buying a first car

[Logan 2224]

I am considering some different older BMWs to buy as a first car, and I really like the E34. Any thoughts?

[GJPinAU]

I am considering some different older BMWs to buy as a first car, and I really like the E34. Any thoughts?
Unless you have to tote the family around I'd be going for an E30.
Whatever your choice you will have to be prepared to spend some $$ to keep it on the road, like, you said "an older BMW".:)
cheers,
Greg

[SchnellE34]

Research, research, research...

http://www.bimmer.info/forum/showthread.php?t=21918&highlight=buying+car

[Rustam]

I am considering some different older BMWs to buy as a first car, and I really like the E34. Any thoughts?

E24 - I had very hard time desiding between it and E34...

[Skateparks]

I have owned e28's, e36's, e34's and an e39 M5.

The e30 M3 is like no other e30. The e28 M5, e34 M5 and e39 M5 are not even in the same league as their non-//M brethren as far as performance goes but maint costs are way higher on these cars. That's not to say the non-M cars are anything to stay away from as they cost dramatically less to purchase and maintain comapared to the M cars.

So, my advice for an 'older' BMW?
-E30- Lovely car in any configuration
-e36 328 or M3 (2 or 4 door) $8-20k 1995-1999. Stay away from high mile or early year M3's
-e28 535...$3-5k run forever... I have an '87 535is auto, love it
-e34 535/5 speed. $4-10k the first real 'modern' BMW's IMO. I have a 30,000 mile '91 that is my favorite car. 525's get better mileage but have lots less power. 530's and 540's may be more thaan you want to deal with but you can search that topic all day long so I won't bore you.
-e39 528/5 $7-12k. Maybe to modern for you. They should run forever if maintained properly.
-I would put ALL M5's out of your head until you really know what you're in for.

This is by no means a complete list but rather just the surface.

[SC David]

My M20 engined E34 is and was my first car. It gets pretty good gas mileage, has had relatively few problems, has enough power to get me around, and handles better than any car of similar size and weight I've ever driven. A good choice for a first car IMO, but if you can afford to pay a little more for gas than definitely go for a 535i.

[wingman]

Get a good car that is safe and in good nick. An older BMW would make a great first car as they are extremely safe. The amount of money that you have to maintain it will be the issue. Inexperience tends to lead to silly little knocks and dings so be mindful of that when considering spending extra bucks on a car with a schmicko finish. It will only break your heart when you back it into something. Good luck in your search.

[rob101]

they also handle well,
and you can move around quite quickly in them
on my way to work i somehow manage an average speed of 80 kph on the way to work.
i must also say FIND A manual. any manual whether it be 520i or 540i or whatever i have a 525i manual sure its not hellava fast, but its a good experience!

[Gayle]

This is primarily an e34 board and most people here think the e34 is the bomb. In fact, it is arguably the best bmw ever made--The pinnacle of bmw engineering before they got stupidly over engineered.

What is best for you depends on what is important to you. I have owned an e30 and 2 e34s. As the e30 is lighter and smaller, I found it to have more of the press you back into the seat factor. I prefer my 535 the best of the 3 cars because of the classic elegance and comfort along with the sports car features.

I agree with whoever said get a manual even though it will take you a while to find one. And don't get the m20 engine (baby six). I disagree with wingman about the finish. Most anything with the engine you can fix yourself. Body work and paint is not a do it yourselfer thing. We all get nuts about these cars and want to make them perfect. I would say find the best body you can because trying to fix up the exterior is totally cost prohibitive. And just because you are a new driver doesn't mean you are going to ding it up.

When we sold our last e34 I wrote up a "sale brochure" than explains the e34 ownership experience. If you will private message me with your email address, I will send it to you.

buyer's guide that explains the different models (http://www.bmw4life.com/buyingE34.htm)

[Paul in NZ]

i truly beleive an e 34 is not a first car type of car

[Morgenster]

I think it's something you should try after driving other cars.
I took driving lessons in all kinds of cars and even a truck.
My first car was an e30 316i and I kept it for 8 months untill I saw it was too far gone to restore it. So I went to search out the most durable chassis type combined with a fairly low maintenance engine and The best option for me turned out to be the e34 520i with the M50 engine.
Either way, it's like I tell lots of people when they say "nice car": You should either have a big wallet or be prepared to do lots of research yourself if you want to keep a car like this one.
The driving experience is worth it though, and I wake up thinking "Yay! I can drive my car to work today!"
As far as research is concerned: I'm a newbie here, but I get the idea that this is an awesome forum to get info and even slightly being a part of such a community is heartwarming.

[onewhippedpuppy]

First car, so I assume you're young. You're looking at older BMWs, so I assume you're not a spoiled rich kid (a good thing). Basically, in your spot, don't even think about an older BMW unless you can/will DIY. Shop rates for a BMW can easily reach $100/hr, which typically hurts far worse than the parts cost. These cars are pretty easy to work on, and you have a great support system on here, but if you pay someone to do the work it will eat you alive.

That said, it depends on what you want. E30s are very cheap, as in $3-4k for a good one. Small, and much more of a go-kart. E34 is still sporty and fun to drive, but you can't entirely hide it's larger weight and size. The upside to that is you can haul your friends in comfort. Whatever you get, find the best example of it you can. A project BMW is a great way to lose money. Maintenance records are a huge plus, and consider paying a BMW expert to inspect it, it could be money well spent.

[Morgenster]

First car, so I assume you're young. You're looking at older BMWs, so I assume you're not a spoiled rich kid (a good thing). Basically, in your spot, don't even think about an older BMW unless you can/will DIY. Shop rates for a BMW can easily reach $100/hr, which typically hurts far worse than the parts cost.

:p Unless you know a shop that'll charge you $20 per hour, finds parts in german car junkyards or straight out of Germany, like I do. Still, DIY is most rewarding. It makes me feel very manly :D .

You learn pretty quick too: I knew absolutely zero about cars in general 8 months ago. After a few problems with my e30 I learned real quick.

[Gayle]

These cars are pretty easy to work on, and you have a great support system on here, but if you pay someone to do the work it will eat you alive.


Matt is right. If you don't do it yourself, plan on $2,000 a year in repairs.

And regarding Paul's comment about an e34 not being appropriate as a first car, we have 3 members of this forum who are 16 and this is their first car and they seem to be doing fine with it. Pyro bought his for $1000 and overcame incredible hurdles to getting running--an amazing learning experience for him. I couldn't do it, but he was determined. Pyro, McWatters, and Alexlind123 seem to have very happy experiences with their e34s first cars.