Maintenance on 97 540

[J-Dawg]

hey all, I am coming from the 3 series boards with a question. What is the realistic amount of maintenance that a 1997 540 with a 6-speed and sport package will need in the short and long term future. It has 61000 miles on it and am considering buying it, but of course am wondering about the reliability in the long term. Thanks in advance.

[liquidgroove]

Here are the list of problems on E39 540 I had.

Wheel shimmy, usually related to bad wheel bearing, and thrust arm bushing.

Radiator is known to bust around the neck and usually failed without warning.

I replaced 2 cat convetors around 90kmi and they are $$$$$$

If suspension clacks over bumpy surface, then it's likely the sway bar links are bad.

Pixels on display go away time to time. I was lucky that the go away line came back somehow. If more lines go out, it's a expensive part to replace.

It's a wonderful car, but I would hope the car would be less problem free.

[J-Dawg]

What about fuel economy on the highway and in the city?

[bmwpower]

Good choice! That car is on my wish list.

Most of the items I can think of jive with liquidgroove.

[Greco540]

Originally posted by liquidgroove
Here are the list of problems on E39 540 I had.

Wheel shimmy, usually related to bad wheel bearing, and thrust arm bushing.
True, but not all 540's have this problem.


Originally posted by liquidgroove
Radiator is known to bust around the neck and usually failed without warning.
Very true. Only soft spot on the 540 is the collant system.


Originally posted by liquidgroove
I replaced 2 cat convetors around 90kmi and they are $$$$$$
True if you opt for the BMW OEM ones. You can get some good "metallic" not OWM ceramic ones for about 1/2 the cost of delaer installed OEM ones.


Originally posted by liquidgroove
If suspension clacks over bumpy surface, then it's likely the sway bar links are bad.
True, due to bad bushings in the links.


Originally posted by liquidgroove
Pixels on display go away time to time. I was lucky that the go away line came back somehow. If more lines go out, it's a expensive part to replace.You can email leonora.vlaovich@bmwna.com about your pixel problem and she'll arange for you to get a replacement at a total of ONLY 1 hour's labour.


Originally posted by liquidgroove
It's a wonderful car, but I would hope the car would be less problem free.
Personally I can not be any happier with the car.

Fuel economy, well it's a V8 and it hurts abit in th ecity if you are a lead foot, but on the highway, I can get over 500 miles on a tank doing 80-90mph...

[m_specs]

500!?!?! damn... i get like 350 if im lucky.. hahah. but thats just like my m3.. so i dont care..

[liquidgroove]

Werid, I can only get ~400mi out of a tank.

[bmwpower]

I believe the 5-series have a bigger tank than the 3-series.

Mine has a 20+ gallon tank making it easier to hit the 500 mile mark.

[liquidgroove]

20+ gal tank for 540? I always fill like 17~18 gal the most and the low fuel warning was going off like crazy..... :95

[bmwpower]

My car's tank is 21.4 gallons. I would imagine that the E39 is similiar.