pie ree) eu ue ea E30 M3- at) 3130) peu) Xe g Diana Eines Peete un! eG ae See al FIRST DRIVE: Sead LUT eT aa STYLE STATEMENT US-modded E46 RES Taal sxe ais bss Ut Ets ade THAN MINT racer Poe cn ia aise ate ZROwnership Guide It seems like only yesterday that this model of Five swept all before it, but now they're getting on bit, here’s how to keep them in tip-top fighting condition. t.Prtoyapy: Vr 2% TOTAL BNW MAY 2007es creer Csr ane) eat pear tas reed eet eee eee) eer Preece Aiscovered, they were not cut from the same eee amt nT een eer Se eea reeset t tg a hat you need to know about owning one 395 use either a five-speed or si ‘manual or a five-speed automatic. The ‘manual boxes are pretty good if abit notch. The Vis use a six-speed manual, which again is a good strong unit but bear in mind that they cannot often be rebuilt because parts avalapility is almost non-existent, Replacing the ci every 60,000 isa luxury most E39s do without s0 for the litle it casts, make ‘Automatics can be a sore point. BMW says they were sealed for life whatever ‘ie’ meane thase days - but the company seems to be backtracking on that one. Ether way, eeplacing the gearbox ol fter, cleaning out the sump and refiling with the correct oll at ‘round 70,000 is an excellent idea. The oil used is either the standard Dexran AATF in emaller-engined ears and the expensive synths check the coloured sticker on Only ever use @ genuine BMWIZF oil filter as the cheap ones can collapse starve the ‘box of el. The much vaunted arbox flush is only a good idea i it involves dropping the sump and cleaning it out or replacing the all important filter {is for the oil, some of it can cost up to £15 a litre but it really is worth doing E99 differentials soem to last forever with no known problem areas other than mega miles and a bit of nois (MAY 2007 MI TOTALOwnership Guide ENGINES Every E99 has one! Base engine is the 2 cca ee Pe ane ete tet ra from September 1998] for bath inlet and ec eete cent cary ROONIEno e same engine dasign we'll Lump them in perenne ran eee ete Sees eee eee ile. As ev etd May 2007 ae oe a) Seta ee anys just keep adding oil and do as few short trips ‘3 possible Youll need to change the engine renner eae ee caer] Roem cieni nos erie terre ee need earn ee es Pere ere tes These have proven to be 2 double-edged ee ee mei eee ue) ‘gasket goes. If this happens you may be lucky ‘and the block can be rescued witha rubbing ‘down block and 240 grit wet and dry. Ifyou re unlucky the block is junk. I's not avery oe ay to cars which had the blocks ewapped undo Poe Cn eae 10 years and lowish value this might be a Peete aie eka Ee eee eee eer ae en or an £2 - sadly there was never an iron block 2.8, 528i owners need another alloy block motor Parkside Garage (01909 506565) Perce seen Sere Sr ea ect inlet sido mounting they drop straight in and fare of course very cheap to buy ~ £300 tops ror The M52 can crack heads from an exhaust peta a ruc eee eon eee cat Se eee Se ees Pe aN CM en Ter omer eee) Pee ey STC ov eed block and trip the block threads on the final att ee eet Renee tee) ee ee umesBee ee eae Pee e one ro Penn arene tects eee hen and eventually an exhaust valve or two wall SinaneMce ten ang Preeere im oeait See eaten emer eer on enh Sree cers car runs fine en rt ee Peete en es Re ttc een ree ey eee ocel eee aso Perera re on) eee yr ey Pera ee ad een er emote eee enc rr ia ere ator eae aes E29 radiators ~ particularly the Vs a leak, We've mentioned the Units all used a single row timing chain “have been known to snap the plastic top electronic thermostat on the VBs and atd an odd noise from the front can often, clbow off with predictable consequences, 2 were fitted tothe later double Vanos eee ae) The same can happen tothe plastic Unite and the 2000 onwards MB& sixes pe aed hermostat housing. So, if there is even replace these as a precautio Sener a hint of coolant leakage Ibluey-oreer ater pumps ~ the older MS oe een men depo ind the top hose, bite the stil used the allay pump with plastic all used an electronic ECU controlled bullet and get new radiator. it starts as impellers which can work loose and Cee enon) 2 tiny Fracture but will eventually let go cause overheating, although most [but fail in the open position so thatthe engine big style, so repla {housing as not all have been replaced with the steet eee 2 precaution. After September 1998 BMW impeller type. One problem can be the ee mee acon) splaced the old Jubilee clip’ hose fixing rubber pump sealing ring: these can leak Peer eee ren tnd used 2 snap lock type system which water (look forthe telltale green slime ‘one every 60,000 miles as a precaution cms to have eradicated that problem. _taill and als iin, This forms an Cee we ues {nthe VEs replace the coolant pipe on the air pocke can ener eric ni ofthe oyinder heads as a matter of ald to overheating and this happens after eee ee ro complete swine todo and 2 d and the seat in there the coils will short out and start hese hoses have been known to pinhole groove inthe block not cleaned cut cee a the covers and have a look in there, and replace both gaskets atthe slightest hint of ones cs eee ern Becca ee een es 4 strong old thing that would do 200,000 na ae) See ei) Pee ere (ener Leora ca Peete re erect eee ee | eee eee eens ee een ea Peete ere San eee aCe) een oe Pee aoe nau) Cee) and ifthe turbo biows, its a new eee es inlet manifold clean out ~ a £2500 bil Pen ae ee ee leaks from the injectors as well as blown eee a May 2007 RLTOTAL BNW 87Ownership Guide SUSPENSION, STEERING AND BRAKES tee Oren eee ee eter a eee ce eet) See cet pay SMW dealer prices. The alloy rear een tee eaters eerie eaeeeren sis aw MAY 2007 Se Se ee ed ety cee eee Cee or a Peete eee) Cerrina eet Peer Cr veer Pe rae Ponce ere Bea een eee supplies the part Eee aera eee Peete 00,000 mites can Perea too bad to change ett oes Peer Pee eee poet aes See ea Oe nr have suffered water leaks info the boot Sey a ee eee eee eee? peek into the spare wheel well and make Breen eta ea eter eee eae Seer) Preece tne ie Sree ee ecg Poros Ee ee Peet ett Prey hs See cae enone STUER ee) Se een The brakes don't present any real Peer ere) eee eee ee ee Pes Oem esa ee ene ee to the point where they fall to bits, and ee eC eee ee ame eee eee ees rere ace yi ECP; they're BMW original equipment.The usual BMW gremlin of fading dash pixels affects all of them ang unless you ‘want 2 new cluster and the expen: coding i, just live with it! The airbag light fan bo activated by a broken sensor in the river's seat and also by 2 failed seat 395 don't rust and even the earliest Nplate cars shoul still be good Touring tailgates can ro ifthe drain holes get blo: anything with scabby rust has just been mistreated, Earlier cars had terrible trouble with creaky door seals - rubbing some Vaseline inta them will cure it. Retrofitting genuine BMW Xenon lights into an bolder cari possible, as is fitting the later 2000 onwards grilles clear lights for an upgrade. The air con system is allright on these but the condenser has a very hard lite and will eventually leak through corrosion and stone wounds. If the a con isn't used all year round tho fan will seize, which leads to overheating and more troubles. The heater speed contrller could ge hayaire ané switch the interior heater fan on when the car was locked resulting in ‘flat battery, but 2 revised unit cures this, Some alder models could sutter tefrigerant leaks into the heater box ite big bill asthe entire dash has to come out! pretensioner unit - neither are really DIY but most specialists know how to fit, The light control macula (LM) on alder cars can go funny and lead to a headlight or rear ight that never turns ff. A new LKM is required - or a good used one ~ and 99 per cent ofthe time it will n9ed to Be coded to the car by either a BMW dealer or ' specialist withthe right equipment. I's unknown though fer an LKM from the same model year and model of carto plug ito another and work fine butit's rare Occasionally the ‘one touch’ facility can wn on the driver's window although window goes up and down normally ‘ofthe motor that needs occurrence but once you've located the ive with it. Finally plug, abit of exercise with WOAD should orrede, arare get it going again.