E39 for Life

I agree 110%!! I've done maf, intake boots, vanos seals, valve cover, window regulator, both belts an pulleys, seat twist, battery, headlights cleaning, an a few minor things an this is one of the easiest vehicles I've ever worked on! Bought mine cheap an maintenance was neglected but now it's a dream to drive car!

I've owned several BMWs and I currently have an 2006 X5 and a 2002 530i. Amazingly, at 218,000 miles everything on my 530i still works! No missing pixels in the radio or dash. All the windows, the AC. lights, etc. Not saying I've had to do maintenance on it, but it's been an unusually satisfying BMW to own.

Yes it can and it is. My E39 M5 is my daily driver for the past 10 years, it turns 21 in December (it is one of the first ones, 1998). Best car ever.

I'm driving an E39 from 2001 with a 6 cyl diesel engine and manual gear as a (almost) daily driver in The Netherlands...

My first BMW was an E39. After dealing with these X5’s, I really wish I still had it!

Yes, absolutely. I have an 1996 528 with 230k kilometers. It does require maintenance as Nathan mentions, but once you do them it is a great car.

My answer is yes. Once fixed it will last longer than a new car will. Basically it will go for as long as its maintained. Unless its overheated.

I've had mine for 10 years now and wasn't really planning on selling it either cuz it still runs really nice with some maintenance here and there. I also had a theory that other people would recognize how good of a car it is and it would become a very popular "antique" car in the future.

with your videos I almost fix everything in my e39 520i 2.2 170hp. it's so awesome to drive this car for big trips. 2400 km last year with no problems 1380 this year again no problems and I enjoy all the kms. my favourite car by now.

love my 2003 525i, I have newer cars that don't drive as comfortable as this

Just bought a beater 528i for 1500 bucks.Put in a remanufactured compressor off ebay for 75 bucks. blows ice cold now :)

I watched almost all your films on E39, I have a 2001 M54B25 with 180 000 on the clock myself. I get the impression that the cars you fix are not well maintained by their owners. I am not a BMW maniac, buying OEM parts, but I do my best to use top shelf parts and I've never had any issues with this car. I use it to commute daily, for weekend trips and holidays and it still runs like hell.

I have owned my E39 for 20 years. 1999 beautiful 528i still in showroom cond. the best sedan ever made.

E39 is bmw best car they made. I have 2002 e39 only have 82k miles and run like a champ.

My 2002 540i sport just hit 72,000 miles. It is my all-time favorite car. Absolutely love how it performs. Very reliable. The normal issues (radiator, window reg, seat twist), but nothing crazy over the 15 years I’ve owned.

2003 540i rebuilt everything. Mpackage 6 speed box. Wouldnt sell that car for 30k. No lie. Best and most fun car ive owned

my buddy recently picked up an e39 m5, and all i have to say is wow, i cant believe a car that advance is almost 20 years old. 170k on it and its still running strong, no dash lights on at all

got my '99 523i for almost 2 months and i already have 4000 km on it since im driving it to work, i love the car it drives so good and comftable

I have a 2003 530i and it is faultless, although with low mileage. But a work colleage has the same model and year and has 345k miles on it and it still runs like new. Enough said.

It can. I have a 2000 E39 280k mile, probably rolled back from like 380k miles, and everyone was scaring me how expensive is the maintenance. It has a huge brand following, there are facebook groups with over 30k members who sell used parts for pennies. It's sturdy af. Really like it.

Just got my E39, I’m just blown away at the feel of the m54, it’s not the most powerful engine, but it just keeps pulling and pulling

99 528i here in England currently on 228k, daily driven 50 miles, did whole cooling system last year, still need to do two hard mounted hoses under intake and CCV but no issues thus far. Change oil yearly and good to go. Was very well maintained prior to my ownership and I continue to do so, plan to get at least another 100k out of her. MOT here in England showed up some corrosion to fuel hoses underneath so will have to get it in the air and take care of these before they go really bad as well as keeping on top of underbody hard brake line before they rust out.

Steel Blue Metallic is my favorite color for E39s

Love how much space you have in the engine bay and how open the engine is. Looks really easy to fix.

I have 4 E39 and one E32 they are all running strong

I've just bought a rust free 82,000 mile 528i for £1500. Absolutely love it. I'm not working at the moment but spent a bit on it. Seems a great buy so far

My dad have E39 535d every month he does regular service and he said he didn't have any bigger problems with it he said that E39 is more reliable then some new BMW. (Sorry for bad English) Greetings from Bosnia

I just bought a 1999 bmw 540i the seller put 1800.00 into the cooling system. One of the best cars I've driven.

Well my e39 is 19 yo and still kicking

Mine was 18 years old, did 60k in it, 70mile a day, and only needed an alternator in that time, so yes very reliable

Got a 98 BMW 528i 255k miles on her. Still runs like a champ minimal maintenance.

Follow up comment, I love the statement of being able to fix them up yourself and wanting to rescue these cars. That's how I feel about older SAAB's. Love the channel, keep up the great content!

I bought a 2001 bmw 525i and the previous owner had just installed new spark plugs, battery, and fuel pump and I got it for 1100. 170k miles.

My wife asks why the hell im restoring a 500$ 528i manual every few weeks. There is just something so special about these old touring cars.

I bought a 97 528i for 450 bucks 2 years ago. Needed a clutch. 225k on it. Replaced clutch and been a great car for driving to work everyday.

Just bought a 2003 530I with the sport package and 141,000 mi. It was leaking from the heater pipes, so while I had the manifold off I replaced the CCV and several hoses. Also replaced the thermostat housing. The body and interior are in great shape, and the color is Sterling gray metallic. I love the color. I paid $1200.00 and I think I will have about $500.00 in parts, which includes a new battery. I appreciate your channel, Very helpful. Thanks Bud

I have 2 E39 530i, one for me and one for the wife. I just converted mine to a 5-spd and love how it drives. I've replaced everything on both of them including the oil pan gasket. I'll be installing an all-aluminum radiator next to make it bulletproof. My M3 is jealous of how much time I spend in my 530i now that it's a manual. 😂

Got a 350k mile E39. Just went thru it again. Make sure you check engine mounts, mine were shot and the sump got cracked by hitting the subframe and leaking oil. You can get the front window reg to last alot longer. You got to plastic tie the cable end that breaks all the time (leading into the motor) onto the frame so that it cant put pressure on that plastic bit. Alot easier to work on the E39 than the E60 as E39 has no crap around the strut tower brace that hinders rocker cover removal. Also remember to do the oil pump to block gasket. I have a $0 fix for non cancelling indicator but too hard to explain in words.

I have a 2001 M5 w/135kmi and it's awesome. 'Preventative Maintenance' is the key with these machines. When you go to make a repair , replace every wear part you can get your hands on. Be cognizant of what areas of the car or original and make plans to upgrade/replace those things before they break.

You can totally replace those front headlight adjusters without taking the lens off! I have done it on both of my headlights, and the parts are cheap! I dig my E39, had it almost a year now. It was reliable until recently, but I have fixed those issues and it is running better then ever.

Thank you, Nathan, my E39 is in storage so I'm driving my E36 at the moment. The E39 is a smooth ride, all leatherish cow interior without the cow smell.

Just bought an immaculate E39 Silver 2002 525i with 49,000 miles on it (78,000 km). Very well maintained.

I'm about to buy a 2003 from Copart. I'm not a pro mechanic but I do know enough about cars to know that one is a lot easier to work on than most. The car I'm bidding on also has a flawless vehicle history. Should be a sweet deal. Great vid, very informative.

Just sold my 1997 520i auto touring, wish I hadn't I miss it so much and it was so reliable and comfortable. One of the best cars I have ever owned.

I own a 01 540i e39 m sport it has two hundred eleven thousand miles and so far no problems and runs smooth and fast, im happy

I love my 2003 BMW 530i with 220k miles. Been having it for 7 years when it just had 100k. The only time it left me stranded was when the fuel pump went out other than that very reliable.

Nice upload Nathan, working on the e39 is so refreshing after doing work on the e90's... I've done so many e39 cooling systems now can do them with my eyes closed

I've been getting a 99 528i back on the road and it's proving to be real reliable after 7 months. Thanks for the videos BTW, you have helped me out tremendously.

Very smart content. It took me 5 minutes to realize it is a terrible idea to try and keep a car like this on the road. Shame this is one of the most beautiful BMW exterior designs. They are gorgeous.

I've had a few BMW's currently own an E39 528i. In my opinion the best car from BMW !!!!!!! Sadly, I'm not a mechanic, but find your channel so helpful when it comes to maintenance issues. So thanks from the UK.

Love the e39. I own 3 A 1997 540i/6.(my first bmw ) 2000m5. (Bought it after realizing how good the 540 is to drive - especially in manual transmission. Last is a 1998 540i automatic .bought it cheap for parts (same non vanos engine as my 1997. All the parts are bmw factory . Window regs, suspension etc. the e39 is such a perfect balance of comfort and performance. I’m still impressed how fast the 540 is for only 280hp. The remarkable thing is the acceleration from 70mph upwards into triple digit speeds. It never diminishes as the speed increases. And With the sport suspension the car is completely stable and feels rock solid. (You Can tell it was designed to cruise at extremely high speeds for extended periods) . The M5 is even more impressive and it’s hard not to drive it like a complete tool every time you push the pedal…. I recently acquired a 1991 850i with the rare 6speed manual. A beautiful looking car and quite comfortable to drive but it doesn’t have the same feedback as the e39. These older bmws come from a different period and have an analog feel that’s not too common in modern cars.. they’re not too hard to work on … I wouldn’t own them if I didn’t do my own repairs/maintenance.

My 2002 bmw 540i has been bulletproof for 7 years

Here we are in 2022 now!! lol I bought my most recent one with 102k miles on it and now am about 118k on the odometer. Other than having to use premium gas, I would choose my 2003 525i over many new cars any day. It's fun, solid, and sporty, yet elegant and sophisticated. And it's kinda strange being one of the few BMW drivers that drive nice - for the most part. So yes for sure!

I own a 98 528i, I've done alot of work to it, still runs nice, basic maintenance. New suspension, control arms, tie rods, sensors, plugs and boots. Runs fine, working on brakes a n rotors now, next step is bumper, headlight n fog lights. By far the easiest and cheapest car I've worked on.

My 2001 530iA, sport package car just turned 300,000 miles and I have done only basic maintenance, and replaced the fuel pump and alternator once, along with the transmission fluid and filter a few times.... Oh and the TB. I have basically the same car as in this video, topaz blue, with the pinstripe down the corner of the hood.

I bought mine for 900 , 525i 2003 with 216,000 manual.... 5000 miles in to it , just have to replace the idler pulley, throttle body boot , regularly maintenance and the car is running 8/10! That's my second bimmer and im in ove with them !

I have a 1997 5 series 528i check engine light just came on yesterday ... It came off once but back on again. Not sure whats wrong , small leaks. Thanks bro your channel rocks

My favourite BMW of all time, in terms of reliability and generally being a ‘good’ car. Actually going to look at an ‘02 530i tomorrow. Up here in Canada, $1500. :) 265,000km. More than likely going to be taking it home :)

The years later I could not differ from your experience with the E39’s. I have two 1998 540ia and a 2003 530ia. Both have had all maintenance done on them with the basic parts all OEM not Chinese junk! The biggest repairs so far out side of water pumps, Disa, hoses, and window regulators on the 1998, the dreaded twisted seat problem, also a starter, my 2003 an alternator replaced. Otherwise running great both have over 140,000 miles with an average of 22mpg at 80+ mph, no real complaints! I have owned them for eight Years and three years now! At seventy one I can still work and maintain these E39’s. I think at this point they will last longer than me!!!

2001 to 2003 530i are tanks and keep on going if you do decent maintenance.

I have a 1997 528i. Its has been very good to me. Have to do some repairs from time to time. But over all the best used car i ever bought. Thanks for the vids man. Oh yea im pushing 288k.

2001 e39 here. 268,000 kms. Has never left me stranded, runs great all day in a 100 deg+ F climate - it never overheated, but would go thru a half litre of coolant a week when I got it. Still wants 250 ml a week, no idea why. No sign of leakage anywhere. Just one of her things. But like you said, it didn’t come easy. I’ve done every piece of the suspension, but a lot of that I had just the bush and ball joints in the arms replaced for 1/3 the price. Of the whole piece. Over the last 3 years I’ve done everything. Got a detailed list - it’s a little ridiculous. But thing is it was all coz of age. Not unreliability. And none of your water damage issues because of hot climate here. Everything I pulled out was original. Now that’s not bad reliability to be pulling water pumps, radiators etc at 167,000 miles. When I convert it to miles it’s not a lot compared to what you’re talking about. Aux fan was a bastard, had problems three times. Except my fan would come loose and smash up the whole thing. Seems that tiny metal clip on one of the blades is important for balancing. Other than that she was tired, ran rough, (VANOS), but like you said, not expensive for parts, but just a million refresh jobs. Basically anything rubber needed doing. But as for $500?? We pay $6-8,000 for a car like that here in Thailand. A real dog would still be 4K. I saw a total junker 82 Mitsubishi Sigma here the other day for $750 USD. The Thais are mad when it comes to car prices. 300% tax on a new Lamborghini here lol. I hope they start to go up here, but they’re steady or still depreciating. Oh and I just tried the key sync procedure, got no confirmation from the door locks, but made the car forget the keys. No remote function. Sigh. Any suggestions? It won’t sync with them again. It all started went I went to change the battery in the dead spare. All down hill from there.

7K in rebuilding my E39, 540i sport, It's so sweet, I'll have to send a pic,

My 728i 1998 actually run 337000 km without any problems. It runs with autogas and i use it every day. My last 728i 1996 autogas was sold years ago with 480000 km. Extremly reliable.

I got a manual 523i from 97 as my first car, so far I have had some minor issues but nothing that ruins the day.

It can , our 20 year old E39s are still reliable in 2021.

I have a 2002 E39 530DA Sport, owned it for just over 3 years and it's never missed a beat. - the only thing I have replaced is the passenger occupancy sensor for £50 shortly after purchase. Excellent car for the money.

Found when I went to buy one earlier this year that the 2nd and 3rd owners severely abuse them and they are total junk. Found one that a small boutique dealer bought at auction that was traded in from the original owner. Toledo Blue with 106k miles on it. The Dealer put about $900 at his cost in parts. and I paid Just under $5k for it. My Trusted Indy Mechanic checked it out and said Anything Less than $7k that car was a bargain with 106k miles in it's condition. This is a good partner with my '96 E38 as I was able to use a lot of the same Audio and cosmetic parts and the way things are put together is very similar so I don't have to relearn a bunch of stuff like the Coding and software either. Love to see the headlight adjuster vid, did mine and it was a pain but since I'm in Houston I just had to put the housing in the sun for a few minutes. LOL

I've got a 2000 BMW 330ci that I drive daily. If you drive it daily, the key is preventative maintenance

paid a lot of money for my 520 only done 78000 miles though. still worth it. It's my 3rd one. gave my last one to me Mum as hers packed up that had only done 68000 miles and is a 530 individual.

I shared your video on the e39 Facebook page 🤙

I love my e39 2001530i. I have driven 196,000 miles in it. It's silver with black leather and it runs like new. Over the 20 years I have replaced the front struts put in and a new alternator and an oil filter seal replaced the hoses and belts and that is about all, apart from replacing the tires and brakes.

if i could get my hands on e39's for 600 on the east coast, i'd be a gazillionaire. they could have shut down the company after the last one was built and they'd be known as the best automaker ever. e60 is one headache after another... keep up the great channel!

98 528i w/ 174k miles - drives like like the day I bought it 21 years ago. I think I have to spend $80k to have a similar drive with a newer car. A BMW master mechanic told me 10 years ago it's the most reliable car BMW ever produced as long as it was maintained - he was correct.

I'm buying a '98 528i M-Sport to keep as a fun weekend warrior while my Lexus LS400 fills the daily driver duty (post-quarantine, that is). I just love the way those things handle.

Why not? My 97 e36 328is 123k is rocking steady every single day 👌🏼🤞🏼

BMW is my favourite of all time

I freaking love your channel dude !! Bmw love you’ve saved me so many times already an you don’t even know it ! Thanks for being informative on these old German tanks !

I have an 01 530i manual. Has 173k on it now. Been thinking about selling it for a while but every time I drive it I change my mind. They’re incredible cars. I’ll just hang on it and fix stuff on it

Still got mine..runs great!

I Just purchased a low millage well maintained 2002 e46 325ix sedan. It has 113000 kms(70000 miles) Paid $4500cad for it... I now found an e39 2001 manuel wagon in Ontario Canada 12000$ cad. Prices are crazy high for those cars right now

really like this color love my E39 530i 5 speed i just installed M5 struts option 2 shocks front H&R spring rear stock shocks springs rides amazing stiff hands sick

Ive got many old cars from the 80's and 90's even bmw's still everything works fix everything my self, only things i can't do is machining of engine component and the like

Yes. I’m driving my e39 dinan 5 and have had it for a bit and no major issues at 78k.

My first BMW was a 1996 E39 523i.. great car. My current daily is a 2006 E63 630i Sport. Keep them serviced, replace parts with oem and they can be very reliable

I have a 17 year old 525i M Sport here in the UK The car still drives and handles beautiful and looks classy and has aged well . Cheap to buy but expensive to keep up looking new . parking sensors fail Need replacing and errors cleared by plug in Cam covers leak and make occasional oil smell in the cab Wet floor in the rear means door card need a reseal Rubber suspension gaiters wear quickly Traction control sensor waning triangle cost me £800 inc labour Services are expensive but worthwhile And hitting faults as they arise keeps costs down so don’t let warning lights💡 build up Leather seats must be regularly conditioned Bodywork must be waxed regularly If you follow the rules this car is up there with the best money can buy .

I still have my 94 Camry, it never needs anything and never lets me down, except that it needs regular maintenance: every 60k a timing belt, water pump, thermostat, and radiator cap. And the throttle body needed cleaning or it wouldn't run. It was on its third set of drive axles by 150k. All four struts by 135k. A window regulator. An outside door handle. All motor and transmission mounts twice by 195k. Second factory stereo was out by 150k, and power antenna before that. I changed the transmission fluid once a year but it's developed a shudder at idle, at first just in gear, now even in neutral inspite of new engine mounts. The heater temperature dial cable slips and needs resetting every couple of years. Head gaskets do go bad on these but usually good to 250k; I've had seven of these. I have four BMWs, and I can say they're all just fine as long as you fix everything as you go! Hahaha!

Bmw E39 best looking Bmw ever!

Your videos are always very helpful. Thanks.

Nathan please do a review on the E39 M5. Great videos always appreciate them!

Good Vid Nathan, I also rate the E39 as one of best sedans ever built possibly better than the w124 Merc...

bought a super clean 530i 5 speed with 160k for 5k. Spent another 2.4k on parts, labor all done my me, and she runs like a top. I think im going to have the e39 transport my ass till the day i die.

I ran a 14 year old E39 523i (2.5 straight six, 170bhp, in the UK) for 4 years without a hitch. Only spent money on a new set of tyres.

Just bought a 2000 pre lci 523i with 194,500 rough body but immaculate interior and mechanics hopefully it stays that way 😂😂😂😂

Have a 99 540i 6 speed with the sport package that I bought from my auto journalist son as he moved cross country. He has worked for the two major car magazines here in the US and driven hundreds of cars and still says this close to the perfect car. I believe it and every time I drive it I an amazed how much fun it is to drive. Thanks for the videos they are big help. I agree about the window regulators. Don't buy the cheap ones, they are just junk, either get OEM or if possible, European made ones.

thanks again, Nathan! you make great videos that truly help! my E39 is a 2000 528i steel blue. doing the work myself is the only way i can afford to own a BMW! have a great day!

Thanks for the video! I've got a 2002. E39 in the same color. I have had most of those things done to it. It runs just like new, super awesome to drive. It has 167,000, think I'll keep it.

I used to hate bmw...until i got a fixer upper 2003 e39 5 spd manual for 1200. Best car ever.

hi Nathan, i love my 2003 525i sport package 135K gem and i was able to save tons of money for repairs I was able to do myself with guidance from your other videos that you shared. More power to you sir!!