lord_jagganath 421 Report post Posted February 3, 2014 http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-cars/bmw/540is/auction-692895725.htm This. Is. My. Dream. Car. can't justify the price (personally) now though. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
_ethrty-Andy_ 2122 Report post Posted February 3, 2014 lol one too many zeros Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michael. 2312 Report post Posted February 3, 2014 I was just looking at that. VERY nice, but when you can get an E39 M5 for 20-30k easily it does seem a little off price wise... ? Then again it is a manual E34 V8 which makes it rather rare and cool. I would have price it more around the 12.5-15.0k range with how much cheaper automatic 540is go for. I mean mint 100,000km auto ones aged between 1994-1996 E34s struggle to sell for 10k.. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lord_jagganath 421 Report post Posted February 3, 2014 does this have any M bits? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Phil-540i 166 Report post Posted February 3, 2014 Can'nt help but wonder if its maybe 'this guy' under a different guise etc, as he was once again chasing V8 auto E34's while he was also screwing up Mark's E34 535i auction a few weeks ago........... http://bimmersport.co.nz/topic/46305-1994-540is-special/?hl=540is Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Eagle 1528 Report post Posted February 3, 2014 15k would be the max id ever buy a 540is for, no matter how mint. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lord_jagganath 421 Report post Posted February 3, 2014 ^^ different colour, blue. ^ a few years ago an absolutely gorgeous Avus Blue example sold for $25k.... had 86ks on it? 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
isis 16 Report post Posted February 3, 2014 looks like one of Ray's old car... 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Phil-540i 166 Report post Posted February 3, 2014 High odds some-one will know of it, theres not that many around.............certainly nice cars the factory manual............, & also those that have since been lucky enough to get converted to manual too........ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Young Thrash Driver 1020 Report post Posted February 4, 2014 The guy's a knob, why hide his plate and not let his VIN be known? He's dreaming with the price so it's only fair people get to dream while dribbling over his build sheet. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
emac 9 Report post Posted February 4, 2014 Ditto KNOB! 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lord_jagganath 421 Report post Posted February 4, 2014 as Blue mentioned, this other chap is back http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-cars/bmw/540is/auction-693229260.htm Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
_ethrty-Andy_ 2122 Report post Posted February 4, 2014 as Blue mentioned, this other chap is back http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-cars/bmw/540is/auction-693229260.htm is it just me/the angle of the photo, or is that not the original engine cover? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vtgts300kw 90 Report post Posted February 4, 2014 Seller sounds like a real swell guy. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cheyne 17 Report post Posted February 7, 2014 (edited) is it just me/the angle of the photo, or is that not the original engine cover? If you compare it to a normal one, there's definitely something off about it. The cut out on the left side of the photo looks wrong. It should be square, not rounded. Also the header tank is either mounted too low or the cover is too far forward and too high. Edited February 7, 2014 by Cheyne Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tristan 338 Report post Posted February 7, 2014 Genuine buyers are more than welcome to view the car, but no test drives without cash in my hand as insurance restrictions apply Correct me if I'm wrong but would whether or not someone showed you $10K make any difference to insurance as stipulated in a policy? Sounds like BS to me. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cheyne 17 Report post Posted February 7, 2014 I suspect it's more to do with the fact that because the VIN/Number plates have been swapped from the donor car and the insurance still thinking that it's an automatic that they won't pay out no matter who the driver is... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BM WORLD 1264 Report post Posted February 7, 2014 (edited) its genuine 540is i think he got it from ross at bm workshop who got it from ray the purple one . the other is a manual swap , from a scruffy ,damaged 540is (the blue one) , that cover is just from a e38 or e39 etc has the later clip on cover type , to replace the old broken m60 types . money in hand , is if you write it off you own in it Edited February 7, 2014 by Brent HARTGE535i 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rumblefish 3 Report post Posted February 10, 2014 Brent is correct on all counts...... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gjm 3194 Report post Posted February 15, 2014 (edited) I was doing some research into the 540i for someone in the UK. The person in question wants something unique, special, different, and isn't afraid to spend money, either on buying or modifying/keeping the car. Anyway, I found a 1999 BMW 540i Alpina in Techno Violet for sale. 112,000 miles, or 180,000km. 10km more than the one in the TradeMe ad. OK, this one has an auto box, and it is an E39 instead of an E34. But the price... TradeMe at $20k, or UK at 20% of that price. Yup - you could have the E39 for the equivalent of $4000. Sadly that is representative of supply and demand in NZ. A rough giide to the costs involved in shipping from the UK to NZ (excluding any tax): about £1,350–1,400 shipping (call it $2800), £100–300 marine insurance ($500), NZ$2,250–2,750 in New Zealand to include port and unpacking charges, customs and MAF fees and entry certification and registration. Total: $6000(ish). Cars are zero rated for tax, but subject (I think) to 15% GST. So, if you'd like the E39, it'd cost under $11000 delivered. Edited February 15, 2014 by gjm Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rumblefish 3 Report post Posted February 15, 2014 (edited) I was doing some research into the 540i for someone in the UK. The person in question wants something unique, special, different, and isn't afraid to spend money, either on buying or modifying/keeping the car. Anyway, I found a 1999 BMW 540i Alpina in Techno Violet for sale. 112,000 miles, or 180,000km. 10km more than the one in the TradeMe ad. OK, this one has an auto box, and it is an E39 instead of an E34. But the price... TradeMe at $20k, or UK at 20% of that price. Yup - you could have the E39 for the equivalent of $4000. $_57.JPG “Sadly that is representative of supply and demand in NZ”? No, I think this is an example of something different than that….you are comparing 2 totally different cars – A NZ new 540, E34 manual vs a potentially rusty, UK import, 540 E39 Auto? Apart from both being BMW’s, the differences between these 2 cars are so great; any form of comparison you are trying to make is irrelevant. As an example…If you went to the supermarket specifically to buy Apples, but when you got there, you though “I’m not buying Apples, because they are asking Banana money….. “ Maybe you didn’t really want Apples, and you really just wanted fruit……maybe you are the kind of monkey who thinks one piece of fruit is the same as the next....or maybe you actually just wanted food, and it doesn’t really matter if it’s fruit…. Anything, no matter what it is, is worth the same..It's worth what someone will pay and if you really want an Apple, sometimes you have to pay Banana money. Edited February 15, 2014 by Rumblefish Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lord_jagganath 421 Report post Posted February 15, 2014 (edited) Just one caveat Graham, the car cannot be regitered in NZ until next year (under SIV rules), because of the emissions and age guideline. Edited February 15, 2014 by The Juggernaut Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rumblefish 3 Report post Posted February 15, 2014 (edited) Just one caveat Graham, the car cannot be regitered in NZ until next year (under SIV rules), because of the emissions and age guideline. \http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C439394 http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C355491 the e34 m5 would be a better determinator. http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C465611 a correct spec 540i/6 It is closer, but if you read the description of the 540i/6, the car has the wrong body kit for a 540IS, and has had two replacement wings as the originals had started to corrode and the boot lid has also been replaced with a non-rotten one. By comparison, and I have seen and driven the Technoviolet 540i,it is an immaculate car, owned by someone who paid to have the rocker boxes replaced with new items from Germany, because the usually cracked paint on the old ones, made the car look untidy under the hood! That level of commitment to these cars is seldom found and because of it I really doubt you could compare the two. I think you would be hard pushed to source a better E34 540IS anywhere, except maybe Ross's Avus Blue one that is for sale at the moment, but I cannot really comment on that, as I havent seen or driven that one. Edited February 15, 2014 by Rumblefish Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
