E34 ownership guide in “total bmw” March issue

[Fahad]

http://s134.photobucket.com/albums/q86/fahad525/th_1.jpg


Last month’s issue focused on e36 ownership.
This month its about e34s.

The article contains Good information I think and address the common e34 issues with the fuel system, engine, cooling system, body and trim, wheels and tyres, A/c, transmission, and suspension and brakes.

Here are two paragraphs from the article:

Fuel System:

“Fuel pipes can rust, and none more so that the thin steel pipe across the back of the fuel tank. For the time it takes its worth whipping the ear bumper off (easy) and checking this pipe out because if it starts to leak you’ll dump half a gallon of fuel in no time. Its simple enough to replace and you use a long section of rubber fuel hose if you like. On fuel hose. Its always best to buy proper BMW stuff as a lot of the aftermarket stuff is just crap”

Wheel and Tyres:

“the classic mistake with the E34 is to fit big aftermarket wheels. The E34 doesn’t like anything bigger than 16 inch with 225 or 235 tyres and too many cheap wheels aren’t particularly well balanced. This is why E34s with cheap big wheels drive like a double bed and wander all over the road.”

[Mr._Graybeard]

Sounds like good advice to a guy who has the origiinal honeycombs on his 540. I can't wait to read it. Is Jenny Morgan an adviser?

[LunatiC]

Excellent, I'll keep an eye out when it hits stands in about a month or two here in Australia.

By the way, I bought Bimmer magazine (the American one) when they featured a buyer's guide for E34s. They said that in terms of things that can go wrong, the E34 is built very solidly and there's nothing too significant to watch out for.

Did TotalBMW say anything along the lines of that, or do they think the E34 is rubbish or something in between?

[Fahad]

Is Jenny Morgan an adviser?
i think she writes for roundel magazine?
No, not in total BMW

[Fahad]

Did TotalBMW say anything along the lines of that, or do they think the E34 is rubbish or something in between?

qouting from totalBMW:

"“Built like a Panzer tank, the third genteration of the Five is one of the most dependable BMWs you can get”

"This month, our spotlight turns onto one of the most solid BMWs ever Built, the third generation of Five"

"this month we're looking at one of BMW's most enduring models, the E34 5-Series..." :)


i might end up typing the whole article here :D

totalBMW started to focus more on older BMWs in the last few issues.
thats a good turning point for the mag i think and for us older bmws owners.

there are alot of magazine out there write about new BMW models ignoring poor guys like myself who like to keep their old bimmers alive for as longest time as possible.

i think its a good startegy from totalBMW to target older bmw lovers over the world

[LunatiC]

qouting from totalBMW:

Great to hear! Looks like the folk from Bimmer magazine knew what they were talking about.


totalBMW started to focus more on older BMWs in the last few issues.
thats a good turning point for the mag i think and for us older bmws owners.

Agreed. I love the new stance of TotalBMW (said with a little bit of bias :p), and it's a refreshing change from the stupid "let's rice up some E36s and E46s" theme that some other BMW magazine has been doing (I'm looking at you, PerformanceBMW!)

[leicesterboy15]

I take it this is the US version, does anyone know if the same mag comes out in the UK? I've bought UK versions before in the past so I will have to look out for this one.

Thank you for the info, these types of articles are getting harder to find!

[markus]

yes i have been reading total bmw for years now. i actually have a few issues that date back to 2002. its a great magazine. too bad i cant find it at barnes and noble anymore. its the only bmw magazine worth buying. very helpful and witty commenting, they also do special features every month and discuss the rare models never sold here.

every other bmw magazine such as bimmer talk about the new stuff. i say if you want to know more about the new stuff just walk down to your local dealer. they will be more than happy to show you.

[Steve525]

I have seen that issue in Ireland. I think it was last months one and may be gone off the shelves by now.

[kick7ca]

http://s134.photobucket.com/albums/q86/fahad525/th_1.jpg




Wheel and Tyres:

“the classic mistake with the E34 is to fit big aftermarket wheels. The E34 doesn’t like anything bigger than 16 inch with 225 or 235 tyres and too many cheap wheels aren’t particularly well balanced. This is why E34s with cheap big wheels drive like a double bed and wander all over the road.”

Wow this is so true. My car feels like a truck with the 17s on. The difference is night and day when I put my 15" winters on, so much more nimble and light feeling, despite the shitty tires. Gotta look good though.

[BMWCCA1]

That'll come as a real shock to the M5 owners.

[BigKriss]

Crap, I guess 17" throwing stars are out of the question then. Shame all the e34 m5 owners out there.




Wheel and Tyres:

“the classic mistake with the E34 is to fit big aftermarket wheels. The E34 doesn’t like anything bigger than 16 inch with 225 or 235 tyres and too many cheap wheels aren’t particularly well balanced. This is why E34s with cheap big wheels drive like a double bed and wander all over the road.”

[rob101]

Crap, I guess 17" throwing stars are out of the question then. Shame all the e34 m5 owners out there.
meh, I think 18s are definitely too big though.

[ktteoh]

over here in malaysia, i don't get this magazine. would someone here put up a scanned copy for me to read up :)?


qouting from totalBMW:

"“Built like a Panzer tank, the third genteration of the Five is one of the most dependable BMWs you can get”

"This month, our spotlight turns onto one of the most solid BMWs ever Built, the third generation of Five"

"this month we're looking at one of BMW's most enduring models, the E34 5-Series..." :)


i might end up typing the whole article here :D

totalBMW started to focus more on older BMWs in the last few issues.
thats a good turning point for the mag i think and for us older bmws owners.

there are alot of magazine out there write about new BMW models ignoring poor guys like myself who like to keep their old bimmers alive for as longest time as possible.

i think its a good startegy from totalBMW to target older bmw lovers over the world

[NielsGalan]

Me three!

[Fahad]

I take it this is the US version, does anyone know if the same mag comes out in the UK?

im in Bahrain and we get the mag imported from UK

[genphreak]

I agree wth the article, the car is a lot more nimble on smaller wheels. My 16s shod with 225/55 tyres are better suited to the 7 series, which of course handles more like a boat (by design), in comparison. I have just gone to 50 series tyres and to quote a previous poster... the dfference IS night and day. This is significant as total wheel diameter of the stock 215/60x15 is I think 7mm smaller than what I had with my 55s whereas the new 50s are ever so slightly (3mm) smaller than the stock diameter.

I guess suspensions are one of the most complex engineering jobs on a car that is built to stick. I think the secret is to go for a stock OR as close to an M setup as you can- excepting that Konis are a great substitute of course.

But, rust fuel lines are only a problem where idiot humans put salt on the roads. Here in Oz it NEVER happens.

Just my 2c :) Nick

[Fahad]

That'll come as a real shock to the M5 owners.
i think M5 OEM wheels aren't cheap aftermarket big wheels the article talks about.

my 525 came with 16" wheels
i drove couple of e34s with 15s
drove one with 17"
drove mine with a set of 15" too..

i think 15" wheels makes the e34s drive much smoother and feel little lighter when taking off ..
steering respnse is noticeably different between 15", 16, and 17

for me, the smoother ride works better.

[Russell]

can someone scan it? Not sure this mag is available in most parts of tehus. If so, what bookstores sell it. Thanks

[rob101]

I agree wth the article, the car is a lot more nimble on smaller wheels. My 16s shod with 225/55 tyres are better suited to the 7 series, which of course handles more like a boat (by design), in comparison. I have just gone to 50 series tyres and to quote a previous poster... the dfference IS night and day. This is significant as total wheel diameter of the stock 215/60x15 is I think 7mm smaller than what I had with my 55s whereas the new 50s are ever so slightly (3mm) smaller than the stock diameter.

I guess suspensions are one of the most complex engineering jobs on a car that is built to stick. I think the secret is to go for a stock OR as close to an M setup as you can- excepting that Konis are a great substitute of course.

My personal theory is that with bigger rims and therefore (usually) wider tyres prefer a setup with more roll stiffness because wider tyres do not tolerate camber as well as narrower ones(that is a fact if anyone doubts that they can read staniforth's book on suspension design). Therefore if you really want to get the best out of your wider tyres one has to go to stiffer sway bars and/or springs to keep your tyres flatter on the road surface than with the OEM standard suspension which is designed for narrower tyres.
so in other words go with an M setup like nick suggests.

I'll see if i can find a graph to demonstrate what i mean

[attack eagle]

well that and most people who put on larger wheels also lower the car, throwing the toe specs all to hell.

mine honestly was stable as hell lowered, but then I found out it had about 1/2" pf TOE OUT.

Once i get back home and get in touch with turner (one of the Kmacs won't adjust) The BMW master mech who did my alignment will be able to redo it and dial more toe in, (hoping for 0.25 instead of 0.14) and take out some camber. That plus reducing rear air pressure down to 40 from 45 shoud take care of the oversteer.