Help with 530it purchase....

[Suprawin]

Hello all,
I have been a bmw owner since 1986. Im looking for a cheap second car to drive to work and haul racecar parts and also my 2 kids. I have a X5 4.4 for my wife (and to haul the racecar) and I also have a 2002 325it but it needs to go. Anyway, Im selling the Ee46 touring (to save some cash) and looking to buy a good cheap (under $8k) car that is reliable. I have always had BMW's and want to stay with them and was looking at the E34 tourings. I found a 94 530it with 130k miles and it looks to be a good car. My question is basically, how reliable are they? I work on my own car so little stuff doesnt bother me. Im just wondering if the motors last long since the alusil problem. I have been told that if it made it to 130k it should be fine. I dont know if the motor was swapped out but I am trying to find out. Please give me your .02 on this. The car will need to be reliable since my wife and daughters will need to use it when I am driving the X5. Thanks! Mark
PS, If you have other car ideas or a E34 wagon to sell, let me know!

[Mr Project]

Hi again. :) Hopefully the guys on this board will have more info for you. Did you read up on how to identify a Nikasil block on the link I gave you?

[uberhahn]

OK, as a new 530 owner, I have some first impressions. I have had the car for 2 months. I've put on 4000 hwy miles. I bought the car with 90K miles (1994). Bad idle, fixed by Derek at Nikolas Motorsports with numerous gaskets to solve vacuum leaks. However, click the search button here and look for NIKASIL. The 3.0 V8 had a block issue that, if you can, try to avoid. My car has an "affected" block, but I have not seen any evidence of poor performance. I will continue to drive the car until the wheels (or engine) fall off. Once they do, I will probably drop in a new engine and keep going. Like any other, there will be things wrong with it. Plan on spending an additional $1000-$1500 for maintenance that hasn't been done or to correct things that are wrong at the time of purchase. You should not pay more than $6K (my opinion only).

uberhahn

[Suprawin]

Thanks Guys,
Also, thanks Mr Project for the link at bimmerforums, I did thouroughly read it. The place that has the 94 530it with 130k is a bmw dealer in Ohio (Local) and my friend is the salesman. He drove it and said the idle was rougher than most of the V8 cars and is having their tech look at it. I also forwaded the link that you gave me and they are looking into it. I should have an answer later today. If the car checks out ok, I will probably buy it. Also, it does have a small bit or rust on the bottom of each rear door that kinda bothers me but it isnt a dealbreaker since the car is cheap enough ($5000). The problem is that I sold my E46 touring and it is leaving next week. I am going to Hong Kong on business for a week and will need a car when I return so I dont really have time to keep searching. I have found a few late model Audi A6 quattros that can be had for 5-8K. That is the backup plan if I cant find a good E34 and I cant talk the wife into spending 10-15 for a E39. I guess it is fair enough since she lets me have an M3 racecar. I will elt you know later today what they find.

[paul p (chi-town)]

The place that has the 94 530it with 130k is a bmw dealer in Ohio (Local) and my friend is the salesman.The v8s are quite a bit more work than the 6s. As you search for posts on ‘bad idle’ and ‘my check engine light came on’, notice how many of them concern the M60s vs the M50. Also, I find my 325 a breeze to work on compared to the 530. A 525 would have to be the easiest 90s bimmer to wrench oneself. Not counting the 535s (talking 80s technology here) and there is no 535iT anyway (and that is a damn shame).
Unless you find the small six wagon simply too slo, or are a glutton for punishment/challanges in the garage, i would think twice about a M60 equipped vagon.

"Hang up & Drive!”.....no SERiously (http://homepage.interaccess.com/~motria/pablosgarage.html)
”Bet that phone call doesn’t seem that important now, eh?” Nov 20, 2004

[Mr Project]

[color=indigo] and there is no 535iT anyway (and that is a damn shame).

YES! I still want to get that busted 525iT out of the local mechanics back lot....quick swap all my drivetrain stuff over, and I've got a nice torquey little wagon. :)

[Jason]

I would go for that too

[philbyil]

As far as doing your own work goes, I reckon Audi's are the worst effing cars to work on....lots of special tools and too many darn weird sensors all over the car etc.....parts can also be expensive.

However, if you DO decide to go the VW/AUDI route and you are most likely looking at the 12v motor, just ensure that it had the water pump, thermostat and timing/accessory belts and updated idlers replaced lately (and before 60k) plus regular auto tranny service.

[paul p (chi-town)]

Honestly i’ve been looking to replace ‘Helga’ for some time now. Gotta fix her up a bit 1st and that has to wait until i get TWO sentras parted out. *rolleyes*
My 1st choice is looking to be a Volvo 740 turbo. Just looked at one last weekend that while a little too beat up for my tastes was quite the driver (BTW not the one we looked at Ed, i knew it should have been faster). That car can move. Not to mention the engine looks quite easy to werk on, a simple SOHC 4 banger. Tons of room, both under the hood and between the bumpers.
Pump the tires up to 36 psi and the handling doesn’t suck either.



”Hang up & Drive!”.....no SERiously (http://homepage.interaccess.com/~motria/pablosgarage.html)
”Bet that phone call doesn’t seem that important now, eh?” Nov 20, 2004

[paul p (chi-town)]

YES! I still want to get that busted 525iT out of the local mechanics back lotWhoah, hold on there, a 525iT shell in NE! What year? What’s messed up?
Someone should swap in a pre-OBD M3 drivetrain.


”Hang up & Drive!”.....no SERiously (http://homepage.interaccess.com/~motria/pablosgarage.html)
”Bet that phone call doesn’t seem that important now, eh?” Nov 20, 2004

[wmann]

I have a 1994 525it wagon that I will be selling.

The car is green w/ a tan interior, amd is in very good shape inside and out, although there is some normal wear as you would expect on a car with 195000 miles.

We bought the car about 2 1/2 years ago wth between 95-100K miles.

We had about 4000.00 in work done this summer, including brakes, air conditioning and a rebuilt transmission.

My wife puts about 1000 mile a week on the car, so I would guess that the car has been about 12000 mile since the work was done.

Just replaced the heater fan motor , and an O2 sensor.

The only other issue with the car that I am aware of is that there is an occasional stutter that seems to be coming from the driveline, mostly from a rolling stop on a slight up hill incline. (happens once every other week or so).

Car has the dual sunroof, heated front seats, traction control, cargo cover, roof rack (although its not on the car) and cd player for options.

The car gets an average of 26 mpg when my wife drives it, when she drives
all highway she gets 28-30 mpg. When I drive the car the average mpg is
about 24.

The car is in exceptional condition as you will see in the pictures that I can email.

The car has had a chip upgrade and does use premium fuel now. I think I
still have the orig chip somewhere that can be replaced if you want to use
mid grade fuel.

I am looking to get around 4200.00 for it if anyone has any interest....feel free to make an offer! Bill

[PatrickPGH]

If you go with the Volvo visit ipdusa.com for their anti-roll bars and pick up the Bilsteins. Be careful with some of the 760 turbos as they may have a self levelling suspension.





Pump the tires up to 36 psi and the handling doesn’t suck either.



”Hang up & Drive!”.....no SERiously (http://homepage.interaccess.com/~motria/pablosgarage.html)
”Bet that phone call doesn’t seem that important now, eh?” Nov 20, 2004

[Wack]

So, did you ever buy the car? If so, please give me an update now that you have owned it 18 months. I own a 1993 525it and like the inline 6 but I am now considering adding a 1994 530it to the mix. The wife will have the 2.5 litre, I will take the V8. The engine concerns me greatly as I do not know if it has been replaced or not. There is 128k on the car that I am thinking about buying and the asking price is $6k. I shudder to think what a new BMW engine would cost, particularly when it is my dime. I am ready to hear some of the horror stories and successes out there for anyone who was an E34 with an original 3.0 litre V8 above 125k miles. Anyone?

Thanks,
Wack

[Elekta]

$5K is a little strong for touring with 130k miles and any rust at all. If the idle is lumpy there a numerous causes, and I wouldn't purchase it until that idle was smooth as silk. If it's a dealership, they can do gaskets and maf's and things that make a v8 burp.

Check power steering hoses
check voltage on alternator
check 5 speed tranny, shifter
Door brakes up front
Rear window regulators in back
Check both rear hatch actuators, and check wiring loom on each side of window hatch for breaks. Check shocks on rear window hatch to be sure window stays up.
Check brake fade,
Hit some bumps and see what/if front bushings are good.
Get a 50lb bag of sand and with car at idle drop that puppy in the back and listen for LAD adjustment
Seat twisty
Nik compresion test.
double sunroof should not be rattling when both ends are open
headliner

If there is no book of maintenance on a car with that many miles, I'm thinkin $3500...b/c you could spend that easily just getting it back.

All these things go out at around 130
radiator
fan clutch
ac possibly
heater core fitting behind dash(if you smell coolant with heater on)
dogbones
engine mounts
all the front bushings

Without the history you are taking on a lot of risk

I love my touring, but it took what I paid for it in upkeep in the first three years I bought it and I bought it at 58k.

just saying

let's see it

[Elekta]

Get this super rare blue one... (http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?car_id=185891183&dealer_id=563216&car_year=1994&mod_bookmark_id=null&search_type=used&num_records=&make=BMW&transmission=&distance=0&model=530IT&address=78704&make2=sel_one&certified=&advanced=y&max_mileage=&max_price=&bkms=1153534864982&min_price=&end_year=1996&color=&start_year=1981&drive=&isp=y&engine=&doors=&fuel=&lang=en&cardist=1754) only 75k miles too.