Tuesday 19th August 2014
BMW 540i (E39) manual: Spotted
Thought the cut-price M5 was rare? There are two in the PH classifieds!
Hopefully you do the same. Whenever a BMW becomes old enough to be interesting you take a quick glance at the bootlid to check the badge. Only fleeting mind, just so everyone else doesn't think you're entirely mad. Sometimes there will be some real beauties, an E38 750 perhaps or an E30 325i. On most occasions you'll find yourself peering at an old 5 Series diesel and looking odd.
Now this is how to do discreet
In extremely rare instances an intriguing non-M BM may be ahead in a queue, as was the case yesterday with an E39 540i. It's one of those cars that needs a car person to spot; to everyone else it looked like a rather scabby 15-year-old 5 Series. But there's a 286hp 4.4 V8 in the old shed, and that makes it quite cool.
Onwards to the classifieds! There's a quintet of 540is on PH, this lovely Touring about as pleasant as this modified example is contemptible. Anyway, continue scrolling and up pops this '540i very rare six-speed manual'. Cool car! Perhaps not immaculate outside but seeing a detailed specialist service history, four new Bridgestone Potenzas plus a seemingly excellent interior are all good signs. Without comparing back to back with an M5 it's hard to be definitive but given BMW apparently considered not making an E39 M because of how good the 540i was should say a lot. For under £4K when M5s start at £6Kwith problems it's very tempting.
And the cheaper V8 manual option
Scroll down to the last 540 and there lies
this Anthracite Grey stunner. Reputedly 'owned by an Elderly Gent from New' (how old was he in 2000?), the spec sort of reflects that. Grey with more grey and lots of wood, it's fairly staid even as German saloons go. But it would be nice to think our senior owner was a bit of a scallywag too, given he's specced his manual 540i debadged. How on earth could you tell? This car is harder to justify as its tiny mileage puts it right into M5 money (£10K) but that doesn't prevent it being one of the best Q cars around. Makes an M5 look positively gaudy. There can't be too much demand for old non-M V8 BMW saloon amongst regular folk so negotiation would surely prove beneficial. Imagine how haughtily you could view every diesel M Sport driver in this, knowing a near-300hp V8 lays beneath that plain exterior.
BMW 540i
Engine: 4,398cc V8
Transmission: 6-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 286@5,400rpm
Torque (lb ft): 325@3,600rpm
MPG: 23
CO2: 295g/km
First registered: Both 2000
Recorded mileage: 105,750/20,000
Price new: One was specced to over £62K!
Yours for: £3,750/£9,990
Original ad for the cheaper car here and the 20K-mile car here.
