Buying an E34 Touring... What do i need to look out for?

[Zeuk in Oz]

In my honest opinion, you MUST get the car examined by a BMW specialist, be they a dealer or not.

There really are just too many things to look at to give you a do-it-yourself check list.

It would also be advisable to talk to the specialist or BMW to determine if yours was a Nikasil engine. My understanding is that the 2.5 and 2.8 engines sold in the UK in the E 39 up to the 10th week of 1998 were Nikasil engines and suffered greatly if exposed to high sulphur petrol. For more info do a search but a phone call to BMW should settle that issue.

Do a search on Niaksil on this forum and all will be revealed.

If Nikasil is a potential issue, a leakdown test will be required.

Therefore getting the car looked at by an expert is, in my opinion, essential.

[Nick.Hay]

What do you need to look out for??

Me... Coming to your place at night, and doing perverted things to your Touring!!

I love them, I reckon thay are Tha Sex!!



Good luck with the purchase...

[Omega]

It would also be advisable to talk to the specialist or BMW to determine if yours was a Nikasil engine.

It's a 1995 e34 2.0l. In the UK only the v8's are nikasil affected.

How come you didn't get any 520i tourings out in the US?

Because they are gutless and too underpowered for such a heavy car. You may find that a 520 will be less economical than a 525 depending on where and how you drive.

In my honest opinion, you MUST get the car examined by a BMW specialist, be they a dealer or not. Therefore getting the car looked at by an expert is, in my opinion, essential.

I would tend to agree with Zeuk in this instance and get a second, expert, opinion. However it depends on how much the car is worth and how mechanically minded you are.

I was recently offered an '88 525 for £350. What would be the point in getting this examined? It's a 18 year old car for not much money.

[Zeuk in Oz]

It's a 1995 e34 2.0l. In the UK only the v8's are nikasil affected.

My understanding, having looked at a UK import 523i a little while ago, was that the UK 6s were also affected until the 10th week of 1998.

Certainly this was the case with the 523i & 528i in E39 guise. (That info, by the way, came straight from BMW in the UK.) The 6s in the US were not affected.

See : http://www.bmwland.co.uk/talker/view...php?t=373&vm=r

This link talks about the M52 engine being fitted to the E34 from 1995.

and : http://www.bmwworld.com/engines/nikasil.htm

(Thanks to shogun for these links, by the way)

It is possible then, that the 2 litre motor might also be affected if it is an M52 (single vanos) , but I am not saying that it is. Worth a phone call to BMW or do a search on this forum and you will find what you need.

Regarding the value of the car, in Oz an inspection by an independent BMW mechanic can be had for approx $100 (40 quid). I would imagine that no matter how cheap the car, that sort of investment might be worth it.

[gwing]

I have a 94 touring tdse, 135500 miles,mine is a manuel box also no probs at all, only advice i can give is check usual things body rust,susp,electrics work,smoke from exhaust when revving engine, if it appears ok get 2nd opinion from a mechanic friend or bmw enthusiast,they are likely to know what special things to watch outfor. I've had mine nearly 3 years now apart from servicing the only things i've had to buy were a battery and a tailgate strut. Trouble these days its getting harder to check a vehicle there way to complicated now for majority of home enthusiast. You could get a vehicle exam done by one of the motoring organisations as a final check, could be money well spent if they found major faults.

[Ross]

Items peculiar to the touring that can be troublesome are the wiring harness for the rear hatch, check that everything back there is operational.
The sunroof also is more complicated than the sedan.
Although the a/c is not different than the others it's expensive to repair, so a non functioning unit deserves a significant price adjustment or better still repair before consumating a deal.
All the usual E34 weaknesses apply as well and are well covered here.
115k is about where lots of stuff needs attention, so see whats been done and plan on doing the rest soon.
Good luck!
Ross

[Bruce Kennett]

i second the arnings for the rear susp. i bought a wagon this spring, didn;t desire the fancy susp but that's how it came. lines all rusted, whole system let go while i was many hours away from home. mamanged to limp back, and ended up replacing the rear susp with conventional springs and bilsteins. the guy from whom i bought the car split the cost with me, but it was very expensive to convert.

good thing sunroof is working -- those are not simple to repair if out of kilter.

check wiring loom on *both* sides of tailgate -- the constant flexing wears out the sheathing and insulation.

however, it is a completely wonderful car. good for you for finding one with a manual tranny -- here in the u.s. it's all auto as far as i know.

bruce

[calmloki]

i second the arnings for the rear susp. i bought a wagon this spring, didn;t desire the fancy susp but that's how it came. lines all rusted, whole system let go while i was many hours away from home. mamanged to limp back, and ended up replacing the rear susp with conventional springs and bilsteins. the guy from whom i bought the car split the cost with me, but it was very expensive to convert.

good thing sunroof is working -- those are not simple to repair if out of kilter.

check wiring loom on *both* sides of tailgate -- the constant flexing wears out the sheathing and insulation.

however, it is a completely wonderful car. good for you for finding one with a manual tranny -- here in the u.s. it's all auto as far as i know.

bruce

An aside to Bruce: so what did the final cost end up being, did you do the work yourself and run into anything we would all like to know about? Ugly nasty job? Howdja block of the old hydraulic lines? What parts did you use and does the wagon sit and handle the same? Better? Enquiring touring owners want to know!
Tom

[RiggsyB]

Another question that is proving to be quite contentious, and i can't get a straight answer... What oil should I stick in it? Apparently it is an M50 engine, steel block... So no nickasil worries (only E39s were affected in the UK, and not too many of them at that apparently) to contend with...

I've heard 5/30 full synthetic, 10/40 semi, 15/40 semi, 10/40 fully... Can anyone give me a definitive answer? And do they prefer a particular brand at all?

[Omega]

My understanding, having looked at a UK import 523i a little while ago, was that the UK 6s were also affected until the 10th week of 1998.

Well I have certainly learnt something today! Thanks for the heads up. I was lead to believe it was only the v8's. That little nugget of info will certainly be remembered when I get a newer 5 series (eventually...)

Regarding the value of the car, in Oz an inspection by an independent BMW mechanic can be had for approx $100 (40 quid).

For £40 yes it's worth it. Most places I've seen advertising checks in the UK start at about £150... I think the RAC charge £180.

What oil should I stick in it?

I run 10w40 standard oil of reasonable quality - like Duckhams. Typically £15 for 5 litres. Nothing fancy at all.

If it's an M50 block, look (or listen) out for a top end rattle from the hydraulic lifters. Expensive to replace but an engine flush may clear it. It did mine. The rattle is a good bargaining tool though.

I must confess to being a bit of a touring pervert as well. As we are yet to see photo's, what colour is it?