can i put a 4.4 v8 in my e39

[Phil-540i 166]

It's not the hunger of the 540 that is the issue it is the loss of dynamics with the truck steering ( same as my ute) and the porky V8 that changes the chassis balance.

Anyone who has driven a well set up E39 with a 6 pot will know you just ill not get the same level of dynamics and engagement with the lardy V8 and truck steering.

If this load of $hit is even remotely true on some planet - how come BMW in their completely f#cked up wisdom, with all the German engineering expertise in the world at their call, designed the E39 M5 with a V8 powering it, not a 6 cylinder boat anchor instead.............??? A car that got, & still gets rave reviews for its power & handling............

Lets think about that for a milli-second - theres keys to a 6 cylinder manual E39 & a E39 M5 sitting on the table - what set would ya honestly take first choice..........???

[Michael. 2313]

The M5 would have different steering to that of the 540i no doubt?

[jeffbebe 1560]

The M5 would have different steering to that of the 540i no doubt?

Same steering but with a slightly shorter ratio. Rack and pinion in the 6-cyl models is definitely better but the 540 and M5 is by no means bad. I think 3pedals is being a bit extreme... As he likes to be

and if the keys were for an M3 3.2 powered E39 or an M5 I would take the M3 powered version - stealth car, leave the 523 badge on the boot!!

Think I'd take the M5 simply because they are one of my favourite all time cars but would definitely love to have a go in an M3 powered 6-cyl E39... M3 powered motorsport 530i manual touring would be pretty much the perfect car!

[Phil-540i 166]

The E39 M5 is a very good car and drives exceptionally well and it deserves all the plaudits it gets, BMW didn't screw up, they worked through a design process and made a fantastic car.

The more appropriate comparison would be an E46 M3 or an E39 M5 - I would take the M3

I would happily trade the extra power for the finesse as the E46 M3 is a more engaging car to drive, I also prefer it to the E92 V8 M3 as I prefer smaller more agile cars.

Its not the more appropriate comparison at all IMO. You've gone off on some sorta tangent now - you're comparing 3 series cars with 5 series.............& a newer chassis vs the older class car.............

By the time we chuck a M3 motor in the 523 here, its still gonna owe the poor guy far more than what a 540 will. In terms of 'bang for buck' & how to best use his money, in my opinion the best solution is as I already posted - sell the 523 & get a 540.

Bearing in mind also, original indication at start of thread is he actually wants a V8............... Not some ba$tardised orphan love-child thing that he'll forever have teething issues with probably...........

Edit. I'm with Jooles - I'd be picking the M5 keys too..............

Edited November 22, 2013 by Blue-540i

[*Glenn* 855]

Bastardised cars can be nice and also deliver more than what you might expect.... I know this.. and many others will also agree with what they have experienced. Think outside the square and don't follow a leader into the same old, same old fit this fit that DIY upgrade

[Tristan 338]

a newer chassis vs the older class car.............

Edit. I'm with Jooles - I'd be picking the M5 keys too..............

Fairly sure this was just a side-note opinion, nothing to do with the 5 series argument.

I'd personally take the E46 M3 keys

[aja540i 1906]

The M5 would have different steering to that of the 540i no doubt?

Nope, still truck steering!!

If you're comparing 6 cylinder e39's to v8s, the power and torque more than make up for the "inferior" handling.

My e36 318is handles way better than my 540i touring but i still love driving the v8!!

[Phil-540i 166]

Bastardised cars can be nice and also deliver more than what you might expect.... I know this.. and many others will also agree with what they have experienced. Think outside the square and don't follow a leader into the same old, same old fit this fit that DIY upgrade

I agree with where you're coming from in lots of ways, but IMO, theres also a very valid difference in being able to build / butcher / tweak something yourself, & also have the skills & / or money to fix gremlins as they appear down the track, & not having the skills / money for doing so.

Stuff like that is found all over the place in this forum - its one of the things I like bout it....& theres always some self-satisfaction on having something you've built yourself, that's a bit different from what every-one else has got..........

[Mr2low 57]

Just sitting her watching and laughing love how this started out as a simple can I put a m62 in my e39, to me trying to swap cars to now a fight about which is better an m3 or m5 even though they have always been designed to be 2 completely different cars. Yes the v8 does make the 39 front heavy but then it was never designed to be a race car, it was at time the fastest sedan in the world until the m5 came out

[_ethrty-Andy_ 2136]

it was at time the fastest sedan in the world until the m5 came out

i think you are confusing the fastest stopping with the fastest accelerating. Was definitely the quickest stopping, as was the E34 when it came out

but 520i, 540i, M5, even my 550i, they are all great in a straight line and for long distance hauling or round town cruising. They do that really well. All of them are crapped all over by smaller cars, not only BMW 3 series, come time at the track or on a twisty back road, all 5s are heavy beasts, a 540i has so much extra gear on board the marketers thought you needed.

523i<540i<M5<"M532i"

[Mr2low 57]

1998 BMW 540i Sport 0-60 mph 5.4 that's pretty nippy for a big sedan

[Phil-540i 166]

1998 BMW 540i Sport 0-60 mph 5.4 that's pretty nippy for a big sedan

Well yes, unless you're a 3 series owner most people think that's quite nippy (like wtf's with this sudden 3 vs 5 stuff anyway........ ) And ya can load it up with gear, its a proper 5 seater, chuck a towbar on the girl for yanking round 'toys' like bikes / jet boat / concrete mixer..............

Just sitting her watching and laughing love how this started out as a simple can I put a m62 in my e39, to me trying to swap cars to now a fight about which is better an m3 or m5 even though they have always been designed to be 2 completely different cars. Yes the v8 does make the 39 front heavy but then it was never designed to be a race car, it was at time the fastest sedan in the world until the m5 came out

Totally agree with ya here Jamie. And yes, you're correct in that the 540 was the world's fastest 4 door production car in E34 / early 39 timespan.........both in acceleration & top speed I'm lead to believe (250k speed limiter on them....... )

[_ethrty-Andy_ 2136]

Totally agree with ya here Jamie. And yes, you're correct in that the 540 was the world's fastest 4 door production car in E34 / early 39 timespan.........both in acceleration & top speed I'm lead to believe (250k speed limiter on them....... )

Definitely not true.

E34 M5 3.8L for one is quicker than both E34 and E39 540i and produced before both as well.

Probably Mercs as fast too

edit: 750iL will be up there too

Edited November 22, 2013 by _Ethrty-Andy_

[Eagle 1679]

The driver has alot of influence come track day. I just like a bigger car myself

If i recall the Lotus Carlton Omega was the fastest sedan in early 90's

[Phil-540i 166]

Definitely not true.

E34 M5 3.8L for one is quicker than both E34 and E39 540i and produced before both as well.

Probably Mercs as fast too

edit: 750iL will be up there too

I stand corrected, & apologise............you're right - the E34 M5 was faster / quicker than a E39 540. You couldn't buy that new when E39 540's were being sold new though, but yes, theres probably Merc's, & even a 4 door Maserati that were quicker @ the time........

[Allanw 1072]

I stand corrected, & apologise............you're right - the E34 M5 was faster / quicker than a E39 540. You couldn't buy that new when E39 540's were being sold new though, but yes, theres probably Merc's, & even a 4 door Maserati that were quicker @ the time........

Hmmm... are we talking Production sedan? Does the E34 M5 count - Weren't they the last handbuilt "M" cars? and the E39 M5 went into standard factory production?

1. semantics /sɪˈmantɪks/ noun

[usually treated as singular]

The main purpose for internet forums.

The study of discussing the meaning/interpretation of words or groups of words within a certain context; usually in order to win some form of argument.

[Phil-540i 166]

Lols Allan Thread lost the plot ages ago - lots of $hits & giggles since though, haha. Hold your breathe long enough & we'll probably see a debate here on E46 330 on Ling-long tyres being 'better' than E28 M5 on Triangle tyres.

Hard to say re the E39 M5, as I think had a proper hand-built motor still?? Makes it a cross-over maybe?? Opps, my bad, a cross-over with truck steering.......

[slybma 38]

And ya can load it up with gear, its a proper 5 seater, chuck a towbar on the girl for yanking round 'toys' like bikes / jet boat / concrete mixer..............

Umm concrete mixer?...

[BM WORLD 1286]

i think you are confusing the fastest stopping with the fastest accelerating. Was definitely the quickest stopping, as was the E34 when it came out

but 520i, 540i, M5, even my 550i, they are all great in a straight line and for long distance hauling or round town cruising. They do that really well. All of them are crapped all over by smaller cars, not only BMW 3 series, come time at the track or on a twisty back road, all 5s are heavy beasts, a 540i has so much extra gear on board the marketers thought you needed.

523i<540i<M5<"M532i"

unless you have a e28 5 series with a m88 inside

[Phil-540i 166]

Umm concrete mixer?...

For the Tim Shadbolts of the world............

[jeffbebe 1560]

1998 BMW 540i Sport 0-60 mph 5.4 that's pretty nippy for a big sedan

Not sure where you got that from. The early manual E39 540s managed 0-60mph in 6.0 seconds - still very fast. Some of the late model M62TU engines reportedly 5.4-5.6 but only models produced after 2001, I believe.

Have seen quite a few E34 threads saying that E34 M5 owners were a bit disgruntled that some E39 540s seemed to accelerate quicker - but the M5 is definitely faster.

[Phil-540i 166]

Apparently, E34 M5 3.8 restricted to 280 kph, whereas everything else was 'restricted' to 250kph on E34/39 platform........ Bit quicker than a 523 anyway, (but not quite the legend that E36/46 became)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_M5

[Mr2low 57]

http://www.zeroto60times.com

[Ahmedsinc 414]

I recall talking to a guy not so long ago who told me the E34 540i held the fastest production car record in NZ for quite some time. Apparently the only modifications allowed were removal of the govenor, rear seat & spare tyre, and a set of high speed tyres fitted. No idea of whether said claim is genuine, but it made for a good story nonetheless

[Allanw 1072]

Lols Allan Thread lost the plot ages ago - lots of $hits & giggles since though, haha.

I liike threads like this (I'm known for causing them often enough!)

I recall talking to a guy not so long ago who told me the E34 540i held the fastest production car record in NZ for quite some time. Apparently the only modifications allowed were removal of the govenor, rear seat & spare tyre, and a set of high speed tyres fitted. No idea of whether said claim is genuine, but it made for a good story nonetheless

Nothing wrong with a good story. Even if it's not entirely true, it's probably somewhat interesting. Actually, the less true it is, probably the MORE interesting it is. Anyone read the Herald lately?