Advertising:
2003 Bmw 540i Base Sedan 4-door 4.4l on 2040-cars
US $12,000.00
Year:2003
Mileage:106000
Color:
Location:
Seattle, Washington, United States
|
For Sale: 2003 BMW 540i M-Sport Clean CarFax included Prologue: As I sit here wondering how to begin an internet advertisement for my beloved Bavarian beast of a car, it dawns on me that as a fellow petrol-head (who should probably be working right now, much like myself), you already probably have some inclination of what a truly special car this is. I know you know, because I myself was in your shoes just 2 years ago- scouring the interwebs for a car that stood out while blending in. Rest easy weary traveler, for you have found the proverbial ‘my loss is your gain’ prize. I don’t want to sell this car. It took me long enough to research it, find it, save for it, and buy it. I was expecting to have pictures of my son taking his prom date out in this car. I wanted to bring it back to life as an immaculate example of the best 5-series of all time. I wanted to drive HWY 101 down the coast with my beautiful wife to visit grandkids, windows down until she tells me she can’t stand the wind anymore at which point we finish the day in sophisticated luxury. This car motivated me to study hard, work harder, and embrace my passion for all things motorsport. Alas, I am at a point in my life where ‘non-car-ownership’ decisions need to be made- decisions like admitting I walk to work, the need to increase coffer reserves for my upcoming wedding, and not spending the equivalent of my rent in college on parking alone every month. Instead of listing model statistics that you can find with 3 seconds of google-ing (or Bing-ing, if that’s your thing- yay Microsoft employees needing a car!), I will instead tell you everything specific to my 540i M sport. If you aren’t up for a good read, press back on your browser and check out the subsequent listing, probably titled something like ‘NO CREDIT, NO PROBLEM!!!- SUPER CLEANZZZ’. Good luck. Hisotry: I have owned the car for 2 years and am the 3rd owner. I bought it from a licensed used BMW dealer in Kansas City, MO (Bavarian Auto Group in case you are curious to check them out yourselves). CarFax quotes 5 owners, but that is due to the fact that the car came through Bavarian AG twice and was registered each time. Bavarian AG’s owner and I facilitated a friendship as he helped me track down an E39 M5. Over the course of 3 months, he came into possession of this exact car from a previous client of his. The anesthesiologist he sold the car to years prior was looking to upgrade, and he knew I was in the perfect position to land this car as my own. One test drive sold me- the M5 would have been great, but the 540i M Sport gave me 75% the experience of a true M5 with 15% the cost of ownership. I bought it soon after, and drove it on weekends when I wasn’t traveling for work as a Healthcare IT consultant. Life marched on, and I moved to Seattle the summer of 2013 for a new job and to marry the girl of my dreams. The car played a pivotal role in turning the chapter, as it carried me, my younger brother, and all my worldly belongings across the country. I remember thinking in the middle of Utah that instead of having the mundane task of driving to SEA from KC in 3 days, I had the opportunity to really drive my car, opening up the 290-hp V8 from time to time to pass vans towing U-Haul trailers (probably making the same move as me). The difference between me and the guy driving the van? I was enjoying every mile of the drive. Ill admit, even though global warming is a real threat, I have never enjoyed burning fossil fuel as much as I did over those 3 days. Fast forward a year and here I am. I live and work downtown, my fiance and I have a second (she says more practical) car, and I have only managed to fill the gas tank 6 times since I moved. Im trying to illustrate the point that I never drive it. I take it out every once in a while because I feel bad that she is gathering dust in my apt garage. While it has been good for the minimal wear and tear of an 11 year old car, I still think back to my road trip and how genuinely fun this car is to drive when you let it stretch its legs. Condition: I wont try to hide it- this car is 11 yrs old and approaching 107,000 miles. That being said, certain aspects have aged wonderfully, while others reflect a car that has reached the point where preventative maintenance gives way to acute treatments. In a nutshell, this car is fully capable of being a daily driver, with someone who can afford to give it the attention it deserves in this stage of its life. Engine- 4.4 L V8, Still strong. No problem summoning 290-hp when its time to get on the highway. Comes with all the joys of owning a performance V8 (likes to drink expensive gas- inconsequential if you knowingly searched for a performance sedan). New air filters/ BMW performance battery just over a year ago. Due for an oil change. Transmission- Automatic w/ manual mode. This is where the car shows its age. Not long after I bought it, a bearing got loose that took out a few blades in the torque converter. This sent pieces of metal into the transmission and required a new torque converter, new tranny fluid/ pan/ filter, and periodic cleansing of the magnet collecting metal pieces in the tranny fluid pan. After the fix, the transmission was back to normal (smooth shifts- zero slippage), but now features a subtle mechanical ‘noise’ when in any gear while stationary (besides N or R). The mechanic (Bavarian AGs preferred shop in KC- European Motorsports) informed me that at this point, it was not worth replacing the transmission as a whole (roughly $2.5-3K), but to continue to drive the car until gear changes become labored. This happened 1.5 years ago and the car still shifts perfectly. If it wasn’t for the noise (which is caused by small amounts of remaining metal flowing through the transmission) the transmission would be back to normal. My car literally has Iron-Man syndrome. Brakes- Good. I have never had to do any break specific maintenance during my tenure with the car, but I have noticed that the rotors may need to be replaced soon. As you are decelerating, there is a faint wobble in the steering wheel that dissipates once you get under 30 mph. Brakes still stop the car on a dime, but the wobbling is a sign that impending maintenance isn’t far off. Exterior- Superb. Car has been garaged its entire life and is taken care of meticulously. Paint is in terrific shape with no sun damage and only slight road wearing on the obvious places. Only one distinguishable door ding on the right rear passenger door (about the size of a typical shirt button) and a small chip in the windshield (happened recently). From 10 ft, this car looks brand new. Seriously. Im not typing this to boost the key word search results. One of the best qualities about my 540i M Sport is the fact that is has remained in such pristine condition while serving as casual driver. Interior- Perfectly complements the exterior condition of the car. Minimal use has allowed it to age much slower than a daily driver. Driving position shows slight wearing on the steering wheel and the center console. Driver seat adjustments work great (especially when using the memory positions if more than one driver), while the passenger seat suffers from a common condition known as ‘seat-lean’. This has the passenger seat off-scew at a slight angle toward to door coming from the base of the seat back. Apparently, these are the same seats used in the 7 series at the time, and all models were susceptible to this ailment. Rather than pay the dealer money to fix it (or a DIY project that looks relatively easy), I have opted to keep the seat as is since I rarely give anyone rides (or I convince my fiance that the gangsta-lean is a cool way to ride around shotgun). Air blows cold and heater/ heated seats were very useful in the Midwest winters- although I have come to realize Seattle never demands the use of either climate function. Left rear privacy shade will keep any VIPs free from the paparazzi, but the right side needs a new ‘hook’ to keep the shade up. Modifications- Car is all stock except for an auxiliary cable input routed to the glove box (professionally installed). None of my local radio stations in KC played Daft Punk, so I took it upon myself to update the audio options in the car and have been happy with my ipod blasting through the premium DSP sound package- stock from the factory. Stock window tint. Tires/ Wheels- Car features Bridgestone Blizzak run flat tires (85%) on 19” Borbet TS Rims. This set up goes for nearly $2,000 if buying new. Apparently, the anesthesiologist who first purchased the car liked them enough to swap out the authentic E39 M5 wheels (he ordered as a pricey extra from the factory) when the weather required more traction. The M wheels are still in KC but I am working on having them shipped here in time to sell the car as a whole package. I have no need/ space for a second set of wheels. Most 540i M Sports feature the generic ‘M-style’ wheel, whereas my car has the authentic E39 M5 wheels straight from the factory. They look awesome. Fun Facts-
Conclusion: |
BMW 5-Series for Sale
2001 bmw 530i runs great(US $6,900.00)
1997 bmw 5 series 540i e39 white pearl/tan 4.4l v8 automatic, low reserve
1993 bmw 525i sedan 4-door 2.5l(US $3,500.00)
Navigation, premium pkg, glass sunroof, 310-925-7461(US $16,992.00)
2007 bmw 550i sedan 70k miles*leather*sunroof*clean carfax*we finance!!(US $18,973.00)
2011 bmw 535i xdrive base sedan 4-door 3.0l(US $36,250.00)
Auto Services in Washington
Wrench-N-Time Quality Auto ★★★★★
Auto Repair & Service, Automobile Electric Service
Address: 800 Grand Blvd, Vancouver
Phone: (360) 695-6526
Wesco Autobody Supply Inc ★★★★★
Automobile Body Repairing & Painting, Automobile Parts & Supplies, Automobile Body Shop Equipment & Supply-Wholesale & Manufacturers
Address: 13900 NE 20th St, Preston
Phone: (425) 746-9970
Tiny`s Tire Factory ★★★★★
Auto Repair & Service, Tire Dealers, Brake Repair
Address: 10805 Pacific Ave S, University-Place
Phone: (253) 531-4535
Taylors Mobile RV & Auto Service ★★★★★
Auto Repair & Service, Trailers-Repair & Service, Recreational Vehicles & Campers-Repair & Service
Address: South-Prairie
Phone: (253) 306-6493
Tayag`s Auto Repair ★★★★★
Auto Repair & Service
Address: 6185 4th Ave S, Southworth
Phone: (206) 767-7008
Specialty Motors ★★★★★
Auto Repair & Service, Brake Repair
Address: 12517 15th Ave NE, Kingston
Phone: (206) 367-4403
Auto blog
China's largest dealer body pushes back against foreign automakers over huge inventories
Mon, Jan 5 2015Do not think for a second that automakers forcing inventory on dealers in order to pad the numbers is a ruse known only in the US. Stories of individual brands have hinted at the trouble Chinese dealerships are having trying to move units as the country's economic growth remains hot but comes off the boil, like the one revealing that 95 percent of Toyota-FAW showrooms are losing money. Yet Toyota isn't the only culprit, and the issue has become so dire that the China Automobile Dealers Association (CADA), the largest dealer body in the country, has written to the government to complain. Chinese car sales are expected to close out the year with an annualized growth of six-percent, down from last year's 14 percent when targets were set, while in the background the pace of overall economic expansion is the slowest its been since the early nineties. Automakers, shipping cars on schedule to make their earlier targets, have blown up inventories such that they are an average of 1.8 times monthly sales, when the preferred multiplier is from 0.9 to 1.2. According to the CADA, the price wars and necessary incentives mean that only 30 percent of dealers are operating in the black. That number is down a whopping forty percent since 2010. In response, Toyota has already said it will not make its 2014 target of 1.1 million cars sold. We're a long way from 2012, when Toyota planned on selling 1.8 million cars in China in 2015, a target that's now as realistic as a manticore. BMW, Honda and Nissan have erased numbers on their spreadsheets, too; BMW growth dropped from 20 percent to 8 percent midyear after it began "reducing wholesale supplies," and Honda has been reworking its plans as sales have decreased each of the past six months. It's a big deal for Chinese dealers to begin protesting publicly, the CADA saying, "In the past, dealers were angry, but dared not speak out. But now, they have to shout because the situation is getting so unbearable." With six-percent growth forecast for next year and dealers unwilling to remain underwater, The Year of the Sheep coming in 2015 could portend meaning beyond the zodiac. News Source: ReutersImage Credit: AP Photo/Andy Wong BMW Honda Nissan Toyota Car Buying Car Dealers
BMW announces M235i xDrive, 7 Series Exclusive among summer upgrades
Tue, 13 May 2014Like any automaker worth its lug-nuts, BMW is constantly striving to improve its products. And so it has announced a series of upgrades for the summer - none of them revolutionary, but a couple of them notable.
For one, the Bavarian automaker has announced that is is offering xDrive traction on the M235i coupe, a model that has been available until now only in rear-drive configuration. The all-wheel drive version comes with the same 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-six with 326 horsepower (320 in the US market) and eight-speed automatic transmission as the rear-drive version, but now channels that power to all four wheels for a 0-62 time quoted at 4.6 seconds - two little ticks quicker than the existing version. It's the first time that all-wheel drive is being offered on the 2 Series, and will also be fitted on the convertible - at least, that is, in Europe. We're waiting on confirmation of North American availability.
Among the other announcements is a special edition of BMW's flagship luxury sedan. The 7 Series Exclusive Edition upgrades with metallic paint, 19-inch V-spoke alloys, Nappa leather upholstery and a leather-trimmed instrument panel. Buyers will also be able to opt for the Merino fine grain leather and Alcantara roof lining from the BMW Individual catalog, and choose between any available engine or either wheelbase lengths.
How tariffs in China could cause a meltdown in the American South
Sun, Aug 25 2019While BMW is clearly a German company, the crossovers that are exceedingly important to it are actually made in Spartanburg, South Carolina. And more than that, the Spartanburg plant (physically located in the town of Greer) is where the corporate know-how and capability for those vehicles is concentrated. These are the vehicles – specifically, the BMW X3, X4, X5, X6, X7 – that drove record growth for the company in 2018, according to BMW. But whatÂ’s most notable about BMW Group Plant Spartanburg, given current events, is that according to the U.S. Department of Commerce it was the largest automotive exporter by value for the fifth year running in 2018. ThatÂ’s worth emphasizing: largest automotive exporter by value. Not GM. Not Ford. BMW. And where might one assume that more than a few of those X vehicles are shipped to? China. Some 360 miles southwest of Spartanburg is Mercedes-Benz U.S. International, Inc., in in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. It started building vehicles in 1997. Since then, Daimler AG has invested in excess of $5.5 billion in the facility. It manufactures the crossover now known as the GLE, formerly the ML-Class. It also makes the GLE coupe and GLS. Daimler describes the Tuscaloosa facility as “the traditional home of SUV production” for those vehicles. When it reported its global 2018 sales, Daimler noted that on a global basis SUVs account “for more than a third of all Mercedes-Benz sales.” According to the Chinese finance ministry, on December 15th the Chinese government will impose a 25% tariff on automobiles (and a 5% tariff on auto parts) from the U.S. Certainly this is going to have a direct effect on the sales of vehicles that are manufactured in the U.S. and exported to China. BMW and Mercedes are going to take it on the chin for the vehicles that they make in plants that they invested in so heavily in the U.S. Which could potentially mean that people in places like Greer, South Carolina, and Vance, Alabama, are going to find themselves in the crosshairs of the combatants. Soo too could Lincoln, which produces vehicles in places like Louisville, Kentucky (Navigator), Chicago, Illinois (Aviator) and Flat Rock, Michigan (Continental). Although the Tesla Gigafactory 3 is rapidly nearing completion in Shanghai, it is worth noting that vehicles built in Fremont, California, are being sold in China in numbers that donÂ’t make Musk unhappy.