2003 BMW 540 consumer reviews

Bought it as 2nd owner with 18k miles. Added about 30k miles of trouble free miles. Love the car and regret selling it. Bought a 2009 535i, which I really like, but I'm not sure the quality is the same as the 2003 540i. Anyway, once you own a BMW, it is hard to switch.

I owned a 6 speed 2003 with sport package with all the options.....This is a fabulous handling car with tremendous acceleration....My estimate it does 0-60mph in 5s not the 5.6s as the engine wears in. Especially the 2003 had a lot of extras thrown in that were found on the M5. Note that the single large bore exhaust on this one is a key giveaway for better than "rated" performance...and it only came in 2003. I was getting better numbers as the mileage approached 50K compared to when I got it at 35K. Your mileage may vary! Gas mileage on those highway trips averaged 22-23 with the car pushed "HARD"....I mean sprints from 80-90 mph to 120mph-130mph all day long...The fastest I ever got it going was 141 mph. I left a lot of "fast" cars in the dust; the surprise on driver's faces with 400HP motors whom I could keep up with or out maneuver in tight traffic. What I enjoyed most was giving the bikers a run for their money....I could accelerate and stay on their tails at 130mph effortlessly...they usually gave up quickly; too much metal momentum too close to them at that speed. So here is the downside...this is a high maintenance vehicle! Be ready and able to spend the money to keep it at its peak! Driving this thing when it is not in top condition can be frustrating. These vehicles require regular maintenance....If you have a garage and like to tinker with cars then buy this used (with service records) otherwise steer clear...Even a car that looks pristine could have very expensive problems lurking...My car looked and drove mint but had $7-10K of repairs/maintenance lurking in the next 10-15K after 60K....Beware! You either want to and can tinker with them OR you have dough! Stay away from these vehicles if you think you can take it to the local mechanic and stay on a budget..... My trips from Boston to Toronto and back over two years were numerous and this vehicle made the drive something I looked forward to each time. I LOVED the performance of the car! And I hated to part with that machine when I traded it in. After my wife and two daughters it was my closest love! As a friend of mine once commented after he drove it for...."Driving this thing beats mediocre s@x!"

This is my first BMW. I have owned 3 Porsches, 2 Infinities, 1 Merc, a Z06, and several Japanese luxo/sport sedans. This 540i is my choice for a daily driver yet can deliver enough performance on regular US roads to make me wonder why I even bother with my other cars. The ride is unbelievable when you consider the handling, and it so tight and quiet. Just a solid car. BMW also offers such great service - buy an extended warranty and it pays for itself. Only downside is you will go through tires in 40K miles as you can't rotate them due to the fatter rears. Jump into a 5 series and you won't even look at a working class 3 series... even with M badges.

This is my 3rd 540iA, I obviously like them! Probably the best car I have ever driven, even flat out at 155mph (on the autobahn of course) the car is rock solid. Fit and finish are exemplary, as is performance and ergonomics. My only complaint is the car does not have Lexus reliability and the DSP sound system is not that good.

Wow, what an awesome car to hit the road with! Tons of power and handles like a dream. Great car worth picking up.

Looks great The performance and handling is amazing The sport package is a MUST The Automatic Rear Sun Shade is also a MUST Im going to buy another one

This car is 75% of an M5 of the same year. And that means a lot....The 2003 Sport Package is so close to an M5 (sans the engine) that one cannot go wrong if getting one of these instead of an M5.....the 540i is better suited to daily driving than an M5...one will have a hard time tapping the M5 potential on US metro area roads. I have had the car for 500 miles and it is an unbelievable ride......I don't realize that I am going 110MPH until I look down at the speedo...This car will get me in trouble!

The first impression you get is that this is a high quality vehicle. All interior materials are first class. The seats are very comfortable. It is very easy to drive the car for long distances without feeling worn out. This car is very quick and handles extremely well. No complaints so far whatsoever. I have owned mine for a year and I still enjoy the craftmanship used to build this car.