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New (to Me) 540i, First-time Bmw Owner!

2K views 8 replies 6 participants last post by  nerf26 
#1 ·
Hello to all, this is my first posting on this forum, the first of many, I hope! Just purchased a beautiful blue 1999 540i 6-speed with the sport package and tan interior. Wow, I am so enthralled! :bravo I have owned a good assortment of decent cars up until now (I am 42), and this is clearly the best overall car I've ever owned, and probably ever driven too! (See my list below, which I'll add to my signature).

I am somewhat fearful of the seeming "strangelhold" the dealer network and BMW seem to have on repairs and even preventive maintenance! I am hopeful this forum will help, as I am used to performing my own service. One of my first steps will be to obtain the Bentley manual for the E39. :wrench

The one car I've owned most similar to my 540 would have to be the Acura Legend GS 6-speed. The 230HP 6-speed GS was quite rare (most people don't even know they existed and only about 2250 were sold in the USA in 1994 and 1995, the only years they were offered), lots of room, lots of luxury, lots of speed. Let's face it - it was probably the "Starter Kit" for a 540!! :haha

TTYL!!

Eric S.
1999 BMW 540i 6-Speed
1998 Civic HX Coupe
1997 Ford Expedition
Previously owned:
1994 Legend GS 6-speed
1992 Civic VX
1991 Honda Civic Si
1972 Corvette Convertible
1974 Porsche 914 2.0S
1986 CRX-Si (bought new)
1985 IROC-Z (TPI w/5-speed)
1980 Honda Accord sedan
1972 Cougar XR-7
And other lesser cars...
 

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#3 ·
Yes, you got the 4.0 V8 with the 6 speed manual....congradulations~ :clap2

This vehicle will be a big change between your previous vehicles....without a doubt a better vehicle than the Civics and Accord and rides smoother than your Expedition.

Well done, I'm happy for you. Hope this car serves you well...and maybe you're hook for life on BMWs.

Maybe we'll get a story or two outta you :haha
 
#6 ·
Thanks to all for the well-wishes! I particularly noticed the comment about the difference between the 540 and my previous cars. Just to give you an idea of how MUCH more I will enjoy it, let me add to my signature's list with the cars I left out of the list, most of which were my daily drivers at some point:

Tan 1982 Pontiac Sunbird with rotted headliner :naughty
Brown 1982 Datsun pick-up I had painted white and drove to past 217K miles & sold still going strong :thumbs
1988 Chevy Suburban (with NO options) :screwy
1985 Jeep Cherokee 2.8V6 with spun rod bearings :guns
1992 Ford F150XLT Supercab (150K miles & still not too bad) :rock
1992 Pontiac Sunbird - was mostly my wife's car and far better than the others on this list... B)

Yes, I am ready...
 
#7 ·
Originally posted by Eric S.@Oct 11 2004, 07:28 PM
Thanks to all for the well-wishes! I particularly noticed the comment about the difference between the 540 and my previous cars. Just to give you an idea of how MUCH more I will enjoy it, let me add to my signature's list with the cars I left out of the list, most of which were my daily drivers at some point:

Tan 1982 Pontiac Sunbird with rotted headliner :naughty
Brown 1982 Datsun pick-up I had painted white and drove to past 217K miles & sold still going strong :thumbs
1988 Chevy Suburban (with NO options) :screwy
1985 Jeep Cherokee 2.8V6 with spun rod bearings :guns
1992 Ford F150XLT Supercab (150K miles & still not too bad) :rock
1992 Pontiac Sunbird - was mostly my wife's car and far better than the others on this list... B)

Yes, I am ready...
[snapback]209578[/snapback]​

GOOD STUFF....99 540 6sp....and your 42, and your last car was an ACURA....HAA small world....I too am 42, just got a 98 540 6sp, my last car was a 2000 ACURA TL, and I plan to do a lot of my own work on this wonderful beast of a car.

So far I have done OIL/FILTER (Modil1 15W-50, Fram) and a K&N air filter (stock air box) , and next its time for new SPARK PLUGS....oh and one of my speakers is toast, so I have to fix that too....

This forum has been great. Checklists for the oil/filter, sparkplugs etc etc....I figure I can do my own BRAKE too....LOVIN BMW!!!!

Keep me up-to-date with your projects.......cheers :welcome
 
#8 ·
Nerf -

Let me know whether you've had a chance to explore buying that Peake Research BMW code reader and reset tool (http://www.peakeresearch.com/code_tool.htm). It sounds like a "must have" to me, if I want to do my own work on the car (and I do). I gained some good experience (and weird tools such as "cheesehead" sockets) with German cars thru my ownership of my erstwhile Porsche 914.

Interesting re similar background, although I've had 2 years "off" since selling the Legend.

The car I am buying may have 103K, but looks to be totally virginal (original radiator, valve cover gaskets, etc), so I'm sure that over the next year it's likely I'll be replacing items related to those, and will be keeping my eye on the camshaft position sensor for trouble. My big thing is that it's been garage-kept, and as I found with my Acura, protecting a car from termperature extremes via garaging goes a long way toward preserving vital parts of your car. There isn't much that is harder on a car than pressing it into service in below-freezing temperatures...
 
#9 ·
Originally posted by Eric S.@Oct 12 2004, 07:16 PM
Nerf -

Let me know whether you've had a chance to explore buying that Peake Research BMW code reader and reset tool (http://www.peakeresearch.com/code_tool.htm). It sounds like a "must have" to me, if I want to do my own work on the car (and I do). I gained some good experience (and weird tools such as "cheesehead" sockets) with German cars thru my ownership of my erstwhile Porsche 914.

Interesting re similar background, although I've had 2 years "off" since selling the Legend.

The car I am buying may have 103K, but looks to be totally virginal (original radiator, valve cover gaskets, etc), so I'm sure that over the next year it's likely I'll be replacing items related to those, and will be keeping my eye on the camshaft position sensor for trouble. My big thing is that it's been garage-kept, and as I found with my Acura, protecting a car from termperature extremes via garaging goes a long way toward preserving vital parts of your car. There isn't much that is harder on a car than pressing it into service in below-freezing temperatures...
[snapback]210149[/snapback]​
YEP....the reset tool looks to be a must....I have a problem in that if I order it from the USA, at the border they will add about %50 to the price!!! ouch....so I may just find a shop close by that will do it for me....

One other thing I have read about is the MAF (mass air flow sensor) - I think thats what it is...anyway, lotsa little thing to watch for....also check this site;
http://www.bmwe34.net/e34main/Maintenance/...ne/M60plugs.asp

Good luck......
 
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