BMW E34 5 series noob

Captain Slow IRL

I'm going to be looking at a 96 525i this weekend and really don't have any experience with the older 5 series. Are there any owners on here that can point me in areas to check out in particular? Is there any problematic items with these cars?

Must be the last of them, if she is Irish rust wouldn't be a worry, if she is English lift carpets and check underneath the car too. When driving look for a wobble from the steering, sub frame bush ings are common enough and not cheap. Coolant systems have chocolate components, viscous coupling for coolant fan a common one that fails. Great buses though and you won t regret buying one, you'll always get rid of it for more or less what you paid for it unless you are ridden buying it.

unkel

As RoverJames said, it must have been a very late registration! Great car, the E34. I had a '94 530i V8 auto myself for about 3 years (sold it when it was 10 years old). Never had any trouble with it, but the V8s (some of the ones imported from the UK) can suffer from the Nikasil issue, which was never a problem for the straight 6 engines in the E34

3 or 4 years ago there were plenty of E34s still out on the road, I'd say it was probably even one of the top 5 over 10 year old cars out there. Now there are few left and I reckon a very late 525i (manual?) has every chance of making it as a classic car if you keep it well. Go for it!

Captain Slow IRL

I haven't checked but it seems to be a poverty spec, so I'm hoping it's Irish - it's something I will be finding out though. It's a manual, don't think I could afford to run an auto!
From the pics, it looks tidy and the interior looks clean enough for the mileage on it but it has feck all toys (less to go wrong!)

unkel

Mine was Irish too. The first owner was the Finnish ambassador to Ireland. I reckon only 10-15 V8 (high end by definition, only the M5 was higher up in the range) 530s and 540s E34 ever sold in this country and guess what, mine did not have leather. Or even an airbag :eek:

BTW the autobox was a fairly modern 5 speed one, it wouldn't cost much more in petrol. That said, on a 525i straight 6 E34, the manual is probably more desirable (oh how things have changed in the past 10 years )

Captain Slow IRL

Captain Slow IRL wrote: »

I haven't checked but it seems to be a poverty spec, .............but it has feck all toys (less to go wrong!)

Should still have 4 electric windows, electric mirrors, central locking & ABS along with p/s obviously. So not bad really. I drove an e34 525i years ago but didn't buy it as I was travelling Cork to Dublin at least once a week at the time, she was savage though, light sky blue with tastefull 17s on her :cool:

unkel

RoverJames wrote: »

Should still have 4 electric windows, electric mirrors, central locking & ABS along with p/s obviously.

Just like any Nissan Primera / Ford Mondeo of the same year then?

mondeo

I had the 520i before my S80 came along and it was a lovely car! Didn't have any trouble bar bushings..
I'd love another one but really knocking on abit now.

unkel

mondeo wrote: »

I'd love another one but really knocking on abit now.

Now there's a point! With early E39s now available for next to nothing, what's the point in buying an E34 unless you want to nurture it till it's a classic? What's Captain Slow IRL's view on this?

Pdfile

Captain Slow IRL wrote: »

I'm going to be looking at a 96 525i this weekend and really don't have any experience with the older 5 series. Are there any owners on here that can point me in areas to check out in particular? Is there any problematic items with these cars?

bushings and suspention would be my biggest worry as its not a cheap fix, then from their on out, engine/gb, rust, interier components, etc etc.

if she isnt sweet as, avoid, theirs a fair amount of choice atm

Stevie Dakota

My previous E34 520i was probably the best car I’ll ever own. Every drive was an occasion, the looks, the build quality and refinement were just outstanding, I miss it every day! A 525i would be even better. I spent a lot of money on it over the 7 years I owned it, but was obsessive and did a lot of preventive maintenance. The weak points mentioned by Rover James are spot on, add to that failing window motors, cooling system to include hoses, rad, T-stat, waterpump and housing, suspension (it’s a heavy car) expensive metric tyres if you have them (mine was a UK car).

Parts were not expensive though from Otto and the like.

If you find a good one and can afford to run it then go for it 100%, not as sharp a drive as the E39 but IMO better built and much more unique car.

Captain Slow IRL

RoverJames wrote: »

Should still have 4 electric windows, electric mirrors, central locking & ABS along with p/s obviously. So not bad really. I drove an e34 525i years ago but didn't buy it as I was travelling Cork to Dublin at least once a week at the time, she was savage though, light sky blue with tastefull 17s on her :cool:

No, just the 2 fronts windows are electric.

Anan1

Lovely cars, all i'd add is that I found the standard front seats quite uncomfortable and it's not impossible to lose the tail in the wet.

no1beemerfan

My uncle has two of them....an '88 520i he has had since 1990 and a '90 530i that he has over ten years and also an e39 523i and an e38 740i and prefers the E34s!

Just watch for rust and check the coolent/oil and let it idle for a good while to make sure the system works as it should.

Also if you have any idea of cars you'll know if something is up when you drive it....watch for shakes/bumpy ride etc.

Vikings

unkel wrote: »

Now there's a point! With early E39s now available for next to nothing, what's the point in buying an E34 unless you want to nurture it till it's a classic? What's Captain Slow IRL's view on this?

That's a good point, I picked up a very early e39 (albeit a 520) for 3 figures last week. Needs some tidying but all round bargain.

no1beemerfan

unkel wrote: »

Now there's a point! With early E39s now available for next to nothing, what's the point in buying an E34 unless you want to nurture it till it's a classic? What's Captain Slow IRL's view on this?

Vikings wrote: »

That's a good point, I picked up a very early e39 (albeit a 520) for 3 figures last week. Needs some tidying but all round bargain.

A late E34 or an early E39? I'd go for the E34 personally.....I'd only go for an updated and facelifted E39 and it would have to have an m-tec kit as without its pretty dull looking.

Captain Slow IRL

I like E34's, can't explain it, and fell very badly for them after driving a 5I8 touring earlier on this year. I've driven my fair share of e39's which are sweet cars to be in but anything before the 2001 facelift just looks dated in my eyes. (If I had the moolah, I'd be going for an e39 525i sport) This, coupled with a very restricted budget and necessity for a bigger car, is what's affecting my decision now!

ks652

I have a beauty for sale at the minute. Its in Limerick. Will be taxed for 3 months and a full test by the start of November.

525i Full mint grey Leather, 17 inch wheels, daytona violet, mtec kit, LSD, 110k etc, etc. PM if interested.

BTW, im not sure if im allowed to do that ^^ here so please be gentle with me

Stevie Dakota

ks652 wrote: »

daytona violet

Purple to you and me.

dgt

As the owner of an 89 525i (and previously a 94 and 91 520i) these are a well built, solid car. The weak points are bushings and the drop links, these perish with age. Check the handbrake actually works and im assuming cos its 96 its a vanos update, keep an eye on the variator (dead obvious if its gone, the car will sound like a diesel)

Otherwise a great car, go for it and happy motoring

Stevie Dakota

Another plus with the E34 is that for routine servicing, oil, oil and fuel filters, coolant disks, pads, etc, they are really easy to work on, reset tools are cheap to buy, engine bay is also uncluttered and not covered in plastic rubbish.

Mahatma coat

I have anE34 535, great Car. altho I've noticed that the Trip computer aint that accurate, and some of the LED's on the dash work intermittently especialy the one that says yer in Economy or Sports mode, other than that if its ben serviced and maintained then you wont have many worries.