need advice on used bmw series 5 1993 525i

[dartgen]

Hi,

I am new to this forum. I thought I say hello to everyone. Anyhow, my father heard about a great deal on bmw series 5 1993 525i for 1800 US dollar. I never actually saw the car but I say I buy it if car is in good condition. Oh man, I should have been there to see the car and test drive it. but my father blinded by the car's appearance and on spot, he brought the car for me. Now, I have to fix the car. I have to fix the overheat problem~500 US dollar. I am going to have to replace fan clutch and the belt to make sure engine doesn't overheat. Then I heard from BMW dealer that I need to get R12 to flush the A/C~no idea how to do that yet. basically, I am going to fix the engine first to make sure that car is runing smoothly. but inside of the car is a mess. man, if only if my father test drive in first place then this problem won't occur.

so there is alot of details that I need to fix. so while I am waiting to fixing the engine, i decide to work inside interior to clean up a bit. move the back seat so i can cover the seatbucket... that was alot of work since i don't have right tool and being that this is my first car, not alot of car experience.

oh yeah, you won't believe this, the back of my driver seat cover, person who sold to me, has screw bolt into cover on to the back of seat. who the heck would screw drive the bolt to back of car and also screw bolt into the leather cover of side door.

so i am asking for some help. I have four questions. i still haven't learn auto jargon yet so bear with me.

the first one is when i drove up the hill, the car kinda vibrate, am I correct to assume that bar underneath is loose: can i tighten or should i be prepare to buy a replacement.

second question: everytime i start the engine, i have to depress( or repeatly tap) the accerator pedal to get the engine running. is that normal, if not how do i fix it or should i leave it alone.

3rd question and other small detail: (this is vanity question so it not really important) There is red light near the radio that is always on(even when car is not on), does the red light mean that this is car security or is a radio security. is this normal cause I don't want to waste or drain the car battery.( going to have take out to find series code for radio code) other small question, i have yet to find how to lock my gas tank cover. I know it is broken so how I fix it~ a bit wary that some1 might damage the car by putting salt in it. thh inside to tank cover, there is lock mechanism that I know is broken for sure. where do i press the button to open that door lock althought i know it is broken.

last and not least, some of interior side door is coming apart, does anyone know what glue to hold that cover together cause there is no way i am going to staple the cover like the previous owner.

any links or instruction above would be very help, thank you for your time and consideration. I like BMW so since I brought I might as well work on it and maybe in future I trade in for newer bmw. so far i been brush up on knowledge by going to that bmwe34.com site

[uscharalph]

Welcome. Just to touch a couple of your items. We recently completely overhaulled by cooling sytem (New radiator, water pump, thermostat, hoses and belts) for under $450.00 in parts. If you are not mechanically inclined, you might be able to save some money in buying your own parts.

On the door panels, this problem is very common in these cars. Do a search on this forum: door panel fix. You should get some good tips here. I was quoted $125 per panel from a local upholsterer, but I'm either going to fix them myself or find used ones.

Lastly, do yourself a favor and find a Bentley manual for your car. They cover the car extremely well.

[nyc525iTe34]

Regarding your question about vibration.....it would help to know where exactly the vibration is coming from. If you feel it directly under you then I would look at your driveshaft/driveline. Specifically, look at the CV joints or center bearings. These tend to wear down in 525i's and unfortunately when they do you have to replace the entire shaftline which can cost about $500 reconditioned or $700 new (not including labor). As an alternative, check your hand-brake. Sometimes the hand-brake mechanism deteriorates and causes the underbelly to shake.

Regarding the gas pedal starting issue....check one of your fuel line hoses. Sounds like there's a fuel dispersion issue.

Regarding the red-light...this is a security/alarm thing. It usually goes on when the car is locked. No need to worry about the car battery being drained.

[Qsilver7]

If your 525i is a 1993 model year...the AC system should be R134a...not R12 (if you're in the USA). Starting with mfg date of 9/1992 BMW switched over to R134a...look on the door jamb of the driver's door and you will see a manufacture label that has the car's VIN on it...it will also have its production date.

What kind of mileage do you have on the car...the rough starting may just need new spark plugs and possibly some new vacuum hoses.

Keep this web site handy: www.realoem.com/bmw ...it is an online parts database for BMW. It is handy for finding part numbers...wholesale prices...exploded diagrams of how parts fit together...etc.

Your gas filler door/flap is part of the "central locking system" which means....when you lock the doors, the gas filler door/flap is locked...when you unlock the doors...that door is unlocked too...just like the trunk unless you remove it from the central locking system by turning the key to the veritical position ( | ) then pull the key out...it will always stay locked and have to opened with the key. If you turn the trunk lock horizontal and pull the key out ( -- ) it will lock/unlock when you lock/unlock the doors...this also keeps you from ever locking the key in the trunk...because you always have to have the key in your hand.

Good luck, and don't forget the search link...most questions you may have...have already been asked and answered...you will gain knowledge just by reading thru some of the past discussions. When you get stuck...or need further clarification then post back. Ditto, on the suggestion to buy the Bentley Service Manual for the e34 5 series BMW (1989-1995)...it may seem expensive at first...but the first time you use it to do a project...you'll earn your money back. :D

[KentW]

OK, this isn't the sort of help you were asking for, but here goes...

SELL IT, AND FAST!!!

A car that has been as badly abused as it sounds like this one has will be a neverending money pit, guaranteed. Get your money back before more things break and all you have is a pile of scrap.

[Lennyz525i]

At $1800 for a 93 you can expect some issues, so hopefully you have some cash you can spend to bring the car back to life.

Do you have any maintenance/repairs records of the car? What's the mileage?
I would make a list of issues from more serious (e.g overheating, vibration) to less serious (e.g A/C, interior) and try to determine first what's causing the more serious issues.

If the overheating problem is fairly cheap and easy to fix if a bad fan clutch is at fault.
The vibration, I don't know but hopefully it's not too bad. You'll have to check the car for suspension wear all round anyway.
Like Q said, your car should already be using 134a, what's the build date?

And again, a bentley manual and this board are very helpful.
I wouldn't take it to a dealer, go for a bmw independent if you can't fix it yourself.
Good luck!

[dartgen]

thank for responses.

so far i consult with guy who know his car. I hope the vibration is just relate to bad fan clutch. I will be check out other links and learn more about auto. by the way, can i get the manual from bmw dealer or do i have to order online. and why does it have to say bentley manual instead of bmw? how much does the manual usually cost? the overheat problem is being taken care of, i spend 500US total to fix the whole problem. the mileage is pretty high on this car but i figure another 100 thousand mile or maybe one more year then i trade it in... currently at 193 thousand miles. this weekend it should be all fix, if there any other problems i will post some here after doing the neccessary research.

once again, thank you for your time and advices.

[dartgen]

If your 525i is a 1993 model year...the AC system should be R134a...not R12 (if you're in the USA). Starting with mfg date of 9/1992 BMW switched over to R134a...look on the door jamb of the driver's door and you will see a manufacture label that has the car's VIN on it...it will also have its production date.

What kind of mileage do you have on the car...the rough starting may just need new spark plugs and possibly some new vacuum hoses.

Keep this web site handy: www.realoem.com/bmw ...it is an online parts database for BMW. It is handy for finding part numbers...wholesale prices...exploded diagrams of how parts fit together...etc.

Your gas filler door/flap is part of the "central locking system" which means....when you lock the doors, the gas filler door/flap is locked...when you unlock the doors...that door is unlocked too...just like the trunk unless you remove it from the central locking system by turning the key to the veritical position ( | ) then pull the key out...it will always stay locked and have to opened with the key. If you turn the trunk lock horizontal and pull the key out ( -- ) it will lock/unlock when you lock/unlock the doors...this also keeps you from ever locking the key in the trunk...because you always have to have the key in your hand.

Good luck, and don't forget the search link...most questions you may have...have already been asked and answered...you will gain knowledge just by reading thru some of the past discussions. When you get stuck...or need further clarification then post back. Ditto, on the suggestion to buy the Bentley Service Manual for the e34 5 series BMW (1989-1995)...it may seem expensive at first...but the first time you use it to do a project...you'll earn your money back. :D


i check the door jamb, the manufacturer date is 03/93. about the gas filler lock, i am pretty sure that inside that small cylinder metal bar (which i am assuming as a lock bar) is loose therefore i think it is broken. but i will try the central lock system and see if i can lock that gas filler cover. you see my response later tonite

[Kalevera]

thank for responses.

so far i consult with guy who know his car. I hope the vibration is just relate to bad fan clutch. I will be check out other links and learn more about auto. by the way, can i get the manual from bmw dealer or do i have to order online. and why does it have to say bentley manual instead of bmw? how much does the manual usually cost? the overheat problem is being taken care of, i spend 500US total to fix the whole problem. the mileage is pretty high on this car but i figure another 100 thousand mile or maybe one more year then i trade it in... currently at 193 thousand miles. this weekend it should be all fix, if there any other problems i will post some here after doing the neccessary research.

once again, thank you for your time and advices.
Robert Bentley is a publisher of service manuals and other such literature. "Bentley" or "Bentley's" on this forum refers to the E34 5 Series Repair Manual.

There's a link for it through the board --

http://www.bimmer.info/bimmerbooks/

best, whit

[mattyb]

welcome. your dad has given you a great oppurtunity. this is exactly how u do get experience.detailing the interior to a reasonable state should only take an hour. everybody else is more qualified thani for the rest of your questions so ill leave it with them.as for the radio code if u go to the dealer with your proof of ownership and vin # they should be able to find the code without taking it out. a good relation ship with a dealer is a good thing hit em up for whole sale prices as your young and new. dont be afriad to learn by doing it yourself. wish my dad had bought me bimmer

[Gayle]

I agree with Mattyb. It is a great opportunity. One of my coworkers was given a bmw at the age of 14 by his grandfather. He took it totally apart and put it back together. Talk about a learning experience. He also put an obsene amount of money into it, which is not such a great idea.

Treat this car as your apprenticeship in auto mechanics and don't try to make it a great car cause it will turn into a money pit. Make your next car great after you learn on this one. Enjoy and welcome.

It will help people help you if you fill out the profile with the details of your year, model, mileage, etc.