The BMW 540i 6 Speed Manual
Discussion
Hey everyone,
Having recently sold my Alfa Romeo 156 I'm thinking about getting myself a BMW 540i Manual.
The reasons behind me wanting one are down to its sheer power, the fact it's a RWD, the spec that it comes with, and also the fact that I think they are bloody gorgeous, lol
I was toying with the idea of an old M3 but in all honesty the performance of the M3 isn't that much of an incentive considering there's so much I like more about the 540i. I would really only be able to afford the old 1996 circa styled M3 as well, and I'm not a huge fan of the shape or design as it's starting to look a little dated. Well, compared to the 1997+ 5 series anyway.
I'm basically after any hints, tips and advice anyone can give me on the 540i Manual. Ideally I want a 1997-1999 model as I believe they are within my price range.
How much will it cost for a decent one? What insurance should I expect to pay? (Aged 22 w/ 3 years NCB)
What are the general running costs?
I have scoured the internet and found only facts spat out by computers as opposed to actual owners.
All advice and help is greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Darren
Having recently sold my Alfa Romeo 156 I'm thinking about getting myself a BMW 540i Manual.
The reasons behind me wanting one are down to its sheer power, the fact it's a RWD, the spec that it comes with, and also the fact that I think they are bloody gorgeous, lol
I was toying with the idea of an old M3 but in all honesty the performance of the M3 isn't that much of an incentive considering there's so much I like more about the 540i. I would really only be able to afford the old 1996 circa styled M3 as well, and I'm not a huge fan of the shape or design as it's starting to look a little dated. Well, compared to the 1997+ 5 series anyway.
I'm basically after any hints, tips and advice anyone can give me on the 540i Manual. Ideally I want a 1997-1999 model as I believe they are within my price range.
How much will it cost for a decent one? What insurance should I expect to pay? (Aged 22 w/ 3 years NCB)
What are the general running costs?
I have scoured the internet and found only facts spat out by computers as opposed to actual owners.
All advice and help is greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Darren
Edited by Darren156 on Wednesday 2nd April 23:40
Darren,
Welcome to the group
BMWDriverNigel is selling his '5' at the mo - and no doubt he'll be along shortly, and can tell you more if required.
K
ETA: I found his ad: http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/351253.htm
Welcome to the group
BMWDriverNigel is selling his '5' at the mo - and no doubt he'll be along shortly, and can tell you more if required.
K
ETA: I found his ad: http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/351253.htm
Edited by Kinky on Wednesday 2nd April 23:30
I'm sure Nigel would throw in a phone for free 
Would this do OK?
But in all seriousness though - good luck with the search - and you've certainly come to the right place for help/info/support/etc.
Have you gone through the PH classifieds already? You'll find them here (just in case): http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/list.asp?s=133
K
Hi Dan,
Just got a quote off of Churchill and am being quoted £602 fully comp at aged 22 with my 3 years NCB.
Not bad at all if you ask me.
I'm currently w/ Admiral and am about half way through this policy, but they are always really competitive and helpful. The swap shouldn't cost me more than £100 or so with them to stick a 540i onto the remainder of my policy.
Just got a quote off of Churchill and am being quoted £602 fully comp at aged 22 with my 3 years NCB.
Not bad at all if you ask me.
I'm currently w/ Admiral and am about half way through this policy, but they are always really competitive and helpful. The swap shouldn't cost me more than £100 or so with them to stick a 540i onto the remainder of my policy.
Darren156 said:
I'm basically after any hints, tips and advice anyone can give me on the 540i Manual. Ideally I want a 1997-1999 model as I believe they are within my price range
DarrenHave a look at http://www.540i6.com/ which is written by an owner of a 1997 540i 6-speed
Regards
Darren156 said:
Thanks Kinky!!!!
I'm after the 1997 onward model though, sorry.
Although that old school 5 series does look great!
Basically, I'm after the one with the phone, lol
While the phone's cool, it's not that useful - only works with O2 and Vodafone, and takes an old-style full-size SIM, so you can't easily take the SIM out of your phone and stick it in.I'm after the 1997 onward model though, sorry.
Although that old school 5 series does look great!
Basically, I'm after the one with the phone, lol
In short?
Well you don't need to worry about Nikasil since all E39 v8's had the Alusil M62 engine.
Make sure it changes gear cleanly, especially down into second from third.
Check the expansion tank for signs of "mayo" - the headgaskets on these engines are sensitive (two heads remember, it's a V8), the coolant needs to be changed every couple of years or the head gaskets will corrode and fail. A classic sign of this is overheating, most BMW's never go past the halfway point on the temp guage.
Make sure all the electrics work (windows, roof, seats, whatever).
Expect some of the pixels from the dash display to have died - this is normal.
Other than that, as long as you are prepared for the fuel consumption you will be a very happy man!
Oh, and you can reasonably expect rear subframe bushes on almost any BMW to be classed as a consumable, but it'll cost you £200 to sort out every 50k to 100k miles. Nothing to worry about, but a useful haggling point if it clunks from under the rear seats when you go over a bump.
Good luck, very nice choice of car
Well you don't need to worry about Nikasil since all E39 v8's had the Alusil M62 engine.
Make sure it changes gear cleanly, especially down into second from third.
Check the expansion tank for signs of "mayo" - the headgaskets on these engines are sensitive (two heads remember, it's a V8), the coolant needs to be changed every couple of years or the head gaskets will corrode and fail. A classic sign of this is overheating, most BMW's never go past the halfway point on the temp guage.
Make sure all the electrics work (windows, roof, seats, whatever).
Expect some of the pixels from the dash display to have died - this is normal.
Other than that, as long as you are prepared for the fuel consumption you will be a very happy man!
Oh, and you can reasonably expect rear subframe bushes on almost any BMW to be classed as a consumable, but it'll cost you £200 to sort out every 50k to 100k miles. Nothing to worry about, but a useful haggling point if it clunks from under the rear seats when you go over a bump.
Good luck, very nice choice of car
Hey everyone,
Thanks for all of the help and advice.
I was just wondering, is it definitely best to opt for the 6 speed manual over any of the semi / auto gearboxes?
The reason I ask is because the manuals are alot rarer and as a result are selling for upto £1000 extra over the Auto variations.
And also, what is the 535i Manual like to drive? If I can't find a decent enough 540i Manual within my budget (£4000-£5000) is it better going for the 540i Auto, or a 535i Manual?
All help and opinions are appreciated.
Thanks again,
Darren
Thanks for all of the help and advice.
I was just wondering, is it definitely best to opt for the 6 speed manual over any of the semi / auto gearboxes?
The reason I ask is because the manuals are alot rarer and as a result are selling for upto £1000 extra over the Auto variations.
And also, what is the 535i Manual like to drive? If I can't find a decent enough 540i Manual within my budget (£4000-£5000) is it better going for the 540i Auto, or a 535i Manual?
All help and opinions are appreciated.
Thanks again,
Darren
Hi Darren, welcome to PH! 
The E34 and E39 540i's are both awesome motors. The E39's use the 4.4 litre M62 engine that produces a nice healthy 286bhp and 440Nm of torque.
As mentioned, the auto is actually quite good, it alters it's shift patterns to suit your driving style and in 'sport mode' will lock out 5th and hold the gears until the red line.
Manual 540i's are rare, I looked for ages and couldn't find a decent one so opted for an auto (though I wanted an E34), the 535i has virtually identical fuel consumption to the 540i and less power and torque, and as your insurance quote seems damn good for your age, I'd go hunting for a good 540i!
Do you fancy a saloon or Touring? I'm biased but I like the Tourings as nobody looks twice at them.
Happy hunting!
The E34 and E39 540i's are both awesome motors. The E39's use the 4.4 litre M62 engine that produces a nice healthy 286bhp and 440Nm of torque.
As mentioned, the auto is actually quite good, it alters it's shift patterns to suit your driving style and in 'sport mode' will lock out 5th and hold the gears until the red line.
Manual 540i's are rare, I looked for ages and couldn't find a decent one so opted for an auto (though I wanted an E34), the 535i has virtually identical fuel consumption to the 540i and less power and torque, and as your insurance quote seems damn good for your age, I'd go hunting for a good 540i!
Do you fancy a saloon or Touring? I'm biased but I like the Tourings as nobody looks twice at them.
Happy hunting!
Edited by bob1179 on Friday 4th April 15:09
I was in a similar position to you, cost wise, when looking for my 540 and hence went for the auto. After 10 years of driving manual cars i actually love the auto on this car. I used to think i'd hate auto boxes (and still would if my only experience had been the crappy Toyoya box i had in a hire car while on holiday!) but the box on the 540 is excellent and suits the car very well.
I was going to get one as well - but in the end I spent a little bit more on a slightly more recent facelift 530i Sport instead. It's not quite got the grunt in a straightline (But it's still no slouch) but it handles better, has better steering feel and better weight distribution - the V8's are recirculating ball versus the 6's Rack and Pinnion.
I've never regretted my decision and insurance at 22 was only about a grand.
I've never regretted my decision and insurance at 22 was only about a grand.
Hey thanks again for the responses and advice guys, it's really appreciated.
There are a few 540i Manuals circling Piston Heads at the moment that are 'sort of' within my budget, one's priced at £4300 (But advertised on eBay with a £4000 buy it now). That one has 131K on the clock with FSH, but I'm really not a fan of the colour combo. Dark gray / blue with a sort of orange looking tan leather. That one's a 1997.
And the other is a 1998 priced at £4495 with 121K on the clock, also with FSH and only a few owners. That one is also a sort of dark gray / blue but has black leather instead.
The latter is the one I'd go for personally but sadly it's a bit out of my budget for the time being, unless I save up for a while then get one after summer.
Transmission wise I'll definitely have to go for a Manual I reckon, as although they cost a fair bit more they should hold their prices a bit better due to them being so damn rare, lol
I think if I keep looking and carry on saving for a while I should be able to pick up a decent enough one.
Not that it would be a clincher, but ideally I'm after a silver one with black leather, found a few in that spec with Automatic trans but as I said I'll need a Manual.
Does anyone know the MPG difference between both the Manual and Auto transmissions?
Also, and this is just a wonderment type question, what sort of BHP gain can be expected from having the cars ECU remapped / chipped? As with 286BHP I would expect it to sore into the 300 marker easily.
Thanks again everyone, look forward to any further comments!
Cheers,
Darren
There are a few 540i Manuals circling Piston Heads at the moment that are 'sort of' within my budget, one's priced at £4300 (But advertised on eBay with a £4000 buy it now). That one has 131K on the clock with FSH, but I'm really not a fan of the colour combo. Dark gray / blue with a sort of orange looking tan leather. That one's a 1997.
And the other is a 1998 priced at £4495 with 121K on the clock, also with FSH and only a few owners. That one is also a sort of dark gray / blue but has black leather instead.
The latter is the one I'd go for personally but sadly it's a bit out of my budget for the time being, unless I save up for a while then get one after summer.
Transmission wise I'll definitely have to go for a Manual I reckon, as although they cost a fair bit more they should hold their prices a bit better due to them being so damn rare, lol
I think if I keep looking and carry on saving for a while I should be able to pick up a decent enough one.
Not that it would be a clincher, but ideally I'm after a silver one with black leather, found a few in that spec with Automatic trans but as I said I'll need a Manual.
Does anyone know the MPG difference between both the Manual and Auto transmissions?
Also, and this is just a wonderment type question, what sort of BHP gain can be expected from having the cars ECU remapped / chipped? As with 286BHP I would expect it to sore into the 300 marker easily.
Thanks again everyone, look forward to any further comments!
Cheers,
Darren
Darren156 said:
Transmission wise I'll definitely have to go for a Manual I reckon, as although they cost a fair bit more they should hold their prices a bit better due to them being so damn rare, lol
I'd drive both the auto and the manual before I madechoices like that.
The manuals are rare for a reason, the auto
works surprisingly well.
In picking the manual you miss out on 80-90%
of the cars available.
Darren156 said:
Hey thanks again for the responses and advice guys, it's really appreciated.
There are a few 540i Manuals circling Piston Heads at the moment that are 'sort of' within my budget, one's priced at £4300 (But advertised on eBay with a £4000 buy it now). That one has 131K on the clock with FSH, but I'm really not a fan of the colour combo. Dark gray / blue with a sort of orange looking tan leather. That one's a 1997.
And the other is a 1998 priced at £4495 with 121K on the clock, also with FSH and only a few owners. That one is also a sort of dark gray / blue but has black leather instead.
The latter is the one I'd go for personally but sadly it's a bit out of my budget for the time being, unless I save up for a while then get one after summer.
Transmission wise I'll definitely have to go for a Manual I reckon, as although they cost a fair bit more they should hold their prices a bit better due to them being so damn rare, lol
I think if I keep looking and carry on saving for a while I should be able to pick up a decent enough one.
Not that it would be a clincher, but ideally I'm after a silver one with black leather, found a few in that spec with Automatic trans but as I said I'll need a Manual.
Does anyone know the MPG difference between both the Manual and Auto transmissions?
Also, and this is just a wonderment type question, what sort of BHP gain can be expected from having the cars ECU remapped / chipped? As with 286BHP I would expect it to sore into the 300 marker easily.
Thanks again everyone, look forward to any further comments!
Cheers,
Darren
Best of luck with the search.There are a few 540i Manuals circling Piston Heads at the moment that are 'sort of' within my budget, one's priced at £4300 (But advertised on eBay with a £4000 buy it now). That one has 131K on the clock with FSH, but I'm really not a fan of the colour combo. Dark gray / blue with a sort of orange looking tan leather. That one's a 1997.
And the other is a 1998 priced at £4495 with 121K on the clock, also with FSH and only a few owners. That one is also a sort of dark gray / blue but has black leather instead.
The latter is the one I'd go for personally but sadly it's a bit out of my budget for the time being, unless I save up for a while then get one after summer.
Transmission wise I'll definitely have to go for a Manual I reckon, as although they cost a fair bit more they should hold their prices a bit better due to them being so damn rare, lol
I think if I keep looking and carry on saving for a while I should be able to pick up a decent enough one.
Not that it would be a clincher, but ideally I'm after a silver one with black leather, found a few in that spec with Automatic trans but as I said I'll need a Manual.
Does anyone know the MPG difference between both the Manual and Auto transmissions?
Also, and this is just a wonderment type question, what sort of BHP gain can be expected from having the cars ECU remapped / chipped? As with 286BHP I would expect it to sore into the 300 marker easily.
Thanks again everyone, look forward to any further comments!
Cheers,
Darren
Hold out for a manual, don't compromise on an auto.
If you go for a big auto saloon you might as well gat an XJR (370bhp so CONSIDERABLY quicker).
I'd guess fuel consumption will be 10% better with the manual.
Gassing Station | BMW General | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff