528i To 540i/m5 Conversion

[Franks528i]

Okay i have a question that has probably been asked a million times on here so please let me know if you have any advice or suggestions.

I have a 97 528i auto and want to convert it to a 6 speed with either the 540 or if the price is right the M5 engine! Has anyone ever priced this out or done the conversion themselves? Please let me know. I have done many conversions on other makes such as honda, mitsubishi, toyota and VWs but never on a BMW. I would appreciate any help you may have. I know it would be easier to just buy a 540 and sell my car but I cant do that right now (see below) and already have done alot of conversions and modifications on my car.


also what do you think a 97 silver 528i with a practically mint body and interior with 113k miles would go for? I have OEM 18x8f and 18x9.5r M5 wheels, brand new just installed M5 bumpers and trim with foglamps, window trim converted to shadowline trim (black), Celis headlamps and taillamps, 2003 grills, and other misc. No performance upgrades yet, all work was professionally installed by BMW.

any suggestions would help.

Thank you
Frank

[Eric S.]

I think the proper procedure would be:
1) Bookmark cars.com
2) find a good used 540i/6
3) negotiate a price
4) drive the 540 home
5) then list the 528i on cars.com, and
6) run ad until sold.

That seems the easiest way to go to me. I hate to be a naysayer, and your resume is certainly impressive, but the only way I see it making sense is if you already had a 540 donor car or the requisite parts you could get real cheap.

Now that I've whizzed on the parade, I will point out that I've found the 540 to be a little different in what you have to go through to fix things, but not overall any more difficult to work on than, say, a Honda. Good luck to you!