At $14,500, Does This 2000 BMW 540i With A Six-Speed Manual Mean Business?

The seller of today's Nice Price or No Dice E39 claims its V8 engine to be "bulletproof."Be that as it may, we're all more interested in the six-speed stick that comes along as the engine's dance partner. Let's see what this combo should rightfully cost.

Have you ever stopped to consider how mundane a nameplate General Motors is? First off, there's "General", which means common or widespread, as in "a general malaise fell over the land." Then you have Motors, which, ridiculously, is just one part of the whole automotive experience. Yes, it's arguably the most important part, but they could still have been more expansive in their description.

For a company with such a workaday name, GM has certainly built some pretty interesting and engaging cars and trucks. The 1972 GMC Suburban we looked at on Tuesday was so interesting that someone wanted to build it again, creating a tidy resto-mod in the process. Clean and thoroughly refreshed, that three-door SUV held lots of appeal. Unfortunately, at $37,500, the seller's attempt to recoup some of the cash and sweat equity that went into the build didn't sit well with most of you. The result was an overwhelming 78% No Dice loss.

When you think about it, BMW is sort of like the General Motors of Germany. Then again, so is Volkswagen. Mercedes-Benz? Not so much, as its parent, Daimler, has disencumbered itself of most ancillary marques. BMW, on the other hand, still has a hand in Mini on the low end, and Rolls-Royce up in the economic stratosphere. The Rondel-badged cars from the main brand fill the wide gap between those poles. That's perhaps why the company has so dang many models to choose from.

Few of those models live up to the glory of the E39, arguably the last great 5 Series to come out of Bavaria. Elegantly styled and still moderately analog, the second-to-last 5 Series to carry the venerated "E" code for internal (and fan) identification, the E39 today has become a coveted model. And, save for the romper-stomper M5, there is perhaps none quite so coveted as those spec'd like today's 2000 540i. It comes ready for action with a 282-horsepower all-alloy V8, Getrag 420G six-speed manual transmission, and sport-package interior. With just 95,500 miles on the clock, this one should still have plenty of fight left in it as well.

According to the ad, this 540i benefits from bumper caps that emulate those of the M5 and a handsome set of Style 32 multi-spoke wheels, which together are said to give the car "the perfect aggressive stance." That's not passive aggression either, as the nose shows noticeable chipping in the paint from on-road encounters with rocks and debris. Those are fairly minor and are the only complaints in the otherwise solid-looking exterior. 

The black-coated wheels are a personal choice, and not the right one, but they can be lived with. The same applies to the smoked tail lamp lenses. Oddly, the model badging has been removed from the boot lid, perhaps in an effort to make people think this is a real-deal M5 owing to the bumpers and that stance. That's not too convincing, though, as the rear bumper has only one exhaust outlet cutout in the valance instead of the M5's two.

The cabin presents just as nicely, with little wear on the leather seating surfaces and that sort of driver-oriented dashboard that BMW used to do so well. Everything appears to be stock inside, and the burlwood trim brings some welcome warmth to the cabin's otherwise somber black appearance.

There's more to like underneath the surface with this Bimmer. Per the ad, the car enjoyed a recent service and has seen new front suspension components, a refreshed clutch, a ready-to-fight battery, a four-wheel alignment, and slotted-rotor brakes. Do we care about slotted-rotor brakes, or is that not a thing anymore?

Craigslist

All that work has resulted in a car that has got it going on, as the seller claims everything, right down to the A/C and sunroof, is functional on the car. Not only that, but they will include in the deal the factory repair manual and all the service and parts invoices documenting the car's maintenance history, or at least part of it. For those who are not yet fully convinced, the seller offers a short walk-around video of the car that also shows it idling. The title is clean, and the car is said to have a pleasantly unremarkable CarFax report.

Okay, so we've established that this is a car worthy of our attention, but now we have to judge its $14,500 asking price to see if it earns our interest. In the grand scheme of things, that's not a lot of cash. There are, however, a ton of cool classic and contemporary cars that could be bought for that amount. Would you rather have this Q ship Bimmer or a 986 Porsche Boxster S? How about a Mercedes AMG E63? These are all good choices that would cost about the same, and are equally lust-worthy.

Perhaps scenarios involving imaginary cars are unfair to this 540i. Let's instead judge it on its own merits, and those of the ad, in determining whether anyone should pay the $14,500 asking price.

What do you say, is that a fair deal for this well-equipped and seemingly tidy E39? Or is it not quite there on the classic quotient to command that much?

You decide!

Los Angeles, California, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.

Hat tip to RevUnlimiter for the hookup!

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