Is it worth it? Manual trans?

[blackone86]

Ive been shopping around for a e34 for a few months now and still haven't found what im looking for (prob would if i had a lil more to spend) getting kinda desperate, i need a car.

Options:
Found a 95' 540ia black/tan with 150xxx on immaculate body with a complete longblock swap with only 23xxx miles on it (documentation included)... **Alusil** for $2000...

2. Emerald/tan 95' 530im 180k "enthusiast maintained" flawless in and out....
Needs Tranny? $2000 and will prob come down.

I have around 3500 to spend so with either i would have money to play with.
Neither of these are set in stone... Im just running out of time to find a car

[robmpulse]

With that price i would recommend a 535i. If you need a v8, do the 540i and stay away from the 530i. The 530i is basically the same performance as a 535i with worse gas mileage and higher maintenance costs.

But again, if you can not afford $1,000 or so a year on up keep, stay away from the 540i.

[blackone86]

been on cl for past 2months and havent even seen a 535i... Went to look at a 91' 525im yesterday very well maintained with new motor and parts galore... only thing that sketched me out about buying it was that when i test drove it it seemed like the manual tranny was slipping.... drove fine but you had to rev it up to about 3500-4000 rpm for it to go w/o it "slipping".

[T444E]

How did someone manage to blow the trans in a 530iM? In all honesty if you want a nice quiet car to cruise with I would wait for a cheap 530iM that doesn't need much work. The 4 liter out of a 540 will essentially swap right in and then you can have all the power of a 540 with the fun of a 5 speed.
FWIW this is what I plan to do after I sell my RS.