Still love this car
The E39 body style 5 Series was, and still is, a favorite of mine ( and many others). While I wanted an M5 6speed, I couldn't find one. So I "settled" for a v nice, used, 2001 540i w/sport pkg, steptronic automatic, 35000mi. That was in 2006. There is now 99500mi on the car. Yes, they are quirky and expensive to fix and maintain. Nonetheless, this car is a beast and is very fun to drive, especially on road trips. With good tires, it stays glued to the road at speeds well in excess of 100 mph. If you need to accelerate quickly from say 70 to 100+mph, this car exceeds expectations. The only reason I don't give it 5 stars is due to the quirky emissions, check engine light madness among other oddities inherent in this performance sedan.