Found a nice '95 540i Sport for sale (US M540); few questions

[DueyT]

Kamil, I think we're pretty sure who most of the 540i Sport owners are...and this one doesn't sound like a board member.

The thing that makes the shocks so expensive is that they are special, active Electroni Damping Control units...quite sophisticated...more so than standard 1995 E34 running gear. The other suspension components (thrust arms, links, etc...) would need refreshing as well, but that would be true of any E34 in the 90k-120k mi range.

Re: the Nikasil engine...Jeff (632 Regal) and I will tell you that if the engine's tight now (leakdown check, not compression test, all cyls must be less than 15% - which is a fair bit...mine tested at 7%'s) that you are probably OK at this point so long as you feed it KNOWN low-sulphur gas...don't just trust the pimply-faced pump jockey, "Oh it's OK Mister...all our gas is low sulphur!" -- as Dr. Evil says....."R i i i i i i ght!" Make sure the vendor is a known produced that either posts, or makes available the refinery and supply standards for sulphur in the gas.

Other than that, 540i Sports and Canadian M540i's are pretty nice cars.

You might ask David Chen on the board here, what some of the 540i Sport/M540i gotcha's are, he has a nice blue M540i last time I checked.

Cheers,
Duey

[632 Regal]

Always use the highest octane available, premium is supposed to be refined to a higher standard than the lower grades. Here in Michigan they do not post refinery information and most name brand stations get deliveries by generic tankers.

[Elekta]

MattP redid the EDC on his 95M5T. You could search his posts. I think he listed some of the pain he shelled out recently, and get an idea what suspension prices are.

[Kamil]

MattP redid the EDC on his 95M5T. You could search his posts. I think he listed some of the pain he shelled out recently, and get an idea what suspension prices are.

I've called Maximiallan; $800-$1000 per corner.
If I want to change to regular springs and shocks I would need all new bearings and bushings, etc...
Called another place in MA for possible motor replacement, $5000-$6000.

I called the owner and told him that I will not look at the car.
In addition to being red (which I don't like), it did not have LSD (which I would want), had a wing (which I hate) and did not have shadowline trim (which I want), and did not have heated seats (which I like and which my 535 has) and no CD player (again, which my 535 has, and would prolly change right over).

Oh well... lot's more cars out there.

[632 Regal]

sounds like you were waiting for something to tell you absolutely NO.

Next...

[Matt P]

It was about $3000 for the main parts from BMA and another $800 or so in labors.

call it $4000 when all is done.

[632 Regal]

but he wasnt really interested from the first post, ya know?