2003 540i 6-Speed Manual Sport Package: 210K miles (Buying Used)

[ihavea1993325i]

Hi all,

I am looking to buy a E39 and there's an opportunity to buy a 2003 540i Sport package for $6,500.

Very clean and well-maintained. The person has documentation of the timing chain work at ~200K miles. It sounds great on cold start, drives well (caveat: I haven't ever driven an E39 nor a V8 sedan before). I forgot to check for the throttle cable but I believe since it is a 6-speed manual it should be a M62TU. I have been reading as much as I can on the M62TU and the issues, in particular the timing chain guides. It's a 2-owner car, both were seemed to use it regularly (evidenced by the 200k odometer) but also kept great care as little things like the bolsters of the front seats are in great shape, exterior is in great shape (southwestern US all its life).

I will need to use this car daily but drive about 30 miles a week (i.e. 10 miles 3 times a day for work; 20 miles on the weekends doing errands). Is that too few miles on the car? I have done simple work on cars (e.g oil change, alternator, belts) but haven't yet done anything serious, such as any engine or transmission work.

I'm planning on a budget of averaging around $1,000/year for DIY preventative/maintenance work. Is this not enough? I'm wondering if there are any other pitfalls I should consider.

[edjack]

No throttle cables: drive-by-wire. The throttle body is controlled by the accel pedal module.

Double the maintenance cost. You will need a clutch at some point.

The Getrag 6-speed in nearly bulletproof, if not having been abused, and the lube has been changed periodically. Hope the diff has also been serviced.

Have you driven it yet? Bodacious!

If not already done, consider a short-shift kit. Replacing the shift lever with the M5 lever will shorten the shift throws, and is a cheap fix. P/N 25 11 7 527 255.

Many also remove the clutch delay valve, although this may also have been done.

You should include in your weekends a 50-mile high-speed trip, just to clear out the cobwebs, if you will use it mostly for short trips.

The E39 is heavily documented in all E39 BMW forums. As a source of general BMW maintenance, email Mike for a copy of his old-time maintenance schedule.

mikemillerroundelmag@drivewheels.hush.com

BTW, the E39 was considered the last of the BMW sport sedans; later ones have lost the title.

[R Shaffner]

Sounds good to many of us, but then we love these cars. And that particular model is considered the pick of the litter for the 540i. The price sounds good to me if the rest is in good shape.

If you don't know BMWs, it makes sense to get a pre-purchase inspection done by someone who does.

Also, the conventional wisdom around here is that these cars are too problem prone and too costly to own unless you can work on them yourself. My '02 540-6 is a daily driver, and that's the case for me. I love it, but wouldn't bother if I couldn't fix it myself. It would be too much hassle and expense to take it to the shop all the time.

There's also an adage repeated here often: There's nothing more expensive than a cheap BMW (or Mercedes, Porsche, Audi). The point is that they're cheap for a reason, which is they break more often and cost more to fix.

Also it's VERY important to have another car you can use daily as a back-up, especially if you have such a commute.

[ihavea1993325i]

No throttle cables: drive-by-wire. The throttle body is controlled by the accel pedal module.

Double the maintenance cost. You will need a clutch at some point.

The Getrag 6-speed in nearly bulletproof, if not having been abused, and the lube has been changed periodically. Hope the diff has also been serviced.

Have you driven it yet? Bodacious!

If not already done, consider a short-shift kit. Replacing the shift lever with the M5 lever will shorten the shift throws, and is a cheap fix. P/N 25 11 7 527 255.

Many also remove the clutch delay valve, although this may also have been done.

You should include in your weekends a 50-mile high-speed trip, just to clear out the cobwebs, if you will use it mostly for short trips.

The E39 is heavily documented in all E39 BMW forums. As a source of general BMW maintenance, email Mike for a copy of his old-time maintenance schedule.

mikemillerroundelmag@drivewheels.hush.com

BTW, the E39 was considered the last of the BMW sport sedans; later ones have lost the title.

thanks so much for the input. you are understanding my situation correctly, it will be for short trips, work or otherwise.

i did drive it, it was great, the car seemed to sway a bit on sharp and quicker turns but i dont have any comparison of e39s or other cars of this size. but the engine sounded great and didnt see any fresh leaks.

i will contact mike, thanks for the referral!

ill look into the short throw shifter. and i dont think the owner has had the differential serviced, i didnt notice it in the invoices pf the past 5 years. ill ask. when should the diff be serviced? (ill also do a search)

[ihavea1993325i]

Sounds good to many of us, but then we love these cars. And that particular model is considered the pick of the litter for the 540i. The price sounds good to me if the rest is in good shape.

If you don't know BMWs, it makes sense to get a pre-purchase inspection done by someone who does.

Also, the conventional wisdom around here is that these cars are too problem prone and too costly to own unless you can work on them yourself. My '02 540-6 is a daily driver, and that's the case for me. I love it, but wouldn't bother if I couldn't fix it myself. It would be too much hassle and expense to take it to the shop all the time.

There's also an adage repeated here often: There's nothing more expensive than a cheap BMW (or Mercedes, Porsche, Audi). The point is that they're cheap for a reason, which is they break more often and cost more to fix.

Also it's VERY important to have another car you can use daily as a back-up, especially if you have such a commute.

i do have a backup car that i can use for a few weeks, anything more than that then the car sharing becomes a bit more cumbersome.

are there really large and expensive parts that i may meed to buy each year to fix issues? i suppose one year, itll be the clutch. fcp euro is showing a clutch kit at $1000 right now, then miscellaneous stuff throughout the year. but clutch isnt an every year thing.....

what recent repairs/prevention did you work on for your e39?

clearly i havent done enough research on the e39, any and all guidance would be helpful.

[E39 Newbie]

Outside of the timing chain and clutch, there probably aren't any large parts you may need, but there may be a ton of small ones. Much depends on what the POs have done. The cooling system has to be refreshed every ~80K miles (opinions vary). All the front suspension bushings. The pixels in the dash. The HVAC unit. Power steering leaks. The sunroof has lots of plastic bits that disintegrate, and that's a big job. As long as you can work on it yourself, and use OEM parts, you'll be fine.

[ihavea1993325i]

Outside of the timing chain and clutch, there probably aren't any large parts you may need, but there may be a ton of small ones. Much depends on what the POs have done. The cooling system has to be refreshed every ~80K miles (opinions vary). All the front suspension bushings. The pixels in the dash. The HVAC unit. Power steering leaks. The sunroof has lots of plastic bits that disintegrate, and that's a big job. As long as you can work on it yourself, and use OEM parts, you'll be fine.

great, thanks for the outline. does seem like some of the parts, like hvac and bushings can add up real quick.

[R Shaffner]

What issues have cropped up on my '02 in the past year? Let's see...

The ABS trifecta lights came on, so I'm getting the ABS rebuilt. The power steering pump died and had to be replaced. The throttle body died and had to be replaced. Same with the cabin fan resistor. And a front strut support went bad -- clunked over bumps and made a grinding noise when turning. So I replaced both, L and R.

About the sway... Sure, the car is bigger and heavier than your e36, but it shouldn't sway in corners. When new it would have had a nice and tight feel from the "sport" suspension. So like most old BMWs, you probably have some worn suspension components.

(Again, that's why a PPI by someone who knows BMWs will help. They can tell you what they see and give you some idea for what those things will cost. But that won't be perfect. For example, a PPI wouldn't have spotted any of those repairs I just had to make this year.)

I love my car, and would probably love that one. I enjoy my car every time I drive it. I mean EVERY time. But the inconvenience and cost of taking it to a shop all the time wouldn't make sense for me. Not for a daily driver. If I had to pay someone else to do the work, I'd look for something else, like maybe a sporty Lexus.

[edjack]

ihavea, get the trans and diff lubes replaced forthwith. Redline products are best: MTL for the trans, and 75W90 diff lube.

[ihavea1993325i]

What issues have cropped up on my '02 in the past year? Let's see...

The ABS trifecta lights came on, so I'm getting the ABS rebuilt. The power steering pump died and had to be replaced. The throttle body died and had to be replaced. Same with the cabin fan resistor. And a front strut support went bad -- clunked over bumps and made a grinding noise when turning. So I replaced both, L and R.

About the sway... Sure, the car is bigger and heavier than your e36, but it shouldn't sway in corners. When new it would have had a nice and tight feel from the "sport" suspension. So like most old BMWs, you probably have some worn suspension components.

(Again, that's why a PPI by someone who knows BMWs will help. They can tell you what they see and give you some idea for what those things will cost. But that won't be perfect. For example, a PPI wouldn't have spotted any of those repairs I just had to make this year.)

I love my car, and would probably love that one. I enjoy my car every time I drive it. I mean EVERY time. But the inconvenience and cost of taking it to a shop all the time wouldn't make sense for me. Not for a daily driver. If I had to pay someone else to do the work, I'd look for something else, like maybe a sporty Lexus.

thanks so much for the list of things you have had to work on. i took the plunge and just got it, without a pre-purchase inspection. i'm thinking of taking it to a reputable shop just to see what i got into. i think that is a good idea, though perhaps i dont want to know.......

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ihavea, get the trans and diff lubes replaced forthwith. Redline products are best: MTL for the trans, and 75W90 diff lube.

i haven't ever changed out transmission fluid nor differential fluid. i'm on youtube watching some videos now! thanks.

[R Shaffner]

OK. Good luck! The e39 section on this Forum is great. Lots if info already covered here. And many people who are active, know a lot about these cars, and want to help.

[StephenVA]

Here is the link to the DIY section that no one seems to be able to find when new to posting

ALL DIY for e39 https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...seful-links***

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More!
https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...tions-(FAQ)***

[SW530]

From the information you gave the car sounds fine. But if you don't have experience working on cars, a complete set of tools, and the spare time to work on it.. I wouldn't recommend this. About the only 200k car I can think of that I'd trust for your conditions are certain year/models of Toyota's.., maybe a couple Nissan's. There is a reason BMW's have the highest depreciation of any car out there.. Really think about this one.

[E39 Newbie]

thanks so much for the list of things you have had to work on. i took the plunge and just got it, without a pre-purchase inspection. i'm thinking of taking it to a reputable shop just to see what i got into. i think that is a good idea, though perhaps i dont want to know.......

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i haven't ever changed out transmission fluid nor differential fluid. i'm on youtube watching some videos now! thanks.

Invest in a good scanner. INPA is free, but it has a clunky interface and all the messages are in German. Scrape together the money for a good used Autel or maybe a SnapOn. Without some kind of scanner you'll never be able to keep the car on the road.

[ihavea1993325i]

OK. Good luck! The e39 section on this Forum is great. Lots if info already covered here. And many people who are active, know a lot about these cars, and want to help.

thanks! i'll be happy to read and soak up as much information as possible; and give back with videos or document work that i do on it!

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From the information you gave the car sounds fine. But if you don't have experience working on cars, a complete set of tools, and the spare time to work on it.. I wouldn't recommend this. About the only 200k car I can think of that I'd trust for your conditions are certain year/models of Toyota's.., maybe a couple Nissan's. There is a reason BMW's have the highest depreciation of any car out there.. Really think about this one.

well i bought it. i guess i need to (1) get a complete set of tools and (2) start reading the forum.

definitely not the most prudent decision but i'm motivated given the community around the e39. i'll have to poke around to see specific tools i'll need.

[JimLev]

Start with metric wrenches, sockets, and allens. Get some e sockets too.
We can help you with just about anything.

[hakentt]

Hi all,
I will need to use this car daily but drive about 30 miles a week (i.e. 10 miles 3 times a day for work; 20 miles on the weekends doing errands). Is that too few miles on the car? I have done simple work on cars (e.g oil change, alternator, belts) but haven't yet done anything serious, such as any engine or transmission work.

Why do you want a car that has horrible gas mileage for your daily driver? If you are not a mechanic E39 540i can turn into a nightmare real quick.

[ihavea1993325i]

Why do you want a car that has horrible gas mileage for your daily driver? If you are not a mechanic E39 540i can turn into a nightmare real quick.

mainly to have something to tinker with, its a second car, my 'primary' car is a honda accord, very reliable. given i think the car was a good deal for a 2nd 'fun' car and it is practical, as in i can transport groceries, friends, pets (unlike a small coupe). and it has much more power than i have ever driven.

i'm no mechanic but i'm inclined to learn (i play with hardware and my day job involves programming). I figured it would be a great time to learn about cars.

[SW530]

well i bought it. i guess i need to (1) get a complete set of tools and (2) start reading the forum.

definitely not the most prudent decision but i'm motivated given the community around the e39. i'll have to poke around to see specific tools i'll need.

Congratulations! And really, it takes ballz to not have a mechanical background and then buy an E39 540i, and ballz are what it's going to take at times so you're a good fit. I'm new to E39's myself and the guys in this forum have been invaluable and super helpful. BTW - you paid what we paid for our 2003 540i/6 with 175k on the clock. We now have nearly 12k in the car a year later getting it to where I want it to be. At this point I'd take it anywhere. It appears I'll at least need to do the VANOS at some point in the future, maybe over the winter when it's not being used anyway.

[BimmrMeUpSnotty]

Just make sure you don’t flake out, and be the reason that car ends up in the graveyard.

[ihavea1993325i]

Congratulations! And really, it takes ballz to not have a mechanical background and then buy an E39 540i, and ballz are what it's going to take at times so you're a good fit. I'm new to E39's myself and the guys in this forum have been invaluable and super helpful. BTW - you paid what we paid for our 2003 540i/6 with 175k on the clock. We now have nearly 12k in the car a year later getting it to where I want it to be. At this point I'd take it anywhere. It appears I'll at least need to do the VANOS at some point in the future, maybe over the winter when it's not being used anyway.

ok so pricing seems to be a bit more expensive bit still within my budget and the cleanest 540, manual transmission in my market!

ill have to get it looked over soon. driving it like i anticipated and feels great

Just make sure you don’t flake out, and be the reason that car ends up in the graveyard.

ill definitely try my best......

[waters17]

I think you'll be fine if you already have a basic understanding of how cars work. I bought my 03 540i in late 2015 and my car knowledge was pretty much where yours is now. I haven't found anything to be too difficult. Last year I bought a 192pc Dewalt mechanics toolset. It pretty much has everything you need to work on the car. You will also need the e-torx bits like Jim said. I think you really only need the E10 and E12 sockets though.

Here's a spreadsheet of all the stuff I've replaced on my car as well as pricing at the time of service. I don't think my scenario is common, but I did a lot of "while you're in there" work as well as a lot of preventative maintenance, tires, as well as wasting money on rims. Think of it as a worst case scenario spreadsheet. My grand total is up to about $14k on top of the $10k I paid for the car.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...f=true&sd=true