Used Car of the Day: 2003 BMW 540i M Sport

by Tim Healey

Published: September 19th, 2024

used car of the day 2003 bmw 540i m sport

Today we bring you a 2003 BMW 540i M Sport that's an oldie, but apparently, also a goody.

There's a long list of service and repair that's been done, and mods include the shocks, a struts kit, and the radio.

The seller says there's no rust and has never been in an accident. It's been summer-driven only and has a clean title with no fault codes.

It is over 157K miles, though.

This is a rare car, just one of 1,190 ever built.

It's a Michigan-based car -- which makes the lack of rust that much more impressive -- and you can see the list of service and a few more pics by clicking here. This one has a manual transmission.

The asking price is $15,540.

[Images: Seller]

Become a TTAC insider. Get the latest news, features, TTAC takes, and everything else that gets to the truth about cars first by subscribing to our newsletter.

#UCOTD #UsedCaroftheDay #UsedCars #BMW #2003BMW5Series #2003BMW540iMSport #RareCars #5Series

Tim Healey

Tim Healey grew up around the auto-parts business and has always had a love for cars — his parents joke his first word was “‘Vette”. Despite this, he wanted to pursue a career in sports writing but he ended up falling semi-accidentally into the automotive-journalism industry, first at Consumer Guide Automotive and later at Web2Carz.com. He also worked as an industry analyst at Mintel Group and freelanced for About.com, CarFax, Vehix.com, High Gear Media, Torque News, FutureCar.com, Cars.com, among others, and of course Vertical Scope sites such as AutoGuide.com, Off-Road.com, and HybridCars.com. He’s an urbanite and as such, doesn’t need a daily driver, but if he had one, it would be compact, sporty, and have a manual transmission.

More by Tim Healey

Comments

Join the conversation

5 of 24 comments

Tassos on Sep 20, 2024
The poor man's fake M5. I don't recommend either. They were the last good-looking Bimmers, from 2003 on, the curse of Bangle hit the brand with his ugly stick. But these are, like most of Tim's finds, OBSOLETE 20+ year olds today. PASS regardless of any details.

Like Reply
Theflyersfan on Sep 20, 2024
Like this car, but the price he's asking borders on comical. KBB, being generous, values this at just under $5,000. Looking at a similar 2003 right now in the Indianapolis area with 60,000 fewer miles for $5,200. For the last time those who sell their cars themselves, most, if not all, buyers have zero desire to pay the same price the seller paid for modifications. If this guy put $10,000 in upgrades/mods, they need to look at that as money they spent for themselves to get the car the way they wanted it. But these aren't houses, and upgrading and then flipping doesn't work with cars.

5 Reply
- See 2 previous
- Wolfwagen on Sep 20, 2024
  I dont have a problem paying a little extra (not the full boat) if the modifications are to correct a known problem with the vehicle (i.e. head stud conversion on a Northstar engine) and done by a reputable shop with records. Other mods not so much.
  
  2
- Zerofoo on Sep 20, 2024
  "But these aren't houses, and upgrading and then flipping doesn't work with cars." Many times this strategy doesn't work with houses either. Anyone able to afford to pay you for your $100k kitchen or your $50k sauna will want to buy their own - not yours.
  
  Like
- Ras815 on Sep 20, 2024
  Nearly 160k miles...for $15k? Hah, good one.
  
  Like
- 1995 SC on Sep 20, 2024
  I don't think I'd look at upgraded IMS bearings in certain Porsches, Northstar head stud upgrades or metal BMW cooling system components in an E36 as a mod. More like wgood maintenance.
  
  Like

Recent Comments

Steve Biro I’ll try one of these Tesla driverless taxis after Elon takes one to and from work each and every day for five years. Either he’ll prove to me they are safe… or he’ll be dead. Think he’ll be willing to try it?
Theflyersfan After the first hard frost or freeze - if the 10 day forecast looks like winter is coming - that's when the winter tires go on. You can call me a convert to the summer performance tire and winter tire car owner. I like the feel of the tires that are meant to be used in that season, and winter tires make all of the difference in snowy conditions. Plus, how many crazy expensive Porsches and Land Rovers do we see crashed out after the first snow because there's a chance that the owner still kept their summer tires on. "But...but...but I have all wheel drive!!!" Yes, so all four tires that now have zero grip can move in unison together.
Theflyersfan One thing the human brain can do very well (at least hopefully in most drivers) is quickly react to sudden changes in situations around them. Our eyes and brains can quickly detect another driving dangerously, a construction zone that popped up while we were at work, dense fog out of nowhere, conflicting lines and signs on some highways, kids darting out between cars, etc. All of this self driving tech has shown us that it is maybe 80% of the way there, but it's that last 20% that still scares the crap out of us. Self driving computers can have multiple cameras feeding the system constant information, but can it react in time or can it work through conflicting data - think of construction zones with lines everywhere, orange signs with new exit information by the existing green exit sign, etc. Plus, and I think it's just GM's test mules, some systems require preexisting "knowledge" of the routes taken and that's putting a lot of faith in a system that needs to be updated in real time. I think in the next 15-20 years, we'll have a basic system that can self drive along interstates and highways, but city streets and neighborhoods - the "last mile" - will still be self drive. Right now, I'd be happy with a system that can safely navigate the slog of rush hour and not require human input (tapping the wheel for example) to keep the system active.
Kcflyer night and day difference. Good winter tires save lives or at least body work. And they are free. Spend a few hundred on spare wheels on tire rack. Mount the winter tires on them. They replace your regular tires and save a commensurate amount of wear. Thus, over the life of the vehicle the only added expense is the extra wheels. I can usually find a set of used wheels for less than 400 bucks all in on craigslist or marketplace. Then swap the wheels yourself twice a year. TPMS has added a wrinkle. Honda has the best system that requires little or no expense. Toyota/Lexus has a stupid system that requires a shop visit to program every stinking time. Ugh (worth it over a honda since your valves don't need to be cleaned every 60000 miles)
Bruce Purchased (in 2024) a 1989 Camero RS. I wasn't looking for one but I picked it up for 1500. I wanted to only pay 800 but the fellow I bought it from had a real nice family and I could tell they loved each other. They needed the money and I had to give it to him. I felt my heart grow like the Grinch. Yes it has the little 2.8. But the write up does not represent this car. It has never been messed with, all original, a real time machine. I was very fond of these 3rd gen Cameros. It was very oxidized but straight, interior was dirty but all there. I just retired and I parked in my shop and looked at it for 5 months. I couldn't decide how to approach it now That I can afford to make of it what ever I want. Resto mod? Engine swap? No reason to expect any finacial return. Finally I started just doing little things. Buffed and polished the paint. Tune up, Fluids. I am still working it and have found a lot of joy in just restoring what I have just the way I found it just fixed and cleaned up. It's just a cool looking cruiser, fun to drive, fun to figure out. It is what it is. I am keeping it and the author of this critical write up completely misses the point. Mabey the point is what I make it. Nothing more and nothing less.