Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Common Interests 2001 or 2002 BMW 540i M Package Opinions Please

Hey fellow CEG's I'm still debating what to get as my next vehicle and I have wanted a bimmer for a very long time.

I have always loved the 3 and the 5 series but especially the 5. I worry about reliability and potential future expenses if the car breaks down, this is the only thing that has held me back from buying a BMW to this date.

This caused me to look at the new Acura TL and Infiniti G35 sedan and coupe because of Japanese reliability and I have been leaning towards a G35 coupe till this point.

Ultimately I have always wanted a bimmer. I bought the SVT as a compromi$e to the bimmer because I felt it had near BMW 3 series performance levels (328 at the time). Still in my heart I've always wanted a bimmer.

I don't want to buy a G35 and keep thinking I still want a bimmer.

Should I just go for it and pick up the 2001 or 2002 540i with M package and get the BMW I have always wanted or do you think this is a bad move?

Please share your opinions, personal experiences, friends who have owned or currently own a BMW 540i experiences, whatever you can to help me make up my mind.

Thanks for your time!

my dad has had a 97 540i for several years now, and it has been pretty good. Better than what I hear about most people's Tours...mine doesn't count b/c I always take it apart. They are way nice. You will hear mixed things...some people say they aren't reliable, but my dad has had BMW's since 1984 and never had major problems except his older 7 series...at about 130k miles...he had major a/c problems. I love Bimmer's but I could never satisfy the mod bug with them...they are very pricey to mod. He has had a battery problem (just replaced it) a couple cooling system problems...hoses etc, and a seal (not that big of deal) and the a/c was finicky, but BMW reprogrammed the a/c program and he hasn't had a problem again. I think he has about 89k on his now.

Once you go Bimmer, you can't go back!!

by far one of my favorite cars. if money is an issue, than maybe you should pass. definitely do your research before you buy. i checked on epinions and edmunds when i was scoping bimmers. certain years/certain models have major issues while others are just fine. you'll pay more in insurance, maintenance and fuel but hell, its the ultimate driving machine
although i love the new TL i dont think it compares, especially since its fwd. the G35 is pretty damn close but V8 and V6 just arent the same. not too mention, G35s are probably more common than bimmers now

my brother in law just bought an 02 525. it has about 70k freeway miles but it is immaculate ! its such a nice car too bad its not a 540.
if the bimmer is what you reallly want than i say just do it! i wanted a csvt for years but had the same concerns you are having about the bimmer. i decided it was worth it and i would just deal with the problems when they arise. i searched hard to find a mint condition sample and now i have and love it. there is nothing like buying a car for a hefty sum of money and then regretting it (ie wishing you had bought the other car ) been there, done that.

CPO 540. No question.

Personally, the way I look at it, a car is nothing but a big money hole anyhow. The only real difference is how much you get out of it in terms of utility and/or enjoyment. As long as the purchase prices are rougly the same, you probably won't be shoving too terribly much more money down the hole one way or the other.

For example, I want an RX-8. A notorious gas-guzzler. If I averaged just 17mpg, gas prices went up to $3.00/gal for 87octane and $3.20/g for 93, and the fact that the RX-8 needs Premium -- even with all that, my gas bill will only go up about $75/month. A drop in the bucket when I'm paying $500/month for the car and about $100/month for insurance. That's just not enough to even come close to swinging my purchasing decision. Hell, it's not even a fraction of my monthly Mod budget.

If you can afford a G35, and currently own a Ford that's not the pinnacle of reliability, I would imagine it's safe to assume you can, and/or can afford, to fix a problem on the off chance that something goes wrong. And that a problem won't be the end of the world for you as long as you enjoy what you're driving.

Unless you serious can't afford to fix a realistically foreseeable problem, buy the car that you want to buy. There's nothing worse than spending $35,000 on a car that somewhere inside you're going to incessantly regret purchasing.

Fiscally, it might not be the greatest advice. Although if one were to figure depreciation and resale into the formula, the BMW might when out despite a possible problem with reliability. Though BMWs are not the greatest when it comes to depreciation, a used car will already have taken it's major depreciation hit. But, if the "fiscally responsible" decision was the one you wanted, I doubt you'd be considering new cars at all, at least not new $35,000 ones.

My mom has a 2003 530i that I have driven quite a bit but because it is a 530 and not a 540, not everything will apply. The E39 5-series however, is BMW's most reliable recent model. Repairs and maintainence are not going to be cheap however, there is a reason people call BMW's "bring more wampum". I'd reccomend getting a CPO model if you are going to take the plunge, you will be paying a little more but you will have a warranty.

I assume by the "m package" you mean the sport package. It varies from year to year but I believe it includes: Different wheels with high perofrmance tires, sport seats, 3-spoke steering wheel and I think that is it. I do believe that the suspension callibration is the same, although a bimmer forum would have a better idea about that than I do.

HTH,
Pete

=


On a car of comparable luxury it will cost you more, no doubt about it. However, the driving dyanamic is worth it IMHO. Drive a japanese luxury car. It will handle very well, have gobs of power, and be very luxurious. The BMW will feel similar, but in general, a BMW, especially an M, will feel more 'right' when you push it. Mercedes have high handling limits, and I like to drive them, but not push them: all MB I've driven comprimise the at-the-limit feel for smooth ride and good performance numbers. It all comes down to how it feels to you, so go drive one.

ditto to what sigma said. At the end of the day its how much you like the car that determines satisfaction. A couple of the niggles with my 'Tour would've been enough to make me trade it a long time ago had I not just liked the car so darn much. You drop 35 large on a non-bimmer and you'll constantly be lusting after them in traffic. IMO if you buy a car you love the downsides will be few and far between regardless of the potential repair bill.

The M package does get an upgraded sport suspension. I've been reading lots of consumer reviews and the 2001 seem to have some problems. 2002 model haven't been able to read of any issues with this model plus it has 290hp and the 2001 has 282hp.

Also read that the car is amazing in the snow without having to upgrade the tires, I find that interesting. As expensive as the car is new many people seem to be happy with the purchase and would do it all over again.

I have to go out and drive one in the next few days and really get a feel for this vehicle.

Whatever your decision, do yourself a favor and buy a car that is still under Factory BMW warranty. I have an X5 4.6iS, and you don't wanna know how much these things cost to fix...

My warranty is expiring in April, and so is the Truck... It's up for sale.