E34 Buyers Guide?

[Bimmerick]

Going to look at a 1995 530i automatic (http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/cto/4309140047.html)this morning. The car has ~129K miles on it. Are there any known issues that I should be concerned about, or any special E34 stuff to look out for? Thank you for your help.

[thatonedood]

We don't call it a "buyer's guide" so much as an FAQ-it's at the top of this subforum. Also, Google e34 common problems and you'll find a helpful quick list site. Don't remember the site name offhand..

[Austin Charles]

check the trans. for slip, and the valley pan. temp guage should stay in the middle when hot.Blower motor, heat and ac. good luck

[Mark185]

Going to look at a 1995 530i automatic (http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/cto/4309140047.html)this morning. The car has ~129K miles on it. Are there any known issues that I should be concerned about, or any special E34 stuff to look out for? Thank you for your help.

Check that there is no delay in auto tranny when shifting into reverse or drive when cold. IIRC, that is a warning sign that the tranny is either low on fluid or wearing out Either is not a good thing to start out with in a used car you don't know much about. As Austin Charles says, check the valley pan area for coolant leaks. There is a coolant line under the valley pan the gets hard with age and leaks. You also want to make sure the engine starts well when cold and idles well. There was a well known issue with NIkasil cylinder lining in these V8 engines that caused some to wear out prematurely. Google BMW Nikasil M60 and you will find info. If the engine failed early in its life, it was probably replaced under warranty and you have not worries. If it was driven mainly at highway speeds and oil was changed regularly, Nikasil was usually not a problem. It was cars that saw a lot of stop and go driving and were not well maintained that usually had issues. 129,000 miles on an E34 is nothing if it was cared for with regular fluid changes and suspension was refreshed sometime after 75K miles. If it is riding on original shocks, struts, control arm bushings, and rear subframe bushings, then expect to spend at least $1000 in remedial maintenance. If you can't DIY, expect to spend more. These cars can trick you if you are new to them. Even a worn E34 will ride and handle better than a lot of Asian and American used cars from same era. Ask the seller for proof of maintenance in the form of reciepts and if he/she can't produce them, assume it will need new bushings and suspension.

Where are you in Southern MD? I used to live in Leonardtown and worked at the PAX River Navy base. I moved away in 1999 and I am sure the area has changed. It was starting to get built up when I moved.

[Bimmerick]

Check that there is no delay in auto tranny when shifting into reverse or drive when cold. IIRC, that is a warning sign that the tranny is either low on fluid or wearing out Either is not a good thing to start out with in a used car you don't know much about. As Austin Charles says, check the valley pan area for coolant leaks. There is a coolant line under the valley pan the gets hard with age and leaks. You also want to make sure the engine starts well when cold and idles well. There was a well known issue with NIkasil cylinder lining in these V8 engines that caused some to wear out prematurely. Google BMW Nikasil M60 and you will find info. If the engine failed early in its life, it was probably replaced under warranty and you have not worries. If it was driven mainly at highway speeds and oil was changed regularly, Nikasil was usually not a problem. It was cars that saw a lot of stop and go driving and were not well maintained that usually had issues. 129,000 miles on an E34 is nothing if it was cared for with regular fluid changes and suspension was refreshed sometime after 75K miles. If it is riding on original shocks, struts, control arm bushings, and rear subframe bushings, then expect to spend at least $1000 in remedial maintenance. If you can't DIY, expect to spend more. These cars can trick you if you are new to them. Even a worn E34 will ride and handle better than a lot of Asian and American used cars from same era. Ask the seller for proof of maintenance in the form of reciepts and if he/she can't produce them, assume it will need new bushings and suspension.So... I went ahead and bought the car yesterday; I gave $2K for it. The car needs some serious love; I almost felt obligated to buy the car just to rescue it. Not much to go on as far as maintenance records; looks like I will be going thru the car top to bottom to get it sorted out...


Where are you in Southern MD? I used to live in Leonardtown and worked at the PAX River Navy base. I moved away in 1999 and I am sure the area has changed. It was starting to get built up when I moved.Small world, I live in Hughesville and work at Pax; I got here in 1999. And yes, the Pax River area looks much different now; it's a pretty nice little area...

[cookboy]

2 weeks ago I bought a 94 530 manual for 2k. 172000. Similar situation, a solid car needing some love.

[Bimmerick]

2 weeks ago I bought a 94 530 manual for 2k. 172000. Similar situation, a solid car needing some love.530 with a manual, nice. I definitely need to get organized in terms of prioritizing all the work needed on my 530...

[Leonator134]

Congrats on the purchase, let's see some pics!

[Mark185]

So... I went ahead and bought the car yesterday; I gave $2K for it. The car needs some serious love; I almost felt obligated to buy the car just to rescue it. Not much to go on as far as maintenance records; looks like I will be going thru the car top to bottom to get it sorted out...

Small world, I live in Hughesville and work at Pax; I got here in 1999. And yes, the Pax River area looks much different now; it's a pretty nice little area...

Welcome to the E34. These are such solid cars that if the body is rust free and paint still reasonably good, I think they are almost always worth fixing up. It is a very rewarding car to drive once the suspension is sorted and brought back to new condition.

This is the best forum in terms of technical information for this model. A lot of knowledgeable and helpful folks on here. The DIY section has a lot of good write ups so check it out.

Is there any open land left between Leonardtown and Waldorf? When I left, it looked like all that open land would be turned into suburban housing in the next 10 years. I used to love riding my motorcycle on the back roads between home and the 301 bridge into Virgina. The Virgina side of the Potomac also had some great roads and open spaces. NJ is so flat, congested and full of bad drivers, I rarely take my bike out these days. The northwestern corner of NJ is still nice but I don't like what I have to ride through to get there.