BMW 530dAT M-sport Individual

Making my daily driver fit like a glove.

After serious long-time search from Finland, Germany, Estonia, Sweden, and some other European countries, I found the 530dAT I was pleased with. During the search I made 4 trips to Germany and always came back empty handed (well, one trip with VW Passat to get my T-Ray transmission home). This was for sale at www.e39-forum.de. At 5th trip I checked the car and made another one again to take it home.

First owner was BMW headquarters/director at München on year 2001. Next one kept the car until year 2004 spring. Third one bought it only 48500 km on odometer (here's a website from year 2004 with a showcase of this car http://mein.auto-treff.com/14900-1.bmw ) and I finally found it 5/2006 with 81500 on tacho. Even with good documentation, I eased my mind by visiting the dealer that had done services on this car. I had them to make the next inspection-II with daylight driving light mod while I returned home.

First test run was driving it home in June 2006. It made ~3000 km more in odometer without problems. After getting to Finland I had the first modifications done to it. Board computer texts were missing some pixels and it was repaired. At the same time M-rings and M5-gauge pointers were added. Also the TV-free was added on front screen.

Since the option list is not impressive enough;) I must make some "tuning" afterwards.

I want:

massage seats (DONE)
double glazing (DONE).
GSM-control to original Webasto-auxiliary heater (DONE)
remove EGR and make new tubing to replace it (cleaning intake manifold the same time) (DONE)
speech control (DONE)
M6 light 19" wheels (DONE)
bi-xenon headlights (DONE)
battery charger with Defa-miniplug (Ctek 7A-charger) (DONE)
two keys programmed as different users (key/car-memory) (DONE)
front screen info duplicated to rear screen "navi-channel" (DONE)
Better speakers (bought), DSP and decent subwoofer (sub and front speakers DONE)
MK IV navi (DONE)
digital TV receiver (DONE)
new map to motor electronic + dyno run (Didn't get the 300 hp I aimed.. Now back to 230-240 hp level with no visible black smoke)
reverse camera (DONE)
BM54 radio (DONE)
upper part of the dash in black leather (DONE)
steering wheel from late model (DONE)

Here is the option listed (auf deutsch). (ja täällä suomeksi):

0210A Dynamische Stab. Control (DSC)
0216A Servotronic
0202A Steptronic
0227A Sportfahrwerk mit Niveauregulierung
0235A Anhängerkupplung, Kopf abnehmbar
0249A Multifunktion für Lenkrad
0302A Alarmanlage
0308A LM Räder/Kreuzspeiche 42 (now Style 167 and Style 49)
0316A Automatische Heckklappenbetätigung
0320A Modellschriftzug Entfall
0337A M – Sportpaket
0358A Klimakomfort -Frontscheibe
0386A Dachreling
0403A Glasdach, Elektrisch
0417A Sonnenschutzrollo hintere Türsch
0423A Füsmatten in Velours
0428A Warndreieck
0434A Inteieurleisten
0456A Komfortsitze elektrisch verstellbar
0459A Sitzverst. Elektr. Fahrer/Beifahrer Memory mit Beifahrer
0464A Skisack
0473A Armauflage vorn
0488A Lordosenstütze Fahrer / Beifahrer
0494A Sitzheizung für Fahrer / Beifahrer
0500A Scheinw.waschanlage / Intensivreinigung
0508A Park Distance Control (PDC)
0520A Nebelscheinwerfer
0522A Xenon – Licht
0534A Klimaautomatik
0548A Kilometertacho
0555A Bordcomputer (Splitscreen)
0602A Bormonitor mit TV (Splitscreen) + digital receiver
0609A Navigationssystem Professional (Splitscreen) DVD + birdview + speed cameras
0612A BMW Assist
0632A Komplettvorb. BMW Handy (Motorola)
0672A CD Wechsler 6-fach
0676A HiFi Lautsprechersystem
0710A M Lederlenkrad mit Lederbesatz in Sitzfarbe
0715A M Aerodynamikpaket
0760A Individual Hochglanz Shadowline
0775A Individual Dachhimmel Anthrazit
0778A 4x Einstiegsleisten „BMW Individual"
0785A Weisse Blinkleuchten
0801A Deutschland Ausführung
0851A Sprachversion Deutsch
0944A Nachträgl. Umbau durch ZS
0970A Businesspaket
0980A Exlusivpaket

-org. Rückspiegel autom. abblendend mit integriertem Kompass

-Sonderwunsch Ausstattung DVD TFT in Kopfst. Hinten (Alpine) incl. DVD Player im Koffraum (Alpine)

Not original, added after taking the car from dealer but made before my ownership:

M5-Spiegel in Wagenfarbe / Shadowline Hochglanz MP3 fähig-CD Wechsler (Sony)

Repairs/ modifications I made to the car:

-Changed front brake pads and modified cover plate not to trap rocks inside it anymore (in 85500 km) (pic) (pic)

-Added speech control 7/2006 (pic)

-Strenghtened front bumber inside on lower right because of early crack in surface (hit from a curb underside) (pic)

-Welded exhaust pipe hanger back together at 85500 km on tacho (pic)

-Reconnected Nokia-subwoofer wires. Now I understand why those were cut and extra sub added by previous owner. This woofer isn't very impressive.. (pic)

-Inserted front mud flaps 7/2006. (pic)

-Replaced front door inner rubber seals at 86 700 km.

-Rolled rear fenders to accept M6 wheels at 91 000 km. (pic) (pic)

-Installed "Defa miniplug" with 7 A Ctek battery charger (pic)

-At 94 KKm removed EGR and made new tubing to meet pressure gauge. Washed intake manifold inside and tightened "valve plates" to shafts. (pic) (pic) (pic)

-Installed active seats at 9/2006 (pic) (pic) (pic) (pic) (pic) (pic)

-Cleaned fluid container and changed ATF to hydraulic trunk lid.

-Installed GSM-modem to control/monitor auxiliary heater, temperature and voltage at 10/2006.

-Blocked exhaust gas recirculation cooling system (96 000 km). Now heat builds up like it should.

-Front right side fog light cover had a crack. Replaced it at 97 000 km.

-Installed bi-xenon lenses and wired those with relay. (98 600 km) (pic)

-Modified GSM-relay battery feed with capasitors to get "minimum voltage alarms" usefull.

-Splitted navi-computer rgb-signals at videomodule to a splitter and then new signals to headrest monitors. (101 800 km) (pic) (pic) (pic)

-Installed insulated windows (double glazing) at 102 900 km (pic) (pic) (pic) (pic) (pic) (pic) (pic)

-Replaced front midbass and tweeter with SPL Dynamics units at 102 900 km (pic) (pic)

-Disassembled selfleveling suspension compressor components due to failures in cold temperatures. Seems like the system has some condensed water inside and does not work all the time because of that water freezing. Also the hydraulic trunk lid does not operate when cold. I replaced battery with Exide X-Treme 100 Ah. (pic) (pic)

-I was not pleased with SPL Dynamics midbass in small enclosure, so I put original woofer there again. I put Peerless Resolution 10 subwoofer in appr. 15 litre enclosure in rear and a JBL GTQ200 amp to drive it. (pic)

-Repaired one bad contact in rear light due to dim light. (pic) (pic)

-Repaired damages in one summer wheel. There was signs of touching the curb with it. (pic) (pic)

-Replaced MKIII navi unit with MKIV-model. Now I have birdview and traffic cameras (+ more accurate map on my area). (pic)

-Replaced front sway bar swing supports and lower aluminium wishbones (108 000 km). After that a 3D check and adjustment was made and I put M6 wheels back on on with new rear tires.

-New 3D-measurement of caster, camber and toe. After this second adjustment (made by me this time) it feels better on bad roads.

-Replaced 1 broken wire and 2 almost broken ones from tailgate hinge area. 3rd brake light didn't work and I had to study this area carefully. I also made room for reverse camera in tailgate structure. (pic)

-Repaired broken flexible joints in exhaust and replaced stock turbo with a GT2260V (from X5). I made exhaust gas pressure measuring point to where used to be tube for EGR. (pic) (pic) (pic) (pic) (pic) (pic)

-Replaced stock injectors with units from -05 535d. I also removed small valves from short intake ports completely just to make sure they won't come loose and drop into engine. (pic) (pic)

-At 117 000 km I made new stainless steel exhaust (3" with 2*2,25" tips) and replaced stock exhaust manifold with one from E60 530d. (pic) (pic) (pic) (pic) (pic) (pic) (pic) (pic) (pic) (pic) (pic) (pic) (pic) (pic) (pic)

-Changed fluid to automatic transmission and made a oil analysis. Surprisingly the oil needed to be changed, so much for "fill for a lifetime"...

-Mounted digital TV-receiver at 8/2007. (pic)

-Replaced all brake discs and pads with new ones at 122 000 km.. (pic)

-Replaced valve springs with new ones and put a 1 mm thick plate under them. Now the valve pressure against valve seat is 7 % higher (~3 Kg). This attempt was for getting rid of too high exhaust pressure building at full throttle. I also cleaned the intercooler inside and outside at the same time. (pic) (pic) (pic)

-Modified air routing after intercooler. (pic) (pic) (pic)

-Modified new GT2260V turbocharger and assembled the car with it at 126 600 km. (pic) (pic) (pic)

-Mounted 5 W led angel eye bulbs.

-Replaced front wheel bearing at 127 000 km. Also replaced lower aluminium wishbones again (original pats this time..) (pic)

-Inspection 1 in 129 450 km.

-Disassembled selfleveling pneumatic system because of water freezing inside and causing problems. Let's see how it works after drying the silica gel in owen overnight. (pic) (pic) (pic) (pic)

-Disassembled passenger side headlight again because of broken plastic parts inside. I made new ones with some effort.. (pic)

-Bought new wheels replacing previous which were bent by bumps on the road. (pic)

-Finished rear view camera installation with wiring. It's a night vision model with IR leds. I can also use it while driving forward via switch center. (pic) (pic) (pic)

-Gathered all assembly instructions and lists from underneath rear seat. Now those are smoothened and filed.. (pic)

-132 000 km. Replaced lower window trims in rear doors. Those have had damages in my previous projects.

-133 500 km. Trimmed driver seat cover plastic in the bottom to stop making noises when seat is adjusted on lower position. I made also a camera figure on button which I use for rear view camera to go on while driving forward. (pic)

-137 500 km. Welded one more flexible part to exhaust to reduce low noises (didn't work). Also modified the tail tips to "Audi-style".. (pic)

-Finally the winter is over.. I had to modify M6 wheel center holes to accept E39 hub. (pic)

-Installed my 535d injectors to another car for more useful purposes.. Now this feels sooo lazy..

-New map to DDE to match stock injectors and "semi-stock" exhaust with cats in place.

-New front tires at 142 000 km. I placed a order for huge amount of suspension parts. Those which have already worn out and some which will wear out some day..

-At 142 500 I removed rear wiper arm shaft, which was stuck. I cleaned it, put a new O-ring and new grease in to it and now it's working again.

-A lot of crawling underneath the car at 144 300 km. Nothing was broken but all parts were worn. I replaced all shocks, air springs, subframe bushings, longitudinal bar bushes in front, shock bearings and shock's protection parts. The same time I replaced BM24 with BM54 radio unit. (pic) (pic) (pic) (pic)

-At 150 500 I had to do some routine maintenance: Oil, filters, front brake pads, brake fluid etc.

-At 150 800 I changed original foam filter in crankcase breather to new "separator"-model

-152 500 adjusted brightness and contrast in front lcd display. Still darker than before, don't know why. (pic)

-Appr. 155 400 I changed rear sway bar end rods.

-At 155 800 new windshield. "Klimakomfort" this time (heat and UV-light degreasing layer inside).

-156 500 New gas struts to trunk lid. I should have done this years ago.. Both springs were broken. Now hydraulic opening works again! (pic) (pic)

-161 200 Worked with level control valves, right side leaks slowly and I replaced original valve seal rubber with self-made ones. (pic) (pic)

-165 000 km. I replaced steering wheel and top part of dashboard with ones upholstered with black and 'walnüss' leather. While the dash was off, I also replaced cabin blower with new one and relocated navigation antenna to left side mirror (there appeared a problem with antenna signal after I replaced windshield with 'klimakomfort'-model). (pic)(pic)(pic) (pic)

-169 300 km. Both engine mounts were shot. I replaced those with new OEM parts. (pic) (pic) (pic)

-173 000 km. Fan viscous coupling got stuck. I replaced it and enjoyed some silence.

-178 500 km. A/C belt tensioner pulley needed to be changed.

-184 500 km. Fuel supply pump stopped pumping. I was waiting for that..

-197 500 km. Replaced serpentine belt, tensioner pulleys, water pump and thermostat.

-213 000 km. Problems with level control again. One wire was corroded and open between level sensor and connector. Easy fix after some serious search.

-225 000 km. First time this leaves me on roadside: Transmission torque converter lockup clutch failed and destroyed transmission.

-230 000 km. Second time on the roadside: Fuel return line broke

-231 000 km. Front brake piston got stuck, I replaced caliper, brake pads and discs. Turbocharger bolts were loose and gasket gone.. Fixed that too.

-232 000 km. Rear brake pads..

-238 000 km. Front struts/springs/bearings

-239 500 km. Front longitudinal support bars

-252 000 km. Front brake caliper and all brake discs with e-brake shoes

-256 000 km. Rear suspension lower ball joints with integral links had to be changed. I also replaced headlight plastic parts with aftermarket ones since there wasn't oem replacement available.

-260 000 km. Front brake discs again. This time also left wheel hub was changed

-264 000 km. Transmission problems (again). This time I found two loose bolts from mechatronics. After bolting those back, replacing the transmission oil filter and filling new oil, it works again

-265 000 km. Hood release cable and alternator was changed

Here's some pictures of the car. Unfortunately I'm not very good photographer when it comes playing with contrasts and colours. You will get better pictures of the interior some day. Best pictures of the car exterior are not taken by me..