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agaafear View Drop Down
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    Posted: 01-May-2009 at 00:34

A friend of mine is looking for a cheap old BMW and seems set on a 3 series. I was trying to persuade him to buy an E34 5 series. I see a lovely, 1995, genuine, 520i with 130K miles on carzone for €1,700. I know  the six cyl will do big mileage without trouble and the E34 is known for its superb build quality and longevity. I read in one of the BMW mags that it is one of the best cars BMW ever produced.

View or comments would be appreciated.

 

Thanks.

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jetsetwilly2000 View Drop Down
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E34's are fantastic!  Very well screwed together and feel very solid and dependable, and everything from the controls to the suspension feels (and is) built to be smooth and silky for a long long time.  I think they were bmw's high point in build quality.

Any E34 will be a nice car to own, but (no disrespect to any 520 owners out there), but I think the 525 is probably the most popular.  You'll get the same mpg as a 520i with less stress and more performance.
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Nigel View Drop Down
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I couldn't agree more with the above comments.

I'm presently running a very late E34 estate, the 518i 4 pot, it only does 30 - 33 on a run, I used to get 30 out of the two 525's I've owned.

The 5 series is a much better car than a 3 series, the six cylinder engines sound nice, but apart ftom that you may as well be driving an astra !

 
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Nigel

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thepits View Drop Down
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Originally posted by Nigel Nigel wrote:

the six cylinder engines sound nice, but apart ftom that you may as well be driving an astra !

Go wash your mouth out  

 

(p.s. name me a 6pot vauxhall)

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But don't care.
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agaafear View Drop Down
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A Nigel, the 3 series is quite a bit better than an Astra - I would think - and hope!! The E34 would seem to be regarded as the car that brought BMW into the Merc league in terms of build quality, competing with the W124, which is regarded as the last of the 'over engineered' Mercs.  I think this E34 looks nice and clean - what do you guys reckon?

http://www.carzone.ie/search/BMW/5-Series/520i/2008471909225 46/advert

 
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agaafear View Drop Down
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I agree that the 525 makes more sense in terms of economy and performance, but the person looking for a car needs to keep the engine reasonable for tax and insurance purposes; even a 2 litre will probably be a bit of a stretch.  I have a 320i (E46) and the performance is fine, rather than awesome, but it's probably lighter than the 5 series.  I know the E39 520i needed to be driven hard for any sort of performance - i.e. 3rd gear and 3,500+ to overtake with at any decent pace.

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Originally posted by thepits thepits wrote:

Originally posted by Nigel Nigel wrote:

the six cylinder engines sound nice, but apart ftom that you may as well be driving an astra !

Go wash your mouth out  

 

(p.s. name me a 6pot vauxhall)

Vauxhall made a Calibra V6


Current:E34 540i Touring 6 speed manual(Mpower bodykit & suspension)& Chrysler Voyager 3.3 V6 auto
Previous:E34 530iSE AC Schnitzer suspension.
E28 525e auto-Standard
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I agree, there is no better put together beemer than the e34. It's very solid, reliable and compared to the more modern BM's, cheaper to repair as it has not so many electrics as it's younger siblings.

I have had two e34's spanning about 7 years and being totally honest, the first one which was an '89 530iSE saloon started fine except it took a few turns when warm and I probably less than £300 over 2.5 years getting it through MOT's and non-service items.

My current 540 which i've had coming up for 5 years now has cost me front suspension arms, rocker cover gaskets and some rear suspension bushes. I have a misfire and a couple of revving issues but she still runs well and hasn't cost me more than 6-7 hundred over the time I've had her.

Convince him!

Mike

Current:E34 540i Touring 6 speed manual(Mpower bodykit & suspension)& Chrysler Voyager 3.3 V6 auto
Previous:E34 530iSE AC Schnitzer suspension.
E28 525e auto-Standard
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Nigel View Drop Down
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Originally posted by thepits thepits wrote:

(p.s. name me a 6pot vauxhall)

From the Cavalier upwards I think you'll find ( I'm not sure if they've made a six pot smaller than that), mostly 2.5's and 3 litres what what I remember.

The Senator was probably the best that I've driven, very like an E34 except for build quality.
Best Wishes

Nigel

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I've had a few vauxhalls over the years, but since taking
on the e39 a year ago I can honestly say, that even with a
few niggling problems the e39 is amazing in terms of build
quality, this car won best saloon car for a few years
running, mine is a 2001 and I bet feels and sounds better
to drive than loads of brand new cars. Also had a go in my
brothers which is 5 years older and could not tell the
difference. I even doubt that the new BM's are as good as
these cars, but looking forward to finding out.
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agaafear View Drop Down
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Off topic gents!
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Nigel View Drop Down
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Originally posted by agaafear agaafear wrote:

Off topic gents!

 

Shirley Knot
Best Wishes

Nigel

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Originally posted by agaafear agaafear wrote:

Off topic gents!

SUSTAINED!

This is about the e34 not the griffin!

Onwards and upwards!

Mike

Current:E34 540i Touring 6 speed manual(Mpower bodykit & suspension)& Chrysler Voyager 3.3 V6 auto
Previous:E34 530iSE AC Schnitzer suspension.
E28 525e auto-Standard
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MBW1 View Drop Down
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Originally posted by agaafear agaafear wrote:

A Nigel, the 3 series is quite a bit better than an
Astra - I would think - and hope!!



Hmmm. I have an E36 Compact which is the biggest load of crap I've ever
owned. The good bits: It doesn't seem to rust. The bad bits: Self destruct
interior, constant problems with the electric windows and the engine
(M42) has already had a major top end rebuild at 100k and looks like ithe
bottom end might not last the month out. Crunches into 5th gear at
anything over 60 mph and this is now it's 2nd gearbox, due a third.......

Quality car my 8rse! Absolute toss and a disgrace to the badge.

The E34 on the other hand was a proper BMW.
I don't have a carbon footprint. I drive everywhere.
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Nigel View Drop Down
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Originally posted by MBW1 MBW1 wrote:

Originally posted by agaafear agaafear wrote:

A Nigel, the 3 series is quite a bit better than an
Astra - I would think - and hope!!



Hmmm. I have an E36 Compact which is the biggest load of crap I've ever
owned. The good bits: It doesn't seem to rust. The bad bits: Self destruct
interior, constant problems with the electric windows and the engine
(M42) has already had a major top end rebuild at 100k and looks like ithe
bottom end might not last the month out. Crunches into 5th gear at
anything over 60 mph and this is now it's 2nd gearbox, due a third.......

Quality car my 8rse! Absolute toss and a disgrace to the badge.

The E34 on the other hand was a proper BMW.

I test drove some 3 series cars just before I bought my latest E34.

I was very very dissapointed with the 3 series cars I drove, they were just so "nothing" !

 
Best Wishes

Nigel

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MBW1 View Drop Down
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To be fair the regular E36 saloon isn't a bad car. The Compact though just
has zero quality. Just really cheap and nasty with the pimply plastic dash
looking like something from a seventies Skoda.
I don't have a carbon footprint. I drive everywhere.
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Peter Fenwick View Drop Down
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Originally posted by MBW1 MBW1 wrote:

Originally posted by agaafear agaafear wrote:

A Nigel, the 3 series is quite a bit better than an
Astra - I would think - and hope!!



Hmmm. I have an E36 Compact which is the biggest load of crap I've ever
owned. The good bits: It doesn't seem to rust. The bad bits: Self destruct
interior, constant problems with the electric windows and the engine
(M42) has already had a major top end rebuild at 100k and looks like ithe
bottom end might not last the month out. Crunches into 5th gear at
anything over 60 mph and this is now it's 2nd gearbox, due a third.......

Quality car my 8rse! Absolute toss and a disgrace to the badge.

The E34 on the other hand was a proper BMW.

If the engines fooked after that kind of milage you bought a fooked car. Nothing to do with BMW I'm afraid.

I also assume you mean 2nd hand gear boxes.

If they don't get looked after they won't last no matter how well engineered they are.

Also to compare a compact, the cheapest range BMW did at the time, with a 5 series is a bit daft isn't it?

 
Entering an age of Austerity and now driving a Focus Diesel.
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Peter Fenwick View Drop Down
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Points: 6484 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Peter Fenwick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07-May-2009 at 10:19
Originally posted by Nigel Nigel wrote:

I test drove some 3 series cars just before I bought my latest E34.

I was very very dissapointed with the 3 series cars I drove, they were just so "nothing" !

A few years ago before I bought my E36 328 I drove an E34 525. Nice car but a totaly different beast to an E36. More comfortable than sporty and at the time just a bit to 'old' for me. The e36 on the other hand was and still is a nice sports saloon with great handling, a great driving position and a fabulous engine.

Chalk and cheese if you ask me.

Oh and the 3 series is far, far beter than an Astra. Trust me, my dad has had 3 and they are horrible. In his previous one the steering wheel felt like it was attached to the wheels via elastic bands. The Focus is a better car but still not as nice as a 3 series to drive  
Entering an age of Austerity and now driving a Focus Diesel.
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- If the engines fooked after that kind of milage you bought a fooked car.
Nothing to do with BMW I'm afraid.

I see. So why do M42 heads crack so often?

-I also assume you mean 2nd hand gear boxes.

Yes. And why did the original lose 3rd gear syncro at 80k? Plenty of oil
and it didn't give any warning - it just broke.

- If they don't get looked after they won't last no matter how well
engineered they are.

No! The whole idea of a quality car is that it can withstand normal
daily use. Proper BMW's like the E34 can take terrible abuse and not
break. This Compact (like the one before) is falling to bits. I guess
loosening window motor to door frame rivets, a fractured mechanism and
one failed motor are not BMW's fault then?
I'm fairly hard on cars, but they do get mechanically maintained to a
proper standard - could I have done more? Even the diff is whining on
this heap! No oil leaks either.

-Also to compare a compact, the cheapest range BMW did at the time,
with a 5 series is a bit daft isn't it?

Not daft at all. The Compact wore a BMW badge and thus was not a cheap
car to buy when new. It should have been built to a far higher standard, ie
so that the door trims don't come loose and attempt to fall off. It's no
better made than a common or garden Ford!

The E34 warranted a high price tag because it was built to a standard, not
a price. The Compact is just cheap rubbish. In their defence, they don't
seem to rust to bits like E36 saloons can and it drives very well.
I don't have a carbon footprint. I drive everywhere.
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Peter Fenwick View Drop Down
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Points: 6484 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Peter Fenwick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07-May-2009 at 15:31

Originally posted by MBW1 MBW1 wrote:

-
No! The whole idea of a quality car is that it can withstand normal
daily use. Proper BMW's like the E34 can take terrible abuse and not
break.

E34s break plenty, just go on www.forum.bmw5.co.uk to see.

Normal daily use is not the same as abuse. How do you know that the previous owner of your car did not thrash the nuts off it? Did it come with a fully stamped service history?

Unless you got it from new it's a bit daft to condemn a car as unreliable based on owning one. I'm guessing you got your compact after it had a few miles on it? Even with proper servicing you can kill an engine/box by thrashing from cold, bouncing off the limiter and just generally always driving it very hard.

As for cracking heads, how is that any different from something like Nikasil which afflicted all BMWs even the 7 series. Also didn't the 518 have the same 4 cylinder engine as the compact? 
Entering an age of Austerity and now driving a Focus Diesel.
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