We bought in July 06 as Certified Pre-Owned 2002 BMW 540iAT as a Home Depot / Ikea run / long distance people carrier and daily driver, and I have to say that the 540iT has met our expectations in most areas.

Wagons with atV8 power and a european touch of class are not that easy to find on the US market, and the short list did not offer many alternatives. Mercedes, BMW or Audi, we went for the bavarians as several were on dealer lots in the region.

In terms of cargo space, the 540iT has swallowed virtually anything we've thrown at it, offering a large and flat cargo area to load up furniture, bikes, boxes. Seats are easy to fold, but the trunk cover is irritatingly heavy to remove.

The 4.4L V8 delivers commendable performance, more than adequate to be swift in trafic, with plenty of torque in reserve to extract you from any situation. I can't say the same of the automatic gearbox (mandatory on the wagon, unlike the sedan) which is sometimes overly eager to downshift. The sport mode setting and Steptronic manual over-rides are more gadgetry than usable other than in long downhills, making attempts at committed driving a bit out of place. We are also annoyed by the jerkiness from standstill, you really have to feather the throttle to prevent the car from jumping forward in a passenger-upsetting way.

Build quality is adequate though not outstanding, we are experiencing a "clonk" noise somewhere in the passenger B pillar and a few squeaks can be heard on degraded pavement. Certain plastics feel a bit cheap, so does the fake wood trim with misjudged fittings in some places like the gearshift surrounding. The weather isn't of the finest grain either, materials and finish are not in Lexus or Audi league.
Our car is equipped with the optional sport package, providing better seat lateral support, 17in wheels and a chunkier steering wheel among other goodies.

The electric cooling fan makes a horrible noise, really out of place for such a classy car, furthermore as it's triggered very frequently, even in mild weather.

We measured gas mileage at 17.97 mpg over 6700 miles, it is difficult to exceed 20mpg even on long freeway trips and sedate driving style. With slightly more aggressive driving, you can easily fall in 16 mpg territory, not out of place for a 280+ horsepower car of that weight, but not sober either. Thankfully, the tank is large enough to provide easily more than 300 miles of range.

Handling is very well judged for a car of these dimensions, with a slightly numb steering wheel ratio, but solid composure in cornering and powerful brakes.
Amount Paid (US$): 33000
Condition: Used
Model Year: 2002
Model and Options: 540iAT Sports Package