PDA

View Full Version : New member, new e34



zibbs
08-14-2011, 10:53 PM
Was in the market for a new DD and stumbled across an opportunity that I couldn't pass up. Found a 91 525i in decent shape with about 162k miles. Dug through the glovebox a bit while taking a look at the car and found about 10k in receipts from the last 30k miles :eyecrazy.

The good:
New battery
New brake pads + rotors
New front control arm + rear subframe outer mount bushings
New tierods
New water pump
New fuel pump + tank (only 2k miles ago and at a cost slightly above what I paid for the car)

Clutch started slipping pretty heavily within a couple weeks of purchase. While replacing the clutch, the shop found someone had previously added a single mass aluminum flywheel, how thoughtful.

The bad:
Passenger and driver's side front locks stick
A/C doesn't work
Heat works intermittently, gurgling sound when it's turned on
Apparently every speaker is blown but one, with the 5 disc CD changer inoperable as well
Interior needs work (leather in bad condition, door panels falling apart, badly needs a detail, headliner sagging)
Exterior definitely shows its age, miscellaneous scratches in the paint, previous owner had a small front-end collision that left a sizable dent in the hood

Aside from that, the car runs strong. Took it down to Redding last Friday and had very little trouble (although the lack of A/C took its toll on the way back).

To do list:
Audio system needs an overhaul (not an audiophile by any stretch of the imagination but I do enjoy music in the car, one speaker isn't going to cut it for long)
Find and fix cause of heat issue (air in heater core?)
Throwing in new plugs and giving it a fresh oil change this week as well as an exterior detail.

And, of course, pictures:

http://i.imgur.com/600tl.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/Xltxn.png


Unfortunately I'm gonna be riding on steelies until spring, but they'll be getting some fresh snow tires to carry me over the Cascades during the winter.

I fell in love with this e34 from the second I test drove it, with a little work I think it will be a very decent car. As it's my first BMW, I hope you guys can share some tips and tricks that I'm ignorant to and I'm excited to meet and share my e34 experiences with you guys.

ChiTownTy
08-15-2011, 12:16 AM
Welcome to the forum! Looks a solid starting point, be careful with the heat, bad blower motors have been know to start fires.

zibbs
08-15-2011, 02:33 PM
Welcome to the forum! Looks a solid starting point, be careful with the heat, bad blower motors have been know to start fires.

Thanks! I'm thinking there's air in the heater core, probably needs a coolant flush anyway.

Psykick5
08-15-2011, 02:50 PM
Mmmmm we got a Duck with a Bimmer in the house today. Anyway seems like you got lucky with a generous previous owner... very generous... a single mass flywheel on a 525? Wow. Me like.

Congratulations on it. Care to share how much you paid for it?

zibbs
08-15-2011, 03:13 PM
Mmmmm we got a Duck with a Bimmer in the house today. Anyway seems like you got lucky with a generous previous owner... very generous... a single mass flywheel on a 525? Wow. Me like.

Congratulations on it. Care to share how much you paid for it?

$1975 and gas down from Portland.

zubbie
08-15-2011, 03:44 PM
intermittent heat could be a leaking heater core, o rings or a bad heater valve. welcome

RDallas
08-17-2011, 02:28 AM
Welcome! love your car. definitely get going on new speakers soon.

zibbs
08-23-2011, 03:19 AM
Doing a well needed tuneup tomorrow, oil change and coolant flush in addition. Also gonna go at the heater valve with a hammer and see if I can loosen it up a bit. Hopefully I'll be able to throw in a new sound system within the next month as having one working speaker is killing me (especially on 17 hour roadtrips :(). Excited to start working on things that I want to do instead of things that I need to do :D


Welcome! love your car. definitely get going on new speakers soon.

Thanks!