2003 BMW 525i 5MT Sport Package: Regular Car Reviews

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[@jimmynickelz]

"A car so devoid of pretentiousness that it achieves indestructible sincerity." That was one of your best ones Sir. Thank you.

[@andrewduong2740]

A description attached to a BMW, of all things

[@24bergman]

Spoiler has to go. But I always thought that was the best looking 5 series of all time. That being said they all burned, and that’s an understatement, oil lots and lots of oil.

[@dandudespaceman]

@@24bergman I know what you mean, I always end up having to top off the oil with an extra quart when I'm midway between oil changes.

[@TheBassBuzzer]

"Kids with Monday frowns on Saturday faces," was pretty nice too

[@standyourground9973]

@@24bergman it's always the PCV that fails, the engines don't inherently burn oil

[@2003.K]

The official car of: "It's gonna get a M5 body kit eventually."

[@Skillzpatchi]

Find 530 e39 then get the most m5 body kit

[@haiiyouu]

gotta be an aftermarket kit too with shitty fittings, but from 10 miles it looks okay lol

[@2003.K]

@@haiiyouu the bumpers are already cracked out the box too

[@WhippperSnaperater]

Hard to find stock bumpers, so yeah

[@jordaneggerman4734]

On a long enough timeline, _everything_ gets an M5 body kit...

[@angelicspectre8733]

Americans: 189 HP? Thats slow, damn. Europeans: 189 HP? Thats like 89 more than most cars out in the street.

[@reinbeers5322]

Exactly, I was expecting it to make like 110hp.

[@reinbeers5322]

@@waterlevelroute It's america, V8s are basically free.

[@idokwatcher2062]

Yes, once upon a time, and if you were not paying attention you could continue with this old thinking and delude your self into buying a 325i or 525i as a nice sporty daily to restore on the weekends. But you then realize that any modern 320d sh**box will blow you away and if they spend 80EUR on a remap you will look like a fool with your 8000EUR of restoration receipts.

[@android175]

@@waterlevelroute Gotta disagree. 300hp feels like its almost fast.

[@onionman500blin8]

189 hp?!? thats like 117hp more than the car my stepdad had

[@totallynotbill1834]

Time to take out the old 5-series and listen to a *business cd*

[@tbok75]

I did too. Then I got rid of it. I couldn't get rid of it fast enough to be honest.

[@Vonwafenburg]

"I wonder how my CSCO/XOM is doing today"

[@jordanmercier3616]

The only pretentious part of that car "business CD"

[@redlineraphael]

Business check

[@christopherg2218]

Z4 Business CD - top down DOING BUSINESS

[@MultiTelan]

These are the kind of bimmers I actually like. The slow, no big deal, cars. Something you can get into, be comfortable, and just... Cruise. Eat highway miles. Like a panther body but more compact.

[@jordaneggerman4734]

Better mileage too. Those old Vics and Marquiseseses burn through that tank faster than you want them to...

[@MultiTelan]

@@jordaneggerman4734 do they? I've never owned one. Just thought it might be a nice highway eater, but these also seem more manageable. Then again, makes sense going from a 4.6 V8 in a 4kish pound car to a 2.5 I6 in something... What, 3200ish?

[@jordaneggerman4734]

@@MultiTelan yeah, I think they get up around 3600-ish. 2dr Accords push nearly 2 tons these days, so I wouldn't be surprised if these were near to that. But yeah, my grandma used to buy the wore-out Panthers she found at police auctions for rural mail routes. They definitely did that job quite well, but that was the one problem she had with them (and me, when I got to drive my hand-me-down) was that it seems like it went through about a tank every two days, and I'm pretty sure they have a 17 gallon...

[@MultiTelan]

@@jordaneggerman4734 ouch. I did paper delivery for a while in small cars and they still burned a tank every two days. Not a job I would consider again. Seven days a week, bad pay, destroy your own cars, nah man, I'm good.

[@jordaneggerman4734]

@@MultiTelan yeah, I've done too many "take your own car" jobs to want to destroy them for someone else too often anymore... My ex-fiance has a '19 Fiesta (completely base, not my idea of a good time) but it can do nearly 400 miles, on a 10 gallon tank. I've been astounded at the mileage it was able to get, and neither of us were easy on it. I think, over 22k miles, it averaged about 28.7 MPG, well over half in the city. Again, wouldn't have been _my_ choice, but I'm pretty sure it's not really my problem anymore, so.... 🤷‍♂️ lol

[@fishytails6639]

Hah, in Germany you can get this with a 2L 6cyl (520i) or even a 2L 4cyl Diesel (520d) thoooose are slow. The 525 is already one of the fast ones in Germany lol

[@grunkohlaktionar7474]

True, 189 hp isn’t that bad actually

[@Kropek13]

I have the same engine in an E46 which is about the same weight believe it or not, in Europe it definitely isn't considered "slow". Not fast either. M54 engines are known to have compression issues, it might not hold stock power.

[@PianoandCarcrack94]

the 520i is still a 6 cylinder, no 4 cylinder petrol e39s

[@alf279]

The 520 in these was still a 6cyl. Either M52TUB20 (pre-fl) or M54B22 (fl).

[@haiiyouu]

@@Kropek13 The m54 suffers from oil sludge screwing up the piston rings leading to massive oil 'leaks' (burning away). Crankcase ventilation is also a hot contender. proper 5w-40, short intervals and an eventual flush can work wonders.

[@DeltaEcho303]

Love the analogy of "Cul-de-sac gangstas." They stunt a big game, but their cars and debit cards are in their mom's name.

[@ishanpahwa1179]

There was a meme that I found that reflected this perfectly. It was a caucasian dude (appeared to resemble a f**kboy), with the caption: "South Side! Of my Upper-Middle Class Suburb".

[@Flabulo]

I get the same image every time I listen to "Still Fly" by Big Tymers in my half clapped out E39 530i.

[@spicysnowman8886]

Hey! My car is only in my mom's name because I wasn't 18 when I bought it

[@suckmysilencer747]

You will click this timestamp atleast 6 times and you will enjoy every second of it. 11:02

[@AMZT14]

Amazing, simply fantastic

[@evangrove2131]

I clicked on it and immediately got an ad

[@jamesgizasson]

BraAAaAa4! X3

[@j_mars_cars]

5:08 mentioning a friend looking down and to the left to see the stick shift, the owner of the car does the look. Love the timing and subtlety of these edits.

[@DiscoBallGaming]

These early to mid 2000s BMWs are always my favorite style wise besides maybe those 70s 2002 BMWs. So sleek and sexy. It's a shame the new ones have nasty pig snouts and not the sleek grilles like this. So pretty

[@NotUrDJ]

BMW enthusiasts say that this generation of M cars (especially) are better than the 2010s so yeah I'm happy that they're coming back to their roots at least performance wise.

[@quillmaurer6563]

Late '90s - early 2000s was actually a fairly good era of car styling - we look down on it now because it's "old crap," bottoming out in value at the moment (maybe starting to rise by now though). Sleek and elegant, before everything had to be all edgy and aggressive, and before cars became overwhelmed with infotainment crap, the last era of "driver's cars."

[@person.w9780]

@@quillmaurer6563 Driver's cars still exist wdym

[@initialyeet3951]

@@viniciusbraga9881 yeah I love the simplicity

[@IWillSmurfYou]

Late 70s early 80s 6 series? Late 80s early 90s 8 series..??

[@americanAlienBoy]

You know what automotive perfection is? This car with the 3 liter 6. Power is then truly adequate, instead of nearly so. No weight difference, so no other attributes change. We had one for 100,000 miles. In that time we had two minor issues which I fixed myself for a wallet busting $35.

[@SamAbraham]

I daily drive one! Regularly drive 275 highway miles between school and home a couple times a month and its fantastic. I've fully restored it mechanically, even put a light tune on it to improve throttle response. Drives like a dream at 180k miles

[@Bartonovich52]

It must sound awesome and feel really smooth, too.

[@Larsverde]

As a daily you can't beat 525d's and 530d's too.

[@msport_erick]

@@SamAbraham hi sam

[@Phenom98]

@@SamAbraham sounds like an awesome daily

[@FinalRendition]

"You know who that impresses?" - Mr. Regular "BWAAAAHHH" - straight piped supersport

[@jordanmercier3616]

Damaged goods.

[@gabrielbrenner9864]

“You ever walk into a Kinkos and wonder why there aren’t more dildos and leather?” Great… spit my coffee all over my computer! Wasn’t ready for that joke.

[@daveh2612]

Oh dude I just got that joke

[@persistentwind]

Grew up in the 90s in a artsy college town. The kinkos and the people that worked there was, well, an experience.

[@Seabass20329]

11:02 This is one of my favorite noises I've ever heard in my life

[@MF-rtard89]

Lol same

[@tomcassidy6798]

“The closest bmw got to a Honda engine” The m40 series of 4 cylinder engines: am I a joke to you?

[@j.mentzy2480]

The sport package suspension on E39s is such a good balance of smooth yet engaging. I had a 2001 540i 6MT Sport with Dinan shifter, intake, exhaust, throttle body, and tune, and the V8 definitely maintains the any-rpm smoothness while "fixing" the lack of power of a 6 cyl car. Mpg does suffer with it though, as you just want to let that V8 sing all the time until the timing chain guides go every 60-80k miles. Great car, miss it.

[@theobolmer2056]

Oh man do I miss my 540i MSport. What a great car.

[@Tool0GT92]

Time to spend 3 hours changing the oil filter housing gasket, a $5 part.

[@benbong4577]

Don't forget the vanos seals :p Aaand the valve cover gasket

[@Tool0GT92]

@@benbong4577 and the water pump, and the expansion tank, and the coils, and....

[@syxepop]

... somehow The Car Wizard was in the chat before his daily work. That's why he HATES BMW's.

[@quillmaurer6563]

At least it's 3 hours to change a $5 gasket. I get the sense more modern BMWs it's spend 3 hours to change a gasket that costs $200 for no good reason.

[@100PercentJake]

Every car ever created has a $5 part that takes a lot of work to get to. An M54 OFHG is far from the most difficult.

[@Bang_Jaws]

I bought this car because my back already gave up after 5 years of daily driving a slammed IS200. Not all BMWs are sport sedans this one is soothing.

[@_Zekken]

Thats impressive considering the IS200 was technically supposed to be a luxury dad car.

[@Bang_Jaws]

@@_Zekken yea i ruined it by putting race coilovers on it

[@Bartonovich52]

The IS200 is a 3 series fighter. The dad car is the ES and grandpa car is the LS (read, 5 and 7 series fighters).

[@mattmartinez3298]

Me: watches Adler the eagle video. KZbin algorithm: SHOW HIM THE FURRIE DATING WEBSITE!

[@vadashcam7238]

SAME🤣🤣

[@fockwulf1]

NO FUCKING WAY. Same. right of the bat😂😂

[@CarsMeetsBikes]

yeah hmm hard pass

[@ameraldas3641]

yeah looked at the videos, then looked at the profile pictures of the comment section. realized that I am clearly not the target demographic for these videos

[@gorderumsi6424]

NOOOOO BECAUSE I LIKED THIS COMMENT I GOT THE AD

[@alexp6016]

Can we all just take a second to appreciate how beautiful the E39 is? It’s seriously one of the best looking cars ever made. I have a 528iT and it’s an incredibly great car. The comfort, fuel economy (well... compared to any of my other cars), handling, looks... it just does everything well. I’ve had the car for 10 years now, and it’s the only one that I’ve kept around nearly that long. Most cars I have are gone within months. I have a full manual swap for it just waiting for me to feel like doing the work.

[@dmjbass]

I spent 18 months tracking down the right 528iT with a stick- it's sort of the perfect balance of fun, comfort, and practicality, and still gets looks day in and day out. When you get that swap done, you'll definitely love it! Be sure that when you do, though, that you don't include that stupid $#&*ing clutch delay valve that the factory MTs came with- it ruins the clutch feel and provides literally no benefits.

[@alexp6016]

@@dmjbass yes, that delay valve will definitely be going away! I need to get a move on some other projects so I can do the swap. The auto is growing more unhappy every time I drive it lol.

[@Jo3man96]

I love the way the E39 looks. I recently got an Alpina B10 3.3 and i love it, even though it has a habit of drinking oil like i drink coffee

[@alexp6016]

@@Jo3man96 Oh yeah, these things can drink some oil!

[@juicedelavie6212]

I'm planning to get one to go around town or night drives. How has the reliability been on your e39 for the pass 10 years? Anything specific I gotta look out for?

[@benkramer3262]

I am an owner of an E39 and I totally agree with every word, all the other bmw guys with M cars just don’t get it, I have a 1999 540i with the M62TU V8 6MT and I love it so much

[@Euphorica]

Who doesnt understand a 540i?

[@thunderedt]

Surely they understands 540is no less than 911Es, right? It's still a V8 with a manual option.

[@steveedwards3821]

I have an e46 and I get it all the BMW's from this era are OGs

[@stephen3164]

I’ve had a couple E39’s. The first one was a 528i, manual, I bought 3 years old, off lease at the dealer. I put 50k miles on it in under 2 years and thoroughly enjoyed every one of them. Glorious car. Sucked in the snow though. Replaced after 2 years with a new WRX bc the monthly payments were cheaper, and the BMW was at the “I need about $5-7k to keep running like a top.” point. My next E39 would be 15 years later - now an old car, but 540iT. The T stands for Touring, which in BMW language meant Wagon. The 40 meant V8. Oh yeah, plus it had a Dinan supercharger, limited slip diff, suspension, M5 wheels and brakes, etc. 400hp of tire smoking wagon goodness. It was fast, but it needed $5-7k in maintenance in the first month, and then continued to bleed me dry. Every time I started the car was like Russian roulette to see if a new CEL would come on. It was a car past its prime, trying to prove it was still young and fit. Will say, the cargo area was large enough to use it like a pickup truck for hauling large items.

[@joeymalin]

Dang that’s sucks to hear about the wagon. I am wanting to get an e39 wagon for a road trip car. :/

[@durkj3370]

I also own a BMW 540iA non wagon though. Even without the supercharger those cars just move. But you are very right about the Russian roulette game. And the fact that it is past it's prime. They are amazing but boy do you have to love on them.

[@9.5.9.5]

@@joeymalin Never had big problems with e39's. Seems like these are just poorly taken care of examples.

[@dmjbass]

@@joeymalin ​ I've gathered that the V8s are far needier than the I6s, and yeah, stick a bunch of "performance parts" on just about anything and you're throwing out any hope of reliability. Stock 52(5/)8s will run pretty much forever. Find a well-maintained e39 Touring (not a project in need of saving) and you've got yourself one of the best road trip companions money can buy!

[@LLG47]

"Adler the eagle" means "eagle the eagle". That's the Los Angeles Angels of channel names.

[@HundTheHound]

Listen, we arnt very creative

[@IstasPumaNevada]

@@HundTheHound Thank you for that perfect username/profile image/comment combo. :D

[@HundTheHound]

@@IstasPumaNevada yw my name is normally Hund The Hound, but its halloween so gotta be spooky

[@Bartonovich52]

Volkswagen: Das Auto People’s Car: The Car.

[@03422011]

You've referenced Bangle and that Forbes article.....probably worth knowing it related to the 2003 E60 not the E39 which you featured 😉

[@milesjansen2165]

Thank you. I'm glad someone else noticed

[@Low760]

@@milesjansen2165I just wrote something similar too

[@Bubblun1]

Right, did he not realize this is an end of the run car and the E39 was absolutely designed in the 90s style he's saying it differs from?

[@SamAbraham]

Was looking for this comment

[@markmiller3279]

Thanks! The E39 doesn't have the bizarre Bangle styling with all its weirdness. It's really quite sleek.

[@benracer]

Jokes on you Mr. Regular I am one of those "Naturally Aspirated " Adler the Eagle subscribers

[@VPassat6]

Ditto, however Mr. Regular reminded me that I’m not yet subscribed on this normie account.

[@showoe3126]

same here

[@justingiles6008]

Only after I was losing my hair did I see so many advertisements for keeps. I saw it everywhere and this video so happens to make me want to comment. I am bald and your keeps will never sway me. I am a beacon of light through darkness. My head will shine with the fury of 1000 Suns.

[@portermcsorley]

The E39 is German perfection. The 530i with the manual is the best handling and feeling sedan ever created. The 530i gets a decent bump in power over the 525i, and even with the automatic, it’s not what I’d consider slow. With the manual, it’s even faster and more engaging. The 540i might be faster in a straight line, but the v8 cars have different steering racks and don’t feel quite as nice as the 6-cylinder cars. The M5 is great and all, but the 530i manual is a better balanced car.

[@TwoTonTaft]

I had a 540i. That thing go vroom really nice, but don't ever try to turn in it. Also, don't expect anything resembling gas milage

[@andrewstudebaker600]

Can confirm this opinion/statement. I miss my 2002 530i 5spd.

[@chriswilson1853]

I have a remapped 530d. More torque than a 540i, decent economy and rack and pinion steering.

[@Jo3man96]

I got the Alpina B10 3.3, so like the 530i, but with a bit more power and torque. Although it has an M52, so more like a 528i really. It’s such a great car, especially since I sorted all the stuff that needed sorting.

[@joels7605]

#3 at 14:39 sounded wet. That might require a wipe. Although I commend your commitment to the voiceover, powering through Schrodinger's skid mark.

[@shaalis]

LMFO

[@Kajifox]

A: No it doesn't have a starter solenoid the way you know them, B: It'll crank! It just won't start. No ignition signal.

[@maddyxmyelstrom9643]

Could also be EWS, which you can delete.

[@ThaMythbuster]

@@maddyxmyelstrom9643 That's what the video and Kajifox are talking about...

5:21 two miatas in one frame, let's call it a day

[@tricia154]

Those Miata's mustve been laughing at this supposed pure speed limit driving experience as they peeled off at 35mph

[@Bartonovich52]

Ka-chow

[@lucasrustt]

the e39 and the e46 are my favorite looking bmw since I was a kid, just looks reallly good to me

[@The-Aidan]

Oh my I’ve been trying to get him to review my e39s for YEARS

[@JvpiterJvzz]

530i gang checking in

[@thomasxl200]

Lol I offered mine six years ago...

[@PowerslideSWE]

@@JvpiterJvzz M5 gang checking in. Still think the 530 is the sweetest of the bunch tho.

[@Operationalexcellence263]

Also ' 01 530i I have the same exact wing! North jersey car.. org owner said the dealer had fun installing that wing.. since its LED and the rest of tails aren't

[@toddscars]

530i M sport executive package checking in

[@rgr9945]

This car had so many features new cars still doesn't have, like you can put a code in the radio that only you know to keep others with the key from driving, it has an option to store heat for over 2 days during winter times, you can set a timer for either when it's cold or hot outside for the car to cut on heat or ac to either kool or heat up the vehicle before you enter it, the rare shade for 3 windows, and so much more too many to list, the e39 was truly ahead of its time, just look up all of it features amd you will be amazed!!!

[@shemshonbenjaminesrael583]

Very true, I had a 525it wagon and 528i sport and it was a very reliable, easy to work on, & great on gas aswell, especially if you keep up the maintenance

[@md4luckycharms]

Regarding 16:49 You also lose physical ownership of the book. If you own a hard copy, Amazon can't demand the book you own back, nor can they modify it without your permission. Without physical ownership do you really own it? Hell even the phone I type this on is subject to the beck and call of the phone company regardless if I own the device. Things are shifting, sometimes it's ok to fight back. Chose your battles. Especially before someone chooses for you

[@murph9935]

*beckon call

[@Bartonovich52]

What is physical ownership? So.. I bought a bunch of CDs in the 90s. Mine forever, right? There’s no DRM on CDs even though there could be. Where are those CDs now? Mostly unlistenable because of delamination of the plastic and aluminum that has allowed it to corrode. Meanwhile, the iTunes songs I bought in 2005. I burned them to a CD, then my computer went on the fritz, and my CD degraded even quicker than those commercial CDs. Oh well.. at least I only paid $10 for the album instead of $20. But wait, I can download it again. And I still have it. And now I can have access to almost any song or album I want at any time for a monthly fee that is a fraction of what it costs to “own” it. People put too much stock into ownership. Like land ownership. No, you don’t own the land. Even if you are free and clear of mortgage and insurance.. you only own the surface rights to the land. In most countries it’s limited in time either through statues of limitations or inheritance taxes or both to prevent the formation of a latter day landed gentry who own all of the land and do nothing… and they can fly over it, mine under it, or outright expropriate it at any time for almost any reason.

[@md4luckycharms]

@@Bartonovich52 "I like when people can steal my stuff because I refuse to maintain what I own. It is also ok for the government to steal my property from me as well. This is ok, get over it, it's going to happen eventually." (SpOnGeBoB that shit)

[@md4luckycharms]

@@murph9935 Beck and call is the correct form. Beckon call is the same as "for all intensive purposes"

[@DeadNoob451]

@@md4luckycharms But bro, property forces you to think for yourself and face the uncomfortable nature of reality. Thats so old-school. These days, you leave everything up to the authorities and let others rule over you. Much easier living as a mindless part of a collective. Much easier CONSUMPTION too, the only thing some people still live for.

[@GunsNGames1]

Oh the E39, I've been scavenging for one of these for months, I can only find the iP versions here that come armored from the factory, almost impossible to find one of these in mint condition.

[@grunkohlaktionar7474]

Why do you need an armored car?

[@Shini055]

@@grunkohlaktionar7474 because south america is a hell hole. I'm assuming the guy above is from there.

[@GunsNGames1]

@@Shini055 indeed, but in fact I don't want an armored one. I can only find armored E39s here, sure I can find 528s and very few 530s, but they are all beaten up, all the ones in good condition that I've found are 540iPs, it has a V8, but the rear windows don't roll down, the front windows only go down halfway, and it has 350kg of added weight. I figured it would handle like a battleship. So I moved on to E38 7 Series and I'm pretty happy with what I could find, I really want a 750iL with the V12, but the 740i with the V8 and short wheel base is really cool too. All E38s that I found are overall much nicer than the E39s, I think I'll settle for a E38.

[@rolux4853]

@@GunsNGames1 don’t get the 12 cylinder! It’s two 6bangers bolted together with individual engine ECUs. They are terrible to maintain and if something goes wrong electronically you have to replace everything times two. Even over here in Germany it’s very hard to get good parts for that engine, especially at a reasonable price. Go for the V8 and after buying it immediately open the oil pan and replace the bolts that hold the oil pump. They tend to loosen or shear of and cause catastrophic engine failure. Apart from that „little“ problem the engine is very reliable. Check the torque converter however. If it makes singing or squeaking noises it could be damaged from the massive torque (for the 90s) from the engine. I wanted to buy a e34 540i which has the same engine but discovered lots of them with toast torque converters. But in the end I ended up with a Mercedes V8, even if I’m a BMW guy through and through. The problems just weren’t worth it and my R129 500SL makes much more power and torque than the BMW engine does. The M119 with 326hp (this was 1990, only Ferraris had that kind of power back then) is an amazing engine! Of course it has its own flaws, but that’s what you learn to live with when you’re into classic cars..

[@jbaroli]

@@Shini055 you don't even know where he lives, why generalize a whole continent? i've heard that Mexico has a lot of Protection cars, since they were converted there. Have you ever been to some country of SA? In Argentina E39 has had good sales and are plenty of them, not Protection, I've owned a 528i for 7 years and despite the fact that I did lots of maintenance, it was a good reliable car.

[@slashslash984]

Thank you RCR, I checked out Adler the Eagle and now all my ads are about meeting single furries.

[@_BirdOfGoodOmen]

At least they're not in groups

[@javiskii]

I love how honest you are about why are you taking a sponsorship, it's very much appreciated

[@xxx_ray]

I wish you could have reviewed a 540i with a six speed, as that’s the BEST version of the E39. No, not the M5, but a 2003 540i 6 M Sport is the pinnacle of E39.

[@MisoElEven]

No its not :D the V8 engines are too needy.. the 530i is the best E39 you can get other than the M5 (unless youre willing to spend thousands just to keep it on the road of course..)

[@paulstech2587]

Hey RCR, thanks for the channel recommendation. I've followed ATE and have been having a fun time watching their backlog. Good stuff.

[@clardrives9301]

I have this exact car but it's one year older and silver! So happy to see it on this channel.

[@coreyscarrepairs]

It's not just about getting the starter to spin over the engine. The anti theft system can also cut spark and fuel... That's the part of security systems that's hard to get around. Jumping a starter is easy.

[@HerrHerbertHase]

This was pretty much the standard BMW 5 series here in Germany at the time... This and the slightly slower 170bhp 523i which had the same engine if I remember rightly. My family owned the 523i and it was considered adequately fast. Acceleration didn't blow you away but it steadily climbed to around 140mph on the autobahn if desired, and it was damn smooth at that. Perfect long distance car and quite reliable for a BMW. But dear god, that spoiler is just awful...

[@lutemake3]

You've pretty much nailed the non-M5 E39 experience. My 2003 530i A doesn't do anything excellently, but it does enough things really well (and without drama), that it's still my favorite car I've owned. 18 years on, mine still drives like new, with no squeaks or rattles. It's still a nice way to get from point A to point B and neither feel beat-to-death, or overly coddled at the destination. I'll keep justifying all of the normal maintenance items on it, until the parts are no longer available.

[@hardforpicard1692]

Okay Mr. Regular, you've proven your Beastie Boys Cred. Welcome.

[@bennythebull9]

Aw that end is sweet, that’s nice of you to help Adler like that.

[@Matteo_Licata]

It's funny how perceptions change depending on which side of the world you live in. Here in Italy, where you can find half-decent wine that's cheaper than gasoline, if you look hard enough, a 525i was a rarity, something hardly anyone bought. Which is a crying shame, as those sweet, creamy inline-sixes were indeed BMW at its best. Unfortunately, here it was 520 turbo diesel all the time, every time.

[@sv_cheats1970]

But not better then an Alfa 😜

[@Strike86]

It's YOU! Well this is the KZbinr crossover I didn't know I needed 😄

[@quillmaurer6563]

It's always interesting to see what's revered in some places and mundane in others. Car Weebs (including this channel) worship anything JDM, even though most of it was in reality pretty mundane, at least to the Japanese. Meanwhile Japanese look up to American Muscle, which also has small but devoted followings in Europe. I ride a Suzuki GZ250 motorcycle, to Americans that's a baby bike, a good starter (or safety course) bike that one learns to ride on then upgrades. A friend told me that in India that's seen the way Americans might see a Harley Super Sportster or Hayabusa, as 250cc is the largest legal there and most are 125cc or smaller.

[@marcst3199]

Yeah the 325i was more common here. The 5er were more common as Diesels

[@windnsea03]

My daily is a 2001 525i 5-spd with the factory two piece BBS Style 5 wheels, love it! Build quality is amazing, not a creak or squeak.

[@fanglethorpe]

I have a 2003 525i in orient blu. Tore the engine apart and replaced the piston rings with an older style. Replaced the CCV with the german automotive solutions delete kit. Zionsville all alluminum radiator. New bearings and seals all around. Its a great car!

[@MollyPopper]

Yes! thank you for doing my regular car

[@briansmith3011]

As a Wegmans deli employee, watching on lunch, thank you for the recognition.

[@maneman13]

Long time watcher, perhaps first time commenter. Thanks for the wit combined with clever vulgarity, it's like listening to some of my own rants on things. Your videos never cease to make me smile, and occasionally guffaw. Lite Brite pegs will never look the same anymore. Also, I loved the Adler the Eagle video. It was really touching and for some reason reminded me of my father and I replacing brakes in the winter time with no garage and using cardboard to kneel on. The things you occasionally reminisce about with a smile. In any case, I subscribed to Adler, long may he fly.

[@AstralKreep]

I love how dedicated he is in getting the T4R. Inspirational

[@Jellybean199611]

The "Coded Driveaway Protection System" probably does more than just disable the starter. It likely also cuts off the fuel or the ignition coil. The reason I say that is my old 2002 Ford Ranger had a similar system. The key was chipped, but we got a second key made from a hardware store just in case we accidentally locked the original one inside the cab. For fun, we tried starting it with the hardware store key and the engine turned over, but it did not fire or start.

[@nikitavolochay3120]

Can confirm this as an owner of several E36s (similar driveaway protection system). The system actually consists of three components, the chip in the key, the immobilizer module on the body of the car (EWS) and the ecu itself. The three communicate with each other and must all have the same matching code. Even if the car is broken into and the EWS module is bypassed AND the car is hotwired, the ecu will still cut ignition so the starter will just keep cranking but the engine won't start or run.

[@Thanos.m]

Yes that's correct the system will disable the starter and the injectors so car won't fire. Also later cars like Rover 75 which used a BMWish security system would not only use the EWS and ECU but also the IPK (instrument panel) which is technically another computer to immobilise the car

[@MikeRutherfordNLN]

I have a 01 Ranger so I also have the "pleasure" of only having one ignition key because I have to pay a crap load to the dealer to get a new second key added to the car. A key without the NFC chip would turn over the engine but the ECU won't fire the injectors or coil.

[@justinus64]

I just wanna say that the 5mt version of the 528i e39 is the best for the specific reason that it still has a *manual throttle cable* I had a 528i 5MT Wagon and that thing was an incredible mix of handling and practicality Currently have a 528iA Sedan

[@tylerlongdong1407]

Finally an e39 review! would've preferred a 530i 5 speed but I'll take what i can get.

[@sonicaids]

the official car of "i'm a huge Jason Statham fan"

[@MrCaptainCornflake]

Jason Statham drove an E38 7 series

[@sonicaids]

@@MrCaptainCornflake yeah and most people can't afford one of them so they get a 5 series to LARP

[@davedelarosa319]

I love the juxtaposition of your and Hoovies appreciation for these cars. Also big ups for for the Adler the Eagle push, I love seeing folks who've found the secret sauce willingly share with the rest.

[@RegularCars]

Thank you, it feels good to help friends!

[@burnpittsburgh7036]

Hoovie is a hack. Fuck that guy. he is monitization is human form.

[@MKFan528]

@@burnpittsburgh7036 As much as I enjoy watching his videos, his older content was a lot more enjoyable and creative when he bought more "normal" cars or things that nobody wanted.

[@SethFeingersh]

This is exactly what I learned MT in and couldn't agree more.

[@terrencejones9817]

I had one of these in 530i Msport package for 8 years. Awesome car. Magnaglow cat back , AFE intake, sounded great too.

[@caseyjones1999]

I can't believe you guys don't have a million subscribers yet you're so awesome

[@overconstruction]

I love it when RCR goes full blown philosopher on me

[@richardlionheart3965]

Loved my E39 528i, why can't BMW still make cars as elegant as this?

[@Crestinification]

Satisfying a different market overseas

[@standyourground9973]

@@Crestinification precisely. Chinese stockholders have a TON of money to burn

[@genosho5574]

It's so wonderful that you guys plugged Adler !

[@Brave-Octopus]

Those engines are built so solid. My 95 e34 525i has the same engine and still runs smooth and quiet at 335k miles.

[@donaldhollums3278]

This BMW reminds me of the days of Car and Driver magazine and their “short take” road test articles back in the eighties and nineties. Car and Driver would devote half their printed magazine to the BMW M3 or M5, or similar car, with pages of photos and road test results. Then way back in the dark bowels of the magazine, where the sun don’t shine, near the marketplace/classified section would be the “short take” road test article of a BMW 525 or similar car with barely a column and a half of write-up and a very abbreviated section of road test results that would include the car’s decibels level at 70mph. As long as I can remember BMW has never changed their “The Ultimate Driving Machine” advert slogan. I don’t know of any other automotive manufacturer to not do that.

[@Neighborly_Content]

Listen I enjoy a good spoiler. My ‘02 Civic EX Coupe had the OEM and I loved it despite its non-functionality. I even opted for the lip spoiler on my GLI. Guess I’m a xennial with F&F nostalgia. Mmmm the days of Pep Boys aisles full of APC gear, sure this intake fits “most” card with plenty of zip ties and Home Depot metal band straps. Gutter guard for your grille for only $50!

[@Maybe1Someday]

My dad bought one of these new ordered from the Spartanburg factory (that brown mica color with tan leather, same wheels as in video which are rarer) and got to do all that fun stuff. About a year later my mom wrecked her car so we drove from NC to Disney. My dad ended up racing some young people when we reached Florida on the highway and Ill probobly remember all this forever.

[@mcspikesky]

The EWS system in this has matching codes in the key, ECU and instrument cluster/OBC. They're a real B to get around without a different ECU to swap in or ripping into the underside of the dashboard.

[@socalmoto714]

Get the 4th gen with the 4.7 (05-09 for VVTi)! As long as the frames not rusted out, it’ll have plenty of power and go 300k+ easy.

[@tmo2798]

300K on the 4th engine. .. maybe.

[@kyewhite628]

@@tmo2798 4runners can easily get 2 times that mileage on the stock engine.

[@tmo2798]

@@kyewhite628 You're right. Easily. I thought he was referring to a newer BMW engine. Those 4.7s are good. Although I've read that v6s don't have perfect balance due to secondary forces, I think the Toyota v6 are the best bet. I had one go to Mexico and back from Washington State 140K on the odometer and 10K on the oil. The oil level was still the same after putting almost another 10K on it before it was changed. Toyota FTW. It the was 5VZFE 3.4 4 camshaft engine (2 heads; v6). Yeah, my bad. I thought there was a BMW that displaces 4.7 liters. ..

[@kyewhite628]

@@tmo2798 I can see how you thought that now. As a 4th gen 4runner owner I instantly knew what they were talking about haha. I have an 08 V6 but sadly its only 2WD.

[@ENKTDeeColon_and_randomnumbers]

I got a lot of seat time in a E39 5 Series Touring while being a student driver, can't remember if it was a 525 or not, but it was the more enjoyable choice over the Renaults and Volvo S/V70s the rest of my family tree was stuck with

[@seven_deadly_strings]

My favorite was when he said 520i when he clearly panned the camera to the rear badge that says 525i. Ah i love this channel 💙

[@CertifiedSunset]

I grew up with my mother driving a 90's 525i, I loved that car as a kid.

[@OpeoAslam]

Gonna be glad you had that wing for downforce! It’s all about the downforce.

[@gregorymurphy9980]

A handsome automobile. Coupled with some stylish eyewear and the right outfit it could possibly make up for a receding hairline.

[@jamesr620]

i had a automatic 03 525 black on tan with 200k on it. still the best car I've ever owned. comfortable, silent inside, smooth, efficient, and extremely well built.

[@Raviosaur11]

Got a 2003 530i as my first car for $500 with 200k miles and the wear and tear to match -- previous owners performed no maintenance on it. Everyone told me to scrap it but 5 years later and there's no other car I'd prefer to drive than it, not only did I learn how to work on cars by rebuilding it slowly but i've also learned what bmw TRULY is. The way this car glides, grumbles, and overall just how it *feels* is unlike anything I've driven to date. plus the aged leather smells ridiculously good, there's no need for air fresheners :)

[@brandonpratt5701]

Can I get the forester off you guys? I need parts for my imprezA 🤣🤣🤣

[@sagewolf8528]

Even manually powering the starter the engine won't run because the computer won't fire the spark plugs

[@sawyerpalmer9626]

Or the fuel pump or injectors

[@Bartonovich52]

This hasn’t worked since 1987 on most cars. Same with bomb starting.. unless it’s a dying battery with enough juice to run the fuel pump.

[@drewswanson2701]

The key thing started in 95' 5 series. There's a bypass cause the module that sends the signal can die and it disables the ecu fuel and ignition signal as well as the starter.

[@YouHaveReachedBob]

My dad had one of these, but automatic and without any sporty setup. Such a smooth ride. I kinda miss it.

[@KnightsWithoutATable]

They have coil on plug that is controlled by the ECM. It also controls the fuel pump, injector timing, valve timing (on this engine since it is variable), ignition advance, fuel/air ration. Basically, without that computer saying yes and working, that engine doesn't run. You are better off attacking the system another way that hotwiring since it would never work without an entirely new ECM.

[@stereoroid]

I only heard about Disturbed through “Land Of Confusion”. Which was less genuinely Metal than the Genesis original.

[@BenjaminInLosAngeles]

Earliest I’ve seen a review on this channel. Love E39s

[@MuteLunatic]

I had a 3 series manual with this engine from 2000. Great car good ergonomics, decent handling, nice ride. Most anything glued on or made of plastic fell off it and it smelled like crayons when it was really hot outside which in FL was basically always.

[@ItsSoDane]

Hahaha, "Damaged Goods." Totally agree.

[@brendendas]

I'd love to see the facelift Mercedes W211 diesels on regular cars.

[@turbointegra82]

I had this exact car but silver same flower sport wheels too. Absoulty loved it. Was my first nice car. I had it from 60k miles to 120k miles. Only had to put 120$ on repair parts other then normal wear.

[@dhcar]

This makes me miss my 540i6. Its great to see a 525i that's this well kept both inside and out! A couple notes about these cars - the keys could be re-coded at home and the clutch delay valve should be removed to improve shifting feel.

[@Izayuukan]

3rd-Gen 4Runner looks so much nicer than the 4th-Gen. I prefer square and firm over rounded and droopy.

[@ao4482]

Agreed, but 4th Gen can have the 2UZ which is awfully nice.

[@samwise1790]

if you've got 5 grand to burn you can throw a factory supercharger on the 6cyl, and if you've got 10 grand you can probably get someone to shoehorn a 2uz in. Or get the 4th gen and rip the bumpers off for angular armor, do body chops for bigger tires and get a little bit of that boxiness back.

[@MybeautifulandamazingPrincess]

The 4th gen looks way better and is safer

[@8-CylinderVelocity]

@@MybeautifulandamazingPrincess Nah bro, 3rd gen looks way better.

[@MybeautifulandamazingPrincess]

@@8-CylinderVelocity I respect ur opinion

[@thomasxl200]

Ah my first car (granted, it was a 530i with the auto). A fucking masterpiece, I still miss it. And the straight six E39s are still cheap enough to tempt me.

[@Crestinification]

I drive something different now, but every once in a while I'll still window shop and am always surprised how few there are for sale in good condition

[@valkator]

I swear his BMW reviews are among the funniest. Just sounds like he has such a good time with all of them.

[@assai74]

As a loving owner of a e61: This is the peak of an evolving history of an era. My deep respect goes to the owners keeping this legend up and running.

[@mark.esposito]

3rd Gen best Gen. Trust me, I'm a stranger on the internet.

[@frisiandude7115]

Still a great lookin car, if you removed the spoiler, that would help! :-D

[@busterscrugs]

I've got a 530i sport that I manual swapped myself. I pulled up to your RCR Austin TX meet with my friends in it. Love it to pieces. Was worried you were gonna rip the E39 a new one after seeing your E46 330ci video 😂

[@Breadfan00]

You’re the first person I’ve heard of who manual swapped their E39! How did it go?

[@anothermike4825]

Good luck Boys, hope y'all get that 4th gen.

[@OffMyGlass]

We just need to do a whole channel of Mr. Regular random off takes.

[@VeraTheTabbynx]

I think there is, in fact I'll be pretty surprised if there isn't an "RCR out of context" channel or at least series out there.

[@deyandimov9960]

Did you really just read the Forbes description for Chris Bangle’s E60 design and apply it to this?? Smh lol

[@STse-ks5jg]

One of the reasons why the later model 6cylinders are so "agile and light" is because they went to an aluminum engine and aluminium front end (and Rack and Pinion), with the manual; it makes it an amazing combo. I have it in my e39 525i Manual wagon.

[@Skillzpatchi]

One of my favorite e39 bmw especially when it's setup