How long can M50 last?

[bigtisas]

I am looking into buying a e34 5sp. I found two within 200 miles from where I live. I am concern about engine durability. Which engine will last longer? I like M50 that it requires no timing belt change and valve adjustment.

92 525i 5sp, 200k miles: US$3300
90 535i 5sp, 200k miles: US$2600

[ericcamaro]

m30 has timing chain too, they will both last about the same in my opinion. I know the non vanos engine used in 92 has some very strong engine internals. Boost guys use the rods from that engine to build 600+HP monsters. They will both go about 250k-350k b4 you need to rebuild.

[BMWCCA1]

They're both good engines. I don't think I'd pay $3300 for either with 200k on it though, when you can buy an M50TU with around 100k in the $5000 range, or less these days.

[bigtisas]

I've been looking for a 5sp e34 for a while. Never seen one around 100k in my area (southern California). They are very hard to find. When you find one, they are usually sold within a day or two.

[BMWCCA1]

Bought mine in November with 112,000. Seller was asking $6000. I offered $5000. Paid $5500 for it with new 17" wheels and tires as well as OE 15", new shocks and springs, AST, CD changer, Premium Package, rear headrests, metal thermostat housing, etc. It had been on Craig's List twice in the rather large and BMW-centric Washington, DC market. Maybe it was the 5-speed that kept it from selling but that's what I wanted. 15,000 miles later it's still near-perfect. I thought it was a pretty good price for such a nice car but many, even here, told me they thought it was pretty normal, or even too high, at the time.

When I was doing this for a living (buying and selling BMWs), all the California dealers would come East to buy our low mileage cars and ship them back home to sell. At one auction, they'd actually load them on rail cars and ship them west. Florida seems to have tons of low mileage E34s, like this one (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-5-SERIES-525i-ALPINE-WHITE-5-speed-See-Video_W0QQitemZ130134052989QQihZ003QQcategoryZ6008 QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem), but none with AST.

[bigtisas]

Buying and selling BMW sounds like a fun career. Any pointers to how to get start. I'm getting tired of my computer job. :)

[e34.535i.sport]

and its still going strong! Sounds absolutely amazing, no knocks, no rattles, nothing. And it still pulls like a train! I know i'm gonna keep this car going forever now, as its my last chance of finding an e34 in this condition.

If i were you, i'd get one and hold on to it. Bigger engines will generally last longer, but they need to be looked after with v-regular oil changes (every 3 thou is the best i hear on here!).

Good luck.

[repenttokyo]

My M50 has over 200k on it, going strong.

[BMWCCA1]

Buying and selling BMW sounds like a fun career. Any pointers to how to get start. I'm getting tired of my computer job. :)Use someone else's money. :)

[granit_silber]

I am looking into buying a e34 5sp. I found two within 200 miles from where I live. I am concern about engine durability. Which engine will last longer? I like M50 that it requires no timing belt change and valve adjustment.

92 525i 5sp, 200k miles: US$3300
90 535i 5sp, 200k miles: US$2600

I think those prices prolly reflect inflation in your market (i.e. cost of living). Both engines are bulletproof and have proven themselves. Personally, I love my 92 525. I like that the M50 doesn't require valve adjustments. I haven't heard anything about a magic mileage for a rebuild and I've seen well-maintained m50's with over 400k on the clock still running fine.

The M30 is also a haus and is proven by the number of different models it's still running in. BMW made that engine for something like 30 years. Your choice should come down to what you want in the engine. the 525 won't be as fast, but you're getting newer technology and better fuel efficiency; while the M30 will pull harder from a lower RPM. You'd also be getting a lower mileage car.

I'm not really sure that the prices are all that bad. I live in NC and have seen higher prices on older e28's with higher mileage not in excellent condition. In fact, my tranny is starting to go (184K miles) and it looks like it's gonna cost me around 3k to replace it with a new one.
[edit: my engine has 184k miles on it and I have a small oil leak from the oil filter housing gasket. I took off the valve cover awhile back to change it out and even the valvetrain looks good. and my PO only did the basic dealer maintainance. According to kbb.com my car in fair condition is worth around 3300]

-ashley

[e345spd]

Yeah I live in NC too, and those prices are not bad for those cars, especially 5 spd. Personally I would go for the 535i, as it has a little more HP, and even more torque, and you can always get factory turbo parts from a euro 745i...

[BMWCCA1]

the 525 won't be as fast, but you're getting newer technology and better fuel efficiency;First, let me say I have three M30-engined E28 535i models, one with 225,000 mile, another with 245,000 miles. My '87 535is needed a new oil pump at 200k. All are on original valve-train and bottom ends. None have even had the head off. That being said, I'm not as big a fan of the M30 in the E34 and have steered many buyers to the M50TU 525i over the 535i especially in manual transmission versions. Much of the effects of emission standards on the driveablilty of the E34 535i can be cured with a good chip, but there's really no substitute for modern variable-valve-timing engines when it comes to extracting maximum performance while maintaining passable fuel economy and emission control.

When it comes to performance, BMW's own figures show the 1991 535i with 0-to-60mph times of 7.6 sec (5-spd) and 8.9 sec (automatic). BMW gave times of 8.6 and 9.1 for the same tranny type 525i in 1995 but provided a footnote to Car and Driver's test results for the pre-Vanos M50 525i of 7.7 and 9.7 stating "current model should test better". Seems odd, doesn't it? Regardless, particularly with manual transmission models, a prospective purchaser shouldn't discount the M50/TU 525i when compared to a 535i based on performance. In my experience, a chipped M50 or M50TU 525i 5-spd is a more satisfying daily driver than an E34 535i 5-spd. Though neither is as much fun as a properly maintained E28 535is, which accounts for the higher value placed on an excellent example of that model over the E34 in the current marketplace. ;)

[e345spd]

Not matter what chip you use, the M50TU will not get the same torque as the M30, especially if you chip the M30. A liter of displacement is always going to make a difference...And you didn't really explain the issues with the e34 M30 cars, and as a e34's chassis is more stiff than an e28, I don't see why a E34 would in any way be less adept to a M30 than a E28 would.

[repenttokyo]

he's not arguing about torque.

[bigtisas]

Ah...the 92 525i 5sp is sold already.