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I found a unicorn...

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2.2K views 18 replies 11 participants last post by  redram  
#1 · (Edited)
A 2001 530i, Auto, 64k miles, 2 owners, garaged, both keys, nearly flawless black interior. The 1st owner put 43k on it between 2001 and 2009. The second owner was a pilot who put another 21k on the last 16 yrs. I bought it from his estate.

Well maintained, rebuilt title from a sideswipe in 2008. I drove it home about 120 miles over a mountain pass, alpine blissendrivin! I'm hoping to wake up tomorrow and it wasn't a dream.

It has a few punch list things. Mirror adj switch doesn't work, piece of trim molding above the driver and pass door missing, radio display needs to be rebuilt or replaced, a little valve cover leak smell coming over the pass, ... Still trying to figure out the locking system. It has the M sport 3-spoke wheel; no other indication it's an m-sport but I haven't run the vin yet. For the price and condition it doesn't matter, it's not for sale. lol

I've been looking for over a year. It isn't the early 528i manual was looking for but it's just too good to pass up - and it can be converted to a manual.
 

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#2 ·
A 2001 530i, Auto, 64k miles, 2 owners, garaged, both keys, nearly flawless black interior. The 1st owner put 43k on it between 2001 and 2009. The second owner was a pilot who put another 21k on the last 16 yrs. Well maintained, rebuilt title from a sideswipe in 2008 that required a repaint. I bought it from his estate. I drove it home about 120 miles over a mountain pass, alpine blissendrivin! I'm hoping to wake up tomorrow and it wasn't a dream.

It has a few punch list things. Mirror adj switch doesn't work, piece of trim molding above the driver and pass door missing, radio display needs to be rebuilt or replaced, a little valve cover leak smell coming over the pass, ... Still trying to figure out the locking system. It has the M sport 3-spoke wheel but no other indication it's an m-sport but I haven't run the vin yet.

I've been looking for a year. It isn't the early 528i I was looking for but too good to pass up.
Welcome.

Very nice E39.

With the instrument picture you posted the OAT sensor is disconnected, broken or knocked off. LF pork chop area.

The radio display is probably the "missing pixel" issue. That's an internal ribbon cable that is bonded to the circuit board and the glass display. There are several vendors out there that can do that, no problem. Going price is somewhere around $150 +/-.

mdecoder.com is a very good place to run your VIN.

Create a new post for your locking system concern(s), if you will.
 
#3 · (Edited)
Thanks for your help. I've been around the board for a while but not on this forum, my first E39. Mostly E36 convertibles up to now and some chiming in on some tech questions here and there. The E36's have gotten too low for me now so I've been watching this one while I was looking for one.

Thanks for the OAT heads up, I'll figure out what that is. lol. I'll make sure it isn't operator error or dead batteries first on the locks.

Edit. Just checked the OAT sensor, thanks. Looks like it might be a reset issue. The alternator was replaced recently. ?
 
#4 ·
Mmmmmm, doubtful on the OAT being a reset. -40 degrees is a disconnected one or a damaged sensor. Outside Air Temperature sensor is what I meant. This should be the item but needs to be checked to see if it fits your car for sure. It's mounted from under the left headlamp area in that air ducting. It's mounted in/around where items 7 and 14 meet up. You should be able to see it from under the car fairly easily.



Air duct



You didn't state what your issue is with the door locks but if it's something like the fob doesn't work the lock/unlock function, that could be battery and/or synching the fob(s) with the car.

There's a decent amount of info out there on the sync. And, there's confusing stuff too, called "programming" that is really just the sync process.

Once you get a better handle on what it's doing and not doing, feel free to post. Also, if you do post, shoot a picture of the black plastic part of your key. I think you should have what's called the diamond key.

BTW, do you have INPA?
 
#6 ·
as redram stated, youre showing the typical OAT sensor open circuit reading with the -40 . a shorted sensor (or its wiring) would read +120. its directly wired to the cluster. if the connection for it is damaged, it can be spliced in if needed to the chassis wiring, polarity is of no concern.
 
#18 ·
Super !ow miler, looks great. Whats the color..? I had a 98 titanium 528 msport auto for five years. Sold it and kicked myself. Have now had an 02 530 auto in slate green for about a year and a half.. Has 137k on it.. The hp increase from 2.8 to 3.0 is nice. 225 hp and nice torque. The zf five speed auto works well also.. I wasn't using my key enough and let it die by mistake. Paid $240 from BMW for a new one.. Oat Faults are common on many BMW's. Mine have usually just been improperly placed temp sensors or swapping out the probe from a junkyard piece. Good luck with the new gem you've found, they are the last of the best 5ers... My beauty
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