Talk to me about E39 540i Sports?
Discussion
I've decided that one of the boxes I need to tick is this car. It's going to be my next car. I am going to take it on a tour of the UK in April and a month or two later it's going on a 3000 mile Euro Trip, thus fulfilling another lifelong dream.
I've heard grumblings about the cooling system. Do I need to be concerned? Not too bothered about the MPG as I live 6 miles from work. Obviously it will affect my trips but I can live with that.
I am looking to spend about £4k tops hopefully and to find a sub 100k model. I want a manual, but the semi auto does interest me a little, but I'm unsure. Are the boxes problematic on either model? Does the semi auto shift when you tell it, or when it wants?
Any other major issues to look out for and what do they feel like to drive? Are there any decent modifications worth carrying out? Any better suspension to fit? Decent exhausts with a nice V8 note? Is there any kit I should insist on finding a car with??
Cheers!
I've heard grumblings about the cooling system. Do I need to be concerned? Not too bothered about the MPG as I live 6 miles from work. Obviously it will affect my trips but I can live with that.
I am looking to spend about £4k tops hopefully and to find a sub 100k model. I want a manual, but the semi auto does interest me a little, but I'm unsure. Are the boxes problematic on either model? Does the semi auto shift when you tell it, or when it wants?
Any other major issues to look out for and what do they feel like to drive? Are there any decent modifications worth carrying out? Any better suspension to fit? Decent exhausts with a nice V8 note? Is there any kit I should insist on finding a car with??
Cheers!
Lovely motor, really want another one.
Make sure you get the 540, I bought a 535 after I'd had a 540 because there weren't any decent 540's around and I was getting fed up but missing that extra 40 horses was definitely noticeable.
Tiptronic suits the car quite well. It's pretty willing to shift up and down when needed in sport mode and is smooth as silk the rest of the time for pootling around town as the torque just wafts you along very comfortably.
I actually used to put mine in manual/5th on the motorway to stop it kicking down a cog when I squeezed the go pedal past halfway because it just wasn't necessary.
iirc most of the 540's have the sport suspension on them so you'll be alright there.
The engine sounds lovely when you rev it but the stock exhaust is probably far too civilised, I could hardly hear mine (but then tramming up and down the motorway in it - that suited me just fine).
The older radiators were a plastic moulded affair so check for stress fracturing around the radiator connections but other than that, keep an eye on the temperature and you should be ok. The onboard computer will warn you if the coolant is low anyway, just double check and don't drive it if it is!
Make sure you get the 540, I bought a 535 after I'd had a 540 because there weren't any decent 540's around and I was getting fed up but missing that extra 40 horses was definitely noticeable.
Tiptronic suits the car quite well. It's pretty willing to shift up and down when needed in sport mode and is smooth as silk the rest of the time for pootling around town as the torque just wafts you along very comfortably.
I actually used to put mine in manual/5th on the motorway to stop it kicking down a cog when I squeezed the go pedal past halfway because it just wasn't necessary.
iirc most of the 540's have the sport suspension on them so you'll be alright there.
The engine sounds lovely when you rev it but the stock exhaust is probably far too civilised, I could hardly hear mine (but then tramming up and down the motorway in it - that suited me just fine).
The older radiators were a plastic moulded affair so check for stress fracturing around the radiator connections but other than that, keep an eye on the temperature and you should be ok. The onboard computer will warn you if the coolant is low anyway, just double check and don't drive it if it is!
It's regularly discussed at length here: http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Hi, This is mine..
Yes the cooling systems need looking at/checking/replacing. I've done the header tank, viscous fan clutch and electric pusher fan. The rest seems ok.
Manuals are rare, if you want a manual find one. Mine isn't used much now apart from as a weekend car and I do wish it was a manual most of the time. Especially since I've had the exhaust modified, it sounds a little weird being an auto!
I'd say go and drive an auto 540i, then drive a manual 535i or 530i to see what you think (if you cant find a manual 540i)- then hold out for a Manual if you want. Even if its non sport or possibly pre-facelift.
This is the sound of the factory exhaust..
http://youtu.be/E5qCEHHgoxA
This is with one of the rear boxes removed..
http://youtu.be/zEbCxQrYkew
I've now removed both and its nice, but drones a lot in the cabin (I've not done a video yet)
In regards to mods, that's all I've done really. The brakes could do with upgrading I think and it could do with being a bit flatter through the corners - half of that could be worn factory shocks though!
Check my blog for other costs: http://www.pistonheads.com/members/showcar.asp?car...
Max
Yes the cooling systems need looking at/checking/replacing. I've done the header tank, viscous fan clutch and electric pusher fan. The rest seems ok.
Manuals are rare, if you want a manual find one. Mine isn't used much now apart from as a weekend car and I do wish it was a manual most of the time. Especially since I've had the exhaust modified, it sounds a little weird being an auto!
I'd say go and drive an auto 540i, then drive a manual 535i or 530i to see what you think (if you cant find a manual 540i)- then hold out for a Manual if you want. Even if its non sport or possibly pre-facelift.
This is the sound of the factory exhaust..
http://youtu.be/E5qCEHHgoxA
This is with one of the rear boxes removed..
http://youtu.be/zEbCxQrYkew
I've now removed both and its nice, but drones a lot in the cabin (I've not done a video yet)
In regards to mods, that's all I've done really. The brakes could do with upgrading I think and it could do with being a bit flatter through the corners - half of that could be worn factory shocks though!
Check my blog for other costs: http://www.pistonheads.com/members/showcar.asp?car...
Max
Edited by Max M4X WW on Wednesday 14th December 16:47
I enjoyed my ownership of my 540ise, but there were fundamental problems, SE spec, autogear box, no lsd and that horrid wood interior.
The SE spec. made the car way too soft, and with the heavy V8 in the front it did like to understeer a bit (probably suited a 528i more). This combined with the lack of an lsd made wet road driving not really that pleasurable as the dsc was always flashing at you, (turn it off and the inside wheel just spun up making you look like a w@#ker.
The autobox was fine but remember it's still a slush box so it felt over geared and always shifted up the box which made the car feel like a lazy limo.
You mention getting a manual sport, well I think that would suite it beautifully, it would really feel like a jr M5 (which I have owned). Get a quaife lsd diff and you wont look back.
The only real problem I had was a water pump failure, £350.00 quick fix though....
Overall a good car, (in the right spec.)
The SE spec. made the car way too soft, and with the heavy V8 in the front it did like to understeer a bit (probably suited a 528i more). This combined with the lack of an lsd made wet road driving not really that pleasurable as the dsc was always flashing at you, (turn it off and the inside wheel just spun up making you look like a w@#ker.
The autobox was fine but remember it's still a slush box so it felt over geared and always shifted up the box which made the car feel like a lazy limo.
You mention getting a manual sport, well I think that would suite it beautifully, it would really feel like a jr M5 (which I have owned). Get a quaife lsd diff and you wont look back.
The only real problem I had was a water pump failure, £350.00 quick fix though....
Overall a good car, (in the right spec.)
JaegerLeCoultre said:
Have you thought about an Alpina B10 3.3 Manual? I've seen a couple for £4-£5k with about 100-120k miles. It would handle better than the V8 E39s as it has the straight-6 rack, yet still offer 540i performance, plus it's alot rarer and special. Just a suggestion!
I have considered them but arent they full auto? Also, can the 6 cylinder rack not be fitted to the V8? Why did they give the M5 this rack if it's so bad?
JaegerLeCoultre said:
Have you thought about an Alpina B10 3.3 Manual? I've seen a couple for £4-£5k with about 100-120k miles. It would handle better than the V8 E39s as it has the straight-6 rack, yet still offer 540i performance, plus it's alot rarer and special. Just a suggestion!
I have considered them but arent they full auto? Also, can the 6 cylinder rack not be fitted to the V8? Why did they give the M5 this rack if it's so bad?The Alpina's have buttons on the steering wheel to change gear and (I think) some sort of torque converters that lock.
I forgot to mention the lack of LSD and instead of leaving big fat 11's you leave big fat 1's!
If you want a V8 get one, if you want an M5 get one, but if you want a V8 E39 for 1/3 the price of an M5 get a 540i!
The auto's are fine really, once in tiptronic and above 3000rpm the engine and chassis come alive to a certain extent.
I forgot to mention the lack of LSD and instead of leaving big fat 11's you leave big fat 1's!
If you want a V8 get one, if you want an M5 get one, but if you want a V8 E39 for 1/3 the price of an M5 get a 540i!
The auto's are fine really, once in tiptronic and above 3000rpm the engine and chassis come alive to a certain extent.
CarbonBlackM5 said:
Started looking at 540i before I got my M5. In many ways I prefer the look of the Sport model E39, esp with Parallel alloys.
However, I always knew I would have hankered after an M5 so thats what I got in the end.
I used to always want the very best model in any range I was interested in, but the sad fact is that I can't afford a good M5, nor can I afford to maintain one properly. I've just had to accept that that's life currently, and get the best that I can in my situation.However, I always knew I would have hankered after an M5 so thats what I got in the end.
confused_buyer said:
I'm pretty sure that the SE and Sport both have the same suspension on the 540.
These are heavy cars designed for storming up autobahns in comfort, they're not sportscars regardless of the spec. As long as you accept that they're great.
Yeah that's cool. I've been all about sports cars up to now, and they were previously all I really wanted. Then I drove a 3.0 S-Type from London to Leeds and realised that I could get used to something with a bit more power but a nice level of comfort. These are heavy cars designed for storming up autobahns in comfort, they're not sportscars regardless of the spec. As long as you accept that they're great.
To be honest I've always found the manuals a bit poor. A novelty in that a large V8 saloon doesn't often have a manual 'box but the gearchange has seemed average to me and the clutch has a poor action with an annoying delay valve which makes driving them smoothly far harder than it ought to be.
i loved mine (it was a touring though). As said the gearchange can be a bit agricultural but isnt that bad. The clutch is fairly heavy though and in traffic its not the most pleasant. A oil change helped loosen it up a bit in mine but it still wasnt as slick as i would have liked.
Cooling system as mentioned is the main weak point. All 540's, SE or Sport, have sport suspension unless specced otherwise.
They are good on fuel for what they are (in manual guise anyway) but definitely cruisers, they eat miles for fun. I had an Alpina B10 exhaust system on mine to liven the sound up a bit and it was great.
Cooling system as mentioned is the main weak point. All 540's, SE or Sport, have sport suspension unless specced otherwise.
They are good on fuel for what they are (in manual guise anyway) but definitely cruisers, they eat miles for fun. I had an Alpina B10 exhaust system on mine to liven the sound up a bit and it was great.
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