Pondering about 5 series e34 cars now..

[MoJoJoe 46]

I thought I should post this here.

Car has been listed on trademe since 2012. But no takers. Has anybody seen this car? I am sure somebody must have had a look at it? It looks pretty nice imo, There seems to be plenty more 5 series owners here then 3 series owners (as I initially wanted to buy a 328i and still do if something good were to pop out)

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-cars/bmw/525/auction-687532059.htm

http://www.carjam.co.nz/car/?plate=+%09UP192

Guy wanted around 4K. There is no AC, but said every thing else is good and had been serviced, including a new engine this and that, carjam shows its rego has been on hold for many years now.

Also Some information about 5 series cars would be appreciated, between a 325i and 525i, is there any major differences other then the handling and weight? fuel consumption, accelaration and overall drive? I also looked at a few 540i's but I am not looking for a fixer upper (dont have the time and paitience to do too much work) . That said ther was this 540i on trademe but its a bit too over priced at 9.5K.

I am trying not to spend more then 6K on a e36 328i or e34 540i, and no more then 7.5K on a 330ci(e46)

PS: I only prefer the shape of the late 80's 90's bmws as e34 and e36 coupes, so please no e39 and newer ones the e46 coupes may be an small exception for the right price.

- Mongo Mojo..

Edited January 20, 2014 by MoJoJoe

[Allanw 1051]

There's reason it's been there so long. I'd not touch it either.

It's a 520i with a 2.5 put in, it seems. It should have a cert for it, but hasn't. It's a UK import, so have a loook for rust - it could be really good, but it could be hiding a lot too!

It's also going to STILL be slow - the M20B25 (probably what's fitted) wasn't a stunning performer in an E34 - they were OK as manuals (for a solid family car, not a performance car!), but the autos were sluggish. I'd not look at an E34 525i unless it was an M52, and even then, I'd have to have a manual one.

With the E34, it's really either a 525i (a late one!), a 535i or a 540i, the 530i V8 has all the disadvantages of the 540i, without the advantages!

[Mark 178]

Please, to save all of us from another 30+ page thread... just buy mine and be done with it.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=686149967

Cheers!

Edited January 20, 2014 by _Mark_

[Allanw 1051]

Buy a car before page 5, or Glenn will ban you

(or possibly murder you while you sleep )

PS, buy Marks.

[BM WORLD 1263]

what he said

.

uk import , rust

m20 too under powered for a e34 unless its a manual .

m50 525i not too bad , very rare in a manual.

535is 5spd is a good car , but older style engine , good torque , not so good on fuel and power for engine size

530i V8 auto's not too bad to drive , more modern engine , not bad on fuel , not as much torque as a 535i m30 but nice singing v8 sound 5spd zf trans etc .

540i nice just costs in the gas , make sure the trans is good.

[Young Thrash Driver 1020]

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=687400684

[gjm 3194]

Or http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-cars/bmw/535i/auction-684648279.htm

Higher kms, borne out by the drivers' seat, but otherwise should be OK. And (according to Carjam) NZ New so shouldn't have rust issues.

So manual 5 speed gearbox, V8, M-Sport suspension, good price (at the moment), history... I'm quite tempted to buy it myself! A seat rebuild and recover would be... $250?

[charles28 117]

I'm going to be looking for an E34 soon, once I sell about 3 cars I have already, but am set on a 540i, i've never owned a car with a V8 engine and think that its something I should experience at least once in my life.

I think the 540i is a good option still, I suspect that with a MAF conversion and good ECU tune that the economy could be improved a bit over stock, but a late 525i might be a good option, 535i tends to be a reliable old beast too.

But the condition of the automatic gearbox is rather important (as Brent said), especially when it comes to the V8's, they are not cheap to rebuild and tend to be hard to find for a good price second hand.

I was tempted to buy a cheap 540i recently that came up at Turners, but with no way of checking it out I passed on it, it probably sold annoyingly cheap too, but I also had to factor in shipping to CHCH, I may have been delivered a car that was totally rooted, so decided against taking the risk.

[charles28 117]

http://www.turners.co.nz/Turners-Valuation/Price-Check-Detail/?vid=fdb0021b-3988-4583-a398-a2d05755217a an idea of how cheap these things go for at turners sometimes.

[Eagle 1527]

Bought at 540i at turners for $1600, put it on the market for 2.2k and sold it in 2 days. Had to fix a few minor things and after a transmission fluid change it shifted like new with nearly with 221,000 on the clock. I think E34 540i's are one of the best valve for money BMW around, not alot to go wrong either unlike E39's.

[MoJoJoe 46]

Please, to save all of us from another 30+ page thread... just buy mine and be done with it.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=686149967

Cheers!

I saw your topic, I seriously liked the car but its a 535i, not V8. I want a v8 if I am gonna pay anything around 7K.

Do you or somebody you know has a good 540i or a 328is (coupe) for sale, I know I am on a budget but my prices are not set in stone, its just to avoid spending more then I should. auto dont matter, lsd would be great but no big deal if it dont have that.

what he said

.

uk import , rust

m20 too under powered for a e34 unless its a manual .

m50 525i not too bad , very rare in a manual.

535is 5spd is a good car , but older style engine , good torque , not so good on fuel and power for engine size

530i V8 auto's not too bad to drive , more modern engine , not bad on fuel , not as much torque as a 535i m30 but nice singing v8 sound 5spd zf trans etc .

540i nice just costs in the gas , make sure the trans is good.

Thanks for the heads up, this is why I like coming here. I didn't expect UK cars to have rust issues, will steer clear of those. So only Jap and German NZ New imports(?)

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=687400684

saw it, its e39. I wanted e34 for 5 series or e36 for 3 series. I just dont like the newer shapes not to mention the price will also be noticeably higher.

I'm going to be looking for an E34 soon, once I sell about 3 cars I have already, but am set on a 540i, i've never owned a car with a V8 engine and think that its something I should experience at least once in my life.

I think the 540i is a good option still, I suspect that with a MAF conversion and good ECU tune that the economy could be improved a bit over stock, but a late 525i might be a good option, 535i tends to be a reliable old beast too.

But the condition of the automatic gearbox is rather important (as Brent said), especially when it comes to the V8's, they are not cheap to rebuild and tend to be hard to find for a good price second hand.

I was tempted to buy a cheap 540i recently that came up at Turners, but with no way of checking it out I passed on it, it probably sold annoyingly cheap too, but I also had to factor in shipping to CHCH, I may have been delivered a car that was totally rooted, so decided against taking the risk.

same here, I want to own a v8 5 series, but if I cant get a good one other then fixer uppers then I will just have to settle for something less. And if its gonna be less then a 540i as in a straight six then I wont spend more then 3 - 4K on it.

I have been duped buying cars without looking at them before, Bought one from ChCh few years back, the interior looks like it was sitting in a farm with homeless people, parts of the car had SPRAY PAINT fron rattle cans on it! somebody else bought a BMW from Chch at the same time, the car turned out to be rubbish. Not the first time I have been duped with buying without inspecting so I try to avoid turners altogather and am very hesitant buying from trademe.

Or http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-cars/bmw/535i/auction-684648279.htm

Higher kms, borne out by the drivers' seat, but otherwise should be OK. And (according to Carjam) NZ New so shouldn't have rust issues.

So manual 5 speed gearbox, V8, M-Sport suspension, good price (at the moment), history... I'm quite tempted to buy it myself! A seat rebuild and recover would be... $250?

Apart from the higher KM's, That looks like a nicely optioned and maintained car, but its a 535i so not v8 power like 540i. I like the colour and Its manual too, But if the condtion is good for the right price I think it could be a good deal. Let me look into it.

There's reason it's been there so long. I'd not touch it either.

It's a 520i with a 2.5 put in, it seems. It should have a cert for it, but hasn't. It's a UK import, so have a loook for rust - it could be really good, but it could be hiding a lot too!

It's also going to STILL be slow - the M20B25 (probably what's fitted) wasn't a stunning performer in an E34 - they were OK as manuals (for a solid family car, not a performance car!), but the autos were sluggish. I'd not look at an E34 525i unless it was an M52, and even then, I'd have to have a manual one.

With the E34, it's really either a 525i (a late one!), a 535i or a 540i, the 530i V8 has all the disadvantages of the 540i, without the advantages!

Allan, hadn't had much opturnity to head out around your end recently. But you do drive a 525i? I mean isn't that more or less the same engine used on the your car and the 325i? probably doesn't help having it on your car, I know what you mean, thats why I have been stearing clear off it, a forum member helped me before when I wanted to check a 328i. Turns out he had drove it earlier and car was a piece of sh!t. Thats why I thought I'd post anyway, you never know. seems most the cars in Auckland have been checked by someone from this forum at one stage or another. like the Green Car I was intrested on.

PS: you still set on 8k for yours?

Buy a car before page 5, or Glenn will ban you

(or possibly murder you while you sleep )

PS, buy Marks.

Oh my! I keep an extra pair of keys under the garden nome. I think he's just giving me the silent treatment because I cant offer my pills and my professional sexual services since hes a. male b. over 60. But since I will be going through central auckland next week (Gleen's mongolian supermacist gangs members territory) so if I go missing and you dont see me around, you and that merc guy must avange me by calling mr. o'bomba to send his democrazy drones or molotov cocktailing glens shop.

On a more serious note, No, its just some stuff blue and I said about younger guys in porsche and those who dress "gangsta" or annoy people playing cRap in loud boom boxes, someone took offence to our not so pc "derogatory remarks" ("derogatory" only when you say it to them, not others). But at the end of the day this is a general forum so i understand it got a bit out of hand but its no biggie. glen just tried to push my buttons, nothing to drag or lose sleep over who cares. To be honest I am going to try and avoid turning this thread too big, I am looking at a few more cars this week, that blue 328i is still not out of the question since he relisted it AGAIN. So that will still be on my list as I look. If someone comes across something around my ballpark zone then post it here, I will come back and let you guys know how it went later this week. Hopefully it will be a 540i or a 328i.

take care fellas ...

Edited January 20, 2014 by MoJoJoe

[jeffbebe 1559]

Moderators, can we stop this troll wasting everyone's time asking about cars he doesn't intend to buy?

[Mark 178]

Well, I can see where this is heading already.

I'm sorry "Mojojoe", you sound like the kind of person I'd hate to get stuck talking to at a party. Please take your sub-standard intellect and persistent verbal diarrhoea elsewhere.

Thread closed.