I did, the gasket was just stuck to both the head and the cover. For anyone attempting this job, here are a few tips/tricks:
Use these guides:
Pelican Parts N52 Valve Cover Guide
FCP Euro N52/N51 Valve Cover Guide
The gasket sets are not the same for the N51 and N52. Buy the right set for your car. The N51 has a secondary air injection system that the N52 does not have, and you will need to remove it to get the valve cover off, so you need to get the gasket for the air injection system. This is the only difference between the engines (in the context of this job). FCP Euro carries both sets.
Buy E8 and E10 sockets in 1/4" drive. These bolts are not torqued down very much and a 1/4" is more than adequate, and some of the bolts are impossible to reach without a skinny socket. Amazon sells
this set which only includes up to E8. I used a regular 8mm socket in place of the E10 when I needed something skinny, which is really not ideal. Try to source a skinny E10.
Buy a deep 10mm socket. You will need this to access the posts between the spark plug holes.
These flexible extensions are really helpful.
Have an inch-pound torque wrench on hand. I have
this one.
Buy an extendable mirror like
this one or even better, a wireless endoscope like
this one. You will need these to check that the new gasket is sitting correctly at the back of the engine, and to check for oil leaks back there after starting for the first time.
On my car, the bolts around the perimeter were E10 (all the guides say E8). I'm not the original owner, so can't comment on whether that is from the factory. Have a skinny E10 on hand just in case.
If the VC is stuck to the head, try using a deadblow hammer to lightly tap the valve cover (remember it is plastic... be gentle). You can also use a screwdriver to try to lever it off the head, but be careful doing this. Do not lever against the sealing edge on the head, only lever against an exposed edge. Also be mindful that although the VC is fairly stout, it's still plastic and can get chewed up fairly easily. Just think before you start levering on it - it is $385!
The PCV valve is part of the valve cover. There is a hose going to this which is not mentioned in either of the DIY's I linked to. The barb that this hose attaches to is about 1/2" long and breaks easily. BMW does not sell this part individually, you must buy a new valve cover. Mine is gorilla glued back on right now and I'm going to buy this
eBay replacement to have on hand just in case...
Remove the coolant reservoir bolts for an extra 1/2" or so of room. I did not need to remove the top hose going to the reservoir.
Getting the valve cover out of the car is the hardest part. The DIYs are being done on E90 cars which have a slight amount more room. You will need to force it a bit and push up against the plastic windshield cowl to get the cover out. I now understand why BMW went to a plastic valve cover. If you were to try to lever out a metal valve cover like this, it would mar the metal valve components. Going back in was easier because I had an idea of the angle I needed to use, but I still had to push up on the windshield cowl quite a bit.
Overall not a difficult job, the only frustrating parts are figuring out the angle to remove and replace the valve cover, the shitty PCV design, and finding out halfway through that you don't have the right tools.