New DD: E39 540i/6

[jeswaw]

Picked me up a new daily driver. Its a 1998 E39 BMW 540i/6 with only 101k. It sits on 17" Style 19's and I recently put exhaust on it and Dinan Chip. So far I love the feeling of the 4 door v8 power accompanied by the 6spd manual gear box. The interior is spotless, not one tear and the leather isnt weather cracked or faded, Im really surprised on how nice this car was minus needed a few cosmetic things. Ill get around to uploaded better pictures when I get my batteries in the mail.

Plans:
Tinted windows
Bigger wheels of some sort
Short shifter
Coilovers
Hella E39 headlight/taillight retrofit












Quick photoshop I did. Havent decided what style wheels I wanted, so I just made the style 19's a little bigger.

[rwh11385]

Sweet. Looks just like mine (Arctic Silver too) but with different wheels. (66s)

If you don't need to run a front plate, you can swap out for a flat piece like I did.

[jeswaw]

Sweet. Looks just like mine (Arctic Silver too) but with different wheels. (66s)

If you don't need to run a front plate, you can swap out for a flat piece like I did.

I don't have to run a front plate, but I tossed a German flag plate up there for now. Saving up for m5 front and rear bumpers and suspension right now.

[rwh11385]

I'd save your money period and just upgrade your swaybars in the meantime, not wasting it on the entire M5 suspension. http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...6&postcount=12

Spring rates are IDENTICAL between a loaded 540i Sport II and a modestly-equipped M5. The M5 springs are NOT stiffer or higher performance. The weight of the car will define which spring part# gets installed in it. For example, a loaded 2001 540i and M5 with few options will be shipped with identical springs. Earlier 540i cars are sport I pkg and their rear springs are about 5-10% softer rate to work better with non-stagger wheels. If you're using staggered wheels, the sports II springs are better. If non-stagger, go with sports I or sports II. The sports II will simply reduce understeer a bit. The spring tables are in BMW ETK software. Tell me what year and options & I can recommend springs. There are about 8 different springs sold for M5 and 540i sport, based upon chassis weight. About 6 of them apply to both vehicles.

4) If you get some take-off M5 suspension parts and put them on an earlier year 540i ('97-'98 ), it'll likely sit too high.

5) Aside from swaybars, there's no significant upgrades on the M5 suspension, compared to a 540i sport.

And you can buy a used M5 rear swaybar for not that much on bf.c

Koni Yellows are great on 540is and I'd highly recommend them, particularly for the lifetime warranty. Same goes for the lifetime warranty on Zionsville's radiator (local to me) if your factory one ever goes out.

[iamsam]

No please don't lower it that much. That pshop looks terrible. Otherwise, your car looks amazing, '98 is the best year for a 540i/6 imo. Non vanos, air cooled alternator, etc. I would suggest just a set of H&R Race springs if you want to go lower, it just drops it a small amount, just enough to be perfect, again, imo.

[James Crivellone]

Picked me up a new daily driver. Its a 1998 E39 BMW 540i/6 with only 101k. It sits on 17" Style 19's and I recently put exhaust on it and Dinan Chip. So far I love the feeling of the 4 door v8 power accompanied by the 6spd manual gear box. The interior is spotless, not one tear and the leather isnt weather cracked or faded, Im really surprised on how nice this car was minus needed a few cosmetic things. Ill get around to uploaded better pictures when I get my batteries in the mail.

Plans:
Tinted windows
Bigger wheels of some sort
Short shifter
Coilovers
Hella E39 headlight/taillight retrofit

Quick photoshop I did. Havent decided what style wheels I wanted, so I just made the style 19's a little bigger.

Ugh, why so low on a daily?

[jeswaw]

It's a photoshop guys lol, nothing set in stone. Only reason it looks so low is b/c the style 19's are equivilent to 19's in the photoshop. I didn't say I was getting m5 suspension, just stated I wanted suspension. I will probably go with h&r coilovers eventually. Only reason I'm changing the bumpers is b/c mine are in need of being replaced (cracked, parking lot mishaps). Wheels are staying on the car, decided I like the style 19's.

For now the only things I want to do to it is tint the windows.

Thanks for the c&c!