Good morning! Today’s Shitbox Showdown takes us to the southernmost cross-country interstate in the country: Interstate 10, from Jacksonville, Florida to Santa Monica, California. We’re looking at two sleek black stickshift V8s, one from each end. But first, let’s finish up with yesterday’s Subarus:
Yeah, I figured. That would be my choice too. Also, I see by the low comment count and voting total that you all shared my lack of enthusiasm for these two. Point taken, lesson learned. If I don’t care about the cars, you won’t either. So let’s move on to something more interesting, shall we?
Interstate 10 runs along the south of the country, from the Sunshine State to the Golden State. There is no chance of running into a snowstorm along this route, so it seems the perfect place to look for rear-wheel-drive V8-powered cars with manual transmissions. And lo and behold, I found a couple. Let’s check them out.
2001 BMW 540i – $3,900
Engine/drivetrain: 4.4 liter dual overhead cam V8, six-speed manual, RWD
Location: Orlando, FL
Odometer reading: 242,000 miles
Runs/drives? Yep
The E39-chassis BMW 5 Series is a popular car around here. Matt has one. So does Mercedes. Both of theirs, however, have BMW’s admittedly excellent inline six under the hood. This one does not. The 540i is powered instead by a 4.4 liter V8, which I’ve heard turns it into a completely different animal. I’ve never had the chance to drive one myself, but as good as a six-cylinder E39 is, I can only imagine that more horsepower makes it even better.
It also, however, makes it a hell of a lot more complex. These cars can be reliable, more or less, if the maintenance is kept up – but “maintenance” is a broad term that can include preventive replacement of the timing chains and the entire cooling system. With as many miles as this one has on it, we can assume it has received all that and more, or it wouldn’t still be running, but a thorough inspection is the only prudent course of action.
Overall, though, this car is in beautiful condition for its age and mileage. The paint is still shiny, the interior is intact and clean, and it looks completely stock, which itself is rare for an old fast BMW. There are a lot of electric and electronic gadgets in this car, and one can assume that at least some of it no longer works. But finding stuff like that is just part of the initiation ritual when purchasing a car like this; the first day, you push all the buttons and see which ones don’t do anything, and you start making your list of things to fix.
I don’t know that I would trust this car as a daily driver, at least without a backup, but it would be a fun weekend toy. The E39 is a fantastic handling car; it’s still the standard by which other cars are measured. This V8-powered one is an order of magnitude more complicated than the six-cylinder variants, but it’s still just nuts and bolts – if you have the knowledge and the patience, you can keep it going.
2006 Ford Mustang GT – $4,500
Engine/drivetrain: 4.6 liter overhead cam V8, five-speed manual, RWD
Location: Los Feliz, CA
Odometer reading: 200,000 miles
Runs/drives? Indeed
When it comes to three-pedal V8 fun, however, you can’t go too far wrong with a good old Ford Mustang. This simple, working-class hero has been available with a V8 and a stick since before Dylan went electric. (Well, if you don’t count 1974, that is.) For 2005, the Mustang was redesigned with a retro shape reminiscent of the first generation, joining the retro-styling movement alongside Volkswagen and Mini. Personally, I’ve never been too fond of this style Mustang, at least as a coupe, but I think it works as a convertible.
This Mustang is a GT model, and as such, has a 4.6 liter version of Ford’s “Modular” V8 under the hood. This one has three valves per cylinder, and sends a nice even 300 horsepower to the rear wheels through a five-speed stick. This one runs “excellent,” the seller says, even with 200,000 miles on the odometer. It isn’t quite stock; it breathes through a Roush cold-air intake that may or may not actually add any horsepower, but I bet it makes it sound faster anyway.
Compared to the BMW, this car is a bit crude inside, but when you consider their original price points and intended markets, that isn’t surprising. It’s in good shape at least, except for the carpet, and that can be solved with a set of floor mats. A black leather interior isn’t ideal for a convertible, though – those seats can get awfully hot in the sun. Here’s hoping the air conditioner works.
Outside, it looks good in basic black, except for some scorched clearcoat on the hood. It looks like the top is in good condition, but most of the photos show the top down, so it’s hard to say. At least the Mustang has a glass rear window, so you don’t have to worry about a plastic window going all opaque.
These cars weren’t competitors when they were new, but time is the great equalizer, and twenty years after the fact, they have more in common than it may seem at first glance. They’re similar in price, not too far apart in performance, both manuals, and both fun to drive in their own way. So the choice is yours: refined sports sedan, or rowdy pony car?
(Image credits: Craigslist sellers)
That BMW is for sure broken and will forever leak oil even if it does run. At least I can get parts for the stang anywhere. Funny enough, I rented a new ecoboost stang last week and it made more horsepower than this one. It actually felt quick.
There’s a reason the 3vs were replaced so quickly by the Coyote and that it has stuck around and most of it was due to performance
You can’t have fun without sun hon. That means convertible.
I voted Mustang but was then surprised that it was actually in the lead. I am sure the BMW is a great car but I don’t need 4 doors and a roof. Especially since if I owned either, it would be summer only.
The biggest issue the BMW 540i has is the timing chain in the V8… specifically the chain guides. It’s not a particularly difficult job to DIY, but it does require some special tools. At 242k miles I would be really surprised if it hadn’t already had the guides done, they usually don’t last that long. Once the guides are done, it’s more or less the same maintenance items as any other E39, aka cooling system and control arms/bushings front & back.
The 05-09(really 10) Mustang is my least favorite of the 1979+ Mustangs and the convertible version even more so..but I would still take it over the BMW. Cost to maintain would be way cheaper and parts availability much better. With that said though, I really do not like the 3v engines and they aren’t especially reliable compared to other modular Ford engines so I would basically run it until it inevitably blanks a cam or too many spark plugs have broken off in the heads and then I would send it on down the road. Ideally though, I would pick neither.
That 540 is a beaut. Yeah, it’ll need some expensive stuff, but the last I checked, you can’t buy a new BMW like this anymore. Good luck finding another manual 540i of this era in this cosmetic condition. Just go in knowing the commitment..
BMW. Damn the torpedoes (and expensive parts cannon), full speed ahead!
BMW for me all day, every day. I already own an E39 (530i sport/manual that I’ve had for 10 years and know how to work on), Mustangs at least of that generation are crude and loud, I don’t like convertibles, and the E39 is far, far better taken care of than the ‘Stang.
I’ll take the BMW. I’m still afraid of it though.
The E39 because it’s Sexy AF. The drivetrain might be a ticking time bomb but an LS swap isn’t outside my ability and then it would still be Sexy AF and more reliable.
There’s too much questionable with that Mustang that screams “poorly maintained”.
I really don’t want another Mustang, especially that era, but… I know if I got it, I could find parts and fix anything that is wrong with it. Plus, it might be fun to put the top down and get a little sunburn.
A Mustang convertible is fun on a nice day no matter what. Heck, mine’s a (Cologne) V6 Auto and I always have a big-ass grin on my face as I’m cruising top down on a sunny day, be it 50 degrees or 90.
B M W …Break My Wallet. Especially the V8. How old is the clutch?
Parts for the Stang a lot cheaper. Put some floor mats in it, put a wrap on it, if you get a couple of years out of it,cal, it good.
I love that gen BMW, but for the money and condition that Mustang seems like a genuinely good deal for a weekend fun car for cheap money. I have zero concerns about the 4.6L with that mileage, those engines have proven themselves. The styling of these have held up well to me, esp the convertibles. This won’t be “fast”, but It’ll be quick enough and sound fantastic. Even the 215hp 2V’s sound fabulous.
If only the BMW had the I6 instead of the V8 this would be an easy decision – for the BMW. This BMW seems to have been well cared for, and if the cooling system has been re-done along with a few of the other pattern failure items, then the BMW has my vote over this beat to crap Mustang that needs the interior and exterior re-done. The E39 is THE Ultimate Driving Machine, nothing in the current BMW lineup less than $100K even comes close.
My lust for that 540i is strong. A decade ago I had a coworker with an immaculate 2000 540i with the stick and the Sport package. He seldom drove it to work, but when he did I was in constant lust. Such a fantastic car.
I grew up in San Antonio, not far from I-10. While it doesn’t happen often, it does happen, so there is a greater than zero chance of snow. I would imagine that going west from SA, the chances increase at least to the AZ state line.
Yep, having lived in New Mexico and Texas, west Texas certainly gets snow, as does the Las Cruces area. Granted, they are not typically heavy, but they do occur.
Can confirm, I definitely went through snow while driving I-10 in Arizona and New Mexico this past January.
I’ve had (almost) this exact 540 when I was living in Germany. Same year, same color, but black interior, M5 wheels and the BMW factory short shifter (the one with the engraved racing helmet on the knob). All it took was oil changes and a set of tires for the 3years (2 years of daily duty) and about 30k miles I owned it (it had about 100k on it when I bought it).
There’s a fairly good chance the crappy gas & oils on this side of the pond might’ve caused some extra wear on the cylinders (plasma coated, no liners) and bearings (notorious for their wet-cardboard-like material) of this example’s engine, but if a compression check comes out ok and it holds oil pressure when warm, I’d buy it in a heartbeat.
I fear the maintenance/repair costs of an old 200,000+ mile BMW. So the Mustang gets my vote.
Note: I had an E39 BMW. You should fear the 4.4l V8. I wouldn’t own one again, but if you want to have a hobby to keep you busy buying the ‘bimmer will do it. Been there, done that, I’ll take the one that will not strand me and get the Mustang.
I’m actually shocked this one is as close as it is.. I know both of these cars definitely have a following, but that BMW is CLEAN. especially for the mileage it has. And being stock is a huuuuge bonus for it. I’d assume it’s had a string of very good owners, and I wouldn’t be afraid of it at all. Of course things will break, it’s old… don’t buy it expecting a daily, but as a fun car to enjoy/learn spirited driving in, all day.
The Mustang will be running around long after the Bimmer’s 17th owner has given up and it appears in Murilee Martin’s column. In fact, the Mustang will probably still be running when the Bimmer has been crushed and it’s metal recycled into a Prius or EV6. And it might even still be running when the Prius or EV6 has been junked because it’s battery is kaput.
I need a track rat car in my life, so Mustang. Bolt in a roll bar, toss in some used Corbeau seats in grey or whatever is on Marketplace that week, some sticky tires and just tear it up. It’s one of a million others so its no loss if I bang it up, and I’ll have great visibility in wheel to wheel at Waterford Hills!
Edit – Paint the hood flat black just to be rid of the eyesore faded clear coat.
Within the context of this particular selection, the Ford is a Mustang, the the BMW is must not.
I had a E60 with the V8 and 6 speed. Not near as good.looking as the E39, but as far as driving it…..WOW. That car was very reliable until the odometer got close to 6 digits. A single electronic module will fail, causing all kinds of collateral chaos, and takes weeks to diagnose, and thousands to fix. But when they are running well, just WOW. The Mustang is just another rattly classic that will never be worth anything; good for donuts or drifting, but not much more.
BMW for me.
E39 for two reasons, first is its better photographed and looks cleaner, and secondly and most importantly, what the heck is going on with the wiring in that mustang? I’m not a mustang guy, but I strongly doubt a stock GT is supposed to have a handful of bright red wires coming straight off the battery like that.
BMW might be maintenance heavy, but at least its completely stock, so you won’t have to undo some 17 year old’s hack job wiring just to fix basic issues.
Subwoofer.
“OONTZ OONTZ OONTZ OONTZ”
I SAID, A SUBWOOFER.
I’ve made that sound many times but ever had to actually spell it. Seems right. Well done.
Good catch on the extra wiring.. that’s a big-ass fuse, too!