E34 M5 are they worth it?

[rrs]

I've looked at these on and off ever since I started looking for my e30 325 touring and I think they are lovely things but was previously scared off by the horror stories of huge bills. I apologise if this just turns into a load of rambling nonsense but here we go anyway.

Last month I picked up a cosmetically challenged but other wise good e36 323i sport touring as a winter car. The idea being if I liked it then it would possibly replace the e30 as many on here say they are a more refined version with better security and I'm getting paranoid to leave the e30 anywhere but if I'm honest it has left me cold it a perfectly nice car to drive with a great spec but there is something missing. I currently do 50miles a day commuting but this is likely to drop in the next 6months or so and probably 15000ish miles annually.

So my thoughts have dropped back to the m5, there are very few jobs that I haven't attempted on the e30 so I would want to do the majority of any work/servicing that's needed. Am I being stupid contemplating replacing both the e30 and e36 with one?

Are they actually anymore secure than an e30? I've looked but am not sure if they have ews.

Would something like this be suicide?
http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C254535

Any other constructive input welcome!

[E30BeemerLad]

The last edition of TBMW had a buying guide for these, lots of helpful info in there.

I see the suspension has already been replaced on that M5, so that's an expensive horror dealt with, providing they used decent bilstein stuff. I would guess these are equally DIY friendly to an E30, just Mtax on parts prices for exhaust, suspension, brakes & any engine related items or M-specific bits.

[capri_rob]

£2400

Sounds too good to be true

[nickso]

£2400

Sounds too good to be true

Was thinking that myself, surely the decent ones are still commanding more than that? If not I'll be looking for one soon too.

[bss325i]

Says they have used Hartge bilsteins so thats a plus point but it has a gearbox problem and its done some leg so i would set some funds aside for a gearbox rebuild and an engine freshen up/rebuild.

A 200K+ S38 wont like being driven hard to often.

Cheap purchase price though and a great colour.

[rrs]

The last edition of TBMW had a buying guide for these, lots of helpful info in there.

I see the suspension has already been replaced on that M5, so that's an expensive horror dealt with, providing they used decent bilstein stuff. I would guess these are equally DIY friendly to an E30, just Mtax on parts prices for exhaust, suspension, brakes & any engine related items or M-specific bits.

Ah thanks I'll have to see if i can pick that up.

[rrs]

£2400

Sounds too good to be true

Was thinking that myself, surely the decent ones are still commanding more than that? If not I'll be looking for one soon too.

They seem to range between that and about £10k

[bss325i]

They will not get any cheaper than they are now, their time will come when all the shitters have gone.

[rrs]

Says they have used Hartge bilsteins so thats a plus point but it has a gearbox problem and its done some leg so i would set some funds aside for a gearbox rebuild and an engine freshen up/rebuild.

A 200K+ S38 wont like being driven hard to often.

Cheap purchase price though and a great colour.

Yes I agree I used that one as an example as it is pretty much bottom of the market.

Hmm no one has pronounced me insane yet!

[bss325i]

No! Insane is me taking on an E34 Alpina B10 which has been in someones garden for 5 years and making it into a daily!

[rrs]

No! Insane is me taking on an E34 Alpina B10 which has been in someones garden for 5 years and making it into a daily!

That really doesn't sound that mad to me I have for my sins a 'classic' mini which I put a n/a mg metro engine in that came out of someones garden in cornwall (god knows how long it had been there) which was promptly pressed into daily service and still worked last time I had it out.

[bss325i]

Good luck with going for an M5. As with most old cars, buy the best you can afford as one needing all the usual E34 M5 issues sorting will be financially ruinous!

[rrs]

Thanks!

This looks to be quite a nice old bus:

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C247129#
http://classicmdautos.co.uk/cars-for-sale

[bss325i]

Thanks!

This looks to be quite a nice old bus:

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C247129#
http://classicmdautos.co.uk/cars-for-sale

As its an LE its worth throwing money at and it sounds like it needs a bit spending on it to bring it up to scratch.
Some body work issues, air con work, some tyres and bushes by the sounds of things and i bet there will be more than whats stated.

Also, by the sounds of it, its seen some track action what with the R888 tyres and pagid race pads.

No mention of mileage either........

......but it is an LE!

[rrs]

All food for thought the second link says its got 100,400 on the clock.

[E30BeemerLad]

£6995 plus a couple of bags to get it sorted, it's a decent spend

[pacerpete]

Thanks!

This looks to be quite a nice old bus:

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C247129#
http://classicmdautos.co.uk/cars-for-sale

Avoid anything that has been through the hands of ths lot. Epic bodgery is the order of the day

That granite car at 2k sounds as together as a 2k M5 will ever be and it will always be worth that in bits. 3.8 engines are much rarer/more sought after and hence more valuable than 3.6s

The other major issue on E34s is sill and A post rot. All M5s have side skirts and as with E30s they exasperate and hide the nasties going on behind them. Very few sellers will let you remove them to inspect the sills but a careful inspection along the lower edge should give a clue to the grimness within

[bss325i]

The man speaketh!

[Blitz]

Dont end up like this guy

http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/e34-m5 ... 38b38.html

[pony]

Hi, i went to Gaydon last year and got chatting to a few BMWCC members who had BMW E34 M5 LEs one in green and one in red. One guy had two in each colour. The two guys i spoke to were both older guys though one much older than the other one.

I guess what i am trying to say is there are immaculate BMW E34 M5 LEs out there if you want one for the long-term ownership.

Never driven one or sat in one but bloody lovely cars. The interiors when they were new were just.... in a good way.

There was one person with a white M5 (not LE) turbine wheels under 20k miles apparently at Gaydon.

Finally, as these are the last NA straight-six M5s are these E34 M5 LEs not going to be classics in the future i mean E30 M3 prices style?

[rrs]

Thanks guys this is exactly the kind of advice I was looking for, and Pete or Barry I may well have to employ one of you when i find one I like!

[pony]

There are something like 50 odd LEs manufacturered so it is tough finding one let alone a really really good one.

[Blitz]

Check this one out. British racing green. Leather dash as well!


http://www.bmwmregistry.com/detail.php?id=7607

[Rodderz]

Check this one out. British racing green. Leather dash as well!


http://www.bmwmregistry.com/detail.php?id=7607

Fook me that's horrible!

[bryn_p]

I've had a 3.8 M5 for 10 years and nothing has ever gone wrong with it... nothing at all! Best car I've ever had in that respect, and pretty close in all other respects too. Awesome cars, very quick and handle brilliantly too. It had only done 30k when I bought it and only has 70k now which probably helped though.

Only weak point really are the brakes and gearbox, syncros were around £200 each last time I checked plus the cost of rebuilding the box obviously. I have a replacement box for mine waiting to go in even after only 70k miles although it has been used properly

Cheers,
Bryn.

[Blitz]

If its true the EDC suspension has been replaced then thats a big plus point.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-M5-/17070 ... 904wt_1270

[pony]

I think you can either buy them brand new from BMW or get them rebuilt. Yes major plus point - as owner more likely also to taken care of car possibly.

[Andyboy]

Forget rebuilding EDC shocks. You'll be rebuilding them again, and again, and again.

The 3.6 is a nice car but they are so old, and until you get them wound up to 5000+ rpm, they don't feel that fast. Nothing a £600 540i won't sort out anyway. They're a heavy old bus and you can end up spending a lot of money on something you might find a bit dull to drive.
3.8's are faster or course, but they are also old cars with lots of miles and frightening parts/repair costs. The good ones are rarely for sale - what you'll find is that they are being kept by coined up owners and properly maintained. Most that are for sale are £2500 shitheaps waiting to be made into bean cans.

The M car to buy now is the four door E36 M3. They'll run rings around an M5 and there are far more decent examples out there. £5000 should buy a really superb 3.0.

[Duke137]

Forget rebuilding EDC shocks. You'll be rebuilding them again, and again, and again.

The 3.6 is a nice car but they are so old, and until you get them wound up to 5000+ rpm, they don't feel that fast. Nothing a £600 540i won't sort out anyway. They're a heavy old bus and you can end up spending a lot of money on something you might find a bit dull to drive.
3.8's are faster or course, but they are also old cars with lots of miles and frightening parts/repair costs. The good ones are rarely for sale - what you'll find is that they are being kept by coined up owners and properly maintained. Most that are for sale are £2500 shitheaps waiting to be made into bean cans.

The M car to buy now is the four door E36 M3. They'll run rings around an M5 and there are far more decent examples out there. £5000 should buy a really superb 3.0.

I read last months TBMW about the M5, and it makes a good argument about the 540i

E36 M3's are dirt cheap ATM (on the grand scheme of it) but they will soon climb once the shit ones are "filtered" from existance I think. Can't see you losing too much money buying an E36 M3 of any sort 2 or 4 door if you ignore running costs

[bss325i]

Someones got to save these poor turds!

[rrs]

I'm not really looking for something fast, just something a bit special from the 'right' era that I'll want to keep for as long as I can and the M5 seems to be ticking that box. Will try and pick up the buying guide tomorrow

[rrs]

*posted twice

[Simon13]

They're still a fast car 300bhp shifts alot of car like an e34 bloody quick plus, they're truly built like a panzer tank, an e36 seems like a fiat uno compared.

[bss325i]

Fiat Uno lol!

[Simon13]

i saw alot as taxis in morroco!