Guys/Gals I need your help!

[Iwantae34525i]

hey everyone.

Before I start, I should give you some background. I am a huuge ford fan and have owned two falcons previously. I just sold my last one and I am looking for an upgrade. Been a member of www.fordforums.com.au for a while.

Here a pic of my previous rides. Both were inline6's, the white one was a fairmont ghia (3 speed auto! ) and the green one was a fairmont. Both EA's, both gave me issues. But I loved them, and the green one went pretty well as it was a 5 speed manual that I gave a bit of stick to).





Ive always loved BMW's, my uncle has had BMW's since I can remember (lucky bugger has a lease plan). So he currently has a e60 530i that I am very jealous of..lol

So I was looking through some dealerships and I stumbled upon a 1989 525i. It has everything I want, its black, full leather, sunroof, my choice of wheels (M5 ones aswell) and the most important part, its a manual.

If you could please go to this site its the 525i going for $10900 (the only manual one)

http://www.benjaminjamesmotors.com.au/used.php

(tell me if you have issues finding it)

But of course there is a catch, its got 250,000 k's on the clock. The good news is that it has a full service history (two log books actually) at Doncaster BMW. The car also comes with a 3 year warrenty from the dealer.

I guess I am a bit scared of the k's though. I know that falcons tend to need some attention around this time (although if looked after are fine). But I know NOTHING about BMW's.

What do you guys think? I still need to go for a test drive and get a RACV check done, but I thought id do some research first as I know forums can be very very good.

What should I be looking for? Is the price reasonable for the k's? I am going to offer him $8500 cash (his greek) and go from there. Ill happily pay $9000 but the car is 16/17 years old and has high k's.

So please, help me help you..lol...I want the car but Im not rushing into anything.

Thanks alot! And sorry for the long post.

Allan

(if I get the car I will change my username, I couldn't think of anything inventive just yet...lol)

[Iwantae34525i]

Oh I figured that the first thing I should do is ring the dealership were it was serviced and ask for its history?

[Lennyz525i]

Looks like a nice example! It has an M20 engine though, if you're not hp hungry it'll do just fine, with a 5spd anyway. Hey it's got rear headrests! Only M5s got those over here. It did some conversions, $10,9K AUS = $7,9K US, $8,5K AUS = $6,2K US. 245KMs = 153K miles. There are a number of aussies on this board that can make sense out of these numbers.

Here's some stuff to read:
http://www.bmwe34.net/e34main/troubl...will_break.htm

http://www.bmw4life.com/buyingE34.htm

Good luck!

[Iwantae34525i]

m20 engine?

i didn't know the 2.5 changed through the e34 phase?

whats the other engine? and if the m20 that bad?

[Bill R.]

you post a vin number or some engine pictures we won't be able to tell. And no the m20 isn't bad, its just one is an earlier motor than the other. One has 12 valves, the newer one has 24 valves and a number of other changes to modernize it.

m20 engine?

i didn't know the 2.5 changed through the e34 phase?

whats the other engine? and if the m20 that bad?

[Medz]

HAHA! Small world Allan, I actually sent you a couple of emails about the green one you had for sale (the one with the xr front). Did you end up selling it? I thought you had an XR8 all lined up ready to go?

Here's why I didn't end up getting back to you about that in the end...broke the bank and bought this instead...



Small world hey?

[Qube]

3 year warranty? If it's bumper to bumper from the DEALER, it sounds too good to be true!

[Iwantae34525i]

Its not a BWM dealer..its the car yard.

Ill have to read the fine print but yeah...its all inclusive.

[Lennyz525i]

3 year warranty? If it's bumper to bumper from the DEALER, it sounds too good to be true!

That does sound really good for a 17y/o car. An 89 525i definitely has the M20 engine. It's a relatively easy to work on engine that had been around for ages. It has a timing belt (just mentioning it before someone else does ) that needs replacement every 50K miles or so, do the waterpump as well while you're at it or you'll be facing my current mess. In early/mid 90 (build year) the 525i received a much updated M50 engine.

[Bill R.]

countries the m50 was around in 89

That does sound really good for a 17y/o car. An 89 525i definitely has the M20 engine. It's a relatively easy to work on engine that had been around for ages. It has a timing belt (just mentioning it before someone else does ) that needs replacement every 50K miles or so, do the waterpump as well while you're at it or you'll be facing my current mess. In early/mid 90 (build year) the 525i received a much updated M50 engine.