M Buyers Guide
Inspection checklist
M5 E39, 2000 to 2003
Before you go
- Open recalls. Run the VIN through NHTSA or a BMW dealer and ask for proof every recall was done.
- History report. Check the title, accidents, owners and mileage record.
- Service records. Ask for them in advance, ideally from a BMW dealer or specialist.
- Independent inspection. Book a pre-purchase inspection with a shop that knows this engine.
Known problems on this car
- Timing chain guides and tensioners about $4,500 to fix
Ask for records of guide and tensioner replacement, and listen for chain rattle on a cold start.
- Rod bearing wear about $3,500 to fix
Ask whether the bearings have been inspected or replaced, and listen for a knock from the bottom of the engine.
- VANOS wear about $1,500 to fix
Look for a VANOS overhaul in the records, and listen for rattling after the engine warms up.
- Cooling system aging about $1,000 to fix
Look for a cooling system refresh in the records, and check for coolant smell or dried residue around the hoses and tank.
- Throttle actuator failure about $2,500 to fix
Check for an engine warning light, and make sure the throttle responds smoothly all the way through the rev range.
At the viewing
- Records for the timing chain guides and tensioners, VANOS and the throttle actuator.
- A cold start with no rattle.
- No engine warning lights.
- Cooling system work.
- A complete service history with no cheap, neglected years.
Notes
From the M5 E39 guide at M Buyers Guide. Repair costs are the guide's estimates, not quotes; the guide says where each comes from. Problems and costs as of the date printed.