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2nd October 2024: The car has had an initial inspection and there are now planned works to rectify any corrosion to the bodywork, along with suspension and brake checks, and a number of mechanical and electrical issues that will be repaired.
1st November 2024: Interior carpets cleaned and leather seats detailed. Rear brake lines replaced, rear suspension works and two new control arms on front suspension.
18th December 2024: Both sills have been removed due to corrosion and a new replacements have been fitted. The new sills were then sanded and were primed with epoxy primer. Areas of rust were then cleaned off including the wing edges which were acid treated and then the boot lid was epoxied, sanded and primed. Stoneguard protection was then applied to the sills. Finally, the car was masked, primed and ready for paint.
15th January 2025: Both sills that have been replaced have now been sprayed along with the rest of the body, doors and hood. Just a couple of bits of interior trim to be added and then it can go back the owner.
The E39 series is the fourth generation of BMW’s 5 series in the upper middle class.
The E39 series sedan was introduced in December 1995 as the successor to the E34 series. The station wagon, known as the Touring, followed in March 1997, the M5 sports model in autumn 1998. A total of more than 1.48 million units of the E39 were sold, including around 266,000 Touring. The sedan was produced until mid-2003, the Touring rolled off the assembly line until early 2004. The body versions of the E39 were successively replaced by the E60 / E61 series.
The BMW test engineers covered a total of 30 million test kilometers with the E39 during its development. The test drives took place between Alaska, South Africa and the North Cape. Temperatures ranged from −40 ° C in Alaska to 50 ° C in California’s Death Valley. The test vehicles completed journeys on pothole slopes or with trailers on mountain roads. They also covered 8,000 test kilometers on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife. In 1993 the first photos of camouflaged test vehicles (“Erlkönigen”) appeared in the press. In May 1995 BMW published the first official photos of the E39. The 5 Series E39 had its world premiere in September 1995 at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt. In December 1995 sales started on the European mainland. It was launched in Great Britain and overseas markets by mid-1996. The E39 is powered by six- and eight-cylinder petrol engines and four- and six-cylinder diesel engines. Their output ranges from 85 kW (115 hp) in the 525td to 294 kW (400 hp) in the M5. In all models, power is transmitted to the rear axle. According to BMW, the E39 was the first mass-produced vehicle in the world with a chassis made almost entirely of aluminum. The 5 Series was produced at BMW’s Dingolfing plant.
The models 523i and 528i were available from the market launch in December 1995, followed by the 525tds and 520i by March 1996. The 520i, 523i and 528i are equipped with the in-line six-cylinder M52 gasoline engine with four-valve technology. The 525tds has the in-line six-cylinder swirl chamber diesel engine M51 with two-valve technology, which was also the only two-valve engine in the E39 series. In the course of the first half of 1996, BMW introduced the 535i (only available as a sedan) and 540i with the M62 V8 petrol engine with four-valve technology. In all gasoline engines, the crankcase and cylinder head are made of light alloy. According to BMW, the use of aluminum has resulted in a weight advantage of more than 30 kg in the six-cylinder engines. The eight-cylinder models can be distinguished from the four- and six-cylinder models with the help of the BMW kidney grille – Differentiate models: BMW used chrome-plated vertical struts for all eight-cylinder models, while all four- and six-cylinder models (except Highline) rolled off the production line with black struts.
All reviews4.9![]()
Reviews.io5.0Posted on Reviews.io
Simon Cocking08/09/2026Verified
Skilled craftsmen producing amazing work. The workshop is a treasure trove of motoring history! Thanks for a great job!Posted on Google
Steven Parkes12/07/2026Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Steve has helped me through some difficult situations throughout this restoration process. The car I bought was a total rot box, I had no idea. Nicola’s support with my finances has helped me get this car over the line. Don’t look elsewhere if you are serious about doing a restoration properly look no further.Posted on Reviews.io
Sean Bellew12/06/2026Verified
I recently had corrosion repairs carried out to both front wings on my Porsche 944 and I am extremely pleased with the quality of the workmanship. The repairs involved cutting out the corroded sections and fabricating replacement metalwork rather than simply filling over the affected areas. The standard of fabrication and welding is excellent, with the repairs blending seamlessly into the original panels. The attention to detail is evident throughout the work, and the finished result looks completely in keeping with the car. As an owner of a classic Porsche, preserving originality is important to me, and the repairs have been completed in a way that maintains the character and integrity of the vehicle. The paint finish and panel presentation are superb, and once completed it is virtually impossible to tell where the repairs have been carried out. Overall, the craftsmanship is first-class and the car now looks significantly better than it did before the work was undertaken. If you are looking for high-quality metal fabrication and restoration work on a classic vehicle, I would have no hesitation in recommending them based on the quality of the finished product.Posted on Google
David Kelly15/05/2026Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Their work looks fantastic. Love the regular blogs.Posted on Reviews.io
Mark30/04/2026Verified
Excellent service and Neil’s knowledge is second to none. The wealth of experience resolved the issues with the carburettors ensuring I had an uneventful drive home and can now look forward to driving the car on the odd sunny days we call summer. Would recommend Carrosserie without hesitation.Posted on Google
John Lonergan09/03/2026Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Great service , top quality work , very friendly and helpful , i had a probem with no dipped headlights and a couple of nasty stonechips and despite being very short notice they fitted me in the next day diagnosed the faults and while that was going on the paint guy sorted the stonechips , two hours later all completed . I know these guys will take good care of my classic car and do an excellent job I've used them before . Highly recommended .Posted on Reviews.io
Robert Montague04/03/2026Verified
The team at Carrosserie have done an excellent job . Focus on detail and quality of work Fully responsive and engaging the client at all time . I will be giving them a further project and recommend them as a first class service Thank you Steve and the Team, plus of course Neil 😎Posted on Reviews.io
Andrew Whittaker04/10/2025Verified
Reference: 1939 Rolls-Royce Wraith – Rewire. I recently received my car back and I am absolutely delighted with their work. The rewiring has been completed to an exceptionally high standard, and it is evident that great skill and care went into the process.Posted on Reviews.io
J J Beeton02/09/2025Verified
10 out of 10 perfect restoration work on Jaguar XKR.Posted on Reviews.io
Keith Devonport25/06/2025Verified
I found the team at Carrosserie to be friendly and helpful whilst maintaining an organised and professional approach towards the job in hand, they were also able to incorporate extra work I asked for at the eleventh hour. Carrosserie kept to the 'booked in' start date for the work to commence and throughought the work cycle i was presented with photos and videos as the work progressed. I'm very happy with the finished job, thank you and well done Carrosserie.Posted on Reviews.io
Geoff Lowson16/04/2025Verified
I took my Citroen 2CV for an assessment for a potential repair. The manager Steve Liversedge was very accommodating and staff were helpful and courteous and very professional in giving their advice.Posted on Reviews.io
Ian Carter01/03/2025Verified
A big thank you to the team who worked on my 20 year old BMW. The car looks fantastic and the care and attention to detail tackling the rust that was in a most awkward place showed real desire for doing the best job possible. Updates and photographs were given daily as the job progressed. Finally the customer care was second to none, and my job wasn't anything like a serious restoration. Thanks again. IanPosted on Reviews.io
Andrew Pyle13/02/2025Verified
Took my Escort XR3i to Carosserie for re-commissioning. Brakes, suspension, springs, shocks, general overhaul - some gaskets,polish etc. All staff very welcoming, professional from office staff to engineers. Took me through the car's inspection - lots of photos of work to be done, progress and work finished. Kept in touch via e-mail throughout project. Not cheap but you get what you pay for with old motors! Good luck with move to new premises.Posted on Google
Paul Simpson08/06/2024Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
I will let the pictures do the talking. Attention to detail is second to none, very knowledgeable and skilled guys here at Carrosserie. All the staff are polite and very professional. Highly recommended.Posted on Google
Jeremy Roff10/05/2024Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Thanks to all at Carrosserie for managing to make my Jimny look perfect again. A great job.Posted on Google
Phil Sage27/09/2023Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
The work carried out here is like magic, the standard the cars leave is fantastic, the cars they restore are works of art !Posted on Google
Catherine Lonergan26/02/2023Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Very Friendly always helpful staffPosted on Google
Nigel Cramp25/06/2022Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Great friendly and helpful team at Carrosserie. Highly quality work. This is the second time I've used their services. Highly recommended if you want quality restoration or paint work.Posted on Google
Ian Roper26/03/2022Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Neil who owns the company straight away gave me one of the best buying experiences I have ever had. He was nice to speak with giving me confidence in buying from him from the outset. This continued throughout the buying process with updates on the process of finance that he organised. Because of my working schedule being so hectic and having to juggle many parental duties. We were unable to get over to pick up the car in the week. Despite the company being closed on weekends, Neil went out of his way to meet me on a Saturday afternoon and even showed me around his amazing company. It was so clear to me that this is someone who is genuine, kind and cares about his company and customers in equal amounts. A truly rare thing in this day in age. I wouldn't hesitate to use his company myself in the future and would recommend him to friends and family in a heartbeat.Posted on Google
John Royce16/02/2022Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Outstanding choice of cars, superb restoration facilities from a very professional team. Highly recommended.Verified by TrustindexTrustindex verified badge is the Universal Symbol of Trust. Only the greatest companies can get the verified badge who has a review score above 4.5, based on customer reviews over the past 12 months. Read more
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St Helen Way
St Helen Industrial Estate
Bishop Auckland
DL14 9AZ
Tel: 01833 630 011 / Mob: 07973 616 478
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