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Thread: E39 FAQs/ Links/ Autoparts/ 528i links

  1. #1
    Dan is offline My real name is Charles
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    Exclamation E39 FAQs/ Links/ Autoparts/ 528i links

    THIS THREAD IS TO POST ANSWERS TO FAQs AND IMPORTANT E39 LINKS! THIS THREAD IS NOT FOR YOU TO ASK QUESTIONS!!!!! IF YOU WANT TO ASK A QUESTION, PLEASE MAKE A NEW THREAD!!!!
    __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ _______
    Last edited by jamesdc4; 01-08-2008 at 05:17 AM.

  2. #2
    Dan is offline My real name is Charles
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    Cup Holders

    yes, it's a great car but NO, the cup holders work as well as LBJ's legs.

    you got 4 choices:

    1: get OEM so look around ebay since most dealer's price is kind of a rip though not always.

    2: http://ultimatecupholders.com <-- great cup holders which holds a varity of cup sizes. my only gripe is that if you get a drink with a lid, the carpet might catch it and if you go around a turn, the drink will spill out and all over the carpet.

    3: http://www.tecaccessories.com <-- again, a great cup holder but it's more of a 12 oz beer..., i mean soda, can holder. anything else is pushing it. if you drive an auto, this works great. if you have a manual, well.. it kinda gets in the way but nothing double jointed bad.

    4: leave it broken and just ignore it.

    Quote Originally Posted by chiefwej View Post
    Cup holders in your E39 in 10 min. less than $5.


    I hear everyone whine about the lack of functional cup holders in their cars. About a week after I acquired my E39, I solved this problem for less than $5 in about ten minutes.

    Step 1. Go to your local Wal-Mart and buy a set of Bell cup holders. They come in a package of four and cost less than $5 (on sale they’re less than $2). They also come in several colors so you may be able to match your interior. Mine is grey so I bought grey.





    Step 2. Break off the little tab that turns down on the end of two of the cup holders. SEE BELOW.





    Step 3. Slip the end of the remaining tab into the seam along side the center console in front of each front seat.






    You now have very serviceable cup holders in your E39. They will even hold a Big Gulp! And if they do ever spill (mine never have) it will be in the floor.






    OPTION: Take the remaining two cup holders (without the tabs broken), lift the rear seat cushion slightly, slip in the tab and snap the seat back down. You will now have an E39 with cup holders both front and back.






    I'm tired of hearing about people complain about something that is so trivial and can be solved with just a little bit of ingenuity. It is a great car and I'm more interested in driving than drinking. But once in a while you do need a sip of water.
    /wej
    Originally Posted by 12CoolDude
    BINGO Bro on the second cupholder link but DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT cut the tabs off cause you will have cupholders that slide out of their mounted position. I first bought two black ones for $1 and followed the tab cutting procedure only to have to buy two more cause the ones with the cut tabs wouldn't stay in place...just FYI.
    Last edited by jamesdc4; 11-13-2007 at 11:08 PM.

  3. #3
    Dan is offline My real name is Charles
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    M5 exhaust on a 540

    Can it be done? yes? do you really want it done? that's up to you. do you REALLY feel like HAMMERING (note the capitalization) your FULL tire well a bit to wedge the passenger side in? or you can just cut it and invert the cut part so you'd end up with a pretty, yet wedged, spare tire well.

    Can your OEM spare tire still fit? yeah, i suppose. where it would normally sit? never seen it but something tells me the answer is no, not really. it could be just a centimeter (yeah, gotta conform with the world guys, sorry USA'ers) off to the left (hey, i'm a righty OK!) but nothing detrimental.
    Last edited by Dan; 05-30-2006 at 08:47 AM.

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    the e39 body style was produced from 1997-2003.

    models with black window trim vs. chrome. Black trim=sport suspension package

    All 540i 6 speed cars are sport package cars- even the early ones with chrome trim around the windows.

  6. #6
    Dan is offline My real name is Charles
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    Radiator that'll make you blow your top

    You say your radiator blew up on you? you notice that "CHECK COOLANT LEVEL" on the OBC now? does your 5 look like it took a leak over night in the garage and didn't wipe up? that would be the uber weak cooling system bmw's seems to have not yet master (on top of the electrical).

    what to do you say? well, if you notice a leak, take care of it quick! if you just had it done and it still leaks, check the gaskets unless you have a Geba water pump. Yes, Geba will not only look tougher but will leak on you in a few thousand miles (ask me how i know). the system doesn't leak and shouldn't.

    if your radiator blew up, don't go cheap. it's a BMW, drop the extra coin for the expansion tank (that's in line to let you down) and the water pump as well as the thermostat. get them all at once. where to get? that's up to you but definitely run down to the dealer and get the water pump gasket. i used one in the box (could have just been because it's made by Geba) and it leaked from the get-go. pretty sweet huh?

    let's start with the radiator. you can go with a Behr which is OE. nothing really wrong with it except it's made of plastic and it'll let you down agian... guaranteed. but the price of it isn't so bad so spring one if you like. it comes with ridges in the neck to give it an extra "grip" so the pipe doesn't just slide off.
    you can also spring for a Nissen (not Nissan and not the brand that makes noodles) radiator. Some say they are made better but it's still plastic. the radiator neck is smooth then ribbed so some say in certain conditions, the upper radiator hose *might* slip off. who knows, it could just be crappy workmanship or the truth. either way, it's something to think about. the longevity of this "aftermarket" radiator is said to be above OE but some have doubts.
    if you are in true baller status and really want to make sure the radiator is a thing of the past, you can fork over a nice coin for this:
    http://www.zionsvilleautosport.com/s...egory_Code=AR1

    it's a lot more then the cost of a Behr or Nissen but it'll never ever let you down EVER again.

    so now you'll need an expansion tank. it's that extra canteen looking thing humped on the radiator. yes, it too is made of plastic and it too will fail on you. There's OE's which will work fine since you are going to replace the radiator with the expansion tank all at once so might as well fork over the cash for it; don't get cheap on this, your motor is dependent on this like you are with your liver; sure you can live with 1/2 a liver but do you really want to?
    again, if you are a baller and really have no patience for things failing over and over again, get a Lexus... Just kidding! if you are tired of servicing your cooling system, here's the package made just for you:
    http://www.zionsvilleautosport.com/s...egory_Code=CCS

    yes, the price says it all but you know what? you're NEVER EVER going to post: "i got stuck because of my radiator".

    so we covered the radiator and the expansion tank. 2 very critical components and like death and taxes, will definitely fail on you. you should also look into the water pump. the OE pressed aluminum foil impeller is good to be used as a home made spinner firework. you do have some choices but i will say this: NOT GEBA. E36 guys have had hell with them and so have I. it was too late for me though. i bought it and half way thru the install i read about a post noting the failure rates of Geba water pump. There's other out there that you can get is very good news. Graf is the OE replacement and it serves it's purpose, pump water around the block. it's OE so you're still going to get the pressed aluminum foil quality impeller but think of it this way: it was working fine so why re-invent the wheel. if it worked before, it should work again. nothing wrong to think like that and many have gone this route. there are other options as far as water pumps since the price could make the difference. Laso is another water pump out there. built of the same quality, it serves it purpose and serves it well. neither of them are price too far from each other so it's a matter of personal preference. A new contender that i never heard of but it's been raved by the fanatical Volvo owners (those who own a true Volvo, before Ford took over and as much as i hate to stereotype, they are truly into getting quality parts because anything less then perfect will freak them out, maybe that's why they don't own a BMW) is the brand: Hepu. it could be found here:
    Hepu water pump


    it's a bit more (like $20... just skip out on your kid's allowance for a week or something) but i'm going to try it out and report back.

    thermostat is a thermostat is a thermostat unless you go for the cooler popping ones but that's a special case and i'm not going to cover it. this part isn't expensive and they are usually priced all the same (give or take) but you REALLY should replace it. last thing you want to do is f*ck youself by not replacing this part and having it go bad or worse.. leak and short your ECU.


    if you need cooling system parts, contact Bill (Bill@bimmerclinic.com).
    Last edited by jamesdc4; 01-27-2008 at 06:10 PM.

  7. #7
    Dan is offline My real name is Charles
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    Oh No, my O2's!

    So instead of heading over to the dealer and bend over for the O2's, Autozone carries the Bosch PLUG AND PLAY (very important since others sell GENERIC ones that you need to SPLICE into the harness and that's just a glutton for pain and punishment).

    it may not be in stock but give it a few days and they'll get it in. i'm not 100% sure about other E39's but for 540's the Bosch part # is: 13 559. They run for $65 (plus tax if applicable). sure beats the $135 dealer charges for the same damn part.

  8. #8
    Dan is offline My real name is Charles
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    Buttplug?? No, i said Sparkplug!

    Ever start the car first thing in the morning (or when the block is cold) and when you start to drive off the car spudders a bit and only when the car warms up a bit does it run smooth from a dead stop? well, it's your buttplug..i mean sparkplug.

    these should be changed with inspection I and II but hell, who's counting?

    My source for the OE replacement at the cheapest price is at:
    www.sparkplugs.com
    part #:
    BKR6EQUP
    discount code:
    nicoclub thanks to, well, you guessed it, NICO club (for those that don't know it's Nissan/Infiniti forum)

    this is for NGK plugs BTW.

    i orded 8 for the 540 and total FINAL price (included shipping) was $67.01

    some other sites are going to cost about the same but they all do the same. the other sites might be forum sponsors so do buy it from them if you can/want to spring the extra dough. i bought mine before finding all this out or i would have supported the sponsors for a few bucks more. i'm cheap but when it comes those who make this place possible, i'm all for it.
    Last edited by Dan; 05-30-2006 at 12:05 AM.

  9. #9
    Dan is offline My real name is Charles
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    Batteries ARE included... ooo..

    so you got issues starting, running and all the electrial stuff is going googlie eyed on you. guess what? it's either your alternator or battery. most likely it's the battery.


    head over to your autozone (hey, they are more then just for O2's) and pick up a Duralast 49-DL. Secret about car batteries: there's only 3 manufactures and all are about the same; Duralast is made by Johnson Control which also makes Diehard, Interstate and Optima . don't spring for anything more like Optimas unless you are going to compete in audio show which then you'll need special batteries but for everyday Joe, Dick and Bob, the Duralast is your winner. And at about $65 (i think.. could be $67 but not over $100) plus tax, it's the winner by a HUGE margin.

    save some ducks and take yourself out to a good dinner with the $65 you just saved then going to a dealer for a battery.
    Last edited by Dan; 05-30-2006 at 12:17 AM.

  10. #10
    Dan is offline My real name is Charles
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    From NickAD
























  11. #11
    Dan is offline My real name is Charles
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    M-tech/M5 bumper conversion

    Everyone asks where to get it at the best price...well no other then out very own Tony@bekkers:

    Tony Downs
    800-624-5410 Ext. 10
    tony@bekkers.com
    www.bekkers.com

    Tell him dan sent ya and he'll overcharge on the shipping... :P jk!!!

  12. #12
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    wow dan this seems like alot of work but imma say thanks for your hard work to help others!

    FS:NEW_BF_Goodrich_245/35/17

  13. #13
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    seems like alot of info for a e39 540
    “If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.”
    ― George Orwell

  14. #14
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    and that's not even the half of it...

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    O2 Sensor's

    Quote Originally Posted by Dan
    So instead of heading over to the dealer and bend over for the O2's, Autozone carries the Bosch PLUG AND PLAY (very important since others sell GENERIC ones that you need to SPLICE into the harness and that's just a glutton for pain and punishment).

    it may not be in stock but give it a few days and they'll get it in. i'm not 100% sure about other E39's but for 540's the Bosch part # is: 13 559. They run for $65 (plus tax if applicable). sure beats the $135 dealer charges for the same damn part.
    I've compiled a list of the O2 sensor's for ALL E39's. All the info. is from AutoZone and all the sensor's are made by Bosch. Hope this is helpful, like when comparing prices with other vendors and such. These are the updated prices off the AutoZone computer (I work there) and computer was updated Friday, June 2nd, 2006.

    [1997-1998]
    -528i-
    (Before & After Cat. Converter)
    Part Number: 13884
    Price: $139.99
    Warranty: 1 Year

    -540i-
    (Before Cat. Converter)
    Part Number: 13559
    Price: $84.99
    Warranty: 1 Year

    (After Cat. Converter)
    Part Number: 13475
    Price: $139.99
    Warranty: 1 Year

    [1999]
    -528i & 528i/T-
    (Before Cat. Converter)
    Part Number: 13477
    Price: $154.99
    Warranty: 1 Year

    (After Cat. Converter)
    Part Number: 15109
    Price: $149.99
    Warranty: 1 Year

    -540i & 540i/T-
    (Before Cat. Converter)
    Part Number: 13477
    Price: $154.99
    Warranty: 1 Year

    (After Cat. Converter)
    Part Number: 13475
    Price: $139.99
    Warranty: 1 Year

    [2000]
    -528i & 528i/T-
    (Before Cat.)
    P#: 13477
    Price: $154.99
    Warranty: 1 Year

    (After Cat.)
    P#: 15109
    Price: $149.99
    Warranty: 1 Year

    -540i & 540i/T-
    (Before Cat.)
    P#: 13477
    Price: $154.99
    Warranty: 1 Year

    (After Cat.)
    P#: 13475
    Price: $139.99
    Warranty: 1 Year

    [2001]
    -525i & 525i/T-
    (Before Cat.)
    P#: 13477
    Price: $154.99
    Warranty: 1 Year

    (After Cat.)
    P#: 15109
    Price: $149.99
    Warranty: 1 Year

    -530i-
    (Before Cat.)
    P#: 13477
    Price: $154.99
    Warranty: 1 Year

    (After Cat.)
    P#: 15109
    Price: $149.99
    Warranty: 1 Year

    -540i-
    (Before Cat.)
    P#: 13447
    Price: $104.99
    Warranty: 1 Year

    (After Cat.)
    P#: 13475
    Price: $139.99
    Warranty: 1 Year

    [2002-2003]
    -525i & 525i/T-
    (Before Cat.)
    P#: 13477
    Price: $154.99
    Warranty: 1 Year
    (After Cat.)
    P#: 15109
    Price: $149.99
    Warranty: 1 Year

    -530i-
    (Before Cat.)
    P#: 13447
    Price: $104.99
    Warranty: 1 Year
    (After Cat.)
    P#: 15109
    Price: $149.99
    Warranty: 1 Year

    -540i & 540i/T-
    (Before Cat.)
    P#: 13447
    Price: $104.99
    Warranty: 1 Year

    (After Cat.)
    P#: 13475
    Price: $139.99
    Warranty: 1 Year
    Last edited by Alpha5; 06-05-2006 at 04:11 AM.

  16. #16
    Dan is offline My real name is Charles
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    Quote Originally Posted by AlexxxE39
    I've compiled a list of the O2 sensor's for ALL E39's. All the info. is from AutoZone and all the sensor's are made by Bosch. Hope this is helpful, like when comparing prices with other vendors and such. These are the updated prices off the AutoZone computer (I work there) and computer was updated Friday, June 2nd, 2006.

    [1997-1998]
    -528i-
    (Before & After Cat. Converter)
    Part Number: 13884
    Price: $139.99
    Warranty: 1 Year

    -540i-
    (Before Cat. Converter)
    Part Number: 13559
    Price: $84.99
    Warranty: 1 Year
    The price went up??????????? wow!! damn...

  17. #17
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    Nice so far, but what of the general FAQ site?
    http://www.540i6.com/

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    part numbers and diagrams can be found at www.realOEM.com

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    in the event of broken remote or dead battery you can still open the door and the trunk by inserting the key and turning firmly to the left. After this the alarm may sound if it was not de-activated by the remotes unlock button.

  20. #20
    BuchbrunnM3's Avatar
    BuchbrunnM3 is offline Ninja Pleeeeease BMW CCA Member
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    Very good write ups!

  21. #21
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    whoa!

    Thats so much info on the 540 it made my head spin! thanks though, i shall go recover for a bit, then come for some more poundin!

  22. #22
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    Awesome info guys for us Noobs..keep it coming and thanks.

    I'm looking for an '03 540iT PM me.

  23. #23
    Dan is offline My real name is Charles
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    More on tires.....

    taken from K-bud on Roadfly:

    Quotes for 245-40-R18 on M-Parallel Wheels:

    Got Wheels & Tires (1-866-902-8473) Miami, FL
    Wanli S 1099 (Z) $359 for all 4 w/ shipping, insurance, & tracking
    Nankang NS-1 (H) $449 for all 4 w/ shipping, insurance, & tracking
    Hankook Ventus Sport K104 $480 for all 4 w/ shipping, insurance, & tracking

    Wheel Guyz (1-866-333-GUYZ)
    Nankang NS-2 (?) $480 for all 4 w/ shipping, insurance, & tracking
    Kumho 712 (?) $420 for all 4 w/ shipping, insurance, & tracking

    East Coast Tires (1-888-795-1490)
    Wanli S 1099 (Z) $400 for all 4 w/ shipping, insurance, & tracking

    Performance Tire Wholesaler (1-866-545-8466)

    Discount Tire Direct (1-888-459-4081)

    Wheelz 4 Cruzin (1-323-890-8955) Los Angeles, CA
    <>
    Wanli S 1099 (Z) $360 for all 4 w/ shipping, insurance, & tracking
    NEXEN N3000 (Z) $445 for all 4 w/ shipping, insurance, & tracking

  24. #24
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    Excellent writeup! 2 thumbs up for you. I don't know more than half of the stuff you said, indeed that's wealth of information.

    Cheers :bow to you!

  25. #25
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    Damn..This one of ultra fantastic informations I ever found in anywhere in the Mother Earth. I feel stupid that, Why didn't I find this forum first place..
    Thanx..Dan

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