HMC NEW Carlton CDX warning: CONTAINS VELOUR

[Kiltox]

40 minutes ago, HMC said:

Didn’t want to trespass but there’s an MG rover graveyard just off the a37 and about a million HHR models gathering moss in the background......

Is that the garage that’s still trying to shift “new old stock” (and “old old stock”) stuff for huge amounts of cash? 

[HMC]

^ that’s the one, asking 4K for a rover 25 (!)

[HMC]

BOOM! returned to collect my bike, it’s originally from Scotland I think, spent time in the south of France, and for the last 5 years has been degrading on a driveway. It’s plus mot but feels like it needs using. For instance the throttle pedal is sticky in its travel and jammed fully down earlier- on the hunt for some wd40 supplier as I type

[wuvvum]

Nice.  Manual or auto?

[HMC]

523i manual - do you still have the 530d?

 

As expected it’s not quick (my 528i didn’t feel it either) it rides a whole lot better, but I still haven’t relaxed yet, anticipating a meltdown of some sort. I have said 528i touring to thank for that.

[wuvvum]

Nope, the 530d is now with Flat4 / Big Al up in Volvoland.

Every E39 I've been in has felt slightly underwhelming performance-wise, even the 540i.  Never been in an M5 though having said that.

[HMC]

It’s been accessorised for pure speed 

Certainly the viscous fan is fast; it’s failed and locked on permenantly. Basically all around me people are looking up at the sky for low flying aircraft. 

[HMC]

Back home, overall I’m pleased d with the new acquisition. For a blind e bay purchase it’s not bad, any omissions from the description are fairly minor ones and it drives like a fairly well maintained but 192k e39 should; it’s a whole lot nicer than my old one which was nasty.

Would a locked viscous fan make the car hang onto revs a bit longer than normal? That’s my theory as they can pump a lot of air when needed. On this example that would appear to be all the time!

 

Stopped by Wells on the way back and visited the cathedral. Another old ruin that wearing its years well.

[Flat4]

10 hours ago, HMC said:

523i manual 

Jammy sod! Yours has less rust than mine too! I am still amazed these cars are so cheap. They drive much better than their years and seem to wear wel. I'd like to try a petrol one at some point but I'll have to wait until another LPG'd example appears coz I'm rather liking having a daily drive that does 45mpg atm

[Sausage5000]

That gearknob is OEM MSport, it's missing the plastic thing obviously.
Car looks great, I love those weird looking 5 series.

[cort16]

The 523i isn't fast but it actually moves when you put your foot down unlike the 520i.

[HMC]

Woke up today to some SLAMMED action. Either the air bags are leaking or a crack retrorides black ops unit have parachuted down overnight from their DC3.

[EssDeeWon]

WTF ^^  Do these do that? Air suspension?

[HMC]

It’s just the rear end, not very knowledgeable on it but essentially it seems a lot less messy than when w124/w210 estate SLS goes tits up with rotten pipework, dribbling fluid and subframe drops galore; I’m a veteran of all that.

 It seems even MB thought better of it and the successor to the 210 ended up with air struts rather than spheres and dissolving pipework.

Getting back to the BMW, any people with e39 touring experience had similar?

[spike60]

Been there etc. If it's a big leak the compressor stops after 8 minutes or so. Usual culprits are the air bags, I bought a £39 one from Ebay that went pop on the motorway in Holland 6 months later so paid £158 for a ECP one when we got back. The pipe work  to the bags is under the rear floor inside the car.

Snap! This is mine limping home from Eindhoven.

[cort16]

 As long as it goes back up when you start it and it doesn't take half an hour I'd not bother (until it pops or the pump burns out)

[HMC]

1 minute ago, cort16 said:

 As long as it goes back up when you start it and it doesn't take half an hour I'd not bother (until it pops or the pump burns out)

It goes up fairly speedily and stays up over a few hours; that was the result of sitting overnight. 

[wuvvum]

Yep. my 530D did the same, albeit not quite as drastically.  I think it's one of those TADTS things with higher mileage Tourers.

[spike60]

The bags are easy to change, only a couple of bolts and a shit plastic clip holding the air pipe on.  Needs jacking up, wheel and boot floor removing Mine was usable for ages then developed when I driving myself to hospital, That's when I fitted the cheap bag which bit me later.

[cort16]

I think if you're buying a cheap 5 series estate it's just of those thing you need to expect. Just pretend you're driving a german XM.

[spike60]

18 minutes ago, cort16 said:

 As long as it goes back up when you start it and it doesn't take half an hour I'd not bother (until it pops or the pump burns out)

It won't take half an hour, the compressor times out  after a few minutes.

[EssDeeWon]

I had a 523 saloon.   Never knew these estates/tourings had that rear set up going on.  Every day a school day I guess.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Needs moar 'HOONIGAN' stickers

[bramz7]

What happened to the E36?

[Luxxo Waftybarger]

Step dad's e61 did the same. Just be careful parking it on uneven ground or over a low kerb. A leak in the system will eventually kill the compressor. Cheaper to do the bags before it fails.

[davehedgehog31]

 

[HMC]

1 hour ago, bramz7 said:

What happened to the E36?

Part ex against the (now sold)golf gti 

[Flat4]

7 hours ago, HMC said:

Getting back to the BMW, any people with e39 touring experience had similar?

 

 Mine is the same but always rises again when you put the key in the door.

6 hours ago, EssDeeWon said:

I had a 523 saloon.   Never knew these estates/tourings had that rear set up going on.  Every day a school day I guess.

 

It's amazing. Looking forward to trying it out with my caravan on the back, as it's self-levelling.

 

5 hours ago, Luxxo Waftybarger said:

Cheaper to do the bags before it fails.

 

Will this fault always be leaking air bags? I may add this to list of running repairs but I'm kinda also of the philosophy if it ain't broke, then don't go messing with it in case you do break it....

[Luxxo Waftybarger]

4 hours ago, Flat4 said:

 

 Mine is the same but always rises again when you put the key in the door.

 

It's amazing. Looking forward to trying it out with my caravan on the back, as it's self-levelling.

 

 

Will this fault always be leaking air bags? I may add this to list of running repairs but I'm kinda also of the philosophy if it ain't broke, then don't go messing with it in case you do break it....

Could be all sorts of things in the air system including the bags

[HMC]

Well a bit of a blast on the way home seems to have worked wonders; maybe the lay up made the viscous fan rust on? It seems it’s freed itself off from cold now. I’ll chalk that down as fixed (probably?)