• Registered: 2010-04-07
  • Posts: 66

Topic: Lemons newcomer, just got my car

Hi I'm  here and just bought my crapcan. The previous owner had a tow truck on the way to bring it to a junkyard that was going to give him $250 for it. So I offered him $300 and it was a deal. Its a 1995 BMW 540i with 200k+ miles on it.

It looks like it had lived a very hard life, all bumpers falling off, was sideswiped, has duct taped mirror caps, and duct tape holding up the half bumper thats still on in front. I took the guys word for it that it runs and shifts fine. I couldn't actually hear it run because the aftermarket alarm would go off non stop when the jumper was on it. And the starter disable on the alarm wouldnt let it crank. I am really hoping it runs as good as he says it does. If not I'll have some sort of stupid cheap motor swap ahead of me.

The interior appears to be all there and in decent shape, should be plenty of decent parts to sell off of it. I haven't lifted it yet to see how bad off the suspension is.

It is an automatic car, and old BMW automatics trans don't seem to last to long. I am going to be adding a huge trans cooler somewhere, obviously. Anyone know of any other good tricks to make them last longer?

I assume if I can get it running and driving right, after gutting it of all extra weight it will probably be very fast in the straights, and a boat in the corners.

I am looking for suggestions on all parts of the build, if I have any specific questions I will ask them in this thread

Thanks,
Curtis

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa64/curtisb12321/IMG_0263.jpg
http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa64/curtisb12321/IMG_0262.jpg
http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa64/curtisb12321/IMG_0264.jpg

  • From: Texas
  • Registered: 2010-02-22
  • Posts: 949

Re: Lemons newcomer, just got my car

Interested to hear the answers and suggestions as well... I went and looked at a 530 of similar vintage with similar provenance today.  Had the same concerns about auto tranny.

ALLEGEDLY!

-Dave
Scuderia Ignorante // Modena / Dearborn / Aichi Prefecture / West Texas

3 Reply by sergio (edited by sergio 2010-04-07 07:56 PM)

  • sergio
  • Lemons Staff Stalker
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2009-04-30
  • Posts: 1,185

Re: Lemons newcomer, just got my car

Watch this video. It's a 540 automatic. It's fast, very fast.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlUVKz2Lwdw

Watch this video and you'll see why it's so fast.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h00QhgxOKVU

  • Registered: 2009-12-22
  • Posts: 170

Re: Lemons newcomer, just got my car

Watch the movie Ronin and you'll see how fast they are!

  • From: Pleasanton, CA
  • Registered: 2009-09-02
  • Posts: 352

Re: Lemons newcomer, just got my car

As my '95 540i (6 speed manual) is my daily driver, it pains me to see you do this to that car.

That's all.  I'm just sad.

Good luck.

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  • From: Gilbertsville, PA
  • Registered: 2009-12-22
  • Posts: 3,251

Re: Lemons newcomer, just got my car

It would be metal confetti today, if he didn't intervene.

Now it can go out in a blaze of glory!

craznoe wrote:

As my '95 540i (6 speed manual) is my daily driver, it pains me to see you do this to that car.

That's all.  I'm just sad.

Good luck.

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