11 Reasons Why You NEED To Buy An E39 in 2024 

There is no fault in not getting the check Engine light in these cars, its like that from fabrice, non off my 4 520ds or 3 530ds have had that light coming up on ingition so dw, its supposed to be that way.

I just convinced myself I didn’t need another car but this is basically a sign from God

I had e46 face and switched to e39 face, and I'm blown away from the comfort this car offers.

I've owned 2002 E39 520D Edition Exclusive for 16 years. Biggest repairs have been blower motor, crank pulley, exhaust flexible joint and rear wheel bearing. And, suspension parts of course. Total costs within the ownership period of 16 years have been ridiculously low. Overall fuel consumption is 6.4 l/100 km (with EGR off). Still on the first turbo, injectors, high pressure pump, clutch etc.

As a E39 M5 owner, i can confirm, it is hella fun to drive that car

I am turning 18 in 6 months an my grandpa will give me his 2002 E39 530D 193hp 3.0 😍😍 I cant wait to drive that beast...

I owned a 2001 540i M Spec and a M5 back in 2008 Still in love with this cars Pozdrav

You just made my Saturday chill session more chill dude ❤

Got a 528i (2.8 i6) in the U.S. These cars are solid and very good looking. Best looking sedan ever made, hands down.

Bought an 530i M sport manual back in september 2023. Handles very beautifly and gets a decent amount of compliments for just a sedan! Best car ever

I just bought myself an e39 520d from 2002 and your chanel is just a bless!

i respect your choice, i bought 523i+lpg pre lci in poland for 1000eu, rust is mostly fixed now and in a span of a year with small maintance it didint break and took me to netherlands 2 times, great car

Just picked up a 530i Manual on a steal in so cal such sweet cars 👍🏼

Got a 530iA sport Touring. Absolutely love it.

Hello Balkan brother, love the vids so far and the production is great.

Great video as always! Happy New year!

Just bought 2003 530d last week. I living a moment of my life! I consider it a great choice.

I agree so much with this video I bought one a month before the video came out

plan on snagging one today, used, 178k on it, 530i, minus some bottom kit road wear and a little inside wear/tear, it looks great

Had a 535i. Resettled in AZ and started having problems with the engine. Dealership said it was the summer gas mix. Only other problems were cosmetic. The drivers side arm rest wore out. No way to repair so had it rebuilt. Cost $500.00 in 2005. Other problem was the headliner separated and had to replace that. OEM was $2000.00 but got a used one on-line for $300.00. Again, around 2005. Other than that, liked the car. Roomy, comfortable and a great long distance road car. Drove from NC to AZ with no back strain or lumbar strain.

Recently bought a 188k kms ‘98 non vanos 540i/6spd. It’s Oxford green with beige interior. Reminds a lot of my old e36 m3 sedan in Boston green. Pays homage to my old teenage self.

I'm sure E39s will start to rise their values in about 5-10 years from now on. I bought an E34 six years ago. It was in great condition, even the leather seats, for only 1000€. Now you can't find any E34 under 2500€ and most of them are a mess and/or have cloth seats. Also I get A LOT of offers, higher being 8000€ but I wont sale it.

Great video! Really interesting!

This is a certified Serb classic

I have an E46 320d with M47 (non-TU) engines made on dates pre 09/2001. Three years ago I fixed the MAF, MAP, vaccum lines, pressure converters, thermostat, PCV, fuel filter, oil filter, Intercooler, EGR changed, brake disks, brake fluid, coolant, rod bearings, suspension struts front and rear, wishbones and bushing, ball joints, differential oil... The only thing I suffer three months ago was VP44 pump it was gone with about 261000km. I also noticed the master inyector needle sensor was wrong with diagnosis software ISTAD. I tested that cylinder 4 inyector when I put out from the engine with the polymeter over the two pins that are connected to the coil inside that inyector. It gave around 750 ohms for that coil of the needle movement sensor. Nominal values should be around 90-150ohm. The new bosch I bought on ebay was measured 99ohm. I need to test different ECU these days as I have an EGR problem (negative deviation) as my MAF is measuring too much fresh air cos the EGR is nearly closed. Perhaps the history of changes I have still this error it could be the variable geometry of turbo as it is the one with came with the car. I tested this geometry with service function and you can see it works. Perhaps this problem with egr nearly closed, I mean something like "limp mode" the car runs awesome.

I agree i owned e39 wagon 525i for 3 years until i crashed it. best car ever

I have an e39 530d and an e39 525i, best cars that i've ever owned.

Subscribed because of BMW E39 it's a legend

We had BMW 528i E39 in aubergine violet color (03/1996) with almost full options. Great built quality and supreme riding quality. 🥇 One of my favorite cars. 🥇

e39 i got one already , and im looking for one for my love! so comfortable, big and silent inside!

Great tutorial there I've owned my E39 525i Sport 16 years now here in the UK. I'm sure you have already but your right hand side sills dont look too good,take the plastic trims off underneath and look at the jacking points. Mine had totally rusted through but luckily had them repaired.

Owner of 525d 2000 147XXX km. Love the car. Reliable and still feels modern after 24 years. Someone actually offered me to trade it for their F31. Declined ofc

I have a 528I auto M sport with 189000 registered September 1999. 25 years old. Looks brand new and everything works inside and out. Purchased August 2015. Inside all seating et c looks like new. Angel lights so cool. Drives and hold the road over the Pennines in the U.K. Windy long road they this car just eats. My son looks after it for me and the car is wax polished to perfection. Yes it is the best looking car and especially compared to ones today. I get pleasure just looking at it. Oh and auto suits for me as 75 and it is so smooth and I know the car is deciding when to change. No crashing gears!!! And so it should last longer HAHA.So great video and you are spot on with the recommendation. I paid £1250 and have spent very little in the time owned. Champagne for Lemonade money.Have subscribed.

Just got a 2003 E39 MSport 6 months ago with BBS factory wheels. Best car I’ve ever owned.

I am really enjoying the 525i version of this car the sound of the engine, the comfort in this exact color, amazing car to own and I am going to keep it for some time in South Africa.

Amazing machine

Omiljeni auto.. vec par meseci skupljam pare da ga kupim,jedva cekam.

great video

Nice to see so much appreciation for one of the best cars ever designed. The E39 is an amazing model. The engineering detail and high quality materials and build quality have never been matched since then. Nevertheless, as owner of two E39 I also have to say that it requires a lot of love, time and money to keep them maintained properly. No one should be mislead by the illusion that a low purchasing price is all they need to pay. If it doesn't get the regular maintenance and repairs it deserves, it won't last long and let you stranded. Regarding the facelift, since everyone has it, the pre-facelift look is actually more rare already and about to become more classy and cool again. That's why I have both 😅

Fabulous car, especially in Aspen silver 😉

Great video, I agree with all except the facelift parts :D I'm in no way an expert on these, but since 2014 I've had 15 E39's, 523's, 525's, 530's, a bunch of those actually, 2 540's and 2 M5's, all except one of the 540's have been full M-sport, the pre-facelift cars are better built, have MUCH better paint so they rust way less, and apart from the 16:9 nav screen and the lights have just about the same tech as a facelift has, and the lights can be retrofitted easily. Other than that I agree 100%. Btw, your English is excellent.

If anyone is looking for one in the UK, I've got a 97' 535i v8 in excellent mechanical and cosmetic condition (Basically zero bodywork rust, no lights on the dash, no codes thrown by obd2) for sale.

just bought a late 2003 525i Touring exclusive edition yesterday. good serviced and some downsites i'm gonna fix the next year. just made 200KMs now and hit the 300k kms with it. it rides beautiful , especially on the autobahn! absolute banger

Had couple of them 3.0dieslel it was great reliability cars with over 300k miles and sold them in great running condition

Lots of love from greece, balkan brother

Love the E39 530i

E39. One of the most beautiful cars ever. A timeless masterpiece.

nice video bro i own a e36 compact 318tds and im thinking of switching to e46 or e39 20d

Nice video, svaka čast!

I have a 525d se apart from age related issues no.real problems and.its amazing , and.i use.it daily. It's been the length and breadth of UK. When I go on holiday now I only go where I can drive my car

I'd look more into them if I didn't already have two E34s I'm set on keeping. Old BMWs are great overall cars, the fatigue and general wear from the age and mileage does wear on them, but as long as keep it in mind and do the necessary maintenance it's really solid cars.

All of this is great but how well does the steering wheel squeak? I like my steering wheel to be really squeaky. Keep up the great videos!

Couldnt agree with you more, been waiting for nice weathers to do my ownership review video after 2 years, and I'm driving my 525d everyday, and I love it, same thing for me, old turbo failed after that, its perfect, and with a little touch up, I have even been able to keep up with new 5.0L mustangs who think they own the road, well... not with an automatic box you don't... XD lol.

I've had three of them since I started driving in 2003. The ARE great cars, and I would happily have another. But unfortunately in the UK rust just eats them up. Admittedly our wet climate and excessively salty roads in winter are mostly to blame but, if you are going to daily drive these cars all year round, expect to have to get some work done on the sills, jacking points and arches, and budget for that accordingly. Get the undersides waxed every year before winter too, this will help hold back the rust a bit longer. 6 cylinder petrol and auto box in SE spec is super smooth and relaxing drive. Manual box with M Sport spec is most fun, especially 530i and 540i.

nice video, nice car

i have a 523i e39 m52b25tu amazing cars ! but when i saw youre check engine light didnt come on i did some research, because mine doesnt come on aswell. but it seems that in never goes on in any e 39. i searched on forums and watched e39 pov drives and its always off. love the conttent!

As an owner I can confirm some of the arguments, especialy concerning modding options and reliability. As for maintenance cost, I am affraid you are being very optimistic :) Also, if your are unlucky, some minor issues like leaking sunroof or burned BM54 module can be s huge headache since car shops usually stay away from such jobs.

i have brushed aluminum trim in the interior

Could you tell me if bmw 528i 1995 is good deal?

I love to see these videos.. and also Im selling my 1998 E39 523iA with only 109.000 km certified and all the bills for maintenances. 9/10. But... she is in Spain.

Best car ever 👍

My biggest car regret is selling my 2000 528i M Sport. It was perfect. Not slow, not super fast, but it ate up motorway miles, was so comfortable and had no knocks or noises. The handling was superb with 255's on the back and 235's on the front. It could drink the fuel when you trashed it but it was reasonably frugal if you took it easy. I'm on the lookout for a clean 525d, 530d, 528i or 530i wagon. Preferably M Sport but it's down to how tidy and well maintained it is...... unless the right E38 730d ,730i or even 728i pops up! Enyoyed your video. You need to try a 525d or 530d.... even a 525 or 530i 😄

Dobar engleski, dobar auto, dobar video, svaka cast, samo napred😁😁

Great info! Another reason to get an E39 is the 540i

I drive e91 320d perfect car

Reason 2, it sounds great! The sound: 12:54 😆

My peugot 206 was declared economicly total loss. Always wanted an old bmw E series model.. Been looking for these since my peugot is gone. After watching this video, the things you say is exactly the same as the other reviews i watched and you were very genuine in this video, everyone can tell. Now im just even more convinced to find and buy a beauty e39 model.

Just bought a e39 530i wagon auto. Totally changed my perspective on auto gearbox tbh

Bro, stop moving from left to right and vice versa all the time. Makes me Disoriented. I own a E63 635D but still in love with the E39 535i facelift. Mean machine and very reliable. I agree with the design. I'm one the those guys who dislikes recent BMW design trend so I'm maintaining my old models. Great video!

I hated the look of the BMW model that replaced the E39 so rather than buy new I found a 2004 530d Sport with the highest spec I could find. It even has a TV ! Kept it for 20 years and it’s newer gone wrong. A car designed by engineers for people to DRIVE not by computer geeks to play with gimmicks. Stunning looks and well placed switches and dials and no distracting iPads and fiddly touch screens. The only fault is some of the LED dots on the screen are out - switch cleaner on the connector fixes but dashoard removal is fiddly

Is 520i 2002 worth buying? 2.2 engine but it has some rust.

I bought a 540 I six speed that is mechanically sound however there is some rust along the rockers and one hole in the rear passenger side floor. I’m going to get it fixed though because I do love the 39 so much.

I just bought one as my first car!

You can see a lot of the design cues of the E39 influenced the up and coming E46 3 series.

Sold my e39 540 sport model for $10k usd two years ago. They are gaining in value!

Had a 98 528i for 9 years and now have a 02 540i 6 speed

I've now owned my 1998 E39 Touring 520i 5 speed manual for 20 years, and my 21 year old son drives it as much as me, and we both love it to bits. BMW really nailed the E39, and I believe the reason this has become the pinnacle of the 'ultimate driving machine' is because it is the last of the' analogue' cars just before the digital age kicked in (the E60 could have been another great car but simply does not look good enough, especially at the front.) I also have a 2011 F11 523i (can't get a manual!) to compare with my E39, and yes it’s true the 'digital' F11 is an outstanding car and I also love it to bits. However, the E39 is measurably quieter and much more 'entertaining' on the roads. The F11 is better in nearly every way and can be threaded though the roads with perfection but don't bother going into a 'slide', it feels like a 'detached' video game experience, so you simple avoid sliding it :0( The E39 can be literally 'chucked' into a corner and you can feel everything that's going on - hence, the pleasure. I have gradually upgraded my E39 into the 'looks' of an LCI car, and you're right still plenty of suppliers on the market and loads of internet help, just choose very carefully. Best tip, keep ALL the rubbers soaked in 3-in-One silicone spray (Halfords sell it) - this stops the doors 'creaking'. Also get an independent BMW specialist to adjust the handbrake properly each year - otherwise it will not work as it should. Also best not to have a sun roof or seal it up as I have done, otherwise hard to stop water getting in. By the way my E30 320i was even more 'fun' on the road and I wish I still had it (lost to rust). My E30 had no power steering and it had primitive rear camber change induced 'over-steer' when 'lifting off' (read 'chickening out'), at this point the car would attempt to spin between 180 degrees and 360 degrees. To 'catch' this takes much 'practice' and all your favorite roundabouts become your very own kart racing experience especially in the wet - this is 'wicked' and the most fun I have ever had on the road. My E21 320 before that was just the same. BMW super-smooth 6 cylinders on rear wheel drive is the magic combination. The E39 sadly does not have that 'fault', however, it does represent an example of driving 'perfection' and that's why I keep it.

Nice Windshield!

I love the lines of the E39. What color is the car? I like it a lot

E39 still turns my head after all these years . . .

Well, don't get me wrong my congratulations for owning an E39 - but your car needs some love man :) The interior especially. Second thing is that you are completely wrong about maitenance prices - I agree that replacement parts could be cheap but do not mistake it with driving quality. The proper parts which are OEM or OE are not cheap and in most cases they are even mor expensive than for E60 and even F10 (yup that's correct F10). With all the rest you are mostly right so good for you :) best of luck with your car and channel. Peace!

I already have one…for 10 years in this year…540i touring manual 6 ❤❤❤

I sold my mint e39 520iA in 2023 and switched to e61 525dA mostly becaouse the 520i was too slow, and finding a nice 530i/d e39 is almost imposible. But i have to say i liked the e39 more than the e61, and may switch back if i can find a nice example for a reasonable price at some point.

I've had a couple M50 E34s, M51 E34 Touring, E32 7 series optioned out with all sorts of sensors and with the M30 and also had a Audi from the late 90s. At this point I like getting the minimum amount of electrical options. My E32 7 series had more electrical issues pop up in a week than my daily driver E34 base model gave me over 2 years of daily use, add to that that the E34 also had stood for around 10 years before I got it back on the road, so it had more reasons to make problems. If you like using a multimeter and the electronics troubleshooting manual, and you enjoy soddering, then I say sure, go for as much options as you like. However, if you are weird like me and want to keep the car until it gets even twice the age they are now, the less electronics, the better it is.. At least in my opinion, but I'm a bit odd to be fair, I also enjoy manual sunroofs and windows and like not having electronics "interfering" with my driving, even when I do admit that technologies like ABS are extremely valuable additions from a safety standpoint. Either way, glad people are keeping these old bimmers alive, we are not getting more of these sorts of cars.

I'm served with my LS400 but this is another v8 luxury boat i'd probably get easily into.

In what years is yours made? I didn't know about OEM back LED triple lights. nothing rattles. Right! So you have your windshield broken too... about 200Euro :P Back in October a big 50kg dog got in front of me from behind a roadside guard, I was going 100kmph and hit... He died. Broke the right side, stuck hood, lost a fog light, broken bumper and bent right front side. Also the tragger bet a little but kept it. ALL OF THE PARTS STILL HANGING ON THE CAR, I got along with my road then about 300 km from home. if it was a new car dog would sit on the passenger place and only a platform would get me out of the road :))

In my country we got so many E39 and E46s, that driving one of them is really hard, cause most of the time they are in tragic condition. Same with E60. I got 330Ci'04 long time, and this car start to stands out, since many of Coupes were Destroyed...

Svaka cast 👍

only thing I don't agree with you is the manual part. I own 523iA and 540iA, I've driven 2 manual e39's and a couple more e46's the automatic wins in e39 always. it is such a pleasure to drive at highway with the I6 or v8 in overdrive and rpms like just under 2000. then when you floor it the transmission shifts like a thought. Amazing video as always!

From where did you bought the headlight ! Ty

Absolutely agree with you, BMW E39 is best looking BMW ever made and one of best looking sedan. Exterior and interior of this car designed perfectly, and are true crown of elegance. I'm very sad for modern design of German cars.

Nice video! One thing I would like to point out. Those facelift rear tail lights are not LED. They are halogen lights. I have the same issue with the cluster where engine light doesn't work. I thought the same that the previous owner had removed it. I removed the cluster to check, the cluster was never opened before and the seal was still on. Not sure what's causing the engine light to not turn on.

I have owned a BMW E39 520i facelift 170 horsepower for 2 years. The car has a gas system, it runs on liquefied gas. It gives me 10 liters per 100 km no matter how I drive it. And even with the smallest of the 6-cylinder gasoline engines, it still manages to create emotion and driving pleasure. It is overtaken well. And the sound of those old BMW 6 cylinders is legendary. Buy my car for 3000 euro! With M package - front bumper and M interior details. Greetings from Bulgaria!

Hello , thank you for content , with all respect im must say - parts is not cheap : E39 is in classic catalog now , so if you want to fix it with original price be ready to pay. Suspension is aluminum , trust me its not cheap when you need to replace parts. Also make sure you can work with rust , most of them got problems ofc , age. But its amazing car , 530D so good torque , and ofc v8 engine great !

If you already have an E39 and are interested in modifying it - You can check it out my 50 mods video here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Eb7TwH5zKDY.html By the way, I’m setting a goal for this channel to reach 5,000 subscribers by the end of this year. You know what to do to help! 😉 Thank you!! 😁

Possible to do a video featuring the bmw E60?

E39 is one of the best well built models they ever made

Should I buy e39 525 automatic? Or is too boring to have automatic? Big engines don”t have manual…

I have E39. 1999 year 350 000 km. R6 2.5 engine. It is best car in my life

Damn! The check engine light doesn't work, on the '97 540i that I bought for $4500! Oh well, I have rust, intake leaks and exhaust leaks to work on, while waiting for CEL 😀