From Sunny Gissy

[advantex 0]

I am David, I live in Gisborne, have driven (not owned) a lot of nice cars but must say I am really impressed with the E34 535i M-Sport that I bought. It was run down and needed quite a few repairs. The major of these repairs has been done and the machine is very drivable. I am not sure if it is going to be worth a lot more 'enhancements' or not so I come here to make friends, be a friend and seek advice.

The car needs a good cut and polish, valet and some trim and interior repairs/replacement but these can come later. Right now I just enjoy the driving it even if the fuel costs are high!

Love to hear from any NZ Hawkes Bay/ BOP members willing to meet up with me as I need advice on what to do next, what looks good, what parts fit what models, is it even worth it etc.

I know little of BMW except that I have always wanted one (does that qualify me?), that they are well engineered and drive really nice (found that out from hands on experience with a clients M5 from a few years back).

If it is worth it, over time I should want to make this car 'tidy and 21st Centuary trendy'. Not going for the 'boy racer look' just wanting to make it different but still kinda traditional. In my head I am thinking of replacing the seats (they aparently were orginally leather but got replaced with cloth - I would like the leather back again), would like to fix front air dam, perhaps clears or smoked black lights all round (Alpine White II color car), change mags and tyres etc along with good overhaul of interior. Kinda like a pet project if you know what I mean.

Any comments or help appreciated. Not sure how to work the pics thing yet so go here http://s298.photobucket.com/albums/mm264/02befree/ for original pics after I bought the car.

[BM WORLD 1283]

hi , welcome . great cars .

i have a good leather interior set if you are interested .

[Braeden320 0]

Welcome to Bimmersport, Plenty of e34 experts here to help you out with the e34 and yep theres a few members from the sunny hawkes bay

[Cale 36]

Welcome David,

Looks like a good car, especially with the Mtech 1 steering wheel and Throwing Stars wheels (Are they Genuine Turbines?).

Sounds like you have good intentions for the car too. Look forward to seeing your progress.

[Yuen 16]

Welcome David, Alpine White is a great colour and has potential, the car will look great after a clean up. First 'reverse modification' I would suggest is to remove the M5 badge Smoked or clear lights will work well on your colour.

[advantex 0]

hi , welcome . great cars .

i have a good leather interior set if you are interested .

Brent, you got exactly what I had pictured in my mind. Yes very interested. Email me, I will come see you in July if that is OK.

[advantex 0]

Welcome David, Alpine White is a great colour and has potential, the car will look great after a clean up. First 'reverse modification' I would suggest is to remove the M5 badge Smoked or clear lights will work well on your colour.

just bought rear centre tail light on trade-me and inquired about the 535i badge also. Yes, appreciate you noticed that, I feel embarrased because I know it is not M5 but not have anything to replace it with yet. I also have damaged air dam (see photos). Same trader has black air dam. How do you guys think that would look with the smoked black lights in contrast to the white?

[advantex 0]

Welcome to Bimmersport, Plenty of e34 experts here to help you out with the e34 and yep theres a few members from the sunny hawkes bay

thanks braeden, let me know when you having a fun run or meet of some kind, I love to drive this thing and stuff the fuel costs!

[mr E34 11]

Welcome to Bimmersport & the E34 club.

[advantex 0]

Welcome David,

Looks like a good car, especially with the Mtech 1 steering wheel and Throwing Stars wheels (Are they Genuine Turbines?).

Sounds like you have good intentions for the car too. Look forward to seeing your progress.

Not sure, they are not in good condition when you look up close so I suspect not. I have been told that 17" are cheaper than 16" anyway and that it would be worth while (when these tyres wear out [they are quite new]) it would be better to replace with 17's and rims.

I am not edumicated in this field. You can talk to me about computers, CAD, PLC's, Engineering design, Electrical stuff etc... I know that sh*t back of my hand - cars??? I come here to learn and be told! LOL.

[Yuen 16]

just bought rear centre tail light on trade-me and inquired about the 535i badge also. Yes, appreciate you noticed that, I feel embarrased because I know it is not M5 but not have anything to replace it with yet. I also have damaged air dam (see photos). Same trader has black air dam. How do you guys think that would look with the smoked black lights in contrast to the white?

Maybe consider a debadge? Debadge with clear lights will look nice, smoked lights would look more aggressive. (I'm assuming when you say smoked it's the OEM Hella smoked tail lights)

[advantex 0]

Maybe consider a debadge? Debadge with clear lights will look nice, smoked lights would look more aggressive. (I'm assuming when you say smoked it's the OEM Hella smoked tail lights)

er...um not exactly sure what you mean. BTW, the tail light I bought was stock standard just to keep the crap and moisture out to replace the cracked one. At 25bucks + P&P I did not feel I was being ripped of.

When you mean debadged, do you mean no badge at all? If so, that is interesting and has appeal, I had not considered that. I am undecided to go to smoked black or all clear (all round the vehicle). I read that smoked gets vandalised (yet it looks good - probably why), yet clears look good also but not able to find complete set for E34 yet (though only just started looking).

To a large degree, I will rely on what you experienced owners would consider 'classy yet cool'. I don't say this cause I am easily led - at the end of the day I will decide, yet I have little experience in this so ask for just this kind of input as guidence.

I have a car. I like the car. It looks crap at the moment but I gut feel it has huge potential. FILL ME FULL OF IDEAS! I don't want an overly aggressive look, but dont want a nana car look either - and still trying to keep it a bit traditional - if you know what I mean.

Watchers of this post - Be creative! I don't have an unlimited budget, but I do earn a reasonable coin and can budget inprovements over time. I will listen to any ideas - period! - Feed me full of things you might like to do with your cars but cant for some (perhaps wife LOL) reason.

Edited June 20, 2008 by advantex

[1rotty 40]

I am David, I live in Gisborne, have driven (not owned) a lot of nice cars but must say I am really impressed with the E34 535i M-Sport that I bought. It was run down and needed quite a few repairs. The major of these repairs has been done and the machine is very drivable. I am not sure if it is going to be worth a lot more 'enhancements' or not so I come here to make friends, be a friend and seek advice.

The car needs a good cut and polish, valet and some trim and interior repairs/replacement but these can come later. Right now I just enjoy the driving it even if the fuel costs are high!

Love to hear from any NZ Hawkes Bay/ BOP members willing to meet up with me as I need advice on what to do next, what looks good, what parts fit what models, is it even worth it etc.

I know little of BMW except that I have always wanted one (does that qualify me?), that they are well engineered and drive really nice (found that out from hands on experience with a clients M5 from a few years back).

If it is worth it, over time I should want to make this car 'tidy and 21st Centuary trendy'. Not going for the 'boy racer look' just wanting to make it different but still kinda traditional. In my head I am thinking of replacing the seats (they aparently were orginally leather but got replaced with cloth - I would like the leather back again), would like to fix front air dam, perhaps clears or smoked black lights all round (Alpine White II color car), change mags and tyres etc along with good overhaul of interior. Kinda like a pet project if you know what I mean.

Any comments or help appreciated. Not sure how to work the pics thing yet so go here http://s298.photobucket.com/albums/mm264/02befree/ for original pics after I bought the car.

Welcome & F--k the fuel cost.If it worried you ,you wouldnt have bought it.Some things are above $ & driving a beemer's one of them!!!!!

Bit of work & yours could be very cool!!

[advantex 0]

LOL - you are so right in that comment

[Braeden320 0]

er...um not exactly sure what you mean. BTW, the tail light I bought was stock standard just to keep the crap and moisture out to replace the cracked one. At 25bucks + P&P I did not feel I was being ripped of.

When you mean debadged, do you mean no badge at all? If so, that is interesting and has appeal, I had not considered that. I am undecided to go to smoked black or all clear (all round the vehicle). I read that smoked gets vandalised (yet it looks good - probably why), yet clears look good also but not able to find complete set for E34 yet (though only just started looking).

To a large degree, I will rely on what you experienced owners would consider 'classy yet cool'. I don't say this cause I am easily led - at the end of the day I will decide, yet I have little experience in this so ask for just this kind of input as guidence.

I have a car. I like the car. It looks crap at the moment but I gut feel it has huge potential. FILL ME FULL OF IDEAS! I don't want an overly aggressive look, but dont want a nana car look either - and still trying to keep it a bit traditional - if you know what I mean.

Watchers of this post - Be creative! I don't have an unlimited budget, but I do earn a reasonable coin and can budget inprovements over time. I will listen to any ideas - period! - Feed me full of things you might like to do with your cars but cant for some (perhaps wife LOL) reason.

Your car doesn't look that bad!

If you want to look at what most would consider a crappy looking e34 check this -http://www.bimmersport.co.nz/forums/index.php?showtopic=16564

I think your on the right track with clears, Brents Leather and Yuens idea of debadging it.

Eurolights Click Me

Edited June 20, 2008 by braeden.

[Yuen 16]

er...um not exactly sure what you mean. BTW, the tail light I bought was stock standard just to keep the crap and moisture out to replace the cracked one. At 25bucks + P&P I did not feel I was being ripped of.

When you mean debadged, do you mean no badge at all? If so, that is interesting and has appeal, I had not considered that. I am undecided to go to smoked black or all clear (all round the vehicle). I read that smoked gets vandalised (yet it looks good - probably why), yet clears look good also but not able to find complete set for E34 yet (though only just started looking).

To a large degree, I will rely on what you experienced owners would consider 'classy yet cool'. I don't say this cause I am easily led - at the end of the day I will decide, yet I have little experience in this so ask for just this kind of input as guidence.

I have a car. I like the car. It looks crap at the moment but I gut feel it has huge potential. FILL ME FULL OF IDEAS! I don't want an overly aggressive look, but dont want a nana car look either - and still trying to keep it a bit traditional - if you know what I mean.

Watchers of this post - Be creative! I don't have an unlimited budget, but I do earn a reasonable coin and can budget inprovements over time. I will listen to any ideas - period! - Feed me full of things you might like to do with your cars but cant for some (perhaps wife LOL) reason.

Yup - debadge = no badge at all. Here's some inspiration - one of the nicest E34s around. Funnily enough, I just noticed that its also debadged!

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2664044

Btw when I say smoked I mean clear tail lights (like the one Braeden posted above) with the indicator portion slightly tinted, not fully black. Like this: http://www.flickr.com/photos/21891030@N08/...789688/sizes/o/ I think the clear will look best on your car though. And you can always tint them yourself if you think they are too bright.

The ones Braeden posted above are not genuine BMW but if they're the same as his E36 lights, they will be made by Depo which are pretty much the best aftermarket lights around IMO.

[Braeden320 0]

I think mine are factory.. How do you tell?

[Yuen 16]

I think mine are factory.. How do you tell?

They should have a tiny BMW logo etched in the plastic.

[Braeden320 0]

They should have a tiny BMW logo etched in the plastic.

Yep they do, all factory - thanks yuen

[advantex 0]

Yep, I do like that look. Thanks for the input. I will contact Brent this week regarding leather interior. Looks like I am on a mission over the next few months.

Just as a bytheway. We did three standing starts just to satisfy my own interest. 7.4, 7.3, 7.3. I was quite impressed for an auto (thinking it would have been more like 8 something), very smooth sound from the motor, very very smooth changes on the auto. I am satisfied it is mechanically OK and the body is OK so it is going to be worth my effort to make it look sweet.

David

[Guest Simon*]

I am David, I live in Gisborne, have driven (not owned) a lot of nice cars but must say I am really impressed with the E34 535i M-Sport that I bought. It was run down and needed quite a few repairs. The major of these repairs has been done and the machine is very drivable. I am not sure if it is going to be worth a lot more 'enhancements' or not so I come here to make friends, be a friend and seek advice.

The car needs a good cut and polish, valet and some trim and interior repairs/replacement but these can come later. Right now I just enjoy the driving it even if the fuel costs are high!

Love to hear from any NZ Hawkes Bay/ BOP members willing to meet up with me as I need advice on what to do next, what looks good, what parts fit what models, is it even worth it etc.

Hi David

I'm a Napier based E34 owner. And sometimes organiser of drives around our region too - I usually put something up in the meetings part of the forum so keep an eye out if you're ever keen to come down, or if something's happening in Taupo etc. Watch this space for something later in the year actually.

There are a few E34 owners down here in the bay, some with more than one! Prior to my 540 I had an alpine white 535 auto too - I loved it.

The clear light upgrade is on my list, but fairly low in the priority stakes. The white E34's with clears, nice alloys and tints look very good in my opinion.

Shame about the damaged air dam but it sounds like you're well on the way to rectifying that anyway.

Anyway welcome and good luck with the car. Always nice to see more E34's about.

Cheers

Simon

[Mark 178]

Nice car... but clean up that engine bay!

[advantex 0]

Simon:

Thanks, really keen to learn more about these cars and associate with other owners (suck up their knowledge). You can always PM me anytime. Love a reason to drive down to the bay - Tui's or Speights always good reasons if ya cant think of a better one.

GannetBoy:

Engine Bay - yes on my long list of things to do. Is steam cleaning OK? Any thing about that to be aware of? You should see the sand that I am getting out of the boot! There's gotta be half of Wainui beach in there LOL.

Edited June 25, 2008 by advantex

[Mark 178]

GannetBoy:

Engine Bay - yes on my long list of things to do. Is steam cleaning OK? Any thing about that to be aware of? You should see the sand that I am getting out of the boot! There's gotta be half of Wainui beach in there LOL.

I'm not sure why people leave their cars in such a mess... I bought a little Nissan for the girlfriend last week and spent most of Sunday removing dog hair from the seats with a lint roller. Also, there was an entire box of washing powder spilt in the boot, dog Bisuits in the coin holder and enough biros littering the interior for me to start my own stationery shop!

Regardless.... I wouldn't recommend steam cleaning if I were you. It can play havoc with the electrics. If you must, cover all the electrics with plastic bags, then spray degreaser onto anything that looks really baked on, leave for a bit then hose off. As for dust and dirt etc I just use a damp cloth, rinsing it regularly.

[mr E34 11]

For your interest, detailed M30 engine bay etc. MR E34.

pm me David if you need any E34 info.

or wider shot.(high mg's sorry) Engineering Art.

Edited June 25, 2008 by mr E34