Have Shifter, Will Travel: 1995 BMW 540i

In the early 1990s BMW was known for its silky smooth inline-6 engines, and it hadn't produced a V8 in 25 years (the last BMW V8 was a 3.2 liter model first used in the 501/502 and finally in the 3200 CS model in 1965).  However, the folks in Dingolfing were never known for sitting on their behinds, so in 1992 BMW released the M60 V8 in their world beating 5-series sedan and it was a fantastic dual overhead cam beast. Find this 1995 BMW 540i offered for $5700 in Austin, TX via craigslist. Tip from FuelTruck.

Widebody Wagon: 2000 BMW 540i 6-Speed

Take a normal car and turning it into a custom widebody can result in a cool ride or a total pile of ugg, depending on the skill and vision of the fabricator. Another consideration is that most widebody vehicles are two-door coupes, but occasionally you'll see some fender flares on a sedan and today we see them on a wagon.  Find this 2000 BMW 540i 6-Speed offered for $7,900 here on eBay buy-it-now or make-offer located in Tampa, FL.

E39 M5 Power: 1995 BMW 540i E34 S52 Swap

The trick of doing a good engine swap is simple...just follow these two rules: (1) pick a sweet vehicle with plenty of street cred, but maybe down a few ponies on power & (2) juice it up with something that keeps alive the spirit of the original automobile, but turns the dial up to 11. (3...wait...3?) Bonus points if the swap involves complex alpha-numerics that nobody except real fanboys understand -- yo dawg, is that a Z15N? No quite, its a Z15N-GT...dude, straight GDM man. Hawt. I think that shoving an S62 V8 from a later M5 into a E34 5-series meets both of those rules. Find this 1995 BMW 540i E34 S52 Swap offered for $12000 in Fresno, CA via craigslist. Tip from Sean.

M-Sport Manual: 2002 BMW 540i

Few cars offer as much value (pound for pound...or kilo for kilo) as the E39 generation BMW 540i (1994-2003) with 6-speed manual gearbox. It is the middleweight of sports sedans, and one minute it is a mild mannered scientists, but get it upset and the beast from within beats pavement and rear tires with equal aplomb. Find this 2002 BMW 540i offered for $8998 in Katy, TX via craigslist. Tip from Jeff.

Sechs Geschwindigkeit: 2001 BMW 740i

The E38 BMW 7-series was the last BMW to be totally free of the Bangle styling that cursed covered the cars for a decade or so. Additionally the E38 was the last of the 7-series to come with a manual gearbox, but only in some markets....which I believe the USA wasn't included.  Find this 2001 BMW 740i offered for $6,500 in SF Bay Area, CA via craigslist.  Tip from FuelTruck.

You Want A Puffer?: 1998 BMW 540i DINAN

Nearly every car brand has a few independent tuners that work their magic modifying their cars.  Dinan has carved out a strong reputation in the USA BMW universe.  Today's modified Dinan 540i poses a strong argument against BMW's highest performing in house car the M5. With E39 M5 prices climbing by the day, the price disparity between the two cars is literally huge.  The stock 540i makes nearly 300 horsepower and is a bargain performer in it's own right.  Find this 1998 BMW 540i for sale in Newtown, CT for $9,650 via craigslist.

Clean White Paper: 1995 BMW 540i

The E34 (1987-1996) was the third generation of BMW's executive class 5-series sedan and it was the first to feature V8 power.  As the high mileage examples of the E34 are driven into the ground, a few nice examples float around waiting for some magical renaissance for used German luxury sedans that may or may not happen.  I say driven 'em while they're new...ish.  Find this 1995 BMW 540i offered for $6,900 in Lexington, OH via craigslist. Tip from FuelTruck.

Dinan 5 Supercharged: 1995 BMW 540 E34

The E34 generation BMW 5-series was produced from 1988 through 1996 with an unusual (for BMW) range of engines offered over its lifetime.  The collection of piston pumpers included the beastly S38 inline-6 in the M5, the sweet sounding M60 V8, a few junky inline-4s for Europe (including a 103 horsepower natural gas burner), and even some diesels (probably slower than the inline-4s)....however, this next one has had the volume turned up to 11.  Find this 1995 BMW E34 540 Dinan 5 Supercharged offered for $8,500 in San Jose, CA via craigslist.

Lotta Smacks For Your Smackers: 2000 BMW 540i 6-Speed

Let's be honest, not everybody living on this rock hurtling through the infinite expanses of space has the fortitude or wherewithal to daily drive a BMW with 200k miles on the odometer. But you won't find a better 6-speed V8 sedan for less.  Find this 2000 BMW 540i 6-speed offered for $4,000 in Dallas, TX via craiglist.  Tip from FuelTruck.

M62 V8 Swap: 1984 BMW 340i

The E30 generation BMW was a significant improvement over the E21 that it replaced, but more in the evolutionary sense than revolutionary.  It was still powered by inline-4 and inline-6 M-series engines, used rack-and-pinion with MacPherson struts up front, and semi-trailing arms out back...but each part was just a little bit better in the new car.  Today's 325e has taken another leap forward. Find this 1984 BMW 340i with M62 V8 swap offered for $5,499 in Fountain Hills, AZ via craigslist.

6-Speed V8 Swap: 1991 BMW 318i M62

The E30 generation BMW 3-series was the breakout story for BMW's mainstream domestic success -- sort of the automotive equivalent of the Beatles' A Hard Day's Night.  Sure, BMW had large scale success with the 2002 & E21 (and the Beatles with Please Please Me & With the Beatles) but the Bayerische Motoren Werke sold 2.4 million E30s from 1982 through 1993.  It was the beginning of BMWmania.  Find this 1991 BMW 318i M62 here on eBay bidding for $2,550 reserve-not-met located in Miwaukee, WI with 8 days to go.

Turbo Chevy V8: 2001 BMW 540i E39

The E39 BMW 5-series was released in 1999 and was arguably the last conservatively styled BMW, at least until a few years ago when the last of the Banglized stuff went out the door with the F10 5-series.  The E39 was available with various engines from the lowly M52 inline-6 to the crazy S62 V8 in the M5, but today's example might just be the fastest E39 you can buy.  Find this 2001 BMW 540i E39 with turbocharged Chevy V8 offered for $9,500 in Cordova, TN via craigslist.

10k: The Right Stuff: 2003 BMW 540iT Wagon E39

On the list of cars that BMW should have built/sold in the US market, it goes like this.  BMW Bavaria Turbo, BMW M7 (e32), BMW M-Compact (E46), and BMW M5-Touring (E39).  It wouldn't have been that hard to make a touring (wagon) version of the M5, and many folks have done it by themselves.  At least BMW was kind enough to sell us the wagon version with the M62 V8, but it was only available with a slushbox. If you want the 6-speed you'll have to go searching for a cheap sedan where a seller is going to be desperate soon.  Find this 2003 BMW 540iT Wagon here on eBay, bidding for $7,100 with less than one day to go, located in Montebello, CA.

Kaibeezy's Fleet Sale: '98 BMW 540i & '94 Buick Roadmaster Wagon

Quick update on Kaibeezy fleet sale  -- there is still a chance to get a celebrity owned family hauler from DT's resident logo guru and amateur snake farmer.  You can chose between this 1998 BMW E39 540i 6-spd ($6k) and 1994 Buick Roadmaster Estate ($4k).  Make an offer, the worst that can happen is -- Kaibeezy says yes and you fall into a pit of venomous cobras. 

5k: KBZ Fleet Sale: 1998 BMW E39 540i 6MT

As previously mentioned, DT's logo guru Kaibeezy is relocating to Neptune for career reasons, and the cost per gram to send stuff into space is astronomical, so he is liquidating his entire fleet via these pages.  Up next in the DT exclusive fleet sale is this 1998 BMW E39 540i 6MT with 184K miles offered for $6,000.

5k: The Hulk: 2001 BMW 540i 6-Speed

Few cars offer as much value (pound for pound) as the e39 generation BMW 540i with 6-speed manual gearbox. It is the middleweight of sports sedans, and one minute it is a mild mannered scientists, but get it upset and the beast from within beats pavement and rear tires with equal aplomb.  Find this 2001 BMW 540i 6-speed offered for $3,000 in Wayzata, MN via craigslist.

5k: German Bruiser: 2001 BMW 540i 6-Speed

 The BMW e39 generation 5-series stands out in the world of fast used executive sized luxury sedans.  On one side are older 80s/90s cars that are starting to become classics, but lack amenities and speed you've come to expect with modern cars.  On the other side are 21st century designed cars with enough electronics to get the meanest hacker a headache, potentially devastating repair bills, and prices inflated with the siren song of shiny newness. The good news is that the unwashed masses haven't figured out yet that the prices for a properly optioned E39 are great, and the post facelift (2000+) examples still look newish.  Find this 2001 BMW 540i 6-Speed offered for $4,995 somewhere in Rhode Island via craigslist. Tip from Art C.