I mean, I did just drive a pretty beat 540i/6 almost 400 miles right after buying it broken with no service records, so there's definitely something to be said for their durability. Once you remove the automatic transmission from the equation, a 540i's only real weaknesses are the cooling system and chain guides. Sure there are suspension bits that fail, but those don't stop you from driving the car in most cases.
1995 525i 5-speed - Thread
And the throttle body and the water cooled alternator.
I mean that's just leaving it to "things that might crap out and strand you" #BTDT #axemehowIknow.
The other crappy things like valley pan and CCV and general oil-oozing-gasketry and vac leaks and VANOS seals... all that you can in fact stumble home on... probably...
#hehhehilovecrappingonE39s
2003 M3CicM6 TiAg
2002 540iT Sport Vortech S/C 6MT LSD TiAg
2008 Audi A3 2.0T DSG (the daily beater)
2014 BMW X1 xDrive28i (wifemobile)
Former:
1985 MB Euro graymarket 300SL
1995.5 Audi S6 Avant (utility/winter billetturbobattlewagen)
Current
1999 BMW M3/2/5 cosmos/black vaders
Past
2000 BMW M5, Jetblack
1995 BMW M3/2/5, Alpine white
1997 BMW 328/5, Boston green
2005 BMW 330/6 ZHP, Silbergrau
1999 BMW 540/6, Cashmere beige
2000 BMW 328/5, 144k miles sienna red (slicktop)
1995 BMW Dinan M3/2/5, Dakar yellow (I regret it)
2002 BMW 530iA sport, Jetblack
2001 BMW 530iA sport, cosmos
2002 BMW 530iA, sterlinggrau
The lowest "progressive" rates I could find for my son (his own policy) on any car was about $450/month. -I think it was ~$800 for the 540i. I'm convinced that Michigan doesn't want people to drive.
2003 540i/6
Michigan also has that idiotic no-fault law which makes everybody's insurance way higher. That, combined with registration that's based on a car's MSRP (WHEN NEW!), salt that destroys all cars, and general crappy weather make me think that people who continue living in Michigan are masochists through and through.
1995 525i 5-speed - Thread
We've got that dumb 'based on MSRP new' crap too for the excise taxes. Makes for ridiculous stuff like paying same taxes per year for a 20yr old car w/ 180k miles worth $3k on the street as you pay for a 10yr old car w/ 50k on it that's still worth $10k, just because the older one was $$$ BITD.
2003 M3CicM6 TiAg
2002 540iT Sport Vortech S/C 6MT LSD TiAg
2008 Audi A3 2.0T DSG (the daily beater)
2014 BMW X1 xDrive28i (wifemobile)
Former:
1985 MB Euro graymarket 300SL
1995.5 Audi S6 Avant (utility/winter billetturbobattlewagen)
Your Kid is Lucky. My dad was into Chevy's and I ended up with a 88' Chevrolet Caprice Brougham. Black on Blue Carpet. Legit had fuzzy dice hanging from the window.
Car is clean, +1 on staying away from the Chinese Head units, Looking to replace my OEM unit as well and many have already warned me about the ebay specials.
Question, Who takes over this account when you seed gets the car?
Here in Ohio you don't have to deal with any of that. And if you live in the country there's a lot of good roads.
Current
1999 BMW M3/2/5 cosmos/black vaders
Past
2000 BMW M5, Jetblack
1995 BMW M3/2/5, Alpine white
1997 BMW 328/5, Boston green
2005 BMW 330/6 ZHP, Silbergrau
1999 BMW 540/6, Cashmere beige
2000 BMW 328/5, 144k miles sienna red (slicktop)
1995 BMW Dinan M3/2/5, Dakar yellow (I regret it)
2002 BMW 530iA sport, Jetblack
2001 BMW 530iA sport, cosmos
2002 BMW 530iA, sterlinggrau
Cool project and one that demands respect as that car can whip up triple digits easily.
Track time or autocrosses will help alleviate the desire to do it on the street.
Look forward to updates on where you take this with mods to make it your own.
I saw this craigslist ad a couple of months ago, and it was definitely an enticing choice with all the maintenance done. You could tell from the ad that the seller knew what he was talking about and appeared to be representing the car honestly. Ultimately the mismatched interior pieces were what kept me from considering it. The car looks good though, and for a first car it's definitely very cool.
As others have said, the headlights should polish up fine. If it still has its factory xenon lights, they really are very good. Look up "floppy e39 headlights" for instructions on fixing the self-leveling function with $20 worth of parts (if previous owner has not yet fixed).
As for stereo, I like the stock look, but I understand the desire for better functionality in the dash. If sound quality is the concern, you can keep the stock head-unit and add an amp to the trunk to drive all the speakers in the car. Replace the factory speakers with some aftermarket 5.25" component speakers, mount the passive crossovers above the rear driver side wheel in the trunk behind the carpet. I had a similar set up in my last e39 and it sounded MUCH better than stock.
Just got back from the 400 mile trip, flew to Boston, threw some old Florida plates from an old 911 I bought a few years ago and just drove. Car was better than represented. Drove great with a couple niggling issues that my son will explain in another thread as he will be wrenching on it mostly. Already has great, but cloudy headlights, I thought they were pre-facelift ones from the ad so I am sure he can buff them up nice.
Nice seller, great car and a nice road trip with the son.
Made the 400 mile trip in the rain without any issues. Like most 200K e39s, 5/7 window switches didn't work and the pixels are really bad, but the car was better than represented and drove great. We can do a full looksee in the engine bay to sort out anything that need attention, from the quick roadside PPI I did, all I feel is immediate is a chatty PS pump with a bad leak.
My son will be posting the couple niggling issues as this is his car and I will banish myself back to Rennlist where the engines are in the correct place! I told him that auto forums are a must if he wants to be able to maintain the car without going broke.
PCA HPDE Instructor
current:
2004 M3 convert 6sp man - low mileage beauty!
past:
1995 BMW M3 3.2
2004 M3 convert SMG
2003 BMW 540i6 Alpine White M sport (I want her back!)
1995 525i 5-speed - Thread
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