BMW E39 M5 - Restoring My Leaky 20 Year Old Sport Sedan (POV Binaural Audio)

My M5 is a great example of the E39 but due to its age it was suffering from some frustrating failures. Oil leaks reminded me every day that it was unhealthy. Driveline vibrations ruined the luxury experience. And I could not trust the cooling system to stay intact and do it’s job. Wile Motorsport took care of the upper oil pain leak, rear main seal leak, center support bearing, motor mounts, and fully replaced the cooling system to make this car run reliability.
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#RespectTheDrive #BMW #M5

[@TedwardDrives]

Are these cars worth saving? I hope you enjoy an in depth look inside the repairs to see what it takes to work on the M5. Drop a like to help expand the reach

[@Indskret]

Personally I really think they are

[@vito_413]

Short answer? Yes Long answer? Yeeeeeeeeeeesssss!!!

[@mustangman289hp]

I just did the same to an E46 325i solely because it is Oxford Green so I would say absolutely! Love this kind of content

[@danieleregoli812]

Certainly 👍👍👍

[@e36z32]

Yes! One of the greatest cars ever created and no idrive. For me BMW’s ended with the introduction of idrive.

[@pascutia]

As soon as I saw the white expansion tank, I smiled. When you open the hood on most of these, that tank is yellowed out big time. Glad to see she’s back!

[@TheJimmy3960]

Agreed. Mine is as yellow as the sun

[@miczap11]

My literal best friend was a tech at Wile. He just passed away a few months ago. Wish he could have been there to work on your car, the e39 M5 was one of his all time favorites.

[@TedwardDrives]

I knew Glen. I’m so sorry for your loss. He was really nice to me

[@Nnexxxx]

Hahaha great timing on this, I also managed to get my e90 leak free just yesterday!!! I also had some lights out causing some errors that got fixed too. Feels good hopping into a 15 year old car and not have a single warning or burning oil smell.

[@bkracoski3283]

Hey Tedward. I was daily driving m3 f80 with around 540-550whp, And while i was thinking that’s the best car ever, i bought a daily driver because i put 12k miles on the m3 in like 8 months. And guess what? I bought really cheap 530i e39 :). I always thought newer bmws are better and everything but man, i was soo wrong. Since i got the e39 i barely drive the m3 :). I replaced all of the cooling parts on mine too, and it has been dead reliable. I don’t know why i started liking and looking at older cars, i was considering even selling the m3 f80 and getting e46 m3, e39 m5, older cayman s or 911 carrera s. Now i can understand having older cars, having 3 pedals and just the feeling of hitting the longer and twistier road to go home :))

[@lemontreeg]

This is the same exact reason why I bought my 2008 E92 M3 (DCT). I love it over any F-series Bimmer.

[@oni5909]

i always loved how the e46 looked

[@DoctaM3]

Never get rid of this car. It is SUBLIME!

[@martinbladowski1312]

Love some E39 M5 content, Ted!

[@Stephen-re4oy]

Looking good, and now you’ve got a proper unicorn on your hands: a BMW that doesn’t leak!

[@TedwardDrives]

But for how long 😂

[@CaptWillard2]

I lost my 01 Anthracite, extended leather package M5 to hurricane Harvey. It had 94,000 miles on the odometer. I so miss that car.

[@EddieFly00]

So happy you’re putting all this love into an old BMW. No leaks! Incredible!

[@TedwardDrives]

More to come!

[@Motorsports_3]

It is a 70k plus car

[@MrShadowhunter998]

Can you give an estimate on the cost of this "preventative maintenance"? I'd really like to buy one of these and sort it out for good so I can drive it without worrying much.

[@gasgod7404]

If you dont have $5,000 cash money sitting on hand at all times to keep up with these cars… do not buy one

[@alexanderstevens145]

@@gasgod7404 it’s true it’s just how it is unless you fix yourself.

[@gasgod7404]

@@alexanderstevens145 yes and even then the parts are still very expensive and also have to buy special expensive tools depending on the job. Turbos are $3k+ waterpump is $700+. Not cheap to own and keep but definitely worth it

[@alexanderstevens145]

@@gasgod7404 I have 2 of the E53s and I just take them to the shop. The m54 3.0 is pretty good really still spent $4k last year but am happy with it. The 4.4 V8 one literally has something wrong with it at all times. Spent $6k on it last year it’s going in for more work this week vanos now. I don’t have workshop and specialty tools and only ever done work on older cars so I just pay my German private mechanic. I m not sure what else I would drive though I do love them

[@gasgod7404]

@@alexanderstevens145 the I6 bmw engines are really solid N/A. The V8 4.4 are their worst engine by far unfortunately like you mentioned constant problems and money pits same with some of their turbocharged cars.

[@rpm773]

0:58. The styling is just so perfectly understated. I never had the M5, but I had an E39/540 for a few years and still miss it.

[@maxmannonen8170]

Keep the e39 and e92 content coming love it!

[@yungboicontigo9278]

Leak free? That’s no way that’s a real BMW. Good thing you fixed your beautiful E39 Ted!

[@stevelimoncello3219]

Love seeing that bright white expansion tank!

[@tdm74]

is that Carbon-Black? It looks so good, and it's one of my favorite BMW's. I still think about Clive Owen and Madonna when I see one of these

[@TedwardDrives]

It is indeed Carbon Black! I didn't realize how beautiful the color was until it was corrected (thanks Craft Detailing). Those old BMW films were great marketing and very entertaining.

[@Legozahar1]

I'm getting ready to do some heavy maintenance on my 2002 E39 540i. Replacing EVERYTHING!!!!

[@russellboyd5262]

I have a torch red 1977 corvette,with 115000 miles on it.I put 15000 dollars of updates performance enhancements,,, I trully enjoy my car,I know i could of bought a used toyota camry,for the same money,i have in this car.But,i love this car,Life is to short to drive a boring car,or a car you do not love for sure.lol russell wayne boyd.

[@BmwMe-uh9sy]

Def not a smart financial idea to keep a car like this thats just gonna bend you over for the rest of your life even though you decideed to replace almost every single hose and rubber material the problem is its tooken a good chunk of your money and dumping it into a car is NEVER a good idea, unless you have money like bill gates, can never win with these cars unless you buy it with everything done for the right price which i doubt you did, but i guess you paid the bill so go ahead and keep driving it

[@vasantos-re4hb]

Oh God, when you said replace everything that's brittle - anyone who has ever worked on an E46 will tell you that's replacing 60% of your engine. It's all plastic and rubber. Probably the only thing you kept was the airbox and the engine cover. Hey, it's an M5...it will be worth it in the long run.

[@FVBmovies]

BMW leaving an oil stain is a sign of dominance.

[@s2klivin39]

Tedward what did this refresh of the e39 end up costing you?

[@F80mthree]

I salute you Tedward and your passion for older bmws. I wish I had the patience to sort one of these out. May have to sell my m240i or f80 m3 to find a low mile e39 m5. It just feels like the right move..😏

[@DonushAbtahi]

Honestly no better feeling than picking up your car from your trusted mechanic knowing and feeling that it is finally running as it should, let’s you enjoy these cars as they were meant to be and stress free! Thank you for giving these cars the TLC they deserve!

[@robertodimichele9681]

I also have a 2001 E39 M5 and I'm about to also do "preventative" maintenance. The timing of your video couldn't be better! Thank you ideas!

[@TedwardDrives]

That’s awesome! What are you planning for your car?

[@ElliWoelfin]

This car is so damn nice. It's basically the perfect car to me.

[@Fordguy1997]

Congrats man, she's beautiful. (I've been waiting for this one, more M5 content!)

[@TedwardDrives]

Thanks! Will do!

[@kylereyes2337]

“Sure, sex is cool, but have you ever driven a 20-something-year old BMW that doesn’t leak?” ‘nuff said

[@vksmaki2816]

Great video, started watching you because you drove your porsche at night. Will you do that again any time soon.

[@cl4589]

It's so good to know that this car is in the right hands! Such a beauty that would be wasted and even wreked otherwise... Great job man!

[@SaveTheManuals]

This was awesome and I am gleefully happy for you. I know that exact feeling you've captured here, ESPECIALLY towards a car you not only really love but it's also a driver's car. On top of that I too must admit, while not a BMW fanatic, this car had me 👀 at it for decades. Long story short, well done mate. 👍

[@RJW14]

oh man that cracked part. That's so sad really, I'd be like "are you serious" 😂 I remember being miffed when my new big brake rotor center caps didn't fit over my studs, but that was an easy fix. This however was just a dead part. E39 M5 will always remain the daddy of them all to me. The E34 is special too with that bigass straight 6 but the E39 is just like the E46, on that turning point of the century when old met new-ish. And it has that v8.

[@robertmontgomery7158]

Have you done the rod bearings?

[@BreakStuffClub]

I have a 2000 M5 with 164k miles, it's been pretty good to me, did the cooking system refresh a few months ago and now I have a failing abs module but I'm putting a rebuilt one in. Sometimes when a new issue pops up it's frustrating but in the end it's always worth fixing. I love this car, I've wanted one since I was a kid. Can't take it anywhere without getting compliments on it.

[@BreakStuffClub]

cooling system*

[@TedwardDrives]

If it fails it could be hot enough to become a cooking system

[@AnitaHannjob]

So you want to compare oil leaks??? I own an F02 750li with the infamous N63. Its a monster with a less than 5sec 0-60. Being the base for a RR Ghost, shht aint cheap! 1qt every gas fill up! Oil pan, valve covers, alternator gasket, valve covers, rear main seal, etc. Definitely worth the $ maintenance!

[@Steenos]

I finally got my classic gentleman's car. 2001 911 turbo 6spd. The e39 m5 has always been a favorite of mine ever since the Clive Owen videos driving Madonna.

[@borisp9499]

I love the E39M5 and glad to see you enjoying it. As a a DIY enthusiast and e39m5 owner, I am sorry to disappoint you but unfortunately I don't think you replaced the " entire " cooling system as you claim. You have a new radiator and the 3 hoses behind it. There are also 3 heater core hoses and 2 small rubber hoses under the intake manifold. Those are still original and these 2 small hoses (part # 11531406737) live in a very hot place. Think about that for a second. I also like going to the track and unfortunately have seen multiple cars blow a coolant hose on the track. The owners frequently forget that there are more hoses than just the ones that attach to the radiator, and their car reminds that of that. So in summary, there are a total of 8 rubber coolant hoses in an E39m5 and you replaced 3. How reliable is that to take to Pittsburgh in the middle of the night? Also, you heater control valve is plastic and is located right next to the exhaust manifold. What do you think is its lifespan? It is an expensive part, but if we are talking about reliability, do you really want to find out how long this part lasts during your midnight trip to Pittsburg? Lastly, on the rear main oil seal leak. A lot of people calling themselves experts in these cars don't seem to be aware of the oil pressure regulator ( part # 11427500565). It sits right above the rear main seal, has a rubber o ring (that is now 20 years old) and has pressurized oil behind it. Any leak from this o ring will appear like a rear main seal leak. That is a reason why people have their rear main replaced multiple times and it still leaks - because it wasn't the rear main in the first place!! If you are already replacing the rear main seal, it is silly to not replace the o ring around the oil pressure regulator. If you still have drips from your rear main in a few weeks, you know what you need to replace next. By the way, while you are at it, replace the two brake hoses under the hood. I suggest combining that job with a valve cover replacement because it makes it much easier, but can be done with the valve cover in place. Those 2 brake hoses generally don't give you any warning until your brake pedal goes to the floor. Lastly, if you install a big brake kit, you will have a longer brake pedal travel. If you want firmer brakes, keep your current calipers but install an E65 master cylinder on your car. There is a well known mod for that, just search for it. This will firm up your brake pedal because this master cylinder has a bigger bore.

[@shootahhhh]

Great summary of a refresh on a classic. I was letting wanting more content as it brought back great memories. I just sold my 2001 CB M5 after driving it for 13 years. New owner is going through some of the similar updates (although mine didn’t leak) and it looks good as new.

[@Markjw25]

I did a full brake system overhaul on my 2003 M5. Can't stress enough that you get those "mid-line" hoses behind the ABS module replaced soon as you can with stainless steel braided hoses if you haven't already. You don't want the original rubber lines to burst spraying brake fluid on a hot exhaust manifold because it'll set the engine on fire. I also did a full cooling system overhaul including the rear hoses at the back of the engine that connect to the heater core. Boy are those radiator hoses spendy. And speaking of hoses. The power steering line you replaced WILL leak again. They always do lol.

[@fhowland]

Crazy how finicky these old bmws are! All I could think of was how much the must’ve cost..

[@pandasracing6984]

All this maintenance may be painful but it's the price you pay for a sorted E39 M5. Will be worth it in a long run.

[@chrischow7398]

Conti DWS sport plus are game changers! Good riddance of my OEM tires

[@tonyf2297]

Hey Tedward! Would you be interested in reviewing my car? I’m local to MA!

[@Polyrhythm88]

So glad to hear that. Been restored my 99 chevy blazer, a lot of sensors been replaced, bushings, next will be the shock i believe.

[@jose7777777777777777]

You should go for the iDrive retrofit. I’m about to do it on mine next week. Really stoked to get it back on daily duties

[@robertmontgomery7158]

Link for idrive retrofit?

[@AbcAbc-ox6pg]

Can you tell me the part no. of the copper rings and banjo bolt in the steering pump that holds the power steering hose coming from the reservoir? I want to replace my steering hoses and can't find the bolt and copper rings part no. in Bmw parts catalog. Seems these parts aren't available any longer?

[@sleep399]

another tedward banger! I have been working on my E34 with my dad recently and trying to refresh everything similar to how you did, lets hope we get it all worked out! Great video as always

[@chrisbarnhart4178]

highly recommend video taping this with your dad. the memories will be priceless later on. id do just about anything to have that with my dad. enjoy it friend :)

[@sleep399]

@@chrisbarnhart4178 much love, thank you 😊

[@jaeheich2240]

I could tell how much you love this car throughout the entire video! Thanks for sharing your enthusiasm :)))

[@rokmulec498]

You've got an amazing car, man. So nice to see you're making sure you're taking care of it. Thanks for your video.

[@vosedon]

thats a great feeling finishing needed maintenance. Just accept the fact that everything will need attention or replacement. Good job!

[@jehl1963]

Congratulations and enjoy the drive in your M5!

[@TedwardDrives]

Thank You!

[@Affalterbach1967]

3:40 is funny after so many Cannonball podcasts.

[@sviestainis]

so much love for the classic, beautuful german. love your videos. cheers!

[@akdomun]

The most perfect sports sedan. Mind telling us how much all this would have cost?

[@smamas114]

I know what you mean ,i want to check my car and change everything that's bad or going bad (Y)

[@DrowzyPill]

more m5 videos :D

[@RunnJake]

a BMW I'd consider buying? very small maybe

[@RoyalTx1]

Wile Motorsport is amazing 👏

[@yuyam0501]

good

[@timothydugan5922]

I envy you ted daddy😔

[@thrty8street]

Keep the vids coming! Your car is my car’s twin!

[@dillanmistry]

Yes these m5s are beautiful and only going one way that’s up

[@matt_l.u]

the keychain noise was distracting me from the quiet engine.

[@nismo2020]

This sounds EXPENSIVE. But worth it.

[@roddydykes7053]

And for the price of a used BMW you got to drive a used BMW!

[@oni5909]

does anyone have any recommendations on the e46 upgrades?

[@alf279]

I feel the vibe man. Same happened to my E36 convertible. Was a shitbox for years, always introducing new problems, new weird noises as soon as the previous ones were sorted. Of course mine had a tougher life than this E39 and stood at 320k kilometres on the clock when I pulled the trigger and decided to replace EVERYTHING. By that time I was also prepared to sell it, don't matter how much you love a car, if it always gives you trouble you'll just be fed up at one point. Few people came to look at it, I also made a complete list of the stuff to fix, most of them took a walk, others offered ridiculous prices. So I decided fuck that, this car is worth more to me. Rebuilt LSD. New cooling system with every part replaced to OEM or Mishimoto. Replaced centre driveshaft bearing as well. New, bigger brakes. New clutch and single mass flywheel conversion. Suspension parts, bushings all had to go as well. Oil leaks all sorted. Rust, paint, interior imperfections dealt with. Unfortunately there was oil consumption as well, even that was sorted. New softtop even. Cost me more than what the car would be worth even today I think. But the experience was absolutely wonderful. As you said, the fact that I can go for a nice long drive in a way better driving car than before, and without the constant worries about when it's going to leave me on the side of the road again. Still miss that car. Made the mistake of selling it for another car I never got to love as much as that old E36.

[@Doty6String]

This is the story of all old bimmers. Death by 1 milllion cuts

[@DOMS4.]

I love my German V8. @Tedward Is it as fun without all the impending, let's call them... "surprises?" Lool.

[@noranekonekomatagi3261]

BMWs don't leak oil. It's called preventive anti-rusting, the more you drive, the more it applies oil onto your power train. German engineering at its finest!

[@TedwardDrives]

Ah yes! I have justified it with this logic in the past 😂

[@747Jumbo1]

I have a 2002 325CI 5MT (slow, I know) that just turned 200k miles this week. I will never get rid of it, lol. Early 2000s BMWs have a special charm to them that new cars cannot match. Great video, as always!

[@oni5909]

how much did you pay for everything?

[@louie1086]

Awesome video! I love your channel man!

[@typer1518]

Could you share about how much everything cost you? My car fortunately has had it's coolant stuff replaced, by PO and is documented. But I do have a rear main seal leak, and will want to do rod bearings and timing chain guides as preventative maintenance at a shop. I typically do everything myself, but these jobs seem like a pain without a lift. I'm interested in the labor cost ~. Also how many miles does your M5 have?

[@ravbarring]

We have the exact same spec car. Same issues. Want to sell, but don’t want to sell…. What was the capital required to get yours in peace of mind condition?

[@Dbird613]

Its not a hard car to DIY if you have time and patient

[@seankaine2411]

Wile is the BMW god shop. I drove from long island Ny to bring my 04 zhp to them I wouldn't take my BMW's anywhere else after that. Like seriously they are the best in the USA.

[@c.george7451]

I own a very nice 2003 5 spd E39 M package although it's a 530. Still this is a beautiful fun car to drive. I too went through the entire cooling system and added larger anti roll bars. What a difference that made. You mentioned the shift bushings....mine may need replacement. Great job with yours!

[@vambat3523]

do drag race, e39 m5 vs e60 m5 like v8 vs v10

[@ajsgarage5882]

All of the goodsssss!!!! E39 FTW baby. Is it bad I enjoy watching ur 39 videos vs e92 one’s? Lol sweet tedward!

[@thebigboybossy4232]

Same age as me, it would be cool to own one of these big boys one day

[@the_meiriou8437]

i was expecting a 3.0 i6 but when i saw the v8 😫

[@yes8032]

The real M5!

[@SlowZz34]

Probably the best sounding BMW V8. E9X M3 being in the second place.

[@joshmindek4840]

I had the Conti Extreme Sports on my E90 when I did tail of the dragon. They performed flawlessly. Great tires. M5 sounds great!

[@plata6208]

The E39 is such classy legend glad that you kept it and gave it a major refresh. We gotta keep enjoying those cars while we still can.

[@slater1629]

I AM DROOLING

[@talloldfermot6293]

Recently did the Koni adjustable yellow/Dinan springs setup on my 03 and feels a world of a difference. Would highly recommend it.

[@02wrxfan20]

I just about puked when I saw a front plate on that M5……WTF MAN

[@TedwardDrives]

This a joke? It’s mounted to the tow hook so there’s no drill holes in the bumper.

[@chrisbarnhart4178]

tedward that is literally a physically relieving feeling. i recently went through this with my e46 zhp earlier in the year after dropping 5k-10k on it. almost there with my first manual , 94 325iC e36. the stereotypes can make me pretty angry at times but im learning to not let it phase me. love the m5 content and these style videos. keep it up bruhtha

[@MaxCaissie]

if you don't wanna be part of the stereotype then take time to learn everything you can about the car and work on it yourself, you'll save 75% of the money you would spend

[@chrisbarnhart4178]

@@MaxCaissie I was referring to the stereotype that all bmws are unreliable and expensive. I own 4 and have rebuilt them

[@DouweBuruma]

I owned e39’s for about 10 years now, currently I daily drive a 2002 530i automatic, love that car. Chance the front suspension top bearings, it makes a huge difference in comfort, of course you’re planning to do the entire suspension, it’s on my list too.

[@afa6361]

Old BMWs are so bad ass. Thick and heavy doors, very mechanical, timeless design and with a nice engine noise. Too bad their reliability isn’t good.

[@RyanRoadReaper]

I'm close the point of having to do a full cooling system rebuild in my 2002 Lincoln LS V8, and I am *not* looking forwards to it.

[@NOrlando952]

Such an attractive car.

[@dr.heidenreich3953]

Lovely video Tedward😊

[@roletnabih]

Stunning.

[@TedwardDrives]

Thank you!

[@RAZGR1Z]

There has been a real problem with "new" parts coming in broken for the last year and a half. Pretty sure the manufacturers switched to cheaper materials. Earlier this year we had three, THREE dead engines delivered in a row.

[@y4nnickschmitt]

When a metal impeller is considered the best thing on the cooling system, you know what brand is in question...😂 Btw I know that feeling when something that has been wrong for years is finally right😍

[@saucyp123]

It's almost therapeutic to see all the love & care the M5 got. Love to see how happy you are with it - you can finally enjoy it with no strings attached! It resonated with me when you said you didn't want to sell the M5, but you just wanted a good one. This is what I had to grapple with when I sold my red NA Miata and bought a nicer blue one. The decision was keeping me up at night, it was unreal. Happy for you, man!!!

[@coreykononchuk]

Looks great Thomas!! Goodness I can't wait to get paint correction done on my (also very dark blue) S8... and sort a couple small oil leaks.

[@RazrRazer]

Amazing car! I owned bmw 5 series e60 a 14 years old still running good