Looking to buy a 98-99 540ia! Confused...Help!

["Stephen Robinson" <stever500@xxxxxxxx>]

Hello fellow BMW digest and 7 Series Digest owners,

This may be a little off topic for the 7 series digest (sorry), but here
goes...
My wife has said it's time to upgrade out of her 95 540i so we're looking at
getting a 98-99 540ia for as cheap as possible, of course.  We want the 17"
sport wheels, auto, premium sound and comfort seats, and would prefer the
Navigation System but not mandatory (it just looks so cool - something to
show off to the friends!).  We were told by Lothar at BMW Excluservice in
Rockville Md that it would be better NOT to go with the sport suspension
package, that it would be too harsh on our Washington DC awful roads and she
would end up hating the car.  The narrow sport seat would be uncomfortable
for her in his opinion, as well as the rough suspension.  Any comments?
She's a 5"3" very slim 42 year old and likes her comfort!  We are going to
Auto Advantage to drive some this weekend in Manassas, BUT Lothar has a
black/black 98 540i with prem sound and comfort seats - no navigation (he
said he wouldn't have one with it - too confusing), no upgrade 17" wheels,
and with (high?) 50,000 some miles, but driven by a local guy who's had it
serviced there regularly and he stands by it for one year.  He wants $31,800
for it.  He said it's better to get a non-sport package 540i and just change
out the wheels for the 17 inchers, as he said he can get them for half the
price we could, or possibly swap them from another car he finds with a
largely reduced cost to us.  We of course plan on doing the preinspection
purchase check at another shop before buying any car.  What do you think
about any of the above?  Anyone selling theirs?  She really wanted a white,
canyon red or metallic blue one (OK - I really wanted those colors, she sort
of loves black on black when it's clean, white or metallic blue, and I'll be
stuck cleaning it every weekend). Are those 7 spoke sport wheels easy to
clean?  They don't look too bad.
Thanks for your time.
Steve Robinson
1995 540ia hers (for sale!!!)
1995 740i
1988 911

------------------------------