[BForbes]

An associate of mine is looking to buy a 95ish 540i. He likes the classic look of the BMW, good sedan size, and 290hp V8. He sent me an email saying he only heard of these problems and not much else.

"do you know much about them? i know they have v/c leaks, along with intake mani leaks. but havent heard of any other major prob's."

I'm not too keen on recommending a 13yr old BMW. Can anybody help me out??

Thanks in advance.

[Nixon]

Originally Posted by onehots2k

An associate of mine is looking to buy a 95ish 540i. He likes the classic look of the BMW, good sedan size, and 290hp V8. He sent me an email saying he only heard of these problems and not much else.

"do you know much about them? i know they have v/c leaks, along with intake mani leaks. but havent heard of any other major prob's."

I'm not too keen on recommending a 13yr old BMW. Can anybody help me out??

Thanks in advance.

Here's what I know. There actually were no 1996 model year 540i's built, so he's either going to be looking at '94-95's (E34) or 1997+ models (E39) with the new body style.

For the 1997+ years, go here: http://www.540i6.com/probsfixes.html

That page pretty much covers most everything. Sadly, many of those problems are also problems with the 94-95 models. Especially the front end shimmy, and quirky electrical problems. There also is a rubber center "guibo" on the drive shaft that is a wear item that will need to be replaced soon if it hasn't already been replaced. The 94-95 models also have a problem with their engine materials that has pretty much been worked out by this time, but it is something to be aware of:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_M60

If the car has survived to this point, there most likely isn't a problem with the engine material.

If he is looking for a manual transmission, the 1995 was the first year that had the 6-speed, and the only year for the E34. Some other issues to keep in mind:

1) 94-95 models were not available with a fold-down rear seat. (It is a rare option in 97+ models.)
2) 94-95 models did not come with CD players in the dash, but BMW Business CD players can be swapped in if you have the cash and can find one.
3) The rear gearing is pretty tall in 540i's. It is geared for high speed cruising. Some folks do rear end swaps to make the 6-speed manual cars really come alive.
4) When it comes to size, I think the 335i sedans are as large, if not larger than the E34 540i's. The back seats in the E34 are a bit tight for 2 tall adults. The front passengers have to slide their seats forward. Sitting 3 in the back can only be done if one person is short and small to sit in the middle.

Here is a buying guide to look at.
http://www.bmw4life.com/buyingE34.htm

I was about to buy a 1995 540i 6-speed with ultra-low documented miles (55k) that was in perfect mint condition right before Katrina hit and gas prices went through the roof. I did a gut check and decided that a large V-8 gas guzzler didn't align with everything else in my life, even though I really loved that car. I've been searching for something different ever since then.

[1ster]

Bimmer magazine publishes "buying guides" for certain series of BMWs every month. I'm positive one of those guides covered the 5-Series in question. Consider purchasing the relevant back issue of Bimmer and starting with their buying guide. They are usually quite comprehensive.

[BForbes]

Nixon, you rock man! 1ster, thanks for your help too. :wink:

-Barry

[Nixon]

Glad to help.