Should I get an E39 without Service Maintenance records?
- Thread starter dzeisen
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Hellraiser;496947 said:
Thanks Hellraiser. That's a good idea! I am dealing with the car owner's son & according to him, he isn't aware with some of the things. I will try to get more info from him.
I am setting aside some amount for some small repairs but I do hope the condition of the car does not warrant large repairs that will further sink my pocket. Honest to be told, I'm probably at the stage of able to own the car & provide it routine maintenance but probably may not be able to sustain any major repair works on it.
ICEMAN 13;496955 said:
True Iceman. I'm quite lucky to be able to buy directly from an owner. I think that alone saves me a lot of headaches. I am also partially worried after reading the posts from owners posting all their damages done to repair and upkeep their E39s =)
mizhan;496956 said:dzeisen, although i may get shot for this.. if i were you i wud go thru the E39 threads. before long you wud have identified several 'figures of authority'. PM them, invite them for drinks, be niceand take it from there.
Don't worry - I won't tell... hahaha! Thanks for the idea but not nice leh to ask since I am in an infant in this forum. I'd try to work my way up =)
king82;496958 said:
Ya lor... Road tax kills =( I've actually tried the 2.2 and it does feel like it needs some pushing during pickup but once it has gain momentum, it is quite spirited. As a young padawan, I guess I will start low first and then move up =)
king82
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dzeisen;496960 said:
hm...i think you need to hammer it in your head (in a polite way) that the car you bought used to be worth a a few hundred Ks...so basically the parts would be expensive too (but of course if you know who and where, you can get parts for less).
i think what you need to think of/ worry is the installment + some $$ for current repairs + save some money for wear and tears...that's how i'm calculating/ budgeting for my future E39 purchase...
if your bimmer is well taken care of, i believe you'll truly enjoy every moment of the drive...
bimmerholic
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dzeisen,
On second thoughts, is there any other e39s that you have scouted around instead of this particular one? Buying a used car is basically down to having patience and not jumping immediately on a buying spree but rather looking at many different models of E39 of different year and perhaps you'll be lucky to find one with full up-to-date service history from a single
owner.
Well in your case, if you've set your mind of getting this particular car, you can always replace wear&tear parts as and when it stars to show sign of pre-mature failure. That way you can save yourself from plonking a lump sump amount of money by not replacing all W&T items one shot. This is for the case where you've got no clue if there are W&T parts have been replaced before.
At the same time, joining our BMWCM TT and asking more Qs there will be helpful too.
Just to share my buying policy of a used car if it helps:
http://www.bmwclubmalaysia.com/forums/showpost.php?p=422564&postcount=56
On second thoughts, is there any other e39s that you have scouted around instead of this particular one? Buying a used car is basically down to having patience and not jumping immediately on a buying spree but rather looking at many different models of E39 of different year and perhaps you'll be lucky to find one with full up-to-date service history from a single
owner.
Well in your case, if you've set your mind of getting this particular car, you can always replace wear&tear parts as and when it stars to show sign of pre-mature failure. That way you can save yourself from plonking a lump sump amount of money by not replacing all W&T items one shot. This is for the case where you've got no clue if there are W&T parts have been replaced before.
At the same time, joining our BMWCM TT and asking more Qs there will be helpful too.
Just to share my buying policy of a used car if it helps:
http://www.bmwclubmalaysia.com/forums/showpost.php?p=422564&postcount=56
bimmerholic;496992 said:
Err... good that you ask. This is actually the first E39 that I came across. I have always wanted to get an E46 and suddenly I came across the posting here in the classifieds section. I seriously considered the E39 due to the proper upkeep of the car from the photos that was posted up. I have also paid a visit to the owner and test driven the car and liked it a lot.
I could scout around for more but I might lose out this seemingly good deal (provided the car is really in tip top condition)...
bimmerholic;496992 said:
Thanks for the buying policy guide. One thing you mentioned inside is to get the service records. Too bad the owner doesn't have it, hence this thread and the dilemma =(...
I do not mind replacing W&T, however, some components require major repair or replacement that may be out of my budget.
Meanwhile, since you were mentioning W&T, are there any W&T components that I should be looking out for? Some things are cheap to change (such as hoses) but if left damaged could cause a bigger problem at the end of the day.
bimmerholic
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dzeisen;497002 said:
First things first, you gotta ensure your cooling system is running perfectly. Loss of coolant in reservoir indicates leak somewhere. In my case, it was my waterpump's seal gave way. So there came a new waterpump, thermostat & thermostat housing. Same goes for the clutch fan...check to see if the idling temperature is normal during a hot day (everyday is like dessert here in kl but only rains in the eve). These items are reasonable and they don't run in the thousands. As for electric aux fan, check to see if it kicks in a higher speed when temperature rises...it should. It'll set you back 1.3K if it doesn't (if the fan itself is screwed and not the fuses or resistor packs). There's more in the E39 maintenance thread. Take some time to read through.
hkh_88;497145 said:
Haha... ok.. ok.. thanks! But without the proper receipts and service records, the only way to tell is through a car checkup.
Hope you understand that as a first time buyer, I just want to make sure everything is proper. So far I learnt everything only from reading but I do not have first hand experience in maintaining one and therefore, I just want to be extra careful.
