My e39 is a 1997 model and it has started rusting in certain places. I have seen loads of older e39 cars that look in better condtion than mine.

There is rust starting (bubbling the paintwork) on the brow of the bonnet where the headlights are and on the back tailgate were the top of the rear bumper buts up to the boot lock catch.

Just woundered if my car has not been looked after properly by its previous owners and who else (or admits) has rust on the 5. Cheers

My money is on a bad repair. Only ever seen one rust after bad painting...

Mick

there does not seam to be any evidence of any crap repair work. As far as i know on checking when i bought it it had not been in any accidents either.

The rust is coming from to bolt holes just under the bottom ocking catch, so its not to do with spray jobs that might have been done i dont think. When it was new it lived up North near the coast...would this expalin anything?

Exharper wrote: The rust is coming from to bolt holes just under the bottom ocking catch, so its not to do with spray jobs that might have been done i dont think. When it was new it lived up North near the coast...would this expalin anything?

I have the tiniest bit of rust on the L/H side wheel arch on my E39 where the previous owner had mud flaps fitted but nowhere else.(you will have me looking now!)

I removed them along with lots of dried mud and leaves!

I personally haven't seen any rusty E39's.(yet)

Maybe the salty air is to blame?

I supposed it "Technically" classed as rust yet as the paint has not peeled off. Currently it is just under the paint and is bubbling the paint. its spreading really quick though.

But is all it takes is a quick once over with with a pressure washer, when the car has been to bmw for a service and it will get blown off!!!!somebody else out there must be part of the rusty e39 brigade.....

Mine has one spot of rust between the top of the bumper and the panel under the boot strike plate is.

The only reason it is rusting there is because it is a water trap.  A small chip or scratch lying in a water trap will rust.

I have seen a chipped (from stones that is and not chav go faster chipped) E39 which looked really scruffy as it was starting to rust on all the panels below the black plastic door trim.  It was same age as mine a 98 on a 'S' plate.

Andrew

kbannon wrote: Mine is bubbling a bit inside the petrol flap area - again another water trap. Dunno why a drain was never included in the design!

Thats a really annoying bit when washing the car as well, especially on a deisel. If they made the car too good nobody would buy a new one would they?

i'd think if it's bubbling under the paint then it's been painted in they area's (after market) usualy these signs mean trapped air within any filler that has been used to repair damage, can you squeeze the bubbles? if so and water apeard from them  (and the bubbles are unbroken before you press them) then i'd defo say it's had a repair and filler has been used. 

like others have said, apart from stone chip's ive never seen a rusty E39 either

my old e39 was starting to develop some around the tailgate area as you mentioned.

to be fair i think this is a common e39 flaw. i have seen others on the road

the salty climate its been living in probably hasnt helped. just your luck with buying used motors im afraid.

sometimes these things come back to bite us later on. happens to th best of us im sure

good luck

When I got some untidey paintwork sorted out on my E39 the bloke who owned the body shop said that he had seen plenty of e39s that were starting to go around the back arches, boot, petrol cap area. He also said that this was not just on cars with poor accident repair.

When I got my E36 there were lot of people who said that they only rusted if they had not been repaired properly after an accident. However this has been shown over the years not to be true.

K Bannon thats exactley where mine is rusting, it developed only about 6 months ago and now you notice it more thasn ever.

Im not sure what to do about it, weather to just let it go and get rid of it or pay the money out to get it resprayed, but i dont want the paint work to look to new against the rest. Ill post some pictures of "the dreaded rust" to show you all what it looks like and where it is.

Is there anything i can do to stop it spreading even further?

hi there

just tried to upload some pics of my rust but my pics are to big and dont no how to reduce the size (file size), or is there another way of getting them on here...any ideas

cheers

ha ha ha ha, very well spoted, never would have put 2 and 2 together. My car has not started rotting yet "hopefully". Thats the next stage i presume.. i should have wrote it in german......

Hi all

if you look at the close up there are some round plastic plugs hiding in between the bumper and were the rust is, i assume all of them have got them. I guess thbis is where the air and damp is getting in. Also on the bonnet underneth the lip were the rust bubbles are, the bead were the metal is rolled back underneth has split.

I guess this is just bad look and i will have to get a spray shop to do the bonnet and the boot end. What should i expect to pay for a sprayed bonnet? has anyone had it done?

Hi andy

Something is going on a i aint seen any other e9 like it or anytrhing as bad, and i do look after my car, not religioiusly but i like to keep it looking good. £150 notes......ummmmmm....ummmmmmmm

Wow, that does look bad.

The bonnet could just be down to untreated stone chips. Surely you would be able to tell if it had been damaged and repaired quite easily?

If I was you I'd rub it down and remove all the rust yourself before you get it repainted. that way you will know it has been done properly.

I would like to remove the bumper so i can have a look at it, i put a post on last week RE: removing the rear bumper but no one apperaed to know how to do it or how easy/hard it was to remove the bumper. I need a rear bumper anyway so was looking to get it sprayed up with the bonnet and the rust spots on the back.

I think it would be cheaper to get it fixed up i would say, though i could get something less milege,but i like a car that has never failed its MOT

You know, just looking at those photos again...

It looks like the car has a bad skin infection or something ...

Careful everyone, it may be catchy... Keep you BM isolated at home in bed until it all clears up...

I think my car maybe slowely heading for a permanent quaranteen area " the scrap Yard" (well breakers)!!!!!! Ive had about Enough of it really, it gives me so much stress!!!!!

Anybody want a slightly modified bonnet, will be supplied complete with the dreaded DISEASE!!!

Exharper,that rust does look quite bad,but if you say the car is otherwise mechanicaly sound then i would be tempted to get it sorted and keep the car.

Better the devil you know i say.

Stone-IslandV8 wrote: Coming in bit late on this one, sorry.......mines definately got it.......front wheel arch on side, back wheel arch on the lip and rear quarter along where it joins the bumper. Moving back to a 3 methinks....p'ex deal I reckon too!

What year/mileage is your E39?

Maybe need to keep a closer eye on mine?

Maybe it is a mileage issue rather than an age problem?

Stone-IslandV8 wrote: had a few tiny bubbles on my old 1999 520 with 135k on clock, these are on a 1998 535 with 123k on clock...only had it 7 months....going to go back to 3s if theres one around with decent mileage. Can get the front done for £250 but with no guarantee cos of rust...plus got running problems, not had lot of fun with my 5s.

Neither of your cars are that high mileage really.

Mine is currently on 134,000 and i will be giving it a clean tomorrow and inspecting it very closely!!!

sorry guys didnt mean to start you all on a wide scale rust inspection day this weekend. Hope you sleep ok tonite!!!

My rust started on 130K and when it starts it spreads like Cow s--t on a grass field. (from experience)

I dont have rust anywee else though, the wings are spot on, just keep an eye out for the plastic lugs hidden underneath the boot slam panel and the bumper. You can see them if you look closely!!!! hope there is an antidote!!!

Exharper wrote: sorry guys didnt mean to start you all on a wide scale rust inspection day this weekend. Hope you sleep ok tonite!!! My rust started on 130K and when it starts it spreads like Cow s--t on a grass field. (from experience) I dont have rust anywee else though, the wings are spot on, just keep an eye out for the plastic lugs hidden underneath the boot slam panel and the bumper. You can see them if you look closely!!!! hope there is an antidote!!!

Was going to wash the car tomorrow anyway,but will be having a close look at the same time.

hope all is good mate, dont look to hard though!!!!!!!!!!

Anybody following this thread coming to doncaster on the 22nd of October?

its the indoor bmw show of the year apparantly. I was meant to say donnington actually. der. sorry been in doncaster alot over the last few days.... look on BMW related events under bimmer fest!!!

"""""the indoor bmw show of the year.

classic and modern bmws. modified cars.  trade stands.  show cars.  autojumble.   tuner cars.   cars for sale.  race cars.

tickets £8.00 in advance (£10.00 on day) from club office 01225 709009."""""""

hope to see you there.

Mick525i wrote: My money is on a bad repair. Only ever seen one rust after bad painting... Mick

Or a bad stone chop that get's left and before you know it, it's a bubble and that's that..

bm24v wrote: Mick525i wrote: My money is on a bad repair. Only ever seen one rust after bad painting... Mick   Or a bad stone chop that get's left and before you know it, it's a bubble and that's that..

I just don't buy that these cars only rust afer a bad repair or even a stone chip. I hate to say it but BMWs rust.

Peter Fenwick wrote:  I hate to say it but BMWs rust.

Of course they do....after all there only tin (not metal like car's from yesteryear)..

Nick wrote: shame its not in Donny.. it would have been handy

It is in Donny - I think he thought it was in Doncaster rather than at Donington Park

Paul

Or as the pits(simon) would say - With one N mate

Paul