E39 Bentley manuals, Any good?

[scargo]

Can anyone tell me how good the E39 Bentley manuals are? I recently became a E39 driver after selling my E36 M3 and would like to know how good the Bentley manuals are?

I used a Bentley for the M3 and found it good but am wondering how much use the E39 version would be for a 2003 M5.

Comments...

[gol10dr1]

i cant speak for an e39 but i have one for my e34. it tells you almost everything you need to know but it doesnt explain the steps on how to accomplish what you are trying to do very clearly. that is my only concern with bentley's manuals.

[Steve530]

It's huge. Actually two huge books. The second volume is just electrical, mostly diagrams.

IMHO, the manual(s) are worth the price. Lots of pictures, good diagrams, complete information as far as I know.

That being said, I don't know how useful it would be for a 2003 M5. The manuals cover all of the e39s, but I don't remember any mention of the M5.

But what the hell, if you can afford a 2003 M5, another $100 won't hurt too much. ;)

[randomg]

It will probably cover everything except the engine... My bentley manual is helpful even though it doesn't touch on the m5 part of my car. Besides the engine, it's mostly the same car from a manual standpoint (not sure on the e39 though). I do know they changed the rear suspension of the e60 m5, so that might have a lot that's different.

[GuapOh]

Can anyone tell me how good the E39 Bentley manuals are? I recently became a E39 driver after selling my E36 M3 and would like to know how good the Bentley manuals are?

I used a Bentley for the M3 and found it good but am wondering how much use the E39 version would be for a 2003 M5.

Comments...


You need these books if you have an e39. M5 is not covered.

[Lscman]

You need these books if you have an e39. M5 is not covered.

Easily 95% of the E39 540i design is shared with M5. This book is needed to do backyard repairs & it complements TIS & ETK. These three sources together offer marginal info & repairs will be challenging. The 540i sections will apply to the M5 owner 95% of the time. I don't know too many M5 owners that tear the cylinder heads off their motor, so the "different engine" should not be a factor. The interior, electrical gadget, drivetrain and chassis repairs are virtually the same. Everything from dashboard to tranny removal is covered.

The quality of the book is fair. It is nothing more than a guide for removing and installing various hardware and basic electrical info. The Bentley E39 books offer virtually no troubleshooting strategies or methods. There are no alternative repair manuals out there.