M5 Dilema - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

canamracer · 31st August 2009, 17:41

I purchased a 2000 M5 from a guy in NYC for 12k. The car was previously broken into at the garage where I purchased it. The interior of the car had been totally removed and replaced with a 540 interior. Because the car was selling so cheap I decided to purchase it. I have replaced the cream with a complete M5 black interior. Just recently I spoke a source that says he has information about the car that I should not keep it. He says that the original owner told him why the car went for so cheap. It was a theft recovery and apparently the engine in the car is not the original engine. When I bought the car it had a clean title. I checked the car fax and the car came back clean. What should I do at this point? The car is still at the garage where I purchased it because the turn signal and air are not working. i don't have any service records for the car and at this point feeling like a real sucker. Anyone have a suggestion or 2!

Richbob · 31st August 2009, 19:11

You're kidding about all this, right?

Why would anyone remove the M5 stuff (interior, engine, and all the other stuff you haven't found out about), and replace it with 540 stuff?

Does not compute...

havasusteve03Beast · 31st August 2009, 20:25

Does the VIN came back as an M5 or a 540??? Have BMW do a check of the VIN, not car fax. Also, just have BMW advise you what the motor# should be and double check the #'s....Does the engine have 2 airboxes and MAF's????

Good Luck

canamracer · 31st August 2009, 20:30

Vin check came back as an M5. The engine has 2 airboxes.

canamracer · 31st August 2009, 21:06

Your guess is as good as mine as to why they would remove the interior. Believe me the car is an M5. The owner said when he purchased the car he himself he had to look at the title to see if it was actually an M5. He said the suspension was a 5 series suspension and the calipers were small. He replaced the suspension with the M5 suspension. He said the guy he purchased the car from had a 540 so looks like he did the swap.

E55AMG2 · 31st August 2009, 21:49

It's fairly easy to tell the difference between an M5 and a clone.

Mirrors, Steering wheel, instruments, exhaust, engine, differential, dash board, headliner, etc are all different.

Also, all M cars have different VIN's than the non M cars.

havasusteve03Beast · 31st August 2009, 22:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by canamracer

Vin check came back as an M5. The engine has 2 airboxes.

So with that, the title is M5, the engine (whether original or not) is M5, title has no record of theft recovery etc...........I would subscribe to "If it walks like a duck"
Treat it as an M5, if it drives nice, you got a nice deal and go from there...

Let the mods begin.