A current picture of the poor old 535,

[Bill R.]

I have nothing to complain about weather wise... I don't seem to have to do alot to the e39's either , other than routine replacement stuff.. and the ABS control module on the 97 to 2000 models that fails. But Gavin at module master does a great job on them cheaply.
I frequently replace the various crankcase /pcv type hoses on them including the oil drainback line that feeds into the dipstick tube on the 528's... Seems like the e39 lost value much faster than the e34's did. I find a number of them here for 4 to 5k with 110k miles on them.
I've got the poor old 535 up on the lift today at a friends place and will be working on it until the 5th of jan... That should be enough time to go through everything mechanical.
Hope you guys are enjoying your Christmas day and staying warm. Time to go eat a slice of pie before heading over to the shop.

"Wagon Weakness"....hmmm '03 540i Sport...

Bill's right about the plummeting prices. Lori's '01 E39 isn't worth much these days, but has served us well with 163k miles on it.

Let's see, I've replaced the plugs (twice) O2 sensors, sway bar links, valve cover gasket, radiator, water pump, thermostat, cyclone valve cold weather update, LKM module, brakes (Akebono) fan resistor, alternator and battery, the cheesy cupholder, windshield and foglights. It still runs great, except for needing the vanos o'ring replacement and doesn't use any oil between the 6k mile changes. During extreme cold starts it wants to idle rough until the temp comes out of the blue, then it's runs great. The control arms need to be replaced by now and the transmission fluid has never been changed. It still shifts fine, probably due to the mileage being 98% highway. The E39 drives real nice and after 5 years of ownership the above work probably adds up to about $2400 plus my wrenching time at a nickel an hour it would be about $1.65...=)

And yes, Bill...I'm freezin' my ass off....6 lonely degrees this Christmas morning..

JR
PS (Send some of that Arizona warmth up this way would ya???)

[Martin in Bellevue]

Merry Christmas guys!
Might as well keep the 535; replacement costs for something similarly useful are huge. I had the 911 itch for a while; but took the boys on test rides. No room for much family beyond the dog in a 964 or 993.

[Scott H]

heading for Chicago.

I'm glad I poked my head in here to see that the original crew is still holding on. I let my 535iTm go to Josh Gore. I've been too busy to tend to its needs and he will take care of it and probably help it along its way to its true destiny - turbo.

I was a lot more upset than I thought I would be watching him drive off. I put my 91 M5 up for sale too but after driving it a few more times and getting emails from interested parties who had sold theirs and regret it, I feel I will too. I'm going to pull it off the market and enjoy the last E34 I have and will probably ever own.

The latest stable:
2006 X5 3.0
2003 525iT (coming soon)
1991 M5

Now to complete the circle, I think I'll give George Mann a phone call.

hehe...Scotty is showing signs of E39 weakness.

[Bill R.]

535it...or not for a long time anyway.

heading for Chicago.

I'm glad I poked my head in here to see that the original crew is still holding on. I let my 535iTm go to Josh Gore. I've been too busy to tend to its needs and he will take care of it and probably help it along its way to its true destiny - turbo.

I was a lot more upset than I thought I would be watching him drive off. I put my 91 M5 up for sale too but after driving it a few more times and getting emails from interested parties who had sold theirs and regret it, I feel I will too. I'm going to pull it off the market and enjoy the last E34 I have and will probably ever own.

The latest stable:
2006 X5 3.0
2003 525iT (coming soon)
1991 M5

Now to complete the circle, I think I'll give George Mann a phone call.

[Scott H]

I'm the type of guy who does his homework, makes a decision, and then holds on until the end. Cars bring a lot of enjoyment but they are also tremendous wastes of money, especially if you lease them or trade them often. I try to avoid both and as a result I always plan on keeping my cars until they stop running.

The 535iT, as you know, had some issues after I rebuilt it. A few of those issues have been solved and a few have remained. One issue that has remained is something that prevents me from being able to drive it on very cold winter mornings. I've only been getting busier with work and family and I don't have the time to troubleshoot the problem. The best option right now was for me to eliminate the frustration completely. It's a very weak answer from a "car guy", I know. I could also have taken to our very capable local independent but the time necessary to replicate the issue and the potential cost to solve were somethings I was not willing to deal with as well.

All in all, the car gave me a great project, 3 years, and 40k miles. I sold it for cheap (you guys would shake your head), to a friend who can take care of it, get maximum use from it, and take it to the next level.

A frustrating decision indeed, but as long as this E39 touring shows up in good condition, I believe it was a necessary decision for many reason.

Aside from my story, it looks like you have some interesting plans for your 535! A few modifications going in as well.....I'll be keeping my eye on the progress.

535it...or not for a long time anyway.

[Robin-535im]

"Wagon Weakness"....hmmm '03 540i Sport...

Tell me about it. There used to be 5-7 2003 540iT sports on Autotrader all the time, but for the last few months, zilch. I've been showing them to my wife for the past year, breaking in the idea that IF the 535 should ever suffer an untimely demise, that would be a good replacement.

Maybe it's seasonal... let me know if you find a good source!

- Robin

[Bill R.]

matching wagons and e46 and an e34 or even a 540i e39 since they are going dirt cheap right now... There was one on ebay the other day i tried to get my wife interested in... but says i have to get rid of some cars first..

Tell me about it. There used to be 5-7 2003 540iT sports on Autotrader all the time, but for the last few months, zilch. I've been showing them to my wife for the past year, breaking in the idea that IF the 535 should ever suffer an untimely demise, that would be a good replacement.

Maybe it's seasonal... let me know if you find a good source!

- Robin

[JAlfredPrufrock]

I put my 91 M5 up for sale too but after driving it a few more times and getting emails from interested parties who had sold theirs and regret it, I feel I will too. I'm going to pull it off the market and enjoy the last E34 I have and will probably ever own.

At least you came to your senses, and hopefully you still have my clears! ****ing gorgeous car.

[Jeff N.]

Hey Scotty - what wagen did you end up with? Not the one from our here is it?

[Scott H]

...and the clear are still on.

At least you came to your senses, and hopefully you still have my clears! ****ing gorgeous car.