Newbie Intro

[ProZak]

Hello, all!

So, I finally caved in and bought my first BMW 3 days ago, a white on tan 1995 525iA with about 110k miles on it.

Oh.
My.
God.

I love this car. I was walking by to do something in the yard yesterday and ran my hand along the driver's side front fender, just to touch it. I've never done that before. Phew.

So, (and I apologize if my search-engine-fu is inferior) here are the outstanding issues I'd like to answer, if possible, in order of importance:

(1) I'm getting some vibration from the rear between 30 and 40 mph in second gear at part throttle. It's especially pronounced when the car is cold. I'm thinking differential? Drive shaft? No clue. Similar vibration happens at about 95 mph and smoothes out at about 120 mph. (!!! Wheeeeeeee !!!) (No, I don't make a habit out of that, just having fun in my new ride...) Tires are cheapo no-name generics but are brand new and properly balanced, so that's not it.

(2) Heat isn't very hot. As in, cranked to max temp on both sides with recirculated air, no A/C, max hot on the dash vents, car at operating temp... lukewarm. Heater core? Somebody said something about an auxillary water pump or maybe the valves. I'm clueless.

(3) My shift lever position indicator on the gauge cluster isn't lit. As in, the LCD works (letters change with lever position) but I can only see them when light hits the dash at exactly the right angle. It's like a laptop display with a blown cathode. Can I replace a bulb, or the lever position indicator itself, or do I need to a new cluster (god I hope not, everything else is perfect)?

(4) iPod integration into factory stereo. And I know, I know, this gets talked into the ground, but I can't find *anything*. I'm suffering along with a tape adapter right now, ugh, but I'd like to get a conversion kit of some kind that replaces the CD-changer input, like the Dension Ice, which starts at 1996 models. Argh! All I want is a freakin' line-level input. With lasers. Throw me a bone, people.

Thanks for reading, and thanks for a great site. Very entertaining reading; I'm already starting a wish list. Which reminds me, those Euro-spec (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=8019086844&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1) smiley lights, are the wattages different from US? Do they require special bulbs?

[kyleN20]

first off, if you got chepo tires, dont do 120
(finally its my turn to be the old man) they scorned me horrible when i told them i did 140:( dont get me wrong, live life, but be safe, at least iv got perelie (spelling) p6000 sports that i feel comfortable with.

[kyleN20]

haha, im the last persont that oughta scorn a newbie, have fun its a awsome automobile, post pics asap in the new vBPicgallery, wicked eas to use, youl find it in the control bar or whatever.

[angrypancake]

first off, if you got chepo tires, dont do 120
(finally its my turn to be the old man) they scorned me horrible when i told them i did 140:( dont get me wrong, live life, but be safe, at least iv got perelie (spelling) p6000 sports that i feel comfortable with.



definitely, check the speed rating on your tires. I remember when I first got my 525i last summer and took it to around 130 and then realized the tires were only rated to 125... oops. but i didn't sustain 130, and never got close til i changed the tires


however, congrats on the car, and welcome! post some pictures!

[ProZak]

definitely, check the speed rating on your tires. I remember when I first got my 525i last summer and took it to around 130 and then realized the tires were only rated to 125... oops. but i didn't sustain 130, and never got close til i changed the tires


however, congrats on the car, and welcome! post some pictures!
Oh, yeah, totally, I was only at 120 on the interstate at night for about half a mile; believe me, I can't wait for those suckers to wear out so I can replace them. :) Pics very soon, even if the car is bone stock.

[Springfield1952]

Welcome to the BMW world, driving a regular car will never be the same.

On the vibration problem - one place it might be is in the driveshaft. BMW's have a two piece driveshaft with a center bearing and a Guibo joint (think of it as a rubber doughnut on steroids). The center bearing is mounted in a rubber web that can fail and the Guibo itself also fails. In either case there is excess play in the driveshaft causing vibration. Jack up the car, look in the center and you should be able to see the bearing and Guibo and check their condition. Good luck.

Curt.

[angrypancake]

Oh, yeah, totally, I was only at 120 on the interstate at night for about half a mile; believe me, I can't wait for those suckers to wear out so I can replace them. :) Pics very soon, even if the car is bone stock.


There's a number of white e34's here. And you may be in luck, Josh (Liquidtiger720) mentioned earlier he might be getting rid of his Racing Dynamics 18"s... Maybe it would work out to be when your schlock tires wear out. http://www.bimmer.info/forum/showthread.php?t=16487

[ProZak]

There's a number of white e34's here. And you may be in luck, Josh (Liquidtiger720) mentioned earlier he might be getting rid of his Racing Dynamics 18"s... Maybe it would work out to be when your schlock tires wear out. http://www.bimmer.info/forum/showthread.php?t=16487

Yeah, I saw that thread and those wheels are sweeeeeet. Maybe the timing'll work out; we'll see.

-Zak-

[ProZak]

Good tip, I'll def. look into that. Thanks!

-Zak-

[Incantation]

welcome to the forum

if i may make a suggestion.. before you begin any mods to the car... lower it first :)

[ProZak]

welcome to the forum

if i may make a suggestion.. before you begin any mods to the car... lower it first :)

Heh! I've seen some of your other posts, sounds like your favorite advice! ;)

And you know, I probably will at the same time as the bad-ass wheels / tires on the wishlist. :D :D

[rreimund]

welcome to the forum

if i may make a suggestion.. before you begin any mods to the car... lower it first :)

Now isn't that a mod? :D

I'm in the same boat, but I've got lots of maintenance items to check off the list before I start on the mods list :)
Welcome, and good luck to you. There's TONS of great info here, and excellent resources to answer questions.

[632 Regal]

dude, them lights are advertised as american spec but in the ad it says euro spec...if they are euro the little metal deflector inside the light is on the wrong side and the light beam will be improper.

the dash lights need to be replaced, make sure you get the right bulbs cause there are 2 difft lights and one is WRONG. replace all of them while your in there.

vibration from rear could be tires out of round (usually feel it at about 70) guibo as mentioned, might be the CV joints also, check it all while under there.

Good luck.

[ProZak]

haha, im the last persont that oughta scorn a newbie, have fun its a awsome automobile, post pics asap in the new vBPicgallery, wicked eas to use, youl find it in the control bar or whatever.

See 'em at http://www.bimmer.info/forum/vbpicgallery.php?do=view&g=16

[ProZak]

dude, them lights are advertised as american spec but in the ad it says euro spec...if they are euro the little metal deflector inside the light is on the wrong side and the light beam will be improper.

Good point. I'll postpone that mod, then, although they look cool. And honestly, the US spec lights are quite bright enough.


the dash lights need to be replaced, make sure you get the right bulbs cause there are 2 difft lights and one is WRONG. replace all of them while your in there.

OK, that's excellent news. I need to buy a hard copy of the Bentley I downloaded the other day to ease my conscience, but in the meantime it looks like (1) disconnect negative lead, (2) remove airbag, (3) remove steering wheel, (4) unscrew a bunch of things and pull cluster out. I'll also need to replace the light(s) behind the HVAC controls.


vibration from rear could be tires out of round (usually feel it at about 70) guibo as mentioned, might be the CV joints also, check it all while under there.

Good luck.

Thanks a million. Nashville Autohaus are the guys who checked the car out for me before I bought it, and we didn't hit the highway on the check ride but I'm totally comfortable taking it back to them to get it up on a lift. We were under the car together looking at everything else and didn't notice anything untoward. Hopefully it's just the cheapo tires.

-Zak-

[Incantation]

lol yea.. i love the lowered look.. but funcionally it's so much nicer too.. pretty much any e34 on stock equipment will be running soft now.. after a decade. when i had my sachs kit put in i could not believe how much nicer it was to drive.. very tight and responsive feel

[632 Regal]

READ UP ON THE AIR BAG ROUTINE BEFORE YOU START TEARING INTO IT!!!!

do a search on "Thud, Thud, Thud"

[Beez540]

Welcome! These E34s are a great model to own.

If you shop around your stereo shops there has to be something with an Ipod link, or at the very least a deck with an aux. input.