Reply With QuoteAs a starter read this
http://www.bmwe34.net/e34main/troubl...will_break.htm
In the market...(E34 Newbie)
Hi all!
I'm looking to get an E34 for less than $7000 in the New England area, but I can't seem to find a consensus on the cars. I'm concerned, of course, about reliability (and cost of repairs) and winter driving. I love the way they look, and I love the way bimmers drive, so I'm definitely serious about getting one, I'm just not sure it's the right move.
What I've heard:
-525/530 are much more reliable than 535/540 because of sulphur somethingorother in the V8s.
-The bodies last forever, except for some rust under the doors
-They're ungodly expensive to get repaired
-RWD w/o TC in snow is suicide (I've only driven FWD and AWD in snow, though I did drive an E39 M5 in the rain).
Do you have anything to add? When I go to look at these cars, what should I ask and check out? Should I take the car to a BMW repair shop or a general auto shop to get it checked out? How much are clutches, brakes, radiators, belts...that kind of thing?
I'd really appreciate some info from you experts out there. Thanks a lot.
-int
Super Moderator
Grand Master
http://www.bmw4life.com/buyingE34.htm
http://www.bmwe34.net/e34main/troubl...will_break.htm
Unless you can work on it yourself, they are expensive to keep on the road and then they are still expensive to keep on the road. (1,000-2,000 a year is my guess based on experience.) You can buy parts at much less than dealer prices and that helps.
Buying a bmw is a decision of the heart not the head. We all love these cars and driving them and trying to make them like new again. You must have that in you or you wouldn't be considering it.
Understand that things will break. If you buy one, it will have things broken that you will discover in the first month. People freak at first and think that they have a lemon--not so. A lot of the stuff is small and no big deal really if you understand what is going on. Repairs just become a hobby.
You can get lots of help on this board and have lots of fun with the car. This is not meant to discourage you--just a realistic description of e34 ownership.
Dinan chip, Bilstein sports w H&R, RD sways, RD strut brace, 750 bushings, Zimmermans/MetalMasters, O.E. M Pars, Eisenmann muffler
Major Contributor
Hey - basically from what ive learned, a BMW is a BMW but it is also a car and it can be treated as such with green coolant (instead of the BMW kind) and all other stuff... now in some cases it of course is more delicate but take good care of it, change oil regularly and it will last you a long time.
Now heres my story - i just got a 525I from 1991 with a slightly leaky valve gasket, low tranny fluid, blown front shocks and a few other things such as a rebuilt title and a broken front windshield. I got all that for $1200, ive put about $300 into it so far and it looks great... Im about to put another $200 into it to get new wheels (mine are leaking air) and a few more hundreds to do tihngs like oil change, tranny fluid top off, etc... And i have a completely working car after. Basically if it is your first bimmer and you want a possibly really good one - get a really cheap 525I, talk the guy down/whatever - get it really cheap and learn to fix it yourself (its really cheap to maintain to do it yourself) 525I is a great car to learn to fix cars on and if you screw up big time - hey, theres always a transplant you can do like putting in an M3 motor in the car or an M5after you've saved up like $5k on your purchase (from $7k) - you can get a LOT of power from that car...)
Sincerely, Artem Lepilov
2 Grand Master
From my experience: (1) Get it checked out by an experience mechanic to especially see if something major is ready to go. (2) Repair records are very important. It's always nice to know that the maintence items have been replaced in a timely manner. They are also important to setup what items you need to get to next. And (3) the better the interior / exterior the better. You can spend a lot of money replacing seats, door panels, head liners and the dash; as well as the exterior. You are going to want to do it after you start driving the car, so it's best to get it upfront and concentrate on getting it's maintenace up to speed.Originally Posted by integrale
Good Luck!
Ralph Mendoza Jr. - Long Beach, CA
Grand Master
If you want power, & must have traction control, etc. get a 540 (preferably Alusil)
I don't think I'd bother with a 530 as the maintenance is about the same as a 540 with marginally better fuel economy and much less ooomph!!
If you want something simpler & less expensive to maintain get a 535i (manuals are more fun).
Remember these are not particular economical vehicles especially for city commuting. On the h'way however they're not too bad.
Buy the best E34 you can afford and get it checked out before you agree to hand over the cash.
It's better to pay extra now and get a good example, then just keep the maintenance up, than buy a 'bargain' (read **** barge) and forever pour $$$ into it from here to eternity!!
1990 E34 535iA, 215,000kms (130,000 miles).
Dual Climate, Rear Headrests, Rollerblind, M-Tech Wheel,
Memory Seats, EAT Chip, T-Stars.
Grand Master
Totally agree. There is no such thing as a bargain BMW.
It's better to pay extra now and get a good example, then just keep the maintenance up, than buy a 'bargain' (read **** barge) and forever pour $$$ into it from here to eternity!!
Dinan chip, Bilstein sports w H&R, RD sways, RD strut brace, 750 bushings, Zimmermans/MetalMasters, O.E. M Pars, Eisenmann muffler
Big Time Poster
I'll be selling mine in a few weeks.
I'm out near Worcester. 1994 525 Manual, 128K miles. White w/ silver grey interior. Winter and summer tires.
Contact me at gucc@charter.net
Major Contributor
Buy the BEST ONE YOU CAN AFFORD
I wouldn't overlook the 535i and im not being biased. the M30 "Big Six" is often called bullet proof. It might even be a little easier on the wallet to maintain than the V8s and offers little compromise. Try to find a 5spd and you'll be happy with it. Budget 1-2k/yr on it like Gayle said and read the link that shogun posted for you. Also, there is a list of local indy's on this site that you can take it to for a pre-purchase inspection. if you don't find one in your area look up your local cca chapter and they will have some input im sure. it will be the best 75-150 bucks you ever spend. If you get the car get a bentley serivce manual. it will become your bible. If you want to know prices check out www.bmaautoparts.com alot of people here use them and they are cheap (relatively). Also, see if you can find someone with a good a car in good shape and go for a ride in it so you know what to expect. As for snow... the car has 50/50 weight distribution (i beleive) combine that with a good set of snows and a manual tranny and you should be in good shape. The car has amazed me in the winter. Ownership will have its highs and lows, but if you get the right car it will be a rewarding experience.
Major Contributor
What I've heard:
-525/530 are much more reliable than 535/540 because of sulphur somethingorother in the V8s.
Probably should read 525/535 reliable and 530/540 (these are the V8s) can have Nikisil engine issue.
-The bodies last forever, except for some rust under the doors.
Correct, check under the "rust traps" to see whether just surface rust or rusted through. If rusted through, look for better doors (rust free)
-They're ungodly expensive to get repaired
Not too bad if using above listed sources for parts and DIY will make a huge difference. One thought is to look for a well maintained E34 with records, stry, it might be better to get a good one with over 100K miles on it as many things seem to break around the 100K mark (see Bruno's site listed earlier). Also, alot of luck involved it seems. By the way, I like my automatic, don't discount them, the ZF tranny's might have better reliability than the GM trannys (again, look for maintenance records and previous owners with a light foot).
-RWD w/o TC in snow is suicide (I've only driven FWD and AWD in snow, though I did drive an E39 M5 in the rain).
Ok, I had previously driven mostly FWD Saabs and Audis and was concerned about the RWD (memories of my parents' old Mustang and LTD in the snow...), but got a set of Blizzaks with steel rims and was quite surprised/pleased at how well it handles our Minnesota winters. Oh, and my car doesn't have traction control, but does have limited slip diff. which helps some more.
Be sure to post more questions/concerns prior to buying, as you noticed there is plenty of help and advice available to you here!
JonE
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