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WTB: 1998 E39 Rebadged 540i-M5 Needs Various Parts(Body, Trim, Cosmetic)

1K views 0 replies 1 participant last post by  stlA3gorist 
#1 · (Edited)
TL;DR:
1. Need cosmetic and various non-"mechanical" parts.
2. If you have parts to sell, see if I'm looking for yours.
3. I know I'm long-winded, that is irrelevant. I want to buy stuff.
4. If you are selling but can't be bothered to read the lists I toiled over making and formatting, I don't want your parts.
5. I'm kidding. Please, if you have stuff I need, let me know.
6. I'm so sorry for those of you that continue reading on.
7. God speed and may you return from this post in the honor and glory of having defeated the most annoying and weird WTB post ever.


Fixing up a 1998 E39 540i sedan. Not that I think these will make a difference but it has the 6spd with no wing/spoiler. I'm in StLMO-314/636 area but am willing to pay for shipping if the price and part are right.

A friend picked this up(without me) for what would be a steal for an M5. However, it had simply been partially rebadged and is actually an 540i with a 4.4. So, instead, he got it at around what you would pay for a 'like new' E39 540i. Even though it isn't the M5, he would like to go ahead and get matched badging for what he has as well as a few odds and ends. I suppose he'll at least be able to pretend it's an M5. This is what happens when you don't take your friend who has had several Bimmers(albeit E30's) with you to check out a super cheap M series that seems too good to be true.

Now, I know it isn't popular among purists to badge up a car(especially without actually swapping the parts that make an M series an M series). Please, if all you have to say is 'sacrilege' because he's going to keep the rebadge and even complete it, just pray to the Bimmer god to strike him down and move on. I'm here for parts. Not to argue the 'ethics' of rebadging a car.

Note a couple things here:
1. I'm no E39 or M series expert. If I am mistaken or seem to have forgotten something, please tell me.
2. Parts that can be restored with some paint, buffing or basic chemicals(such as you would find at a body shop) shouldn't be a problem, but we won't pay 'like new' prices on parts we have to refurbish.
3. No cracks, chips, holes, etc. If it can't be fixed with some paint, detailing, etc., we're not interested.
4. We are on a budget. Mostly because he dumped money into it before having me verify if it was an M5 or if it may have had the 5.0(nope). So, he's in the red already on this.
5. We have some priorities. You'll see them below.
6. I'll list what I know we have already to avoid anyone wondering if we might need this or that. Also, I'll list what we aren't really interested in for whatever reason.
7. We would prefer parts that match the 'early' E39('98-00) so as to not go so far from the original. But, if they fit 'naturally'(no fabricating, cutting, etc.) and there are no 'early' options, we probably won't be too picky.
8. If I'm not sure the part came with the early E39 540i or M5, I'll put a ? next to it. Some trim and other parts I saw when researching I couldn't verify the generation of the car they were on/for.
9. If I say something dumb for lack of knowledge or if you think I overlooked something or whatever, feel free to inform me and educate me, but let's not be d!cks about it.
10. I do need to go and verify what we do and don't have, this is just from memory. But please feel free to let me know what you have from these lists and if I do, in fact need them, I'll let you know. And I will update this post as I determine what we have and as we fill in the holes.

WHAT WE HAVE:

1. M5 front clip(?):
I think. It looks similar.
I don't think we care enough to try and get one if we don't have one.
So, we're not looking for this.
We are also not looking for the rear clip.
2. M5 Steering Wheel 3 Spoke(?):
It may not be the 3 spoke.
But it's an M5. Either early or late E39.
We aren't looking for another, early or not.
3. Cluster M5 Backboard-Carbon Fiber/Charcoal/Black:
I'd like to know, before I try, if I can remove this from the cluster.
Also, will it fit into a 540i cluster or only the M5.
4. Driver Front Door M5 Exterior Trim-Black:
Just the LftFr Dr ExtTrm.
We do need the RtFr Dr M5 ExtTrm.
I think we're good on the other doors.
Something else I need to check on the car in person.
5. Interior Trim-Wood Grain:
I don't know if the M5 had special IntTrm.
If so, I don't know if it was this.
But we are not looking for any other IntTrm, badged or not; we are customizing the style we have.
6. We are not looking for the rims.
As nice as it would be, I doubt a set of M5 rims would be in our range.
Besides, it has a set of Avarus AV1 II's.
That'll work for now.

NEEDED/HIGH PRIORITY:

1. Interior Trim-Wood Grain:
Missing various pieces.
Not sure which.
I should know by the end of the week.
If the wood grain isn't the M5 IntTrm or isn't the right year or whatever, we still are wanting to finish it out.
We have cool custom plans for it.
2. Passenger Front Door M5 Exterior Trim-Black:
We have the driver, front side.
I don't think we need the rear door trim.
I'll check, but I think it's just the RtFr ExtTrm.
3. Headlight Assemblies-Both:
Unless they are different cosmetically, the 540i assemblies will be fine.
If they are different, the M5 style would still need to be in our range for prices.
I'm not sure, but I think the E39 M5 HL Lenses were clear all the way over while the 540i/5s lenses had an orange lens for the signal.
Or maybe it was a mid-gen or even next gen change. I couldn't tell.
I digress.
They need to be in working order.
No cracks. No chips. No gouges.
I believe they are just the plastic cases, but if there are wires(or bolts) that should be on them, those too.
The bolts or wires should also be in working order.
If they are fogged/glazed/hazy or have SHALLOW scratches, that should be fine.
We have tools for that stuff.
And other stuff.
But I'm not cheap when I have to legit fix car stuff.

WANTED:


1. Instrument Cluster:
If we can swap our M5 Backboard to another cluster, then any cluster the M5 BkBrd will go into is fine.
If it can't be changed out or go into a 540i Cluster, then we'd prefer an M5 Cluster.
We need/want the cluster, but would like to keep the BkBrd if possible, basically.
2. Hood & Trunk BMW "Bucklers":
The circles in Blue/White(or silver I think).
I shouldn't need to describe this.
But I think I'm witty.
I try to be entertaining, I like to make people chuckle while thinking about how much they hate me.
But we would like these.
I think the design may have changed a bit over the years.
So the closer to 1998 the better, if possible.
At the least, it needs to fit the 540i hood and trunk recesses.
3. Trunk M5 Badge:
The badge, for the trunk, that says M5, that replaces the badging for the 5s models.
Kind of asinine if you ask me.
The previous guy badges half the damn car but pulls the 'Bucklers' and trunk badge?
What an ass.
I've been up for 36 hours dealing with car stuff that needs to be done in the next 16 hours.
So don't mind me.
Also, I wrote this up at 4 this morning and thought I had posted it.
Turns out, I hadn't and I had already closed the tab.
So I've wrote this twice now.
4. Fender Reflectors/Markers-?:
I'm not sure if these were different on the 5s's and the M5's.
It seems like the M5's had clear/whitish markers while the 5s's had orange.
Or maybe it was a midgen change.
Or I wasn't comparing an E39 to an E39.
I'm not sure.
Again, 36 hours up, 16 to go. Not thinking good.
Help, happy to have.

Alright. That's it. I'm posting this and it better post this time.
Before I go, let me make it clear, I am not an expert on M5's or the E39's. I know my E30's and I have a pretty good understanding on most Bimmers from E30 up. What I don't know, I can find out in these places or from my friends that sold out and became BMW techs.

I'm saying this for a couple(several) reasons:

1. If you intend to try to ridicule me for not being a 'real' Bimmer fan; have at it. It'll just let me know who I should have sympathy for for having pulled the short stick at birth.
2. If you intend to scam me, have at it. I will be verifying parts and prices. If you try to sell me the "Exclusive to 1998 E39 M5, Only 8 Made Mahogany Cod Piece Attachments For M5 Seats", I'm going to do my research. I'm also probably going to figure that, if they were real, they are more than an E39 M5 with 250,000 in 'like new' condition and we couldn't even afford that. So good luck.
3. If you have parts to sell me, awesome and thank you very much. I will not try to lowball you, but it needs to be a price BOTH of us are happy with, so, don't get mad if I try to get a penny or two off your asking.
4. If you can help me verify stuff on my list, please do and thank you very much.
5. Don't judge me on this post. Seriously. I am a smart@ss and a d!ck, but I'm the kind that is actually a pretty nice guy that just likes to constantly tell jokes and make people shake their heads in shame at me.

If you read all this, even if you aren't selling me parts, thanks. You are a trooper. For your determination and efforts, I give you this: :)
 
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