Any Opinions on 1999 BMW 520i

Tobster86

Have three E39s in the family. Cousin and mother each have a 528i (respectively manual and automatic). I have an automatic 540i.

I would vouch that they're probably THE best screwed together cars for the volume they were produced in.

Automatic box is very good, especially if steptronic; although loses a bit of low end torque (comparing mother's and cousin's 528s; neither is a slouch though, and for normal driving I don't feel like they're missing power when compared to the very fast 540).

The healights are probably my only complaint, as like other 90's BMWs they're candles in jars, so I would recommend an upgrade. I fitted these to mine & my mother's recently which improves things a lot, but be advised they're a legal grey area (legal under EU law in a 5-series as they have projector lenses, are self-levelling and have headlight washers; but are otherwise largely undefined under UK law):
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/231331145192?_trksid=p2060778.m2749.l2649&var=530590720238&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

GRM

I took a 2000/X 520i Auto from new to 160,000 miles in 10 years. Excellent car, usual things went wrong; ABS controller, coils, wishbones,rear wheel bearings. Nothing hugely expensive - got the ABS reconditioned for about £300 IIRC.

BeenThroughItAll

Tobster86 wrote: »

Have three E39s in the family. Cousin and mother each have a 528i (respectively manual and automatic). I have an automatic 540i.

I would vouch that they're probably THE best screwed together cars for the volume they were produced in.

Automatic box is very good, especially if steptronic; although loses a bit of low end torque (comparing mother's and cousin's 528s; neither is a slouch though, and for normal driving I don't feel like they're missing power when compared to the very fast 540).

The healights are probably my only complaint, as like other 90's BMWs they're candles in jars, so I would recommend an upgrade. I fitted these to mine & my mother's recently which improves things a lot, but be advised they're a legal grey area (legal under EU law in a 5-series as they have projector lenses, are self-levelling and have headlight washers; but are otherwise largely undefined under UK law):
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/231331145192?_trksid=p2060778.m2749.l2649&var=530590720238&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Seconded. I ran aftermarket HIDs in one of my 528s and the 530D. The M5 and second 528 both had factory HIDs and if anything the aftermarkets were actually better even after I fitted new capsules. Great cutoff and light output, very reliable, and passed several MOTs without problems.


Only comment I'd make is that (only my opinion) the 520i is a bit underpowered for the size of the car. Don't get me wrong, it's not awful by any means, but the bigger I6 motors definitely add something. The 528i and later 530i particularly are brilliant. Powerful enough to get you around but with sensible (35+ long run) economy.


540i, M5 both epic. I'd have a 540i if I were buying another one. As real-world fast as the M5 but significantly cheaper to buy and run.

gazfocus

motorguy wrote: »

Please dont do that to it unless you want to look like a chav.

You can buy replacement front lights with clear indicators which will freshen the car up no end. The side repeaters are easy and cheap to change to clear ones. Then get the rear ones changed to red / clear as opposed to red / orange.

Those alone will take about five years off the age of it.

Heres the headlights.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-E39-SALOON-TOURING-HEAD-LIGHT-HOUSING-SET-WHITE-INDICATOR-95-00-Facelift-Set-/320951383292?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&fits=Plat_Gen%3AE39&hash=item4aba3174fc

Other than that i would just leave it as is. Maybe remove the 523i badge from the back for that "clean" look (also dates the car)

I'm suprised to hear you say that about the Angel Eyes but I do like the ones you linked to. Will see if I can find some used ones to keep costs down though.

I've already found some of the red/clear rear lights so will order them when I've got the car.

Tobster86 wrote: »

Have three E39s in the family. Cousin and mother each have a 528i (respectively manual and automatic). I have an automatic 540i.

I would vouch that they're probably THE best screwed together cars for the volume they were produced in.

Automatic box is very good, especially if steptronic; although loses a bit of low end torque (comparing mother's and cousin's 528s; neither is a slouch though, and for normal driving I don't feel like they're missing power when compared to the very fast 540).

The healights are probably my only complaint, as like other 90's BMWs they're candles in jars, so I would recommend an upgrade. I fitted these to mine & my mother's recently which improves things a lot, but be advised they're a legal grey area (legal under EU law in a 5-series as they have projector lenses, are self-levelling and have headlight washers; but are otherwise largely undefined under UK law):
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/231331145192?_trksid=p2060778.m2749.l2649&var=530590720238&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Thanks - are they difficult to fit and would I need the single beam or dual beam? It's a wee bit difficult looking for upgrades without the car hehe.

Tobster86

gazfocus wrote: »

Thanks - are they difficult to fit and would I need the single beam or dual beam? It's a wee bit difficult looking for upgrades without the car hehe.

Really easy to fit, replace the bulbs (same precautions etc as with halogen bulbs), stick the ballast packs to the sides, and plug everything into the idiot-proof plugs.

They are for the outer (HB4) bulbs. The inner bulbs are dual-function HB3 bulbs for sidelights and main beam, leave them standard (main beams even on modern cars with HIDs are usually still halogen as HIDs take a few seconds to warm up so aren't suitable).

Make sure you go for 4300K bulbs; anything else is blue and chavvy.

Infact, 4300K's appear bluish against a halogen (they're not, they're perfectly white, but halogens are actually very orangey-yellow). If this will bother you; I suggest some other solution; but don't put illegal over-powered (>55W) halogens in or it'll melt the housings! (This had been done to my mothers before she owned it).

gazfocus

Tobster86 wrote: »

Really easy to fit, replace the bulbs (same precautions etc as with halogen bulbs), stick the ballast packs to the sides, and plug everything into the idiot-proof plugs.

They are for the outer (HB4) bulbs. The inner bulbs are dual-function HB3 bulbs for sidelights and main beam, leave them standard (main beams even on modern cars with HIDs are usually still halogen as HIDs take a few seconds to warm up so aren't suitable).

Make sure you go for 4300K bulbs; anything else is blue and chavvy.

Infact, 4300K's appear bluish against a halogen (they're not, they're perfectly white, but halogens are actually very orangey-yellow). If this will bother you; I suggest some other solution; but don't put illegal over-powered (>55W) halogens in or it'll melt the housings! (This had been done to my mothers before she owned it).

Thanks - that's good to know. Do you have yours alongside the halogens? Could you post a photo so I could see what it looks like? thanks again

colino

I know its an age thing, but don't go buying an e39 for bargain money and then spend approaching half of that again on celis "upgrades" and angeleyes. They definitely do need lighting improvement upfront (even from new!) but don't go down the route of things like depo replacements, they were originally the swap of choice, I think they are all Chinese copies now.

gazfocus

colino wrote: »

I know its an age thing, but don't go buying an e39 for bargain money and then spend approaching half of that again on celis "upgrades" and angeleyes. They definitely do need lighting improvement upfront (even from new!) but don't go down the route of things like depo replacements, they were originally the swap of choice, I think they are all Chinese copies now.

Thanks for your comments. In all honesty, I just want to make the car somewhat better looking. The one thing that put me off the car was the glass on the lights. The orange glass makes the car look its age whereas the newer versions with clear glass make a huge difference, and if I go with the ones motorguy recommended, the whole upgrade (Front lights, rear lights and HID Kit) will only cost me about £180.

BeenThroughItAll

gazfocus wrote: »

Thanks for your comments. In all honesty, I just want to make the car somewhat better looking. The one thing that put me off the car was the glass on the lights. The orange glass makes the car look its age whereas the newer versions with clear glass make a huge difference, and if I go with the ones motorguy recommended, the whole upgrade (Front lights, rear lights and HID Kit) will only cost me about £180.

The issue presented here is that those upgrade lights you're talking about are only casings judging by the pictures. You'll need to swap over the 'innards' from your existing lights which will, as I mentioned, almost certainly have one or more knackered adjusters, so you'll end up with better looking headlamps which still need new adjusters.


Buy the car, leave the lamps alone and change the adjusters if you need to (you can buy them separately). There's nothing wrong with the lamps as they are, it's just pointless vanity. Alternatively, spend the money you would waste on chaving up an earlier model on buying a later E39 in the first place.

colino

I agree the clear lenses (don't forget the indicator repeaters) freshen up the 5 series, but be very careful of the supplier of lights, most headlamps are not like-for-like replacements, most of the cheap headlight pairs don't have the headlamp adjustment motor, you just set up the lights on a beamtester and that's it fixed. Maybe not a biggy, but you do get what you pay for.