Description
Hey everyone, back with another rare E39. Selling for a friend, who also happens to be the new owner of the E39 M5 I shared earlier (I've encouraged him to join BMW CCA). This is his 6-speed 2003 540i M-Sport. 1 of the 1,190 manual US market manual M-Sports made and 1 of 322 Titanium Silver 6-Speed cars.
Almost always a northeast car. This car sold new on Long Island where it spent its first 5 years. In 2008 it was sold to the next owner in Fairfield County, Connecticut. Then in about 2015 it sold to the 3rd owner in the Seattle, Washington area. Selling then to the current owner in late 2019.
The M-sport package was a $4,100 option in 2003 and these cars came fit with the full M-Technic body kit and M-Tech II suspension and Style 37’s from the factory. While the rest of the world first saw the M-sport around the year 2000, the 540i M-sport didn’t reach the US until 2003. New for 2003, the M-sport’s were built with M-Tech bumpers, body moldings, door sills, stiffer sway bars and M5 springs. And my favorite, the 18” Style 37 M Parallels.
Condition:
Interior is in great shape. No cracks in the dash or wood grain. Shift boot, parking brake and center console are all very nice. Seats were leather treated recently. It still has the old BMW interior smell. Door cards are clean. The carpets with exception to the driver side front are excellent. Typical heel marks in the pad by the pedals. A sign of a well loved BMW as us owners know. The Driver's door sill trim is beginning to deteriorate. The plastic has started to chip along the outside edge. Passenger front door sill trim has a crack in it by the hinges.
The steering wheel was exchanged for a refurbished proper M-Sport wheel, rewrapped, stitched etc. New airbag. The Tata airbag recall was done within the last two years by BMW of Darien. Avin Avant 4 head unit. These are plug and play, a great upgrade. Makes driving the 540i that much more enjoyable. Apple Carplay, Bluetooth, Android Auto.
Front bumper and hood around the grill / headlights have the usual peppering of rock chips. Fenders, hood, doors, roof and trunk paint are solid. The clear coat has held up well but there are a few areas that if you look closely, you can see some crazing. No accidents but there was a crack in the back bumper. So the owner just had it replaced (OEM) and painted to prep the car for sale. The door handles were sun faded and so he had them resprayed at the same time as the bumper. Records show the rockers were repainted in late 2020.
In full disclosure, the owner did submit a claim through insurance to have the bumper repaired. As of about mid March there is nothing reported on the Carfax. No accidents but an incident may pop up for the bumper repair as an FYI. The Style 37’s are in decent shape. Some curb rash. 3 were refinished in 2021 and the 4th was replaced.
The headlights were swapped out late 2022 for the clear corner style. Originals can be included if the price is right. Seat back pockets were sagging and the elastic was stitched so they are taught. He also has an extra set of interior trim for the dash, door cards, center console if you want to replace the wood grain with silver trim. That can be included with the car if the price is right.
Maintenance:
Lots and lots of paperwork. Service records dating back to 2010. The timing chain was replaced early 2025. New radiator about three years ago. New fan, hoses and accessories. New alternator, battery, oil filter housing mounts. ECS short shifter and ZHP shift knob installed March 2020. New trunk lid struts. It’s set up on a set of BC adjustable coilovers, installed in April 2020. New Continental Extreme Contact all seasons. Installed late 2023, maybe 10/12K miles on them. 235/40ZR18’s up front and 265/35ZR18’s in the rear. Tires purchased from Tire Rack, February 2022 date codes.
The car is now in Norwalk, CT and can be seen 7-days a week. Asking price is $17,000. May consider offers. Send me a DM with any questions. Thanks
Maintenance Log:
2010 - New radiator, hoses, thermostat, e-brake shoes adjusted, some electrical, tires balanced, restrictor valve on clutch cylinder removed
2012 - BMW Inspection 2 service, Front brake pads & rotors, brake pad sensor, fan clutch, valve cover gasket
2013 - New water pump, serpentine belts, thermostat assembly, spark plugs, ignition coil, resistor
Current Owner:
2019
12/3/2019 - (83,788 miles) - European Auto Center (Norwalk, CT) - Oil change & filter, front brake pads, rotors and sensor replaced, clean and lube calipers slides, cabin and engine air filters replaced, rear license plate light assembly replaced, replaced wire harness for L/R license plate bulb
2020
2/12/20 - (85,233 miles) - European Auto Center (Norwalk, CT) - Replaced power steering pump, belt tensioner & belts, test system
3/9/20 - (85,733 miles) - European Auto Center (Norwalk, CT) - Installed customer supplied shifter & boot, installed customer supplied pads & rotors, replaced cracked parking brake shoes, brake fluid flush, replaced customer supplied front & rear brake hoses, spark plug cap replaced
4/9/20 - (86,393 miles) - European Auto Center (Norwalk, CT) - Replaced customer supplied springs & shocks, 4 wheel alignment, ignition coils replaced
5/20/20 - European Auto Center (Norwalk, CT) - Oil change & filter, replaced L/F door body seal, fluids topped off, removed instrument cluster (bulbs replaced), replaced cracked bezel
10/23/20 - Valiente Auto Body (Norwalk, CT) - Rust repair and paint right side rocker panel, left side rocker repair & refinish, back window lower back panel refinished
2021
1/27/21 - (92,655 miles) - European Auto Center (Norwalk, CT) - Oil change & filter, fluids topped off, parking brake adjusted, L/F Halo Bulb replaced, safety inspection
2/11/21 - WheelFXT (Stamford, CT) - 3 wheels refinished / bends repaired, mount and balance all 4 tires
3/30/21 - (93,646 miles) - Auto Repair Specialists Inc (Norwalk, CT) - 2 tires mounted, 4 wheel alignment
5/17/21 - (94,688 miles) - European Auto Center (Norwalk, CT) - A/C system evacuated, tracer due added, re-charged
8/9/21 - (97,049 miles) - European Auto Center (Norwalk, CT) - Alternator replaced, Power steering pump and return hose replaced
9/22/21 - (98,639 miles) - European Auto Center (Norwalk, CT) - Oil change & filter
2022
5/23/22 - (104,100 miles) - Auto Repair Specialists Inc (Norwalk, CT) - Oil change & filter, 2 tires mounted
11/22 - Headlights Replaced
12/8/22 - (108,285 miles) - European Auto Center (Norwalk, CT) - Replaced windshield washer hose set to jets, R/F seat seat back cable repaired, installed and tested, tires noted as in need of replacement
2023
4/18/23 - (111,884 miles) - European Auto Center (Norwalk, CT) - Oil change & filter, cabin air filter set, engine air filter, replaced oil filter housing mounts, fluids topped off. L/F seat back right cable stretched - modify and installed
9/23/23 - New Continental Extreme Contact all seasons
11/28/23 - (117,263 miles) - European Auto Center (Norwalk, CT) - Oil change & filter
2024
4/19/24 - (118,764 miles) - European Auto Center (Norwalk, CT) - Cylinder #1 coil replaced, found center steering link is weak and needs to be replaced
6/24 - New trunk struts
12/16/24 - (121,908 miles) - European Auto Center (Norwalk, CT) - New battery
2025
1/25 - Timing chain replaced
3/17/25 - Marty’s Auto body (Norwalk, CT) - Replace rear bumper, sand, buff & paint
