I am willing to predict you will fall in love with this car! First for background regarding this purchase, I originally purchased an Audi A6. See the original review here:
http://www.epinions.com/content_121228594820
As you will note, I had approximately 13 things go wrong with the A6 2.7T in the six months of ownership before I got rid of it. Unfortunately, I had high hopes for the Audi and had spent thousands in upgrades to the suspension and wheels. Bad move but it's water under the bridge now.
Anyway, I had driven the A6 to a BMW dealership to see what was on the lot. And there she was...glistening in the daylight and calling out my name. A titanium silver 540i 6-speed. Although it was 1 year older and approximately 15K more miles than my A6, I knew that 540i 6-speeds were very very rare and hard to find. I also knew they commanded a premium price tag (even if used). So anyway, I knew one of the salesmen and had been in and out of BMW dealerships just browsing for the past 4 years. I told him I was interested in the 540i on the lot and we went for a test drive. He and I both knew that when I jumped in that car, the sale would be immediate; we were both right. After the test drive was over, I negotiated what I perceived to be a very good price on the 540i and choked down the loss that I incurred from spending thousands on upgrading my A6 (of which I didn't recover any of those costs).
The transaction went very smooth and very fast. While I waited, my guy came out of the accessories shop and gave me a really nice BMW keychain. Very nice gesture indeed. Then came time for the send off. My car was prepped up and looked absolutely mint in the all glass enclosed send off room. My salesman went over the whole car, the engine bay and discussed a majority of the gadgets. I was very impressed with the knowledge and assistance my salesman provided.
As I started the car and put it into gear, I started to smile and the grin just wouldn't stop. My stomach got butterflies as a combination of knowing I lost a lot of money on my A6 but also obtained the Ultimate Driving Machine. I drove off the lot and kicked it down to merge into traffic with a big ol’ smile on my face.
On to the real review:
-Exterior-
The E39 (platform code used by BMW) is one of the classiest looking BMWs and will age quite well. Flowing lines from the hood back to the sliced trunk lid, this car is a classic. Signature classic twin kidney grille, slightly bulging hood, double lens headlights and C-pillar dog leg are further certified by its roundel propeller badge. The only distinguishing feature of the 540i 6-speed as compared to all other 5 Series models is the shadowline exterior trim, standard auto-leveling Xenons and M-twin spoke wheels with staggered tire profiles. Although it is noticeably smaller than the Audi A6, I personally feel it has a much more aggressive appearance and stance than any other luxury 4-door sedan in its class.
-Suspension and Engine-
4.4 Litres and 282 bhp push you back in the seat with 310 pounds of torque that peak around 3500 rpm’s. One of the first things I noticed was that the redline on the 540i is around 6900 rpm’s. This seems kind of low but there is a reason for this: powerful torque. There is so much torque that kicks in at low rpm’s that you don’t need to take this car to the redline. In fact, this car masks your acceleration in a deceiving manner; you’ll be at 50 mph much faster than you expect. I have the M-technic suspension with beefier tires, stiffer springs & shocks and M-technic front/rear sway bars. Matched with the 6-speed transmission, the suspension and engine complete this already fantastic and silky package. Some owners have complained of a really stiff ride provided by the standard sport suspension, however I feel it is a perfect combination of a sporty yet luxurious feel. I do feel an occasional shudder/shiver in the frame of the car when going over uneven defects in the road but this is only experienced 5% of the time. I also have noticed that the rear tires are very prone to spinning under standing-acceleration instances. I would recommend going with more aggressive tires (better grip) the next time your tires need replacing. In absolute seriousness, this car IS a speeding ticket waiting to happen and, if you are even more unlucky, a reckless driving ticket with accompanying jail time. For those that are true car enthusiasts, I would highly recommend NOT matching this engine to an automatic transmission as you don’t get the same *I’m-in-control-feel* of a clutch and 6-speed H-shaped shift gate. My favorite gear is 3rd at around 3500 rpm’s. Try it and you’ll get a dumb grin guaranteed.
-Safety-
Safety and performance are key attributes that further add to the wonders of this 6-speed Teutonic machine. Consumers Report had stated that the 2001 530i was the best car they've ever tested. That's big news from a trusted and renowned car review magazine but it doesn't quite give justice to the sheer visceral appeal and performance that the 540i really provides. Dual front and side airbags and an industry first (at the time) head protection system. My 540i also came with rear side airbags but for safety reasons for drivers with children, these come "deactivated" from the manufacturer. One safety feature that affects the driving habits of this car is the Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) system. This feature is always on/activated when you start the car and the “(!)” warning light will only light up to show you the system is working. I have had this system jump on while driving in the rain as this car loves to fishtail when you apply the throttle. Remember: this is a very powerful rear wheel drive machine and without this system, amateur drivers will be in the ditch during adverse driving conditions. Furthermore, not only does this system work, but it is VERY effective and has saved me from spinning out in traffic.
-Interior and features-
Ah, pure luxury. The layout is smart and very driver oriented. As with the Audi, I love the glowing interior LEDs that shoot down from the lighting/Homelink/moonroof control module. Although I prefer the deep red color of the Audi, the amber color is just as gentle. The only other location of where I would prefer LED lighting is in the door handles to indicate where to find the door handles when exiting the car in darkness. The leather of this interior is truly first class; very supple, very soft and very breathable. The stainless looking plastic kick guards on the door frame, soft ceiling/side panel fabric, and wood grained trim round out the luxurious feel of this cabin. Rear leg room is much tighter than with the Audi A6 so if your passengers are over 6 feet tall, they might be a little uncomfortable. Ingress/egress of the front seated passengars is a little awkward with the high sides of the sport seats; you have to literally climb out of the seat upon exit. The only fear I have with this is that there will be abnormal wear/tear on the seat pads from crawling over the sides to get in and out of the car. Besides the ingress/egress, the seats are first class and have the oh-so-nice power headrests and power leg support features. Standard dim-on and dim-off lighting features make you feel like you’re in a movie theater and the control buttons are easily understandable and within safe reach of the driver and front passenger. My model came with a rear power sunshade and manual rear side door sunshades; very nice features for your passenger’s comfort. I wouldn’t say this is a complaint but I am not sure of the value of the rear ventilation system as it does not provide sufficient/effective rear A/C output (it doesn’t blow as hard as the front vents). Another feature that I just don’t quite understand: dual climate control. Furthermore, if I want the whole cabin to be at 70 degrees, I have to manually change both sides of the cabin temperature via the A/C control module. I think it is more of a selling tactic/feature than it is convenience feature. Other standard features for the 540i 6-speed are the M-technic multi-functional steering wheel and M-technic shift knob (both with the //M badge). Also to note: trunk space is adequate and comes with a full-sized M-twin spoke spare tire. However, it is not as deep or as large as the Audi A6. In fact, because of the trunk’s relatively smaller size, there is a diagram attached to the inside of the trunk lid showing how to arrange 3 golf bags. Oh yeah, and the one thing I miss is the 80/20 fold down rear seats. I have since gotten used to living without this but it does make you think ahead of time before you go purchase something of large size from a local hardware store etc…
-Audio-
I’ll make this short and sweet. The premium audio system (6 disc changer in the trunk) that came with this car is very acceptable. Although others have complained that it is not as powerful or “audiophile” quality of other luxury cars in this class, I think it is a night and day experience when compared with my old Audi A6; the 540i is much louder, clearer and provides better/deeper bass without being too “muddy”. Sometimes the bass is a little too loud while listening to certain tracks that the rear speaker deck vibrates loudly. This is a minor nuance which is easily fixed by turning off the radio completely and just listening to the sweet sounds of the 8 cylinder firing under the hood. The other convenience feature that I get annoyed with at times is the speed sensitive volume. For example, if you’re playing your music at a moderate volume at low speeds and accelerate to around 55mph, the music is BLARING in your ears. Again, this is a minor annoyance.
-Final thoughts-
I am sure I missed something that potential buyers might be looking for answers to, but these were the main points that I have noticed/experienced. My insurance is MUCH better than the Audi A6 which was one year newer and had less miles to which I am told is a result of the costs involved with repairing an Audi as compared to repairing a BMW (read: Audi’s are more expensive to fix and/or are more problematic). I save about $240 a year by insuring a 540i than insuring an Audi A6 2.7T. Fuel consumption is not even close to what I had originally feared. I get approximately the same gas mileage as I used to with the A6 2.7T (turbo 6 cylinder with an automatic). I think this is fairly decent, if not good however with current gas prices (yes, you are required to feed this gem of a car with Premium 91 Octane) I choke down the cost of nearly $60 every time I fill up the tank. Such is the price of greatness. One other minor quibble: do not run your car with the glowing “low fuel” light on for more than 3 start/stop cycles or you will get a “service engine soon” indicator that will have you shaking in your boots. I say “shaking” because if you cannot afford to fix this car, don’t buy it because it will be very expensive to fix (unless you are a shade-tree mechanic and can do a majority of the big ticket items yourself). Oh yes, and I highly recommend that you purchase a Peake Tool for reading your proprietary BMW engine/fault codes and also so you can reset the Oil Change and Inspection alerts as BMW service centers charge you for this. You should also take interest in subscribing to www.bimmer.org as you will gain knowledge from this extremely helpful owners forum. One last important piece of information: if you’re buying a used BMW, make sure it is Certified Pre-owned. Bottom line is: I absolutely recommend a 540i 6-speed to anyone that can afford it. You will not regret your purchase (unless, of course, it is a lemon) and you will be grinning every time you start the car. That “grin” stopped after about 2 months with the Audi. It has not stopped with the BMW 540i 6-speed. The only mistake I can say I have made about this purchase up to this point is: Now that I have the car that I have always wanted, what will my next car be?
I know it is cliche to say and very much overused, but the 540i 6-speed is truly the Ultimate Driving Machine. Joy in driving! Did I get you excited?
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