New guy thinking about buying 94 540i 6-speed

[RX7guy]

Hey guys, I currently have my eye on a 94 540i 6-speed. It has 88k miles on it. The ad says it has $5k worth of serice records, including a new clutch and radiator. I think the price is pretty good, $7000.

I have read the buyers guide on bmw4life.com, and searched here for some buying info. Is there anything else I should look for?

This would be my daily driver. I am coming from Mazda RX-7's so I am no stranger to ongoing do-it-yourself maintenance and repairs, or crappy gas milage for that matter.

What do you think? Here's a pic --> http://images.autotrader.com/images/2006/2/2/196/266/61336972.196266017.IM1.09.565x421_A.562x421.jpg

[angrypancake]

people get real worried about the nikasil/alusil issue, but with good maintenence they run. there are a few people here with 200k on the nikasil blocks. get the VIN number and a carfax can be done... $7,000 is good, a lot of the 1995's with more miles than that go for 9-10k. get a good pre purchase inspection, compression/leakdown, etc.

OR, shameless plug, though its an auto... you could buy Shakman's 540ia, $5900, all service records.

[joshua43214]

every one here is going to tell you to make sure it has an updated engine, normaly I would say not to worry about it. The gasoline that caused the problem is no longer available in the US, so provided the engine did not fail already, it won't now. BUT, with the low miles it is possible that it does have a bad engine and the owner may not even be aware of it. Google nicosil or alusil and read up on it. Look through the records for an engine replacement, keep in mind that the early replacements used the same block so its best to get the number off the engine.

Other than that, some of the suspension stuff is pricey and so is the climate control at times. Have a BMW specialist look it over, simple things like VC gaskets and tune ups are expensive on that car.

the E34 is a truly wonderouse car and the 540i is nothing less than amazing, you wont be disapointed I think.

[DrewZ]

'94 540is were only available as automatics in the US. The linked pic appears to be a '94 because it has the brake ducts under the front bumper lip. This car is probably:
A) A '95, to which someone has added the brake ducts
B) A '94 grey market car
C) A '94 US car that was converted from auto to 6-speed

Check the VIN, and plug in the last 7 digits at http://www.realoem.com/bmw/select.do That will tell you the model year and original transmission info.

For other pre-purchase info, check out http://www.e34v8.org and http://www.kindel.com/bmw

[Kalevera]

Ditto.

Nikasil is still an issue -- we've had a dead 530 sitting outside for a few months. Thing was running fine until about December...has around 150k on it, from what I remember.

For the price, it's a deal if it's legit.

best, whit

[Loppy]

I'm new to a 95 540/6. Mine had 144K miles and cost me the same and I had to immediately replace valve cover gaskets and do motor and tranny mounts. not cheap. If the records on the car are tight, and you get it checked out and she's good, thats a smoke'n deal for a low milage car.

Joshua is right. To have work done on the car is expensive, but I've found it's not complicated at all if your a decent mechanic. If you like to tinker yourself or if you are a seasoned mechanic, you'll love the BMW way. Things make sense, are tight, right and work.

Its of course a much larger and heavier car than the RX7, but performance wise, you will NOT be disappointed. Drive it and you'll see why instantly. Add an affordable chip and a few little things and it even gets better.

I love mine. Its just too fun to drive.

[RX7guy]

'94 540is were only available as automatics in the US. The linked pic appears to be a '94 because it has the brake ducts under the front bumper lip. This car is probably:
A) A '95, to which someone has added the brake ducts
B) A '94 grey market car
C) A '94 US car that was converted from auto to 6-speed
Check the VIN, and plug in the last 7 digits at http://www.realoem.com/bmw/select.do That will tell you the model year and original transmission info.


I just looked up the VIN. It says it has a production date of Oct/93. Maybe you are right about the 6-speed swap, here is a pic of the interior. You can see that the seats and shifter boot are from a different car. http://images.autotrader.com/images/2006/2/2/196/266/61336983.196266017.IM1.04.565x421_A.562x421.jpg

Maybe if someone was clever enough to swap in the 6-speed they also replaced the engine.... hmmm maybe?

If it is the nikasil engine still, how much does it cost to replace it with an alusil engine? Oh and what if I am not able to have a pre-purchase inspection done because this guy lives like three hours away from me??

[Evan]

This car is sweet but don't buy it unless the owner is willing to let you take it to your mechanic for a pre-purchase inspection. Invest a couple hundred in a complete inspection, including a leakdown. You can use that info to either bargain him down or just walk away.

Good Luck and let us know what happens.

[angrypancake]

the center console looks replaced too. it's nice looking though. if it still has the nikasil, then the compression/leakdown test would help determine if it was on the road to oblivion or not. where does the seller live? i see you're in NC. there are a decent amount of people from around there, maybe for a case of beer they would be willing to go check out the car, drive it, etc for you? if I lived down there I would...

edit: it could say 88k miles because that is how much is on the new block, if in fact it was replaced...?

[Evan]

My 94 540 has a Nikasil block and 180K miles. I bought it from someone who lived two hours away from me and I took the time to have it inspected by my mechanic... I also contacted the previous owner's mechanic and grilled him for fifteen minutes (though he was tight-lipped for some reason)


Don't take any shortcuts... no matter how hard your dick gets at the thought of owning this car.


Three hours and $300 is better than spending $7000 on a car that may need $5000 to be "right"

[RX7guy]

The seller lives in Warrenton, NC. That is like a half an hour north of Durham.

[DueyT]

Loppy, "too fun" to drive? A 540/6 can never be "too fun" to drive...perhaps the smile you get from doing so can get "too sore" though... :D

RX7, the cars are nice, that's for sure. Suspension components (thrust arms especially) and some of the foam gaskests around the M60 engine need attention from time to time. I know that some Nikasil engines out there have had issues, so if you check out the engine block (http://www.mbmw.com/Problems%20with%20early%20production%20V8.html) and find that it's a Nikasil block, you might want to get a "leakdown check" done, which will be a good indicator as to the condition of the engine.

Many of us have perfectly running nikasil V8's...I have 180k on the clock and still going strong.

Oh, for extra pep and better mileage, consider a DME upgrade in the form of a performance chip. There are several out there: E.A.T., Conforti, Dinan, etc... Ask around for guys' impressions of them. I'm very happy with my E.A.T. chip.

Good luck on your find...hope it works out for you!

Cheers,
Duey

[onewhippedpuppy]

I would bet it's a swap car, I've never seen white, gray, tan and wood in one interior. It appears to have the M5 seats out of a 540/6, I would bet he bought a parts car and swapped over the good bits. The door trim is gray, and the door panel looks white on the bottom, so I'd bet on that being the original color scheme. Unless the swap is very well done, and the interior makes me question that, I'd walk. A DIY swap if poorly done has the potential to be a money pit like no other, and every problem is a mystery because you don't know how things were done. A quality 540/6 will go for $8-12k, so it's not so big of a steal that you should just jump into it with both feet.

[RX7guy]

I'm gonna try to go look at it this Friday. I will ask him a billion questions.

Concerning a pre-purchase inspection... I looked up the closest BMW dealer to his town... It's in Raleigh, 40+ miles away.

[Jjcarr]

I'm gonna try to go look at it this Friday. I will ask him a billion questions.

Concerning a pre-purchase inspection... I looked up the closest BMW dealer to his town... It's in Raleigh, 40+ miles away.

That is definitely a swap car. The seats not matching as well as the shift boot are a dead givaway. Obviously that car was originally a 94 auto with the light gray interior. The owner swapped to a manual (make sure it's a 6-speed not a 5-speed) and added the sport seats from a wrecked 95 with a tan interior. Obviously the white guage faces are an alteration too. Extensive modification can be an issue. Make sure you have a BMW mechanic check it out. If done right the mods are great, if not, then you'll be paying for them later.

Also, just noticed from the Autotrader image that it has the small kidney's on the grille and the lower trim isn't body color, so it's definitely a 94 that's had the swap.

You should check to see if the owner has the original seats in case you want to match the interior.

[DrewZ]

The thing that's most scary to me is the "20 inch chrome wheels included" portion of the description. Anyone who would spend money on 20" chrome boat anchors, while not bothering to color-match the interior has their priorities backwards. The VIN is for a US-version automatic.

I'd say run away.

From the autotrader.com description:
1994 BMW 540I, 88K mi, SPORT 6 speed, $5k of service records, new clutch, radiator, tires, 20 inch chrome wheels included, sport seats, $7,995


. . .Also, just noticed from the Autotrader image that it has the small kidney's on the grille . . .

but the kidneys are in fact the wide kidneys that should be on a '94 540i.

[Johntee540]

What does the low mileage have to do with a Bad Engine? Help me connect the dots.

I fail to understand the connection you are asserting. JT

[Johntee540]

It looks like that the car has the Sport Seats too. The PO may not have replaced the engine as it is a very big job.

New engines cost between 7-9k. I would ask the PO about the engine. Many here are driving Nikasil engines without consequence. Mine was replaced at 94k and still had the Valve cover Oil leaks; Intake Manifold leaks that are common with these engines.

Dont freak out on the Nikasil. There are 2 schools of thought on this. Those that are convinced that they are timebombs getting ready to explode - and the school that I belong to that says that this issue may be a bit overblown.

I find it puzzling that most of the "Timebomb" crowd all drive 525's and 535's - therefore have no first hand experience with the issue. Merely conjecture and second hand " I knew a guy who...." or " I heard of a guy that" = and even the most famous " A friend of a friend says...."

Other than Winifred or Lowell here who have first hand knowledge from servicing hundreds of cars - there are precious few here that know what will really happen. - JT

[Johntee540]

Take it to an independent. They will give you the straight scoop - JT

[Elekta]

I checked three bmw niks for leakdowns...one was $266, and the other two were in the low threes. If done right you will get about 15 pages of print outs with graphs of the cylinders at load and idle. It's worth the money. My 3.0 was totally in the leak down tolerances on all cylinders whereas the first two had suspect cylinders (of over 10%) in one cylinder and near 10% in another.

If it has all the maintenance records, go thru the repairs and see what's left to do.

If sold for for $5k, you could un**** his trouble spots and end up with a gem.

Check sychros from 1st to 2nd and reverse. Get the car on a lift and poke around the exhaust. Power steering hoses, any oil weeping...big ticket stuff.

good luck

[joshua43214]

What does the low mileage have to do with a Bad Engine? Help me connect the dots.

I fail to understand the connection you are asserting. JT


the low mileage can be an indication of a car that was an occasional driver. The owners of these types of cars often won't bother to take a car in they seldom drive or dont notice problems or will assume a rough idle at start up is normal since its been sitting for a untold weeks. So, it is possible the car ran bad gas, damaged the engine, but hasnt been driven enough to make it noticeable enough to seem worth addressing.

[632 Regal]

Definetly have the dealer go through this thing with a fine tooth comb. Chances are the car was beat to piss before it has come time to sell. The mileage seems very low for a 94, which if true is a good thing. Have the dealer check the numbers on the block and transmission to refrence what year and such they were out of. Them seats look like a dirty turd where they should be grey, maybe the dude was color blind. I wouldnt give the full 7k for that car just because it has obviously been modded.

another point, if the car only has 88k (or whatever) the original seats should be prestine. Double check that mileage thing, something real fishy here.

Nikasil??? Never heard of it.

:D

[Kalevera]

What're the last seven digits of the vin?

best, whit

[Chris'91'525i]

http://images.autotrader.com/images/2006/2/2/196/266/61336972.196266017.IM1.09.565x421_A.562x421.jpg[/url]

Sounds to good to be true, for that price.

Here's is a nice salt & pepper team of 540 6-Speeds........On the wrong coast for you though......

http://www.craigslist.org/sby/car/144316767.html

http://www.craigslist.org/sby/car/144263766.html

[Evan]

the black on black 540 looks goooooooood

[onewhippedpuppy]

If it's a swap, you'll probably never know how many miles the engine and tranny really have on them. Food for thought.

[RX7guy]

Great input from everyone, I really appreciate it.

What do you think about this one http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?car_id=197397206&dealer_id=57546603&car_year=1995&search_type=both&make=BMW&distance=300&model=540I&address=28542&certified=&advanced=&max_price=&bkms=1143042030128&min_price=&end_year=1997&start_year=1992&isp=y&lang=en&cardist=298

I like it much more, looks to be in way better shape plus it's an original 6 speed with alusil engine. Mmm, interior looks perfect.

[Evan]

The car looks good from here.

I can go by and check this out for you today or tomorrow... he's about an hour from me.

[Loppy]

Great input from everyone, I really appreciate it.

What do you think about this one http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?car_id=197397206&dealer_id=57546603&car_year=1995&search_type=both&make=BMW&distance=300&model=540I&address=28542&certified=&advanced=&max_price=&bkms=1143042030128&min_price=&end_year=1997&start_year=1992&isp=y&lang=en&cardist=298

I like it much more, looks to be in way better shape plus it's an original 6 speed with alusil engine. Mmm, interior looks perfect.

THAT sir, is the car you are looking for. If the motor was replaced professionally and he has all the records, I think you'd be better off with this one. If you could score it for between 9-10K... whiz bang.

I dont see as many white ones either... very cool. SICK /6 man. Run to it.

[RX7guy]

The car looks good from here.

I can go by and check this out for you today or tomorrow... he's about an hour from me.

Rock on! Evan, if you could do that, I would definitely buy you a case of beer when I come to pick it up.

I do think I'll go after this white one.

[SRR2]

I was thinking the same thing. That color combination just screams "reconstruction", (or "flood damage!") but it's true I don't have firsthand experience with that vintage 540. What's the deal with the white gauge faces? Was that stock? On a Bimmer?????

[Evan]

we need a CarFax on this car... can anyone help?

[Jjcarr]

Great input from everyone, I really appreciate it.

What do you think about this one http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?car_id=197397206&dealer_id=57546603&car_year=1995&search_type=both&make=BMW&distance=300&model=540I&address=28542&certified=&advanced=&max_price=&bkms=1143042030128&min_price=&end_year=1997&start_year=1992&isp=y&lang=en&cardist=298

I like it much more, looks to be in way better shape plus it's an original 6 speed with alusil engine. Mmm, interior looks perfect.

That's a much better car. The only minor note is the p-flow it has rather than the stock airbox. Check to see if he has the stock airbox. However, it's definitely not a deal breaker as the car looks really good.

However, one minor note. If you're looking at $11k, research the e39 540's a little before you decide, I see them down to $14k periodically. Don't want to start and e34 vs e39 rant, just think it's a good idea to check out all of your options.

[RX7guy]

However, one minor note. If you're looking at $11k, research the e39 540's a little before you decide, I see them down to $14k periodically. Don't want to start and e34 vs e39 rant, just think it's a good idea to check out all of your options.

I'm very picky when it comes to my cars... I don't think the E39 is as stylish as a nice E34. IMO, the E39 looks kind of bland, doesn't catch my eye.

[RX7guy]

we need a CarFax on this car... can anyone help?

Wbahe5321sga64377

[angrypancake]

that white one is really nice. god i need another gear. wait i need to start with 5 before i can lament over not having a sixth. i have 540 envy.

[Evan]

Whit, the VIN is WBAHE5321SGA64377

[scott540]

The white one is cool. How did they keep the seats so nice? Mine is teh same car with tan interior and the driver's bolster is shot- cracked and ripped through. What do they mean by detailed and "tuned up"? what is a tune up on a 540?

[RX7guy]

What do they mean by detailed and "tuned up"? what is a tune up on a 540?

Quoted from the seller's email to me today:
It also is equipped with a short ram intake, conforti chip, axiss track brake pads and a remus exhaust (the exhaust was added before I bought the car) otherwise the car is stock

[632 Regal]

this car was obviously ran hard, i like the "short" intake, prob to a K&N for added cylinder/ring wear.

Quoted from the seller's email to me today:

[onewhippedpuppy]

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=503897&highlight=black+mamba\

Here's another for $10.5k. I got my 540/6 from him, feel free to PM me for background on the seller. He's in TN.

I like the white a lot, I would want the stock airbox but it's not a dealbreaker. White is nice on the E34, and fairly rare on the 540/6.

[nk530]

I just checked mine today... Nikasil, and 190,000 miles!

[RX7guy]

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=503897&highlight=black+mamba\

Here's another for $10.5k. I got my 540/6 from him, feel free to PM me for background on the seller. He's in TN.

I like the white a lot, I would want the stock airbox but it's not a dealbreaker. White is nice on the E34, and fairly rare on the 540/6.

That one looks good, but I love the interior on this white one. Besides I already have one black car that I can never keep clean.

[632 Regal]

suweeeet!

I just checked mine today... Nikasil, and 190,000 miles!

[RX7guy]

Carfax on the white one checks out good to go.

[Jjcarr]

I'm very picky when it comes to my cars... I don't think the E39 is as stylish as a nice E34. IMO, the E39 looks kind of bland, doesn't catch my eye.

I agree, while the e39 is objectively a better car, the e34 does have a subjective edge. The e34 is definitely one of the best looking cars BMW made.

[bbig119]

I've been in negotiations with the owner of this car. (http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?car_id=197597257&dealer_id=57562852&car_year=1994&search_type=both&make=BMW&model=&distance=75&address=19050&advanced=&certified=&bkms=1144809724104&max_price=8000&min_price=1&first_record=26&end_year=1998&start_year=1991&isp=y&pager.offset=25&lang=en&cardist=32)

I've test driven it around the block a few times with a buddy of mine who is much more familiar with BMWs than I and he likes it alot. I've talked the owner down to $6200.

The car has detailed records from the previous owner who did the engine and tranny swap. If I recall the engine work was done sometime between '99-01 with 75k on it at the time(I'll call to get the exact date of the engine swap). The owner at the time was complaining of idling problems at the time. The previous owner also did the trany swap to manual by himself, but it was all BMW parts and from what we could tell he did a nice job. Another point about the previous owner, I was told that he sold this because he had just purchased a new M5- I look at that as a good sign.

The current owner doesn't have the car insured. He bought the car on a whim and parents didn't want to insure two cars in their name(He's also got a camaro I think). Right now he's just turning the car. The problem here is because its not insured he doesn't want to drive it far. I'd like to get this to a dealer for pre-purchase inspection, but towing would be rather expensive since the nearest dealer is 15 miles away.

I'm going to try and get the engine number off the block when I go back on Saturday to potentially seal the deal. Where can I find it on the block?

Other notes: wheels aren't as clean looking as in the pictures. Rear bumper has been repainted, has an orange peel look to it as my friend described it(but I think it looked fine). Overall the experior is in very nice shape except for some chips and scratches that I'd expect. The in dash computer isn't showing anything and I did some looking to see if that is repairable or not without a good solid answer. Carfax gave the car a clean bill of health with the exception of one accident to the front end. We looked it over and the work done to repair it looked solid, the front passenger fender was replaced.

We did smell a slight hint of coolant in the car when we turned on the heat, but it wasn't wet anywhere on the inside from what we could tell. I'm aware that the heater core may need to be replaced.

I think that's about it. Sorry for the length, I wanted to give as much detail as I could though.

[Johntee540]

This one looks a little more pristine than the other and claims to have documented Engine swap - which means its commands a premium over the other.

540/6 is the only way to go. I have the black and tan one. I really dig the white / tan models - JT

[bbig119]

In photo 8 of 9-- the close up of the dash to show mileage. The center LED panel showing engine info and codes isn't working-- still isn't. Is there a way to fix this? I've read that the cluster has several bulbs that can be replaced, but I didn't think that this sort of LED display would be fixable with a bulb swap. If so, great..if not whats the story?

Could it have been turned off because the car was throwing transmission errors after the swap to manual?


This one looks a little more pristine than the other and claims to have documented Engine swap - which means its commands a premium over the other.

540/6 is the only way to go. I have the black and tan one. I really dig the white / tan models - JT

[onewhippedpuppy]

I would not like to buy a car without driving it for a while. What if that's just BS, and he doesn't want you to see that the car runs hot? Or he doesn't want it on the highway because it shimmys? Just be careful, and good luck.

[Paul in NZ]

I'd like to get this to a dealer for pre-purchase inspection, but towing would be rather expensive since the nearest dealer is 15 miles away.


Could be a lot more expensive han if you dont....Neber buy a E34 without a pre purchase,unless you know what youre lookin at,or you have a good freind who actually has a e34

[onewhippedpuppy]

Especially one with a DIY engine and tranny swap. Lot of potential for problems there, even if it looks good on the surface. I know you like the car, but don't let that get the best of you, there's always another one.

[bmwman1973]

Especially one with a DIY engine and tranny swap. Lot of potential for problems there, even if it looks good on the surface. I know you like the car, but don't let that get the best of you, there's always another one.
ERR...I ahve a Nikasil engine...i'm in the UK I gotta 540i auto Touring on a '95
196k...but if you ring bmw and give them the last 7 digits of the vin they will tell you what your car has had done...mine had a new cylinder wear detector unit which is a new chip which changes the mapping so they say...oh and they dont call it a recall but 'Factory Enhancements'!! also if you check out the numbers that are around the exhuast manifold they will tell you if you have a Nikasil or Alusil...heres the numbers.....your probably gonna need a torch and you need to remove the front plastic undertray and look around the exhaust manifold area....if you find 1725970 or 1741212 these are 3 litre Nikasils and 1745871 is the Alusil 3 litre replacement.
If you find 1725963 or 1742998 these are Nikasil 4 litres and 1745872 is an Alusil 4 litre replacement

[Rustam]

Hey guys, I currently have my eye on a 94 540i 6-speed. It has 88k miles on it. The ad says it has $5k worth of serice records, including a new clutch and radiator. I think the price is pretty good, $7000.

I have read the buyers guide on bmw4life.com, and searched here for some buying info. Is there anything else I should look for?

This would be my daily driver. I am coming from Mazda RX-7's so I am no stranger to ongoing do-it-yourself maintenance and repairs, or crappy gas milage for that matter.

What do you think? Here's a pic --> http://images.autotrader.com/images/2006/2/2/196/266/61336972.196266017.IM1.09.565x421_A.562x421.jpg

the gas mileage will be much different from your rotary engine

[bbig119]

Got the car- $6200. You can see pictures at the following links:
picture 1 (http://www.stevelyon.com/share/tammer/Misc/cars/e3401sm.jpg)
picture 2 (http://www.stevelyon.com/share/tammer/Misc/cars/e3403sm.jpg)
picture 3 (http://www.stevelyon.com/share/tammer/Misc/cars/e3404.jpg)

Car is in good shape, but if you want details, read more.

I found indy mechanic on the way to the auto tag place that did the pre-purchase inspection. No major surprises. I'll probably end up doing a Service II to it just to make sure things are up to snuff...some belts need replacing. It does have a small coolant leak as I suspected, but its leaking outside the car. Unless things take a turn for the worse on that I try to pick a quiet weekend to take on the ambitious project of the heater core/piping to address the leak. Dashboard lights are out, I knew some of them were out, but not all(where do you recommend I get these bulbs from?). It'll need new rear brake pads. The panel on the inside of the rear driverside door is messed up and will need to be replaced. The owner previous to the guy I bought from had a dog and the interior, while in good shape for 170k on the body does show evidence of sratches to the leather in the rear and hair stuck in hard to get at places. I also didn't notice until a good wash that the side moldings, spoiler and rear bumper aren't a perfect color match to the rest of the body. Its hard to notice, but once I did, I'm able to pick up on it more frequently now.

One more small issue. Radio worked when taking it to the mechanic for inspection, after they were done and parked it out for us to drive away it didn't start up so they jumped the car. Now the radio doesn't get power. I'm assuming/hoping that its a fuse. I gave a half-assed attempt to get the rear seat out to look at the fuse box in there, but I've also seen that there is a fuse behind the radio. I guess I'll need to get the code from the dealer if and when it gets power again, right?





I've been in negotiations with the owner of this car. (http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?car_id=197597257&dealer_id=57562852&car_year=1994&search_type=both&make=BMW&model=&distance=75&address=19050&advanced=&certified=&bkms=1144809724104&max_price=8000&min_price=1&first_record=26&end_year=1998&start_year=1991&isp=y&pager.offset=25&lang=en&cardist=32)

I've test driven it around the block a few times with a buddy of mine who is much more familiar with BMWs than I and he likes it alot. I've talked the owner down to $6200.

The car has detailed records from the previous owner who did the engine and tranny swap. If I recall the engine work was done sometime between '99-01 with 75k on it at the time(I'll call to get the exact date of the engine swap). The owner at the time was complaining of idling problems at the time. The previous owner also did the trany swap to manual by himself, but it was all BMW parts and from what we could tell he did a nice job. Another point about the previous owner, I was told that he sold this because he had just purchased a new M5- I look at that as a good sign.

The current owner doesn't have the car insured. He bought the car on a whim and parents didn't want to insure two cars in their name(He's also got a camaro I think). Right now he's just turning the car. The problem here is because its not insured he doesn't want to drive it far. I'd like to get this to a dealer for pre-purchase inspection, but towing would be rather expensive since the nearest dealer is 15 miles away.

I'm going to try and get the engine number off the block when I go back on Saturday to potentially seal the deal. Where can I find it on the block?

Other notes: wheels aren't as clean looking as in the pictures. Rear bumper has been repainted, has an orange peel look to it as my friend described it(but I think it looked fine). Overall the experior is in very nice shape except for some chips and scratches that I'd expect. The in dash computer isn't showing anything and I did some looking to see if that is repairable or not without a good solid answer. Carfax gave the car a clean bill of health with the exception of one accident to the front end. We looked it over and the work done to repair it looked solid, the front passenger fender was replaced.

We did smell a slight hint of coolant in the car when we turned on the heat, but it wasn't wet anywhere on the inside from what we could tell. I'm aware that the heater core may need to be replaced.

I think that's about it. Sorry for the length, I wanted to give as much detail as I could though.

[John in CT]

Good luck,

John
1995 525im