E34 Touring- Buyers guide

[Nick.Hay]

Hey guys and girls,

I have been thinking, quite a bit of late, about trading my 535i sedan for a Touring...

I think the tourings are EVEN sexier than the sedan!! And there is not many of them about in Australia, so its something different.

I would ideally like a White or Silver (or maybe black) Touring, auto, nice and tidy, with few owners and **FBMWSH** in Australia. Prefer an un-modified 525it with narrow grille.

Is there anything I need to look for that is of any real concern with a Touring?? Any particular indemic issues (ie the wiring in the E34 saloon boot)??

Would you trade a Saloon for a Touring??

Did they make a E34 touring with the 3.5L 6cyl (same as my saloon??)
Are lowering kits readily available??
Will Saloon springs fit??
Interior wise, are they the same specs as a saloon (tricks, mod-cons etc)
Do they rust chronically or anything nasty??
Do they squeak worse than a Saloon??
Is self-levelling suspension really THAT disasterous and expensive to fix??


I REALLY don't want to part with my beautiful 535i saloon.. I love it!!! :p
But I REALLY REALLY want a Touring!! Not for its load carrying ability, just coz they look FANTASTIC!!

Thoughts, remarks, experiences???
Any 2c worth will be appreciated!!


Thanks all :D


http://home.netpower.no/pberg/images/520it_01.jpg
Just like this one!! Maybe with my saloon's wheels...

[Paul in NZ]

they are very rare here nick i dont know about OZ.I dont think the touring came as a 535

[Nick.Hay]

I have seen NO more than about 4 in Tassie in the last 2 years or so. A couple in car yards were rough-as-guts. A few online, but none that match my criteria... Gotta be a bit picky now :)

[BigKriss]

I was under the impression that they were not delivered to Australia officailly. One gentlman in the BMW drivers club of NSW, imported a touring 540i from the UK.Thats the only one I ever seen in Australia.

If your going to buy one though why not get it with the v8 4.0L, if possible? I know its alot more expensive, buy you'll have the car for a long time right?

[Interceptor]

If your going to buy one though why not get it with the v8 4.0L, if possible? I know its alot more expensive, buy you'll have the car for a long time right?
And during that long time he will save on gas significantly, if he buys a 525it instead of 540it... :)

[Nick.Hay]

I'd love a 540it, however I don't need the extra running costs, and the temptation of 280-ish BHP in a Touring body!! I have enough trouble being good in the 535iA!!! :D
I think I'd prefer a 3.8L //M5 6speed touring!!

[emw525E34]

The touring seems to be 525iT and 540iT, don't there are any 535 tourings. Yes, rare 540i touring in E34 and E39 guise. I saw both at an independent shop I visited a few hours ago. E39 540iT and E34 540iT. The E34 looks nicer from outside and E39 nicer from inside.
Both had tranny problems, I am glad I have a 525iT manual. I can keep up with those until near my top-speed. Its way enought for me. 8 cylinder is just 2 cylinders too many!.

And rarer still are E34M5 Touring. If anyone found one for sale , just BUY it!..... suffer later.

[m5maniac2001]

The touring is a great car. It is the first BMW that I have owned. There are a few minor problems with the car. Somthing in the frot end feels loose and there is a squeak from either a bushing or somthing else from the rear right. Those are minor fixes. Also there is some minor rusting on the rear left door, but i think that the car might have been in an acident and not painted at all or properly. Also the rust would be speed up due to the salt they put on the road up here in Vermont for the snow.

The interor, from what I know, seems to have the same tricks, but I have never been into an E34 sedan. Overall it is a great car. Mine is in Alpine White, but that silver metalic looks awsome.

So where in Australia are you from? I was born in Melbourne and lived there for 14 years before moving out to the states.

I also forgot to mention the biggest problem which is the Auto tranny. This has been giving me trouble lately, which would be devistating if it went. You have to make sure that you have a good upkeep on it, which I don't know if the previous owner did.

[BobHarris]

I had a 93 518 salloon, and now have a 93 530 touring. my 518 had the absolute minimum of gadgets wereas my 530 has lots and obviously goes like a rocket compared to 1.8, not that much more expensive to run either. both body shapes look and feel the same from the drivers seat.

[bfd]

Bruno's site has a nice write on "upgrading" the touring suspension:

http://www.bmwe34.net/E34main/Maintenance/E34Touring/Suspensions.htm

[Nick.Hay]

I am in Devonport, Tasmania. Just across the Bass Strait...

[632 Regal]

in my life I have only seen 1 touring in the US actually driving. Maybe Michigan didnt carry them or something...my car is from Texas, then Georgia.

[emw525E34]

Jeff, Really that rare in the US ?. I guess the market "missed" the wagons and jumped in the SUV craze. Well, you guys are big on Mini-vans which is just catching on in Asia....

Since I got my Touring, I was told that there were less than 15 (5-series touring) in the country (Philippines), funny that I have already seen almost 6 others, in the 3 months I owned this. Well, it would be about 50% of the existing tourings here if I assume the info I was given was correct.
We are left-hand drive territory, same as US. But we do get a fair mix of Euro models, compared to the mostly US versions in the past.

[Nick.Hay]

Is the gearbox different from saloon to touring?? Dad has a 89 525iA and I thought he would have said something if they had a suspect gearbox...

[Nick.Hay]

So no real issues you've had with your touring then?? How is your Rear Section of wiring harness??

[emw525E34]

Nick, Your dad's saloon for 89 has the M20 motor and the 4HP22 tranny. My US version saloon is the same. For touring, it depends on the year.

For Euro 95 touring (built date 94 and 95), manual tranny is S5D 310Z thats a Getrag that is the same as the US E36 M3 3.0 car. Late E34 and early E39 tourings auto tranny are EH-4HP24 (these are expensive to fix when they break!).

[emw525E34]

No real issues. Its a 95 model with 78K kms on the clock, very good condition inside and decent paint quality. However, lots of little dents all over the place...

Rear wiring harness looks good still. Trunk-lid shocks replaced recently. Minor suspension fixes needed as roads are bad here.

Also, the LAD (self-leveling suspension) was removed by the PO. Parts were too expensive to justify and we don't use tow-bars here unlike DonwUnder. I used to live in NZ for some years, so I know.

Car is a tad heavier but drives more solid than my sedan. Sedan feels more tossable... i would not want my kids to bounce around in the rear seat going to pre-school!.

[StuartB]

There's some pretty dandy buyers guides up for download from Total BMW (http://www.totalbmwmag.co.uk/Pages/Buying.html), although the prices are rather dated now...

[Nick.Hay]

Is this self leveling suspension REALLY as dire as its made out to be??

Can it be disconnected or removed??