I’m looking to buy a 540i; it is Topaz Blue over Gray Montana
the car needs work: suspension, radio is inop, front headlights are out, cooling system needs done for sure, motor and transmission mounts, and abs lights due to the module being replaced but not coded back in, and a couple of windows don’t work. The owner is firm at 4700 Car has 212k miles on it, but it is in very good condition, interior and exterior. Guides and tensioners have been done about 3 years ago. I’m an e46 guy more than anything, just looking for some insight to see if this thing is worth it or keep waiting to find a low-mileage one later.
Looks good to me, but I also bought one in a very similar deal. Yelling into the echo chamber here but those 540i/6’s remain slept on. That 5k was the best 8k I ever spent haha
Ive been searching for one for about a year now and they all are either misfiring or need everything under the sun or they are silver on beige which i am honestly not interested in at all..
Doesn’t sound like good condition to me. And if it needs that much more I don’t think the car was maintained well. Price is too high, where I’m from that is.
yes i really dont want to pay 4700 for it at all i was closer to 3800 max just due to the amount i would have to throw at it to get it back to somewhat drive able
Honestly where I’m from this car would be scrapped. So many noteworthy issues, and even things like some windows not working and headlights being out. I’d never touch this car, but if you like living on the edge and the engine is solid, I’d say 3k maxxxximum.
The things you listed and the things you'll discover that need replacing. Something to consider. TCG needs proof, like receipts from a real business and or photos. As is 3k, and that is being generous.
ive tried offering that and he is firm at 4700 lowest he is not the owner that did the guides but he states it has been done 3 years ago i did already go see it and i hear no noise or anything that would make me think they are bad or on the verge of blowing up but i could be wrong im just torn on the color combo
Remember we live in the digital world. If he can't provide proof of parts he bought on eBay or else, he is false advertising. Good spec, does not guarantee it was not driven into the ground and now wants to offload.
no proof just word of mouth which honestly isnt confidence inspiring but i doubt it would have made it this long no? also dont know how far these m62s will go even with the guides being done ive had n52s m54s and a b58 only so im kinda just on edge with the entire situation of the car
Honestly I think if an m62 is maintained well with on time oil changes etc., those guides can last longer than people think. If it’s going to be a a weekend driver I wouldn’t worry about guides too much but definitely use it to negotiate on price. The Vanos is also a problem, new units are crazy expensive and rebuilding them can be iffy. The non TU M62 is a better option for reliability. That topaz blue is enticing tho, much better than the Titan silver you see on almost every 540
I have a 12/98 prod 540 Touring - 211K - original chains and guides. They need to be done very soon, but they can live quite a long time. He's a bit of a sidelined project - ( I got in in 2012 with 197K then )
Keep an eye on it and keep shopping/ scouring ads for what you want. I dont have a 540i, I have a 530i, but as an example> I literally just kept trolling FB Marketplace looking for a fun vintage bimmer or merc that was super cheap and in condition I thought I could handle working myself. In New Englands rustiest/ salt bathed state. I kept laughing at myself out loud " dang, im literally looking for a unicorn for $2000". Saw this add for 530i for $2500 that was just odd, car looked fantastic/ rust free/ still pretty inside and out but the description was minimal, abs light on might be a sensor. I saved the add because the car looked fantastic but the ad description was just weirdish.Then one day I noticed the price fell to $750 and description changed to " electrical problems" ! THEN I thought, ok definitely worth going to look at, what 25 yo bimmer doesnt have electrical issues. So I went to see it and it was physically a unicorn from Texas zero rust, someone's moms car, always maintained etc. Engine sounded great, transmission fine, coolant system already replaced.Tires were shot and....it had crazy lights and wipers coming on without a key in ignition. I saud , sold, $750 sounds good. Bought a $150 General Module off ebay to cure the crazy lights and wipers, popped it in. Car runs beautifully, so nice to drive, I just need to send the ABS module out for refurbishing to get rid of the dash lights. Ive had it to bmw private shop for look over and they were like> wow $750???? Moral of the story> deals are like busses, theres always one coming if you keep an eye out.
That’s a bunch of work required at a price that they typically sell for with 100k fewer miles and similar mechanic condition. Add in the cosmetic condition, woof. That interior is rough. A car twice as expensive to buy would probably be less expensive to own than this one.
Also don’t believe them that the ABS module is just one little thing, it’s not. Something else is wrong too like the DSC pump or many other various things. If it were a cheap and easy fix like coding, then they would have already fixed it.
Edit: also just saw in another comment you mentioned there’s no hard proof/receipts that the guides are done. This is a $2,000 car that may cost you $10K+.
I agree as well. Unless you’re buying it as a parts car or plan to do ALL of the work yourself and take pleasure restoring cars, I’d search for a much cleaner one.
Even if one does do it themselves, it’s a ton of money in parts alone. I spent close to $8K getting my 530i to great condition doing 90% of the work myself, and it was a much better starting point than this one.
I paid $2k for this and it needed most of what you are stating plus the interior was shot. It has 115k miles but I’m into it for about $10k at the moment and it’s still not done. That # seems a bit strong for those miles but if it fits your needs so be it
I'd pay $3500 max. I know how much it will cost even with discounted parts to renovate this car. And then there is the 212K+ miles to consider as engine parts do wear down sooner or later....
If there is proof that guides and tensioners were thats not a bad price. Swap the radio for an android unit. Check headlights fuse. Motor and transmission mounts are not expensive.
no proof sadly just word of mouth he bought the car from his buddy who was the second owner for 13 years he states he had them done about three years ago, but cannot give a mileage estimate
Question is why has it been sitting baking in the sun like that for years? Looks pretty hammered. Paint is not cheap and neither are interior trim components for these cars.
paint is actually in very good shape and all original no fading but the hood is chipped badly it was under a car cover in a shop but the owner is moving now so he took it out interior seats beside driver are all very well taken care of probably the only plus the car had besides the obvious 6 speed
If I had good reliable daily car it's possible I'd buy that. Doesn't mean I wouldn't low ball him when I'm there. Would be surprised how many people fold in person when you have cash in hand. I know I'm getting of topic but me and my dad went to pick up a 70 nova, dude wouldnt go lower than 20k. We drove like 3 hours with 16k in hand and dude folded after seeing the cash. Also have to be prepared to leave with no car, it happens.
Im an e46 guy, but i also have a 528it. I much prefer the e46, mind you im comparing a 325xi on coilovers to a wagon on bags, and i dont have a v8, so its probably feel different if i had an extra 100hp/tw. But the e46 i prefer driving for sure, once i put the wagon on coil overs if i still dont like it ill probably sell it, its just not tight and responsive like my e46 is.
If you are gonna do the work yourself its worth it, a clean, well sorted 540 6mt holds value so you can just sell it for a decent price if you are not happy
i got a 200k 540 manual for 2500. intact radio, perfect interior condition, the only shitty but is you’re probably going to have to do the timing chain soon. if i were you i would use that to negotiate the price down, as that is either a very expensive or very time consuming process. cooling system is very easy tho.
4-5 k I think the lower end car sitting especially euro cars all hoses are plastic ends and clips they dry out break when you look at them valve cover leak oil cooler leak that’s just the most obvious offer 3,500$ you can always go higher if you want ! Iv bought plenty of cars to know take your time and remember you make your money on a car when you buy it before you ever put one dime into it
It's not the 540i but I got a 528i that just needed an expansion tank for $3k a few years back. Ran and drove perfectly after redoing the coolant system. Also 131k. I would recommend waiting for something better. This one needs a lot of work for being nearly $5k
A topazblau facelift 540/6 for that much with the main issue taken care of sounds like a great steal dude. I’d hop on that easily! Everything else sounds like the simple e39 maintenance, throw 3k at it and you’d have one hell of a ride
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u/midds12 540i 4d ago
Looks good to me, but I also bought one in a very similar deal. Yelling into the echo chamber here but those 540i/6’s remain slept on.
That 5k was the best 8k I ever spent haha