This 2000 540i msport

[Arma 134]

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=589320727

Not sure if any of you have looked at this particular 540i e39 / test driven it?

Is 176k too high of a mileage to get a 2000 e39? I've talked to the seller, says no apparent leaks with car, engine and trans working fine etc. etc. (would probably want to do a pre-purchase inspection anyway). But that seemed like a decent price to me for a 540i msport. What do you guys think?

[Michael. 2313]

176 is nothing.

$9500 for a 540i that looks in good condition is a damn bargain... but expect to have to fork out for repairs on suspension and check out the cooling systems in the engine bay - it might have one of those cooled alternators too & they can be big bucks if they go wrong.

[Arma 134]

I thought 540i's always came with water-cooled alternators. How much do those go for anyway. Are suspension repairs on the msport suspension extensive / expensive ?

[hybrid 1043]

That price is about right for a pre face lift with mtech kit. Its missing the msport suspension II by the looks however, xenons and rings.

[BreakMyWindow 1874]

You can pick up the core unit for about 650 + gst Only the M62TU E39's have the water cooled unit.

My 540i has done 298k and the alternator is fine, no noises or leaks. They are a reliable unit in my experience.

The trick with higher mileage 540i's especially the vanos models is to check if the time chain guide rails have been done. I had to do mine at about the 250k mark. But this varies on how the car has been driven and serviced. This is a BIG job, expect to pay 4k + if having a mechanic do it.

Suspension will probably need attention. Ball joints, links and possibly rear sub frame bushes. If you import parts from the USA it's not too expensive, just make sure you go for Genuine BMW or Lemforder items, although I've heard that some Lemforder parts are now made in China, and quality can be an issue. Pays to just use your good judgement. I.e a Genuine BMW rear subframe bush priced at $45 USD or a Lemforder one priced at $20USD. Chances are its crap. Where as if the Lemoforder equivalent is 10 - 30% cheaper, chances are it's as good as the part with the BMW logo on it.

[BreakMyWindow 1874]

That price is about right for a pre face lift with mtech kit. Its missing the msport suspension II by the looks however, xenons and rings.

Definatly has the M-tech II suspension. US spec models only got m-tech II in the 2003 model year. Rest of the world got M-tech II from 99' onwards, or when ever the e39's were released with M5 styling.

[hybrid 1043]

Looks pretty high off the ground for MSSII.

[BreakMyWindow 1874]

May have had the springs/shocks changed at some stage. The vin decoder for this one shows it came spec'd with m-tech II

[elmarco 56]

"Buyer fee of $150 applies, payable to the franchise for documentation costs, change of ownership etc"

WTF is this bullshit? The buyer pays for change of ownership not the seller... I smell a scam.

[Michael. 2313]

"Buyer fee of $150 applies, payable to the franchise for documentation costs, change of ownership etc"

WTF is this bullshit? The buyer pays for change of ownership not the seller... I smell a scam.

+1.

I was wondering the same thing.

Anyone got some more input on this?

[Arma 134]

Yeah that $150 'buyer fee' seemed a little iffy to me. I've sent an enquiry to the guy regarding what that's about.

Along with the car above, I've also had my eyes on this one:

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-cars/...n-571552447.htm

Although that M badge just looks out of place and I'd rather debadge that. Had an interest in that since apparently it was owned by a BMW mechanic and looked after well. Seems to be in pretty decent condition, although no M sport. How different would driving it feel without the Msport as opposed to with the msport?

[BreakMyWindow 1874]

The M sport should feel quicker with the shorter final drive ratio. Ride should be a bit firmer but handling much better. The m62tu feels quicker and is off the mark with its torque advantage. The earlier m62 is better at the top end. Some non msports come with the shorter final drive ratio. It pays to check the options list using a vin decoder. Test drive a non m and an m back to back and u will see.

[Allanw 1071]

E39 suspension doesn't last long anyway, so with that milage, it's probably either really poked, or it's had work already.

Watch for mushroomed front strut towers, particularly on M-Tech II suspension equiped cars.

[Arma 134]

How much would it be to get the 'angel eye' headlights installed into these?

Oh and regarding the 'buyer fee'. The place the car is being sold "U-Sell" charges a buyer fee of $150 apparently.

Edited May 8, 2013 by Arma

[Tristan 338]

How much would it be to get the 'angel eye' headlights installed into these?

Oh and regarding the 'buyer fee'. The place the car is being sold "U-Sell" charges a buyer fee of $150 apparently.

New headlights aren't cheap for the E39s. I replaced mine when I got the car, from memory it was $6-700 a corner.

Edited May 8, 2013 by Tristan

[zara 0]

Here's a bit of my input.

The main difference with the facelift is the headlights, tail-lights and TV screen (cosmetically).

You can easily fit angel rings into your headlights, bake them open and put in the rings. You can go aftermarket for tail lights and give you the same look as facelift models. There are many many options, have a look at http://www.umnitza.com/ for a start. You can buy new OEM headlights at well over $1000, or hella 'knockoffs' (hella are the OEM manufacturer anyway) which is literally the same thing for 30% of the price. These headlights can all come with the rings and HIDs.

As for cooling system + chain guides, if you plan on keeping the car for long I would recommend you have a look at this one

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-cars/...n-586839808.htm

I've viewed and drove the car in person, the seller has spent over $5k at BM Workshop getting the above items overhauled and it also has the M5 front bumper. However the cosmetics is a bit scruffy, the sunroof is not a glass roof and the suspension felt a bit softer than it should (bottomed out over a tall speed bump)

If the suspension is original, you should look into getting new struts and shocks and most E39s will need new thrust bearings.

The difference between an M 540i and non-M mostly comes down to suspension and seats in terms of driving feel. The shorter final drive can be felt if you're a bit sensitive but both are fast cars. The seats on the M sport are much more comfortable in my opinion as it hugs you better and provides critical support. The suspension (if in good condition) on the non M sport make for a comfortable ride but they're not that great in tighter corners. The M Tech II suspension are a very good balance between comfort and sportiness.

If you really want a better handling car though, I would recommend the 530i. It get better gas mileage, 'feels' better thanks to rack and pinion but it lacks the Teutonic feel of the 540i as it doesn't have 440nm of torque.

I've looked at 330s, 530s and 540s before buying a 540i. I would personally choose the 330 over the 530 as it's faster and handles better. But the 540's torque beat them all out in my mind. If you buy a 540, best thing to do is never look at gas mileage or range on the OBC, you'll enjoy the car much more that way.

[Arma 134]

Thanks for the detailed reply Zara, that's a lot of useful info. I've had the car in your link on my watch list as well - the only reason it wasn't near the top of my list was because of the color (I find silver a bit dull and too common for my liking). You said the suspension felt softer - what kind of pricing are we looking at if I were to get new struts, shocks and thrust bearings + having a mechanic do it.

I've been recommended 530i by a fair few people as well so will probably browsing some of those meanwhile as well. The torque/power of the 540i was the main winning factor for me, but I hear that those v8s can be troublesome and a fair bit more expensive to maintain? Not sure if I want a 3 series at the moment, but perhaps one in good condition, specs and price might catch my eye.

[zara 0]

From my research, you should be able to get a set of Bilsteins HD shocks + H&R springs in for around $1500NZD. The ride will be about 1" or so lower than standard motorsport and a tad bit harsher, though with improved handling. Thrust bushings are around $50USD a pair. Genuine BMW items maybe around $65USD, but they're liquid filled and will fail again, or so my research has said.

I'm not a mechanic nor am I very mechanically inclined but I've been doing this research for the last month or so, it's just what I've picked up from various forums. Have a look at some offshore vendors like turner motorsport, ECS tuning, bimmerzone and Pelican parts for example to get a better idea of everything.

530s were in my consideration too, but I couldn't find one that fitted my bill (leather, heated seats+glass sunroof, facelift). That and a V8 is quite nice. From my limited experience of 2 months or so, the V8 has given me no big issue. There have been other issues but it's not really the car's fault or limited to 540s.

From my understanding, the cooling system of the M62 is weak, maybe with the 6 cylinders too. Everything is plastic and everything should be replaced if you plan on driving the car for long. I was told around $1k by Glenn from Botany Motor Worx to do the whole system except the radiator (which was new on my car). Other than that, no real issue. I've read that vanos seals can go bad which causes loss of power, poor fuel economy etc, but that was mostly on 6 cylinder cars and can be remedied. Someone will know better than me on that. Also O2 sensors may need to be replaced and the MAF can sometimes go kaput, but these are universal E39 things, not engine specific.

I just can't justify 530s over 330s, but I can with the 540 over the 330, so I picked a 540. If space isn't an issue, I would strongly recommend you to at least try an E46, it's a very good driver's car. I've read that quite a significant amount of E46s have cracked subframes, but I'm not sure on details.

[Allanw 1071]

New headlights aren't cheap for the E39s. I replaced mine when I got the car, from memory it was $6-700 a corner.

I did a group buy a year ago, for genuine Hella lights for $640 a pair of halogens from Clarke at Hella NZ.

I actually ended up selling mine on, and buying a genuine BMW xenon retrofit kit, with everything to fit them, including new lights and self levelling sensor and looms etc for about $900 (they made it in without customs being charged!).

You can also fit the facelift grilles, they are much bigger, but actually fit the same hole in the bonnet, they just overlap it more.

[1rotty 40]

Thanks for the detailed reply Zara, that's a lot of useful info. I've had the car in your link on my watch list as well - the only reason it wasn't near the top of my list was because of the color (I find silver a bit dull and too common for my liking). You said the suspension felt softer - what kind of pricing are we looking at if I were to get new struts, shocks and thrust bearings + having a mechanic do it.

I've been recommended 530i by a fair few people as well so will probably browsing some of those meanwhile as well. The torque/power of the 540i was the main winning factor for me, but I hear that those v8s can be troublesome and a fair bit more expensive to maintain? Not sure if I want a 3 series at the moment, but perhaps one in good condition, specs and price might catch my eye.

I think youve been mislead about the V8..except for the items mentioned,most of which are not v8 specific, they are bulletproof & not expensive to maintain.\

Mine has the original msport suspension,has done 220k & is only now needing new front shocks.

Ill be getting them from Turner Motorsport

Personally I think 540 v 530 comes down to personal preference......they are both great cars with great engines.

Test drive both !!

[BreakMyWindow 1874]

I think youve been mislead about the V8..except for the items mentioned,most of which are not v8 specific, they are bulletproof & not expensive to maintain.\

Mine has the original msport suspension,has done 220k & is only now needing new front shocks.

Ill be getting them from Turner Motorsport

Personally I think 540 v 530 comes down to personal preference......they are both great cars with great engines.

Test drive both !!

Agreed, keep on top of cooling system maintenance, regular oil changes and the engine will out last the rest of the car.

[Arma 134]

Yup true. Well I've test driven both, and although i bloody love the torque in the 540i, the fuel consump might be a bit too much judging from how far I have to drive to work everyday. I ended up buying Tristan's 530i which I'm loving so far and am hoping will love me back by treating me well .

[hybrid 1043]

Nice, you'll enjoy that car .. its a good one

[selvannair 4]

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=589320727

Not sure if any of you have looked at this particular 540i e39 / test driven it?

Is 176k too high of a mileage to get a 2000 e39? I've talked to the seller, says no apparent leaks with car, engine and trans working fine etc. etc. (would probably want to do a pre-purchase inspection anyway). But that seemed like a decent price to me for a 540i msport. What do you guys think?

Hi. I test drove this black 540i msport which the thread is related to. I was also going to ask for more insight on this vehicle as there were some concerns. Bearing in mind I am not a mechanic - the vehicle has a heavy shudder when breaking at speeds 75km +...Also in the front right of the engine compartment (see photo), there is a mechanism which I think has something o do with the power steering...this is held up by cable ties, very loose and pissing oil from what I assume is the seals. Also, the boot is messed with oil. It could have been messed with cooking oil on the way home from a grocery run....or the boot could have been used as a storage for the vehicles parts during a major over haul. There is a sticker in the boot lid from the BM wrkshop in New Lynn. I am really not sure about these points I found concerning above. Overall, the vehicle drove well at low speeds in traffic. It was responsive when the throttle was opened. And god damn did this car caused many heads to turn! Does anybody know this car at all?

[jeffbebe 1559]

Also in the front right of the engine compartment (see photo), there is a mechanism which I think has something o do with the power steering...this is held up by cable ties, very loose and pissing oil from what I assume is the seals.

That's the oil filter housing, isn't it? Probably not a major, just a $10 o-ring. The cable ties sound a bit more worrying!