I got my e34

[casurfer911]

I just got a '90 black on black 535i 5spd. The paint is immaculate and 134k miles. Im so stoked, but a few issues first. The shifter gets really hot while driving, is this normal? I tried to put a new stereo (a kenwood deck) in today following the guide from bmwe34.net and i had no success. At one point the stereo would stay on while the car was off and whenever you took the keys out, the windwshield wipers would turn on :D Any help would be great. Oh and now i have to head to the bmw dealership tommorow to get the code so my stock stereo will work.

[Paul in NZ]

black on black is classic imho,same as my 535 5 spd.I have never noticed any undue heat ,give the car a birthday and change ALL the fluids including brake fluid,coolant ,diff and gearbox,then you know exactly where you stand........

[NoSpeedLimits]

The 5 digit code for the stock radio should be located on a sticker on the radio, if not then look through the owners manual or other books and paper work that hopefully came with the car. If you see a five digit number writen down anywher then give it a try before visiting the sealer. But, be careful because I think you have a three strike rule when it comes to entering the code. Good luck and welcome aboard.

[G Feller]

Welcome to the club! We love our E34s, and you got a nice one.

Is it the shifter itself or the area around the shifter that is hot? I ask because when this has come up before, I believe the answer has been, "The heat is normal, but you shouldn't really notice it, because the boot around the shifter should block/absorb most of that heat."

In other words, on a car with that mileage, it would be no surprise if through whatever combination of age, wear, and hard driving (but you bought it from the original owner, a 70-year-old lady, right? :p ), the original boot(s) have had it and are no longer blocking the heat as they were designed to.

Get that car shipshape, post some photos, and most importantly, enjoy!


The shifter gets really hot while driving, is this normal? .

[Warren N.CA]

particularly hot when driving. Check to see if hot air is coming out of the heater ducts under the dash. Stock radio will look much better than a Kenwood. Now how about your maintenance. Most '89 535s will have some "deferred" maintenance. When was your coolant and brake fluid last changed? What about tranny and diff lube- should be changed at 30K intervals. Coolant especially critical to avoid internal engine corrosion.

Now you need an EAT chip. It will REALLY wake up that motor. You will not believe the difference.




I just got a '90 black on black 535i 5spd. The paint is immaculate and 134k miles. Im so stoked, but a few issues first. The shifter gets really hot while driving, is this normal? I tried to put a new stereo (a kenwood deck) in today following the guide from bmwe34.net and i had no success. At one point the stereo would stay on while the car was off and whenever you took the keys out, the windwshield wipers would turn on :D Any help would be great. Oh and now i have to head to the bmw dealership tommorow to get the code so my stock stereo will work.