What do I own?

[Bwingnutt]

Just bought my first BMW. What defines a M Sport? My rims have little M logos, steering wheel has one. Door sills have just BMW on them. Thats one ? I have seen ppl say they have a 540i /6 Is the 6 refurring to number of cyl's?

[augustballer]

Post pictures of your car. Everyone loves pictures lol

540i/6 is manual (6 speed)
540iA is auto
540iT is touring (wagon)

Only 2003's are true "M-Sport", so you probably have a Sport.

You should post in the main section here. The section you posted in is more of an off-topic section.
https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/f...996-2003-(E39)

[Bwingnutt]

Thanks Will do.

[BimmrMeUpSnotty]

Post pictures of your car. Everyone loves pictures lol

540i/6 is manual (6 speed)
540iA is auto
540iT is touring (wagon)

Only 2003's are true "M-Sport", so you probably have a Sport.

You should post in the main section here. The section you posted in is more of an off-topic section.
https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/f...996-2003-(E39)

Correction, only 2003 U.S. spec'd 540's where the true M Sport 540's that were sold here in the US, true. But in Europe, and some other countries, the M Sport 540's were already around in 2001. I have a grey market 2001 Canadian 540 that is a true M Sport, optioned out exactly like a 2003 American M Sport.
OP, your 540 seems like it would be a regular 540 Sport. The sport package basically included the M steering wheel, most came with the sport seats, some didn't, some people don't like them, too fat or something, some think they are uncomfortable, I love them. They come with semi gloss black trim around the windows, the regular E39's come with silver trim, regular sport 540's came with the regular bumpers, for rims, they came with 17" style 32's, or 17" style 66's 8 inch wide fronts with 235/45/17's, 9 inch wide rear rims with 255/40/17's. The most important feature of a regular sport is the M tech 1 sport suspension, slightly lowered, definitely stiffer than the regular E39 springs, and the struts are also stiffer, the front sway bars are 24mm for M tech 1, VS 25mm for M tech 2, which is what comes on an M Sport 540. Rear sway bars are 14mm for M tech 1, and 15mm for M tech 2.

M Sport 540's came with black A, B, an C pillar trim panels, black headliner, the sport steering wheel, an optional M tech steering wheel, M tech 2 suspension, M tech 2 struts, and springs are even stiffer, the M aerodynamic body trim package, which is the M 5 bumpers, but the 540 bumper grill has a T bar in it, and the rear sport bumper trim insert only has one exhaust port. The M5 spoiler on the trunk lid, M logo'd door step panels, style 37 18" rims, fronts were 8.5" wide with 245/45/18's, rears were 9" wide with 265/35/18's. These rims are forged aluminum. My 540 actually came with the M5 wheels from the factory. The original owner spec'd it out really well, but for the transmission, mine has an Automatic. I am gonna swap it out for a 6 speed manual, I don't daily that car anyways, that's what my 530 sport and 528 touring wagon is for, what with all the traffic I deal with here in the DC area. Oh, the trim around the windows are gloss black, and the kidney grills were all black <<< I think. But that's about it.