Purchase 2002 540i 6-spd?

[MarkJump]

Sad history with Saabs & major failures.

Traded in '99 9-5 for '04 VW Passat, not happy with adolescent 1.8 turbo surge & lag, handling drop-outs.

Ready to go for the real thing!

Went to look at '02 & later 530i's (manual, please) at dealer; but found a nice black/black '02 540i 6-spd., 51k miles, about $33k, certified pre-owned.

Good price?

So what's the word? Is this the way to go? What do I need to be aware of, look for, etc.? I know this will be a fantastic drive; how about ownership?

Ready to jump in on Monday; thanks for any advice.

[The_Transporter]

hmmm 33,000 is kinda stiff for a 3 year old car that has done 51,000 miles. but i guess it still must be in tip top shape. i would think about it a little more.

[MarkJump]

Bought the car!

Dealer made the price, and the trade-in price, extremely attractive for this BMW-certified pre-owned.

Very happy to be, first time ever, a BMW owner!

Wow!

[Eric S.]

Originally posted by MarkJump@Mar 10 2005, 10:23 PM
Bought the car!

Dealer made the price, and the trade-in price, extremely attractive for this BMW-certified pre-owned.

Very happy to be, first time ever, a BMW owner!

Wow!

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Congrats! I was going to say that with oil/gas prices going wild until we drill in the ANWR (like we ought to), resale values on 540's is low lately, lower than most regional "book" values. Smoke 'Em, and enjoy that Sport package!

Glad you got the 6-speed! Way to go! (you'll notice in the 5-er featured car contest for March I have the only 6-speed 540 among the contestants).


One of the first things you need to do is the "CDV" delete (clutch delay valve). Go to Dave Zeffenhausen Racing's web site. The CDV is intended to "smooth" shifts, but what you will notice is that when going through the gears quickly, your clutch will not fully engage no matter how hard you drop the clutch, thus risking burning up your clutch. The CDV limits how quickly the clutch can re-engage - It wants you to do it all smoootthly, like Grandpa George would do. Look at it this way - the M5 does not have the CDV. 'Nuff said.

[TurboVR6]

this is quite amazing! im currently looking for a 2000 or newer 540i, manual tranny, and thats all i care about really. all the ones in my area that are the 2002s are being sold for right around 40-42k!

PS, im new to the bwm world, i need someone to show me the ropes on what to look for when buying, etc. ive only had access to a 2000 528i, which i love, and i feel that the 540 with a 6sp is the perfect option instead of an m5, which i cannot afford at this time.

thanks in advance!

[Eric S.]

Originally posted by TurboVR6@Mar 12 2005, 11:19 PM
this is quite amazing! im currently looking for a 2000 or newer 540i, manual tranny, and thats all i care about really. all the ones in my area that are the 2002s are being sold for right around 40-42k!

PS, im new to the bwm world, i need someone to show me the ropes on what to look for when buying, etc. ive only had access to a 2000 528i, which i love, and i feel that the 540 with a 6sp is the perfect option instead of an m5, which i cannot afford at this time.

thanks in advance!

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There are many areas to visit! Try 540i6.com and bmwtips.com for initial info on the 540 6-speed.

Just FYI, the 1999 is identical to the 2000 except that in 2000 the key/fob was upgraded (made nicer-looking and self-charging). Trust me, the 1999 key/fob is still very nice. I just figured including the 1999 model year in your search may turn up something more affordable for you. These cars (1999 and 2000 540's) are now selling for under the $20K mark.

Just make sure you understand what you are getting into. BMWs are not less reliable than other cars, and parts costs are usually reasonable, but the labor costs are outrageous. So an older (1999-2000) 540 with higher miles (over 75K) may not be practical for you unless you intend to spin your own wrenches on it, at least on the simpler stuff like oil and anti-freeze changes.

[TurboVR6]

Originally posted by Eric S.+Mar 12 2005, 10:02 PM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Eric S. @ Mar 12 2005, 10:02 PM)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteBegin-TurboVR6@Mar 12 2005, 11:19 PM
this is quite amazing! im currently looking for a 2000 or newer 540i, manual tranny, and thats all i care about really. all the ones in my area that are the 2002s are being sold for right around 40-42k!

PS, im new to the bwm world, i need someone to show me the ropes on what to look for when buying, etc. ive only had access to a 2000 528i, which i love, and i feel that the 540 with a 6sp is the perfect option instead of an m5, which i cannot afford at this time.

thanks in advance!

[snapback]309837[/snapback]

There are many areas to visit! Try 540i6.com and bmwtips.com for initial info on the 540 6-speed.

Just FYI, the 1999 is identical to the 2000 except that in 2000 the key/fob was upgraded (made nicer-looking and self-charging). Trust me, the 1999 key/fob is still very nice. I just figured including the 1999 model year in your search may turn up something more affordable for you. These cars (1999 and 2000 540's) are now selling for under the $20K mark.

Just make sure you understand what you are getting into. BMWs are not less reliable than other cars, and parts costs are usually reasonable, but the labor costs are outrageous. So an older (1999-2000) 540 with higher miles (over 75K) may not be practical for you unless you intend to spin your own wrenches on it, at least on the simpler stuff like oil and anti-freeze changes.

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thanks for the quick response!

currently, my price range is around 35k for the vehicle, so i do have some leeway into the newer models (at least a little). ive been looking at luxury motors, which is semi-close to me, and seeing that they have much more reasonable prices than anything local to me.

i have built my current car, a 2001 gti vr6 turbo, so i do know my way around a motor pretty well (and a german one at that!), so oil changes and the sort dont worry me so much. i also have had to foot the bills on various things for the 528 as well
(such as the airbag control unit failing ghead ), which did indeed cost a pretty penny.

[superdeadman]

i've seen 00 M5 w/ 40k miles going for 34-35k
M5 is da greatest