reliability for e34's

[mastnra]

i have researched online and read the buyers guide for bmw e34's in [U]Bimmer(magazine). i know that the 535i are pertty much bulletproof, but the engine couldn't quite offset the e34's 400 gained pounds. Is this ture?? and then i started to look into the V-8's (preferably the 540i), and i was wondering how reliable that engine is becuase i do not have a lot of money (i'm only 16 and i have been saving a long time for a e34) to keep haveing to work on it. then i learned about the six speed manual transmission that you can get in the 540i and i was wondering how well it preforms?

[Jehu]

Life is luck. You could buy that 540 i posted a link to on ebay in Michigan as you;re next door in Wisconsin with low miles and it could just blow up in your face the day you drive it home because of the way the head was cast. You never know what's gonna happen do you? A friggin' asteroid could slam into Madison tonight and where would that leave you? I've put about 15,000 savage , brutal merciless miles on mine since i bought it this summer and it still screams like a banshee every drop of the hammer... It is likely going to NEED a few thousand in maintenance of " normal wear items" like steering, suspension, etc but it is an 11 year old car... if you have parents who can help you out when you need it to keep it going , go for it. They're very well built cars. They've won awards for their reliability but they are machines like anything made of material, they will need stuff from time to time to keep running but they are extremely well built cars and there is a lot of support from other owners. You should be financially able to keep it up though.Some things fail and the car is not drivable till they're fixed.

[Alexlind123]

i have researched online and read the buyers guide for bmw e34's in [U]Bimmer(magazine). i know that the 535i are pertty much bulletproof, but the engine couldn't quite offset the e34's 400 gained pounds. Is this ture?? and then i started to look into the V-8's (preferably the 540i), and i was wondering how reliable that engine is becuase i do not have a lot of money (i'm only 16 and i have been saving a long time for a e34) to keep haveing to work on it. then i learned about the six speed manual transmission that you can get in the 540i and i was wondering how well it preforms?

No, its not true. The e34 M30 has about 30 more horsepower than the M30 in the e28. The extra power more than compensates for the extra weight.

Dont worry about the 535i not having enough power. Its actually slightly faster than the V8 530i.

[boardburton]

I am 16 as well. I saved up for a long time and finally purchased my e34 525i for 5k even, talked down from 7500.

Shortly after buying it the clutch went out.

Replaced clutch.

Went out again because of flywheel, flywheel voided clutch warantee.

Had to replace warped flywheel AND clutch.

ONLY 2 DAYS after fixing my flywheel/clutch I blew a hose going into my intake manifold. Fixed.

Ever since have not had one problem except the rim I broke but that's my fault for hitting a pothole at 2x the speed limit (only 70mph).

I will probably sell my car as it is too expensive to keep up with. Best car I've ever driven though IMO (which isn't that many cars)

[Wack]

Mastnra,
If you have been reading this forum for any time you will see many posts that tell you don't bother buying an older E34 at your age unless you have the money to buy, the time to fix it and the cash to cover the repairs. My experience with my two E34's is that it will take between $1500 - $2500 just to get them "the way they should be" after your purchase. Small things like a darn seatbelt fastner, rear seat trim, door panels not to mention larget ticket items like O2 sensors, MAF's, exhaust, an aftermarket CD player, thrust bushings, etc. If money becomes tight the urge to skimp on maintenance becomes paramount .... like not using fully synthetic oil after 5k miles just to save a few dollars on that 8 quart oil change (my '94 Nikasil-powered 530it). My advise is save what you need to buy the car ... and then 50 percent more to get it the way you want it. Trust me!

[Wack]

By the way, the inline-6 in 525 is an excellent engine. Sure, you do not have the power like the 535 6 cylinder or the 530 v-8 but when it comes to reliability it is the ole warhorse. I bought my '93 525it with 100k miles and now it as 175k miles. It is holding up great but there was some initial costs up front to get her in tip-top condition. It is a daily driver and has just been requiring only regular maintenance lately, nothing major at all. That is even with a wife who AIMS for potholes!

[E34 530]

Mastnra,
I bought my 530 at 16. At first, I was afraid to lift the hood without breaking something. But this summer I really opened up to the car. I replaced the entire cooling system, brake job, etc. by myself. Even though I didn't have any experience with cars, it's just a matter of getting good instructions and winging it. Take the advice of the members on this site, they are extremely knowledgable and have helped me with many diy repairs with various write-ups. My parents made me a deal that if I was going to pay for all of the repairs, they'd let me get the car. If I couldn't afford to fix the car, it would sit in the driveway, period. Since January of 05, I have done several upgrades to the car, fixed many things, etc all with my own money. I really don't want to add up how much I've spent on this car, but believe me it's worth it. So if you can afford it, by all means go for it, but it won't be cheap to maintain.

[Rus]

Like many others said, be prepared to spend extra money to have the car in top notch shape. Mine cost about 3900 with a horrible idle, check engine light, and failing clutch fan (what it seemed like at the time). In its favor were a beautiful interior, low miles, and accompanying manuals. Further expenses:

New P/S hoses, fan clutch, engine oil, tranny fluid, diff oil, belts, thermostat (+++labor): $1200

New paint job with all dents pulled (new door handles, sunroof seal, clips, etc): $3000

A year and about $1100 in parts later (once I got it home from Houston, I could do everything myself), its as mint as I can get it. If you are mechanically inclined and are not afraid to tackle the issues, you can maintain the car for just the cost of materials and tools. My $1100 in parts would probably have cost about $5K in just labor charges had a shop done it for me. This included everything from rear exhaust hangers and the drive shaft center bearing to the entire cooling system (not mentioning the suspension parts, brakes....I have the list somewhere, all two pages of it).

So in a nutshell, if you have a good source of income and are willing to spend a nice chunk of it on a beautiful car, an E34 is within your grasp. Do note, however, that a V8 E34 is much more difficult to work on than an M30 or M20/M50 car. V8s also have their own set of problems (seasonal intake gasket leaks, etc.).

Just my $.02

[fkong777]

I am 16 as well. I saved up for a long time and finally purchased my e34 525i for 5k even, talked down from 7500.

I will probably sell my car as it is too expensive to keep up with. Best car I've ever driven though IMO (which isn't that many cars)


M50 is damn reliable its only weakness is the waterpump. but that is a easy part to change. I think the problem is that you bought a car that has too much mileage on it. Things will start to fail..


Mastnra: M50 E34 is a great starter BMW.. it is still modern, solid and its reliable. find a 5spd if possible power wise it should keep you happy for a while. Also remember Thrust arms and o2 sensor will most likely need to be changed if there is no recent service record of it.

With EAT chip & 5spd you should be happy for a long time. Add Sach kit and M-par Staggered.. you are done. Think of all the money you save not having to get intake, exhaust, dress up headlights and taillights, dress interior parts, body kit and Carbon Fiber Wings if you bought a Toyota or a Honda.