What to do about a rusty old E34

[nk530]

Hi y'all,
I'm coming to the end of an era. I got to come to grips with the idea that my E34 will not last forever. I just can't bring myself to spend the money required to keep it going. I'm coming to you folks for advice. Should I part it out? Should I sell it for parts? Anyone interested in parts? Should I find someone who wants to continue driving it?

Here's the deal:
It's a 1994 530i 5-speed, 284,000 miles. It needs a clutch pretty badly, but it's got a few miles left on it. If you're going to put a new clutch in it, it's going to need a new exhaust. If the exhaust come off, it's not going back on. It'll probably crumble in your hands. The tires are still OK, but they're going to be a little slippery once the snow flies. Most recently, the charging system started having problems. None of those things individually is a deal breaker, but the combination is a hard pill to swallow. Couple that with the rust that is slowly consuming the car, and I don't think i can invest the time or the money in it. The front jacking points are soft, all the doors are orange along the bottom, and I recently punched a hole in the trunk lid next to the license plate light with my finger.

The interior is clean and the engine is strong, but the car is turning to dust around it. I wanted to drive it until the engine gave out so I could make it into a coffee table. It looks like the motor is going to outlast the car. I'm still really looking forward to that coffee table, so I'm leaning toward parting the rest of the car out.

Thoughts? Suggestions?

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[632 Regal]

I just experienced this a couple months ago, Nikki started this way and I let her sit a couple years, was a job to swap winter and summer tires. The jack points disappeared on me. What I did was buy on ebay a newer (less mileage) southern car (georgia) and swapped all the good stuff from my existing car to the new one. A bit of work swapping stuff but I sold Nikki for 1650 which was more than my ebay purchase. A new thing to work on, I like it. The new one is almost ready to sell.

As to trying to repair that rust... wow. Personally I would say dont' bother.

Clean it up and sell it as a decent daily dependable driver. Hondas turn big numbers in price, old BMWs dont. Clean it up and take detailed pictures and hold your price, use that to get a southern car.

Not to sound bad but as a daily driver you could ask around 1850 and take 1500.. if it was a Honda add a grand. It's actually a good thing, I am fitting my whole family up with Bimmers, fvck Hondas.

[nk530]

Sheeet, you think I can get 1500 out of it? I wasn't even going to go that high. (shhh)

Once I get the charging issue sorted, I'll put 'er on the old lists of craig.

[632 Regal]

Sheeet, you think I can get 1500 out of it? I wasn't even going to go that high. (shhh)

Once I get the charging issue sorted, I'll put 'er on the old lists of craig.

I was asking 1950, someone contacted me from pretty far away and was going to actually look at it, at night in the dark. Took him for a death ride to about 120mph... sold 1650.

I cleaned all the surface rust I could and used spray bombs for the lower black areas and the matching paint for the color areas. From about 1000 feet you couldn't even tell lol.

cant find the pics but here was the CL ad:

1994 BMW - $1950

1994 BMW 530I transmission : automatic title status : clean

1994 BMW 530I Auto Transmission, power everything. Tires are decent, paint is good, car is pretty clean over all inside and out, no dents, no rips or holes inside. It starts, runs smooth, can drive it anywhere with no issues. Good daily driver. Mileage 250K, car has always been well maintained. Recent maintenance includes new front struts, thrust arms, control arms, all steering linkage, brakes, radiator, all new hoses, plugs, coils, synthetic fluids, twisted seat fix etc. Needs nothing, turn key and go.

Call for address and you can do a drive by and then call if interested.

Title in hand.
I will remove the ad when the car is sold.

[mattyb]

such a tragedy, if it does come to a part out im interested all thing's black from the inside. My brother in law lives in the states, stuff can get shipped there. I now its a stuff around but as for the seats I cant ship then to OZ but the covers definitely plus all the other bits black and sendable. see how u go, best of luck

[632 Regal]

such a tragedy, if it does come to a part out im interested all thing's black from the inside. My brother in law lives in the states, stuff can get shipped there. I now its a stuff around but as for the seats I cant ship then to OZ but the covers definitely plus all the other bits black and sendable. see how u go, best of luck

Naw he wont part it, just swap the good bits to the new ride... I hope. There are millions of these being parted here, it's a shame but good for prices as we need things. Here in Eastern Tennessee I have seen maybe a total of 10 E34s in the 2 years we have been here.

[mattyb]

I agree brother better to keep running than part anyday, got a nice 525i recently and shared with an enthusiast bro rather than part out. what I could do with if u happen to find some where in ur bountiful land is a black leather seat cover set and associated black pieces for interior. OZ is a very limited supply depot for such items E34. decent condition pieces in particular.

[632 Regal]

I agree brother better to keep running than part anyday, got a nice 525i recently and shared with an enthusiast bro rather than part out. what I could do with if u happen to find some where in ur bountiful land is a black leather seat cover set and associated black pieces for interior. OZ is a very limited supply depot for such items E34. decent condition pieces in particular.

That sucks, we derailed NK530 thread. Anyways put your requests into a new thread in the main forum. Get a ton of hits and perhaps someone sees it through a google search.

[mattyb]

didn't mean to derail it man! was just a conversation. sorryNK530

[nk530]

haha no problem. It's always interesting to hear about the state of E34's in various places around the globe.

[632 Regal]

I need a power drivers seat in Pergament with no tears...

[nk530]

I found a solution. It's going to the son of the guy I bought it from 10 years ago. He's going to drive the last bit of life out of it, THEN we're going to part it out. This way, I get my M60 coffee table! :D

Sorry if I got anyone's hopes up. Stay tuned, though. I'll be back when the time comes...

[632 Regal]

This way, I get my M60 coffee table! :D


Spectacular!

[mattyb]

when and if when the part out happens do remember ur aussie cousins, im good for the seat blaks and all black bits etc when the time comes if it does, we can talk further on the logistics and $$ when it happens. my brother lives in Chicago so ill get it sent there. but do enjoy the rest of its life, im sure its not going to go soon its bullet proof as a rule itll only be the regs that undo it. happy to hear it has a new life

[93 525 Paul]

I need a power drivers seat in Pergament with no tears...

I took a pergament back seat skin to an uph shop and had them use pieces from it to refurbish the skin on my drivers seat.
Pretty nice!

[nk530]

patience, my friend. patience.
The car will basically turn into dust before the engine dies, but this being Minnesota (read: road salt infestation), it won't be more than a year or two.

[632 Regal]

Nikka died doe to salt and chloride on dirt roads. So important to acquire cars from a non salt/chloride state (read southern).

[632 Regal]

I took a pergament back seat skin to an uph shop and had them use pieces from it to refurbish the skin on my drivers seat.
Pretty nice!

My seat is plain uncomfortable, could be the springs or cushion under has to be replaced. Rather work with something decent than to mess with this used up garbage.

[93 525 Paul]

Just a million no rust E34s in Sunny CA for cheap.

$600 black ’91 180k mi fixer upper in Carpenteria
http://santabarbara.craigslist.org/cto/4767984448.html

$1200 OBO very sharp gray ’94 230k mi tranny issue in Nipomo
http://slo.craigslist.org/cto/4749733525.html

$1700 brown ’89 194k mi minor issues in Earlimart
http://fresno.craigslist.org/cto/4724359014.html

[93 525 Paul]

This way, I get my M60 coffee table! :D

http://i1117.photobucket.com/albums/k582/caparris/BMW%20545i%20N62%20Engine%20Replacement/IMG_5738.jpg

[genphreak]

Paul; just grab a good passenger seat from a used interior, and swap the covers, there is no difference left to right. Passenger seats are always in so much nicer condition and feel better too. You can swap the springs and tighten them up whilst you are at it. I pad the sides out with strips of additional padding cut from the old seat, that way making a 'stealth M tech seat', hahahaha

[nk530]

Gorgeous