UK e34 accident damage to susp, advice for newbie and also a 96 Touring

[cooljules]

Hi everyone

Never posted here and im quite new to BMW's...

For many years i had old Celicas, 70's, like GT's (liftback, baby mustang etc)

I love RWD cars, never had nothing differant, wouldnt..

Anyway i had to drive to Germany last autumn, and i looked on ebay and saw a black 520i a 92-170,000 miles. I knew nothing of BMW's but i loved its drive. I read what i could, i changed the plastic impeller, belts etc as a couple of weeks i had it it went into the red...after that it seemed fine. Then a couple of weeks before my planned trip around Europe, i was slowing down coming down a dual carrage way when it suddenly pulled to the left and threw me into the kerb (it just understeered and i tried to power it out, almost got away with a spin)

Anyway the front susp was bent, but the mounting points to the chassic are fine, the metal bars took the impact

Ok now i had to go back on to ebay, and i came accross a 265,000 red 96 touring auto 525i (never had a auto either) i asked the seller would the car be good for a 4k trip, he said he just had it come in as a part trade in, but with fsh...ok the car was great on the trip, into Poland etc never missed a beat

So i have had the cars for about 5 months now, i love the BMW's, i must admit i love the extra bhp and torqu with the 525 over the 520, at the time no one told me make sure i got a 2.5 block rather than a 2 litre, like i said i know nothing about em. I paid 600 quid for each off ebay.

Anyway i have to live in Germany for 6 months a year soon, and no matter how nice to drive the touring is, it just doesnt cut the mustard in the looks dept or handling (well before the accident anyway!!) So i really want my black 520i on the road.

I have some pics, hope you guys can offer advice and let me know what you think to the cars

my black car just after i bought her
http://www.julianhales.co.uk/car.htm

After the tyre went

http://www.julianhales.co.uk/goodbye_car.htm

It says the rear drive shafts are damaged, but a closer look at the time showed it had just come out and dropped down (never had a car with rear drive shafts either)

anyway here are some pics of my red touring just before i picked her up

http://www.julianhales.co.uk/red_bmw.htm

She was great on the autobarns and around Germany. Im due to drive with her again in a month and after that the black one, is it worth doing up again? everyone loves the looks of the black car, me too. but i guess there is a cut off point where its cheaper to get another car.

Must admit i have caught the bug for these now...
thanks for any tips!

[nizmainiac]

are you sure that nothing is bent chassis wise? if it isn't then the front end won't be too bad to repair, as for the rear its too hard to tell whats gone from that one pic

[Elekta]

Why not throw a chip into the touring and sell the sedan for parts? There are also many 5 speed tourings over there, but you have a nice wagon with black interior, tow package, and the 95-96 2.5 motor which is totally chippable.

[Ross]

You've broken a strut. A hard hit I'm guessing, but if nothing else is damaged replace the strut and be on your way.It may have been corroded, in which case have a good look around at the other.
You don't really expect us to believe that little nail is what caused you to wreck do you?
Your touring doesn't appear to have nearly as much tire under it as the sedan. Switch the rubber and your handling objections may disappear.
Good luck with the fix.

[Tiger]

If I understand your currency... 600 quid is about $1200 dollars... actually a little less. If this is so, you are better off buying another car. The repair cost will cost more than that. I would use this car as a part car... change out what you want out of it into other cars.

From the look of the tires, they were really at the end of life and thus the accident. Don't go cheap on tires... they are very important... especially in autobahn.

[632 Regal]

Hahaha yes look at the strut, like a letter G... The thrust arm looks bent too from the camera angle. Lets see here how the story goes... too fast, car wouldnt turn then hit curb. Reverse the order for new thread...LMAO


You've broken a strut. A hard hit I'm guessing, but if nothing else is damaged replace the strut and be on your way.It may have been corroded, in which case have a good look around at the other.
You don't really expect us to believe that little nail is what caused you to wreck do you?
Your touring doesn't appear to have nearly as much tire under it as the sedan. Switch the rubber and your handling objections may disappear.
Good luck with the fix.

[Sidney Rough-Diamond]

There is so many E34's in scrap yards up and down the country, getting a complete strut is easy and cheap if you are going to DIY. Pay a garage to provide a strut and other new bits and it isn't worth it. I bet for £50 you could just go to a scrap yard and unbolt a complete strut with all the arms etc and just bolt this up to replace the damaged part.
Pesronally I'd sell the Touring and take of any good bits from the damaged car and look for a 24v 525, like this http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/127970.htm and add on the bits you want to.

[tangles01]

How the hell did a flat tire cause you to stack it that hard driving too fast for your abilyty I suspect, serves yourself right

[angrypancake]

its cause the steering wheel is on the wrong side of the car, duh.


^dude that was a ****ed up comment. don't act like crazy ****'s never happened to you.

[cooljules]

How the hell did a flat tire cause you to stack it that hard driving too fast for your abilyty I suspect, serves yourself right


trying to brake on a dual carragway app a roundabout. hit a solid kerb at 20-25 and thats what happens, been driving cars 20 years and make mistakes but this wasnt one of them, use the same roundabout each day, often faster.

[cooljules]

There is so many E34's in scrap yards up and down the country, getting a complete strut is easy and cheap if you are going to DIY. Pay a garage to provide a strut and other new bits and it isn't worth it. I bet for £50 you could just go to a scrap yard and unbolt a complete strut with all the arms etc and just bolt this up to replace the damaged part.
Pesronally I'd sell the Touring and take of any good bits from the damaged car and look for a 24v 525, like this http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/127970.htm and add on the bits you want to.
nice looking car, cant say i like the light grey int but nice car, i have seen a couple of non runners on ebay, due to engine/gearbox failures but high milage, so i thought the susp etc wouldnt be perfect, new bushes etc etc.

I would feel mcuh better with a 525 on the autobahn with the weight i carry over a 520.

[cooljules]

Why not throw a chip into the touring and sell the sedan for parts? There are also many 5 speed tourings over there, but you have a nice wagon with black interior, tow package, and the 95-96 2.5 motor which is totally chippable.
I just wasnt too happy with the tourings handling over the other car. Mind you, can a wagon look and handle better without going over the top?

[cooljules]

If I understand your currency... 600 quid is about $1200 dollars... actually a little less. If this is so, you are better off buying another car. The repair cost will cost more than that. I would use this car as a part car... change out what you want out of it into other cars.

From the look of the tires, they were really at the end of life and thus the accident. Don't go cheap on tires... they are very important... especially in autobahn.

Seen many accidents due to bad tyres and wrong inflation. and driving a 1000 miles a day and often at 120+ i dont want weak or overheating tyres!
I guess there is enough of the damaged car to either change over or sell and pick up another, after all its a 520i and nothing special :-)

[RallyD]

i saw this and thought it was you, jules
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALv3oswCEgI
but no spoiler

[cooljules]

i like it, never did that with mine, but i did often with my 77 GT Celica.
I have seen a nice black 525 tds, ok never had a diesel but guess they sound like a diesel. Be better for 3 or 4 drives between England and Germany a year.
Decided its not worth doing up my black 520i...you guys made sense on that

[Tiger]

You would want sport suspension... Mtech springs from BMW dealer... and new struts to make your car handle better. At this age, struts are probably gone too ... which is probably also the reason for your accident on other car.