Lately I’ve found myself reminiscing about the cars I’ve owned throughout my life, the feelings I had behind the wheel of each and which one I miss the most. Whilst I have a lot of fond memories created around all the cars I’ve owned, the one I absolutely regret selling and still wish I had to this day is my old BMW E39 540i M sport.
Man, what a whole lot of car for the money! I loved it, everything from the subtle but amazing style of the exterior, with the M sport body kit giving away that there was slightly more going on with this car than met the eye, to the way it felt to drive, to the sound of the 4.4L V8 engine, and the smoothness of the power delivery.
And it was no slouch in the power department either, given it was meant to be a luxury sedan for executives to drive around in, it certainly went.
Whilst it did have it’s fair share of problems, coming from the trade meant that these were relatively inexpensive problems to deal with, and this car was the sole reason I no longer fear European cars or working on them. My 540i was relatively easy to work on. Not only this, but I loved the car so much that working on it was more a labour of love than a hassle.
When I bought my E39, I paid about 20% of what it cost brand new from the factory when it was built in 2001.
Depreciation is a killer on these cars when buying new, but a godsend for buyers looking to get into one second hand, as you really do get so much car for what you pay, and when you compare my old 540i to its’ Australian competitors (The AU Falcon XR8 and the Holden VX SS Commodore), it’s chalk and cheese when it comes to what you get for your money.
Full leather interior, Sat Nav, and TV built in to the screen in the dash were just some of the options my car was equipped with. So not only would the car guide you where you needed to go, your passengers could watch their favourite shows on the way! So cool!
My e39 540i survived a house fire, was the vehicle I brought my first rescue dog home in, and was my first taste of what a truly timeless and great car is. I really wish I still had it!
I wonder which car you’ve owned, that you’re thinking about right now, that you regret getting rid of, and gives you the same feelings as my old 540i does for me?
I’m off to look through for sale ads and see if there’s any nice e39s for sale!
