Does anyone have experience of these? I've been looking at E39 tourings but haven't really found anything that decent but there appears to be a really nice E34 530i Touring locally that I like the look of. Sub 100K, all the toys and only one owner since new. The only thing I'm not keen on is the tan explosion in the interior - tan leather, tan carpets, tan dash but I'm sure I could live with it (my old E34 520i was the same but everything was blue). Any known engine faults (excluding nikasil)? I'm familiar with E34s in most other areas.
What is their fuel economy like? It will be a second car workhorse so won't be doing too many miles but it would be nice if they can touch 30mpg on a run.
Cheers folks!
E34 530i Touring
Moderator: martauto
Yep, looks a very nice example but the one I'm after is for my wife's photography business and she'd prefer a slush box. Good to see the owner states it will do 30mpg on a run - auto will be slightly worse but they're quite highly geared iirc.
The best of the bunch would be a 525 - manual or auto, both are very good.
In the past I've had 3 525's - 2 manual (M20 & M50) and an auto M50.
The M50'd 525's will easily reach over 30mpg and put a smile on your face
The only E34 Touring I've had is a 1996 520 which didn't disappoint - slightly less mpg and performance than a 525tds.
Anyway, I had a little bid on the above 530 but previously owned one and always wanted the 540!
Bit of a messy reply from me but I'm currently driving an M43'd 518 and it's fine economy wise and performance, but I think they all come in manual 1994-1996.
Hope this helps
In the past I've had 3 525's - 2 manual (M20 & M50) and an auto M50.
The M50'd 525's will easily reach over 30mpg and put a smile on your face
The only E34 Touring I've had is a 1996 520 which didn't disappoint - slightly less mpg and performance than a 525tds.
Anyway, I had a little bid on the above 530 but previously owned one and always wanted the 540!
Bit of a messy reply from me but I'm currently driving an M43'd 518 and it's fine economy wise and performance, but I think they all come in manual 1994-1996.
Hope this helps
Previously owned loads of old E30s, E34s, a few E36s, E32s, E39s and an E38.
Currently in a diesel Audi - miss me old E30's....
Currently in a diesel Audi - miss me old E30's....
Cheers Gents. Yep, ideally I'd like a M50 powered 525i but most have done galactic mileage or are knackered sheds. 
Anyone else had any experience? I've read the 4 litre V8s are prone to head gaskets. Are the 3 litres similar?
Anyone else had any experience? I've read the 4 litre V8s are prone to head gaskets. Are the 3 litres similar?
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pacerpete
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darkchild wrote:Cheers Gents. Yep, ideally I'd like a M50 powered 525i but most have done galactic mileage or are knackered sheds.
Anyone else had any experience? I've read the 4 litre V8s are prone to head gaskets. Are the 3 litres similar?
At this stage E34s like all old cars should be bought on condition/history/proof of recent expenditure.
Most E34s (and E30s !
) are scrap that are way past being economically viable to be returned to good sorted status and to be used as reliable transport.The techno touring above is not out of the way price wise if it is as nice as it appears.
To turn the usual corpse on a stretcher e34 into a car of this calibre, never mind the spec, would cost many thousands
2 or 3 MPG less is a small price to pay to have a V8 instead of a plebeian M50.
Rusty sills is now a major issue on facelift /skirted E34s so be sure to have a good poke.
Thanks for that Pete. The Touring I'm interested in certainly looks a very good example and comprehensive paperwork, one owner since new etc makes me optimistic it will be a proper car rather than the typical tired E34 that most sadly are now. Its at a dealer that normally sells newer prestige marques so the fact they're happy to sell it with 6 months warranty is good news.
Cheers for the heads up regarding the sills - I shall investigate thoroughly!
Cheers for the heads up regarding the sills - I shall investigate thoroughly!
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pacerpete
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darkchild wrote:Thanks for that Pete. The Touring I'm interested in certainly looks a very good example and comprehensive paperwork, one owner since new etc makes me optimistic it will be a proper car rather than the typical tired E34 that most sadly are now. Its at a dealer that normally sells newer prestige marques so the fact they're happy to sell it with 6 months warranty is good news.
Cheers for the heads up regarding the sills - I shall investigate thoroughly!
Rusty fuel/brake/self levelling pipes are also now an issue with E34s. An otherwise tidy looking turd is often hiding gnarly pipes and sills . Skirted cars also suffer from the bottom of the front wings going MIA
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B7
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We shouldn't forget either that e34's are so much better built that e39's. The last of the proper built BMW's. Yes they are old and many have issues as Pete says, but buy wisely, maintain properly and it'll be a 10 times better long term proposition than any sub £4k e39.
I should know. Had 2 of each.
I should know. Had 2 of each.
B7's Motto. "If it's French, BURN IT!!!!!!"
I picked up a good 540 manual, 180k miles but full service history and a new engine 50k ago for a bag of sand, supprised how solid it is for the millage econmy is better than the e36m3
Jason
Jason
BMW e21 track car supercharged s14 cage and fabrication by www.chizfab.com
Z3M Coupe for sale
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Z3M Coupe for sale
69 Alfa spyder
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pacerpete
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B7 wrote:We shouldn't forget either that e34's are so much better built that e39's. The last of the proper built BMW's. Yes they are old and many have issues as Pete says, but buy wisely, maintain properly and it'll be a 10 times better long term proposition than any sub £4k e39.
I should know. Had 2 of each.
I definately agree on the above Trevor. E39s are much more complex and less sturdy than E34s. E39s do not suffer neglect and skinflint owners lightly and most sub £2000 examples are rubbish that need a similar amount spending to get them up to scratch.
.
A nice spec properly maintained e34 is still a nice car that can be used everyday without feeling like you have chosen the cheap seats
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B7
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My old 525iSEa (93 on the "L" with the M50tu donk) was a great car. I bought it in jul '97 with 54k up as a 1 owner direct from the finance department of Ernst and Young. In diamond black with silver leather, a/c + sunroof it was a proper car to be seen in. I sold it to a neighbour in 2003 with just under a 100k up and it still had fbmwsh. I replaced it with a 2000 "W" 523 c/w full factory sport kit. Even at 3 years old I began to know my service advisor a bit more intimate than I had previously!!! 
My neighbour still owns the car, it passes my house sounding like brand new. It looks beautiful, has zero rot and the wheels still look like they've come out the box.
If he sold it tomorrow, i'd have to consider it. OK, so he's let the bmw servicing lapse (still goes to a local every year), the a/c probably needs work and it had a nasty ding in the top of one rear quarter. But I have a real attachement to that car. I loved it. And I actually miss it as well.
My neighbour still owns the car, it passes my house sounding like brand new. It looks beautiful, has zero rot and the wheels still look like they've come out the box.
If he sold it tomorrow, i'd have to consider it. OK, so he's let the bmw servicing lapse (still goes to a local every year), the a/c probably needs work and it had a nasty ding in the top of one rear quarter. But I have a real attachement to that car. I loved it. And I actually miss it as well.
B7's Motto. "If it's French, BURN IT!!!!!!"
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kieranbusak9
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i have an e34 540i that i use daily,and i must day its awesome! i love it and to be honest i get 28 mpg combined...it aint the best on fuel but it sure a hell is fun to drive,sound is addictive.
no it's an auto, i think it suits the car, nice big effortless cruiser 90% of the time then slip it in sports mode and put a big smile on your face.Simon13 wrote:manual?bigdoe wrote:i've got a lovely 540i touring in techno violet 95,000 miles with history, silver leather and zero rust, if your interested i can email some pics.
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325isporttech1
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I had an e34 535i individual touring, the best of both worlds, but was an m30 conversion and they never made a 535i touring 
I will say though the e34 tourings are outstanding cars and very refined, handle brilliant and can look stunning. ,make sure you get one with the double sunroof
Click my www tab and theres plenty of pictures of it on my photobucket account when you sift past the e30 pictures!
I will say though the e34 tourings are outstanding cars and very refined, handle brilliant and can look stunning. ,make sure you get one with the double sunroof
Click my www tab and theres plenty of pictures of it on my photobucket account when you sift past the e30 pictures!
I had an E34 530i Touring here in Sweden for over two years!
There is plenty of good things to say about this car and there are some things who is less good as well with it....
Because we now live in a planet who want our life to be green in the resulte of hi petrol prices I would say - it was two great years with V8 under the bonnet - but if I should choose a E34 Touring again with petrol, I would most likely go for a 520i!
Im 32 years old now and dont need a fast car, and I dont need to show the teenagers girls how cool car I have with doing burn outs at the lokal petrol station either...
But it puls like a Flying Dutchman on the hi way with the cruise control on!
Send me a PM if you want some more info and I can tell you more about my experience with it....
PS! I took it to this road who was awesome!
There is plenty of good things to say about this car and there are some things who is less good as well with it....
Because we now live in a planet who want our life to be green in the resulte of hi petrol prices I would say - it was two great years with V8 under the bonnet - but if I should choose a E34 Touring again with petrol, I would most likely go for a 520i!
Im 32 years old now and dont need a fast car, and I dont need to show the teenagers girls how cool car I have with doing burn outs at the lokal petrol station either...
But it puls like a Flying Dutchman on the hi way with the cruise control on!
Send me a PM if you want some more info and I can tell you more about my experience with it....
PS! I took it to this road who was awesome!
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kieranbusak9
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mines manualbigdoe wrote:no it's an auto, i think it suits the car, nice big effortless cruiser 90% of the time then slip it in sports mode and put a big smile on your face.Simon13 wrote:manual?bigdoe wrote:i've got a lovely 540i touring in techno violet 95,000 miles with history, silver leather and zero rust, if your interested i can email some pics.
