After 10 years and many adventures, it was finally time to let our E39 start the next part of its journey. While we certainly had our fair share of issues, I can honestly say I’m going to miss this one. The E39 530i M-Sport package with the 5-speed manual gearbox was a relatively rare and special bird. It was a true drivers car and one of the best examples of the end of the classic era of BMW design.
The E39 530i bridges 2 eras of BMW design with a foot in the past, but another firmly in the future. Our 530i was the modernized, or LCI version being a 2002 model. It had a more advanced software system, a more advanced version of the engine and electronics. In many ways it felt like a more modern car, while retaining a look that was decidedly retro, but one that had been smoothed rather than having the more harsh edges of models past.
This of course came with its own set of issues. The more advanced engine was all aluminum construction, had variable valve timing on both intake and exhaust and a load of additional sensors and more advanced ECU to control it all. Our car had a catastrophic cooling system issue prior to our ownership and this would have
consequences during our ownership. The good thing about owning a car with issues is that, if you’re so inclined, you can learn a lot along the way. I took full advantage of this and can honestly say that there isn’t a single system within this car that I didn’t work on in some way or another. From the engine, transmission, exhaust, to the electronics and interior, I learned it all.
This is both one of the best things and worst things about owning this car. While there were certainly frustrations to be had, I did learn a lot about how BMWs work (and modern cars in general) from this experience. Perhaps strangely, this experience also generated a type of attachment to this inanimate object that makes me miss it now that it’s gone. However, at over 200,000 miles and counting, and with more parts starting to show their age, it was definitely time to look for something that was less of a project and more of a dependable everyday vehicle.
Over the years, I’d fixed and modernized the E39 adding features like a modern touch-screen navigation system, a dashcam for recording my daily commute and upgraded stereo system so I could enjoy better sound along the way. Even so, the 530 was starting to show its age. The leather on the drivers seat had become worn to the point of panels starting to separate on the seat back. The passenger seat developed an issue with the boden-style drive cables that prevented it from being able to be adjusted. I did a temporary fix to get this working again, but it was a 4-hour nightmare due to how tightly packed the mechanicals are and how heavy and awkward the seat is to handle. There were also relatively recently replaced plastic/rubber parts that were already starting to fall apart, probably due to being new old-stock units that had aged in storage. In the end, it was down to choosing to continue to dump a decent amount of money into bringing the E39 back to its former glory, or invest in a new platform. In the end, I chose the latter and while I’m happy with that decision, I’m definitely going to miss the E39. Farewell my old friend!
