First off, forgive me; I'm a newb to these German cars. I've been drag racing muscle cars most of my life. However, I will soon have a need for a 4-door sedan, and I've found an amazing deal on a 99 540i locally.

With that in mind, most of my buddies (who still have their muscle cars) have it out to show me what a turd my new car will be. I on the other hand wouldn't mind surprising them. I do plan on doing some minor stuff (CAI and exaust if I can find something that isn't too loud - this is a family car after-all).

The real question is: what kind of abuse (i.e. hard 60-ft launches) can this thing take? It will probably never see more than a drag radial as far as tires. Also, I still have the nitrous kit (single-nozzle NX EFI kit) from my previous car. Will the drivetrain hold up to this kind of punishment? Or am I better off just leaving well enough alone? I'm no amateur when it comes to fixing my old GM cars and trucks, but I haven't even been under this car yet and I sure don't want to start having to fix things.

I usually just say "Let's not and say we did"

tell them 'lets go somewhere with some turns' and see who's laughing.

Why do people always bring the turns into this. Nobody races around cones on the street, 99% of races are in a straight line. Plus a stock e39 is hardly a "car on rails" in stock form, its a heavy soft pig really. He would look like a complete douchebag if he asked for a race "around turns" in real life.

The 540 can take a fair amount of punishment as long as it's maintained. The clutch (if your car is a manual) if I remember correctly is the same one that's in the M5 and it has close to 400hp. So no problems there. I have yet to hear of any driveshaft or halfshaft failures. I haven't heard of any tranny failures due to hard launching, and several people are running 400hp supercharged m62's on these trannys. The only weak point I can see on these drivetrains are the open diffs, it may not break, but the open diff really makes launching difficult and doesn't give the best launch traction for obvious reasons. The Engines themselves are very robust if maintained.

I really don't see you having any problems aside from going through clutches more quickly.

As mentioned above though, these cars aren't exactly setup for drag's, they are far better in the twisties or on the highway.

BTW this is obviously all related to manual 540's, don't know about the autos so I won't comment.

just dont do high rev drops, at most rev to 2k to drag it...you may want to delete the cdv as well

also, have them hop in and redline 5th gear, they wont think its a turd when your going 150 mph and still have one mroe gear

also race them 0-150 then 150-0...they wont laugh

open diff = fuggetaboutit

Why do people always bring the turns into this. Nobody races around cones on the street, 99% of races are in a straight line. Plus a stock e39 is hardly a "car on rails" in stock form, its a heavy soft pig really. He would look like a complete douchebag if he asked for a race "around turns" in real life.

The most fun I've had 'racing' someone has always been on highways. I don't race on streets because there's a great chance of hitting pedestrians. It's just stupid.

Why do people always bring the turns into this. Nobody races around cones on the street, 99% of races are in a straight line. Plus a stock e39 is hardly a "car on rails" in stock form, its a heavy soft pig really. He would look like a complete douchebag if he asked for a race "around turns" in real life.
Exactly. Plus I'm not a big fan of racing around curves on the street, you never know what might be around that next curve. When we race its on long, straight roads with no side roads or houses (its basically in the middle of the swamp).

The 150+ MPH races sure sound fun, but that's just not how we play around here. We race from a dig, for ~1320ft.

The only weak point I can see on these drivetrains are the open diffs, it may not break, but the open diff really makes launching difficult and doesn't give the best launch traction for obvious reasons.

BTW this is obviously all related to manual 540's, don't know about the autos so I won't comment.
Open Diff....Well if that's not a kick in the nuts from BMW. What's a good aftermarket solution for that?

Unfortunately, the car is an auto. That's probably why it's such a steal. I figured the sport shift would suffice for the "fun factor". Anyone know what the auto trans is rated for power-wise?

You bought the wrong car, man. the whole rear subframe and suspension (independent at that) is made of aluminum.... the clutch is NOT up to hard launches.. the autos arent terribly robust, OPEN diff.

go by a $3k mustang and make it your drag car. Itll be faster and cheaper.

You bought the wrong car, man. the whole rear subframe and suspension (independent at that) is made of aluminum.... the clutch is NOT up to hard launches.. the autos arent terribly robust, OPEN diff.


That's what I figured. Guess my drag racing days are over for a while. I'll have to get my adrenaline rushes sneaking mustangs on the interstate.

With the 5series you'll get smoothness and luxury, but if all you want is a 4dr with power* you'd probably be happier with something like the Charger SRT-8.

*especially if you're mostly looking for low end power.
You bought the wrong car, man. the whole rear subframe and suspension (independent at that) is made of aluminum.... the clutch is NOT up to hard launches.. the autos arent terribly robust, OPEN diff.

go by a $3k mustang and make it your drag car. Itll be faster and cheaper.
yep. In fact, I recently sold one of my mustangs (for about $3k) that was as fast (until ~80mph), and way more fun, than the 540i.

While i've heard of tranny failures, I'm on a stock tranny and fluid, no software, and have 131k on a built motor. While the shifting speed could leave more to be desired since the computer needs a swit kick to wake the hell up, I've driven it HARD without anything happen as of yet. I got my car with 79k on it, and have driven it like my old M5 since I've had it....hard launches, staying in S3 while doing Seattle 5's and 7's drives in excess of 80mph on twisty backroads, etc. The automatics won't let you shift into gear at higher rpms unless you remove the metal pin under the shifter console that locks it in Park till it's happy with the revs. I unplugged the trigger for this metal pin and got a Trans Failsafe from the OBC, so I plugged it back in. I did however pull the shifter back so hard, without squeezing the trigger, to brake the plastic pin so that I can shift between park, nuetral, drive etc without having to squeeze the trigger first....ahh the simple things. ;)

The 540i is a quick fun car. 14 sec. in the 1/4 isn't that bad considering the car weighs just over 4000lbs. Your buddies might beat you in a drag race, but would they drive their cars everyday, or even on a cross country road trip with 4 people. The cars are just so practicle and smooth. I sometimes miss the rumble of my Mustang, but the it just didn't feel near as solid as the 540i at 50mph or 150mph.

I usually just say "Let's not and say we did"

Let me say this. I abuse the crap of out of my 540. I fill my two bottles once a month, and go to the track on 295/30/19s ( YES a drag strip ) . Its been a year more or less and the car has upheld great.

However, I am in need of a clutch, and I recently have been getting a tinking noise from the joint where the end of the driveshaft goes into the rear diff. So of course im looking at getting a different diff and just changing everything at once =)

And everybody IS correct this is not a drag car. But IMO your car is whatever you want it to be. Plus, I love going to the track and running low 13s then coming around and people seeing my sons carseat in the back.

:lol

Damn, should've gotten a 540i6 dude.D:

Let me say this. I abuse the crap of out of my 540. I fill my two bottles once a month, and go to the track on 295/30/19s ( YES a drag strip ) . Its been a year more or less and the car has upheld great.

However, I am in need of a clutch, and I recently have been getting a tinking noise from the joint where the end of the driveshaft goes into the rear diff. So of course im looking at getting a different diff and just changing everything at once =)

And everybody IS correct this is not a drag car. But IMO your car is whatever you want it to be. Plus, I love going to the track and running low 13s then coming around and people seeing my sons carseat in the back.

:lol
On a side note.....any chance on getting pics of your setup along with some details. I'm thinking that is gonna be my next step

my buddy bill M must have done it this friday night at the meet quite a few times. he was rubbing in 1st and 2nd with a passenger in the car; he was demo'ing my 540i w/3.15 vs an E36 M3 up and down Rt 22.

I drive a measely 525.

I find it fun to test my suspension more than my drivetrain (and this is not cOdE Dan).

It's fun to find some roads with twisties. :)