Latest addition to the garage

[vshah]

congrats! i remember test driving one of those with my dad and being at 110mph before i knew what was going on. such a smooth engine...

 

[satyajitmenon]

Initial ownership review:

First things first - thank god it's got a manual trans. Didn't realise how much I missed it till I bought it.


Drive/Ride impressions:

Friggin sweet. Each time I hit the freeway on-ramp near my house, I go a little quicker and it refuses to break traction. Damn thing is on rails.

And once I'm on the freeway, it's hard not to creep past 80mph cos it's so effortless. I've started using the cruise-control more often cos otherwise, I end up going way too fast without even realising it. At 80mph in 5th gear, the engines spinning at 3k rpm which is where it makes peak torque. So even part throttle at that speed makes it accelerate.

Here's something wierd though. BMW recommends 33psi front and 41psi rear air pressure. And some people I've spoken to say that it actually handles better with 33/41 than 33/33. Am going to try that and see if it's actually better.



Engine/Tranny

I'm getting used to the sound of the inline-6. Quite a distinct sound, I must admit. Very refined, surprisingly torquey, and absolutely loves to revv. Am happy I didn't get the 540i (4.4 V8) cos with my lead right foot, I'd be getting into all kinds of trouble with the JLees of FL.

The gearbox I have to admit I'm kinda disappointed with. The shift feel is a little vague - not as precise as I expected. Then again, after driving a friends Miata, have to admit that the bar is set pretty high.


The one thing that really struck me was how solid everything feels. No squeeks, rattles, unusual noises. And this is from a 9+ year old car with 66k on the odo.

 

[RavenSEAL]

Very nice =)

 

[Doggiedog]

Did you check the inside the front door panel? There should be a sticker there showing how much to inflate your tires. I think mine is 36/40 or something like that. You might have staggered tires which would explain why the pressure in the back needs to be greater. Not sure if the 5 has staggered wheels though.

 

[satyajitmenon]

No staggered wheels. And the BMW recommended pressure (in the door jamb) is 33/41.

Wonder if this has to do with the near 50/50 weight distribution. I've noticed that the driver seat (in my current driving position) is almost exactly in the middle of the wheelbase.

 

[punjabiplaya]

might be 33/41 to counter understeer. but if it's stamped on there, listen to BMW.

 

[SamanthaAa]

Very nice! I like interior very much ...

 

[vshah]

see if you can get new/upgraded shift bushings, and maybe a short shifter. that should clean up your shift feel considerably

 

[CraigRT]

by far the best looking bmw sedan ever

Yup.... E39 > All.

 

[Sunny129]

congrats...always had a thing for the e39 5-series.

 

[ViviTheMage]

weird, I really dislike the look of these e39 5series bmw's ... I almost think they're ugly.... bland lines.

 

[satyajitmenon]

Update:

Felt a shimmy under braking. Initially thought it might be warped rotors. Turned out it was worn control arm bushings (a fairly common wear item on E39s).

Replaced the bushings and balanced wheels. Not only did it eliminate the shimmy, it actually feels like it handles better. (The latter might just be in my head ).



In other news, also removed the Clutch Delay Valve. The clutch feels sooooo much better now. Don't understand why the heck BMW insists on this stupid part on all their cars (except for the Ms I think). Guess they don't trust MT owners to know how to use the clutch pedal? :hmm:


Coming soon : UUC Short Shifter Kit

 

[Sunny129]

Replaced the bushings and balanced wheels. Not only did it eliminate the shimmy, it actually feels like it handles better. (The latter might just be in my head ).

i'm sure it really does handle better and that its not really just in your head. when bushings age/tear/cake over and crumble, it introduces alot of extra play/movement between chassis and suspension parts. getting new bushings and eliminating all of that extra movement will most certainly improve a car's handling and responsiveness.

In other news, also removed the Clutch Delay Valve. The clutch feels sooooo much better now. Don't understand why the heck BMW insists on this stupid part on all their cars (except for the Ms I think). Guess they don't trust MT owners to know how to use the clutch pedal? :hmm:

just about every enthusiast BMW owner ends up removing the CDV...its the right thing to do :thumbsup:

 

[satyajitmenon]

Update. I've been running 33/41 psi in the tires and the ride seems just fine. Gas mileage seems to be up just a tad.

Only one problem I've found so far. It's incredibly hard to swing the rear out, even in the wet. Friggin thing sticks like glue.

Damn you BMW!!

 

[jlee]

Update. I've been running 33/41 psi in the tires and the ride seems just fine. Gas mileage seems to be up just a tad.

Only one problem I've found so far. It's incredibly hard to swing the rear out, even in the wet. Friggin thing sticks like glue.

Damn you BMW!!

Clearly you need more power. :awe:

 

[DivideBYZero]

You're not trying hard enough...

 

[satyajitmenon]

Clearly you need more power. :awe:

Yeah. Am wondering if I should have put a little more money down and got the 540i (4.4 V8) instead. :hmm:

 

[SpatiallyAware]

Yeah. Am wondering if I should have put a little more money down and got the 540i (4.4 V8) instead. :hmm:

I loooove the 540i but that's a fairly complicated motor to own outside of warranty..

 

[Sunny129]

I loooove the 540i but that's a fairly complicated motor to own outside of warranty..

as is the V8 that came in the e39 M5...

 

[DivideBYZero]

The only 'major' issue with the e39 M5 V8 that I know of is it drinks Castrol TWS Motorsport oil like a fish.

 

[Sunny129]

The only 'major' issue with the e39 M5 V8 that I know of is it drinks Castrol TWS Motorsport oil like a fish.

do some more research. go to Bimmerforums.com, M5forums.com, or any number of BMW enthusiast boards and you'll find that, despite having a cult following, the e39 has more than its fair share of problems, specifically with the motor and powertrain...and not necessarily with things like fit, finish, chassis, suspension. at any rate, even if the level of complication is a matter of opinion, the e39 M5 did more than just burn through motor oil at an alarming pace...in fact, oil consumption is an issue i hadn't heard much about myself. its other e39 M5 maintenance and reliability issues that i'm familiar with...but this thread isn't about the e39 M5. i just mentioned it in reference to someone's comment about the 540i out of warranty.