Bmw 518?

Volvoboy

Changing the car in the new year, after watching Ronan the other nite i've really taken a liking to a early 90's 5 series, would like one with a bigger engine, but still a provisional and i'm 20:o currently paying 2000 ins on a almera, so any opinions on the 518's, looking on carzone not really what i was looking for - http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=search&maxrows=100&MakeID=3&xMakeID=3&ModelID=335&xModelID=335&Year=&xYear=&submit=Find+cars+%3E%3E

Also looking at avensis's, Primera's so any experence or good or bad points on these three cars, thanks


-VB-

bazz26

Volvoboy wrote:

Changing the car in the new year, after watching Ronan the other nite i've really taken a liking to a early 90's 5 series, would like one with a bigger engine, but still a provisional and i'm 20:o currently paying 2000 ins on a almera, so any opinions on the 518's, looking on carzone not really what i was looking for - http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=search&maxrows=100&MakeID=3&xMakeID=3&ModelID=335&xModelID=335&Year=&xYear=&submit=Find+cars+%3E%3E

Also looking at avensis's, Primera's so any experence or good or bad points on these three cars, thanks


-VB-

The prices on some of those jaded underpowered 5 Series are laughable. €5k for a 12 year old 1.8 litre 5 Series with 128k miles is crazy.

Unless you can afford to insure a 6 pot BMW I would not bother with them, you will be disappointed. Check out the insurance on a 320i, it may not be that more expensive than the 518i. Either that or stick with what you have and save up to buy a real BMW.

unkel

Why waste your good money on excessive insurance? Get a 1.0 car and pass your test asap. In a couple of years time with a few years NCB on your belt, you'll be able to afford to run a nice with all the money you'd have saved

Agree the E34 is a nice motor and getting rarer now. But a 518i? Nah. Mine was a 530i V8 petrol

AsphaltRisin'

Opinion of 518i: Too slow with it's 1.8 4 cylinder engine, once you get it going at speeds above 40mph (and it's a long run up) it's respectable enough for just cruising in comfort but they just dont have enough power. It really has nothing on the 6 cylinder ones. But if you really have to have an E34 then get one, feck avensis's and that kind of boring crap, bland cars with no bit of class at all. if it's a boring japanese family saloon and the 518 you're choosing between, get the 518.

What i will say to you is seriously look into the cost of insuring i 520i, as i dont think it's much more than a 518. It's also far more powerful, and much easier to get. If you were to buy a 520i, get the later version with the 24valve engine and 150bhp.
A previous poster said look into a 320i but i have to disagree, it's the look of the E34 5 series you're after, and if i remember right the 520i is actually usually cheaper to insure than the 320i because it's seen as more of a big cruiser than a sports car.

mike65

Agree with all the above, its spoiling for the sake of saving a few bob. Wait a few years and buy a well speced 6 pot.

Mike.

kdevitt

The 518i is a quicker to 60 than the 520i... and a better option unless you can stretch to a 525i, which is probably unlikely given your provisional licence and age.

E@gle.

unkel wrote:

Why waste your good money on excessive insurance? Get a 1.0 car and pass your test asap. In a couple of years time with a few years NCB on your belt, you'll be able to afford to run a nice with all the money you'd have saved

Agree the E34 is a nice motor and getting rarer now. But a 518i? Nah. Mine was a 530i V8 petrol

i agree with this a NCB and a full license make a big difference for insurance

GB15

A friend got a quote for a 520 which was 1000euro cheaper than what he was quoted for a 320 a few years back.

Volvoboy

Looking again on carzone came across this minter
http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=553206
But at 160k mls on a autobox how are these on big miles?



-VB-

unkel

kdevitt wrote:

The 518i is a quicker to 60 than the 520i...

No it isn't! Even the old '88-'90 12V 129bhp 520i is quicker than the 8V 115bhp 518i. The newer '90 onwards 24V 150bhp 520i is substantially quicker than a 518i (12.4s vs 11.9 vs 10.6s 0-100km/h). Bhp/tonne is 85 vs 92 vs 103

And it's a 6-pot vs 4-pot with all associated benefits

kdevitt

Total BMW list 518i as 11.5 and 520i as 11.6. Eitherway, given that both cars are a million miles away from being performance cars, its a rather meaningless issue.

They also advise buying the 518i over a 520i given a straight choice. Seems sensible to me - similar performance, much cheaper running costs.

mike65

Trade does'nt like BMW autoboxes I understand.

Mike.

unkel

kdevitt wrote:

Total BMW list 518i as 11.5 and 520i as 11.6.

Interesting. I just noticed that both have the same peak torque at the same rpms. Anyway, not relevant as the OP would almost certainly get the post april '90 24V which is significantly quicker than the 518i. 30% more power and nearly 20% more peak torque at lower revs

I can't really see a significant difference in total cost of ownership between the two. Never mind Total BMW (any link BTW?), I would not recommend a 8V 518i over a 24V 520i

mike65 wrote:

Trade does'nt like BMW autoboxes I understand

Don't they? My E34 had a 5 speed autobox, but I never bothered to research longevity as mine was a low mileage car. I did have oil and filter changed once after a "CHECK TRAN" error happened a few times, sticking the car in 4th until a restart. My current E38 has a 5 speed steptronic autobox and from what I've come across, it should last 200,000 miles

Andrewf20

I agree with Unkel earlier. Try get the full license first and then have a bigger range of cars to choose from.

Andrewf20

Total BMW or BMW Car rate the different BMW models at the back of the mags. As far as I remember, they gave the 518i 1 star, saying its underpowered, & to beware of tired models. Oh dear.

kdevitt

Andrewf20 wrote:

Total BMW or BMW Car rate the different BMW models at the back of the mags. As far as I remember, they gave the 518i 1 star, saying its underpowered, & to beware of tired models. Oh dear.

Yeah its at the back alright, it did have two stars in the old version, its not rated in the newer mags. Its does say to avoid it like the plague, but in the buyers guide they publish, they change their tune and recommend it!

colm_mcm

bear in mind that UK mags will always rate bigegr engines higher, as their road tax isn't based on engine size. I would absolutely avoid any small engined 5 series though.

rebel.ranter

Hi, Total BMW mag actually rated the e34 518i over the e34 520i last month. They reckoned the 4 cylinder model was a bit more revvy, the power difference was not that much different. I owned an e34 520i for a while & I sold it 5 years ago with 167k miles (5 years ago!) on the clock, I saw it last year in Dublin (I'm in Cork), still driving! (met Blue, blue leather, 17' Momo Arrows). So they can go the distance miles wise.
I now have 2 six pot BMWs, an e36 320i conv & an e39 525iA Sport. I had an e36 316i & an e30 318, both four pots, all of the cars were great fun so I wouldn't let others put you off.

I would agree with other posters, get your full license, there are enough untested lunatics out there without you adding yourself to the list!!! Martin Cullen is looking to get Provisional drivers off the road this year anyway.

unkel

rebel.ranter wrote:

Total BMW mag actually rated the e34 518i over the e34 520i last month

Perhaps something the editor missed?

Did they compare a similar priced (second hand) 8V 518i to a 24V 520i at all? What were the arguments? Again, a link would be great

I agree though with kdevitt that neither is a performance car. And about the 518i being underpowered: it's probably fine for most people. It's an 80s saloon that is a lot faster than a brand new 2007 base level VW Golf