Most of us post when we have problems to solve so I thought I'd throw out one that simply states that I continue to be amazed by this car! I'm a recent new owner of a '99 540i6 and I commute about 5 miles backroads and then 30 miles highway each way to work. Today, while getting on 495S (for those in MA), I hammered it in 3rd and very quickly hit 100+. It was so smooth and effortless. While in 6th at 80, I'm only turning 2500rpm. I'm averaging about 22 mpg, but I'm not driving it lightly :)

BTW, I have Pirelli Winter Snowsports mounted on 17" type 32's and they are fantastic - I would highly recommend them. Decent traction in snow without sacrificing too much in the dry - not loud at all on the highway.

Lovin' the grin factor from my 540i6 :D

Awesome! I am selling my 528i in order to get a 540i/6, hopefully, if not a 530i will be my next car.

Tony - I can't imagine this car with anything but a v8. One of the first modifications should definitely be a lightweight flywheel as it really helps improve the character of the car.

Yeah, that is what I hear. And yes, it will be one of my first mods. When I bought this car my mentality was that I am a little older and don't need the power anymore. Wrong! I need the power, the stick shift with the six gears. Yep, older but no more mature.....

Yeah, that is what I hear. And yes, it will be one of my first mods. When I bought this car my mentality was that I am a little older and don't need the power anymore. Wrong! I need the power, the stick shift with the six gears. Yep, older but no more mature.....
Bah, that mentality is an American sentiment. Don't follow every one else. :)

Tony, I've never driven the 528i, but I'm a fan of the 530i sport. It doesn't have nearly the power (torque) of the 540i, but it is a very nice balance between power, handling, and fuel economy. I searched for both a 530i sport and 540i sport for some time, when my 540i6 fell into my lap. One test drive was enough for me...no going back to a 530i now. Good luck in your search - there are a lot of nice 540i6's out there right now for very good prices.

Do a search on craigslist in Boston - there is a mint-looking '99 540i6 with only 65K miles on it for ~ $18K - ad now says make an offer. Can probably get that car for less than $17K - it's winter in New England.

I've had my 540i-6 for half a year now and still check it out as I'm walking away. I feel like a big kid up to no good when I hit the ASC button to turn it off and do a nice burnout on a launch and bounce it off the rev limiter because I want to hear that big V8 roar... god I love this car :)

yeah i have had my car for 3 weeks going on a month and i already drove 4k ..... i cant stop testing its speed .. i think i beat a lancer evo 7 and an aut o corvette on the freeway

welcome to the family

ive had mine for about 2 years now and still look back on it. the onyl thing i did was add Bav springs and bilstein shocks. i love this car.

Also, welcome.... I bought mine in September. It does need some tweeking. The Ride is firm (stiff springs) with the Sixer M Sport: however; it needs more dampening with Bilstein sport shocks. Also, I am installing a UUC lightweight flywheel/clutch package and getting rid of that "self adjusting" clutch mechanism. Next fall, I will be installing the VF-engineering supercharger. Congrats!

I'm 37 years old and have only driven 4 bangers during my lifetime. What a boner I got when I first got behind the wheel of my 540. :eek:

My major milestone occured a year ago when I decided to finally open her up and disengage the traction control. My oh my! I've never experienced the smell of spent rubber in my own car before.

Hooorah!!!

RND1, Congratulations!!!! I bought a 98 540/6 with 53k miles in July 05........I too can't get enough of this car.........planning on some mods....it already had the m5 front bumper......VF supercharger kit with an est. 475 hp for the stage 2, due out in the spring, may be in the future.........................


Htownmobaudio.......I drove to Houston and back from Vegas(just in time for hurricane Rita)....enjoyed every bit of the drive.......great freeways in Houston and hospitable people(just not too crazy about the surface streets or the humidity) have fun and be safe all!!

I'm 37 years old and have only driven 4 bangers during my lifetime. What a boner I got when I first got behind the wheel of my 540. :eek:

My major milestone occured a year ago when I decided to finally open her up and disengage the traction control. My oh my! I've never experienced the smell of spent rubber in my own car before.

Hooorah!!!

LOL...I know the feeling. I'm 35 and my 3 yr old boy keeps asking me to hit the "fast" button. I'm no longer slower than mommy's car :D

Thanks for the warm welcome everyone...I've already gotten a lot out of this forum!

Anyone out there run Lime Rock with their 540? I'm hoping to get on the track there this year to see what she can really do?

Smoking rear tyres = black lines on the road = very expensive hit to hip pocket! ;)

I bought my 97 540i/6 about a month ago and so far, I have no complaints. Got a good deal on it because it didn't run right. Turns out the driver-side cat was stopped up. It runs real good now and I am really enjoying it.

Mike

my 3 yr old boy keeps asking me to hit the "fast" button.

HA! That's awesome - I actually feel about the same way as your boy when I hit that button. I feel like Michael Knight when he engages turbo boost.

HA! That's awesome - I actually feel about the same way as your boy when I hit that button. I feel like Michael Knight when he engages turbo boost.

Hey Supark, how do you like the transition from your 17's to the M par 18's? Is the ride much harsher? I'm looking for a set of summer rims and I'm debating between type 66 17's and M par replicas?

Had a 2000 540i 6-spd for 6 years. Absolutely great car. Would have missed it...but i went to a 06 M3 Competition, so not all is lost :D

-Zach

Hey Supark, how do you like the transition from your 17's to the M par 18's? Is the ride much harsher? I'm looking for a set of summer rims and I'm debating between type 66 17's and M par replicas?

The transition was only slightly harsher. Much less noticeable than the difference between a 16" to a 17" wheel. I really like my M Par replicas - but now I'm kicking myself that I didn't get a staggered set of 8" in the front and 9.5" in the rear. I ended up getting General Exclaim UHP 245/40-18 tires and am very happy with them. They resist hydroplaning and have pretty good dry grip too - best of all they're actually cheaper than Kumho ASXs.

Tony, I've never driven the 528i, but I'm a fan of the 530i sport. It doesn't have nearly the power (torque) of the 540i, but it is a very nice balance between power, handling, and fuel economy. I searched for both a 530i sport and 540i sport for some time, when my 540i6 fell into my lap. One test drive was enough for me...no going back to a 530i now. Good luck in your search - there are a lot of nice 540i6's out there right now for very good prices.

Do a search on craigslist in Boston - there is a mint-looking '99 540i6 with only 65K miles on it for ~ $18K - ad now says make an offer. Can probably get that car for less than $17K - it's winter in New England.

Thanks RND1,
I bought a 2002 530ia in may from Wagner in west spfld. I actually wanted a 540/6 but could'nt afford one. Now its been six months and I WANT A V8!!! Don't get me wrong, the 530 is a great car, but before i bought it ,i took a 2000 540/6 with dinan mods out for a test ride. WOW i was blown away. THanks i'll check craigslist out.

Tony, I've never driven the 528i, but I'm a fan of the 530i sport. It doesn't have nearly the power (torque) of the 540i, but it is a very nice balance between power, handling, and fuel economy. I searched for both a 530i sport and 540i sport for some time, when my 540i6 fell into my lap. One test drive was enough for me...no going back to a 530i now. Good luck in your search - there are a lot of nice 540i6's out there right now for very good prices.

Do a search on craigslist in Boston - there is a mint-looking '99 540i6 with only 65K miles on it for ~ $18K - ad now says make an offer. Can probably get that car for less than $17K - it's winter in New England.

Thanks RND1,
I bought a 2002 530ia in may from Wagner in west spfld. I actually wanted a 540/6 but could'nt afford one. Now its been six months and I WANT A V8!!! Don't get me wrong, the 530 is a great car, but before i bought it ,i took a 2000 540/6 with dinan mods out for a test ride. WOW i was blown away. Thanks i'll check craigslist out.

The 540/6 is a great car. I smile when I open the garage door everytime. The way the car rides is great and the way it picks up speed..... forget it, it's a trouble maker.

I love mine too!

Last night I had a couple of friends in the car and decided to turn dsc off to shoot past a couple other firends in the lane next to us. I launched the car decently and ran it up to about 90 going a bit sideways from 1-2 as the road turned. WHen we finally slowed down to more civil speeds my friend looked over at me and said, "That was better than a roller coaster!"

it is really going to be tough to sell this car!

Great thread. You guys with the 540/6 need to get an exhaust if you don't have one. I have a Supersprint cat-back and love the sound; it made a big difference in how much I enjoy driving the car. I installed it about three years ago and wish I'd done it sooner. Cheezy pics on the link in my sig.

Now, if I could only do a decent job keeping the damn car clean.

Dave

Great thread. You guys with the 540/6 need to get an exhaust if you don't have one. I have a Supersprint cat-back and love the sound; it made a big difference in how much I enjoy driving the car. I installed it about three years ago and wish I'd done it sooner. Cheezy pics on the link in my sig.

Now, if I could only do a decent job keeping the damn car clean.

Dave

AWESOME - nice mods on that 740IL, that car would be sick S/C'd

okay my turn. i LOVE this car. i left it up here at school during christmas break (didnt wanna drive 1200 miles to florida), so its been a month since ive driven her...and wow it is awesome. i just really cant get enough of this car, and i love the fact taht whenever i want, i can turn off traction control and spin wildly:buttrock

everytime i give somebody a ride they cant believe it, ive made die hard muscle car guys beg to drive the 540i!!

.......ive made die hard muscle car guys beg to drive the 540i!!

The E39 540i/6spd is a torqueless-toothless dog compared to a similar vintage Vette, GTO or Camaro. In comparison, the 540i 32V V8 feels like a turbo car & the shifter must be rowed to stay in the sweet spot. The thing I miss after switching from 16 valve big motor V8 American sports and ponycars to a 4.4L 32V motor is power under 3K RPM. A '92 or newer Vette will suck the 540's headlights out. I've owned and raced both for many years, so my views are hardly slanted. The 540i runs nice in triple digit territory, but it will not embarrass a new Mustang or 90's vintage Vette there.

Many 60's muscle car owners dream of having a 6 speed tranny mated to their V8 & this makes the 540i appealing to that crowd. I don't find the 540i's 14 flat at 101 MPH acceleration so breathtaking.

What impresses me is BMW was smart enough (long ago) to mate V8 muscle power, manual shift & sports car suspension tuning to a roomy 4dr sedan chassis that fits 5 occupants. The car is not too big (7 series) or too small (3 series)...it's just right. This is precisely why I own one. The lack of a 6spd tranny is why I do not own a Lincoln LS V8. IMO, Cadillac closed the gap on BMW and their CTS-V resale values rival 540i. When folks claimed 3 years ago that Cadillac CTS-V would not hold it's value I laughed. The '80's Buick turbo cars and '90's V8 Impala's are nowhere close to equalling CTS-V in all-around performance, yet the hold retail value like an M3 (excellent). I predict that as time passes, the cheaper CTS-V will hold higher resale value than 540i of the same model year.

What depresses me is BMW is systematically (intentionally) screwing loyal customers who wish to maximize lifecycle of their car. Once BMW CPO expires, owners drop 5 series like hot potatoes because they are hardly serviceable outside the OEM dealer network with their baskets of proprietary tools. BMW parts division continues to obligate customers to buy $5500 remanufactured trannys, instead of offering internal repair parts. This reman only strategy is absolutely not compatible with classic car repair or amateur track/race car repair. It greatly impedes repair and makes servicing of older cars or cars that see severe duty totally cost-prohibitive. BMW is literally leveraging retirement of their fleet as it exceeds 10 years old. This is why rare, higher mile BMW 7 series V12 motorcars sell for peanuts when similarly-porky Impala SS LT1 V8 fetches top dollar.

The CTS-V collectors will soon begin competing for ownership over the long haul & resale value will remain high. ALL individual parts/components are available for servicing CTS-V trannys, motors and differentials.

well i never said it was faster than said muscle cars. not trying to start a flame war or whatever, but i cant imagine a c4 beating the 540i. the lt1 is not known for breathing well up top and is lightyears away from the ls1. i can only say this because i have a friend who bought a c4 vette 4+3, and when i let him drive my car he said there was no comparison after 70, the 540i simply would pull the c4. now a zr1...that car is a complete monster. but in a race between a 540i/6 and a c4 lt1, ill put my money on the 5er.

do understand that i am an avid car fan, not bmw fan. i do not think the 540i is invicible, either. but i know that lt1s stock are nothing like their ls1 counterparts.

Your friend's 4+3 C4 has the L98 tractor engine in it, though, not an LT1. I don't doubt that a 540i/6 would pull on an LT1 C4 in the triple digits, as IMO my old auto '92 Vette with its super-long third gear and broad powerband pulls similarly to an E36 M3 at >120mph, and we know what 540's do to M3's at those speeds. L98's doubtless fall to 32v V8 power even sooner.
Under 100mph there's trouble for the 540i, though, as I'd imagine even an auto LT1 car would beat it in the 1320. The six-speeders have gone mid-low 13's at nearly 105, so that's an even bigger issue.

4.0 litres is small displacement for a muscle car, right. Therefore a fair comparison would be a dinan 540 w/ s/c which would probably rock most of the mentioned models.

Edit:
4.0L = 244 in3
350 in3 = 5.7L

4.0 litres is small displacement for a muscle car, right. Therefore a fair comparison would be a dinan 540 w/ s/c which would probably rock most of the mentioned models.

Edit:
4.0L = 244 in3
350 in3 = 5.7L In the e39 it's a 4.4 = 269 cu in

Let's not lose perspective..........Is the 540 a muscle car or a true sports car?

Why are they being compared to such?..........The 540 is a luxury, sport, family sedan......it is almost unbeatable in its class....but it also can be competitive outside its class......A very well balanced machine..........

Thanks RND1,
I bought a 2002 530ia in may from Wagner in west spfld. I actually wanted a 540/6 but could'nt afford one. Now its been six months and I WANT A V8!!! Don't get me wrong, the 530 is a great car, but before i bought it ,i took a 2000 540/6 with dinan mods out for a test ride. WOW i was blown away. THanks i'll check craigslist out.

Hey Brewe, good to see a fellow MA board member. The ad I was referring to is no longer there on craigslist - may have gotten sold. Keep looking - this is a good time to buy a 540i6. The combination of power, handling, and luxury are very hard to beat!

Glad to see so many others out there also love their 540!! I have to admit that I too look back at her after parking her...:D

Lscman, you seem to be our resident track junkie. How does the 540i6 run on the track? Have you run it at Lime Rock, the Glen, or Louden? Haven't been on the track since I sold my 911 a few years back.

In the e39 it's a 4.4 = 269 cu in

269 << 350 where most muscle cars start...

just restating what everyone here knows 540 kix but

nice car fs, btw

Hey Brewe, good to see a fellow MA board member. The ad I was referring to is no longer there on craigslist - may have gotten sold. Keep looking - this is a good time to buy a 540i6. The combination of power, handling, and luxury are very hard to beat!

Glad to see so many others out there also love their 540!! I have to admit that I too look back at her after parking her...:D

Lscman, you seem to be our resident track junkie. How does the 540i6 run on the track? Have you run it at Lime Rock, the Glen, or Louden? Haven't been on the track since I sold my 911 a few years back.

I took my 540i-6 out to Pacific Raceways here in Washington about a month after I bought her. The torque is awesome out of corners and it tracks pretty well and predictably. The car is hard on tires though - my Toyos were just about melting at the end of a day's worth of laps. Definitely a fast car in the straights, but really cannot keep up with lighter sports cars in the twisties - just not what it was designed to do. You really feel the weight of that big V8 in the front when you're doing fast transitions through a series of turns, and I broke the rear tires loose more than once when I goosed the throttle a bit too much in a hairpin.

I think of her more as a superb all-rounder - I wouldn't want to run her on the track.

4.0 litres is small displacement for a muscle car, right. Therefore a fair comparison would be a dinan 540 w/ s/c which would probably rock most of the mentioned models.

Edit:
4.0L = 244 in3
350 in3 = 5.7L

A fair comparison??

You are seemingly comparing a $57K 540i/6 with a $20K blower kit to a stock american musclecar that costs between $25-$40K brand new. How is that fair? BMW chose complexity over cubes. Cars of equal value should be compared in a heads-up competition, not equal cubes. A Lotus Elise with a tiny motor is not to be compared to a 2L Ford Focus; the Elise is Viper and Corvette bait. Let's install $25K worth of Corvette motor mods on a $30K-40K retail GTO or C4 Vette and see how they compare at Dinan's $75K 5 series total retail figure. I can guarantee the american cars will run 7's in the 1/4 mile for that figure. The Dinan 540i will struggle to reach 12's.

well i never said it was faster than said muscle cars. not trying to start a flame war or whatever, but i cant imagine a c4 beating the 540i. the lt1 is not known for breathing well up top and is lightyears away from the ls1. i can only say this because i have a friend who bought a c4 vette 4+3, and when i let him drive my car he said there was no comparison after 70, the 540i simply would pull the c4. now a zr1...that car is a complete monster. but in a race between a 540i/6 and a c4 lt1, ill put my money on the 5er.

do understand that i am an avid car fan, not bmw fan. i do not think the 540i is invicible, either. but i know that lt1s stock are nothing like their ls1 counterparts.

You wrongly assume your friend's $5K late 80's Vette has an LT1 motor. It does not.

1) The '92-'95 C4 LT1 6spd is a 13.5 at 104 car.
2) The '97-'03 540i/6spd is a 14.0 at 102 car.
3) The '96 C4 LT4 6spd is a 13.1 at 107 car.
4) The Corvette LT1 has a higher redline than the 540i and it's power peak is maintained to redline. Shifting is almost optional because it pulls hard from 2K upward.
5) Your friend owns an earlier C4 with the L98 TPI truck-like motor that falls on it's face at 4200 RPM, not the LT1 that loves 5500+ RPM. The L98 with 4+3 has 60 HP less than LT1 with the ZF 6spd or auto.

You wrongly assume your friend's $5K late 80's Vette has an LT1 motor. It does not.

1) The '92-'95 C4 LT1 6spd is a 13.5 at 104 car.
2) The '97-'03 540i/6spd is a 14.0 at 102 car.
3) The '96 C4 LT4 6spd is a 13.1 at 107 car.
4) The Corvette LT1 has a higher redline than the 540i and it's power peak is maintained to redline. Shifting is almost optional because it pulls hard from 2K upward.
5) Your friend owns an earlier C4 with the L98 TPI truck-like motor that falls on it's face at 4200 RPM, not the LT1 that loves 5500+ RPM. The L98 with 4+3 has 60 HP less than LT1 with the ZF 6spd or auto.

Who cares? American cars suck ass. I've owned a 1987 vett, 2000 vette, and 96 T/A 6. I will never buy another american car, they are built like shit. Who cares if your car is marginally faster.

Power + 5 seats... cant beat it for the price

Power + 5 seats... cant beat it for the price

Amen!

Who cares? American cars suck ass. I've owned a 1987 vett, 2000 vette, and 96 T/A 6. I will never buy another american car, they are built like shit. Who cares if your car is marginally faster.

I tell you who cares. Folks who want to go faster on-track for less money care. A $10K used '92 Vette with LT1 Z07 ZF 6spd will eat up used 540i & E36 M3 on track & spit them out. The Vette costs 1/2 as much and goes faster. It is also easier and cheaper to maintain & even modify. Your "build quality" comments apply more to street use, IMO.

To clarify, my current car is quite a bit slower & if you don't care, that's great. I switched from Vette to 540i about 3 yrs ago. I was only pointing out that a 540i will not outrun a similar vintage Vette. I only mentioned this because someone posted that they rode in a 20 year old 230HP L98 Vette and then proceeded to badmouth the later '92-'96 LT1 powerplant.

My 540i sees more hardware failure & downtime than any american car I've ever owned.

Lscman, you seem to be our resident track junkie. How does the 540i6 run on the track? Have you run it at Lime Rock, the Glen, or Louden? Haven't been on the track since I sold my 911 a few years back.

The 540i works OK on the track. I can only think of 2 or 3 other 4dr sedans with manual tranny I'd rather run on-track (CTS-V, M5, M3 E36-4dr). That said, the M5 only offers add'l power & tiny bit better brakes...power is good at WGI. If you're really trying to produce quick times, the 540i suspension is way too soft & the car needs a lot more neg camber. I eliminated stagger & run the style 32 9" wide wheels front and rear.

At Watkins Glen, my slightly modified '98 540i is 6 seconds slower than my stock '93 LT1 Vette with the same tires and similar brake pad compound. I run consistent 2:27's in 540i on the long course with stock springs with "track/street" Nitto NT555 RIIE rubber and factory alignment. It'd be a faster with genuine track rubber, but I prefer tire longevity for non-competition. Track springs like 550/425 would probably reduce times by 3-4 sec. The car runs with most stock E36 M3's for a couple laps (A Group and Instructor drivers), until my brakes & tires overheat. The car is too heavy to sustain qualifying laps for 1/2 hr sessions (lol).

I think consistent 2:22/lap at WGI is feasible in 540i with 9" wheels all around, track rubber, GC neg camber plates, HT10 pads and GC track springs w std Koni's. Not many M3's run that in stock form....maybe an E46 M3 with track rubber and track pads. Oops...the E46 M3 is NOT a 4dr.

yeah i beat the shit out of an 00 corvette on the freeway we took off at 80 and i killed him at 120 mph ... i guess he was surprised ... i did i did and i beat an 05 mustang off a 50 mph roll ... plus i think a 97 540 with high miles and a built motor and supercharger will run around 20k so ... i would imagine eaven an older corvette with equivelent mods will still run u about the same ... but hey corvettes also give u 8mpg my 540 gives me 18-23 mpg depending on driving

yeah i beat the shit out of an 00 corvette on the freeway we took off at 80 and i killed him at 120 mph ... i guess he was surprised ... i did i did and i beat an 05 mustang off a 50 mph roll ... plus i think a 97 540 with high miles and a built motor and supercharger will run around 20k so ... i would imagine eaven an older corvette with equivelent mods will still run u about the same ... but hey corvettes also give u 8mpg my 540 gives me 18-23 mpg depending on driving

first off there really isnt any way a stock 540i will beat a c5 corvette. i know the 540i is a great highway machine, but it isnt competition for a c5, the e39 m5 is competition for a c5.

and i dont even know where you got that a corvette gets 8 mpg, why dont you enlighten yourself and read this link, which will show you the corvette gets 18 mpg in the city and 28 on the highway.

http://www.nctd.com/review-final.cfm?Vehicle=2000_Chevrolet_Corvette&ReviewID=596

obviously i love the 540i, hence why i own one, but you cant compare it to a sports car such as the c5 vette. were talking about a 4 door sedan running 14.0 at 102 versus a 2 door sports car running 13.0 at 109-110. there is really no comparison here.

first off there really isnt any way a stock 540i will beat a c5 corvette. i know the 540i is a great highway machine, but it isnt competition for a c5, the e39 m5 is competition for a c5.

and i dont even know where you got that a corvette gets 8 mpg, why dont you enlighten yourself and read this link, which will show you the corvette gets 18 mpg in the city and 28 on the highway.

http://www.nctd.com/review-final.cfm?Vehicle=2000_Chevrolet_Corvette&ReviewID=596

obviously i love the 540i, hence why i own one, but you cant compare it to a sports car such as the c5 vette. were talking about a 4 door sedan running 14.0 at 102 versus a 2 door sports car running 13.0 at 109-110. there is really no comparison here.

well i knew u were gonna object but all i got to say is that i think the corvette was auto and i have heard of m3 whooping the shit out of those .... plus i think it may have to do with the range of speed we raced at ... :redspot

not saying it didnt happen, but even the auto c5s should beat e46 m3s. there really is no instance that i can think of the e46 m3 beating a vette on the highway, unless the vette is in 6th gear

A fair comparison??

You are seemingly comparing a $57K 540i/6 with a $20K blower kit to a stock american musclecar that costs between $25-$40K brand new. How is that fair? BMW chose complexity over cubes. Cars of equal value should be compared in a heads-up competition, not equal cubes. A Lotus Elise with a tiny motor is not to be compared to a 2L Ford Focus; the Elise is Viper and Corvette bait. Let's install $25K worth of Corvette motor mods on a $30K-40K retail GTO or C4 Vette and see how they compare at Dinan's $75K 5 series total retail figure. I can guarantee the american cars will run 7's in the 1/4 mile for that figure. The Dinan 540i will struggle to reach 12's.

YEAH ok wait until the first turn then. There's a lot of cars that can beat a bimmer but bimmers are still pretty good cars for the money taking all things into account.

not saying it didnt happen, but even the auto c5s should beat e46 m3s. there really is no instance that i can think of the e46 m3 beating a vette on the highway, unless the vette is in 6th gear

I believe american cars are supposed to be good off the line ...... WEll the 540 isnt that great of the line ... i believe the 540 excels around 60-115 or so .... we arent talking about running the quarter mile


And i took an evo 7 on the freeway

[QUOTE=Htownmobaudio]I believe american cars are supposed to be good off the line ...... WEll the 540 isnt that great of the line ... i believe the 540 excels around 60-115 or so .... we arent talking about running the quarter mile


And i took an evo 7 on the freeway[/QUOTE

Drop a 3.15 in that rear end of yours and you'll be singing a different song, i gaurantee it!

subscribing

..........the e39 m5 is competition for a c5........

Not on any track with turns. A stock C5 is easily 7-10 seconds faster than a stock M5 at Watkins Glen. Tighter tracks like Lime Rock, Mid Ohio and Summit Pt produce even greater percentage deficits. An M5 has plush wheel spring rates hovering around 50% of the softest standard Corvette (not Z51/Z07/Z06 option). The M5 will need oversize front wheels, camber plates and aftermarket track suspension with much stiffer springs to run laps like a 1992 C4 Corvette. Forget the quicker, newer and lighter C5 in this comparison. Even with significant mods, the E39 sedan's 500lb weight penalty is insurmountable.

As you noted, Corvette gas mileage is noticeably higher than E39. I have found this to be very true. My Corvette provided consistent 31 MPG economy at 75 MPH. My E39 V8 gets 8 MPG less at the exact same highway speeds, confirmed with a pencil several times.

I should also note that I'm comparing different cars with EQUAL DRIVERS. Driver swaps at the track with experienced participants produces interesting & reliable comparisons. Folks earlier in this thread comment about seeing a car of one model beating a car of another model. These are not car comparisons, they are driver comparisons. Amateur street races rarely compare cars. I've seen inferior hardware win many times. Many A class road racers running standard econoboxes can outrun Vipers and Ferrari drivers in lower classes. The same would hold true on the street.

Lscman = GURU :buttrock

Not on any track with turns. A stock C5 is easily 7-10 seconds faster than a stock M5 at Watkins Glen. Tighter tracks like Lime Rock, Mid Ohio and Summit Pt produce even greater percentage deficits. An M5 has plush wheel spring rates hovering around 50% of the softest standard Corvette (not Z51/Z07/Z06 option). The M5 will need oversize front wheels, camber plates and aftermarket track suspension with much stiffer springs to run laps like a 1992 C4 Corvette. Forget the quicker, newer and lighter C5 in this comparison. Even with significant mods, the E39 sedan's 500lb weight penalty is insurmountable.

As you noted, Corvette gas mileage is noticeably higher than E39. I have found this to be very true. My Corvette provided consistent 31 MPG economy at 75 MPH. My E39 V8 gets 8 MPG less at the exact same highway speeds, confirmed with a pencil several times.

I should also note that I'm comparing different cars with EQUAL DRIVERS. Driver swaps at the track with experienced participants produces interesting & reliable comparisons. Folks earlier in this thread comment about seeing a car of one model beating a car of another model. These are not car comparisons, they are driver comparisons. Amateur street races rarely compare cars. I've seen inferior hardware win many times. Many A class road racers running standard econoboxes can outrun Vipers and Ferrari drivers in lower classes. The same would hold true on the street.

never said the m5 was competition for a corvette around a track, simply a drag race, where you will find the numbers comparable to the point where the better driver would be winning.

Dont argue with lscman, you'll never win the man is a walking car encyclopedia.

Lscman = GURU :buttrock

+1

Probably one of the few people that can talk from experience what a 540 can do and what it can't

The 540's are great hwy cars for long trips and some nice curves along the way (likey the have in Germany) where you can enjoy driving safely at triple digit speeds but they are not 1/4 mile monsters or light and powerfull track cars.

I have seen a 540 and an M5 at the BMWCCA autocross events here in LI and they were not doing too well.

Like my friends say "it's like riding on a luxury jet but it's no fighter jet"

[quote=Htownmobaudio]I believe american cars are supposed to be good off the line ...... WEll the 540 isnt that great of the line ... i believe the 540 excels around 60-115 or so .... we arent talking about running the quarter mile


And i took an evo 7 on the freeway[/QUOTE

Drop a 3.15 in that rear end of yours and you'll be singing a different song, i gaurantee it!

Ok .. i know you are talking about my differential hopefully :eyecrazy .... ok well explain the differential to me where i can buy it and what its gonna cost me and what is an oem m5 differential ?