E34 530 touring question
Discussion
Hi All,
I was interested in getting a mildly sporty but cheap estate and have seen a 1993 530 touring auto advertised. I believe this to be the V8 version with 218 bhp. Does anyone know where it sits on the sporty/luxury scale? How does it compare to 525 or 540? Also are there any particular weak spots (like the nicasil lining issue)?
Thanks for your help.
I was interested in getting a mildly sporty but cheap estate and have seen a 1993 530 touring auto advertised. I believe this to be the V8 version with 218 bhp. Does anyone know where it sits on the sporty/luxury scale? How does it compare to 525 or 540? Also are there any particular weak spots (like the nicasil lining issue)?
Thanks for your help.
Had a 730i V8 a few years ago. Lovely engine, but the 7 was too much car for it though. Should be much more pleasant in the 5. I think the manual 0-60 time is about 7 or 8 seconds on the E34. The 525i 24v felt a little limp (had one of those a few years back) and the 540i is almost 3.6 M5 territory, at least in a straight line.
Yes, do check the nikasil/alusil issue. Dealers ought to be able to tell you if the block's been swapped.
Check the autobox still works well - rebuilds if there are any issues are expensive.
Ancilliaries have been the weak point in my experience with the big engined 5s: water pumps with plastic impellors, radiators with plastic top hose joints, weepy power steering systems. I suppose much of that can be blamed on high miles.
Look out for rust at the bottom of the doors too, where the drain holes block up. Check there are no front end vibrations (commonly at 50-60mph) - control arm wear, often mistaken for warped discs, is the oldest chestnut of them all on these cars.
Check all the electrics work... certain things, like alarm units, are getting near impossible to find.
God I sound negative, but I love my 540. Hustles surprisingly well for a largish sober-looking car.
Places to check out:
www.bmwe34.net
www.bimmer.info
Yes, do check the nikasil/alusil issue. Dealers ought to be able to tell you if the block's been swapped.
Check the autobox still works well - rebuilds if there are any issues are expensive.
Ancilliaries have been the weak point in my experience with the big engined 5s: water pumps with plastic impellors, radiators with plastic top hose joints, weepy power steering systems. I suppose much of that can be blamed on high miles.
Look out for rust at the bottom of the doors too, where the drain holes block up. Check there are no front end vibrations (commonly at 50-60mph) - control arm wear, often mistaken for warped discs, is the oldest chestnut of them all on these cars.
Check all the electrics work... certain things, like alarm units, are getting near impossible to find.
God I sound negative, but I love my 540. Hustles surprisingly well for a largish sober-looking car.
Places to check out:
www.bmwe34.net
www.bimmer.info
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