The standard bearer of sport sedans for many years has been the BMW M5. These are cars that literally reshaped the idea of what a sedan could do. Beyond these supercars in disguise, it’s easy to overlook other fast 5 series that BMW has cranked out over the years, like this 540i 6-speed manual for sale in San Francisco. With just a tick under 60,000 miles, this one is very well preserved executive express. For those who think the cooking variety 540i might be a little sedate and the M5 a bit too brash, the 540i with the 6-speed manual gearbox strikes a nice balance.
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2002 BMW 540i on eBay
Year: 2002
Model: 540i
Engine: 4.4 liter V8
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Mileage: 59,868 mi
Price: $19,700 Buy It Now
A brilliant example of one of the all-time BMW favorite sedans. This 540i is a one-owner BMW, that is in amazing condition. It would be a true challenge to find a cleaner and more blemish-free 540i in the whole of the US market. In BMW’s most popular for the model, “Titanium Silver Metallic”, it is positioned to be in superior position for long-term price stability. Along with the standard options, including the “M” enhancements, the owner has installed a XM satellite receiver, Parrot Bluetooth accessory (with microphone), and a Garmin. All additions are correctly installed, leaving a professional appearance, enhancing rather than detracting. Also, this is a very well-maintained BMW, including recent work replacing the radiators. All service history is included with the BMW.Along with service records, we also have the original window sticker. This shows the following options; Titanium Silver Metallic Gray Leather Electric Rear Sunshade 16-Way Comfort Seats Fold Down Rear Seats w/ski bag Premium Sound System w/ DSPAdding up to the original MSRP of $59,295
This is one of those used cars that has me rethinking the idea of keeping mine to a one car fleet. I’ve always lusted after an E39 M5, but of course, you need to budget accordingly. A 540i like this, however, would be a little bit lighter on the wallet without giving up a whole lot of the performance. Most importantly, you get to enjoy three pedals in an eight cylinder executive saloon, which is quite a rarity these days. All for the price of a new, well equipped subcompact sedan. This one is seriously tempting.
-Paul
nice car….priced a bit aggressively even for the mileage as this is a 540i 6 speed…it’s not an “M” packaged car w/”M” parallels, front fascia, suspension bits etc…
great power plant that is economical to maintain compared to an S62….but the driving experience is no-where near the same…as it should’nt be given what you paid for an 02 M5 vs. 02 540i…
This looks to be a great 540i, but I don’t see how it makes much sense at this price.
If I’m spending $20k on a 12 year old 5 series it’s going to be a M5.
You make a good point about maintenance costs. I think as these cars age the cost to keep them on the road will be similar. Some M5 mechanical parts cost more but those aren’t items you will be replacing frequently. The electronics, sensors, displays, hvac, etc is the same on both cars, and those things can nickel and dime you to death on any old BMW’s.
So, considering you may have to spend a couple grand a year to keep either a M5 or 540i on the road, I’ll go with the better preforming car that is likely to hold its value.
If you’re still not convinced, go check out a few youtube videos of M5’s with the mufflers deleted. One of the best V8 exhaust notes ever.
Wow, that’s pretty steep. I paid $23k for one with 47k miles on it back in 2005. Best car I’ve ever owned, but at this price point, I wouldn’t be jumping at the chance to buy it.
Way overpriced. M62 is not that economical to maintain compared to S62. You an get decent M5 for this money.
I daily drive one of these with a six speed. As things need replacing (suspension, clutch) I upgrade so the cost to maintain is ‘similar’ to an m5. The biggest difference was the up front cost to purchase a 540 vs. m5, about 10k, but this one is in m5 territory. That said, anyone buying this will not be disappointed. I smile every day on my commute.
I think that premium price is to help pay the dealer’s rent. I googled it, (“cars dawydiak”) it’s a beautiful 2-story exotic car storage & dealer in Nob Hill, San Fransisco. All the reviews on that dealer are crazy positive too, at least the ones I scanned.