Is it time to ditch a 525i for a 535?

[audiophile2400]

I have a '89 525i auto. everything works fine... after market security system and $2,000 sound system are the biggest changes ive made to it. Its a beautiful car and i love it... but its a tad underpowered and it needs a TON of suspension work. new bushings, sway bars, shocks all around, rear springs, tires, i might get rims while im at it, id like a different performance chip than the stock, angel eyes would be nice.... Basically, theres still a lot of money to be invested in it, and i was thinking about if it will really all be worth it in the end? i still wont be happy with its weak engine! Now i know its not gutless, i have the power when i need it and the car has gotten itself up to 129mph recently, but its just sluggish and id rather have a manual....

So in shopping for fun at cars somewhat close to me, i came across this white 535is 80 miles away from me. Now i know a 535is sounds like a somewhat non existent model, but the owner who has it right now really knew what he was doing when he added the sport "s" onto the back of the car. he carefully hand picked everything a normal sport package would have. The owner is asking $3,500 for the 1989 535is and heres a few reasons why the price is a steal: The car has a new catalytic converter, supersprint exhaust, performance chip, bilstein shocks, 2005 M5 rims with yokohama tires, smiley headlights, red-white-red stripe taillights, M5 steering wheel, short shift kit, M5 clutch, M5 diff., M5 shift knob, M5 aluminum pedals, ALL NEW bushings on subframe and suspension components, canadian 2 tone M5 front seats with black leather bucket edges and //M hash cloth centers, rear headrests, New windsheild, neww fog lamps, New gas tank, New fuel filter, New fuel pump, cross drilled rotors on all brakes, new front calipers, and 125,000 original miles. Its mechanically the car i dream of, that mine is not, but it is not as attractive as my 525. The seats are torn and the ugly cloth in the back makes the rear seats looks not bmw like. ill post some pictures of my blue 525i and the white 535is. I really need help deciding if the car is worth the $3,500 and loosing my better looking color...

-------------525i-----------
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h187/audiophile2400/IMG_0607compress.jpg
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h187/audiophile2400/bmwbackbw.jpg
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h187/audiophile2400/1031081551.jpg
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h187/audiophile2400/1031081555.jpg
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h187/audiophile2400/1031081556a.jpg








The much stronger running 535is
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h187/audiophile2400/IMG_0745.jpg
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h187/audiophile2400/IMG_0736.jpg
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h187/audiophile2400/IMG_0734.jpg
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h187/audiophile2400/IMG_0732.jpg
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h187/audiophile2400/IMG_0731.jpg
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h187/audiophile2400/IMG_0729.jpg

Would this cars cosmetic work not be worth purchasing all together? Please give me an opinion and help me decide... thank you for the help! :)

[wastedincome]

M30 535 FTW!! Those tails are FUGLY. The front ///M sport seats rock but suck w/ out the rears. Over all it doesnt sound like a bad deal to me (I've heard of worse deals) BTW once you go 5spd you'll love it. Also the M30 is a damn awesome motor and hard to kill plus it has tons of upgrade parts (chip, MAF, cams, etc)

[David325e]

I wouldn't get the 535 because of the condition. You need a quite a bit of interior work to get it to your liking it seems. I also love my M20. And I don't trust extensive work other people have done unless I know the person/ have seen the work done.

Sounds like you've made up your mind to ditch the 525 but this might not be the one you want to switch to.

Angel eyes...:mad

[auto da fe]

I've been tempted to go drive that car just to see what my 535 5 speed would be like with a 3.91 rear end. The big six is much more satisfying to drive than the anemic M20 and M50 engines. Go for it. And for that sage advice, you'll have to let me take it for a spin:devillook

[wastedincome]

FWIW I think Alpineweiss Rocks (even though I'm a Swartz guy) I didn't see "Angle eyes" cause I'd pick that part. As much as I hate other people work I think the M30 5spd is a better platform the a m20 slushbox. You can alway find a black leather rear seat and I know a guy that can add the m-cloth.

[russiankid]

525i isn't underpowered. It actually gets up and goes if its running properly. 535i is nice but it will still have the suspension crap.

[DIL]

The M30/5 is a fun, fast and relatively cheap combo. Get a PPI from a good mechanic and take it out for a hard run. Just looking at the pics I get a feeling that something isn't quite right, namely the weird seat combo, rotors/wheels but no drop, but maybe that's cuz I just watched 28 Days Later :)

IMO M30 power rules, but given the condition of the 525i, a 5 speed swap and 4.10 LSD would seem economical as well. That is a beautiful car - I wish mine was in such good shape. That car (in a 5 speed) would command a decent price in the Midwest.

[tkb]

its missing the wood trim!!!!

[wastedincome]

525i isn't underpowered. It actually gets up and goes if its running properly. 535i is nice but it will still have the suspension crap.

I think pretty much every car has the suspension sh!t (like his current, that sounds SHOT). I'm thinking he could still sell his current one to offset the cost. OK, SO I'm a sucker for a M30:evil2

[audiophile2400]

Well all cars have their suspension deal... but the 535 is sO much further down the road in upgrades than my car.. and its fast as hell! My 525i isnt that slow... i was keeping up with an audi a4 2.0t on the way back from looking at the 535 and he was flooring his car most of the time. Mostly, i just am interested in the bigger engine and manual tranny. Big wheels and the M steering wheel are a big plus, and give the car alot more character, but the seats are in bad condition! its ugly! my e34 only has some minor dents on the outside... the interior is flawless. but i would like rear headrests alot.... Maybe with a manual tranny, different diff, performance chip, different camshaft (sohc >.<), and a cold air intake, my car might keep up a bit more beefily. But all together, mine is cosmetically just how id like it, and the 535 is mechanically what id enjoy. and $3,500 is a steal... its definitely worth it. Ive seen alot worse deals out there... i know how to switch my front and rear seats and seatbelts, a and c pillars, but how hard would the ceiling, sunroof interior panel, and carpet be to switch from mine to the 535? i wanna keep my interior!

[russiankid]

I just realized you have an M20. Yes your car is underpowered.:lol

I have an M50 so thats why when you said its underpowered I was like :confused.

[Sam Son]

^yeah if it was an M50TU i'd prolly hang on to it

but i wouldnt be able to live life with an M20 with an autofailbox

I want the seats out of that 535:drool:

[Sixdown]

I just realized you have an M20. Yes your car is underpowered.:lol

I have an M50 so thats why when you said its underpowered I was like :confused.

BAH! The M50 is underpowered! :shifty

Get an M30. You will enjoy it.

[audiophile2400]

^yeah if it was an M50TU i'd prolly hang on to it

but i wouldnt be able to live life with an M20 with an autofailbox

I want the seats out of that 535:drool:

do you really want the seats? if i got the car i might jsut give em to you or sell them super cheap... im thinking of keeping what i can from mine.... i really wish i could keep my chassis, but take the 535 drivetrain and steering wheel :[ and yeah... m20.. bleh:shifty i know how to add power.. but its gonna cost a shitload so i might as well just get a different car or swap the engine... but if i get an m30 or m50 engine.... i will then need a different tranny, and probably some engine computer business correct?

[Sam Son]

oh damn youre in oregon....fffffuuuuuuu
I was about to say yeah sure I'll take em but damn..opposite sides of the country

[MaxSteel]

BAH! The M50 is underpowered! :shifty

Get an M30. You will enjoy it.

A 516i is underpowered. A 525i is not fast, but not underpowered.

[Bill R]

535.... although i do like the last of the m50 525's

[audiophile2400]

A 516i is underpowered. A 525i is not fast, but not underpowered.
ouch.... i forgot about the 516 haha. that would suck! well the m50 525 actually feels pretty descent... i think id even be happy with its power... but the m20 has 168hp and 181 ft lbs... its single overhead cam with 2 valves per cylinder.. the only big differences with the m50 525 is its 189hp and 184 ft lbs engine with dual over head cam, 4 valve cylinders, and maybe variable valve timing... id definitely enjoy a more modern engine.. but the m30 still spanks pretty hard.

[Sam Son]

i forget who it was but someone here dynoed a stock 525 and it came out to something over 200 crank...not bad

[Bill R]

shetlands then...




i forget who it was but someone here dynoed a stock 525 and it came out to something over 200 crank...not bad

[David325e]

shetlands then...

:rofl: Bf.C got to you in how many days?

[wastedincome]

i forget who it was but someone here dynoed a stock 525 and it came out to something over 200 crank...not bad

Thats NO M20 & @ crank dont count WHP is what its about

[Bill R]

:)



:rofl: Bf.C got to you in how many days?

[David325e]

:)

Can't wait till Bin sees that. Btw WTH do you do that you know so much?

[Bill R]

I've been posting on these forums for a number of years.. Mostly on bimmer.info and before that roadfly, was on here back in the beginning and a couple of others.



Can't wait till Bin sees that. Btw WTH do you do that you know so much?

[David325e]

I've been posting on these forums for a number of years.. Mostly on bimmer.info and before that roadfly, was on here back in the beginning and a couple of others.

And its finally explained. Glad you came back around man. I'm sure you'll be pouring advice out the wazoo when I get that M60.

[wastedincome]

Bill R seems to be an "old skool" guy that knows his shit.... I'm kewl with that. His brain is ripe and just waiting to "juiced" I cant think of a BS tech post by him yet

[Bill R]

on here other than Whit and Stigg who i spotted or they spotted me.. the other nom de plumes have me puzzled.

Edit, oops i forgot Jon and Erich also..

[Sam Son]

alot of guys that post on .info stay on .info and the same for bf.c guys
I dont post up on .info nearly as much as i used to alot of guys jumped ship when it had all those time stampin issues


Thats NO M20 & @ crank dont count WHP is what its about
thats not the point iw as making it made over 200 crank ...for a 13yr old car that was rated at 189 crank...
yeah it was a 95 M50TU

[tonyroc14]

no

[mrsharp]

do you really want the seats? if i got the car i might jsut give em to you or sell them super cheap... im thinking of keeping what i can from mine.... i really wish i could keep my chassis, but take the 535 drivetrain and steering wheel :[ and yeah... m20.. bleh:shifty i know how to add power.. but its gonna cost a shitload so i might as well just get a different car or swap the engine... but if i get an m30 or m50 engine.... i will then need a different tranny, and probably some engine computer business correct?
I'm getting the feeling that you don't realize the rarity of a lot of the parts on the 535. It almost looks like it was imported straight from Europe lol. I'll take those seats off your hands! Very rare seats, Euro M5 I believe and even though the drivers seat has a few rips you can have those repaired. The seats are also manual which in my book is a big plus. The full cloth interior is also rare and I don't think was ever offered in the united states. Annnd it's got no wood! Just me but if I was in your shoes I would scoop that bad boy up in a second.

Granted it's not typical "bmw" but than again typical is boring. If you do like the interior in your 525, there not to hard to swap.

[free740il]

Maybe you should have spent the 2,000$ on the suspension and not an obnoxiously loud stereo system :dunno.
BTW, there is no such thing as a 535iS in the States.
Just a thought.

[4500 RPM]

alot of guys that post on .info stay on .info and the same for bf.c guys
I dont post up on .info nearly as much as i used to alot of guys jumped ship when it had all those time stampin issues




The time stamp drove me off, haven't been back.

[clevertd]

The time stamp drove me off, haven't been back.

Same here, I go back about once a month if I can't find an answer here.

[4U2NV FLC]

Personally, I'd rather have a mechanically sound car that needs a bit of work in the interior ( as my current) as oppossed to having a car that rides like sh*t and is unreliable. Just my .02.

[SC David]

Same here, I go back about once a month if I can't find an answer here.Seriously. That site used to be my #1 source, but I don't even have it bookmarked anymore. Only use it when I can't find stuff on this site.

[audiophile2400]

Maybe you should have spent the 2,000$ on the suspension and not an obnoxiously loud stereo system :dunno.
BTW, there is no such thing as a 535iS in the States.
Just a thought.


i no theres no I.S. im not a dork... the guy looked at what the e28is package included from the year before, and tried to imitate it with M sport seats, M sport steering wheel, sporty bilstein shocks, M rims, m pedals, m shifter, m clutch, m differential... everything he could find a normal sport would have. and he went as far as Europe to get some of the parts.


Maybe you should have spent the 2,000$ on the suspension and not an obnoxiously loud stereo system :dunno.
BTW, there is no such thing as a 535iS in the States.
Just a thought.




and im not shooting for an obnoxiously loud stereo system. Im a huge audiophile and im picky how my shit sounds... the stock stereo wasnt good enough.


I'm getting the feeling that you don't realize the rarity of a lot of the parts on the 535. It almost looks like it was imported straight from Europe lol. I'll take those seats off your hands! Very rare seats, Euro M5 I believe and even though the drivers seat has a few rips you can have those repaired. The seats are also manual which in my book is a big plus. The full cloth interior is also rare and I don't think was ever offered in the united states. Annnd it's got no wood! Just me but if I was in your shoes I would scoop that bad boy up in a second.

Granted it's not typical "bmw" but than again typical is boring. If you do like the interior in your 525, there not to hard to swap.
yeahh i think i might keep some of my interior stuff. and the car was originally from canada... but everything in it has been converted to standard units like mph n stuff. also he added headers and a new catalytic converter, and muffler... spendy exhaust system.

ok.. i just took the car on a little run... not fancy gas.. it seems to work better on a higher octane. but heres what the m20 acts like (go to the link it just uploaded so it might take a bit to work):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMOUNe1jFbQ