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Targarama
13,191 posts
153 months
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I just bought the same model. Lovely car.
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ccr32
1,247 posts
88 months
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Greenwich Ross said: Well, I picked the beast up on Saturday. The weather was atrocious so the journey home wasn't especially pleasant but here are my initial thoughts... I bought this car because i'm starting a new job next week which will require me to do a bit of travelling. As they're offering mileage I thought i'd prefer to drive rather than hacking through London on the Tube to Paddington/Kings Cross (et al). I currently drive a Boxster which is good fun but miserable in a motorway traffic jam and pretty noisy at speed. I needed a barge with an automatic gearbox. And a huge engine. Probably. So...it's got a really nice driving position. The steering wheel is a lovely fat affair but it does need quite a bit of turning at slow speeds (however, that might be because i'm so used to my other car). The automatic gearbox was a bit weird to start off with (I've never owned one before) but once I got moving it was perfect. The whole car feels as tight as a ducks arse; no rattles, squeaks or clonks. Compared to this, the Boxster feels like it was screwed together by a toddler. The throttle response is surprisingly brutal if you tap it a bit hard coming out of a junction so that's something i'll need to warn the missus about. On the move it glides along beautifully. You can certainly feel the weight of the thing but it feels very stable indeed and, even in the wet, felt like it had tonnes of grip. I took a cross country route home so I didn't get a huge number of opportunities to get it the full beans but when I did...wow...it's not what you'd call dramatic; more a linear, jet plane, sort of feeling. The econo-metre (or whatever they call them nowadays) simply dives headlong into 0 MPG as the speedometer flies around to silly speeds. Dangerous/fun stuff. You certainly don't feel the speed you're actually doing. I can see this car pootling along at very naughty speeds with absolutely no effort whatsoever. It's a very relaxing drive and belies it's size. I love old BMW's (this is my third) and I think this one is a cracker. It looks excellent in silver; very purposeful. The Sport bodywork tweaks really suit it and are so subtle. The wheels look great and the E39 shape generally seems to have aged really well. The only real downside so far is that I haven't read the manual so I have next to no idea what half the buttons do. It took me until two miles from home before I found the button for the radio. Yes, i'm a bit of a luddite. So, well pleased and I can't wait to take it out for a proper run and see what the sport mode on the gearbox actually does   (apologies to previous owner; he took this snap  ) Snap! As I said before, great taste.  They really are at home on decent distance motorway cruises, and as you have eluded to, are more than happy to sit somewhere above 1.0 leptons for extended periods of time with no discernable effects. I like the way they get there pretty quickly too in the whooshy, undramatic, warp-drive-engaging fashion that you describe, especially once you find the kickdown (push the loud pedal past where you think it stops – there is an additional bit of movement after that!). You shouldn't too many niggles with it, though there are various things which are common on these so if you do, feel free to drop me a PM and I'll let you know what I know or try and point you in the right direction. -ccr32 (fellow Silver '02 reg 540i sport owner)
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Greenwich Ross
Original Poster
1,219 posts
43 months
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ccr32 said: feel free to drop me a PM and I'll let you know what I know or try and point you in the right direction.
-ccr32 (fellow Silver '02 reg 540i sport owner) Cheers How many of these do you think still exist? I certainly don't recall seeing many out and about. Also, i'm still hunting for a good indie to service it so if you have any suggestions...
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ccr32
1,247 posts
88 months
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Greenwich Ross said: Cheers How many of these do you think still exist? I certainly don't recall seeing many out and about. Also, i'm still hunting for a good indie to service it so if you have any suggestions... You don't see them that often really, though I would have thought that is more to do with rising fuel costs rather than them slowly dying out. Haven't had to service mine yet, though have heard good things about AMC London - not a million miles from you either.
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louiebaby
5,390 posts
61 months
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There seem to be a few of the 540i about, but a lot of them are now rough looking. I think once they can be kept maintained well, but if you find one that hasn't been, it will be a pig to get it back to "right" which tends to polarise them into dogs and the dogs danglies.
Since you're appears to be the dogs danglies, you have a kind of obligation to the motoring world to try and keep it as such. It's quite a burden, but you do get to drive a burbly V8 as "compensation."
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frogisland
202 posts
115 months
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Total loss
1,499 posts
97 months
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Greenwich Ross said: that's something i'll need to warn the missus about. WARNING - Don't let her drive it ! I did mine and a few months later it became HER car and has been her daily for the 2 1/2 years since.
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Fox-
10,041 posts
116 months
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Absolutely beautiful But then I would say that 
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NSFW
1,402 posts
60 months
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Total loss said: WARNING - Don't let her drive it ! I did mine and a few months later it became HER car and has been her daily for the 2 1/2 years since. I made this mistake on Saturday eve after a bevy, now when we go out its 'shall we take the Beemer?' instead of we'll take my (her) car because yours isn't as good on fuel. I can feel the keys slipping from my grasp!
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louiebaby
5,390 posts
61 months
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The missus is going to be using mine as her commuting car in about a month. Whilst I know it will be good for it to be used everyday, I worry she has no mechanical sympathy. I hope I'm wrong in my vision of the future: Her: "There's been a funny noise coming from the car and a couple of lights on the dashboard for a couple of days now." Me: 
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tjlazer
316 posts
44 months
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ccr32 said: You don't see them that often really, though I would have thought that is more to do with rising fuel costs rather than them slowly dying out. Haven't had to service mine yet, though have heard good things about AMC London - not a million miles from you either. Amc are pretty decent. Polite, friendly and efficient. Charged me less than originally quoted on my e46. More pricey than K&M auto technics but it's obviously in town whereas they are not.
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rm163603
187 posts
118 months
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I bought a 2001 e39 540i sport a couple of months ago as well.
The build quality and feeling of solidity is something thats totally missing from modern BMWs IMO.
I agree about the step off, it can be quite keen but you get used to it quickly.
Make sure your throttle pedal isn't 'sticky' as this can make it hard to move off smoothly. it's a common problem.
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ccr32
1,247 posts
88 months
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rm163603 said: I bought a 2001 e39 540i sport a couple of months ago as well.
The build quality and feeling of solidity is something thats totally missing from modern BMWs IMO.
I agree about the step off, it can be quite keen but you get used to it quickly.
Make sure your throttle pedal isn't 'sticky' as this can make it hard to move off smoothly. it's a common problem. Any tips on how to rectify? Mine has this...
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Nigel Worc's
5,315 posts
58 months
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ccr32 said: Any tips on how to rectify? Mine has this... On my 2.8 straight six engined version, the throttle body was at fault and needed cleaning.
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ccr32
1,247 posts
88 months
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I thought they all had DBW throttles?
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rm163603
187 posts
118 months
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ccr32 said: rm163603 said: I bought a 2001 e39 540i sport a couple of months ago as well.
The build quality and feeling of solidity is something thats totally missing from modern BMWs IMO.
I agree about the step off, it can be quite keen but you get used to it quickly.
Make sure your throttle pedal isn't 'sticky' as this can make it hard to move off smoothly. it's a common problem. Any tips on how to rectify? Mine has this... If you have the drive by wire throttle then you need to change the pedal module. It's around £100 but it makes the world of difference to the way the car drives. You also have to buy the mounting plate as well as that usually gets broken when you remove the pedal. These are the bits (for my car anyway, 2001 540i sport auto): http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=DN82...It's a fairly easy DIY job, the instructions are here: Pedal module: http://tis.spaghetticoder.org/s/view.pl?1/05/74/38Mounting plate: http://tis.spaghetticoder.org/s/view.pl?1/05/89/93
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louiebaby
5,390 posts
61 months
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I just replaced the front armrest, which was set up for a Motorola phone, with a blank one and a useful cubby hole. It still slides too. It cost £90 delivered from eBay, and it makes a whole load of difference. I'd recommend anyone to swear at the wiring for 15 mins to do it. I'd give you a hand if you were near enough, but it's not hard.
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Fox-
10,041 posts
116 months
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90 quid? Is it a nappa leather one? Sure the standard ones are cheaper than that new!
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louiebaby
5,390 posts
61 months
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Fox- said: 90 quid? Is it a nappa leather one? Sure the standard ones are cheaper than that new! All good information I could have used at the beginning of the week! It's a sliding none leather one.
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