Discussion
Here is my latest purchase. It follows an unfortunate end to the life of my last car, the best car I ever owned, an Alfa GTV V6 which was written off on the M1 after a lorry driver pulled into my lane and hit it..the Alfa thread I started some time ago is here...
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Anyway, the 'new' car is a BMW 540i auto which I got for the bargain sum of £900 from the Pistonheads classifieds. It seemed like a great price for the car, but the advert wasn't very descriptive so I was unsure what to expect. The photos looked promising though.
I needn't have worried. The chap who sold it to me, an elderly gent, had owned the car with his wife for the last 15 or so years, and before that a group of solicitors had. So only 2 owners prior to myself. The car has been garaged most of its life and is in very good condition. The interior is in great nick. Early in its life, it looks like the seats have been re-trimmed as the piping around the edge is in the same colour as the outside of the car (brilliant red I think). Looks a bit odd with the walnut interior.
The exterior is in very good condition but there is a small area of rust on the lower part of one of the doors and I can see a bit of bubbling under the paintwork of other doors low down. It is something that I will have to sort out soon I think. The paintwork itself is faded in places; I wonder if a colour restorer will sort it out...
The car has 131000 miles on the odometer. The engine was replaced by BMW at 60000 miles as there was a recall (Nikasil problem probably). MOT till Jan 2012, tax till end of September.
Everything on the car works and it has a long list of equipment..cruise, electric sunroof, air-con, trip computer, 10 disc CD changer in boot.
I have a feeling that I got a bit of a bargain here...anyway I hope you enjoy the pics and it would be good to hear from any fellow E34 owners!
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Anyway, the 'new' car is a BMW 540i auto which I got for the bargain sum of £900 from the Pistonheads classifieds. It seemed like a great price for the car, but the advert wasn't very descriptive so I was unsure what to expect. The photos looked promising though.
I needn't have worried. The chap who sold it to me, an elderly gent, had owned the car with his wife for the last 15 or so years, and before that a group of solicitors had. So only 2 owners prior to myself. The car has been garaged most of its life and is in very good condition. The interior is in great nick. Early in its life, it looks like the seats have been re-trimmed as the piping around the edge is in the same colour as the outside of the car (brilliant red I think). Looks a bit odd with the walnut interior.
The exterior is in very good condition but there is a small area of rust on the lower part of one of the doors and I can see a bit of bubbling under the paintwork of other doors low down. It is something that I will have to sort out soon I think. The paintwork itself is faded in places; I wonder if a colour restorer will sort it out...
The car has 131000 miles on the odometer. The engine was replaced by BMW at 60000 miles as there was a recall (Nikasil problem probably). MOT till Jan 2012, tax till end of September.
Everything on the car works and it has a long list of equipment..cruise, electric sunroof, air-con, trip computer, 10 disc CD changer in boot.
I have a feeling that I got a bit of a bargain here...anyway I hope you enjoy the pics and it would be good to hear from any fellow E34 owners!
It drives really well. It is very quiet when cruising and the controls have a nice weighty feeling to them. The car does feel its size on the road and it does have a slight old-skool feel to it, which I love by the way as I want to feel as though I am actually driving a car rather than playing a computer game. I haven't pushed the car hard through the corners yet, but it seems well balanced. The car goes like absolute stink when kickdown is used, and using the 'S' button on the autobox makes the car much more responsive to throttle inputs, kicks down more easily and revs higher I think. The way it covers 40-100 is just incredible. It is a quick car nowadays, let alone when it was new.
Also, I am not joking but I am getting 28 mpg on my commute to work which is an a road with a few roundabouts. When I was cruising back from Newark to York, I managed 31 mpg at 70 on the A1. I know that if I used the car around town, the mpg would drop considerably, but when on the open roads it really does give late 20s mpg. That isn't much worse than my parents old 2 litre Nissan Primera!
Also, I am not joking but I am getting 28 mpg on my commute to work which is an a road with a few roundabouts. When I was cruising back from Newark to York, I managed 31 mpg at 70 on the A1. I know that if I used the car around town, the mpg would drop considerably, but when on the open roads it really does give late 20s mpg. That isn't much worse than my parents old 2 litre Nissan Primera!
Bargain! That's a lovely example.
You'll find it is very good on fuel for the size and power
Now a few extra places to keep an eye on for tin worm...
Look around the number plate lights. Take them out (2 minute job) and clean up, treat inside.
Under the boot lip panel (in the gap above the rear bumper) there are drain plugs. Again a weak spot so pop them out, clean up and treat in advance.
Take out all the wheel arch liners and clean thoroughly. The front wings may have several kg of dirt in them!!!
Get up inside around the fuel filler.
Check around the sills too and also the drain holes under the car. That should see to all the weakest areas
The cabin filter to the left of the pedals is a bit of a fiddly job to change so is often left. This reduces the heat/vent system efficiency massively. DIY and about £30 for a genuine filter will give you decent ventilation.
Have the auto box flushed and refilled. Sealed for life but trust me, it's time to get it done!
These are truly magnificent cruising cars and incredibly comfy over long distance. You can hustle them quickly too playing with the manual gears
Happy bargeing
Edeeted for abizmall spollinge
You'll find it is very good on fuel for the size and power
Now a few extra places to keep an eye on for tin worm...
Look around the number plate lights. Take them out (2 minute job) and clean up, treat inside.
Under the boot lip panel (in the gap above the rear bumper) there are drain plugs. Again a weak spot so pop them out, clean up and treat in advance.
Take out all the wheel arch liners and clean thoroughly. The front wings may have several kg of dirt in them!!!
Get up inside around the fuel filler.
Check around the sills too and also the drain holes under the car. That should see to all the weakest areas
The cabin filter to the left of the pedals is a bit of a fiddly job to change so is often left. This reduces the heat/vent system efficiency massively. DIY and about £30 for a genuine filter will give you decent ventilation.
Have the auto box flushed and refilled. Sealed for life but trust me, it's time to get it done!
These are truly magnificent cruising cars and incredibly comfy over long distance. You can hustle them quickly too playing with the manual gears
Happy bargeing
Edeeted for abizmall spollinge
Edited by Six Fiend on Wednesday 7th September 22:24
Budleigh said:
It's also got the sports kit and steering wheel, which is nice.
What is the sport kit on these then? I know they all come with sport suspension and the front lip anyway.This one does seem to have some skirts and a rear lip which I've not seen before though.
Nice looking car! Always wanted one to go alongside my E39.
Max M4X WW said:
Budleigh said:
It's also got the sports kit and steering wheel, which is nice.
What is the sport kit on these then? I know they all come with sport suspension and the front lip anyway.This one does seem to have some skirts and a rear lip which I've not seen before though.
Nice looking car! Always wanted one to go alongside my E39.
Never seen a 540 with it before
Six Fiend said:
Bargain! That's a lovely example.
You'll find it is very good on fuel for the size and power
Now a few extra places to keep an eye on for tin worm...
Look around the number plate lights. Take them out (2 minute job) and clean up, treat inside.
Under the boot lip paner (in the gap above the rear bumper) there are drain plugs. Again a weak spot so pop them out, lean up and treat in advance.
Take out all the wheel arch liners and clean thoroughly. The front wings may have several kg of dirt in them!!!
Check aorund the sills too and also the drain holes under the car. That should see to all the wekest areas
The cabin filter to the left of the pedals is a bit of a fiddly job to change so is often left. This reduces the heat/vent system efficiency massively. DIY and about £30 for a genuine filter will give you decent ventitaltion.
Have the auto box flushed and refilled. Sealed for life but trust me, it's time to get it done!
These are truly magnificent cruising cars and incredibly comfy over long distance. You can hustle them quickly too playing with the manual gears
Happy bargeing
What great hints and tips. You'll find it is very good on fuel for the size and power
Now a few extra places to keep an eye on for tin worm...
Look around the number plate lights. Take them out (2 minute job) and clean up, treat inside.
Under the boot lip paner (in the gap above the rear bumper) there are drain plugs. Again a weak spot so pop them out, lean up and treat in advance.
Take out all the wheel arch liners and clean thoroughly. The front wings may have several kg of dirt in them!!!
Check aorund the sills too and also the drain holes under the car. That should see to all the wekest areas
The cabin filter to the left of the pedals is a bit of a fiddly job to change so is often left. This reduces the heat/vent system efficiency massively. DIY and about £30 for a genuine filter will give you decent ventitaltion.
Have the auto box flushed and refilled. Sealed for life but trust me, it's time to get it done!
These are truly magnificent cruising cars and incredibly comfy over long distance. You can hustle them quickly too playing with the manual gears
Happy bargeing
OP, car looks awesome. What a bargain. Enjoy.
Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff