2001 540i...

[srtga]

I've been looking for a larger cruiser for my wife and she's starting to get on board. I have been looking at some 540i's and it seems there are quite a few of them out there for around 10g. My wifes in school so she is spooked about having a car payment and she balks at 20g or so. Sooo no M5 but the 540 with the sport and "M" package looks like a good compromise. I also like the nav in them.

She just isn't into the CTS-V...

We'll probably road trip next week and look at some. Any thoughts? Stuff to look out for?

[JDS]

Maintenance history. German cars (especially Porsches, but also BMWs, Benzes, Audis, and even water-cooled VWs) are like airplanes...they can last forever if properly maintained. Hopefully you will find one with documentation that all of the factory service intervals were satisfied and preferably that it was switched over to synthetic oil as early as possible. Mechanically, E39s are very reliable so there's not much to worry about. One of the nice things about the 540i is that is uses a timing chain so you don't have to worry about a belt stripping or snapping and blowing up your entire engine.

[jerry540i]

ABS sensors, O2 sensors (routine stuff, but seemed to fail far too often on my '01) Catalytics need to be checked, as they had notoriously short life spans on the 540's and 740's.

Overall, reliability is no better/worse than any other car that is properly maintained. Just make sure you get a thorough PPI (pre-purchase inspection) as parts are more expensive than your typical domestic.

J/

[JDS]

Catalytics need to be checked

It's long off warranty, I'd just have them replaced with a test pipe if they give you any trouble.

[swarga]

One of the nice things about the 540i is that is uses a timing chain so you don't have to worry about a belt stripping or snapping and blowing up your entire engine.

Is it somehow better to have a chain snap and blow up your entire valvetrain than to have a belt do the same thing?

[JDS]

Is it somehow better to have a chain snap and blow up your entire valvetrain than to have a belt do the same thing?

No, but because the former, for all intents and purposes, never happens, whereas the latter does (both due to heat, dehydration, and oxidation when they get old, and due to certain fluids damaging them even when new), I'd rather have the chain.

[jerry540i]

Is it somehow better to have a chain snap and blow up your entire valvetrain than to have a belt do the same thing?

No, but because the former, for all intents and purposes, never happens, whereas the latter does (both due to heat, dehydration, and oxidation when they get old, and due to certain fluids damaging them even when new), I'd rather have the chain.

x2.

[srtga]

Thanks guys. The wife is getting on board. She's been talking to friends/relatives who have BMWs. They all have 3's and she wants to know why I want a 5.

I told her we may as well just get a nice Mazda 6 or something if we're gonna get a 3... They're nice but you just see so many of them.

He!!, almost every other travel nurse I work with drives one... One girl actually thought that the company gives us 3's to drive and asked where mine was

[JDS]

Thanks guys. The wife is getting on board. She's been talking to friends/relatives who have BMWs. They all have 3's and she wants to know why I want a 5.

Because 5s are sexier!

(Except for E90s )

I told her we may as well just get a nice Mazda 6 or something if we're gonna get a 3... They're nice but you just see so many of them.

The 2002-2008 Mazda 6 is a really nice car. Not like a BMW 5, but still very nice.

[xrs9430]

Radiator brackets are plastic and can break. There is an oil valve thing that can get stuck, and then it pumps all the oil out of the exhaust! Yay! Only happens in colder climates keep in mind. It's happened 2 times to us. Bmw put a heater on it so it doesn't do it again? Hope not. This is on an X5 4.4 if you're wondering, same motor. You will also see the message center for things such as "check brake linings" even though they're fine! They are nice cars but if you can't afford the maintenance, they can be a nightmare and a money pit. So be warned. My dad said he won't own another one after this. It's been the most unreliable car he's owned. He had a Gs400 before it and loved that car. It never missed a beat

This is just one of the many fun messages we get.....