bmwe39fan
01-31-2005, 02:10 PM
OK - I posted a while back that I was trading the car in -- which I was about to do until I found the M3 I really wanted, but it is with a private seller so I need to sell my 540. I will be putting it up on eBay soon but thought I would try here first. I am in Rochester, NY. Here is the description I plan to use in the auction (edited down to be reasonable for this forum):
Title: 1997 BMW E39 540 Dinan/Xenons/SuperSprint Silver/Blk -- $14k
Exterior is Aspen Silver Metallic; interior is black leather with virtually no wear at all. The car has 110k miles on it and has always been maintained by BMW dealerships and BMW specialists.
Anyone who tells you that an eight year old car looks as good as “new” just isn’t being honest with you or they really haven’t taken a good look As you would expect from any car that has actually been driven, this car has the normal little chips in the front of it from my frequent highway trips. I have always hand waxed this car at least three times per year and wash it at a no-touch car wash at least once every week in the winter.
Options & upgrades:
- BMW M-Tec Sport Suspension (professionally installed in this car at 90k miles – it was a complete and total suspension swap). The BMW sport suspension is just about perfect – lowers the car about an inch and really improves the handling, without sacrificing the normal ride characteristics of the 540.
- BMW M5 OEM Staggered 18" Rims (18x8 Front with 245/40/18’s, 18x9.5 Rear with 275/35/18’s) with Michelin Pilot Sports. Please note these are the REAL M5 rims. , I will include a fifth OEM M5 rim (18x8, without a tire) for you to use however you want.
- BMW 5-spoke 16" winter rims with new Bridgestone Blizzak’s WS-50’s (225/55/16). These are on the car now, the M5 wheels were carefully cleaned and put away for the winter before the snow began.
- BMW OEM Xenon Angel Eyes—these are the US DOT legal headlights with the small amber corner.
- BMW OEM CELIS Clear LED Taillights, and clear side-markers.
- Upgraded BMW Graphite Technical interior trim – gives the interior a more modern and up to date look. All interior trim pieces upgraded, even the shifter knob.
- Fully integrated factory phone
- Power Sunroof, Power / heated seats, Heated / tilt steering wheel
- DSP stereo (BMW’s best, not saying much...) and a 6 disc CD changer.
- BMW OEM Mudflaps (You might think they are ugly, I think they actually look pretty good. However, they aren’t on there for looks, they actually do a great job of protecting the car from the small rocks and sand that always seems to be on the road, especially in the winter months. They stick out far enough that the side of the car no longer gets sprayed with road debris. I take them off every year and thoroughly clean underneath them).
Everything works perfectly. No check engine lights or warnings. Four green bars current on service interval display. Full owners manual included. Fully maintained in Rochester, NY by Holtz BMW and Phoenix Imports (local BMWCCA chapter sponsor).
Recent maintenance (in the 18 months) includes 2 OEM Catalytic Converters, OEM Radiator & expansion tank, OEM Camshaft Position Sensor, OEM cabin filters, OEM plugs / gaskets, OEM rear window regulator, OEM front brakes, three OEM ABS speed sensors, and new front and rear wheel bearings. New BMW installed OEM instrument cluster (the instrument cluster pixels frequently burn-out on these cars leaving the display to resemble something like braille – it’s a very common problem that drove me absolutely nuts so I had it replaced. If you are looking at E39’s be sure to check the cluster display pixels carefully).
This BMW needs nothing except a new owner. I have always meticulously maintained this car – the interior leather is in great shape and so is the exterior. As I mentioned earlier, there are some rock chips on the front of the car which are normal for an 8 year old car, but nothing major. There is no rust on the car. Last year I had two minor bubbles taken care of on the back corners of the trunk (no rust ever broke through the paint, but I couldn’t stand them, so I had it fixed). When they put the 540 logo back on they relocated the 540 up a little. I never noticed it until someone else pointed it out to me, but that is why it isn’t in the “OEM” location. The work was performed by Holtz BMW, and I’ve had no issues with it returning. Also, my wife got bumped from behind while she was stopped and they replaced the rear bumper cover because it cracked. There was no frame damage at all to the car, and the new bumper was painted and installed by Holtz BMW. This accident doesn’t show up on the Carfax because it was so minor, but I want you to know everything there is to know – I’m not going to hide anything -- no surprises, no games.
This car has a clean title, is Carfax certified (I can send you a copy) and has only had adult owners that have kept up with maintenance. There are no liens on the car and I have the title in my possession. It took me a long time to find this car because proper maintenance is so critical to the life of a BMW – if properly maintained they will easily run to 200k miles. I have all of the stock parts (headlights, tail-lights, sidemarkers) if you would prefer the car in stock form, which I will be more than happy to convert for you if desired.
SO WHY SHOULD YOU BUY MY BMW?
OK, so why would you want to purchase my 540 with 110k miles? Simple – I’ve had ALL of the typical problems that there automobiles experience and replaced the parts already! If you have done some research you will know what the common failures are for these cars – cooling system, window regulators, electrical components, and catalytic converters. And yes, I’ve been through them all. The bottom line is that if I knew what I know now about the E39 540 series I would have looked for either an extremely low mileage (very rare, and expensive) or one that had higher mileage but had been well maintained and had the common problems fixed.
If you are looking at 540’s with lower miles there is a good chance that you will be replacing the catalytic converters (these cost $900 EACH for the part alone – and there are two…), the radiator / expansion tank, various sensors, and window regulators. You may be thinking that you could replace the catalytic converters with aftermarket units that cost substantially less (like Magnaflow). Well, I tried this and the bottom line is that they just don’t work as well. I eventually ended up replacing them because they just couldn’t do the job. My lesson: Do it right the first time.
All of these parts typically fail around 70k-90k, and are expensive to replace. The engine in this car is solid and will easily run for many more miles without any problems. It doesn’t burn any oil and runs perfectly.
I have upgraded this car to look just like a 2001 540 (which you’ll pay $30k+ for). The Xenon angel eyes and clear LED taillights really look great and change the look of the car dramatically. The new sport suspension really improves the handling and appearance of the 540. If you purchase this car you can just get in and go – it needs nothing. I would be 100% confident that you could drive this car cross country tomorrow without any problems.
Two weeks ago I had the car at Holtz BMW for a checkup and it passed just fine. While it was there they updated the engine’s operating software to the latest version and it is completely up to date. Trust me, this car runs great! You are probably thinking if this car is so great why are you selling it? Well, when I purchased it I needed to get a four door sedan because I had two kids in car seats. Now I have four kids, and there is no way we can use this BMW to get around in, so there is no need for a four door, so I started looking at smaller sports cars, and you can probably guess the rest. I want the M3, and there is no way that I am going to be allowed to keep two BMW’s in the garage next to the Minivan…
I did a lot of research before I priced this car. I looked at Autotrader, Cars.com, and on eBay to get a feel for the pricing. Most of the vehicles are considerably more expensive than my price, even with the same miles and without all of my upgrades.
BONUS IF YOU BUY IT for $14k: I will throw in a Dinan Cold Air Intake and a SuperSprint Exhaust for this 540 – together easily worth over $1k. These items are not on the car now because I take them off for the winter to preserve them. The combination of the cold air intake and the exhaust really improves the performance of the engine, and it sounds awesome as well -- deep and controlled. It sounds like a powerful BMW, not a Honda. A new Dinan Cold Air intake would cost you over $450 and a new SuperSprint Exhaust goes for at least $650. These two products are probably the best upgrades you could purchase for this 540. In order to make the annual swap as easy as possible I had the stock muffler modified to be a clamp on so I could swap the SuperSprint and stock easily – both now just clamp on. You can do it yourself or any muffler shop can switch them in under 10 minutes. I will also include the Dinan instructions for the cold air intake install, or I can install it for you prior to pickup. In the pictures of the rear of the BMW you can see the SuperSprint exhaust installed. Notice that it is installed below the rear bumper and that I did not cut the rear bumper to make it sit higher. I did it this way because I didn’t want the car to look ridiculous in the winter when the factory exhaust was installed.
The bottom line is that you will not find a better BMW 540 for the price I am asking. You may find a lower mileage 540, but it probably won’t have the updated look and you will be probably be replacing parts quite soon -- at significant cost to you. I know this because that’s EXACTLY what happened to me. The engine / body are in great shape, I’ve fixed all of the common problems, and upgraded the car to look like a new model 540. Also, don’t forget you are getting two sets of rims -- great OEM M5 rims for the summer and a great set to keep you going in the winter. Feel free to email me at witmerjb@yahoo.com.
Title: 1997 BMW E39 540 Dinan/Xenons/SuperSprint Silver/Blk -- $14k
Exterior is Aspen Silver Metallic; interior is black leather with virtually no wear at all. The car has 110k miles on it and has always been maintained by BMW dealerships and BMW specialists.
Anyone who tells you that an eight year old car looks as good as “new” just isn’t being honest with you or they really haven’t taken a good look As you would expect from any car that has actually been driven, this car has the normal little chips in the front of it from my frequent highway trips. I have always hand waxed this car at least three times per year and wash it at a no-touch car wash at least once every week in the winter.
Options & upgrades:
- BMW M-Tec Sport Suspension (professionally installed in this car at 90k miles – it was a complete and total suspension swap). The BMW sport suspension is just about perfect – lowers the car about an inch and really improves the handling, without sacrificing the normal ride characteristics of the 540.
- BMW M5 OEM Staggered 18" Rims (18x8 Front with 245/40/18’s, 18x9.5 Rear with 275/35/18’s) with Michelin Pilot Sports. Please note these are the REAL M5 rims. , I will include a fifth OEM M5 rim (18x8, without a tire) for you to use however you want.
- BMW 5-spoke 16" winter rims with new Bridgestone Blizzak’s WS-50’s (225/55/16). These are on the car now, the M5 wheels were carefully cleaned and put away for the winter before the snow began.
- BMW OEM Xenon Angel Eyes—these are the US DOT legal headlights with the small amber corner.
- BMW OEM CELIS Clear LED Taillights, and clear side-markers.
- Upgraded BMW Graphite Technical interior trim – gives the interior a more modern and up to date look. All interior trim pieces upgraded, even the shifter knob.
- Fully integrated factory phone
- Power Sunroof, Power / heated seats, Heated / tilt steering wheel
- DSP stereo (BMW’s best, not saying much...) and a 6 disc CD changer.
- BMW OEM Mudflaps (You might think they are ugly, I think they actually look pretty good. However, they aren’t on there for looks, they actually do a great job of protecting the car from the small rocks and sand that always seems to be on the road, especially in the winter months. They stick out far enough that the side of the car no longer gets sprayed with road debris. I take them off every year and thoroughly clean underneath them).
Everything works perfectly. No check engine lights or warnings. Four green bars current on service interval display. Full owners manual included. Fully maintained in Rochester, NY by Holtz BMW and Phoenix Imports (local BMWCCA chapter sponsor).
Recent maintenance (in the 18 months) includes 2 OEM Catalytic Converters, OEM Radiator & expansion tank, OEM Camshaft Position Sensor, OEM cabin filters, OEM plugs / gaskets, OEM rear window regulator, OEM front brakes, three OEM ABS speed sensors, and new front and rear wheel bearings. New BMW installed OEM instrument cluster (the instrument cluster pixels frequently burn-out on these cars leaving the display to resemble something like braille – it’s a very common problem that drove me absolutely nuts so I had it replaced. If you are looking at E39’s be sure to check the cluster display pixels carefully).
This BMW needs nothing except a new owner. I have always meticulously maintained this car – the interior leather is in great shape and so is the exterior. As I mentioned earlier, there are some rock chips on the front of the car which are normal for an 8 year old car, but nothing major. There is no rust on the car. Last year I had two minor bubbles taken care of on the back corners of the trunk (no rust ever broke through the paint, but I couldn’t stand them, so I had it fixed). When they put the 540 logo back on they relocated the 540 up a little. I never noticed it until someone else pointed it out to me, but that is why it isn’t in the “OEM” location. The work was performed by Holtz BMW, and I’ve had no issues with it returning. Also, my wife got bumped from behind while she was stopped and they replaced the rear bumper cover because it cracked. There was no frame damage at all to the car, and the new bumper was painted and installed by Holtz BMW. This accident doesn’t show up on the Carfax because it was so minor, but I want you to know everything there is to know – I’m not going to hide anything -- no surprises, no games.
This car has a clean title, is Carfax certified (I can send you a copy) and has only had adult owners that have kept up with maintenance. There are no liens on the car and I have the title in my possession. It took me a long time to find this car because proper maintenance is so critical to the life of a BMW – if properly maintained they will easily run to 200k miles. I have all of the stock parts (headlights, tail-lights, sidemarkers) if you would prefer the car in stock form, which I will be more than happy to convert for you if desired.
SO WHY SHOULD YOU BUY MY BMW?
OK, so why would you want to purchase my 540 with 110k miles? Simple – I’ve had ALL of the typical problems that there automobiles experience and replaced the parts already! If you have done some research you will know what the common failures are for these cars – cooling system, window regulators, electrical components, and catalytic converters. And yes, I’ve been through them all. The bottom line is that if I knew what I know now about the E39 540 series I would have looked for either an extremely low mileage (very rare, and expensive) or one that had higher mileage but had been well maintained and had the common problems fixed.
If you are looking at 540’s with lower miles there is a good chance that you will be replacing the catalytic converters (these cost $900 EACH for the part alone – and there are two…), the radiator / expansion tank, various sensors, and window regulators. You may be thinking that you could replace the catalytic converters with aftermarket units that cost substantially less (like Magnaflow). Well, I tried this and the bottom line is that they just don’t work as well. I eventually ended up replacing them because they just couldn’t do the job. My lesson: Do it right the first time.
All of these parts typically fail around 70k-90k, and are expensive to replace. The engine in this car is solid and will easily run for many more miles without any problems. It doesn’t burn any oil and runs perfectly.
I have upgraded this car to look just like a 2001 540 (which you’ll pay $30k+ for). The Xenon angel eyes and clear LED taillights really look great and change the look of the car dramatically. The new sport suspension really improves the handling and appearance of the 540. If you purchase this car you can just get in and go – it needs nothing. I would be 100% confident that you could drive this car cross country tomorrow without any problems.
Two weeks ago I had the car at Holtz BMW for a checkup and it passed just fine. While it was there they updated the engine’s operating software to the latest version and it is completely up to date. Trust me, this car runs great! You are probably thinking if this car is so great why are you selling it? Well, when I purchased it I needed to get a four door sedan because I had two kids in car seats. Now I have four kids, and there is no way we can use this BMW to get around in, so there is no need for a four door, so I started looking at smaller sports cars, and you can probably guess the rest. I want the M3, and there is no way that I am going to be allowed to keep two BMW’s in the garage next to the Minivan…
I did a lot of research before I priced this car. I looked at Autotrader, Cars.com, and on eBay to get a feel for the pricing. Most of the vehicles are considerably more expensive than my price, even with the same miles and without all of my upgrades.
BONUS IF YOU BUY IT for $14k: I will throw in a Dinan Cold Air Intake and a SuperSprint Exhaust for this 540 – together easily worth over $1k. These items are not on the car now because I take them off for the winter to preserve them. The combination of the cold air intake and the exhaust really improves the performance of the engine, and it sounds awesome as well -- deep and controlled. It sounds like a powerful BMW, not a Honda. A new Dinan Cold Air intake would cost you over $450 and a new SuperSprint Exhaust goes for at least $650. These two products are probably the best upgrades you could purchase for this 540. In order to make the annual swap as easy as possible I had the stock muffler modified to be a clamp on so I could swap the SuperSprint and stock easily – both now just clamp on. You can do it yourself or any muffler shop can switch them in under 10 minutes. I will also include the Dinan instructions for the cold air intake install, or I can install it for you prior to pickup. In the pictures of the rear of the BMW you can see the SuperSprint exhaust installed. Notice that it is installed below the rear bumper and that I did not cut the rear bumper to make it sit higher. I did it this way because I didn’t want the car to look ridiculous in the winter when the factory exhaust was installed.
The bottom line is that you will not find a better BMW 540 for the price I am asking. You may find a lower mileage 540, but it probably won’t have the updated look and you will be probably be replacing parts quite soon -- at significant cost to you. I know this because that’s EXACTLY what happened to me. The engine / body are in great shape, I’ve fixed all of the common problems, and upgraded the car to look like a new model 540. Also, don’t forget you are getting two sets of rims -- great OEM M5 rims for the summer and a great set to keep you going in the winter. Feel free to email me at witmerjb@yahoo.com.