E34 535i manual for a week :D

[rob0r]

I got my 540 touring six speed for £1200 200k miles but an new engine 70k ago which a custom stainless exhaust, air box mods and a chip sees over 300bhp, runs great fuel economy on the motorway is better than the 36m3 but around town at the weekend shifting bits it's murder on fuel.

Also e34 same to age better and rust less than e36 from the same period

Jason

Let me know if you want to sell it

[pistonheader]

exactly mark. i'm not in a perfect position to buy at the moment, whilst the funds are there, i don't really have the time to be honest. if i get impatient i might put the car up at some point around easter time, i shouldn't need the car really anyway so if i'm without a car for a month or 2, no really biggy.

it's just finding a good one, with a manual box, preferably a sport, ideally cruise control etc without big miles. i'd be willing to spend up 2 £2k or so. though i'd probably get a good one for £1500 and then drive it straight to a garage and get a full inspection II done on it

in the mean time, if any of you find a nice 525i manual without massive miles on, let me know. especially if they like green E21's with extremely little rust which is as reliable as a wood burning stove (well, now it is)

[nas80]

the e34 525i is a nice car to drive, as they are a bit of a big german tank like... so mainly come as an auto.

dont dismiss an auto too quick, they are good too, u can still thrash one easily.

[pistonheader]

hi nas, it's deffo a manual i want. i've driven autos and they are nice for relaxing, which is sort of what i want, i really don't find them fun at all when i want fun. so a manual would be a nice compromise.

what is the 525i SE like to drive compared to the sport version? not too worried about interior as that could be upgraded without too much hassle.

Ross.

[nas80]

theres no discernable difference, besides you could sort the handling anyway? save ur money, when time comes then buy a v8 touring then lpg it, big rims n slam. job jobbed!

i have driven loads of m50 powered e34s over the years, they are awesome man but the engine out of one of them in an e21 is even more awesome lol.

[pistonheader]

i have to give it back tomorrow

i'm on the look out for E34s at the moment, there appears to be a nice 525i manual touring going for quite cheap, only issue is it has a tow bar fitted. if it's towed a trailer, no biggy, if it's a caravan....hmmmmm.

only trouble is, it's a 250+ mile drive away from where i am balls!

i feel my E21 may be up for sale very soon indeed. no idea what to ask. maybe put it up for £1800 ono

seriously, you guys know what my E21 is like, and how it's cared for. if any of you are interested, or know anyone who might be interested in a genuinely reliable, good condition E21 with 15" BBS wheels (original steelies inc), 5 speed box, weber carb, E30 sports interior etc etc let me know.

thanks

Ross.

[e21-Mark]

Shame. Good luck with the search for a 5 series.

[pistonheader]

Shame. Good luck with the search for a 5 series.

you make me feel guilty now mark

i'll see how the E21 goes over the next few months, if it comes up to it's annual service (another 6months away) then i'll still get it serviced and maintain it's rather meticulous history under my ownership just in case i do keep it for a little while longer. i do have a monumental hankering for a big BMW saloon with a straight 6 in it though i'm just hoping the E21 is as reliable in the next 6months as it has been the last. last time it went wrong (other than a faulty BRAND NEW rotor arm....hardly fair) was february which was water pump. luckily engine didn't get past 3/4 mark before i spotted it. so it's been good going this year if i'm honest.

sorry to hear about the problems you're getting with selling yours. is there a reserve price on it? i hope you don't break what is apparently a decent car. i've already written up the advert for my car, it's over 2 pages long and have included the majority of the main work under my ownership. i think the trouble i'll have is me saying "it's a genuinely reliable car, used most days etc etc"

it truly is, but almost everyone selling a car is going to say that. difference is, as you guys know, i'm genuinely telling the truth. it's going in for it's MOT some time next month and i anticipate it to pass. can't see why it wouldn't to be honest. has gone straight through both MOT's i've put it through (and the one before i got it, it failed just because of wiper blades!)

i just hope, if it goes, that it goes to a proper enthusiast who will maintain it, and look after it like me. no reason it shouldn't still be going around in another 5-10 years time.

[pistonheader]

got the car back from fritz now. f*** me did it feel slow compared to the 535i still, fired up fine after a few days sat in the work shop and got me home doing over 80mph the whole way and didn't miss a beat. i reckon i did a good 30mpg at that speed too which isn't bad. they said it's not worth them selling their E34 because it's worth so little, yet has been (and i quote) "hilariously reliable" since they've had it, and would cost more to replace it. they also said if economy isn't an issue, the M30 is definitely the engine for the E34. said you have to rev the 2.5 more which seems to be the general consensus. their 535i has also been chipped which may explain why it did feel pretty brisk to say the least.

thing is, although my car sat at 80mph absolutely fine, the 535i is obviously so much more relaxed. it's about as quiet at 100mph as my E21 is about about 60mph or so, maybe 65 and it got me to fritz errr, pretty quickly.

i miss it already

[rob0r]

I i vote 535i or 540i, you might as well get the best!

The one i collected today maybe for sale in the future...

[pistonheader]

why, what's wrong with it?

as said, richard thinks the 535i or 540i are the cars to have, i think he said the 525i was adequate, but not much else. the 535i M30 has the low down grunt which suits the E34. only problem is the 535i costs more to insure.

thing is, i want a genuinely decent example. mechanicals must come before paint though. if it's a decent runner, little rust underneath, pretty decent history etc let me know if you're selling it. thing is, i know you got it for £200

[rob0r]

Its pretty decent looks wise but a flat battery meant it didnt start. If i sell it whole it will have the issues sorted and t&t which it hasnt got at the mo. 140k iirc. Yes it was £200 but it will be 300 by the time its home, t&t also costs money!

[pistonheader]

Its pretty decent looks wise but a flat battery meant it didnt start. If i sell it whole it will have the issues sorted and t&t which it hasnt got at the mo. 140k iirc. Yes it was £200 but it will be 300 by the time its home, t&t also costs money!

of course mate, was only pullin ya leg

if it's got t&t, new battery and is a half reliable, it's of course worth more than that, so i'd obviously pay more than that!

let me know if you decide to sell once it's got t&t and i'll be sure to think quite hard about it!