she's mine!!!

"michael bleggi" (mikalbleggi) 08/01/2014 at 11:07 • Filed to: None

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most of you must not remember from my previous post but i picked up my e34 yesterday and i am beyond excited. She came with plenty of issues though.. mostly cosmetic though, at only 138k.

Only the right rear window works, and as of now the drivers side window is lost in the dark abyss of the door without hopes of ever rising again. The passenger seat is stuck fully reclined. The only mechanical problem is a cracked radiator,, but that is already ordered and on it's way. The right low beam doesn't work, and after replacing the bulb, i've got it down to a LKM (light control module) issue. the front two door cards kinda fall off, and the metal is broken where the door stopper is on the driver's side. Clear coat peeling on the hood, trunk, and roof. However the body is perfectly straight, and she drives beautifully. Extremely happy with the 3 liter v8 and the 5 spd.

And i inherited it all for only $1700.

Any tips from fellow current/past e34 owners? I'm thinking of taking it to a little but well known vintage bmw shop near me for all the interior stuff as i just want it all in working condition and done. Then I want to drop her a little on some nice springs and an undecided set of wheels. I'm sure I'll keep you all updated!

thebigbossyboss > michael bleggi 08/01/2014 at 11:48

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For me the bigger the sedan the better.

TotallyThatStupid > michael bleggi 08/01/2014 at 12:02

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While I've not owned any E34s, I've worked on plenty of them. Further, an E34 is on the short list of cars to replace my W124. I like the 5-speed 530s, as they were akin to the older six-pot 535i/5s than the 540s. So:

1. LKM is easy to swap in for testing if you've got one on hand.
2. Check the rest of the cooling system - water pump and thermostat, as well as the radiator hoses and the coolant tank. Anything plastic will eventually die, probably sooner than later at 138k if it hasn't been replaced already. Remember that the temperature gauge is massively buffered, to the point it's basically a glorified dummy light. Once the needle makes a beeline for the red, it's pretty much too late.
3. Door check straps. Common problem. Check out KoalaMotorsports.com for reinforcement kits once you get it welded back together.
4. Passenger seat. Depending on how it's stuck, if you can get the seat out of the car, you can probably fix it. The recline mechanism may be jammed, or the cable(s) backed out. Plenty of information out there on fixing BMW seats.

5. Windows. Swap in another switch pack if you can, or spray the daylights out of the one you have with electrical contact cleaner. 20 or so years of crap falling into the switch pack will greatly hinder functionality.

Nice car. Good luck!

RPM esq. > michael bleggi 08/01/2014 at 12:09

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Nice find! Makes me wonder where the then-108k mile manual e34 I regrettably traded in in 2010 ended up. The window regulators and associated parts aren't too hard to fix on those, and I found fixing the broken recline mechanism (both common e34 issues as you probably know) much easier than I expected. That stuff you can probably take care of yourself in an afternoon.