1998 BMW 540i 6 speed, Supersprint headers, HJS cats, Remus exhaust, Bilstein

1998 BMW 5-Series 540i 6 speed manual Description

Time has come to sell my beloved 540. I've seriously fallen in love with Audi S8 D2 (BMW gods please forgive me) so 1 of my 3 BMW's has to go. Yes, I am one of those guys who say they'll never sell their car but then reality of family life kicks in and hard decision is made.Instead of using bunch of generic phrases and empty words favored by dealers, I'll stick to facts which are backed by documentation:
I've bought it in Texas in 2004 with 66k miles. Prior to me it was owned by a gentleman who bough it new from one of Houston BMW dealers. I have those records too but in typical BMW fashion not much has been done while maintained by the dealer.Ever since coming to my possession this has car received 13 years of love and care which is compressed in 70+ pages folder of records.I never understood people selling a car and then stating in the ad something like "timing belt was done but it was done by uncle of mine who bla bla, you'll just have to trust me"In my case, I have every single original receipt with date and miles installed / performed etc...
Also, I did 95% of work myself and I always followed (whenever possible) correct procedures, torque values, etc...I do have lift in my garage, decent selection of tools (including some BMW special tools) Bentley manual and AutoEnginuity with BMW enhanced option which covers all BMW codes including ABS and Airbag.
I just added 12 pictures taken today on 8/13 with bunch more available if requested. At present car is 100% ready for the new owner and comes with clean title in hand, all maintenance up to date, no mechanical issues, full tank of 93 octane Shell gas and $850 worth of spare parts.
While I encourage inspection and questions, here are the main highlights:
Most upgrades and repairs done in last 4-5 years / 20k miles. To list specifics would take a looong list. If interested in particular item, ask and I'll provide you with date, miles and picture of actual receipt if requested.
Upgrades:
11/2015Complete custom exhaust system which consists off: Supersprint headers, German HJS 200 cell high flow cats, Vibrant Performance resonator and Remus exhaust. Everything in between these components is mandrel bend SS T304 tubing which was TIG welded by me. Not the prettiest welds, but functional and strong.The sound is absolutely awesome and more importantly, diameters were done in respect to what Supersprint recommends with addition of 60 lbs lost (IIRC) over OEM system.Contrary to internet rumors, high flow cats if right quality and installed properly will not cause check engine light which my car proves by passing 2 emission testing since install.
7-12-14 / 118117Brand new OEM forged M Parallel wheels (18x9 rear and 18x8 front) bought from dealer and wrapped in new Nitto NT555. Recommended factory set up: 265/35/18 and 235/40/18.Now after 3 years wheels look literary brand new thanks to Sonax cleaner and tires still have around 65% thread left.10/2013 - 115003Fan clutch delete and replaced with high performance electrin Spal fan along with 95 C conventional thermostat.Spal fan is PWM controlled (built by good friend who's electronics guru) and average coolant temp is around 95-97 C.I fashioned custom aluminum plate which it bolts to factory fan shroud and the setup looks 100% OEM.
06/2015Complete new suspension (front and rear); Bilstein HD struts and shocks along with all new components (strut bearing, boots, spring pads etc...)Every single suspension component / arm replaced with Lemforder and Eibach sway bar kit (front and rear).The result: car simply feels on rails with almost no body roll. I don't understand Bilstein HD haters, yes they're firm but not harsh.
3.15 differential
Rare OEM front spoiler lip. Actual OEM part from Germany (not ebay) professionally painted.
One of my favorite upgrades: VDO oil pressure and oil temp gauges in place of headlight and fog light switches. The switches were relocated to lower left panel as in 3 series. There is a reason why M5 comes with oil temp gauge. I've done one better and added pressure too. Between the 2 I know when is safe to run high rpms.
Euro console with storage, small diameter 3 spoke M steering wheel from E36 M3, Z3 short shifter and NMotorsports manual rear shades in the back and small side windows.
Repairs:
2-1-12 / 104876Timing chain guides along with VC and TC gaskets, oil separator, pulleys, NGK BKR6EQUP spark plugs and alternator with lifetime warranty.
At different time intervals but pretty much complete cooling system has been refereshed (even including small hoses next to firewall etc..), radiator, expansion tank etc...Just installed new 8 Bosch ignition coils.Valley pan with back CCV plate, complete Lemforder steering shaft, multiple alignments, recent belts, recent all 4 Bosch O2 sensors,New OEM valve covers from dealer (got tired of powdercoating),Just installed new 1000 cca Auto Craft Gold battery with 3 year warranty.Camshaft speed sensor, recent Bosch Air Mass Sensor.
All 4 engine and transmission mounts replaced with Lemforder brand. All 4 wheel ABS sensors replaced with OEM VDO / Siemens (no cheap ebay $20 sensors that fall apart in 6 months)
All 4 rubber brake lines (item that many people ignore) along with 2 failure prone lines above exhaust manifold. Replaced with high quality FTE OEM brand.
Trunk shocks, new OEM trunk rubber mat along with all 4 OEM rubber mats inside, new firewall plastic cowl, all 4 BMW logo door covers.New OEM front wheel well liners.Every single vacuum line has been replaced, most of them when I did TC guides and Valley pan.
Maintenance:
I'm pretty much Liqui Moly freak. I've been exclusively using 5W-40 LeichtLauf High Tech fully synthetic oil for last 10 years with no noticeable oil consumption. Periodical brake flushes with German ATE dot 4. Power steering and diff fluid have also been periodically flushed with appropriate Liqui Moly fluid.One exception is transmission where I used Pentosin since Liqui Moly doesn't sell the right spec oil here in the states.Only OEM coolant / distilled water used, brake fluid flushes, power steering etc...

Nitpicks:
Paint is in excellent shape with minor road rash up front and 2" small area of clear coat peeling at right rear door. My good friend can put professionals to shame with his buffing skills so I heavily used our friendship.Small dent on right mirror and somewhat larger dent on left side around side turn signal. This one is not visible unless at certain angle and i didn't want to fix since it doesn't bother me and no paint damage.
No accidents or bodywork other than 2007 low speed deer impact which resulted in new hood, headlight and bumper. Professionally painted by a local BMW certified shop. At that time I bought another Hella headlight to match newly replaced one. Have paperwork from paint shop.
Driver door trim has some paint sort of rash which I've repainted once but it's coming back. Not noticeable till you come close.
Key remote function doesn't work, but car does lock and unlock with key in key hole. Alarm function and car starting are not affected. I've tried pretty much everything to fix it but finally gave up.
Interior is well kept with Sonax products with driver seat in excellent shape with small 1/2" puncture repaired and moderate bolster wear.Mileage red dot is on due to LCM coding error. It never bothered me since this car has probably one of the best service history in US and once you go through it you'll understand.
When I got the car in 04 I had BMW install new goodwill instrument cluster due to pixel loss. Just recently it started developing dark spot on the right side but with no effect on mileage reading.
It's in 100% mechanical condition with minor leak around right timing cover (new leak after it's replaced) and small clutch chatter when backing up.
While I did pretty good job fabricating exhaust system and it's sounds / performs awesome, welds are pretty bad looking with few minor leaks which have no effect on sound or performance. Welds are strong and functional but combination of somewhat generic TIG welder and my very limited welding experience produced pretty bad looking welds.
Even though these HJS cats are the highest quality possible, they are high flow which means car will throw occasional cats inefficiency code if driven at or bellow 2000 rpm for a longer period of time. When that happens, I simply clear the codes and drive the car somewhat more spirited and the problem is gone. Additional proof is the fact that I passed 2 emission testing since installing these cats.
The A/C blows cold and it was charged 2 years ago for the first time. No sealant was used and no problems ever since
Both front and rear brakes are OEM with plenty meat left on pads and car stops with no drama. I do have German Balo rotors and Pagid pads which are included in sale price.
The car does have original clutch with no issues other what's been described which pretty much speaks how car was driven but I do have new LUK M5 clutch (direct fit on 540 while heavier duty) and new dual mass Luk flywheel included with car (took advantage of low price on Rock Auto).
Prospective buyer is welcome to review the records and have the put on the lift (free of charge since it's mine and in my garage, I had to make that joke)
I will update this ad often as I remember / check my folder for more things or to answer specific question.
While my opinion may differ from prospective buyer opinion when it comes to car condition, I can say with certainty that this car is in better shape than 95% other cars of this age / mileage.Why?The answer is simple: This car didn't spend last 13 years with several neglecting owners, sitting at auctions, missing services, sitting in all kind of weather but in my loving care with every single issue dealt on immediately and done right.
I would prefer for prospective future owner to come and meet me, check the car, put it on the lift, drive it and do anything else needed to before committing buying it.
If you reached this paragraph, thank you for your patience but I'd rather be upfront and provide you with as much as info possible.
Thank you and feel free to ask any questions!