is it me or do we all really love our E34s?

[markus]

seems like everyone in here, including myself, really plans on keeping these things forever. i see posts about engine swaps and $3k paint jobs. these cars are woth about quarter of they are when they were new and it seems everyone just wants to keep putting money into them to keep them in top shape and running smoothly. aint nothin wrong with that!

im just glad to see im not the only one who has big plans for his E34 with over 120k on it. I would love to do a 6-speed swap and whenever my M60 dies an S62 swap. I like E39s but the E34, well... theres nothing like an E34!

[Macv]

Wherever there's a car, theres someone that want's to improve it.

There's not much more you can improve on e34's, but I'll agree, I LOVE my 5. I'll have some emotional distress if I ever have to sell it.

[txp135]

Yeah, I don't get it either. I drove an E39 after I already own my car, but I didn't get the same feeling as when I drove my car. My big plan is to restore the car as close to it's original condition as possible and make improvements that do not sacrifice anything else. But I don't like to look at the costs.

[indierthanthou]

I'm doing my best to do a rolling restoration/improvement to mine. Kinda hard with a daily driver, since stuff keeps BREAKING on me, but that's what I get for being too poor for a little beater. That or being too picky, can't find an e30 for 500 bucks...

[Traian]

I thought the same thing as you, 'that's crazy money who would spend so much on a new paint job, or a 5-speed swap?' But it is a 5-series after all, I mean it's not like they made millions of them, and if you take care of it it'll be running long after most new cars are dead. Even a mediocre one still has airs of a luxury car, and they're all (well almost all) worth investing in. Eventually the depreciation will stop too, and if you've been taking care of your car, it'll begin to appreciate. Look at the ridiculous money some people are spending on nice E12s and E28s.

[indierthanthou]

I fully understand the money thats involved, its just tricky to restore a daily driver, especially one that needs as much body work as mine. One of these days when I have a good chunk of money I will just bite the bullet, borrow my brother's crown vic *shudder* for 3 weeks and have all the body work done. Of course, then I won't want to drive it for fear of scratching the new paint job, or getting a dent....

by the way, I know it's OT but has anybody ever tried silver or gold leafing the pinstripe? I like the pinstripe, I know a lot of you guys paint over it or remove it, I think it would look really awesome in silver leaf instead of just being painted on.

[Renman]

My wife has a nice E39 but you guessed it, given a choice, I always jump in my E34 when I go out.

[Nick.Hay]

I LOVE my E34...

No denying it for a second!! I'm an E34 tragic!!

Unfortunately, mine is tough love... She is sitting in a garage for a while til I finish my uni degree and have the money to get her looking and running as she should!! It is very heartbreaking :(

[henryw525i]

The E34 was the very last of the classic BMW designs of the '70's and '80's. I honestly believe that 40 years down the track a well kept version of this car will still look like a classic. I'm planning on handing mine down to my kids... (ha, havent even found a wife yet!)

[bmwrp8]

hehehe love my e34 soo much i think ill be stuck to it if not forever then for a veerrrryyy llloooooooooooonngg time. i have 256,000kms. on the clock i wonder how long she could go for?? :p here's a pix of my baby though:D

[Paul in NZ]

a quarter?When my car was new it was approx $125,000 !If i sold it ,and it is quite a nice example of a 535is ie a 535 manual withthe mtech body kit and suspension,with sports seats and a lsd...I would be lucky to get 7000,its done 216000 kms

[Mendozart]

I've owned mine for a little over 5 years and would never even think about replacing it. I've got 204k and it runs awesome. Had a paintless dent removal guy take out 6 dings yesterday and he couldn't believe my car was a 92'. I was given an 84' 528e which I've been using as a daily driver. It runs good and is in good shape. But, when I get back in my e34, I love it even more.

[Qube]

Yes, it's a happy-sad relationship. I love it because it's just so spiffy and economical (overall). It's sad because I just CANNOT justify buying another car with this in working order. The only way I'd get another car is if *TOUCH WOOD* this car get's 'lowered' (see other thread).

[mzarifkar]

Stefanie is the high maintenance girl that keeps taking my money, but I dont mind because she is beautiful sophisticated athletic and better than I ever deserve. All my friends are telling me to move on from this abusive relationship, but they dont get it!
Because after a night on the town, or a sunday afternoon in the mountains you know you want to spend the rest of your life with her no matter what...

[mikell]

Just compare what you spend on e34 upkeep with a monthly payment on a new BMW -

[paul p (chi-town)]

Gotta tell ya, i’ve been trying to get over the hump and sell mine.
I really do want an e34 in my life, just not a V8.
It’s been years on the fence and surprise, surprise......it’s still here.

http://pavlo.interaccess.com/Helga2.jpg

Just today, took it out for some errands, had some tool riding my bumper off a green. I’m in no hurry, i have a passenger but they’re ‘pushing’..........fine, floor it and keep it there thru some curvy bits. No fuss no muss, all stock save for an MTech tiller, this thing just hunkers down and goes........to HomeDepot. Where it swallowed quite a haul and then took a stop at the grocery store on top of that.


”Hang up & Drive!”
94 BMW 530iT&A 135K, ‘Helga’ ( for sale....WHOOPS, a daily driver *confused* )
92 BMW 325i 135K, ‘Rolf’ ( he’s baaaaack *woohoo* )
91 Volvo 740 Turbonium Vagon 195K ‘Thor’ ( where’s my check! *rolleyes* )
93 Datsun NX2000 175K ‘Carla’ ( blown clutch *mad* )
85 Toyo MR2 125K ‘Jerry’ ( dare i drive it *duh* it thumps *grin* )
<Captain Murphy>"Do you want the signature On or Off...............too bad." -- </Captain Murphy>

[632 Regal]

I havent had any probs besides the stupid CEL lite occasionally popping up, maybe at almost 200k I should concider new O2 sensors.

I really do want an e34 in my life, just not a V8.

[paul p (chi-town)]

I havent had any probs besides the stupid CEL lite occasionally popping up.
The 3er had the O2 code pop up a week after buying it, swapped it and the light hasn’t blinked once since. Bad gas, old gas, problem era coils, extended outdoor storage, nothing seemed to bother it. Plus the M50 is easier to DIY, a little better on gas, easier to add hp, and easier to stickify.
The Volvos are even simpler, and to make then MUCH quicker, just turn up the boost. The handling, eh it wasn’t a land yacht or anything.......but it also isn’t a bmw.

Considering that ‘Helga’ is absolutely needed in the rotation at the moment, she stays.


WTF tho, the volvo was a beater/beast from rusty wisconsin with almost 200k miles 3 years older and yet everything in that hatch works. *rolleyes*

”Hang up & Drive!”

[632 Regal]

Ahhhh read your post about mileage and follow your thinking.

[VentoGT]

Granted my car is an M5 but it is the most brilliant car I've ever owned. It does so many things so well and looks so good that I doubt I will ever replace it with anything but another e45 M5, touring or an S38B38 European M5. The cars are classically beautiful [as stated by an earlier poster], offer a decent bit of exclusivity, drive purer than the newer cars and no electronic nannies to break or get in the way of a nice drive.

Glad to see so many people into their cars, as I have spent quite a bit on mine but every dollar has been worth it in my opinion.

[attack eagle]

I always plan on keeping my cars forever, but this one is the first one that won't put me into the poor house, and thus is likely to stick around that long... And it has 5 years and 70k more than the car it replaced.

[Blitzkrieg Bob]

I'll admit the M20 is a bit of a cow in traffic, but it still drives nice on the freeway, and is alot easier to work on then some traverse mounted job.

Ahh, and the Touring with the M50tu gets my wife to work on time.