my 328i which means it'll - with a bit of luck - stand me a mere £400 or so.
I'm going to get the water pump replaced as a matter of precaution, possibly the viscous fan too - it seems to be running often which is what happened with my e36 just before its own fan & pump failed.....
Annoyingly, the rear outer seatbelts don't seem to engage properly, so that's a definate job on the to-do list as I'm pretty sure it would fail an MOT for this.
I'll probably rue this post when it blows up in the near future.......
Well, I have only had it for week (for which it stood for 5 days!) but thus far, I'm very happy.
Fuel consumption is thus far considerably lower than my 328i,21MPG over pretty much the same 200 or so miles I travel every weekend, the engine seems to like the 97 octane fuel I've switched it to though, seems a fair bit more responsive.
And after re-setting the gearbox (which effectively wakes up the 'box's ability to adapt to a particular drivers style) I'm far happier with the way it now snaps up & down ratios, previously, it was reluctant to kick down - even in sport mode - and totally in keeping with the driving style of its previous 73year old driver! Some feel this is something of a myth, personally, having done the same with my Steptronic gearboxed e38, I swear by it!
Popped a Pay as you go SIM into the built in phone and it works a treat, just trying to get my head around the prehistoric handset that you have to use to program numbers etc into it, but all good anyway, I was not expecting to get that working for some reason...
I'm fairly sure the heater resistor (Hedgehog) is duff, there is a faint whine inside the car when i get into it after its stood overnight.
I am also wondering if the prop is on its way out, there seems to be a vibration from under the car if I accelerate hard although its faint so not worrying me too greatly...
And it certainly runs a tad rough momentarily (seems to start on 5) from cold,my experience of my previous e38 728i and e36 328i confirm this - they both did not - so I'm guessing I probably have a duff coil pack (ok, its what my garage diagnose!) I'm half tempted to swap the coils from my e36 before I sell it......
The brakes seem perfect, the ABS functioning as it should, it stops cleanly & in a straight line even if I'm not holding the wheel (firmly) and I stop hard.
And with a bit of luck, I'll be getting around £400 for my 328i which means it'll - with a bit of luck - stand me a mere £400 or so.
I'm going to get the water pump replaced as a matter of precaution, possibly the viscous fan too - it seems to be running often which is what happened with my e36 just before its own fan & pump failed.....
Annoyingly, the rear outer seatbelts don't seem to engage properly, so that's a definate job on the to-do list as I'm pretty sure it would fail an MOT for this.
I'll probably rue this post when it blows up in the near future.......
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The seatbelt would be an MOT fail, could just be some debris in the buckle? Had that after my window was smashed, small bit of glass in it so it wouldn't click properly. Could be any sort of stuff in there, managed to sort mine just with a vacuum cleaner