japan only *525i*

[eddy89]

Hi, im new to the forum and a newbie with Bmw's also. Seems like this is the best bmw forum right now for questions.

Anyways, im on my way to be purchasing a used 1990 525i. But this 525i is imported from japan. And when i saw it, it doesnt have leather seats, but cloth. I was wondering, arn't all 525i's suppost to be leather? Also, i do not know how a 525i sounds like, but when the car is in idle, it sounds very Low, almost like a honda s2000 bass low sound. Is this normal? or is there a problem with the exhaust?

Also, since is from japan, will the parts be different ?*soory such a dumb question, but just to double check*. The Engine is an M20 i believe.

Lastly, how reliable is the 525i? this car has only 74000km which is decent for a car from japan. I need to see if he has replaced his timing belt yet, cause if he hasnt, i think i need to replace it ASAP. But when should i replace all the filters and the fuel pump?

thanks.

[eddy89]

anyone please help? im meeting with the guy tmmrw agian, and if everything goes well, i will buy it tmmrw.

thanks

[Torque]

Leather seats were an option like so many other things on non-US models. Yes, the exhaust definitely has some bass to it. If you want to compare, I'll get you a sound clip of mine tomorrow morning (sorry, too windy outside now for you to hear anything).

As far as reliability ... you have nothing to worry about. 74000km is just breaking in for that car. Mine is at 286000 km, and running perfectly, and I've seen them with over 400000 km.

As far as the timing belt, BMW recommends replacement every 80000 km, so go ahead and replace it right away, as it's very near. Also do the filters, just to be on top of the regular maintenance. Fuel filter is located next to the right rear wheel under the car, in case you don't know.

Welcome to the forums. I hope you stick around.

And post pics too. :) There can never be too many e34 pictures.

edit: Watch out for overheating, temp gauge should be at the middle mark or very close to it on either side.

[eddy89]

thanks for the reply. Yah first thing when i cranked up the car was "wow, this sounds almost like an D1 import car*

Also, when i was testing it on a stright road, i floored the gas, but it seems the power slowly came. from 2000-35000rpm, the car doesnt seem to be pulling tat hard, but after tat u can feel the power. Is this normal? or fuel pump problem? *i say this cause the pedal was floored to the max*

Also, willl it be expensive to repaire the sunroof seal? the black seal is starting to crack, and i want to repair it before leakage.

And of course i will post pics of the car when i get it. cant wait :D

What else do you recommend replaceing? the owner has no clue what part has been replaced since his friend from japan gave it to him with no info what so ever. I checked it, seeems like no accidents, and engine looks very clean. But what should i replace once i get it so that i will keep the engine in tip top shape. Should i do a full fluid change?

[genphreak]

Cars in Japan don't do a lot of km, just short-distance and traffic- so they tend not to maintain them as they can get away with it. Be very wary of the oil condition, what it looks like inside the oil cover and if any smoke is apparent in the exhaust on start and when kicking back a gear under load. I know a guy that imports cars from Japan, he said some never even had the oil changed in 8 years, barely comes out when he tries. Apparently having such work done in Japan costs 10x as much so people really avoid it.
Also be aware of body damage/poor repairs. Welcome though- I hope its a good one and you can join us for the good times we have!

[shanek]

If you haven't already, check out Bruno's site
http://www.bmwe34.net
Between that and the archives here you should be able to find out anything you need to know. Definitely do the timing belt right away because age also has an effect on it.

[eddy89]

yah, i've read alot about repairing the E34 already, when i started the engine, everything seems fine.

The oil i havent checked yet, cause today i was just looking at the exterior mostly to see if any big damage. Im going to be taking it to a BMW dealer tomorrow and have them inspect it.

Things I think will need replacing after im buying the cars are. front/rear brake pads, timing belt and timing belt tensioner, fuel filter, water pump, and all the filters on teh car will be replaced.

ANyone recmmond what type of fluid i should use? Im planning on using a syntetic oil since this car is pretty old. But what kind of transmisson oil should i use? Also, should i change the coolant? or will it be fine?

Im really new to buying a used car, so I dont know what oil and parts to change or repair . Thanks for your help guys, really appriciate it.

[rob101]

hey my mate has a jap import 525i m20 far out it drones a honda with a huge exhaust. Nothing like mine which is very quiet

from 2000-35000rpm, the car doesnt seem to be pulling tat hard, but after tat u can feel the power

thats a normal old school BMW six. the 3.5L reputedly has more torque down low, but the smaller sixs i have driven all have the torque up high. Mind you my 2.8L m30 has more torque down low than my 2.5L M50 but it is slightly bigger

[shanek]

If you don't when the coolant was done last you should change it. Its supposed to be done every 2 years. Use BMW blue coolant only.

[Torque]

Don't worry about the power... there is simply none below 3500 rpm. A chip might help it a little (I'm sure you'll look into that later).

As for the sunroof seal ... we had to do it on my dads '91. Cost about 65 US dollars; not too hard of a job.

Other maintenance you should do:
-timing belt
-fuel filter
-air filter
-spark plugs (dont go platinum or anything, just regular old-fashioned plug)
-water pump (if you have money laying around)

overall, its easily one of the more reliable e34 models; unfortunatelly, it lacks in power, as you already know.

oh, and valve adjustment, along with a new valve cover gasket.

[genphreak]

yah, i've read alot about repairing the E34 already, when i started the engine, everything seems fine.

The oil i havent checked yet, cause today i was just looking at the exterior mostly to see if any big damage. Im going to be taking it to a BMW dealer tomorrow and have them inspect it.

Things I think will need replacing after im buying the cars are. front/rear brake pads, timing belt and timing belt tensioner, fuel filter, water pump, and all the filters on teh car will be replaced.

ANyone recmmond what type of fluid i should use? Im planning on using a syntetic oil since this car is pretty old. But what kind of transmisson oil should i use? Also, should i change the coolant? or will it be fine? Im really new to buying a used car, so I dont know what oil and parts to change or repair . Thanks for your help guys, really appriciate it. Sounds liek a good plan- I'd use cheap oil but chg it often (3x) in the first 10k, then go synthetic. Gets the crap out if it has been run on old oil before. Maybe go further than this if you notice **** anywhere. Chg coolant to BMW blue ASAP, it only lasts 2 years at best anyway so its worth doing if you don't know when it was last done properly- at least 3:1 unless it ever freezes really cold where you are. BMW sell it in 1.5L bottles., so you'll need 3-4 of them, but Saab and Volvo use the same (I think), so these dealer service sections will sell you the stuff- auto parts stores do not have it- don;t even try to use anything else.

Tranny oil is (if ZF tranny) Dexron II or III but check your book- perhaps it is different - your car could have 2 types of tranny (GM/ZF), and again only go synthetic after a few changes (do the tranny filter as well first adn last before synthetic- they are less than $10 from www.bmaparts.com- be sure to get the o ring adn tranny pan gasket with it) best of luck, Nick

[rob101]

you're in australia?

you might want to put your location and car year model etc. in your profile it makes it easier for us to help you out.

[eddy89]

yah, i donno any info of when the guy replaced his fluids. He siad he had the car for 6months and only used 3 months before resting it for another 3 months.

He told me he replaced something to pass aircare. He said he didnt know what part got repalced, but he said he will take me to the shop he went to and ask the guy.

Is it better for me to go to teh BMW dealer and ask them to check it out? will it be very expensive? I just want to see how the engine msotly is doing since dont wnat to spend over 1k on just repairing the engine after getting it. I only have 500CDN to repair the engine right now, so only fluid and filter change is all i can do.

Around how much does BMW charge to get all fluids replaced and timing belt installed? *a rough estamite will be fine* Im from british columbia canada btw.

[Torque]

yah, i donno any info of when the guy replaced his fluids. He siad he had the car for 6months and only used 3 months before resting it for another 3 months.

He told me he replaced something to pass aircare. He said he didnt know what part got repalced, but he said he will take me to the shop he went to and ask the guy.

Is it better for me to go to teh BMW dealer and ask them to check it out? will it be very expensive? I just want to see how the engine msotly is doing since dont wnat to spend over 1k on just repairing the engine after getting it. I only have 500CDN to repair the engine right now, so only fluid and filter change is all i can do.

Around how much does BMW charge to get all fluids replaced and timing belt installed? *a rough estamite will be fine* Im from british columbia canada btw.BMW will RAPE YOU for any work they do. I suggest you change the fluids yourself and take the timing belt issue to a independent shop.

[shanek]

BMW only charges $275 to do the timing belt. Its supposed to be the same across Canada. Also if your not going to do the brakes your self the dealership is reasonable because of the value service packages they have. It used to be on their site but I haven't checked lately. You should also have the fluid flushed. It cost me $190 for an out of province inpection but I think a regular inspection is less than that. Where in BC are you?

[eddy89]

oh, well u see, i have no tools at all since i live in an apartment, and i am a college student with no car repair knowledge or tool.

So jsut to clarify, i should replace all my tranny and engine oil first with non synfentics first then use synfetic's afterward? As for the BMW blue coolent and the tranny oil, i can just buy them off BMW dealer shops right? Then i can just go to some cheap car reapir place and ask them to help me change it?

MOBIL 1 synfentics should be good right? Sorry im such a newbie.

how bout for exhaust, im planning on replacing the muffler soon, as it looks very ugly with the black, gonna be going for a chrome muffler, but still want that deep bass sound. what do you guys suggest ? *somthing decent priced and easy to get here in Canada*

[shanek]

You should be able to find an indy mechanic that works on BMWs that is cheaper than the dealer.

[Kalevera]

Sounds like a fun car, but if you have any DOUBTS about buying it, walk and test drive a few others. There are tons of them around, all with varying degrees of service history, and with the cost of maintenance and repairs (if you're unable to DIY) will quickly sour your experience with the car.

If you buy this one, I'd have a competent shop do a prepurchase inspection; it could save you a lot of money. If the car hasn't had a timing belt change within the past six years or 60,000 miles (forget the KMs at the moment, sorry), it would be wise to not start it until it is changed. They commonly break and the car will need a head job.

Also, for what its worth, it pays to have the job done correctly the first time around -- a cheap shop will probably do cheap work, and you'd be surprised at how quickly cheap work can ruin a (once) expensive car.

I don't know of any shops in BC, but I'm sure Adam (Incantation on the board) knows of one or more.

best, whit

[eddy89]

I live in Richmond, very close to richmond auto mall.

Yah, i'd probbly get bmw dealer to do my timing belt and brakes since they are cirtified to do. As for fluids, just gonna buy from BMW and then go to some random place like MR lube or what ever to helpe me change it.

Mr lube should be able to change all my fluids right for a good price? or is mr lube rip off too?

[shanek]

The dealer isn't going to charge you much more to do the coolant flush. Your best bet is to find an Indy mechanic that works on BMWs and get everything done at once. I don' think Mr. Lube will do it if you bring your own fluid.

[eddy89]

do you know any indy mechanics around the richmond area? You live in BC too?

[shanek]

I live in Alberta but there are 2 in Edmonton that are great so I'm sure there is one somewhere in your area. I'm moving to Kelowna next week though so the search for a new mechanic begins.
Check http://www.bmwclub.ca
I just think its a really bad idea to have someone work on my car that hasn't worked on BMWs before.

[shogun]

if you have a problem to get parts, contact me, I live in Japan.
But generally you can replace those parts against others.
For example if you look into the fuse box, the LKM (light control module) might have an "J" after LKM-B or LKM-L.
J stands for Japan.
The cat will probably have a temperatur sensor on the back of the cat. This one is there to give an alarm when the temperature rises over 800 degree Censius or so. But this sensor has no influence on the electronic management of the engine. If you replace the cat against a local one, just disconnect it , and just fix it to a pipe or whatever keep it there. It does not harm the engine managemnt.
Front and rear wire looms are different from European versions. No fog rear lights usually. The econometer shows kilometers per liter, while the European version shows liters per 100 km consumption.
Radio will probably not work in your country, as in Japan we have different FM, which starts at 88 and ends at 108 MHz.
Where do you live?
Pls give us the VIN (chassis number) number, so that we might be able to check out something more.
But you can also lift up the rear seat and you will find a small paper folded in there with all details of the car and the options which were ordered, even the day the car was built.
Here is some info on this
http://shrubbery.student.utwente.nl/sean750/option_list/Options750.html
You might even have a japanese transmission from JATCO inside. Go to my website below and run the VIN decoder to see which transmission you have inside.

[Kakaire]

I bought my mine from Japan 2 years ago now...

Vehicle came in very good condition with 67,000km on the dial, I took it to a dealer at Mombasa cost where I was and they said all was okay. I was preping for 1800kms journey back home.

I made my journey home safely in one and half days, I had cloth interior too and right hand drive, green coolant. Car is still fine today can't believe its two years now and still driving same tires I got it with, I made 100,000km a few months back. Goodluck and welcome.

[shogun]

I belive cloth seats are an advantage in climates where for example you live. Leather is really hot in summer here when you enter the car and the car was parked outside in the sunshine.
Sometimes I wish I had cloth instead of leather in summer time here, where we have around +/- 40 degree C here and humidity over 90 %.

[tnt525i]

i'm almost certain that the japanese spec bmw's have the japanese tranny, made by isuzu. when my tranny went last year, i went to a friend of mine who imports bwm's fron japan and then realised it was an isuzu tranny

[eddy89]

so if my transmisson blows up or needs repair i cant change it with a tranny from canada or US? Do i have to import it back from japan?

Also, will teh vin number on the jpanaese import car show any history?

[old bob]

I bought my 525i from Japan. Could have cried when I saw it paint work was sh.t, front end was all over the place. I have slowly fixed things up. New rotors and pads, new thrust arms and tirod ends,& repaint Next week I am having the timing belt done.also put in a new radio & replaced the fuel pump.
The wife didn't like it at first but now I can't keep her out of it. Great car to drive and worth everything I have spent on it.

[shogun]

Also, will the vin number on the japanese import car show any history?

If it has been serviced by BMW Japan, YES.
But of course in Japanese language, as you can imagine.

When I bought my second 750 Highline I asked a friend in Germany who works for a dealer to run the VIN for me. So he could tell me that on a certain day in 1999 at dealer xxx in Japan one of the hoses from the coolant system was changed, and that the exchange of the cap for the coolant reservoir from old to new under recall # xxx has not yet been done.