They don’t make them like they used to? That’s no drawback for Juha Bäckmand. He’s been driving the identical 5 Sequence for almost 30 years. His elegant E39, constructed on June 10, 1996, remains to be going robust regardless of its age. BMW Traditional just lately took to social media to highlight the luxurious sedan, completed in Glacier Inexperienced with an identical inside.
However there’s extra to this E39 than its spectacular longevity. Bäckmand has racked up almost a million kilometers since taking supply 29 years in the past. He’s documented key milestones alongside the best way, together with a photograph of the odometer on the 500,000-kilometer mark. Each further 100,000 kilometers warranted one other snapshot, culminating in a picture exhibiting 940,503 kilometers (584,401 miles) on the clock.
Though the onboard temperature sensor as soon as displayed a frigid -34.5°C (-30.1°F), BMW Traditional realized that the automobile has confronted even harsher situations. At one level, Bäckmand’s 523i had no bother beginning and driving in temperatures as little as -37.5°C (-35.5°F). Remarkably, after almost three a long time and near one million kilometers, the 5 Sequence nonetheless retains its unique engine and gearbox. The inside stays untouched, and a lot of the unique paint remains to be intact.
At any time when upkeep was wanted, Bäckmand insisted on utilizing solely real elements sourced by way of approved BMW service facilities. His E39 is among the earliest examples, assembled throughout the mannequin’s first yr of manufacturing. It’s powered by a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter inline-six “M52” engineproducing 168 hp and 245 Nm (181 lb-ft) of torque, despatched to the rear wheels by way of a five-speed handbook gearbox.
Racking up shut to 1 million kilometers over 29 years means the automobile averaged almost 35,000 kilometers yearly. The truth that it stays in wonderful situation speaks volumes concerning the significance of standard upkeep, and, some would possibly say, concerning the superior construct high quality of Nineties-era autos.
BMW Traditional says extra particulars concerning the automobile and its devoted proprietor are coming quickly, and we’ll be watching intently to study extra about this rolling time capsule.
Supply: BMW Traditional / Instagram
