What is a 540i manual worth?

[ROC]

Lads, what are these turds going for nowadays? Quite fancy the idea of having one with a manual box
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... :IT&ih=008

Cheers,

Rich.

[Jon_Bmw]

Anything from £750 to £2500 for a really really good one I would have thought. After £2000 you are into early e39 territory. I really want a manual 540i touring but they are one step rarer.

I'd LPG it and sell my 318 I think, insurance is quite affordable on them as well.

[78dude]

A nice 540i(E34s) with a manual gearbox in Germany will cost you about 3-4000 euros for a good one.
Here in Sweden they will cost around the same, maybe a bit more because its a rare car in Scandinavia... When it comes to the UK market, I have no clue, but all big cars in UK can you get for nothing...

Stay away from the E39s, the 540 is just a sofa with a big engine, and there is to much who can go wrong with it!

[B7]

Lads, what are these turds going for nowadays? Quite fancy the idea of having one with a manual box
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... :IT&ih=008

Cheers,

Rich.

Thats a serious weapon, wolf in sheeps clothing.
I'd normally say £2500 was too steep now for an e34 to be honest. You can be picking up a nice e39 for that money and spec wise they are in another league.
BUT if you REALLY want an e34 540 and it HAS to be a manual then theres not much choice to be had out there so you may have to pay that sort of money.

However, I wouldn't pay two and a half bags for the car you've posted the link on. A real shame I know due to it's rarity but read the ad carefully. 158k up on an engine that COULD be still nicosil and with NO history to verify if it's had an alusil block fitted. In the posted question the seller states "i dont have any service history for the car,according to the service lights on the dash i dont think it needs one yet so must be fairly up to date ?I bought the car from a family friend about 3 months ago i will ask him about the servicing.There is no rust on the car to my knowledge except minor stone chips on front edge of the bonnet,no dents to speak of,paint work could use a polish,there are some small marks in the paintwork but nothing major. The car is in an all round general good condition and unmolested but not perfect. That colour is a nightmare. I think you'd be shocked at how the marks show up when you go to see it.

Therefore I'd pitch this one at 1250 to 1500 TOPS.

[ROC]

Thanks for your advice fellas. Agree with you B7, the lack of service history makes it a definite no no

[Simon13]

you cant be too picky with these cars as they are a rare beast

[gooner1]

Excuse my complete ignorance, but at that mileage would,nt the Nicosal issue have already come to light.
Plus is there not an easy way of telling if it had been changed to the alusil block?

[ROC]

Excuse my complete ignorance, but at that mileage would,nt the Nicosal issue have already come to light.
Plus is there not an easy way of telling if it had been changed to the alusil block?

Are there ways of finding this out, as the current owner probably does not know?

[78dude]

Yes you can, take the reg number and call your local BMW dealer so they can check up history on it!
Like what Simon says, its hard to give them a value because they are rare. To an example here in Sweden there are only 3 of them in the country who means it ad value to the car.

[gooner1]

Rich, i,m almost certain i,ve read on here that there is an easy way to tell. Buggered if i can remember how though.

[gooner1]

From another thread Rich, doe,nt fully answer your questions ,but might help.


B7
E30 Zone Addict



Joined: Feb 14, 2007
Posts: 2215
Location: Nr. Reigate in Surrey WHAT?
Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2008 5:56 pm Post subject: Re: Specs. / Prices for a 1998 E39 328i SE

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stevotheevo wrote:
steerfromtherear wrote:
stevotheevo wrote:
nikasil is a huge problem in most cases,


Absolute rubbish, it a huge problem alright but only in a small number of cases. Sure you hear about it a lot on BM forums but in terms of percentage of cars affected its not huge at all. You just dont get the tens of thousands of happy Nikasil owners posting to let you know nothings wrong.

Better to say make yourself aware of the nikasil problem, research it so you know what to warning signs to look for and 99% of the time if it is fine now it will be fine forever and a day. High sulphur fuel stopped a long time ago so not many fail now that arent already wanked.

I have my 2nd Nikasil engined car now and havent had a moments trouble with either at 120+k each


i have two very good friends who work for BMW, they both told not to go near a nikasil engined car, thats good enough for me.
cant see the point in risking it myself.
im fully aware that there are thousands of nikasil car still running about with no problems, but for me, peace of mind is far more important.


Thing is though Steve, with the nicosil issue, the engines were being changed out fairly early on. Many barely hit 70k before being scrap. IMO if ones got 130k up now, chances are it's gonna be fine. AND and the end of the day, if your only paying 2k (for what was a 40k car new) and you get a couple of years out of it, it's still cheap motoring. The nicosil cars are so cheap now. It's not like we are taking a risk with like 10k anymore.
_________________

[Simon13]

Cars sat on the motorway from new weren't effected. Now our fuels don't have the higher sulphur content they did it's even less of an issue with high miles and better fuel on cars with the original lump

If it runs sweet then i wouldn't worry about it. If theres plumes of blue smoke on start up from cold then i'd be walking swiftly away!

[oakey]

My new 540i is still on the nikasil engine and its as smooth as anything. Not a hint of smoke from cold and when warm you can rev the nutts off it and still no smoke. Its already done 130K so I figured its got to be good for another few K at least, which is all I want it for.

[B7]

My new 540i is still on the nikasil engine and its as smooth as anything. Not a hint of smoke from cold and when warm you can rev the nutts off it and still no smoke. Its already done 130K so I figured its got to be good for another few K at least, which is all I want it for.

Plus I've seen these at strupidly cheap money. If they blow up they'll break for more.

[evostormm]

Stay away from the E39s, the 540 is just a sofa with a big engine, and there is to much who can go wrong with it!

E39 540is came with sports suspension as standard over here. Well sorted suspension for the type of car. Very far removed from a 'sofa' IMHO. In fact some people prefer the non-sport suspension which is not as firm.

[ROC]

Thanks lads for the help, I'll have a cheeky bid on it

[Jon_Bmw]

Did you bid then?

I was watching another manual 540i and that went for around £1100 as well. A lot of car for the money, but I suspect the bills would be fairly inline with a luxury car.

Still think you could smoke around in one for ages, as things break, let them. Then frag it once you've had your fun. Hopefully, not everything would have broken though.

[ROC]

Put a grand on it Jon and hoped for the best. You still after the Touring version?

Cheers,

Rich.

[Jon_Bmw]

You weren't far off then.

I'm not actively looking for one everyday, but if one came up local in e34 or e39 format it would probably get a viewing.

There is a big premiums on the touring though, especially manuals. As much as I think the auto is probably fine, you just can't be a cock in it can you!

[Ziggy]

Was so tempted to get a 540, but the fuel every day would have killed me! E34 tourings are great though. (The 535i didn't survive the MOT Jon, so I bought my second E34 of the week!)

540i + remap = 323bhp... ATW apparently!

[BigBavarian]

My brother had a couple of 540's a auto touring and a saloon manual, the manual was a beast 6 speed even with a slippy clutch, altho the cost of a new clutch wasn't cheap think it was about £600

[blue30]

I sold my 540 manual for £1650 in about June last year - It was hell red, 17" alpinas & black leather. 170K with little history though. I still miss it

[steerfromtherear]

I really want one but its a step back in age and looks from my current car.
Id like an LPG 540 manual for every day use and something fun and lighter for drifty/track use maybe.

[blue30]

I really want one but its a step back in age and looks from my current car.

Age maybe, looks is debatable