ForceFed

Nice 7 series. I came this close ---> <--- to buying one before I got the 540, but it wouldn't fit in the garage with my tools and tires.

Bukwild

yeah I am going to build a full exhaust system for mine here soon. I will just use some 2.5 SS pipe and get 4 magnaflows under there with no cats. Should free up some ponies seeing the car has 4 cats and 2 mufflers. I just need to figure out how to fool the computer into thinking the cats are still there and working fine.

ForceFed

You should be able to use an O2 simulator for that. I have O2 sims on my 540I with my Magnaflow hi-flo cats, which I just had put on last week. 200 miles and no check engine light in sight. The car seems to run alot better now too. Idles smoother, has slightly better bottom end to midrange and sounds ALOT better. I think I'm going to try and figure out a way to move my temp sensor out of my throttle body path and relocate it down towards the nose of the car so it gets a more accurate reading.

I3oostedCubes

nice choice. I'am currently looking at getting one also. How is your gas mileage working out? Also I know you have done some research before buying, how reliable are these cars? I would like to pick one up but I'am kind of worried about getting an older beamer with miles if something were to break($$$!). I need something that is reliable for a daily driver. Mind telling me how much you paid and mileage/condition of the car so I can get a picture of what I'am looking at.

ForceFed

http://www.540i6.com/probsfixes.html
That lists all the major problem areas. Still cheaper than owning an FD IMO.

Dan Stevenson

Before buying the 540/6, take a look at the 97 or 98 M3 4-door models. I have driven a 540 and I was pretty impressed with it's handling, speed, and luxury, but I needed something a little more sporty. The M3 is almost as much fun as my FD, but also a very good daily driver.

If you do buy a 540/6, you can pick up the HID retrofit kit for around 250 for the low beams. Best money I have spent on my car.

I3oostedCubes

That is quite a load of problems that could happen/have happened. It seems everyone that has one praises it but who knows. How is your gas mileage?

ForceFed

According to my OBC, I get an average of 20.3 tooling around town and about 22.3 on the highway. Its better than I thought it would be, but not great mileage. I usually don't rev past 2K unless I'm racing someone.

Dan Stevenson

You can't be using those kind of acronyms on this forum.

ForceFed

?????
OBC = onboard computer

Dan Stevenson

I was being sarcastic. I know it's used all the time at bimmerforums.

ForceFed

Roger that. Sorry, the sarcasm escaped me

nicobaires

I like the 97/98 M# but I need something bigger, Between the car seat, stroller, and all the other crap!
It's hard to find a nice 540 though!
Maybe an M5???

FD_Newb_1974

I see a ton of nice 540/6's out there now. I have a friend who purchased one locally, 75K miles, $11.5K for a 1997. It needed valve cover gaskets, flywheel, clutch, power steering lines, fluids, all for about $800 in parts. The car runs good as new.

My advice, buy one where the engine is healthy (compression and leak down tests) and has been cosmetically cared for. Most things that go wrong can be replaced and the engines themselves should be good for a several hundreds of thousands of miles.

The m3 coupe and m3/4's are nice. However, we have owned about the sportiest cars on the road in the FD. In my opinion the reasons for purchasing the 540 are different than the FD, much in the same way bimmer owners move from the m3 to the 540.

The 540 is a luxurious, powerful, capable, safe car. It is very enjoyable to drive in different ways than the FD and M3. I've NEVER talked to a person who regretted owning the car.

ForceFed

Nico, you'll pay premium $$$$$ for a E39 M5. Most used prices are still hovering around $30-38K.

RE Suzuki

Looks like alot of people are going this way. I too, plan to get a 2001 BMW 540i 6 speed!. . .but hornestly, I'm going for 540I, because I can not afford to buy a M5

ForceFed

At some point I'll be in a position to buy an E39 M5( I wouldn't waste my time with an E60 M5, I just don't care for the styling), but I've also been considering a CTS-V, especially because they are cheaper to modify and the aftermarket is much more venerable than the M5. The LS6/LS2 motors in them have a very large aftermarket background. When the weather down here in Charlotte finally starts to cool off, I'm going to take my 540I to the track and see what she can do in the quarter mile. Right now, the only times I have on it are a 9.002@80mph in the 1/8th mile which roughly translates to a 13.87@101-102 and that was with a CEL for two clogged catalytic converters. Now I have deleted the resonator, Magnaflow Hi-flow cats, new plugs and O2 sensors and a B&M short throw shifter. I lost a tiny bit of bottom end with the straight through design piping where the resonator was, but the midrange and top end feel a little bit stronger. If I can hit a 13.7 at somewhere between 100-103, I'll be extremely happy. After all, it is a 4,000 lb pig.

RE Suzuki

I just test drove the 2001 540i / 6sp. First thing first, the car is pretty darn slow compared to my rx7. However it looked and felt really nice when I had my butt cheeks on the drivers seat. Let's just say, I felt "rich" while I was in the car. haha.

I thought the car would pull harder as the engine being a V8 for crying out loud. It's was somewhat dissapointing when I tried to get the car going on the freeway. Yes, the car is fast compared to other cars which were on the freeway, but not fast enough to say "wow this thing pulls pretty good."

I guess I've got to remind myself that this is a luxury car and not a sports car.
540i here i come!