'00 Bmw 540

antodeco

Hi Folks,

Just thinking about getting this car:

http://www.usedcars.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=Car&carID=528317&message=You%20searched%20for%3A%20BMW%20540%2C%20Year%3A%202000%2E%20Your%20search%20returned%20one%20vehicle%2C%20which%20is%20shown%20below%2E&CFID=186007&CFTOKEN=87589828

Any suggestions?

Lex Luthor

why spend 8k on extras and sell in 6 months?

the steering setup on these is different to the 6 cylinder and is a bit of a complicated setup, so I'd get it well checked out.

ask about on http://www.bavarian-board.co.uk/forum_topics.asp?FID=5
the lads on there would be v. familiar with the E39 and would be able to point you in the right direction

kdevitt

Its a recirculating ball steering setup alright - have heard one or two people moan about it, but considering the M5 uses it, it can't be too bad

As for spending 8k on extras and selling a few months later, have done it myself in the past, its doesn;t necessarily point to anything wrong - those wheels, a sports kit and the install would eat up a good chunk of that cash too. Just make sure the history all checks out.

antodeco

Lex Luthor wrote:

why spend 8k on extras and sell in 6 months?

the steering setup on these is different to the 6 cylinder

What cylinder are the 540's?

Thanks, ill post on the other site too.

Max_Damage

antodeco wrote:

What cylinder are the 540's?

Thanks, ill post on the other site too.

4.4 Litre V8.

antodeco

Max_Damage wrote:

4.4 Litre V8.

Sorry, misunderstood the original post! :rolleyes:

unkel

Nice motor

A bit overpriced though tbh. A 7 year old 5-series high spec V8 petrol for €19k. I paid €11k for a 7 year old 7-series higher spec V8 petrol with the same M62 engine (albeit in 3.5l)

Munurty

My dad bought one from new in 99. Worst car we have ever had really. Head gasket went and either because of that or later on it needed a brand new engine. Even after a new engine it was starting to overheat. Auto air con was a nightmare, in and out of the garage numerous times but never worked right. Sold it after three years of trouble.

Next car was a 530d and never looked at another petrol since.

bazz26

unkel wrote:

Nice motor

A bit overpriced though tbh. A 7 year old 5-series high spec V8 petrol for €19k. I paid €11k for a 7 year old 7-series higher spec V8 petrol with the same M62 engine (albeit in 3.5l)

Looks like the owner is trying to claw back some of that €8k spent six months ago.

Lex Luthor

If I was buying an E39 again, my choice would be the 528i manual.

Cyrus

buy a nice 530i running costs of the 540 are apparently frightening

unkel

Cyrus wrote:

running costs of the 540 are apparently frightening

How come? Sure enough there's tax, insurance and fuel consumption won't be good, but the engine / tranny should be trouble free

Munurty wrote:

My dad bought one from new in 99

Are you sure it was a 540i? I'd say only a handful of them were sold here per year

Cyrus

from what ive come across the 540 is very very expensive to run given what youve mentioned and also if anything goes wrongs its basically m5 money to get fixed!!

iremex

heard the 4.4 v8 does about 9mpg which is just too painful to imagine the fuel bill.
you might as well go for the m5.!!

Mc-BigE

If it was me, i'd get a high spec 530d and go down to halfords for those rear headrest tv monitors and a stanley knife:eek:

unkel

iremex wrote:

heard the 4.4 v8 does about 9mpg

LOL - it depends on what way you drive I suppose

I've a 7-series with the same engine (albeit only 3.5l) and I've averaged 21MPG over the last 3 years. That's mainly start-stop Dublin traffic. On long-distance travel with a heavy overtaking foot, I get up to 30MPG

It would probably take either a lunatic or a racing track (or both) to get single figures from the 540i

galwaytt

too much. A neighbour bought an 01 740iL for 16k.

For that money, and that class, there are a squillion 530d's out there for sale, so they'd be a much better bet. Quicker midrange than a Boxster, and in tiptronic, it's the biz.............only the €1300+ p.a. tax puts me off.........

Eoin

unkel wrote:

LOL - it depends on what way you drive I suppose

I've a 7-series with the same engine (albeit only 3.5l) and I've averaged 21MPG over the last 3 years. That's mainly start-stop Dublin traffic. On long-distance travel with a heavy overtaking foot, I get up to 30MPG

It would probably take either a lunatic or a racing track (or both) to get single figures from the 540i

I would think so - was brought for a spin in a beauty of an e39 M5 last week, and he was getting between 14 and 19MPG.

PS - you only have a 3.5 litre engine?!

Henry Ford III

Looks nice enough. Extras although doubtless desirable, are valueless imho.

unkel

eoin_s wrote:

you only have a 3.5 litre engine?!

I would have preferred the 4.4 although there's not that much in it between the two

bazz26

unkel wrote:

I would have preferred the 4.4 although there's not that much in it between the two

Yeah, only a 0.9 litre engine from a Suzuki Alto.

SouperComputer

the E39 is a good car, but personally I would avoid one that has been messed around like that. Not to mention that the price is optimistic to say the least.

Have you considered going to the UK to buy one?

Both the M62 and the 328 inline 6 are mechanically very solid. The only disapointment with the V8 is its comparative lack of low-end torque IMO.

7MPG sounds almost impossibly low, even for track racing with an M62. Methinks there was a problem with the car.