E39 540i Electrical Issues

Hey guys, just need some help on the enigma aka my 540i.

I came to start the car 3 days ago and the car started weirdly and the cluster didn't work. I also heard weird noises so I turned it off. I tried starting it a few hours later and the car wouldn't turn over, only "click". Now the battery is pretty old, over 3 years but the little button thing on it doesn't show white which means replace. I know that it's not accurate but could this be a battery issue? I say this because now the interior lights, seats and general electrics work sometimes and sometimes they don't. So like I open the door, the interior lights up but I come to do it maybe an hour later it doesn't. Then after say 4-5 hours it works again and then it just doesn't.

The cluster didn't work while the car was running the last time I turned it on which led me to believe the cluster had blown but then the electrics started acting weird and now I just don't know what's going on. Car mechanics show no sympathy either, they charge so much for such little work. I've spent over $3k on this car already and it hasn't gotten better. It's not that I don't have money to spend it's that I don't wanna spend a fortune on this thing. This is by far the most unreliable car I've driven.

Anyways does anybody have any clues I'd really appreciate it.

Plus there's something I found on the drivers side floor. It looks like a piece of metal that's broken off but it's really light. It might not even be a part of the car but if anybody knows what it is would you mind telling me. Thanks

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8070/8...75f87248_k.jpg

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8482/8...a8155737_k.jpg

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8205/8...35944e2c_k.jpg

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8205/8...5c056d2a_k.jpg

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8340/8...97e7a0a8_k.jpg

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8209/8...059f5b82_k.jpg

To me it looks like a piece of a motor mount bracket or a piece of the engine block "corner of it"..

Do you have a voltmeter? It would be nice to see the battery voltage before, during, and after your attempted cranking.
I was first thinking a problem with the battery, but with your description of the flaky electronics, I wonder if the ignition switch is failing. It can cause some flaky behavior. It's fairly easy to replace.

Take a look at #2 in this picture. #6 is the lock cylinder where your key goes. The end of the lock cylinder meshes with the ignition switch.
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...03&hg=32&fg=30

Are you serious? It came from under the steering wheel. It was inside the car on the driver's side.

Sounds like a bad battery. Get this one charged and a volt meter to see if the alternator is really charging the battery properly.