New to the forum

[RBSileighty]

This is my first post here. Just wanted to say hello, and I can't wait until I join the owners. I am currently driving a 01 Pathfinder as my daily driver, and will be switching to an E34 (maybe E39) 540 6spd as soon as I don't need the truck for coming up north for parts of the year. This should be in about a year and a half... maybe sooner.

I am really excited to find a good E34 forum, I was starting to get worried when I kept seeing really boring/non-tech forums that are available for the 5 series. I am an engineer at Bosch in Charleston, SC and have been involved with tuning cars for quite a while now.

I figure I will shoot off my first question...

What is the typical mileage that a the E34 V8's can see without having trouble? I remember doing some research a long time ago when my uncle picked up his E39 528 (now owns a E39 M5... talked him into upgrading twice... 540 6spd before the M5) that some of the early E34's had some issues. I'm looking into a 95 example most likely.

[mikey535im]

Welcome RB,
Here's a few sights ('Bibles') that will give you some invaluable information in your future purchase
www.bmwe34.net
www.koalamotorsport.com(especially article on right sidebar(nikasil vs alusil)
HTH,Mike

[RBSileighty]

Welcome RB,
Here's a few sights ('Bibles') that will give you some invaluable information in your future purchase
www.bmwe34.net
www.koalamotorsport.com
HTH,Mike

Thank you very much!

I have seen this one http://www.bmwe34.net/, but not the other one. Great info... but it does make me lean toward the E39 now.

[DueyT]

Thank you very much!

I have seen this one http://www.bmwe34.net/, but not the other one. Great info... but it does make me lean toward the E39 now.
RB, if money isn't a problem (in a relative sense) a newer E39 540i6 would be nice....but then you'd be missing out on some classic lines....oooo, like these::D
http://www.bimmer.info/bmw/Duey/540RL1Lg.jpg
http://www.bimmer.info/bmw/Duey/540F1-Lg.jpg

Cheers,
Duey

[Rory]

This is my first post here. Just wanted to say hello, and I can't wait until I join the owners. I am currently driving a 01 Pathfinder as my daily driver, and will be switching to an E34 (maybe E39) 540 6spd as soon as I don't need the truck for coming up north for parts of the year. This should be in about a year and a half... maybe sooner.

I am really excited to find a good E34 forum, I was starting to get worried when I kept seeing really boring/non-tech forums that are available for the 5 series. I am an engineer at Bosch in Charleston, SC and have been involved with tuning cars for quite a while now.

I figure I will shoot off my first question...

What is the typical mileage that a the E34 V8's can see without having trouble? I remember doing some research a long time ago when my uncle picked up his E39 528 (now owns a E39 M5... talked him into upgrading twice... 540 6spd before the M5) that some of the early E34's had some issues. I'm looking into a 95 example most likely.
Welcome to the forum!!

Another nerdy engineer, you can never have too many :) A well maintained BMW will last 250K miles with routine maintenence. Many more miles is not uncommon if it is cared for. The early E34 V8's had problems as you have seen. But, if the engine has been updated then you are good to go. It all comes down to budget and your personal preference. I would say drive both the E34 and E39 and decide what suits you better. You will not go wrong with either one. The E34 is a bit easier to work on for a DIY'er IMHO because it has fewer computer gadgets. If you go the E34 V8 route and it has an updated engine I would not hesitate to buy it. Either way you will have a very nice car.

Good Luck,
Rory

[G Feller]

Duey (pictured below) has a '95 540 6-speed with the original Nikasil engine (some but not all of these engines went bad due to a bad reaction between gas with high sulfur levels and the alloy in the block). He is not losing any sleep over his engine. I have a '95 540 6-speed with an Alusil engine. We are both in love with this car combined with Mark D'Sylva's EAT chip. With that chip in, you will have numbers similar to those of the E39 (at least 300hp - actually higher than a stock E39 540).

If you are at all worried about the Nikasil issue (these engines were actually in the 530, 540, 740, and 840), you can certainly find an Alusil-replaced example. These do not fail, and then you have a car like mine with 100k on the car and only 40k on the engine, or something similar.

Most of us on this board (go figger) prefer the lines of the E34 to those of the E39, and I am no exception. The choice will boil down to money, style/taste, and availability (there are only about a dozen '95 540 6-speeds for sale on AutoTrader nationwide at any given time; some of these are Alusil, some don't specify so they're likely Nikasil).

Since '95 is the last year the E34 was made, you would have the last of the breed. I understand a lot of '97 540s had some problems as they ramped up their lines, and I also prefer the overall fit and finish of the E34s I have seen to the E39s I have seen.

Since these cars are 9 years old, no one on the board I'm aware of has tested the upper limits of the engine life yet, although I'm pretty sure someone with a 540 has done 250k miles. I'm sure you're aware that the BMW M30 engine (as found in the E28 and E35 535) will run forever; basically the jury is still out on the M60 family as far as I know, but I plan to keep mine forever.

I will tell you that you are unlikely to find any car discussion board as inviting, helpful, and (mostly) good-humored as this one. We'll still talk to you if you go with the E39, we'll just mostly say "I told you so." :p

Whatever you choose, there's nothing like a potent V8 and a manual transmission! Enjoy.


will be switching to an E34 (maybe E39) 540 6spd

I am really excited to find a good E34 forum, I was starting to get worried when I kept seeing really boring/non-tech forums that are available for the 5 series. I am an engineer at Bosch in Charleston, SC and have been involved with tuning cars for quite a while now.

What is the typical mileage that a the E34 V8's can see without having trouble? I remember doing some research a long time ago ... that some of the early E34's had some issues. I'm looking into a 95 example most likely.

[632 Regal]

Duey (pictured below) has a '95 540 6-speed with the original Nikasil engine (some but not all of these engines went bad due to a bad reaction between gas with high sulfur levels and the alloy in the block). He is not losing any sleep over his engine. I have a '95 540 6-speed with an Alusil engine. We are both in love with this car combined with Mark D'Sylva's EAT chip. With that chip in, you will have numbers similar to those of the E39 (at least 300hp - actually higher than a stock E39 540).

If you are at all worried about the Nikasil issue (these engines were actually in the 530, 540, 740, and 840), you can certainly find an Alusil-replaced example. These do not fail, and then you have a car like mine with 100k on the car and only 40k on the engine, or something similar.

Most of us on this board (go figger) prefer the lines of the E34 to those of the E39, and I am no exception. The choice will boil down to money, style/taste, and availability (there are only about a dozen '95 540 6-speeds for sale on AutoTrader nationwide at any given time; some of these are Alusil, some don't specify so they're likely Nikasil).

Since '95 is the last year the E34 was made, you would have the last of the breed. I understand a lot of '97 540s had some problems as they ramped up their lines, and I also prefer the overall fit and finish of the E34s I have seen to the E39s I have seen.

Since these cars are 9 years old, no one on the board I'm aware of has tested the upper limits of the engine life yet, although I'm pretty sure someone with a 540 has done 250k miles. I'm sure you're aware that the BMW M30 engine (as found in the E28 and E35 535) will run forever; basically the jury is still out on the M60 family as far as I know, but I plan to keep mine forever.

I will tell you that you are unlikely to find any car discussion board as inviting, helpful, and (mostly) good-humored as this one. We'll still talk to you if you go with the E39, we'll just mostly say "I told you so." :p

Whatever you choose, there's nothing like a potent V8 and a manual transmission! Enjoy.