Discussion
The engine is very weak 
The E34s are really, really solid cars. Just check all the electrics work, engine starts fine hot or cold, check suspension for rattles, knocks, etc.
It's going to be cheap, so if it goes, stops, has an mot etc then why not. Also check for rust around the arches, fueling filler cap etc. Rarely structural rust, mainly cosmetic
The E34s are really, really solid cars. Just check all the electrics work, engine starts fine hot or cold, check suspension for rattles, knocks, etc.
It's going to be cheap, so if it goes, stops, has an mot etc then why not. Also check for rust around the arches, fueling filler cap etc. Rarely structural rust, mainly cosmetic
E38Ross said:
The engine is very weak
The E34s are really, really solid cars. Just check all the electrics work, engine starts fine hot or cold, check suspension for rattles, knocks, etc.
It's going to be cheap, so if it goes, stops, has an mot etc then why not. Also check for rust around the arches, fueling filler cap etc. Rarely structural rust, mainly cosmetic
The engine may be 'weak' in the bhp department but it is 8v torquey power and if its one of the later M43 chain driven 1.8's it's a very strong engine , ours didn't give a moments trouble in the 70 k miles we had it.The E34s are really, really solid cars. Just check all the electrics work, engine starts fine hot or cold, check suspension for rattles, knocks, etc.
It's going to be cheap, so if it goes, stops, has an mot etc then why not. Also check for rust around the arches, fueling filler cap etc. Rarely structural rust, mainly cosmetic
Quicker off the line than a 520i, but not as good cruiser, pretty economical though, a good ones a pretty cheap car to buy and run
Mustard said:
The engine may be 'weak' in the bhp department but it is 8v torquey power and if its one of the later M43 chain driven 1.8's it's a very strong engine , ours didn't give a moments trouble in the 70 k miles we had it.
Quicker off the line than a 520i, but not as good cruiser, pretty economical though, a good ones a pretty cheap car to buy and run
Yeah knew that, hence the laugh. Quicker off the line than a 520i, but not as good cruiser, pretty economical though, a good ones a pretty cheap car to buy and run
I wouldn't personally touch a 518,don't think a 4 pot suits the E34. I do like E34s though, so well put together
Right, general E34 check list
Steering box play
E34 shuffle, get it up to 70mph and see if it wanders, it needs stab bars on front get genuine items patterns don't
last.
Boot struts probably wont work, but live with it, keep a stick in the boot.
Check the wiring in the rear tailgate area, reverse lights usually don't work or rear wash wipe don't work, chances are it is those wires
Check heater controls work (left hand temp wont click, I believe this normal)
Check there isn't excessive rear body roll or dipping into corners, chances are rear anti roll bar drop links have gone
Check brakes work, check for moisture in the little reservoir in the brake fluid reservoir, chances are the fluids have never been changed, may look like this
Check general conditions of the fluids
Check for a hunt at idle, they can and do hunt, not a major issue to fix, usually a vacuum leak.
Check it doesn't cut out when driving and you take it out of gear and let it idle, vacuum leak, the E34 engine bays aren't that well cooled.
Check Viscous fan coupling and belts
Check for rust on rear sills, this could make or break the car, excessive rust on rear seals could write the car off, but if little rust get it repaired, and go on.
Check there isn't a leak on the radiator
Check the rocker cover gasket isn't leaking, easy fix, new gasket and gasket sealant, as you look at the engine, the bottom right hand corner has a tendency for leaking on the M43.
A lot of that is generic E34 stuff
The M43 engine, later one, chain driven is the one to go for a really strong engine, quicker off the line than a 520i, it does 30mpg pretty much everywhere, to be honest mine has let me down twice first was fuel pump, which for me at this age is a consumable, and the ECU died but that is now fixed.
As for cruising, it does sit at around 4.5krpm at 85mph, but to be honest I don't notice it and the MPG thing reads around 40-50mpg, btw if the the throttle pedal vibrates, easy fix.
Really unless the engine is knocking like f
k then I would go for it, but then again an M43 engine is cheap enough to buy so I wouldn't worry too much.
Biggest thing to watch really is rust and parts, parts can be expensive, I do suggest genuine BMW parts only, as pattern parts do not last, I have barely got a year out of front stab bars.
They are really solid cars, ignore the "it is wrong to have a 4 cylinder E34" as what the 518i loses in speed it gains in handling, the big downfalls of the E39 and E31 with the 6 and 8 cylinder lumps is they are nose heavy and the noses really push on in corners, the 518i is like it is on rails.
Remember though the E34 is getting a rare and collectible car, don't be put off by it being a 518i, seriously it may be the best car you will ever own, I wouldn't part with mine, even if other E34 owners find it inferior to the 6 cylinder models, but I couldn't care less.
Oh and check the shocks aren't fked, they are expensive, cheapest I found were Boge and they were £100 a corner or so
They are brilliant cars, whilst I was diagnosing the dead ECU I was using the E39, and the E39 is brilliant, but the only thing I miss from the E39, volume control on the steering wheel, that is it the E34 imho is a much better car than the E39, more of a drivers car where as the E39 is a slipper.
If it is a good car, just buy it.
Oh and if it has leather that is a bonus, the only problem with the leather is the squabs are slightly taller than the cloth seats so you can't lower the seat to the floor, btw the back rest adjustment if you push down, lowers the seat to the floor, and the front one tilts the seat, a lot of people don't know that, most do, one word of warning, don't get in the car and sit on the side of the seat and hit the height lever with your arse or it will catapult you into the steering wheel.
Oh and if you need
AFM
ISCV
Coil pack
I have all three in good condition (ISCV maybe)
Steering box play
E34 shuffle, get it up to 70mph and see if it wanders, it needs stab bars on front get genuine items patterns don't
last.
Boot struts probably wont work, but live with it, keep a stick in the boot.
Check the wiring in the rear tailgate area, reverse lights usually don't work or rear wash wipe don't work, chances are it is those wires
Check heater controls work (left hand temp wont click, I believe this normal)
Check there isn't excessive rear body roll or dipping into corners, chances are rear anti roll bar drop links have gone
Check brakes work, check for moisture in the little reservoir in the brake fluid reservoir, chances are the fluids have never been changed, may look like this
Check general conditions of the fluids
Check for a hunt at idle, they can and do hunt, not a major issue to fix, usually a vacuum leak.
Check it doesn't cut out when driving and you take it out of gear and let it idle, vacuum leak, the E34 engine bays aren't that well cooled.
Check Viscous fan coupling and belts
Check for rust on rear sills, this could make or break the car, excessive rust on rear seals could write the car off, but if little rust get it repaired, and go on.
Check there isn't a leak on the radiator
Check the rocker cover gasket isn't leaking, easy fix, new gasket and gasket sealant, as you look at the engine, the bottom right hand corner has a tendency for leaking on the M43.
A lot of that is generic E34 stuff
The M43 engine, later one, chain driven is the one to go for a really strong engine, quicker off the line than a 520i, it does 30mpg pretty much everywhere, to be honest mine has let me down twice first was fuel pump, which for me at this age is a consumable, and the ECU died but that is now fixed.
As for cruising, it does sit at around 4.5krpm at 85mph, but to be honest I don't notice it and the MPG thing reads around 40-50mpg, btw if the the throttle pedal vibrates, easy fix.
Really unless the engine is knocking like f
k then I would go for it, but then again an M43 engine is cheap enough to buy so I wouldn't worry too much.Biggest thing to watch really is rust and parts, parts can be expensive, I do suggest genuine BMW parts only, as pattern parts do not last, I have barely got a year out of front stab bars.
They are really solid cars, ignore the "it is wrong to have a 4 cylinder E34" as what the 518i loses in speed it gains in handling, the big downfalls of the E39 and E31 with the 6 and 8 cylinder lumps is they are nose heavy and the noses really push on in corners, the 518i is like it is on rails.
Remember though the E34 is getting a rare and collectible car, don't be put off by it being a 518i, seriously it may be the best car you will ever own, I wouldn't part with mine, even if other E34 owners find it inferior to the 6 cylinder models, but I couldn't care less.
Oh and check the shocks aren't f
ked, they are expensive, cheapest I found were Boge and they were £100 a corner or soThey are brilliant cars, whilst I was diagnosing the dead ECU I was using the E39, and the E39 is brilliant, but the only thing I miss from the E39, volume control on the steering wheel, that is it the E34 imho is a much better car than the E39, more of a drivers car where as the E39 is a slipper.
If it is a good car, just buy it.
Oh and if it has leather that is a bonus, the only problem with the leather is the squabs are slightly taller than the cloth seats so you can't lower the seat to the floor, btw the back rest adjustment if you push down, lowers the seat to the floor, and the front one tilts the seat, a lot of people don't know that, most do, one word of warning, don't get in the car and sit on the side of the seat and hit the height lever with your arse or it will catapult you into the steering wheel.
Oh and if you need
AFM
ISCV
Coil pack
I have all three in good condition (ISCV maybe)
At last someone who acknowledges the 518i for its strengths !
Far too many people quick to throw opinions at it when they have never driven one
All E34's are nice, the only runt of the later cars is the 520i automatic IMHO
We've had a 95 M 518i SE touring (my father had it from 4yrs old through to 12yrs), 94 M 520i SE saloon and a 96 N 525 Tds SE touring (all manual) so know a 'sensible' E34's quite well!
Far too many people quick to throw opinions at it when they have never driven one
All E34's are nice, the only runt of the later cars is the 520i automatic IMHO
We've had a 95 M 518i SE touring (my father had it from 4yrs old through to 12yrs), 94 M 520i SE saloon and a 96 N 525 Tds SE touring (all manual) so know a 'sensible' E34's quite well!
Edited by Mustard on Tuesday 13th March 07:34
Mustard said:
At last someone who acknowledges the 518i for its strengths !
Far too many people quick to throw opinions at it when they have never driven one
All E34's are nice, the only runt of the later cars is the 520i automatic IMHO
We've had a 95 M 518i SE touring (my father had it from 4yrs old through to 12yrs), 94 M 520i SE saloon and a 96 N 525 Tds SE touring (all manual) so know a 'sensible' E34's quite well!
I know the 518i isn't the fastest car in the world, I know that the idea of a 4 cylinder 5er is wrong, but it doesn't make it a bad car, it has it's strengths.Far too many people quick to throw opinions at it when they have never driven one
All E34's are nice, the only runt of the later cars is the 520i automatic IMHO
We've had a 95 M 518i SE touring (my father had it from 4yrs old through to 12yrs), 94 M 520i SE saloon and a 96 N 525 Tds SE touring (all manual) so know a 'sensible' E34's quite well!
Edited by Mustard on Tuesday 13th March 07:34
Quicker off the mark than a 520i
143ftlb of torque, that is a lot for a big car with a 1.8
There are no automatic 518is, they are only manual.
The 518i is a rare car, sadly it isn't worth as much as a bigger engined 34, but it is much rarer than most 34s out there.
Agree, I have spoken to a fair few people who have driven a range of E34s and the ones who have had the 518i never have a bad word to say about them, sure underpowered, but they stick to the road like s
t and don't push on in the corners like the nose heavy sixes, I love the sixes I really do and the 8s, but I prefer handling over power, and to be honest, yeah a lot of cars are faster than me off the line, but I know I can get my car up to a decent speed and hold it and out handle a lot of other cars out there, especially the bigger engined cars, and as the E34 is geared differently (which is unusual for a BMW) they are quite swift when you're around the 3-4k mark in the right gear they pull well.Accept it for what it is, in the grand scheme of things yeah a 6 cylinder 5 is going to be faster than you, but you wont lose sight of them when they pull away, it isn't like they hit a Fast and the furious nitrous button and are instantly catapulted miles away from you, but as I have said the handling on the 518 is superb, without a doubt the best handling car I have ever had, the front has just enough weight to keep it planted, it turns in really sharp, it doesn't understeer or push on like the 39 does.
Also if your steering box feels a bit loose, you can tighten them up, I would strongly advice this as it makes the steering precision sharp.
Mustard is bang on the money though, don't knock the 518i until you have tried it and had a complete giggle in it, you can go flat out everywhere and most of the time not break the speed limit.
Post pics when you have bought it, I can't think of anything else to check, but the list of problems I put up wouldn't put me off an E34, genuine parts are cheap enough most of the time, and a few hours work and you will have a truly sorted car, remember this, it is a 518i, why would anyone spend serious money on fixing or looking after it
mine had 107k miles on it when I got it, it now has 136k, fuel pump died, ecu died (filled with water) it owes me naff all in 3-4 years of ownership2 stab bars
2 rear drop links
set of front and rear pads
rear exhaust section
fuel pump
ecu (£75)
2 sets of tyres (on second set now)
that is it really, a few things I have changed just because, or when I was fault finding dead ecu, but the items replaced weren't broken and cost me about £200.
Oh btw, take a picture of your engine bay if you buy it, because if you have the M43 like I have and you want to replace the leads, I had to get them custom made as nobody stocked them for my engine, they stocked M40/M43 leads but they were too short for my engine bay, the longest lead in mine is about a metre long.
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