Oz executive specs

[wingman]

One for the Aussies,
I've only owned my '89 525i Executive for a short while and I'm still finding new goodly things that it's fitted with. Does anyone know where I could find a list of specs/features that this model came with as standard?

Cheers
Wingman

'89 525i
'78 528i

[BigKriss]

One for the Aussies,
I've only owned my '89 525i Executive for a short while and I'm still finding new goodly things that it's fitted with. Does anyone know where I could find a list of specs/features that this model came with as standard?

Cheers
Wingman

'89 525i
'78 528i

- rear blind
- electric seats
- leather seats?
- cruise control
- rear headrests
- auto-dipping mirror on reserve
- factory in car phone kit
- arm rests on front seats?
- sunroof

thats all I can think of.

[pundit]

- rear blind
- electric seats
- leather seats?
- cruise control
- rear headrests
- auto-dipping (drivers side) mirror on reserve? (reverse)
- factory in car phone kit
- arm rests on front seats?
- sunroof

thats all I can think of.
I'm not certain if electric seats were standard fare on the Executive or not.
I heard electric seats were about a $5k option!
Mine has all the above except for the phone which may have been removed.
I also have the light sensing auto dipping interior rear vision mirror, rear roller blind and dual climate control. Does someone know if dual climate control was standard on the Executive?

I think the only way to be certain as to what exactly the Executive spec consisted of is to try and track down the official BMW Australia E34 Executive sales brochure. It may have been possible to even add some additional options on an Executive spec E34.

[BigKriss]

Scanned from wheels August 1988, p75.

This should sort things out a bit and prices for options. My only has the electric seat adjustment on both sides, but only the memory option on the drivers side, it was an aus$3890 option for the electric seat option. Fully optioned e34 107,800 + sunroof ($3440) + electic seats ($3890) = aus $115,130.

http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/7849/bmwexspecs9rg.jpg

[Phil Sanderson]

...on a 525i:
1. Cruise Control {$1200}
2. Leather trim {$3500}
3. Rear Headrests {$465}
4. Rear Window Blind {$405}
5. Map Lights {$210}
6. Anti-Theft with remote control {$1150}
7. Alloy Wheels (bottle caps) {$2565}
Some other options were: Sunroof {$3440}, Front Fog Lights {$590} Electric Seats {$3890}, Electric Seats with Memory {$4485} plus many more.
Base price of a 525i manual $72930, Auto $75930
Base price of a 525i Executive manual $81550, Auto $84550

...on a 535i:
1. Cruise Control {$1200}
2. Front Arm Rests {$630}
3. Leather Trim {3200}
4. Rear Headrests {$465}
5. Rear Window Blind {$405}
6. Anti-Theft with remote control {$1150}
7. Sunroof {$3440}
Base price of a 535i manual $93840, Auto $97840
Base price of a 535i Executive manual $103990, Auto $107990

Auto Climate Control was a $2480 option all Models, it wasn't Standard on any.
These prices are from a BMW Price and Specification List - September 1989.

regards
Phil

[mattyb]

thats awesome. i've been looking around for that kind of stuff for ages. sometimes get close but not close enough. where is it? if u have it handycould you look up mine 4 me. 93 build wide grille 540i. all the gear plus spoiler minus the rear roller blind, never seen one actually. thanx in advance if u happen to find it.

[Phil Sanderson]

thats awesome. i've been looking around for that kind of stuff for ages. sometimes get close but not close enough. where is it? if u have it handycould you look up mine 4 me. 93 build wide grille 540i. all the gear plus spoiler minus the rear roller blind, never seen one actually. thanx in advance if u happen to find it.

I have 3 pricelists for 1993 - January, May and September. The 530i-540i were released in May. The 540i base price was $128000. 530i $109000.
In September they had increased in price to 540i $133260 and 530i $112060.
There is no option of a rear spoiler - this was a "Dealer fitted Accessory".

It's interesting to note that in January 1993 you could still buy a 535i {$112620} and an M5 {$157500} up until the release of the 530i/540i in May, meaning that there will be a handfull of 1993 535i's out there. I did see one advertised once and it had the later model side mirrors on it.

regards
Phil

[Zeuk in Oz]

I suspect that BMW ordered them in with basic packages
My 12/88 525i 5 speed has :
Cruise control, leather, rear headrests, rear blind, map lights, sunroof, alloy wheels (bottletops).
Not forgetting the mighty (economical) M20. :D

[mattyb]

Thanks for that Phil, that would be great!

[mattyb]

This must be the aussie thread is it? i've seen us all here in one go!

[genphreak]

I always thought my Aussie 535i was an Exec pack, but if Exec means anti-tehft device... I'm wondering. I never got a remote for the car when I bought it and there is no sensor in the overhead sunroof console... Phil are you sure it was the remote toggle, not the anti-theft device OBC's code feature?

I don't have the auto-adjusting rear view mirrir either, it has a hand-operated dipper.

I was sure it was an Exec- but not so now. It's got everything else, except electric seats which was always an option.

Seems weird the owner would buy every other Exec option instead of the Exec pack. I need to look under the rear seat to look for the alarm module.... :) GP

[Phil Sanderson]

I always thought my Aussie 535i was an Exec pack, but if Exec means anti-tehft device... I'm wondering. I never got a remote for the car when I bought it and there is no sensor in the overhead sunroof console... Phil are you sure it was the remote toggle, not the anti-theft device OBC's code feature?

...is September 1989 and the E34 was released in Aus in late 1988. BMW changed the specs on the cars continually from one price increase to the next. My car is a Dec '88 build - April '89 delivered with the Exec pack and it has Anti-Theft (you will see the red light in the middle grille on top of the dash with Anti-Theft option) but it is not remote controlled, it is activated by key deadlocking (I know this isn't the correct word for it) locking the car. So remote control on 535's came later as standard. The auto dipping side mirror when the Auto was put into reverse came later too.

regards
Phil

[Paul in NZ]

anti theft does not necessarily mean remote.....if you have the led on the dash vent you prolly have anti theft,another clue is the device under the bonnet immediately behind the power steering resevoir.I think its the siren.

[wingman]

woooow Thanks guys. I've got manual seats and mirror dipper but everything else (so far) adds up. The LED on the dash vent is a mystery. My car came with a pirhana alarm system which makes me think that the factory option was not installed though the LED is there??? I love the rear blind (small kids in the back). what's the best leather care stuff you guys have discovered?

[wingman]

Phil,
Are you still with the BMW Driver's Club NSW? I remember you from a few meetings at BMW Sydney.

[BigKriss]

leatherique for leather care seems the go, there is a distrubutor in Australia. http://www.leatherique.com.au/ Some US of A members will mention Colorplus, I don't know if there are distributors in Australia. maybe aus$200 for the full kit for one car.

[genphreak]

...is September 1989 and the E34 was released in Aus in late 1988. BMW changed the specs on the cars continually from one price increase to the next. My car is a Dec '88 build - April '89 delivered with the Exec pack and it has Anti-Theft (you will see the red light in the middle grille on top of the dash with Anti-Theft option) but it is not remote controlled, it is activated by key deadlocking (I know this isn't the correct word for it) locking the car. So remote control on 535's came later as standard. The auto dipping side mirror when the Auto was put into reverse came later too.

regards
PhilThanks Phil, a world of information! The devil is very definately in the detail... Mine is a Aug 88 build, and I've heard the alarm sounding once, so it has the feature- but not the remote. I've never seen the dashboard light light up though- perhaps the globe is gone. I might check that soon. I have a slick dash-mounted LED that makes up for it though, hopefully I'll show you at the next meet. Kriss came over and helped me fix the centre bearing- the blooming thing was cracked not worn, so I was not impressed. We just welded it up, and now I have a spare centre bearing...

I wish I had remote locks. But i want code-hoppers or something, the standard fare is easily hacked- I've seen Infra-Red ones opened by palm-pilots.

Thanks for the info Phil, was great to meet you the other weekend too.

[Phil Sanderson]

Phil,
Are you still with the BMW Driver's Club NSW? I remember you from a few meetings at BMW Sydney.

...I do the Club Magazine. I'm sure we'll meet up at an event sometime - but give me a name to put to "wingman" will you?

regards
Phil

[F4Phantom]

what are variable pressure windscreen wipers, according to this my car has em, whatever they may be.

[Paul in NZ]

the variable pressure wipers is called adv is an electric motor that somehow puts more pressure on the drivers wiper,i think it is speed related.It is the culprit(i reckon for the strabge whirring sound you hear at about 15 km hr when you first take off and teh unwinding whirr when you turn off....Awesome info Phil do you have info on the IS options?The IS wasnt officially available here but there are a number of NZ new 535s that seem to actually be is,s ie electric leather recaros,mtech body kit,large metric wheels,etc....

[F4Phantom]

ok, cause i first noticed that at the lights the wipers turn off even when on full. i thought this may have been linked. another point - do current cars have all these features and more or do they phase in options and phase old ones out with popularity and technology. so are modern cars loaded up with every previous cars options? cause the options list only lists modern specs, latley parking sensors have become popular so they are discussed regulary.

[wingman]

You'll find that the rain sensing wipers are now more popular. I don't know if the road speed variable ones that I (and you) have are the standard fitment on new BMW.

[Paul in NZ]

they shouldnt actually turn off,when on fast speed they go the slow speed when on slow they go to intermittent on intermittent i think they double the delay....modern cars have more features...the features that benz have today and bimmers tomorrow become std in all cars a few years down the road...however even our old cars have features that surprise!

[F4Phantom]

it also comes to cost, eg the rear blind in my car i use all the time in summer for the kids. but if they (car maker) think not enough people appreciate the blind and it costs em x amount of $$, they could swap the blind for a more talked about option like park sensors. This means not only outdated options could be lost but very usefull options in place with modern 'must haves'

[romus]

Hey mate. I have an E34 sales brochure, huge A3 format (for 535i only though) and can have a look for this info when I get back home.

[Yiorgos]

I have a 4/95 525i with some extra options (not sure what was standard and what was opted from the first owner). I can tell you right now that with the wipers, when I have the wipers on intermittent and I'm stopped or very slow they don't seem to change speed (at least on my spec). Only when I have it on 1 will it fall to intermittent -- not sure about speed 2 since they go so quick that I guess it's only useful for getting snow off the windscreen (something that Australia doesn't experience often).

Mine came with the infra-red remote, car alarm, 6 disc changer in the boot, auto-dimming rear mirror, leather, map reading lights front and back, front and rear foggies.

I also have a different steering wheel to almost every other E34 that I have seen -- it is genuine BMW with airbag, but I have only ever seen this steering wheel twice before in my life, and both times they were in Z3s. So I'm very confused.

As for car features, yes they do tend to trickle down. My friend's dad bought a new Holden Barina (based on some Daewoo) and he had parking sensors optionally fitted. The same thing happened with airbags, air conditioning back in the day and alloy wheels.