cold weather e34 535?

[Incantation]

well.. getting close to the point that i will either buy my sis a car or give her my beloved e34.. problem is she will be either living in montreal or calgary, both of which can reach -30 weather.. (celcius)

so my question is.. how reliable is the m30 engine and drivetrain in cold weather? any particular problems? and from a maintenance perspective would she have to deal with anything that i don't? the coldest it has seen is -5 degrees maybe 5 times a year, otherwise it sits in an underground where it never gets colder than 5-8 degrees.

i am curious because we had a cold one the other night and she just didn't run as smoothly when cold

any input would be appreciated.. thanks

[mholbrook]

Can't see any reason why the cold would hurt the car at all. Isn't it cold in Germany? On the other hand, if it snows a lot, then an E34 might not be the best choice. How about an Audi A4 1.8t Quattro with a tip for the sister or a Subi almost anything is good in bad weather.

[Derek A.]

these cars run rich when cold - just tell her not to light it and shut it down right away. Stick to synthetic fluids - you will be fine !

[Traian]

I've only started mine up to about -13 (and it's an M60), but I'm sure it's seen -30 and that should be no prob. Maybe get a block heater, use a lighter oil in the winter, and with snow tires it will be fine even in deep snow and ice.

[t_marat]

I started and used my car when the ambient temp was -30C. During the night it got even colder and car stays outside.
When you just start the car, there is a terrible whine for about 1-3 seconds. Don't know what it is. Already using Mobile1 0W-40. The gearbox and clutch feels very stiff when you just start the car.

[shanek]

I had mine in Edmonton last year. Mine's an M20 not an M30 but i didn't have any major issues. When we got the first cold snap I couldn't get it to start because the battery wasn't strong enough. It was only 3 or 4 years old and was good before it got cold but when it hit about -15 the car refused to start until I replaced it. Gas line anti-freeze is a must, even if its not really cold. Once it got below 0 I always put some in. With out it the car runs really rough. Other than that I never had any problems , it always ran beautifully. I also always use Castrol Syntec 0w-30. Winter tires are also very important.

[Incantation]

thanks for all your contributions

[Cactuar]

The same thing is happening here! I get an unpleasant whine for a few seconds when I start the car in cold weather (I'm on the south shore of Montreal, so make that every day). When it's around -5 or so it doesn't do it. I wonder what it is...

I started and used my car when the ambient temp was -30C. During the night it got even colder and car stays outside.
When you just start the car, there is a terrible whine for about 1-3 seconds. Don't know what it is. Already using Mobile1 0W-40. The gearbox and clutch feels very stiff when you just start the car.

[t_marat]

these cars run rich when cold - just tell her not to light it and shut it down right away. Stick to synthetic fluids - you will be fine !

Why is it that you should not start the engine and turn it off right away? Because the oil pressure won't reach high enough level?

[janzamon]

Hello! Not sure if this is my first post on this forum. I live in Finland so my 535 has seen alot of cold weather. The m30b35 is a true workhorse and works fine in every weather. There might be a whine that i believe comes from the powersteering motor. Make sure you have a good battery. The most important thing is that you make sure that the engine oil breather hose is not clogged. I have heard many stories about the hose being frozen shut(because of the dirt in it) and the oil shooting out from the dipstick hole or any other place it can find its way out of. Oh, and the e34 is one of the best cars I have driven during the winter. It is very stable because of the long wheelbase.