Uncovered: My Mother’s Misplaced BMW 540iT and an Unexpected Enhancement

Within two minutes, I received a response: “It seems that your mother’s car matches this description.”

Have you ever scoured the depths of the internet in hopes of locating a long-lost vehicle, only to face one dead end after another? That was my experience in the quest to find my mom’s cherished red wagon, encountering frustrating obstacles and mysteries at every turn until I unexpectedly struck gold last weekend.

While not identifying as a car aficionado, my mother possessed a knack for maneuvering a clutch pedal and even had her work featured on this platform. Having learned to drive in a 1972 Datsun 240Z, she had owned a third-gen Honda Prelude and an original Land Rover Discovery, both adorned in red. However, with two young children—my four-year-old self and my barely one-year-old sister—and two sizable dogs, practicality mixed with her distinctive style became essential.

After test-driving various Volvo and Mercedes-Benz wagons and finding them rather uninspiring, she set her sights on one particular vehicle: the E39 BMW 540iT. BMW produced the E39 wagon with a 4.4-liter V8 engine from 1999 to 2003, with only a limited number made due to the rising popularity of the X5 SUV. According to BimmerForums, just seven 540iTs were ever painted Electric Red (referred to as Japan Red or Japanrot by BMW), and my mother had custom-ordered one from this exclusive group.

After being turned down by multiple dealerships, hesitant to fulfill her desire for a bright red wagon fearing potential rejection, Long Beach BMW reluctantly agreed to the deal. Thus, my parents placed an order for the wagon with a tan interior and a single option: the sport package.

Months later, the eagerly awaited car arrived. Although I was just a toddler at the time, the memory of going to collect it remains vivid. There it stood, gleaming in the showroom behind velvet ropes—my mother’s stunning red V8 wagon. It was perfection.

My sister and I spent our formative years in the back seat of that vehicle, commuting to school, sports events, and embarking on road trips. The tunes of the Counting Crows’ album Hard Candy will forever transport me back to the times of gazing out of the window at the passing Californian scenery on long, sunny drives. After ten years of ownership, it was the sole car given a nickname by my parents, albeit a rather unimaginative one—Red Rocket. A minor scar on my left middle finger from a hatch closure mishap serves as a lasting reminder of its impact on me.

As it neared the end of its lifespan, I pleaded with my parents to keep it until I could legally drive, just a couple of years away at that juncture. However, escalating maintenance costs led to its eventual sale. My mother insisted my father handle the trade-in alone, fearing an emotional farewell on her part.

A few years later, during my college days, I became fixated on locating the car. A friend helped me obtain a CarFax report revealing that the car was still in operation and registered near Atlanta. Excited, I noted recent service records at a Georgia BMW dealership. Upon contacting the dealership, I was informed that customer details couldn’t be disclosed, halting my search at the first roadblock of many.

I established Google notifications for the 540iT’s vehicle identification number and bookmarked Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace searches in the Atlanta vicinity, which I revisited on a weekly, and later monthly, basis without any luck. I combed through forums and Facebook groups, only to encounter more fruitless leads.

Subsequently, life took its course. I encountered someone, completed my studies, and secured my inaugural full-time employment along with my initial apartment. The memory of the old, crimson BMW lingered, yet I moved forward, accepting the likelihood that I might never lay eyes on it again. Occasionally, while strolling with my partner, I’d spot an E39 wagon or a red early 2000s BMW, causing me to pause in my tracks.

Just last week, I received a direct message. Sent by a mutual contact in Atlanta, it inquired, “Could this possibly be your mother’s former vehicle?” Attached was an Instagram post from Peachtree BMW CCA displaying a photo of—a red 540iT with some tasteful enhancements.

I refrained from getting overly hopeful. What were the odds? Nevertheless, a red wagon in close proximity to Atlanta warranted a message, so there I was at 10 p.m. on a Saturday crafting one, fully expecting another letdown. That is, until I wasn’t disappointed this time.

John Hewitt is the proprietor of The Dent Specialist, an auto body shop and car care center in the Greater Atlanta region specializing in paintless dent repair and other restoration services for selective clientele. He stumbled upon the 540iT behind a European auto service shop in Marietta back in 2018. “It was in poor condition, apparently, the technician purchased it as a salvage with a faulty transmission,” he disclosed to me.

Hewitt exchanged the defective five-speed automatic transmission for a six-speed manual and initiated the process of enhancing the wagon beyond showroom condition. He replaced worn-out suspension parts with new ones, integrated an M5 front bumper, and interchanged worn interior trim components. “I aim to maintain an elegant look,” he conveyed. “I even appreciate the tan interior. I’ve managed to acquire several trim pieces that were damaged, as the parts for other interior colors are no longer available.” Most recently, he added AC Schnitzer wheels, replacing the original Style 32s, interestingly sourced “from an individual in LA.”

The twist? The 540iT is officially registered in his wife’s name—even though “it’s a car she didn’t desire.” Hewitt remarked that he undertook the six-speed swap at her request because she “longed for a manual car,” reminiscing about their ownership of a Mini Countryman for a few years. Their familiarity with the platform is evident, given their ownership of multiple E39s and numerous BMW models over time.

Hewitt presented the vehicle, capturing the title of Best Wagon at Bimmer Invasion 2023 alongside his daughter. He additionally mentioned, “We are truly relishing this experience.”

Sincerely, I was overwhelmed with sentiment. This automobile was a fragment of my youth that I had come to terms with never encountering again, yet there it stood, appearing more magnificent than the day it left the showroom. I can attribute my fondness for unconventional European automobiles from the late ’90s and early 2000s directly to this crimson wagon, and I’m uncertain if my profession or vehicular fascination would have unfolded the same way without its influence.

I’d be thrilled to witness it once more at an event this year, or possibly take it for a drive at some juncture, who can say. For now, I am content knowing that it endures in the realm, better than ever, and tended to by an individual who perceived its potential when circumstances could have veered towards the scrapyard. For someone pondering the fate of a beloved former vehicle, this outcome is quite ideal.