£1700. What E34 5 series or E30 3 Series?

[sparks_E39]

Freind of mine is interested in the above cars. I don't know a lot about the E34/E30 cars although I prefer the E34. He wants 0-60 in less than 10 seconds and 35 mpg on a run. With the E34 would a 530i suffice? Was that not a V8, the 525 being the most powerful 6 Cylinder? I think he could get a tidy 1994/1995 E34 for that money, or maybe an early 1996 E39... but I'd rather have a late E34 rather than an early E39 for that money.

[Sharknose]

For that money I would look for a late-model 525i Sport with a manual 'box.
I have owned two and they are great cars, superbly built and cheap to run.
My last one averaged 30MPG and would do almost 140MPH - I'd have another tomorrow!
It is also quite cost-effective to increase the BHP from the standard 197 to around 220.

The most powerful six-cylinder E34 (apart from the fabulous M5 of course) was the 535i
(SE and Sport) but these are getting both old and collectable, especially in manual
Sport trim so might be out of your budget. The 535i is also quite thirsty too.

[TheStig44]

I have very recently purchased a 1994 E34 525 Sport and I would like to say it is fantastic!

Incredibly smooth and nice to drive and with the M5 front, back and sides it really looks the part too. £1700 should see you in a really good example aswell, mine cost a fair chunk less than that and is just about perfect (no rust, no rips/tears, no scratches/dents/dinks etc.).

I also found insurance to be relatively cheap on it which was a pleasant suprise. I would highly recommend

[derin100]

sparks_E39 said:

Freind of mine is interested in the above cars. I don't know a lot about the E34/E30 cars although I prefer the E34. He wants 0-60 in less than 10 seconds and 35 mpg on a run. With the E34 would a 530i suffice? Was that not a V8, the 525 being the most powerful 6 Cylinder? I think he could get a tidy 1994/1995 E34 for that money, or maybe an early 1996 E39... but I'd rather have a late E34 rather than an early E39 for that money.

IMHO...35mpg is unrealistic in pretty much any BMW of this era.

I can, when required, have a very light right foot... but I think 35 mpg is a very big ask even by my standards?

[Huff]

Not really - any good E34 should come within 10-15% on a run. I have an E34 540, and on the motorway at 80+ cruise an honest 30-31 for the entire journey is easily possible.

OK my long-term average is some way below that, but it's because the Beast only gets driven for fun

[sparks_E39]

In my 528 auto I average around 37 mpg in the 200 mile round trip from Poole to Richmond, London and back on an average day with rush hour traffic, when I was in a hurry I still managed 33 mpg so getting good economy is possible out of the straight 6 with not a great deal of effort my mothers 1.8 Mondeo auto (which I strangely quite like) will only do about 2 or 3 mpg more on the same journey. He will be using the car to drive about 150 miles per week 80% dual carriage way. He wants 3 years out of the car

Edited by sparks_E39 on Wednesday 21st October 03:55

[Bill Carr]

sparks_E39 said:

In my 528 auto I average around 37 mpg in the 200 mile round trip from Poole to Richmond, London and back on an average day with rush hour traffic, when I was in a hurry I still managed 33 mpg

Seriously?! That is very impressive. Is that going by OBC or calculated brim-brim? And presumably not all motorway driving?

I used to get 17mpg in my 535 auto

[sparks_E39]

Edited by sparks_E39 on Thursday 22 October 01:22

[sparks_E39]

Bill Carr said:

sparks_E39 said:

In my 528 auto I average around 37 mpg in the 200 mile round trip from Poole to Richmond, London and back on an average day with rush hour traffic, when I was in a hurry I still managed 33 mpg

Seriously?! That is very impressive. Is that going by OBC or calculated brim-brim? And presumably not all motorway driving?















I used to get 17mpg in my 535 auto

Yes I can drive like a Grandad when I want to, I was amazed at the MPG it could achieve, doesnt seem possible for a car like that... I reset the MPG counter sometimes at the start of the journey, it usually reads high 30's when I get back, I guess its about 1 or 2 MPG too generous. I can do two and a half of that journey before the fuel light comes on sometimes. The thing is I usually leave very early in the morning and the only traffic I ever seem to encounter is just entering London, its at a guess 80% cruising at 70-80 mph, cruise control on. The dial thing under the speedo reads over 40 most of the time when cruising like this. The remaining 20% being town, which isn't stop start for the majority of the time given the time of day I drive. Around town in traffic it drinks though, might get 25 MPG if I'm lucky

Edited by sparks_E39 on Thursday 22 October 01:19

sorry for the double post I'm using my phone for the Internet and its a tricky bugger:-)

Edited by sparks_E39 on Thursday 22 October 01:25

[Bill Carr]

sparks_E39 said:

Bill Carr said:

sparks_E39 said:

In my 528 auto I average around 37 mpg in the 200 mile round trip from Poole to Richmond, London and back on an average day with rush hour traffic, when I was in a hurry I still managed 33 mpg

Seriously?! That is very impressive. Is that going by OBC or calculated brim-brim? And presumably not all motorway driving?

I used to get 17mpg in my 535 auto

Yes I can drive like a Grandad when I want to, I was amazed at the MPG it could achieve, doesnt seem possible for a car like that... I reset the MPG counter sometimes at the start of the journey, it usually reads high 30's when I get back, I guess its about 1 or 2 MPG too generous. I can do two and a half of that journey before the fuel light comes on sometimes. The thing is I usually leave very early in the morning and the only traffic I ever seem to encounter is just entering London, its at a guess 80% cruising at 70-80 mph, cruise control on. The dial thing under the speedo reads over 40 most of the time when cruising like this. The remaining 20% being town, which isn't stop start for the majority of the time given the time of day I drive. Around town in traffic it drinks though, might get 25 MPG if I'm lucky

Thanks for the reply Sparks. Your journey sounds ideally suited to getting good mpg but that is still a hugely impressive figure.

[anonymous-user]

I'd say an E34 525i sport and if your lucky enough to get it in daytona violet or avus blue even better....