New car but small problems HELP!!

[blade900]

Just brought myself another bemmer, could not rest it again. Only problem is that there seems to be a list which is stadely getting long of faults i keep finding with it?
If anyone can help on some or all i would be very gratefull and save all the headaces!

1) I have no fog lights at all, bulbs are fine and connections on the back?
2) I need to get the front bumber off as some one has sprayed it badly and parts in silver! not good
3)What are the original alloys on the 535 as the previos owner has tried to "pimp his ride" but they are awful
4) When driving with windows open and at low revs you can here a ticking from the engine? is this a fault or just a 6 cylinder engine of this age.
5) Has the 1989 535 got cam belts or cam chain as am douting if they have been changed recently.
6)the display for the millage is not lit up? all other lights on the dash are woking fine.
7)Outside temp is reading -37c and am sure it aint this cold in summer!
8)The heater only gives out warm air only no matter were the temp is? it has not got a/c.
9)leater seats are cracked in desprate need of help, i need something i can pick up in the uk?
10)Rear armrest is floating around the back seats? i can see the grove its ment to be in but it wont just push in there, do i need to take out bracket and do it that way?
11)Has the car got an in built amp as standard as have found a dial to alter sound around the car to differnt speakers? if so is it any good or a case of chuck it.
12)Were can i get a boot mat from as have nothing in there at all just metal?

Well folks thats about it at the momment i thank you very much for any help you could chuck this way.
Darren

As you can see below not a good idea to paint it silver!!!

[Ross]

1. fuse? corroded conn.?
2. 4 bolt behind the rub strip ahich pops off
3. bottle caps?
4. adjust the valves
5. chain
6. burned out bulb behind LCD
7. open circuit to sensor by R. foglight
8. low on coolant??
9. a hooker in London
10. bolt probably fell out
11. ??
12. breaker or a zillion on-line sources

[Qube]

Looks all right. I'd sell the rims and get rid of the 'chrome' grill, then you'll be able to tolerate it for a while.

[Alexlind123]

Welcome, it looks like your found a nice car. From those pictures, the silver looks good, but the pictures are rather crappy. WHy is it that people from the UK have such crappy pictures? *thinks back to BMboy*

[BillionPa]

1: could be the switch inside the car.. or the LKM.. fuse, wires connector, common ground....

8: sounds like the heater core valve is stuck open, i hit mine with a hammer a few times and it seems to have mostly closed, do a search for a thread i started on it, there is a link to another thread which has teh fix

4: in addition to the valves, i think there is something relating to the camshaft something bolts coming loose. after the valves are done, and the bolts solid, take a look in the engine. if it looks filthy, order some Auto-RX (if he ships to the UK) and run 2 rinse cycles. then after, switch to synth oil and run lubro moly MoS2 oil additive.

9: might as well grab some Alpina seats somewhere heh.

[ThoreauHD]

I'll reply to the stuff I know. The rest I won't.

1) I have no fog lights at all, bulbs are fine and connections on the back?

Fuse.

2) I need to get the front bumber off as some one has sprayed it badly and parts in silver! not good

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y106/toasty0z/e38_Removing_Front_Bumper.gif

3)What are the original alloys on the 535 as the previos owner has tried to "pimp his ride" but they are awful

If it's a real alpina, it's this:
http://www.007auto.f2s.com/pic/rim.jpg

If it's a standard E34, it's basket weave's.
http://www.theeurodepot.com/e34wheel-basketweave.jpg

4) When driving with windows open and at low revs you can here a ticking from the engine? is this a fault or just a 6 cylinder engine of this age.

The ticking may be stick lifters and just general gunk in the engine. Like the above posters said, change the oil to synthetic and do an engine flush beforehand. Mobil One 0w-40 is typically what folks use for this engine. As far as the windows and eletrical system not getting the current it needs while at low idle, correct the idle first(Idle control valve, spark plugs, ignition coils, possible vacuum leak?) along with the engine oil change. If it still isn't stirring the mustard, take a look at your fusible link.
http://www.bmwe34.net/e34main/maintenance/electrical/fusible_link.htm

5) Has the 1989 535 got cam belts or cam chain as am douting if they have been changed recently.

It's a chain I think.
http://realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=HD12&mospid=47382&btnr=11_1187&hg=11&fg=25

6)the display for the millage is not lit up? all other lights on the dash are woking fine.

That's called the check control module. Replace it used for 100. New for 200.

http://realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=HD12&mospid=47382&btnr=61_0564&hg=61&fg=25&hl=33

7)Outside temp is reading -37c and am sure it aint this cold in summer!
8)The heater only gives out warm air only no matter were the temp is? it has not got a/c.

Called an ambient temperature sensor. It's 23 bucks. Part numkber 65 81 1 383 204

9)leater seats are cracked in desprate need of help, i need something i can pick up in the uk?

http://www.leatherique.com/

10)Rear armrest is floating around the back seats? i can see the grove its ment to be in but it wont just push in there, do i need to take out bracket and do it that way?

Not sure. Here is the part.
http://realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=HD12&mospid=47382&btnr=52_0405&hg=52&fg=30

11)Has the car got an in built amp as standard as have found a dial to alter sound around the car to differnt speakers? if so is it any good or a case of chuck it.

Most people chuck it and put in their own head unit. You might have an amp if alpina. Not sure of what system is included.

http://realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=HD12&mospid=47382&btnr=65_0136&hg=65&fg=20&hl=128

12)Were can i get a boot mat from as have nothing in there at all just metal?

I don't know what a boot mat is. If you mean floor mats, then you can pick generic's up at bavauto.com. If you want OE, you can get it from a bmw dealer or bmaparts.com. If you mean pedals, they have them aftermarket at bavauto.com and OE at bmaparts.com.

These are my best guesses. I'm a computer guy so take what I've written with a grain of salt. This is just what I know.

[HDhandyman]

Just brought myself another bemmer, could not rest it again. Only problem is that there seems to be a list which is stadely getting long of faults i keep finding with it?
If anyone can help on some or all i would be very gratefull and save all the headaces!

1) I have no fog lights at all, bulbs are fine and connections on the back?
2) I need to get the front bumber off as some one has sprayed it badly and parts in silver! not good
3)What are the original alloys on the 535 as the previos owner has tried to "pimp his ride" but they are awful
4) When driving with windows open and at low revs you can here a ticking from the engine? is this a fault or just a 6 cylinder engine of this age.
5) Has the 1989 535 got cam belts or cam chain as am douting if they have been changed recently.
6)the display for the millage is not lit up? all other lights on the dash are woking fine.
7)Outside temp is reading -37c and am sure it aint this cold in summer!
8)The heater only gives out warm air only no matter were the temp is? it has not got a/c.
9)leater seats are cracked in desprate need of help, i need something i can pick up in the uk?
10)Rear armrest is floating around the back seats? i can see the grove its ment to be in but it wont just push in there, do i need to take out bracket and do it that way?
11)Has the car got an in built amp as standard as have found a dial to alter sound around the car to differnt speakers? if so is it any good or a case of chuck it.
12)Were can i get a boot mat from as have nothing in there at all just metal?

Well folks thats about it at the momment i thank you very much for any help you could chuck this way.
Darren

As you can see below not a good idea to paint it silver!!!

Sprayed it badly? Is this a joke? Is that your car in the pictures? Because if it is, those are either nice mods that have been done to your car, or you have an Alpina and don't know about it?-- Please don't mess with the bumpers untill you answer my questions about that being your car, whether or not you see the word "Alpina" written anywhere else, how much you got the car for, what the previous owner told you about the car, etc.

Thanks

[blade900]

Sprayed it badly? Is this a joke? Is that your car in the pictures? Because if it is, those are either nice mods that have been done to your car, or you have an Alpina and don't know about it?-- Please don't mess with the bumpers untill you answer my questions about that being your car, whether or not you see the word "Alpina" written anywhere else, how much you got the car for, what the previous owner told you about the car, etc.

Thanks

Yes that is my car in the pictures! and yes it is badly sprayed, i could only wish it was a alpina, but sadly its only a standard 535. Car was basicly given to me as he owed me some cash. It only says alpina on the body work and he stuck an m-tec sterring wheel and gear nob. it says nothing in the log book about alpina as well.
I thought the silver at the bottom of the car looks arful but a few people have said it looks good.