2003 (E39) BMW 540i M Sport 6-Speed Manual Old School Mx, Black / Black Titanium

2003 BMW 540i M Sport
Jet Black Exterior (Schwarz 2 Code 668)
Black Standard LeatherInterior (Code N6SW)
M5 Titanium Line Interior Trim
152,500 Miles
M62TUB44 4.4-Liter V8 Engine
6-Speed Manual Transmission
M Sport Package (Code 337):
M Steering Wheel
M Sport Suspension
M Appearance Package
M Door Sills
Sport Seats
Shadowline Trim
Anthracite Headliner
M5 Style Mirrors
Gloss Black Kidney Grills
M5 Illuminated Shift Knob
E60 (Short) Shift Lever
Cold Weather Package:
Heated Seats
Headlight Washer Cleaning System
Tinted Windows
Xenon Headlights
Factory White Indicator Lights
Power Rear Sunshade
Weathertech Floor Mats
Fold Down Rear Seats w/ Ski Pass-Through
Style 37 18" x 8" Front and 18" x 9" Rear M Parallel Wheels
Fresh Continental Extreme Contact DW Tires
Second Set of Winter Wheels and Tires Available for Extra
Complete Timing Component Rebuild
Old School Maintenance
Clean CarFax
Background

The BMW E39 generation 5 Series was arguably the best BMW 5 Series ever. The E39 was significantly more powerful, advanced, and modern than its E34 predecessor, yet was the last of the iconic traditional designs before Chris Bangle and Adrian van Hooydonk's awkwardly styled E60 5 Series. The 540i M Sport was one of the best E39's. The true 540i M Sport was only offered for the 2003 model year. It had plentiful power, exceptional handling, sporting luxury, and nearly the same styling as the E39 M5, yet with less maintenance than the M5's S62 engine. The M Sport package included the M Aerodynamics Package, M Sport Suspension, M Leather Steering Wheel, M Door Sills, M Parallel Wheels, Shadowline Trim, and an anthracite headliner. Only 1,193 540i M Sports were delivered to the U.S. market. With E39 M5's rapidly appreciating in value and many in need of intensive maintenance, the 540i M Sport buys a lot more car for you money. The time to get one is now while well cared for examples can still be found.
Summary
I purchased this 540i M Sport from a friend, BMW Car Club of America member, and long time BMW enthusiast. The only reason he is selling it is because of a new arrival to his family. He purchased it from the second owner, a doctor, who had owned it since it was one year old. The doctor was a fastidious steward of the car, adhering to the "Old School Maintenance" schedule and sparing no expense in his maintenance. He meticulously logged all maintenance in the factory maintenance booklet, which is supported by the Carfax. The current owner continued this legacy with a complete tune up including timing component replacement and engine re-sealing, cooling system overhaul, spark plugs, oil change, fuel filter, brake fluid flush, rear control arms, front brake rotors, and Continental Extreme Contact DWS tires on each corner. He also added M5 style mirrors, gloss black kidney grills, an E60 short shifter, M5 illuminated shift knob, M5 Titanium Line Interior trim, a Bluetooth interface to the factory stereo, and a reinforced rear sunshade repair kit. Overall this is an excellent example of an E39 540i M Sport. It presents like a much younger, lower mileage car. It does have a few minor cosmetic flaws, making it just imperfect enough for a guilt-free daily driver. You can buy a lower mileage example and spend the money to do all of the items that every M62-powered E39 needs, or get one like this that has been done. I have priced it accordingly.
Exterior
I strive give critical descriptions of my cars, good and bad (comprehensive pictures are available on our website if you are reading this elsewhere). The Jet Black paint over beautiful Style 37 M Parallel wheels are a stunning combination that get looks and thumbs ups everywhere it goes. The M Appearance package sets the M Sport above lesser E39 540i's. Those who know E39's will come out of the wood works to talk shop. Black is a fitting color for the M Sport--it is subtle, yet alludes to the sporting performance under its skin. The paint condition is very good with no peeling clear coat or glaring defects. All Vin tags are in place, the Carfax is clean, and it has never been in accident. The lower front bumper is missing some material under the right splitter. It looks like the result from an encounter with driveway curbing. It is on the under side of the bumper cover, so it takes a little searching to find. The rear bumper cover also has some scuffs and a thin crack slightly left of center. There is a 2-inch rust spot on the passenger side skirt below the door. It looks like paint was scratched there at some point allowing moisture in. There are a few small dings in the hood, roof, and trunk--nothing glaring but they can seen in the right light. All trim and black-work is present and in good condition. The headlights, fog lights, marker lights, and taillights all operate with nice lenses. The E39 was the first BMW with Angel Eyes, and the ones on this M Sport operate correctly. Factory clear indicator lights are also very nice. The windshield glass was recently replaced by the current owner; it has no cracks or pitting. The side window glass is lightly tinted, which looks great over Jet Black paint. The Style 37 M Parallel wheels are in excellent shape, with no bends or paint chips, although they do have minor curb rash in spots. They are wrapped in fresh Continental Extreme Contact DWS rubber with 90% tread remaining.
Interior
Black leather is the perfect compliment to Jet Black exterior. Black holds up better to age and wear than most other leather interior colors. Titanium M5 trim is an excellent upgrade to the OEM wood. Open the door, sit down, turn the key, and the M Sport steering wheel lowers into place. There are no odors and it has never been smoked in. The carpets are clean, with no stains or tears. Weathertech front floor mats and BMW rear mats protect the carpet. The seat leather is supple and soft, with no failed stitching or excessive poster wear. The driver's seatback bolster does have 3 noticeable creases, which are pictured on our website. All power seat functions and seat heaters work, but the driver's seat fore / aft motor does make some noise. It is best to adjust the seat while it is unloaded. The instrument cluster, stereo, and HVAC displays have no blown out pixels. There are no warning lights and no system check messages. The BMW Business stereo sounds fantastic and has an aftermarket Bluetooth input. The heat blows warm and the air conditioning blows cold. The heater blower is quiet and the final stage resistor functions correctly at all fan speeds. All power door lock and windows work, the driver window regulator was replaced in 2007 at 61,000 miles. The rear side window sunshades work, and the rear power window shade was rebuilt by the current owner with reinforced rods. Fold down rear seats increase the already copious trunk space if needed. The trunk floor is protected by a BMW all-weather mat. A factory placard showing the proper placement of 3 golf bags is present, as are the tool kit, factory jack, and spare tire. All owners manuals and two keys are included with the sale.
Mechanical
BMW's are like airplanes. Age and mileage are relevant, but proper care and maintenance are more important. When you buy a used BMW, you buy the previous owner's stewardship. This is especially true with an E39 5 Series. That said the E39 was probably the last solidly reliable 5 Series. All major common E39 540i issues have been addressed or are not present with this one. M62 motors suffered oil leaks and timing chain component wear. In February of 2016, at 147,000 miles this 540i had a complete timing component replacement system, engine re-sealing, cooling system overhaul, and tune up. It was an $8500 service! It included:
Timing Chain
Timing Chain Pulleys
Timing Chain Guide Rails
Timing Chain Tensioners
Timing Chain Cover seals
Valve Covers
Valve Cover Gaskets
Valley Pan Gasket
Camshaft Solenoid Seals
Crankshaft Seals
Oil Separator
Oil Separator Hose
Intake Manifold Gasket
Intake Manifold Cover
Intake Cover Gasket
Oil Pan Gasket -- Upper
Oil Pan Gasket -- Lower
Water Pump
Aux Fan Switch
Upper and Lower Radiator Hoses
Thermostat
Expansion Tank Cap
Fan Shroud
Fuel Filter
Engine Air Filter
Oil Filter
Oil Change with Mobile 1 5W-30
Coolant Flush
Brake Fluid Flush
Spark Plugs
Upper and Lower Rear Control Arms
Alignment
Front Brake Rotors
Brake Hoses at ABS Module
Going further back in the maintenance history, notable items that have been replaced are:
Front Control Arms at 100,150 Miles
Clutch Master and Slave Cylinder at 98,659 Miles
Clutch and Thrust Rod Bearings at 90,020 Miles
Headlight Control Unit and Heater Control Valve at 73,396 Miles
Radiator at 71,000 Miles
Starter at 47,243 Miles
In preparation for sale I gave it a fresh oil change, replaced the power steering pump, and reservoir / filter.
This is a turn-key 540i M Sport. I wouldn't hesitate to drive it across country. Like any E39, it will certainly need continued care and maintenance, but it is very well sorted. The M62 fires on command, idles smoothly, and pulls to redline. It doesn't spot or leak. The clutch and shifter are smooth and precise. The suspension is compliant and there are no clunks, rattles, or other abnormal drivetrain noises. The brakes are firm and it passes emissions with no problems.
Overall this is an excellent example of an E39 540i M Sport. Of all ofthe cars in mypossession, both personal and professional, this is myhands down favorite. We would like to find a new owner for it who will enjoy, care for it and appreciate it as it has been.
I wanted to price this as low as possible, I can continue refining it if desired:* For $500 I will include 17" E39 Sport Wheels with SnowTires** For $300 I will repair the passenger side door sill rust spot*** For $800 I will replace the front bumper


Vin Decode
VIN: WBADN53473GF71429
Type: DN53
Model: 540i -- USA
Development Code: E39
Chassis: LIM
Steering: LL
Doors: 4
Engine: M62/TU
Displacement: 4.40
Power: 210
Drivetrain: HECK
Transmission: MECH
Color: Schwarz 2 -- 668
Upholstery: Standard Black Leather (Standardleder/schwarz -- N6SW)
Production Date: 1-24-2003
Original Equipment
319 Integrated Universal Remote Control
326 Rear Spoiler Deletion (replaced by M Aerodynamics Package)
337 M Sport Package
403 Glass Roof Electric
416 Sunblinds
459 Power Seats with Memory
465 Ski Pass-Through
481 Sport Seats Driver and Front Passenger
494 Heated Seats Driver and Front Passenger
500 Headlight Washer System / Intensive Cleaning System
508 Park Distance Control (PDC)
521 Rain Sensor
522 Xenon Lights
640 Car Telephone Preparation
650 CD Player
677 Hifi System Professional
694 Preparation for CD Changer
705 M Sport Suspension li
710 M Leather Steering Wheel
715 M Aerodynamics Package
760 Individual High-gloss Satin Chrome
775 Individual Roof-lining Anthracite
780 M Parallel Wheels Lt/aly
785 White Direction Indicator Lights
818 Main Battery Switch
925 Shipping Protection Package
Standard Equipment
210 Dynamic Stability Control
249 Multi-function Steering Wheel
302 Alarm System
354 Green Stripe Windscreen
431 Auto-Dimming Rear View Mirror
438 Wood Trim (has been replaced with M5 Titanium Line trim)
441 Smokers Package
470 Child Seat Attachment
473 Front Armrest
520 Foglights
534 Automatic Air Conditioning
555 On-Board Computer
645 Radio Control US
661 Radio BMW Business
845 Acoustic Belt Warning
850 Add Fuel Tank Filling for Export
853 Language Version English
876 Radio Frequency 315 Mhz
992 Number Plate Attachment
Glen Shelly is a low volume auto brokerage focused only on the highest quality vehicles. We are two airline pilots, mechanics, and auto enthusiasts who bring a high level of professionalism and attention to detail to the automobile business. Our philosophy is to keep our inventory small so that we can focus on thorough mechanical and cosmetic preparation of the vehicles we select. We have over 20 years of experience restoring and repairing automobiles and are intimately familiar with our cars. We do the inspections, service, detailing, and corrective maintenance using only OEM parts and service manuals. We offer an informed and low-pressure sales environment resulting in a premium buying experience. Find this listing at our website here:http://glenshelly.com/sales/2003-bmw-540i-m-sport.