How bad of an idea is a basketcase E39 Touring?

2000 528i touring, overheats, automatic. Lowish miles at 155k. Inexpensive.

Interior looks, okay? Exterior looks, okay? Needs work on both fronts to be 10/10 or even close to it. But, doesn't look like it has any rust, and the interior looks livable mostly, if I sorted out the oveheating.

I've cobbled some cars back together from the brink to then drive for some time (my current Forester slammed into a large rock before I owned it and my MR2's transmission case had a hole in it from a loose axle), but overheating BMW's of that era make me a little nervous.

But, it's a touring, I have the space and skills to work on it, and it'd make a cool family hauler in the end.

On the other hand, E39's aren't really expensive, but touring models are uncommon, though putting more than the cost of another comparable example into a basketcase doesn't make much sense.

Maybe I'm just a sucker for a orphaned car. Or a glutton for punishment.

WWGRMD?

Should be an iron block in that car (check - my recollection is foggy as you just which version of the M5x-series engines is in there) - if it is, worst case you do a head gasket plus the cooling system and you're good to go. The whole cooling system is ~$600, so you might as well just do it all. My biggest concern would be the health of the transmission.

I had a super unicorn 5-speed E39 touring, and it wasn't a basket case of that magnitude.

The experience directly led to me walking into a Honda dealer and financing a Fit.

Either buy one that's nice to start with and has a stack of receipts, or pass.

If it's overheating it probably needs an engine, the touring rear suspension is different than the sedan with special tools required and parts are $$$, and they all rust eventually in and around the hatch area.

In reply to 02Pilot :

2000 is the TU version which was aluminum if I recall correctly.

How much?

I'd pass unless you are the rare person with loads of free time and no budget concerns, AND are not easily frustrated.

I might take it if it were free. But I don't have much free time.

I had that exact car for 4 years.  Had the BBS basket weave wheels, looked really beautiful and drove great. Had a lot of silly little stuff that broke and wasn't particularly easy to work on.  I miss it now, but at the time we were pretty happy to trade it away on an Odyssey minivan.

pointofdeparture said:

In reply to 02Pilot :

2000 is the TU version which was aluminum if I recall correctly.

Pretty sure all US-market M52s are iron block except the ones in the Z3

The main difference with the TU is the addition of double VANOS. IIRC it's mostly the same as the non-TU otherwise. 

Steve said:

Inexpensive.

I have the space and skills to work on it

Based on that information, go for it.  They're just about the last really attractive car from BMW in my opinion.

I'm a little surprised we haven't heard more "run away" responses here.

A quick inquiry reveals that the car in question would have the M52TU, which, if my info is correct, is an aluminum block with iron sleeves. 

I would be concerned that the overheating may have caused a lot of mayhem and a head gasket and a cooling system may not be sufficient.  So I would be prepared to acquire another engine.  No firsthand experience here, but I've heard the head gasket repair on these engines is not trivial.

I would also want to know that the automatic transmission was in good operating condition before I acquired the car. 

That said, I own an E39 530i, and it's a sweet car.  I would be drawn to a cheap 528i Touring like a moth to a flame.  And you know how that often turns out!

Good luck!

E39's are great cars, but I'll go slightly against the grain and say that if you want a classic BMW wagon you should really look for an E34 touring. I'm probably weird for this, but I had an E39 M5 and E34 525i touring at the same time. I sold my M5 and intend to keep an E34 in the family for along time, so I have some bias to be clear.

You could find a clean 525i for not much money, even one that is already 5 speed swapped can be had for less than $5k. E34's are quite a bit simpler than E39's, and that's a good thing when you are dealing with cars that are all old enough to have their own licences.

To be clear, these cars are all old now. Rubber degrades over time so things like differential and subframe bushings will probably be worn out for either generation. My personal experience was that the E34 was much easier to work on than my E39, but YMMV.

The M50 is very stout, the only real thing you have to worry about is the cooling system, which is cheap to replace these days. Auto transmissions will have issues if the fluids and filters weren't changed, but that's the same for the E39. Front suspension design is closer to that of an E30, not to many headaches other than the LCA's, which is also a weak point on E39's as well. Rear suspension on the E39 tourings is unique and much more complicated than the E34's semi-trailing arm setup, which is again closer to an E30. Both cars have self leveling suspension, if it works keep it. It's not very hard to swap to standard suspension on the E34 if it stops working.

E34's door cards are know to come apart and they can get seat twist, but are otherwise pretty simple. No widespread widow regulator failures, door lock actuator issues, pixel burn out that the E39's have. 

To be fair the E39 is more refined and luxurious, but you pay for that in some of the ways I described.

Are you prepared to DIY an engine swap?  Our E39 overheated twice, and the engine seized not long after the second time.  In the end we sold the car for scrap--and that car was younger and had lower mileage than the one you're looking to buy.

In reply to nderwater :

That's why block material makes all the difference. Iron block: overheat will probably warp the head, in which case you get it skimmed and you're back in business. Aluminum block: overheat will probably warp the head, which will rip the threads out of the block on at least one or two head bolts, in which case you try to repair the block threads with inserts, swap the motor, or sell it for scrap.

irish44j (Forum Supporter) said:

pointofdeparture said:

In reply to 02Pilot :

2000 is the TU version which was aluminum if I recall correctly.

Pretty sure all US-market M52s are iron block except the ones in the Z3

The main difference with the TU is the addition of double VANOS. IIRC it's mostly the same as the non-TU otherwise. 

Nope, M52TUs were aluminum block with iron sleeves in the E39 and E46 as well, it has been proven:

https://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=833176#/topics/833176

http://forum.roadfly.com/threads/12880778-M52TU-and-M54-blocks-what-is-the-deal

https://books.google.com/books?id=_AUwce3kANoC&pg=PA144&lpg=PA144&dq=m52tu+aluminum+block&source=bl&ots=8rS_bawHHi&sig=ACfU3U2uXnZV7ZevBqLq72k_3GKJYHsSew&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwishJiI5PzpAhXOWM0KHTOtAio4ChDoATAIegQICRAB#v=onepage&q=m52tu%20aluminum%20block&f=false

put your dick in a blender.  balls too.  turn it on.  *that's* a less bad idea than a basketcase E39 touring.

I traded my 99 528i touring for two broken neons and a truck load of random parts. Poor bastard thought he was getting the better end of the deal.

AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) said:

put your dick in a blender.  balls too.  turn it on.  *that's* a less bad idea than a basketcase E39 touring.

Masturbation to orgasm with a cheese grater is a better idea. (Coming from a previous owner)

Angry, we're gonna get the banhammer we keep this up.

It could be a good idea if:

- you can have for freeish

- it's rust free

- you plan on removing all the interior, replacing the wiring harness with a simpler aftermarket harness and LS swapping it

Edit: even better if you install four bucket seats inside:

In reply to fanfoy :

Not to hijack a good thread, but you have got to tell me more about those seats!

If it's overheated chances are the head is warped.  Throwing a head gasket at it won't help.  These are a great way to empty your wallet quickly, even with you doing all the work yourself. 

Nothing is more expensive than an old, cheap, neglected European car.

I will offer some potentially controversial advice. 

I currently drive a 2003 530i 5 speed E39 and its the best car I've ever owned. The overheating is an issue that plagues all BMWs of this era. It's unfortunate, but not the end of the world. The plastic on the radiator, radiator hoses, overflow tank, and thermostat housing all have a lifespan of around 150k miles before they start cracking. The nipple on my radiator broke, tried to fix just that and then the bleeder screw cracked, and then the radiator neck broke all in the same week. Once you touch it, you have to replace all of it. So when I did the new clutch, I replaced the whole cooling system as well. It took me about 4 hours start to finish, and if I recall correctly, it was around $400 for all the aforementioned parts including OEM BMW antifreeze from FCP Euro. Other than that, and a dead throwout bearing (185k miles it lasted), and a new idler pulley and serpentine belt, the car has been pretty bulletproof. The AC is so cold, the sound system is fantastic, the suspension is multi link and rides incredible while still handling quite well. On top of that, you get rack and pinion, which the 540i and M5 did not have. My car is a last year model though, so if there were issues that plagued the earlier cars, I am unaware of them. 

I say do the easy diagnostics for blown head gasket, coolant test etc, and if the wagon-specific interior parts are in ok shape, go for it! 

Want more bad advice? Convince the guy the engine is toast, get it for cheap, talk to the man on Bimmerforums who makes a beautiful motor mount kit for an LS/T56/Tr6060/4l80e that drops right in. A t56 GTO shifter fits perfectly in the center of the trans tunnel opening. Do the swap, put on some M sport bumpers and cool wheels, bam. A recipe that will sell for 20k on Bring a Trailer.

In reply to nderwater :

They are custom seats that are installed in this:

I loved all of mine, buying one you know your going to spend another grand getting it good but it's a twenty year old car; at least all of its quirks are well documented.

Very bad idea - I thought self flagellation went out with the middle ages?

Save up or take a loan and buy a good running car. BMWs have been the rocks upon which the financial ships or many starry-eyed restorers have foundered over the years.  Might as well buy a rusty V12 Jag XJ 12 to restore.....

Dusterbd13-michael (Forum Supporter) said:

AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) said:

put your dick in a blender.  balls too.  turn it on.  *that's* a less bad idea than a basketcase E39 touring.

Masturbation to orgasm with a cheese grater is a better idea. (Coming from a previous owner)

 

Angry, we're gonna get the banhammer we keep this up.

surprised y'all haven't already........oh and the previously mentioned LS/T56 two step +1

Thanks for all the responses everyone. Seems like have a good balance of hell no and hell yes put an LS in it. If I do this, I'd probably land somewhere in the middle. 

I should've probably mentioned, I'd drag this home and it wouldn't need to be operable for some time, we've got two reliable cars and one reliable door wedge already. It's just that it's the right color, and is in the right (sort of) location, close enough at least. 

Anyways, it's a short drive away, so I'll probably go take a look and see if the car is a suitable candidate for a revival. 

I wish there were more big body wagons that looked as good as the E39, then I wouldn't be so sucked into my desire for one.