BMW 5-Series Maintenance and Repair

vsaxena · April 2006

Try Bill Arnold's Independent repair shop. I got a pre-purchase inspection done on the car and was impressed by them. They charge $90/hour which is low by Bay Area Standards, and definitely by Marin Standards.

Bill Arnold BMW Repair
68 Woodland Ave Suite D
San Rafael, CA 94901
Phone: (415) 459-2697

He is along time BMW CCA supporter. And do join the BMW CCA. It is worth it (you get rebates when you buy new cars/CPO up to $1500, the Roundel magazine, 10-20% off parts/service at different dealers, and all for $40/year). You can use my number # 345669 as a referral. Go to bmwcca.org

shoes7000 · April 2006

jamies, I dont think you are getting ripped off. I recently had to replace my entire cooling system on my 98' 540 at 78k miles. It costed me about 2,200 with my mechanic.
Im not sure if you have owned a BMW before but they cost big bucks to fix. Be prepared to spend around 1-2k per year on repairs to keep this car up. The reliability of the 5 series is terrible.
Wait til your pixels go on your dashboard display...it costs around $800 if you do it the correct way.

jamies · April 2006

Thanks everyone for the feedback, and I am going to call Bill Arnold on Monday. I live very close to there. I'll also check out the car club.

I know my car has never been cheap to fix (bought it in Germany so didn't get the 3 years free maintenance like in the US), but am recently divorced and suddenly broke so all of a sudden all these repairs feel painful. I never thought of the 5-series as unreliable though. Is that the general impression people here have? I sometimes wonder, with my car paid for and almost 78K miles on it, if I'm doing the most financially sensible thing in planning to keep it long-term (like 10-15 years...it's 6 years old now).

shipo · April 2006

I think that you'll find that the opinions expressed by shoes7000 are very much in the minority around here. Expensive to repair? Yes, 5ers aren't necessarily cheap (unless you do it yourself). Unreliable? No.

Best Regards,
Shipo

div2 · April 2006

I recently had to replace my entire cooling system on my 98' 540 at 78k miles. It costed(sic) me about 2,200 with my mechanic.

I sure hope he kissed you and sent flowers the next morning...

I'm not sure if you have owned a BMW before but they cost big bucks to fix. Be prepared to spend around 1-2k per year on repairs to keep this car up. The reliability of the 5 series is terrible.

Not in my experience; The maintenance/repair costs of my E39 averaged out to around $70 per month over the nearly 100K miles and four years I owned it-including tires. For what it's worth, My E36 is also a money pit-it costs a whole $35 per month to run. I will admit that my E24 M6 was a bit pricey to run, but it was still worth EVERY penny.

Wait til your pixels go on your dashboard display...it costs around $800 if you do it the correct way.

Wrong. As almost everyone in the E39 community knows, BMW will pick up the cost of the high level display-if you ask politely. You will have to pay the dealer for about an hour of labor.

cmr530i · April 2006

My 2001 5 is very reliable. With 50K miles I have spent $1800 for service over the course of 5 years. The bulk of that money went for brakes, rotors, belts during Inspection 2. Like you, I plan to keep this car a good long time.

vsaxena · May 2006

BMWs will cost more than the Hondas/Toyotas to maintain. They also suffer from breakdown of simple parts like the window regulator. However if they are cared for well, they will also run for a long time. With a BMW it is critical that you establish a relationship with an independent mechanic who knows his or her stuff. Since traditionally they are seen as rich people car, there is the urge to rip you off. Hence it is important to do your homework before you go for service. On the E38/E39 V8s (which includes the 540/740s) the cooling system needs repairs between 50-80K miles since a plastic part breaks. BMW knows about the problem and supplies inexpensive radiators. There are aftermarket vendors who offer even more reliable stuff. Similarly another item which will eventually need repair is the Cat converter. Dealers are known to quote $2500 for it while it can easily be done for $600-700 at independent shops USING OE parts. There are some excellent resources for owners of older BMWs on the web. e38.org is a great place for a person who owns the E38/E39 V8s.

Mr_Shiftright · May 2006

Bill's a good shop.

I think most older BMWs suffer from a) being worked on by people who really don't know (or care) what they are doing and b) a lack of preventative, thorough maintenance.

If a guy speaks with a German accent and works on Mercedes, he may in fact be your worst enemy with a BMW.

Specialty shops like Arnold's are the best way to go IMO.

What often hurts on BMWs is the parts prices, not the labor prices (after all, it costs as much per hour to fix a Honda as a BMW).

So if you can spend $100 now to prevent a $600 part from breaking in three years, you are much better off obviously.

I figure it takes about $100/$150 a month in maintenance to keep an older BMW in tip top form for a long life beyond warranty.

If you aren't spending at least $100 a month averaged out for maintenance (that is, preventative items and replacement of normal expendables, NOT repairs), either you are a very low usage driver or you are slowly draining the bank account on your BMW, and it's going to come back and bite you.

smooth50 · May 2006

I can't get the main nut off so I can remove either of my front rotors... Could I be trying to turn the bolt the wrong way? Help!!!

div2 · May 2006

I assume that you are referring to the allen bolt that secures the rotor. This article should provide some help.

shipo · May 2006

What main nut? There should be a small hex-key bolt in the face of the rotor hub that you need to remove. Once out the rotor should simply slide off. Regarding loosening the hex-key bolt, simply remember "Righty-Tighty, Lefty-Loosey" ;-)

Best Regards,
Shipo

sweet_emy · May 2006

Hi everyone,

I bought 525 BMW with 2004 navigator DVD and I want 2 use 2005 navigator DVD but its very expensive.. Can I use a copy of the 2005 navigator DVD, will it work properly??

Thanks 4 the help

bdkinnh · May 2006

That would be theft, so I hope you wouldn't find help here with that.

Besides, I heard about someone that tried that and their navigation system was ruined. True story.

jwatlga · May 2006

I have your problem x3. 1997 528 premium sound system. Whenever the temperature gets high and car is in the sun, the LED shitches to "Phone" and I lose all audio (radio, cd and cassette). [Phone is not activated.] Pushing "audio" button does nothing. Audio will come on when it's cooler. This can last for several hours, and the problem is several months old. Any others with this experience?

dino11 · May 2006

After owning a number of Beemers, i have come to the conclusion that they are to lease new or while under factory warranty with full maintenance. Otherwise, you will drive yoruself into the poor house. The parts are virtually all dealer and quite expensive. For example, the pixels in the dashboard display burned out. The service advisor said it was a simple repair and that they stocked the part... Hmnn.. I should have been alerted. I initially thought what a good dealer, full inventory, etc. What I found out is that the displays do go bad and that they cost about $900 apiece. With labor you are looking at $1,000 to replace what used to be a light bulb in the dash! Good going BMW! Another case- the parking lot attendant took my 5 series and must have backed up over some obstruction that pulled off the wire from a sensor attached to the inside of the front bumper. Nothing was visibnle from the outside. I then noticed that the outside air temp was reading -40F or soemthing like this. When I inquired, it was the limit on the temp reading and was caused by the broekn sensor. Another repair- $450, I think. I have come to the conclusion that the only way BMW can sell their cars is to do so with full maintenance. So, lease if you can - enjoy yourself and walk away. Owning an older one off of factory warranty? Take out a seocnd mortgage for car repairs.

merckx · May 2006

That's disheartening to hear...I've been plotting for a new 525i for a while now...

div2 · May 2006

After owning a number of Beemers

Excuse my impertinence(after all, I've only owned eight BMWs), but repeat after me:
Beemer=BMW Motorcycle
Bimmer=BMW Automobile

i have come to the conclusion that they are to lease new or while under factory warranty with full maintenance. Otherwise, you will drive yoruself(sic) into the poor house. The parts are virtually all dealer and quite expensive

Oh, really? Then how come my one owner 103K 1995 E36 track rat has averaged less than $40/month to run? And then there's my 130K E39, which averaged out to $85/month. By the way, those figures included four sets of Z-rated tires on the 3er and one V-rated set for the 5er. And as for parts prices, I've found them to be quite reasonable-especially with a 20% CCA discount.

For example, the pixels in the dashboard display burned out. The service advisor said it was a simple repair and that they stocked the part... Hmnn.. I should have been alerted. I initially thought what a good dealer, full inventory, etc. What I found out is that the displays do go bad and that they cost about $900 apiece. With labor you are looking at $1,000 to replace what used to be a light bulb in the dash! Good going BMW!

That's what you get for not doing your homework; a little digging would have revealed that BMW will usually pick up the cost of a bad high-level display. The owner will only be responsible for @one hour of labor. So it seems that YOU cost yourself $900. Good going indeed...

So, lease if you can - enjoy yourself and walk away. Owning an older one off of factory warranty? Take out a seocnd(sic) mortgage for car repairs.

Find a good independent BMW tech, use your CCA discount, and do some research instead of whining. I believe you'll find BMWs don't cost all that much to run. For what it's worth, I'm literally putting my money where my mouth is; I'm adding another BIMMER(an E46 330i) to my stable. And I'm buying it "as is".

andys120 · May 2006

I'll second Div2's sentiments from my personal experience with a pre-owned '00 528iA. After two years of ownership I've found the cost of ownership to be reasonable but certainly not minimal but the E39 is an extraordinarily fine automobile. There will certainly be more Bimmers in my future garages.

docstu · May 2006

I just purchased a 1997 528i, I have had to do countless things to the vehicle but I know have it running great. However, it has a "chirp" that only lasts for a few miles at start up and is only heard when the vehicle is moving (usually over 25mph). I have had the brakes checked and it doesn't appear to be a suspension problem. Has anyone had the same problem. It is a 1997 528i with 122k. Thanks. Randy

drenthe · May 2006

I have a 2001 525iT (Sport Wagon) which runs great. Lately however, when I drive on a bumpy road (like any road in Michigan) at any speed, the front train produces a loud clunking noise, so much so that I am afraid there is something wrong. When driving on smooth surfaces (Interstates) the suspension is absolutely quiet. Before I bring it in and hear that the complete suspension has to be replaced, does anybody have any idea what it could be? Thanks, Jan

div2 · May 2006

Before I bring it in and hear that the complete suspension has to be replaced, does anybody have any idea what it could be?

It could be any number of things; a control arm bushing, an anti-roll bar link, an upper strut mount...
That said, it might be something as simple as a loose or broken exhaust hanger.

ndegroat1 · May 2006

I have a '99 528i that had the same clunking problem. Replaced the bushings and all seems to be well(quiet) right now...

Mr_Shiftright · May 2006

See if the chirp goes away when you step lightly on the brakes.

See if the chirp goes away if you turn on/ or off the AC.

See if the chirp goes away the second you let your foot off the gas.

do these tests and report back to us!

bon_bon · May 2006

The gas mileage on my 2006 525xi is pretty bad. Granted I have not even completed the first 1000 miles yet. Still, I am averagin only 14mpg or less. It is supposed to be around 20-29. Will this improve as the engine settles a bit ? What are the other owners getting ? My 2002 ML 500 gets better mileage than my 2006 525 xi.

bon_bon · May 2006

Would like to know if there is any way to switch the informational icons "on" on the map. These are like the Hotels, gas stations, restaurants, etc. I was told that there is a way to do that. Currently my map is just plain and simple road map. The other NAVs I have used in other cars have these other icons that allow you to spot a hotel, gas station, etc. on the map itself. A very useful feature when you are on a highway.

Thanks in advance.

jb_shin · May 2006

At least on my 03 model Nav, I just need to "search" for a particular type of landmakr or icons, as you say, and all nearby icons are displayed in the map. It goes away when you search for something else, or something you are not likely to find.

docstu · May 2006

Braking and letting off the gas has no effect on the noise. However, I never checked what happens when the A.C. is turned on. I originally thought a dragging brake pad, or the heat shield against the driveshaft but it isn't that. Do you think it could be a wheel bearing? Thank you for helping me! Randy

Mr_Shiftright · May 2006

So you are saying the noise doesn't slowly decrease in frequency as you let off the gas? That's pretty weird. If that's true, it isn't related to engine or wheels or brakes. It's a random suspension noise then.

docstu · May 2006

That is why no one can figure it out. I hate to take it to a dealer and pay a fortune when it doesn't appear to affect the performance of the car. Thanks again for you interest. randy

Mr_Shiftright · May 2006

There are actually little microphones that mechanics can install to track annoying under-chassis rattles.

mrfledge · June 2006

I have a 2001 530i that leaks into the rear passenger floor whenever it rains. I've determined that front seal around the rear door is the area of the leak. The seal 'looks' fine and the door appears to good fit to the body. Is there something else I should look for before blindly replacing the rear door seals? Thanks

sb55 · June 2006

Did you check the sunroof drain tube? That is a culprit in many cars, not just 530i's.

mrfledge · June 2006

Yes I did. Not clogged. It is definately coming through the door. I confirmed this with the garden hose. I'm looking for some way to confirm which seal/gasket needs replacing. Thanks for the input.

peterweiler · June 2006

We have a 528 that is 8 years old. We are ready to drop a rebuilt transmission in at 186,000 miles or 300,000km. I'm just curious to what other owners have experienced with a 5 series and high mileage and repair costs. The car drives like new and looks awesome, so putting a bit of money in doesn't bother me if I get the years out of it.

div2 · June 2006

If you still like it I'd hold on to it. Stick an all-metal radiator and one of the new super heavy duty water pumps in it and-with regular maintenance-you'll make 200K miles easy.

shipo · June 2006

I started working on what I thought was a "short term" contract a year ago that required a 100 mile per day commute. Said contract seems to morph every couple of months, with every change entailing an extension, and as such it ain't so "short term" any more. With that in mind, I'm considering buying a used car for the first time since 1979. That brings me around to your question, my intent is to find a good condition 528i 5-Speed and drive it until at least the 250,000 mile mark. I for one have every confidence that the E39 is more than capable of running that many miles in a very economical fashion.

Hope this helps.

Best Regards,
Shipo

div2 · June 2006

Shipo, check this out...

shipo · June 2006

Thanks Div, that car is sweet (or as they say up here in New Hamster, it's "Wicked nice"). The only thing that it's missing is the sportier interior. I'm not sure what the ordering option was called because my 530i had the upgraded suspension, blackout trim, sport seats and "M" steering wheel all combined into the Sport Package whereas the earlier E39s apparently had them as a separate order item. I can certainly live without the "M" steering wheel, however, the seats are the same ones that came in my 1999 328i, and while reasonably comfortable, the Sport Seats that came in my 530i fit me so much better and felt so much better to my occasionally sore back that those are the ones I'm looking for.

Very nice find though, it's going to be a great new ride for some lucky new owner. ;-)

Best Regards,
Shipo

div2 · June 2006

Yes, it's a nice car for the price. I'm halfway looking for an E30-E46 to use for my work hack. I found a very clean low mileage 1997 M3 sedan-only the blasted thing has a slushbox. Grrrrr.... :mad:

shipo · June 2006

I found a very clean low mileage 1997 M3 sedan-only the blasted thing has a slushbox. Grrrrr....

They actually made such a thing?!? Yikes, what a way to destroy a wonderful car.

Best Regards,
Shipo

div2 · June 2006

They actually made such a thing?!?

I guess BMW NA figured that it couldn't hurt, as the US E36 M3 didn't have a real ///M motor to begin with.
Interesting footnote: BMW NA briefly considered putting the 3.2 US M3 motor in a special M Sport E39. The idea was to offer an M5 Lite, if you will- which is what BMW does in Europe with their various M Sport editions...

shipo · June 2006

Interesting footnote: BMW NA briefly considered putting the 3.2 US M3 motor in a special M Sport E39. The idea was to offer an M5 Lite, if you will- which is what BMW does in Europe with their various M Sport editions...

OMG! I'm involuntarily drooling. Imagining what my 530i would have been like with a somewhat more screwed down suspension, a 6-Speed Manual and that 3.2 liter mill is just..., just, errr, WOW. :shades:

Best Regards,
Shipo

ndegroat1 · June 2006

hi.. We have a 1998 528i w/ 194900 miles. Original engine, trans. Mainly highway the first 130 K of it's life, mixed bag now (including gravel, dirt roads looking at farm properties).
Main items in need of repair (it's at the shop today) control ar bushings and the airconditioning. Don't know the $ b/c I haven't picked "Schultz" up yet (it seems only my cars are named, not my husband's- something fishy there)
Because of the highway miles the hood needs to be repainted (this is next)and we are debating on whether th windshield really needs to be replaced (I'm hoping for a nice sized pebble from the interstate to help me on this one).
We gave up on the cupholders ages ago and the driver side door handle broke a few months ago (my husband fixed this with a scrap yard spare unit -read cheap- on a Saturday AM)
Other than these things, which really aren't awful for a vehicle that has been well loved by our family of 5 (now 6, so it's mine again!)...Hope this helps.
Before I forget. Sign up for the Susan G. Komen Ultimate Drive for a Cure. besides BMW donating to this great cause, you get to drive sweet rides...see BMW NA website: http://www.bmwusa.com/bmwexperience/EventsandPrograms/UDSK/
Happy driving.

shipo · June 2006

We gave up on the cupholders ages ago...

Pretty funny, I'd had my E39 for nearly three years when I noticed one day that folks here at Edmunds were talking about their "Cup Holders". "What cup holders?" I asked. Someone told me where to look and sure enough, there they were, errr, if you can call those pop out loopy thingies "cup holders". ;-)

Best Regards,
Shipo

div2 · June 2006

Very nice find though, it's going to be a great new ride for some lucky new owner.

Darn it, now I'm tempted to go look at that 1998 5er. I suspect I could grab it for around $12K. Problem is, that dealer just took a 1987 928 S4 in trade, and I can pick it up for @$17K. I'm afraid resistance would be futile...

Mr_Shiftright · June 2006

Unless your rich uncle left you that fortune, I'd stay clear of 928s if I were you :P

kyfdx · June 2006

Or, is $17K a very large amount of money for a 928 S4?

Not that I'm that familiar with the 928 market... I had always heard that they depreciated heavily..

I like that 5-series around $12K... but, the $15K they are asking would be wayyyyyy too much..

div2 · June 2006

I like that 5-series around $12K... but, the $15K they are asking would be wayyyyyy too much...

I agree, I wouldn't even be considering it if it didn't have the manual tranny and the SP. Plus, I've already owned one E39, so I won't have to learn a new BMW platform. If only it was Electric Red like the 528i SP I saw a few weeks ago... Anyway, if I do get it I'll quickly rip out the CDV and maybe stick a Conforti cold air intake and Shark Injector on the old sled. I might even track it once or twice-who knows?

ndegroat1 · June 2006

I have a colleague who was in Germany a while back. He inquired about the holders at a dealer and the gentleman all but laughed at him. "Cars (especially BMW's I presume) are for driving not living," he replied. Installing these contraptions is a patronizing attempt to placat the NA buyer since the "loops" only hold cans, not even a decent insulated coffee mug! The holders really only matter in our family because there are kids in my car (who, when I bought it weren't allowed to drink in it, so the fact they were all close to death-holders, not kids- gave me a little extra back up!).
Have a good one...

Niki

g1daddy · June 2006

I have E39 for three years now. It has rattling car seat problem and it is getting worse. Whenever I drove on a bumpy road, passenger seat rattles and it annoys me. Does anybody have the same problem?

When I took my car to the local dealer where I purchased my E39 to fix this problem , the service manager said "You are complaining about something we are never going to fix". It was definitely not the kind of answer that I expeced for a $50000 car. Anyway I had them check for it. When I got back to them later day when they said it is done, the service manager said he checked it and it is normal because he found the same problem in other cars too. This was one of the stupiest answer I ever heard.
Actually it is just a half of the whole story. I will talk about another half later.

Anyway, does anybody have the same problem for E39?

BMW 5-Series Maintenance and Repair

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