Seeking a E39 540 Touring...best places to look?

[bga]

Hi All

As per the title, it's time to get a new motor and a 540 Touring is top of the list.

Obviously I've had a poke around PH and have signed up at bmw5.co.uk any other suggestions for fora to check out?

Thanks

eta, obviously checking out AT etc too.

Edited by bga on Wednesday 9th December 13:03

[SJobson]

Be patient - took me 6 months to find mine in 2006/2007 and good ones will only be getting rarer.

[bga]

I'm getting that feeling. I've seen 6 already but they have been pretty dodgy/doggy. Not in a massive rush to be honest.

[ADM06]

I saw such a nice one at B&Q a few weeks ago. White, lowered and riding on very deep dish 6 spoke wheels with gold centres. I looked in the window and it was manual too!
Sorry I know this isn't any help to you. I just love these cars.
Good luck!

[derin100]

I'm selling mine!

Will be up soon...and you will not find a higher spec'd car"

www.bmwclassics.co.uk

[bga]

Derin, thanks for the info, I have emailed you.

[dave_s13]

bga, a word of advice.

As soon as Derin's car comes up for sale then get your @rse over to his gaff with a wad of cash and snap his hand off.

540 Tourings are becoming rare as rocking horses, even if you think you're paying over the odds for his car, in the long run you won't be.

[Cheburator mk2]

When I bought mine, there were 9 for sale on the trader, now there are only 3, which are worth considering. Finding a good car is getting really difficult... Glad that I got - such a great car...

[Fox-]

derin100 said:

I'm selling mine!

Will be up soon...and you will not find a higher spec'd car"

www.bmwclassics.co.uk

Can't wait to have a browse through the pictures when that goes up - the attention to detail on your cars is fantastic and it'd be great to see you 'do' an E39. I presume from the fact you state you wont find a higher spec'd one that its a late facelift Sport or a 540i Protection or similar?

[SJobson]

I think Derin is referring to the number of options boxes ticked, rather than it being a Protection or similar. IIRC it's a 2000 model pre-facelift with the sport option pack and quite a few extras on top, like my car.

[Hammerhead]

Anyone up for an 540T options 'Top Trumps' competition? I'm feeling lucky

[Fox-]

Hammerhead said:

Anyone up for an 540T options 'Top Trumps' competition? I'm feeling lucky

I sometimes regret going for condition over spec

Damn my manually operated seats.

[rex]

I must have got lucky. Was wanting a touring and a 51 plate 540 with M sport pack came up for sale few miles up the road. One quick test drive and It was on my drive after just a few days of looking. Did not think there were particularly desirable but have to say it is a great car. Effortless pace and enough oomph to overtake swiftly.

[Hammerhead]

Fox- said:

Damn my manually operated seats.

Bet they're cold, too

<smug mode>
Heat level 3, 2 or 1? Hmm, think I'll go for 2.
</smug mode>

[bga]

Fox- said:

I sometimes regret going for condition over spec

Damn my manually operated seats.

I sometimes think the same about by Golf but I console myself that it saves a teeny weeny bit of weight over the option of electric seats. Obviously far less weight than me going on a diet, but that is beside the point.

[SJobson]

Hammerhead said:

Anyone up for an 540T options 'Top Trumps' competition? I'm feeling lucky

Go on then

Mine doesn't have any terribly exciting options. It's a 2000 model 540iA Touring, with sport option pack (black window trim, 17" style 49 alloys which I replaced with style 32s, sports seats, sport steering wheel) plus phone, hi-fi speaker upgrade, electric+heated comfort seats to replace the sports seats the first owner paid extra for , CD changer (which I have replaced with a DICE Silverline iPod interface) and that's about it. Standard Xenons, auto-wipers, rear PDC, high OBC and clear indicators and side repeaters, black leather and usual wood. No sunroof or telly.

What's yours got?

[Hammerhead]

Good man

2001 facelift model. Extras on top were:
Electric memory sports seats (heated)
Electric steering column (also with memory)
Electic glass sunroof
16:9 MK4 Nav/TV with fully up to date software so perspective view, speed cams with voice warnings etc.
Motorola V50 phone integrated with the above (comms pack)
Auto wipers
6 cd changer (which I'm going to ditch an upgrade to the Intravee ipod thingy)
Later style M sports m/f wheel
Auto dipping passenger mirror when reverse gear engaged
PDC front/rear
Factory xenons
Cruise
17" style 71s
Steel blue over black leather and got wood

And all in spiffing condition

I counted up the cost of options when it was new - someone sploshed an extra 9k on top of it's base price Something like 56k new!

Edited by Hammerhead on Tuesday 15th December 23:11

[Fox-]

Cruise, wheel, PDC front and rear were standard.

[Hammerhead]

The wheel wasn't - I upgraded it this year.

Before:


After:

It's so much nicer to hold over the old thin, 'helm' of the original

[bramley]

I think it's really daft that leccy seat models don't have the sliding thigh support bit. I sat in a friends Comfort-spec seats and found them less comfortable than my sports seats - though perhaps I was just willing them to be less comfortable as they are electric and mine aren't

Fox - I also sometimes wish I went for spec rather than condition