As a chronic Craigslist surfer, I come across dozens of '97 - '99 528s that look good, have nice interiors, great AC, and selling for cheap ($1000-$1500) because....wait for it.... blown head gaskets. If this was the chronic problem it appears to be, why no recall on them? Are these so expensive to repair that no one can afford to do them? Are all the heads warping or something? Are any of you guys repairing these and able to turn a profit on them? Just wondering... thanks.
The cooling system on these cars must be considered a 100k mile replacement item. The plastic parts degrade and fail, causing a major and immediate overheat. On the iron block M52 (up to MY2000) you might save it if you shut down quickly, but on the aluminum block M54, you're almost guaranteed to cook the engine. Anything short of immediate shutdown warps the head, which on the latter engine tends to rip the threads out of the head bolt holes in the block.
If you find an otherwise good iron block car with a blown engine, it's a gamble as to how badly it was overheated and whether you need a head or just the gasket; if the former, sourcing a replacement shouldn't be that difficult. Replace the whole cooling system while you're at it and you should be good to go.
The one's I see around here for the price are usually blown auto transmissions. Likely cause on head gasket is deferred/non-existent cooling system maintenance - overheating and resulting warped or cracked head. Don't expect to throw a new head gasket on it and fix it unless you are extremely lucky. The usual fix is either a new/replacement head or skim, plus head gasket, plus replacement of the cooling system. Maybe around 1000 or a bit more in parts and machine work and while you're in there maybe a vanos rebuild for a few hundred more. I'm guessing the shop price is something like 3-4k - so people just try to recoup what they can on a car that will put them in the hole. Same math applies to the dead automatics. If they have the 16" style 5 wheels with bolt-in center - those are worth $500-600. Other than that there doesn't seem to be a huge demand for parts for them (unless a touring at those prices - then just buy it and fix it - they seem to draw significantly better prices).
So the auto transmissions are a weak point also? Too bad. I think they are fairly good looking.
The auto boxes are considered weak, but the consensus among the pros I've spoken with is that the primary weakness is BMW's "lifetime fill" fluid. The meaning of this seems to be that it lasts the lifetime of the transmission, and when it blows up, you buy a new transmission and get new fluid. More sane intervals of 30k mile fluid changes seem to make then last indefinitely.
In reply to midknight:
The cooling system on the 1990's early 2000's BMWs is considered wear item. Every 100K miles figure on a complete overhaul of the waterpump, radiator, expansion tank, and hoses. They frequently fail and unless you catch it immediately (ie the needle moves at all to the right of normal) the engine is almost always toast, well the head needs to come off, get shaved at a minimum. If run long enough the block goes to the scrap heap.
As far as the automatics, the GM automatic's primary problem is related to the lifetime fill fluid. There is also a ZF automatic, some issues relate to the lifetime fill fluid, but there is also a pressure control valve in the valve body that wears causing pressure spikes and subsequent "A" drum failure. You can replace the valve or buy a new valve body and should before it eventually fails.
In 2001 the 528 went to the 530 and all models got a minor facelift with the new headlights, tails, side markers, and body molding.
I'm looking for one right now, havent found the right one yet.
About a year ago I bought an E34 sedan with a cracked head. I found the most economical way to fix it was to swap in a known good engine, which wasn't all that hard. I got my engine from a salvage yard, with a warranty.
I had service records with the car showing that the previous owner had been chasing a cooling system/overheating problem for a few years, and the radiator & expansion tank were less than a year old, but I did replace most everything else related to the cooling system with the new engine.
FYI I paid less than a grand for mine, I think anything above that threshold is to much for a 5 series that can't drive home on its own power, unless the car has exceptionally low mileage or some other distinguishing feature.
Also, I'm pretty sure that all the 528s had the ZF auto transmissions, I'd much rather tangle with an engine problem than a damaged ZF trans ( many of the 525s, including mine have a GM trans).
So far mine has been a very good car, I would do it again.
HappyAndy wrote: Also, I'm pretty sure that all the 528s had the ZF auto transmissions, I'd much rather tangle with an engine problem than a damaged ZF trans ( many of the 525s, including mine have a GM trans).
My dad's '99 528i has a GM auto, actually. BMW switched back and forth within model years for a while.
Wow, thanks for that chart SlickDizzy.
Do you have a similar chart for post-'99 cars?
my thinking goes toward manual swap, but I'm not sure on the economics if the end result gets your money back...(...goes off looking for component prices and working e39 prices)...
LS1 + T56. 
Are there good sources at reasonable prices for the above combination?
nderwater wrote: Do you have a similar chart for post-'99 cars?
Yeah, but it only goes through '02.
You'll need to log in to post.
