Motoring Discussion > BMW 5-Series E39 - BMW 525d Estate - Useful load carrier? Buying / Selling
Thread Author: Fenlander Replies: 25
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 Mon 14 Apr 14 13:25 
 BMW 5-Series E39 - BMW 525d Estate - Useful load carrier? - Fenlander
Well the Alfa estate hunt isn't turning up much so thoughts wander across other makes. Not owned a BMW for over 30yrs but one like this might meet my needs for load carrying and the current "interesting drive but cheap enough to scrap if it goes wrong big time" idea of car ownership...

www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201404103229011

I've noted in the past there seems to be a lot of BMW experience here so any thoughts?
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 Mon 14 Apr 14 13:33 
 BMW 5-Series E39 - BMW 525d Estate - Useful load carrier? - No FM2R
Haahay!!! A car Iknow about at last...............

Really like this car, and pretty much everything about it, put loads of miles on a 2.8i, but the one pfd is the rear suspension.

It has two large bags which get blown up or not depending on the sensors which are by the shock absorbers.

The bags perish or break. They are not difficult to replace but its a pfd

Most likely is that the wires to the sensors cross over a sharp bit of bulkhead and pretty much always break. Even easier to buy / fix.

So, check the rear suspension, it generates a fault message and makes the back feel very hard. However, if you find that its duff I'd use it to knock the price down and then repair it myself.

Similarily the wires where they go from the body into the rear hatch rot, rub and break. Again, not difficult to fix although fiddly because there's not much slack in the wires, and this generates all sorts of weird and wonderful behaviour at the back with lights and stuff and also can short out and cause the ignition to go dead. Again, I;d still buy and then fix myself.

The ignition switches fail and the key just turns and turns. blah blah easy blah blah still buy.

The display on the dash where it shows error messages can break down with first odd pixels going and then ultimately loads of pixels to the point of unreadability. If that's happening then you can't repair it* and you need to decide you can live with it.

*of course, you can but its difficult, expensive and doesn't always work.

I always found it had plenty of storage space, even underneath the rear floor.

I loved the car and will have another. If you buy the car and I can work out how to get it to you I have all the connectors, software and everything required to run the proper BMW diagnostic and maintenance software on a laptop.
Last edited by: VxFan on Mon 19 May 14 at 01:46
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 Mon 14 Apr 14 13:41 
 BMW 5-Series E39 - BMW 525d Estate - Useful load carrier? - Mapmaker
That's a lot of money for a 13 year old car, isn't it?
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 Mon 14 Apr 14 13:48 
 BMW 5-Series E39 - BMW 525d Estate - Useful load carrier? - Fenlander
>>>That's a lot of money for a 13 year old car, isn't it?

Yes true but the link is really just to ID the model I mean... not the actual car I'd buy or the price.

Thanks for the info NoFM. What about the drive.... handling sharp or soft cruiser... light on its feet or a bit of a barge? Refined exec car feel?

Obviously when the snow comes I will take the pushbike.
Last edited by: Fenlander on Mon 14 Apr 14 at 13:49
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 Mon 14 Apr 14 13:53 
 BMW 5-Series E39 - BMW 525d Estate - Useful load carrier? - No FM2R
In between; I liked the feel to its handling. I used it Oxford / Cambridge a lot, and it cruises very pleasantly.

On the other hand I live in the Oxfordshire countryside and it copes very well with the local lanes. Not a sports car of course, but definitely not a barge. A pleasant, reasonably handling estate. An awful lot more precise than the V70, for example.

It does have exec car feel (and appearance), it does feel refined but it is not modern. From the old style display (red dots) and the layout of the stereo and switch gear. As I say, I liked it very much but it is definitely not modern.

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 Mon 14 Apr 14 13:55 
 BMW 5-Series E39 - BMW 525d Estate - Useful load carrier? - No FM2R
And with the self-levelling suspension (which not all of them have, but most) I've had a lot of weight in one and it still rides and handles quite well.
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 Mon 14 Apr 14 17:16 
 BMW 5-Series E39 - BMW 525d Estate - Useful load carrier? - Fenlander
Had a look round the BMW forums and spares suppliers... seems the suspension levelling and dash issues are now well catered for with OK-ish priced replacements and lots of online how-to guides for repairing.

Bit of chatter too about inlet manifold swirl flaps falling apart and being ingested by the engine... not quite sure if the 2.5d engine is affected but if so and caught in time a reasonable solution is now available.

Might have to get up close with one this week and see if they fit.
Last edited by: Fenlander on Mon 14 Apr 14 at 17:18
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 Mon 14 Apr 14 17:43 
 BMW 5-Series E39 - BMW 525d Estate - Useful load carrier? - Runfer D'Hills
A guy I know bought a rambling but crumbling largish old house round the corner from us two or three years ago. Gradually he is restoring it to its former glory and adding some modern twists.

He has a new, well, relatively new anyway, Citroen something. Might be a DS3 come to think but he also bought an old 5 series estate, a 528i petrol I want to say, to use as a builders van.

It's constantly full of 'stuff' and is always filthy inside and out but he admits to having grown quite fond of it and finds himself using it even when the modern car would be more appropriate.

He says he might just sell the new car and tool about in the old one for now. Of course he's also by his own admission, in that trap where he looks at all things as potential sources of budget to chuck into his property project so that might be the real reason.

Having said that, he also confesses that he was never the sort to run an old car, preferring instead to replace them before warranties ran out and so on, but that the old BMW might have converted him to a form of what we here might call bangernomics.

I kind of get where he's coming from. Even if I no longer needed a large load lugger for work, I'd still rather have that category of car for general purposes. There are many occasions when a small car is too small but far fewer when a big one ( or at least a big one with a large load space ) is too big, for me and my life anyway. Others may have a different view.
Last edited by: Runfer D'Hills on Mon 14 Apr 14 at 17:44
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 Mon 14 Apr 14 17:55 
 BMW 5-Series E39 - BMW 525d Estate - Useful load carrier? - Runfer D'Hills
Edit - apropos of nothing Fenlander, you know how you build up a mental picture of regular forum contributors? ( well, I do anyway, sorry if that's strange ! )

Increasingly when I read your posts you take on the appearance of 'Lovejoy' but then when you described your clothes you morphed into his mate 'Tinker' !

Really not sure why I mentioned that but there you go !

( AC looks like Keith Richards by the way, actually I have no idea who he looks like but in my head he does )

Yeah, well, having drifted off topic in time honoured style, yes I'd be supporting the BMW thought...

Oh and Harleyman looks like Dave from Hairy Bikers ( in my imagination )
Last edited by: Runfer D'Hills on Mon 14 Apr 14 at 17:58
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 Mon 14 Apr 14 19:25 
 BMW 5-Series E39 - BMW 525d Estate - Useful load carrier? - No FM2R
>>Fenlander ... you take on the appearance of 'Lovejoy' but then ... you morphed into ... 'Tinker' !

*Raucous laughter*.

Although I know what you mean.

Whereas I have you down as one of those thin, healthy types with faded jeans and a daft summer hat.
Last edited by: No FM2R on Mon 14 Apr 14 at 19:25
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 Mon 14 Apr 14 19:32 
 BMW 5-Series E39 - BMW 525d Estate - Useful load carrier? - Runfer D'Hills
No hat, fairly healthy, 13 st / 6 ft so not thin. No gut though. Don't do beer.

Kind of a younger / much better looking George Cluny type really...

;-))

Edit - the jeans were correct !
Last edited by: Runfer D'Hills on Mon 14 Apr 14 at 19:32
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 Mon 14 Apr 14 19:34 
 BMW 5-Series E39 - BMW 525d Estate - Useful load carrier? - No FM2R
Sure you don't mean Martin Clunes?
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 Mon 14 Apr 14 19:36 
 BMW 5-Series E39 - BMW 525d Estate - Useful load carrier? - Runfer D'Hills
No, but I might have meant Pierce Brosnan, depends on the light...

;-)
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 Mon 14 Apr 14 19:46 
 BMW 5-Series E39 - BMW 525d Estate - Useful load carrier? - Runfer D'Hills
Anyway, you Mark look like Anthony Hopkins and Z looks like Ray Winston, in my mind's eye.
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 Mon 14 Apr 14 22:54 
 BMW 5-Series E39 - BMW 525d Estate - Useful load carrier? - No FM2R
>>you Mark look like Anthony Hopkins

I am considerably taller (6ft), lighter (12.9 or thereabouts), in considerably better shape and 25 years younger.

Other than that, spot on.

Zero as Ray Winston ought to be spot on. However, I think I've met Zero many years ago, in a different life, away from the internet, and if I'm right then it really isn't.
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 Mon 14 Apr 14 22:58 
 BMW 5-Series E39 - BMW 525d Estate - Useful load carrier? - Zero
>> >>you Mark look like Anthony Hopkins
>>
>> I am considerably taller (6ft), lighter (12.9 or thereabouts), in considerably better shape and 25
>> years younger.
>>
>> Other than that, spot on.
>>
>> Zero as Ray Winston ought to be spot on. However, I think I've met Zero
>> many years ago, in a different life, away from the internet, and if I'm right
>> then it really isn't.

You can't remember - you were drunk

sigh!
Last edited by: VxFan on Tue 15 Apr 14 at 01:27
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 Mon 14 Apr 14 23:00 
 BMW 5-Series E39 - BMW 525d Estate - Useful load carrier? - No FM2R
>>you were drunk

To be fair that doesn't really make it stand out. I've been drunk for quite a lot of the last 35 years.

But actually I don't think I was. I think we were working. Well, you were working and I was watching. Which, again, doesn't really single it out.

sigh again!
Last edited by: VxFan on Tue 15 Apr 14 at 01:28
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 Mon 14 Apr 14 23:02 
 BMW 5-Series E39 - BMW 525d Estate - Useful load carrier? - Runfer D'Hills
It doesn't really matter though does it? I have a mental picture of most people once I've read a few of their posts. Most will be wildly inaccurate of course but it amuses me. A bit anyway.

I once accused RP ( PU ) of looking like Michael Gambon come to think of it. I'm sure he doesn't of course.
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 Mon 14 Apr 14 23:18 
 BMW 5-Series E39 - BMW 525d Estate - Useful load carrier? - No FM2R
>>It doesn't really matter though does it?

Not in the least. In fact it is intriguing though - how we make such associations.

I've met a few people who I have only previously known through email, for example. Male or female, they've never been how I envisaged.
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 Mon 14 Apr 14 23:23 
 BMW 5-Series E39 - BMW 525d Estate - Useful load carrier? - Runfer D'Hills
Anyway, before he comes back and finds all this nonsense, I reckon 'Lovejoy' should definitely consider a 5 series estate. Or any large estate really. They are the answer to many of life's questions.
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 Tue 15 Apr 14 00:12 
 BMW 5-Series E39 - BMW 525d Estate - Useful load carrier? - Fenlander
525 Estate first.

I was being a bit crafty actually. I'd seen one advertised (not the one I linked) privately this morning which had been under priced given it's amazing condition and history. Met grey with very light grey leather and all the woody interior trim. Mint inside and out... on enquiry everything checked out paperwork wise, genuine seller living in the sort of village area where you'd expect them to be able to afford proper maintenance etc. Was going to view tomorrow with a pocket full of notes and an intention to buy unless any major issues... but it sold this evening... gutted.

As to the Lovejoy/Tinker stuff... saw it just before tea and oh how we laughed. Mr F snr was in the game and I knew all those types from being regular visitors to our house.

As to the gear... I inadvertently led you astray the other day Runfer when I mentioned the keepers tweed and cords type gear. That was from a past life decades ago and rarely worn. I also have a dark grey pin stripe suit but that too is very misleading...just for weddings/funerals although it does hark back to an even earlier life. Today finds me in usual day to day gear of Rolling Stones t-shirt, bootcut jeans and... err .. boots.

I still have all my hair with about 30% hint of grey... and currently it's longer than Lovejoy in the old shows.... the family advise as a guide I should say approximate look/image might be a cross between Ian McShane and Richard Gere on the way to Reading festival.

And back to cars I'm now booked to see an Alfa estate tomorrow that just came on the market this lunchtime... only problem is it's black and that is my least favourite Alfa colour... but if it had tan or cream leather I might make an exception.

Last edited by: Fenlander on Tue 15 Apr 14 at 00:14
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 Tue 15 Apr 14 07:00 
 BMW 5-Series E39 - BMW 525d Estate - Useful load carrier? - nice but dim
Sorry for continuing the thread drift but I've always plctured AC as Michael Gambon but with the voice of Willie rushton.
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 Tue 15 Apr 14 09:25 
 BMW 5-Series E39 - BMW 525d Estate - Useful load carrier? - MJM
I always picture AC as Rowley Birkin

www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPiGJBHVadA

:)
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 Tue 15 Apr 14 09:59 
 BMW 5-Series E39 - BMW 525d Estate - Useful load carrier? - Alanovich
Oh yes, MJM. Oh yes indeedy. That's him but with much longer, grey hair.
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 Tue 15 Apr 14 09:24 
 BMW 5-Series E39 - BMW 525d Estate - Useful load carrier? - Fenlander
>>> booked to see an Alfa estate tomorrow... problem is it's black and that is my least favourite Alfa colour... but if tan or cream leather I might make an exception.


Damn... just spoke to the dealer to ensure the car had arrived prior to travelling and remembered to ask the interior colour... charcoal cloth... hmmm all black inside and out... not for me.
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 Mon 28 Apr 14 00:04 
 BMW 5-Series E39 - BMW 525d Estate - Useful load carrier? - Fenlander
Just wondered if there was anyone with 525D experience of cars around 2001-2004 who didn't see this first time round.

I'm looking at another 525D estate tomorrow. Still would prefer an Alfa but nothing about again this weekend so tempted by the BMW if a decent example... but I do hate the rear view which somehow makes me think of an old 400 series Rover estate.
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