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05-04-2010, 01:41 PM
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#1
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Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Toronto
Posts: 21,067
Car: Gamitemobile
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Looking to buy a 5 series, look here
E34: 1989 to 1995
Pre-Facelift 1989-1993
- 1989 -1991 came with US Spec projector headlights
- 1993 gets updated mirror style
Facelift 1994 - 1995
- All years came with US spec projector headlights
- Wider grill, M5 Side skirts
- Available models: 525i (2.5L M50), 530i (4.0L M60), 540i (4.0L M60)
- Interior door panels updated
Special Models
M5 - 1989-1992?
M540 - 1995 - This was a special edition that came to Canada instead of the M5, look for the plaque that will state which number out of 132 cars came.
Available options to look for
- Drop Down seats
Things to look for
- Rust at the bottom of the doors
- Thrust arms rattle, causing vibrations at 55mph (88km/h)
- M60 motors suffer from nikalsil problems, lower quality gas ate away at the sleeves of the cylinders, the engine should go for a compression check before purchasing.
- M60 - power steering leaks, driver's side motor mounts, valley pan gasket (mysterious coolant leaks), timing cover gaskets, valve cover gaskets, rear main seal
- M60 Oil pump bolts/mounting nuts notoriously rattle loose and end up in laying in the pan.
E39: 1996 to 2003
Pre-Facelift 1996 - 2000
- Available models: 528i (2.8L M52), 540i (4.4L M62)
Facelift 2001 - 2003
- Available Models: 525i (2.5L M54), 530i (3.0L M54), 540i (4.4L M62)
- Updated headlights/taillights
- Updated steering wheel
Special Models:
- M5 (Headliner was upgraded from black felt to alacantera for the facelift as well as updated cluster steering and steering wheel.)
Things to look for:
- M62 motor mounts tend to leak and get soft, this causes the rad neck to crack and eventually break off.
- LCD pixels in the lower display in the cluster almost always go, this is a very common occurance in E39's.
E60: 2004 to current
F10: Future
Feel free to add to this list, I will add them as you guys go along.
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05-04-2010, 03:59 PM
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#2
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6th Gear Member
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Hamilton
Posts: 1,328
Car: E46 M-Sport
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E34 M60 - power steering leaks, driver's side motor mounts, valley pan gasket (mysterious coolant leaks), timing cover gaskets, valve cover gaskets, rear main seal, lol etc.... can be expensive and a bitch to fix all that crap so make sure you know what's been done, cause if not, these things WILL leak eventually.
Last edited by Nick_V; 05-04-2010 at 04:03 PM.
Reason: forgot some stuff...
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05-04-2010, 05:52 PM
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#3
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Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Toronto
Posts: 21,067
Car: Gamitemobile
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nick_V
E34 M60 - power steering leaks, driver's side motor mounts, valley pan gasket (mysterious coolant leaks), timing cover gaskets, valve cover gaskets, rear main seal, lol etc.... can be expensive and a bitch to fix all that crap so make sure you know what's been done, cause if not, these things WILL leak eventually.
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are these problems specific to you, or do you know for a fact that it will happen to most cars?
Every BMW power steering leaks, so I didn't put that in.
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05-04-2010, 06:31 PM
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#4
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6th Gear Member
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Hamilton
Posts: 1,328
Car: E46 M-Sport
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yes, all of these are well documented as being specific M60 problems.
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05-04-2010, 06:35 PM
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#5
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6th Gear Member
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Hamilton
Posts: 1,328
Car: E46 M-Sport
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I forgot a really important one that's also M60-specific: Oil pump bolts/mounting nuts notoriously rattle loose and end up in laying in the pan. This definitely happens to most cars...
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08-15-2011, 09:00 AM
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#6
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+ E91 328xi 6 speed
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Toronto
Posts: 269
Car: 1994 M3 Eurospec #25
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Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure there were only 32 M540's imported into Canada - not 132, making it one of the rarest out there.
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08-15-2011, 11:32 AM
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#7
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is BMW crazy
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Thornhill
Posts: 15,600
Car: 2 X BMW M5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JJJames
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure there were only 32 M540's imported into Canada - not 132, making it one of the rarest out there.
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Correct.
__________________

Hers--'07 BMW M5/6.: Indianapolis Red/Black:.
Toys
'91 BMW 850Ci J Spec- CSI Conversion- Lowered-Wokke Chips- Custom Exhaust- 18" MK1's-KN Filters+ M Steering Wheel- Stereo Upgrade +++
'88 BMW 635CSi Lowered
'81 MB 500 SEC Koenig WILD RIDE
++ a few more...
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08-21-2011, 03:27 PM
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#8
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1st Gear Newbie
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Toronto
Posts: 6
Car: 2008 535i
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FYI , the latest Bimmer mag has a great article on buying a used E60.
good thing I already read up on most things before buying my CPO 535i
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04-05-2013, 07:06 PM
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#9
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1st Gear Newbie
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Toronto
Posts: 23
Car: E46 330ci
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Hope someone can shed some light on this. I was looking at a E34 and I noticed on the back it said AC Schnitzer. My google search has come up empty.
Thanks
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05-07-2013, 11:55 AM
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#10
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1st Gear Newbie
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Alberta
Posts: 11
Car: 03 540i M Tech
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JJJames
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure there were only 32 M540's imported into Canada - not 132, making it one of the rarest out there.
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And only 16 were 6 spd Manual, and I have one of those 16
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08-11-2013, 12:48 PM
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#11
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Sliding Sideways
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Ottawa
Posts: 934
Car: Crayon
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no info on the original 5ers? :O
__________________
__________________________
1988 535i M30 (Turbo Build)
1989 535i M30 (Beater)
1990 520i Soon To Be S52 (Turbo Build)
1994 525it M50 (Beater)
2005 X5 M64 (Daily)
2009 335i (Daily)
The Rest Is History...
__________________________
We shall seek who discover mo powa via the wheels (Shakespeare)
QUOTE FROM THE WISE... " Gap is something all the girls want and all the guys want gone"
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01-15-2014, 12:48 PM
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#12
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considering selling 535i
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: bc canada
Posts: 1
Car: 1990 535i 5spd
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i am considering selling my 1990 bmw 535i for $7500 obo in bc canada, just seeing if theres interest out there, i have $4600 in parts i have put in such as adjustable racing coil overs and slotted racing discs and a bunch of belts, hoses, valves ect, thanks
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04-03-2015, 03:36 PM
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#13
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1st Gear Newbie
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Dallas
Posts: 4
Car: M5
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Who is AC Schnitzer?
Royst-
AC Schnitzer is a German tuner who produces quality modified 'performance' parts for BMW's (like Dinan). And as with Dinan, if you make enough mods to your vehicle, you can put the "ACS" badge on the rear (although people can badge car without having made the requisite amount of changes; they try to get away with it by adding ACS air intake and exhaust, and maybe a no-name engine chip). You want owner to provide complete documentation for all upgrades, as well as repair and maintenance records. And if the seller is trying to up the price because of the ACS mods, keep in mind that HE spent the money b/c the mods were important to HIM. Not necessarily important or of value to you. In most cases, mods don't increase the after-market value of the car. I've seen too many ads stating owner spent "over $10,000 in upgrades" (Dinan, ACS, variety). You'll likely face higher repair bills and won't get your money back on future resale.
Last edited by dkorn; 04-03-2015 at 04:11 PM.
Reason: Correct typo's, remove duplicate language
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