my daily high mile 540it.

[Flycaper]

Just thought I would share my car with the rest of you guys. 99 540it. She's super rough around the edges but for a 13 year old car, I have no complaints...

Upon purchasing it I knew it was hit in the front right as it has one depo and one hella and was obviously painted and poorly put together but it was cheap so I took a chance. First thing I did was replace the rear sls links with some oem ones in the driveway. They were bent and it was sitting way low in the back. The car was also on 18" Breytons with a wacky reverse staggered tire setup?? Next off to the indy for motor mounts, trans mounts, and all the fluids. Cooloing system and control arm bushings were already replaced and the motor and trans felt good. Next, I had to address the bad shake at 50mph. New wheels, tires, balance, alignment and the highway was super smooth. (19 staggered mpars, yokohama 275/30, 245/35) Then a 12 hour trip from SF to LA and back. No problems so I decided to put a cheap rep m5 bumper on the front, but it looks like the PO followed behind a truck on a gravel road so I still need to paint the nose. I plan to get some headlights but after that and some minor interior stuff, cargo cover, visor clip, cupholders, right rear window regulator, then I will probably just do regular maintenance. I purchased the ST coilover setup but have decided to put them on ice until I find another touring thats better suited. Sorry for the crappy pics.

craigslist ad photo
http://imageshack.us/a/img23/5284/99540it.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/23/99540it.jpg/)

crazy stance and tire setup, front bumper falling off...and the rear sls link bent and rigged
http://imageshack.us/a/img824/6358/imag0355vy.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/824/imag0355vy.jpg/)
http://img855.imageshack.us/img855/3078/imag0380gw.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/855/imag0380gw.jpg/)

Stock ride height, mismatched tires
http://img546.imageshack.us/img546/5406/imag0500d.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/546/imag0500d.jpg/)

the inside
http://imageshack.us/a/img204/1585/imag0974.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/204/imag0974.jpg/)

then a flat tire
http://img571.imageshack.us/img571/7961/imag0812j.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/571/imag0812j.jpg/)

then the mpars...
http://img849.imageshack.us/img849/2892/imag09501.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/849/imag09501.jpg/)
http://img812.imageshack.us/img812/5816/imag0879i.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/812/imag0879i.jpg/)

and the front bumper
http://img824.imageshack.us/img824/944/imag1155w.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/824/imag1155w.jpg/)

thanks for looking...

[RVAE34]

Nice color!! Looking sharp!

[Flycaper]

Nice color!! Looking sharp!

thanks man but I do believe you own the best color, sharpest touring, imo. nicely done and thanks for posting your build thread.

[derekmw]

You ARE right, our cars do look like twins. :) I think yours are 19" though from the looks of it? Very nice though!

[tuanies]

Looks good!

[motorade1]

Sweet, love the green. Is that Fern Green, Boston green or what? I want some M pars too.

[Flycaper]

thanks guys, the guy who did my bumper ($350 bumper, hid fogs, paint, install 20min) said boston green, the tags under the hood and on the strut towers are gone.. I often see oem and rep sets of 18 mpars available but i have only seen the 19 mpars offered from bmautosport? I purchased mine from denniscooper and was very happy with the transaction. about 1350us in total if your price checking.

[Flycaper]

just a few low quality camera phone pictures, the red one is a friends 528.


http://imageshack.us/a/img15/37/img20130317191221.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/15/img20130317191221.jpg/)
http://imageshack.us/a/img69/2223/img201305101253251.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/69/img201305101253251.jpg/)
http://imageshack.us/a/img545/2180/img20130525124521.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/545/img20130525124521.jpg/)
http://img842.imageshack.us/img842/6195/img20130526144432.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/842/img20130526144432.jpg/)

[motorade1]

How many miles on the car?

[Flycaper]

How many miles on the car?
about 206k and still running strong.

[motorade1]

Glad to hear it.

[derekmw]

Hehe, nice. Our cars are really looking almost identical now! Looks like yours are 19" though right? I have the 18's.

[AquilaBMW]

Looking good Jon!

[Flycaper]

hey derek, glad to hear you were able to hold on to yours, hope all is well with the wife..
Thanks Michael.

[derekmw]

Thanks Michael,
We settled on the bill (they barely budged), scraping money from several different funds we had set aside (buying our house is on hold for a while now...). Just glad that is out of the way. Wife had a checkup and everything is good, no need to worry about this ever again, so that was awesome news.

What else do you have planned now? I'm itching to refresh the suspension now that all the maintenance items have been completed...but need to save money again. lol.

[Flycaper]

hey Derek, Sorry for the confusion, Im Jon and Micheal is "Aquilla the MadBimmerest. We are both from the bay area..Glad to hear you made it through with yours wife health and the touring.
I was hoping to do suspension too but Im also searching for a white 540it. I bought a set of ST Coilovers and they have been sitting in my garage for quite a while. Im on the verge of putting them on since I have done a bunch of maintenance. Im very curious how they feel and I think the car would look a little better down a touch.
http://imageshack.us/a/img688/3286/imag0919w.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/688/imag0919w.jpg/)

[derekmw]

Ah sorry Jon. I say put those on, enjoy the car until you find a white one. I would love to find a white/silver one as well, but chances of finding a low mileage, well cared for, 5spd, touring, sport....that's highly unlikely so I think i'll stick with this...the color has grown on me somewhat. I even don't mind the tan interior anymore. :P

[jp5Touring]

Nice ride Love the 19 Mpars.. Red one is very nice also.:)

[gmzvip23]

Looks nice. I dig the color too and the m pars jut set it off.

[Flycaper]

Thanks guys, These forums have been super helpful. I will try and keep posting as I move along. I think Im going to install the coilovers while I continue to search for a white one...

http://imageshack.us/scaled/medium/836/img20130417102114.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/836/img20130417102114.jpg/)
http://imageshack.us/scaled/medium/248/img20130525141027.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/248/img20130525141027.jpg/)

[AquilaBMW]

Jon - Who owns that other touring? Looks great as well. Are you able to make it out on the 8th?

[Flycaper]

Jon - Who owns that other touring? Looks great as well. Are you able to make it out on the 8th?
I really would love to come out for some bbq and a drive on the 8th but im expecting my boy any second. He was due 2 days ago so I am basically staying within a 10 min radius of my house. The red wagon is from concord, it belongs to the guy who did my bumper and headlights.

[raffi540]

Looks really good!

[IndiansFan]

thanks guys, the guy who did my bumper ($350 bumper, hid fogs, paint, install 20min) said boston green, the tags under the hood and on the strut towers are gone........

Just an FYI, the '99 BMW brochure lists it as #324 - Oxford Green.

[Flycaper]

Just an FYI, the '99 BMW brochure lists it as #324 - Oxford Green.
Thanks indians fan, I have been curious about that since I still need to get the hood painted.. heres a picture in the sun for colors sake... sorry i suck at photos..
http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/7058/rearshotnofilter.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/189/rearshotnofilter.jpg/)

- - - Updated - - -


Looks really good!

Nice ride Love the 19 Mpars.. Red one is very nice also.:)
thanks guys.

- - - Updated - - -

our newest touring enthusiast. His name is Niles Arthur Jensen. Hes now 7 days old and came home in the touring...
http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/2081/neweste39enthusiast.png (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/823/neweste39enthusiast.png/)

[Flycaper]

quick shots of the new touring.

http://imageshack.com/scaled/640x480/15/y135.jpg (http://imageshack.com/i/0fy135j)


http://imageshack.com/scaled/640x480/713/crht.jpg (http://imageshack.com/i/jtcrhtj)

[Fastbreak]

Hey- great looking car. Do you know what wheels are on the red one?

[Flycaper]

Hey- great looking car. Do you know what wheels are on the red one?
thanks man, in all honesty, white has always been my first choice, yours is one of my favorites. as to the wheels on the red 528it, the owner told me they are 19" csl reps.

[Flycaper]

I did not like the wood interior trim. I would have prefered to vinyl wrap it but i was unable to find a beige metallic wrap so I painted Cashmere Beige Metallic. Here are the results.
http://imageshack.com/scaled/800x600/819/f0zf.jpg (http://imageshack.com/i/mrf0zfj)

http://imageshack.com/scaled/800x600/703/m725.jpg (http://imageshack.com/i/jjm725j)

http://imageshack.com/scaled/800x600/834/dw3n.jpg (http://imageshack.com/i/n6dw3nj)

http://imageshack.com/scaled/800x600/707/4si8.jpg (http://imageshack.com/i/jn4si8j)

http://imageshack.com/scaled/800x600/34/6p5e.jpg (http://imageshack.com/i/0y6p5ej)

[AquilaBMW]

DUDE! That really classed up the interior on the car. Nice work man!

[Flycaper]

DUDE! That really classed up the interior on the car. Nice work man!
thanks man. im going to vinyl wrap the anthracite one, well see how that go's. I think its the better move in case you would like to switch back.

[Flycaper]

I listed this car for sale this morning, well see what happens.

[scott99540it]

is it hard to put in the sport steering wheel? nice ride man!

[Flycaper]

is it hard to put in the sport steering wheel? nice ride man!

thanks, I'm not sure, the green tour is a factory sport steering wheel and I bought the grey tour with the sport wheel. There is a diy in the "quick links" section. Looks doable.

[RVAE34]

It's really easy to swap steering wheels.

[Smatchimo]

Where do I go for this 350 bumper/lights deal? I'm in Concord.

[Flycaper]

Where do I go for this 350 bumper/lights deal? I'm in Concord.
i will shoot you a pm. Im not affiliated with that shop but I feel like i was treated fairly. Keep in mind my entire front end needs to painted so I was not looking for perfection.

[AquilaBMW]

i will shoot you a pm. Im not affiliated with that shop but I feel like i was treated fairly. Keep in mind my entire front end needs to painted so I was not looking for perfection.

Jon....is this $350 for an aftermarket bumper painted?

[Flycaper]

Jon....is this $350 for an aftermarket bumper painted?
yes and installed in front of my eyes. it might have been 360, i paid cash and forgot the receipt but i remember pulling 400 out of the machine and putting $20 in tank, coco colas, and a swisher for me and simon on the way home.

[AquilaBMW]

yes and installed in front of my eyes. it might have been 360, i paid cash and forgot the receipt but i remember pulling 400 out of the machine and putting $20 in tank, coco colas, and a swisher for me and simon on the way home.

Was this on the Green one?

[Flycaper]

Was this on the Green one?

Yes, the green wagon. No pdc or headlight washers.

[1991brg]

Beautiful car! Looks like Oxford green to me too... my '97 sedan is that color.

[Flycaper]

Beautiful car! Looks like Oxford green to me too... my '97 sedan is that color.
thanks, the color is starting to grow on me. I still need to paint the hood..its also getting the 19" mpars back as soon as my new wheels arrive...

[AquilaBMW]

thanks, the color is starting to grow on me. I still need to paint the hood..its also getting the 19" mpars back as soon as my new wheels arrive...

Hmmmm.... new wheels aye? What you up to man? :-) Wanna gimme the ole dirty 18" M-Pars?

[Flycaper]

Hmmmm.... new wheels aye? What you up to man? :-) Wanna gimme the ole dirty 18" M-Pars?
im going with a set of style 5's. If I decide to let the 18" mpars go, i'll let you know for sure.