AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE…(with a FEW twists)

Understated Brutality at its Finest…

Beauty AND Beast…

An Iron Fist in a Silver Velvet Glove...

The Closest Thing to an E39 M5 Touring…

THE 412 HP, 397 FT-LBS
D I N A N - S U P E R C H A R G E D
2003 BMW 540IT WAGON




THE WARNING: If you are looking for an economical, gas-sipping, beat-up hauler at a give-away price, may I kindly
apologize and tell you this is definitely NOT the car for you. If you’re on the lookout for a practical and versatile alternative to an
SUV, this sport wagon certainly fits the bill. If however you are hunting for a one-of-a-kind vehicle – at once elegant and sporty,
refined and brutal, practical yet powerful, unique, and with just a bit of history, then read on. By the way, if the rest of this story
bores you somewhere before it ends, thanks for considering my car. It is only as detailed as I personally would want if I were the
prospective buyer. I despise ads that leave details out just to force you to call them and get your lip hooked on their bait. I’d
rather know that whoever musters enough mental fortitude to the last line and contacts me expressing interest knows exactly
what he is considering. I prefer receiving a handful of real enthusiasts’ inquiries than dozens of wasted calls because of my
ambiguity. It is not long for gratuitous reasons. It IS lengthy in anticipation of pretty much every question that could
conceivably come up. And yes, this whole write up was designed to discourage as many people as possible. Just being honest
and upfront.

THE DEMOGRAPHICS: It’s no secret that wagons are nowhere as popular here as they are in Europe. But let me use
2003 yearend figures from BMW for 2 reasons: my car is an ‘03, and it was a very good year for them. BMW sold about 276,000
cars, including 36,000 Minis. A total of 40,000 were X3 and X5 SUVs (15%). I’ve never understood how a heavier vehicle with
worse gas mileage and less trunk space than a wagon could be so popular. (But, yes, we had a 4.4 X5!) 47,000 were 5-series
vehicles. I can’t find the exact breakdown, but it seems wagons accounted for no more than 2% to 3% of total sales. I believe
around 1,500 525 6-cylinder wagons (50% of 1%), and 200 of the V8 540 wagons (7% of 1%!) were sold yearly. That’s 1 out of
28 5-series buyers going for the grocery getter, and only 1 out of 235 opting for the more powerful variant. Now let me further
constrict the circle of interest by wondering how many of those buyers would go for the ultimate sleeper, with the most amount
of power shoved under the hood along with all the necessary upgrades, with just about every upgrade and option on the interior,
done tastefully to OEM standards. Now we are at 1 out of 1,000, or perhaps 1 out of 2,000. But I know YOU are out there
somewhere, and I am not alone. While touring lovers are a small group, we can be fanatical.

THE TWISTS: The car is for sale. Thankfully, there is no hurry or necessity to sell. For many reasons it will
understandably and expectedly not be a quick process. One twist is that there is no set time frame - imagine an indefinite eBay
auction. In other words, it will always be on sale until it is sold. Of course, I will post price adjustments as mileage and usage dictate.

I maintain our cars on a proactive and preventive basis as much as possible, especially this one. As a recent example, on January 8,
2010, I visited All German Auto (which is the main independent shop that services everything but the minor things) to have them
replace my brake pads. While there they noticed the alternator belt had a few cracks. But since they were going to do it anyways,
at their suggestion I also had the A/C belt replaced. I mention that to make it clear that at any given time, to the best of my
knowledge, it is in tiptop condition. In other words, regardless of the fact that I am selling it, it is being serviced and cared for
knowing my wife drives it, and as though it will stay with me for another 150,000 miles. Because it might! (I am seriously
contemplating a running list of major repairs and maintenance, for buyers to weigh the price against their potential servicing costs.
In other words, the more I replace as it ages, short of the new owner abusing it, the less he has to do, aside from scheduled items.)

The other step I will take to protect all parties concerned is inspired by eBay again. EVERY inquiry, price offer, meet and test drive
from every source that comes my way will be documented on the main ‘For Sale’ thread. I certainly have a mental Reserve number,
and will rank the offers like a regular auction. By making everything transparent it brings the best out of all of us.

THE CAR (Part 1): You are looking at a Titanium Silver 2003 BMW 540it Sport Wagon with Gray Montana Leather, with
75,000 miles, as of January 1, 2010. Based on its VIN of WBADR63403GN92355, it is 2/56 – the second out of only 56 total factory
2003 M-Sport 540 wagons equipped with Navigation. (Incidentally, I still have an unused original window sticker, courtesy of the
first owner, that goes over every little detail, along with a pristine 2003 5 series sport wagon brochure.)

Notable Standard, Comfort and Convenience features:
- 4.4 liter DOHC, 32-valve V8 engine
- 5-Speed STEPTRONIC Automatic Transmission
- Halogen Free-form Fog lights
- Rain-sensing Windshield Wipers
- Leather-wrapped Multi-function Steering Wheel with Cruise, Audio and Accessory Phone Controls (UPGRADED, see below)
- Power Glass Moonroof
- Roof Rails
- Fully-finished Cargo Area with Retractable Luggage Net

Factory Options:
- Park Distance Control (front and rear)
- BMW/Alpine 6-CD changer (trunk-mounted)
- Navigation System, including Cassette
- Cold Weather Package (Heated Front Seats, Headlight Washers, Ski bag)
- Sport Package (17” Alloy Wheels (UPGRADED, see below), Power Front Sport Seats, M-Sport Steering Wheel (UPGRADED,
see below), High-gloss Shadowline Trim, Aerodynamic Package)
- Rear Side Airbags
- Universal Integrated Remote Control
- Xenon Headlights
- Gas Guzzler!
- Since the car was Euro-delivered by the first owner, it also has a Euro-only First Aid kit under the front passenger seat!

THE PICTURES: Thanks to this week’s inclement weather, I don’t have the typical requisite “For Sale” photos.
For now, here are some to give you a good idea of the car. Where pertinent and as time allows, I will certainly entertain
reasonable specific requests. I must add some of these pictures were color-adjusted for artistic purposes. I’ll be posting updated, current and
unaltered ones soon.



Front:


Passenger Side:


Driver Side:



Rear:


Cockpit:


Door Panel:


Engine Bay:



THE STORY: I’ve always loved wagons – from the 1991 Toyota Corolla wagon we used to have, to the AMG
300TE 6.0 featured in the February 1990 Car & Driver that I could only dream about. Personally, a wagon was one way of
having an exclusive vehicle without it screaming for attention. The E39 variant had everything for me – it was practical,
elegant (having aged gracefully, especially beside the Bangled E61 that to this day I doubt I’ll ever want to own), and even
with the stock 4.4-liter engine, quite powerful with 290 horses. And very much the sleeper!

THE HUNT: The initial research told me finding a loaded 2003 wagon with low miles was going to be difficult.
In particular, I wanted, nay required, Navigation, Heated Seats, and definitely the Sport Package that included:
(quoted from the brochure)
- Aggressive 17” M Parallel Spoke alloy wheels
- 235/45R front, 255/40R rear performance tires;
- A sleek Aerodynamic Kit including front spoiler, side trim and rear apron (my favorite);
- M footrest;
- Black roof liner;
- Titanium rings on instrument panel gauges;
- M-Technic sport steering wheel with multi-function controls;
- 12-way power front sport seats with adjustable thigh support;
- Self-leveling sport suspension; and
- High-gloss Shadowline trim

It was only in the final year of production that the Sport Package included such goodies, as only 335 V8 wagons were destined
for the USA (and a handful to Canada). Only 181 were M-Sport packaged from the factory, and of that just 56 were also
equipped with navigation. (To put that in perspective, my other all-time favorite car, the Z8 Alpina, saw 555 made!) It was
January 22, 2006 – early Sunday afternoon, when I just casually checked and updated the searches. A few had come up,
but most were pretty high mileage ones on the East Coast that had seen a few winters. That day, a Silver example with
Gray leather, very much loaded, showed up with only 26,000 miles. Even better, it was only 40 miles away! I frantically
called the owner, and was on my way to meet him. I still remember one of his opening comments to me: “This is not a
regular wagon. It’s rather special. Do I have to explain to you what you’re looking at?” Of course not. He didn’t have to.
We shook hands that night.

THE TRANSFORMATION: With only one space in our garage allotted to me, what I really wanted was an M5
wagon. They never made one, save the one-off for the ///M Division boss in Germany. Power-wise, the closest thing was
to supercharge. Aesthetically and functionally, everything that could be upgraded with a better OEM option would be done
to complete that package inside and out. I wanted my car to be as low-key as possible, to the point where modifications
would not detract from a factory look. In other words, what would this beast have been like had it rolled off BMW’s
production line?

Having owned an e46 M3 for the previous 4 years, the cliché that power corrupts is true. Honestly, the stock power plant
was more than sufficient. But a little bit more surely can’t be a bad thing… I read about different options – even the absolutely
insane M5 engine and 6-speed swap (which has been done). As this is my daily driver, coupled with the reality that I am severely
mechanically-challenged, I wanted something reliable AND street legal. Dinan was the only tuner that could meet both
requirements, and was as good as OEM. The entire adventure rivaling the emotional turmoil of daytime soaps was painstakingly
documented on a massive thread online (see below).

All non-performance OEM upgrades were done by a prodigiously talented young man who has been christened Dr. Tyrone.
Most of you would never get to see it, but in his meticulous fastidiousness even the smallest connectors are BMW-branded.
If there was one who could take apart and reassemble an E39 like most of us work on Happy Meal jigsaw puzzles, he is the man.
All performance modifications were expertly done by one of Dinan’s most experienced Southern California shops at that time, BMS.
Unfortunately, it is no longer in business. Routine services have been performed by Savage BMW, where I have a wonderful 9-year
relationship with quite a few people, including the owner, Pete Savage. For the more intensive and Dinan-related work, I have
driven 90 miles for the last 2 years to All German Auto in Escondido, CA, owned by Martin Christensen. His exceptional integrity,
excellence and customer service is worth the drive and effort.

THE MODIFICATIONS – INSIDE:
OEM Installs and Retrofit:
- Complete DSP Sound System,
- M5 Oval Rear View Mirror,
- M5 Instrument Cluster (yes, the tach lights and oil gauges do NOT work.),
- M5 Tire Pressure Monitor,
- ///M Door Sill Strip,
- ///M-Stitched E46 M3 SMG Steering Wheel with Black Trim (with Mr. Paddle Shift Adapter Kit),
- ///M Mobility Kit,
- Birch Anthracite Wood Trim Kit,
- Birch Anthracite Gear Shift **** and Hand Brake piece,
- Montana Leather Sliding Armrest,
- TEC Cup Holder,
- Mini-Umbrella and Case,
- Rubber Mats,
- Euro Heavy-Duty Trunk Liner,
- Navigation Ver. 27 s/w (Bird’s Eye View),
- Rear Door Sunshades,
- Two-Stage Rear Heated Seats (all 3 occupants)
- Ashtray Delete.

Non-OEM Interior Installs:
- BSW Rainbow Speakers,
- BSW Flush-mounted Trunk Subwoofer;
- 4-Stage Front Seat Massagers;
(All non-OEM installs were chosen because there were no OEM counterparts, but were selected based on compatibility and
as close to BMW standards as possible.)
- Hardwired for Valentine One Radar Detector (detector NOT included.)
- Spare Wheel: BBS RC 18 x 8.5, Michelin Pilot Sport 2, 245/40/18.

THE MODIFICATIONS – EXTERNAL:
OEM Installs and Retrofit:
- Debadged,
- M5 Front Grille Grid,
- M5 Factory Pre-painted Retracting Side View Mirrors;
- OEM Euro Aspheric Glass,
- OEM Euro Clear Hella Front Angel Eye Xenons,
- OEM Euro Clear Tail Lenses.

Non-OEM Exterior Upgrades:
- AC Schnitzer Type II, 19 x 8.5 front, 19 x 9.5 rear; (these were powder-coated earlier in 2008, but unfortunately a
fancy restaurant valet adorned one front wheel with some minor scuff marks in December, 2008.)
- Michelin Pilot Sports 2, 245/35/19 front, 275/30/19 rear
- Full body factory-spec repaint in May 2009 at Spectrum Collision in Irvine, CA, a certified BMW repair facility.

THE MODIFICATIONS – PERFORMANCE: (ALL CA Street Legal)
- Big Brake Kit: StopTech, Silver Calipers with Slotted Rotors (14-inch 4-Piston front, 13.6-inch 2-Piston rear);
- DINAN Front Strut Brace,
- DINAN Single Oval Free-Flow Lightweight Exhaust,
- DINAN High-Flow Throttle Body,
- DINAN Stage 3 Touring Suspension (with matching Rear Konis custom ordered),
- DINAN Front Camber Plates,
- DINAN 3.45 Limited-Slip Differential,
- DINAN Engine Software,
- DINAN Transmission Software for more aggressive shifts and higher redline; top –speed limiter removed,
- DINAN Stage 3 Supercharger System,
- DINAN S3 Engine Plaque (Under the hood).
(Note: All DINAN engine upgrades have individual CARB-certified stickers mounted under the hood.)
- It would be nice to get Steve Dinan to sign the plaque and supercharger. I forgot to do that when I visited Dinan’s
Morgan Hill headquarters!



(continued, next post)

 

THE RESULT: It is truly a reflection of my vision, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in the best sense of it, or seamless
automotive schizophrenia. While certain visual cues hint that it is not your run-of-the-mill soccer mom wagon, most will be
oblivious to them. I love the subtle, if almost nondescript impact it has on most people. I wanted a powerful vehicle that did
not have to necessarily advertise its prowess, like a Hermes Birkin handbag with nary an emblem as opposed to a Louis Vuitton
cloyingly splattered with Ls and Vs. I have, however, been stopped, where people have asked – “Is it a real hybrid?” (It used
to sport such a badge thanks to a practical joke played on me…) or “It sounds different. Anything done to the engine?” I
remember picking up my daughters from school, dropping them off at home, turning right back and heading for the local drag
strip. I even participated in a track weekend at Willow Springs – don’t worry – I am a total newbie in the lowest and slowest
class. The perfectly tuned suspension provides a ride quality that is both firm yet not punishing, allowing it to shine taking
corners and swallowing mile after mile in grand touring guise. It is gentlemanly menacing without resorting to tacked-on
aerodynamic vestiges. Amazingly, keeping it in auto and driving the speed limit gets me 25 mpg, and manually paddle-shifting
in sport mode with a lead foot at the 6,250 redline yields an exhilarating 8 mpg. My real life average is around 13 mpg – that’s
city and freeway, and paddle-shifting in sport mode all day long. Five passengers, a sporty driver’s cockpit and cabin with a
touch of luxury, more trunk space than an X5, more power than most cars on the road, and only a handful of us. (The first
blown wagon was a 1997 that was the original Dinan mule, I’m the second, and in 2008, the third one, my practical twin who
is Darth Vader incarnate. To be one of perhaps only 3 is truly rarified company.) It was supercharged end of June, 2006, around 30k
miles on the clock.

THE CAR (Part 2): If you have read this far you realize and care that this is no ordinary car. You are looking at
a sleek silver missile with 412 snorting horses and 397 ft-lbs of torque under the hood (327 hp to the REAR WHEELS documented
on a conservative Dyno. It is worth noting that stock is only 227 to the WHEELS.). It is the perfect marriage of exclusivity and
practicality. What BMW superbly engineered to be the ultimate sport wagon, Dinan took to its pinnacle of powerful perfection,
without compromising its reliability and drivability. That a wagon can turn the mundane into something exciting is special. Almost
every little daily task – a freeway onramp, an occasional open or twisty stretch of road, or just plain cruising on the highway –
can be a reason to smile like a kid. The way the suspension takes a sweeping road by my home, or how the supercharger whistles
and whirrs with its unique exhaust note makes every gallon of premium consumed well worth it.

Did i wish it was even more powerful? Of course. Could it be done? I had some vendors dying to play with it. But Steve Dinan's
philosophy gave me the best answer. He did not just want to build a really fast car. A powerful engine is one thing, but to make
it drivable everyday, pass smog, leave the internals stock, and last a long time? Now THAT is an achievement.

Is it in flawless showroom condition? No, but dangerously close. It is enjoyed and driven. Pushed hard, but never abused.
Thanks to the beautiful BMW-spec paint job, you won’t see the few nicks from road debris on the lower front air dam, or
the dimples and scratches from inconsiderate people. For the record it has never been in any accidents. It has been
meticulously cared for, serviced and has never once seen a car wash. (It is one of my few instances of physical exertion
to hand wash it every weekend.) As I work from home, it rarely sat under the sun – always garaged when it
was not on the road. It is smogged and registered until January of 2011.

THE LIGHTER SIDE: For those of you men quietly suffering from midlife crisis, or looking for an excuse to start it,
I can assure you this will provide more than adequate power and thrills to land you behind bars, without anyone else noticing.
This is a much more intelligent alternative to screaming for attention around town in a red convertible as your chest hairs hang
on for dear life on your gold necklace, and as the wind gently caresses the wispy remains of your balding pate.

And for the ladies, almost nothing can tailgate you. Forget the SUV and suburban look. The S-Class, E-Class, 7-series and
5-series sedans are nice, but EVERYONE has one. Cosset yourself and up to four other friends and children, load up whatever
you need for that out of town competition or weekend trip, turn on the air to 60 degrees, kick up the 5 heated seats, and turn
up the volume on whatever concert you want to enjoy. If you drive calmly, you can leave Southern California and almost make
it to San Francisco on one tank of gas. Or you’re welcome to nail the accelerator to see what 165 mph feels like. (Let’s just say
it is solid as a rock, and sounds like a roaring angry fighter jet.) Just don’t get a ticket.

THE BONUS: Is it special? Absolutely! When there was an issue of it not developing the maximum power, I took it
to Morgan Hill, where over a two and half day period it was recalibrated. The highlight was to have it hand-tuned by Steve
Dinan himself. It was featured in the November 2008 issue of Bimmer magazine, a copy of which will be included with the car!
On the side of notoriety, I will shamefully admit it was involved in a fairly serious ticket in Las Vegas, details of which I may
share with the eventual buyer, and perhaps happily provide a facsimile of said misconduct to validate my stupidity and the
car’s ability. Speaking of speed, it would not be an exaggeration to say that this is perhaps one of the fastest, best-handling
and mightiest BMW wagons you will ever run into in the continental US.

THE THREAD: If you would like to get even more information, read up on my car’s sojourn in words and pictures,
here’s the link if you have lots of time and coffee. (Please excuse the dead links, as one of the hosting sites went belly up.
Thankfully that only affects earlier pictures from 3 years ago.)

The MOTHER Thread!

THE REASONS: Truth be told, I have had a very profound change of heart about cars. As I had already mentioned
in my main thread, I retired from my business of two decades in January of 2009. Despite the scary economic meltdown we have
lived through the last two years, I count myself to be in a very blessed position. The car is owned outright. While there is no
NEED to let it go, I would PREFER to sell it. I have enjoyed every moment of it, but I believe the time has come. Externally, it is
in about as pristine a condition as it will be, considering the recent factory-spec repaint. Mechanically, this car has always been
meticulously maintained and serviced. Interior-wise, the leather looks and smells great, and the cabin is still an immaculate
sanctuary. The other reason is more philosophical as it relates to the new directions I am considering. The crossroads our family
has come to has been and will continue to be a living classroom to my daughters who are watching and learning with their eyes
wide open, and the best way I can teach them valuable life lessons is to live them out.

THE PRICE: $30k firm. But in the spirit of automotive economics, let’s peg it at $29,995. As my calculations are fair,
simple and more than realistic, there is really little room for negotiation. The car is not perfect, but definitely close. Private party
pricing of a STOCK 2003 540 wagon is right at $16,000. The cost of the Dinan supercharger with labor alone was $15,000, so I
assigned that figure for EVERY upgrade, obviously nowhere near what the original cost (more like not even 1/3 of the total) which
I knew going in and am cognizant of. (I am still considering an itemized mod list if time allows.) And then to the touring lover, add
exclusivity without the stratospheric price tag. Factor in further any attempt to duplicate such an endeavor. And because its
journey was thoroughly documented online, you know exactly what has happened to the car, in a manner that inches-thick of
dealer repair receipts (which you will get, of course) can never convey. Certainly, my loss is truly going to be someone’s gain.
I realize that what may be stupid to some people is reasonable to me. My beast of a wagon was well taken care of, loved and
enjoyed. While I’ll be sad to see it go, I will do my best to make sure it finds a new home with a rabid enthusiast. (I will of course
make reasonable adjustments for additional mileage I put on, which thanks to working at home will not be crazy.)
Lastly, I realize my parameters can lead to either a longer wait for the right buyer. The worst case scenario would find me driving
it the next 10 years, which would be a wonderful predicament.

While you are all welcome to offer whatever you deem is fair, please do not offer comments about my pricing. If you find it
difficult to accept my pricing rationale, let’s just agree to disagree agreeably.

THE FINANCING WRINKLE: Due to the nature of the car, there is a very significant factor that will come into play
if you are choosing to finance your purchase. At best, with your top-tier credit score, you should be able to get up to 125%
financing on the Blue Book Retail value of the STOCK car plus its corresponding tax, which for this particular vehicle with all the
options factored in is around $19,000. That means at the $30,000 purchase price, everything above the Blue Book value assigned
must be separately handled by cash or a cashier’s check as no bank or finance company will do it. And that is not considering the
possibility of your lender requiring some down payment because the used car is also over 5 years old. So best case scenario, you
get $19,000 plus tax financed, and have to come up with the other $11,000 in cash to me. At worst, you may only be able to
finance 80% of the $19,000, which is about $15,000 with tax, come up with $4,000 cash for the down payment to your lender,
and come up with the other $11,000 to me. Incidentally, my credit union remarked that they are able to extend a signature loan
to cover what is not financed, but obviously at a different rate. Currently, their best 5-year loans for used cars run 6.99%, and
their best signature loans run $12.99%, giving a ballpark 100% no money down blended rate of about 10%. Finally, I am not
interested in carrying a note on what you may not be able to come up with.

THE APPEARANCES: I’m planning to show the car off at a few venues this year. For starters, it will be at the
Crevier-sponsored BMWCCA Holiday party/Clean Car Show on January 30, 2010, from 1 pm to 8 pm. Beyond that, I will most
likely be at BimmerFest 2010 in Santa Barbara, and maybe even Monterey in August 2010.

THE FAQ: PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE CONTACTING ME. It is informative, and could definitely prevent any
misunderstandings or hurt feelings, as that is not my intent. I have tried to anticipate the most important issues that might
come up.

1. Please obtain your own financing if necessary. I will not carry any loans, nor accept credit cards. Cashier’s checks only.
2. Out of state buyers must set up their own shipping arrangements.
3. No, I don’t offer a free Carfax printout.
4. I will not entertain any swapping out of parts. The car will be sold as is in one piece. Candidly, I am aware that the
other possible kind of buyer would be one who would part it out, and could easily make more than the $30,000 by
parceling out just about every piece, restoring the car to stock, and then selling off the car. I’m sure it can be done, just that I have
no interest.
5. I understand this car appeals to a very small and specific demographic.
6. I RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REFUSE A TEST DRIVE. Prior to the test drive, I will make copies of your driver license and
proof of insurance. No copies, no drive. Nothing personal.
7. Car will be shown by appointment only in a Chino Hills location. I will not drive
out of my way to show it.
8. Until I’m handed a cashier’s check, I reserve the right to change my mind.
9. I will be happy to drive to your BMW dealer or reputable independent of choice for the pre-purchase inspection within
30 miles of Chino Hills at your pre-arranged and prepaid expense.
10. Please do not ask to change any of the above.
11. Please contact me, Jack, by e-mail at kms1655@yahoo.com.
12. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING, YOUR TIME AND YOUR INTEREST.

NEXT POST FOR MORE PICTURES...

 

INDIVIDUAL PICTURES:


Heated Rear Seats:


Rear Window Shades:


///M5 Instrument Cluster:


///M5 Side View Mirrors with Aspheric Glass:


///M5 Oval Rear View Mirror:


///M Door Sill Strip:


///M Mobility Kit:


Birch Anthracite Wood Kit:



OEM Euro Rear Taillights:


TEC Cupholder:


CheckPoint Massager:


BBS RC Spare with Michelin Pilot Sport 2:


Dinan Oval Exhaust:


Dinan CARB-Certification Stickers:





1/8-mile Time Slip:


Dyno:


THE END.

THANK YOU!

 

quick update, as of 1/20/2010, 2p: SALE PENDING. i know. too soon.



Yes, SALE PENDING...CLICK HERE for

Details and Updates to Offers and Comments as of 1/23/2010...