Help! Need to find an exhaust!

[Ferret]

The exhaust on the 540i is finally starting to collapse properly, so it's time to replace...

...the only snag being EVERY manufacturer in common use in the UK has the 540i exhaust classed as obsolete.

The only place left to turn at the moment is the bmw dealer, who want £713 ($1400) for a new centre/rear section. This isnt an issue of not being able to afford the cost - rather an issue of principle, not wanting to have to bend over and get shafted by dealer prices.

I CANNOT have a custom build exhaust on the car, it must be OEM spec or equivalent. As I'm 24 I cannot get insurance on the vehicle with a custom exhaust - half the insurance companies wont touch me with it with 'non-standard' wheels and seats in it.

Kinda stuck here - anyone got any ideas?

[Ross]

I think they understand the "custom" exhaust to mean the boy racer fart pipe stuff.
Certainly a standard replacement type exhaust could be made up that would satisfy whoever makes such inspections..no?
Boy am I glad we don't have to put up with all that crap. No wonder old BMs are dime a dozen there.

[whiskychaser]

The exhaust on the 540i is finally starting to collapse properly, so it's time to replace...

...the only snag being EVERY manufacturer in common use in the UK has the 540i exhaust classed as obsolete.

The only place left to turn at the moment is the bmw dealer, who want £713 ($1400) for a new centre/rear section. This isnt an issue of not being able to afford the cost - rather an issue of principle, not wanting to have to bend over and get shafted by dealer prices.

I CANNOT have a custom build exhaust on the car, it must be OEM spec or equivalent. As I'm 24 I cannot get insurance on the vehicle with a custom exhaust - half the insurance companies wont touch me with it with 'non-standard' wheels and seats in it.
Kinda stuck here - anyone got any ideas?
Doesnt say if its BNIB and he is hardly on your doorstep, but it may be a place to start
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BMW-E34-540i-Rear-Exhaust-Silencer_W0QQitemZ220198696172QQihZ012QQcategoryZ1 0374QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Sorry. I should read ads more carefully - it says FROM not FOR a 540 :(

[doogie]

I just had a new back box fitted (everything else was OK) but I got a custom stainless steel one as that was the only practical option compared to dealer prices for one... have you spoken to your insurance company about it? Obviously if they say OEM spec as being same diameter pipes, same noise level etc etc you're fine.... if they say has to be an actual OEM original or pattern part then that's a bit rubbish :(

[Sidney Rough-Diamond]

The wheels and seats are factory items - there is no reason to mention these to any insurnace company ! Sorry to hear about the exhaust,but I did this on another car when I was around your age and it cost me £30 extra I think to declare a full stainless system. How is the car ...apart from the exhaust ?

[whiskychaser]

This any use?:
http://www.onlineautomotive.co.uk/product_details.php?system_id=90617&type=system&manufacturer=7&model=41&model_type=54106&product_cat=1&product_type=Any&keywords=&startpos=0&max=10

[Dave M]

This any use?:
http://www.onlineautomotive.co.uk/product_details.php?system_id=90617&type=system&manufacturer=7&model=41&model_type=54106&product_cat=1&product_type=Any&keywords=&startpos=0&max=10

Wow, if those are anywhere near the quiality of Eberspaecher or ANSA (BMA sells these), than it would seem to be a great deal for the UK. My Eberspaecher set-up was worth shipping from Cali to Canada at ~$550 US (front and rear mufflers).

Dave M

[nizmainiac]

sshhh, don't tell the insurance people

[Ferret]

The wheels and seats are factory items - there is no reason to mention these to any insurnace company ! Sorry to hear about the exhaust,but I did this on another car when I was around your age and it cost me £30 extra I think to declare a full stainless system. How is the car ...apart from the exhaust ?

Car's good thanks mate, chasing a few minor misfires around at the moment - think I might have a coilpack on the blink, testing them all tomorrow and I've got a chinese surprise code reader en route that was about £17 from fleabay.

The factory fit seats and wheels have to be declared under RBS rules, though when declared under 'factory item' dont actually cost me anything extra.

However any insurer backed by RBS (Churchill/Direct Line/Tesco - the only people who'll insure me for under £1200 - even adrian flux couldnt beat them) has a 'no mods under age 25' rule which is very annoying. This means I could patch the exhaust for another 10 months and then go stainless - however I suspect that the exhaust holes have something to do with a bit of uneven running/idle.

Did have a quick question for you actually - when was the last time the 540i had an oil change? I've not done a huge amount of mileage in it yet, and havent had chance to swap the oil!

Whiskychaser - cheers for looking that up mate but that catalogue image is from the old TIMAX catalogue - I've been chasing elusive BM295's and BM296's around all week :D

[Barney Paull-Edwards]

Car's good thanks mate, chasing a few minor misfires around at the moment - think I might have a coilpack on the blink, testing them all tomorrow and I've got a chinese surprise code reader en route that was about £17 from fleabay.

The factory fit seats and wheels have to be declared under RBS rules, though when declared under 'factory item' dont actually cost me anything extra.

However any insurer backed by RBS (Churchill/Direct Line/Tesco - the only people who'll insure me for under £1200 - even adrian flux couldnt beat them) has a 'no mods under age 25' rule which is very annoying. This means I could patch the exhaust for another 10 months and then go stainless - however I suspect that the exhaust holes have something to do with a bit of uneven running/idle.

Did have a quick question for you actually - when was the last time the 540i had an oil change? I've not done a huge amount of mileage in it yet, and havent had chance to swap the oil!

Whiskychaser - cheers for looking that up mate but that catalogue image is from the old TIMAX catalogue - I've been chasing elusive BM295's and BM296's around all week :D
Try Hayward and Scott of Maldon Essex for S/S or Maniflow of Salisbury for mild steel. If any part fitted to a car does not alter the prformance or appearance, you are not obligated to inform your insurance but, dont claim for the part on insurance if you have not declared it.

[Sidney Rough-Diamond]

I'm amazed that any insurance company can ask if someone ticked a factory option box when new.Imagine how many BMW's are runing around with factory option wheels,and then imagine how many would even know that.99% won't have a clue.
As for the oil change, it was done approx one month before you bought the car.
I got offered £400 for the 6 speed gearbox and a replacement 5 speed fitted as part of the deal, shortly after you bought the car....
But you know what ? I'm kinda glad I didn't get the chance to take it, I like that it's still being used and looked after. Have you done anything with the bit of rust on the door bottom ? That was next on the list along with finding a used door to replace the dented rear door.

[Paul in NZ]

surely this doesnt mean non factory,surely it means non factory spec.....no "undercar" specialists help you out???Try an indy,rather than the dealer...

[Ferret]

I'm amazed that any insurance company can ask if someone ticked a factory option box when new.Imagine how many BMW's are runing around with factory option wheels,and then imagine how many would even know that.99% won't have a clue.
As for the oil change, it was done approx one month before you bought the car.
I got offered £400 for the 6 speed gearbox and a replacement 5 speed fitted as part of the deal, shortly after you bought the car....
But you know what ? I'm kinda glad I didn't get the chance to take it, I like that it's still being used and looked after. Have you done anything with the bit of rust on the door bottom ? That was next on the list along with finding a used door to replace the dented rear door.

The door bottom rust is now quite close to being done on the list :)

So far I've managed to get the following done to it:
-Plugs
-Coil Pack HT leads
-Heater Fixed
-Aircon re belted (was starting to slip and make burning smells) and the gas pressure adjusted back up to normal - blows ice cold now. Changed the primary belt as well - might as well have done as you have to take it off to get to the AC belt.
-Heater motor/controls repaired
-Heater AC drains cleared - doesnt fog up with use of heater now
-Replaced borked heater AUX pump from one out of the TDS before I sold it
-Two new dunlops up front
-New exhaust centre mount
-Repaired rattly rear spoiler
-Changed front bumper plastic/rubber inserts - £8 ea from GSF, bargain
-Replaced front passenger side foglight - it was cracked from whatever had destroyed the brake duct and was starting to collapse.
-Repaired the left brake air intake to stop it trying to suicide off the car every 5 minutes
-New brakes all round
-Complete new steering rods - the centre rod had a balljoint seize up on it and it was making metallic shreiking noises - I knew the outer balljoints had been done but had complete new tie-rod sets hanging around from the TDS.
(Got laughed at when I took it in for alignment after that one lol)

As luck would have it there's a guy who lives in an adjacent flat who's a paintless dent removal tech - he's going to give me a 'cash' quote to get the rear door sorted at some point...

I'm enjoying the challenge this car presents :D I completely understood what I was getting myself into when I agreed to purchase it! Just wasnt expecting noone to manufacture the exhaust for it :p if push comes to shove I'll just get the dealer parts.

It's one of the few cars I've owned where it's such a joy to drive I dont mind throwing a lot of spanner time at it.

About to go and pick up a new cam sensor in the morning for it as it's missing at idle and low on power at high RPM at the moment... we'll really see what codes it's throwing when the code reader turns up.

Cheers for the info on the oil change - thought it looked nice and clean, though the computer is whingeing about a service needed now >.<

A

[whiskychaser]

I have found the solution: fit the cheapest you can and lie to the insurance company. Unless you post it on a board somewhere and somebody from Tesco etc reads it, who is going to know? I'm not going to tell them you are only 13 3/4 years old:)

[whiskychaser]

The door bottom rust is now quite close to being done on the list :)

So far I've managed to get the following done to it:
-Plugs
-Coil Pack HT leads
-Heater Fixed
-Aircon re belted (was starting to slip and make burning smells) and the gas pressure adjusted back up to normal - blows ice cold now. Changed the primary belt as well - might as well have done as you have to take it off to get to the AC belt.
-Heater motor/controls repaired
-Heater AC drains cleared - doesnt fog up with use of heater now
-Replaced borked heater AUX pump from one out of the TDS before I sold it
-Two new dunlops up front
-New exhaust centre mount
-Repaired rattly rear spoiler
-Changed front bumper plastic/rubber inserts - £8 ea from GSF, bargain
-Replaced front passenger side foglight - it was cracked from whatever had destroyed the brake duct and was starting to collapse.
-Repaired the left brake air intake to stop it trying to suicide off the car every 5 minutes
-New brakes all round
-Complete new steering rods - the centre rod had a balljoint seize up on it and it was making metallic shreiking noises - I knew the outer balljoints had been done but had complete new tie-rod sets hanging around from the TDS.
(Got laughed at when I took it in for alignment after that one lol)

As luck would have it there's a guy who lives in an adjacent flat who's a paintless dent removal tech - he's going to give me a 'cash' quote to get the rear door sorted at some point...

I'm enjoying the challenge this car presents :D I completely understood what I was getting myself into when I agreed to purchase it! Just wasnt expecting noone to manufacture the exhaust for it :p if push comes to shove I'll just get the dealer parts.

It's one of the few cars I've owned where it's such a joy to drive I dont mind throwing a lot of spanner time at it.

About to go and pick up a new cam sensor in the morning for it as it's missing at idle and low on power at high RPM at the moment... we'll really see what codes it's throwing when the code reader turns up.

Cheers for the info on the oil change - thought it looked nice and clean, though the computer is whingeing about a service needed now >.<

A
So basically you havent done anything to the car apart from wash it? You lazy person!!! Oil? Whats that? :D