"n54 & s38" (straight6)
10/03/2014 at 12:49 • Filed to: None
33
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"n54 & s38" (straight6)
10/03/2014 at 12:49 • Filed to: None | 33
| 33 |
Hey guys. So I went to check out the car again last night. And…I'm buying it! Gave the seller a deposit last night and will be picking it up next week after he and his dad finish doing some work on it. Brought my 10-year old son, who also likes cars and especially BMWs, with me. He's pretty excited too!
Here are some more pics:
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Sunroof channel: Note the total absence of even a speck of rust:
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The immaculate interior:
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When I got there it was sitting in his parking spot. He wanted me to be able to start it up for myself and hear the engine from a cold start. I had to laugh when I saw his parking spot in the garage of his apartment – he has the only spot in the whole garage that has walls on all three sides so that nobody can park next to him or ding his doors. He also pointed out the ground underneath the car once he backed out – not a single drop of oil or any other fluid! He apologized for not having time to wash the car before I came by, which was funny because my most people's standards, it was still spotless.
Before I pick up the car next Tuesday, he and his dad are going to do the following:
- Change the oil
- Flush and change the coolant
- Replace a loose exhaust hanger
- Replace a rear CV joint
- Replace the front upper control arm bushings
- Replace the sump gasket
- Replace the rear "dogbones"
- Replace the engine mounts
- Adjust steering box
- Replacing front steering rods/links with upgraded components, even though there's nothing wrong with the current ones. He just didn't like the quality of the ones he had so he bought better ones
- Swap out the summer tires on the "throwing star" wheels for the winter set on BBS rims
- Getting the alignment redone after replacing the front suspension components (at his own expense!)
- Thorough exterior and interior detail (not that the car really needs it)
He also has a ton of parts/manuals/receipts/binders/odds and ends/aluminum control arms, etc. that he's including with the car. In fact, there are so many parts and stuff that I'll have to make a separate trip just for those!
I seriously can't believe my luck with this car and finding an owner who is this meticulous. He was saying that similar cars are going for up to $15k on bringatrailer.com. And I'm getting it for $9500! I've always loved the older BMW M cars and always told myself that I'd own one someday. Just never thought it'd be so soon!
Thanks for reading. I'll post an update after I pick it up next week.
LappingLuke
> n54 & s38
10/03/2014 at 12:56 |
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Awesome! Such a cool car and looks like a good example
Leadbull
> n54 & s38
10/03/2014 at 12:57 |
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This guy is a saint.
Brian Silvestro
> n54 & s38
10/03/2014 at 13:01 |
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Cannot express excitement.
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n54 & s38
> Leadbull
10/03/2014 at 13:02 |
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Pretty much. He just really loves the car and wants it to go to someone who loves it as much as he has. Plus his dad is flying into town and I think they're looking forward to working on it togther one last time.
EL_ULY
> n54 & s38
10/03/2014 at 13:03 |
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awesome!!!!! I used to have a 1990 525i. special place in my heart for those
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n54 & s38
> Brian Silvestro
10/03/2014 at 13:03 |
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Oh man, I know. I couldn't sleep last night, I was so pumped about this car!
Audi-os, Amigos!
> n54 & s38
10/03/2014 at 13:06 |
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Gosh that interior is beautiful.
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Brian Silvestro
> n54 & s38
10/03/2014 at 13:06 |
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You are so damn lucky. PLEASE update us everyday.
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n54 & s38
> Brian Silvestro
10/03/2014 at 13:08 |
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Will do, brother. Like I said in my first post, if you're ever in Calgary, come take it for a spin...
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Brian Silvestro
> n54 & s38
10/03/2014 at 13:16 |
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SO CANADIAN
Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing.
> n54 & s38
10/03/2014 at 13:33 |
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Sweet! Nice ride. One of these days I'll pick one up. I have such fond memories of my old '89 525i 5MT, and thought that the only thing it was missing (after I did suspension and brake mods) was more power. An M5 would take care of that last problem...
Sn210
> n54 & s38
10/03/2014 at 13:38 |
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Congrats! It looks beautiful and sounds like you're getting a great deal
Manuél Ferrari
> n54 & s38
10/03/2014 at 14:09 |
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VERY COOL!!!
Spasoje
> n54 & s38
10/03/2014 at 14:28 |
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Wow, it's perfect!! Euro-spec Japan import?
Andrew T. Maness
> n54 & s38
10/03/2014 at 14:58 |
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Congrats man! That thing looks beautiful, look forward to seeing many more posts about it!
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n54 & s38
> Spasoje
10/03/2014 at 15:20 |
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It's actually an import from Germany originally. Was in Germany then was shipped to Canada. The owner at that time lived in Ontario. He then sold it to another guy who lived in Alberta who owned the car for about 7 years and poured a ton of money into maintaining/upgrading it. He then sold it to the current owner who lovingly maintained/upgraded it for the last two years. Now I'm buying it. This car has probably had about $100k spent on it over it's lifetime, considering that these cost around $55k new in 1990. Over the last 5 years, the two previous owners have put about $40k into it. Everything has been replaced or upgraded and it wants for nothing. At this point, I honestly think that it'll only go up in value as time goes by and clean E34 M5s become more and more rare, similar to what's happened with the E30 M3.
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Spasoje
> n54 & s38
10/03/2014 at 15:27 |
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Fantastic opportunity! Glad it's going to a good home :)
strayts
> n54 & s38
10/03/2014 at 15:48 |
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One of the greatest cars of all time. Period.
That's awesome they're tackling that list, particularly the thrust arm bushings. Those are a beast to press out with DIY tools. I replaced the whole arms in my 535i/5.
EDIT: Just read your earlier post about the car. You should FOR SURE check and R&R the subframe bushings if necessary. That will clear up the wandering steering at freeway speeds. When I swapped mine out the wandering went away. Such a huge difference.
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n54 & s38
> strayts
10/03/2014 at 16:24 |
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Thanks for the advice. Good to know. He actually recently replaced the rear subframe bushings so I'm hoping that replacing the control arm bushings should take care of it. If not, it's good to know where to look next to resolve the 'wandering' feeling at higher speeds.
ddavidn
> n54 & s38
10/04/2014 at 01:21 |
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Nice!! I have those AC Schitzer pedals in my M3 and I really like them.
atfsgeoff
> n54 & s38
10/04/2014 at 01:43 |
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I highly recommend replacing the thrust arm bushings with spherical bearings by Moosehead Engineering. They provide a far more direct steering feel and completely eliminate the wandering caused by the stock rubber bushings. I've had them in my '95 530i for almost a year and have been very happy with them.
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n54 & s38
> atfsgeoff
10/04/2014 at 02:04 |
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Mm. Ill have to check them out. Thanks for the suggestion.
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atfsgeoff
> n54 & s38
10/04/2014 at 02:12 |
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No problem! For the full effect, you can also replace the lower control arms with aluminum units from the e31 850CSi, which is not only lighter but also has FACTORY spherical bearings in place of rubber bushings.
Bryan Fleurjuste
> n54 & s38
10/04/2014 at 08:51 |
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I'm happy for you and the car. Personally, the e34 m5 is my favorite out of all the m5's. Pretty much the only BMW I'd want.
That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms
> n54 & s38
10/04/2014 at 16:53 |
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Congratulations! That's how you buy a car right there, one that somebody else has done all the work on. Love it.
New S4. Huskies. Party music.
> n54 & s38
10/04/2014 at 18:35 |
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I'm a sucker for older body styles - the E34 M5 is the best of the M bunch. Congrats on the new purchase!
Tohru
> n54 & s38
10/04/2014 at 22:52 |
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You gonna fix the front end?
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n54 & s38
> Tohru
10/04/2014 at 23:19 |
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Haha. Nice photoshop job.
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strayts
> n54 & s38
10/06/2014 at 19:11 |
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Oh that's great they've been replaced. DIY is possible but a pain in the rear for sure. I bet you're right that changing the control arm bushings will tighten things up a lot. Cheers!
ex313
> n54 & s38
10/07/2014 at 10:25 |
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I have a 90 535i 5 speed. 2009 I came really close to buying a 93 M5, but instead decided to paint my 535i and hold on to it. The car has 253,000+ miles on it. I bought it when it had 80,000 on it. I still love driving it and even with the coupe-deville steering I get a huge smile on my face when I blast down a curvy road.
GARedE34
> n54 & s38
10/07/2014 at 11:08 |
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Congrats to you! I had a '91 and wish I'd never gotten rid of it. Maintenance, particularly around suspension components, will occasionally be painful. But boy oh boy does that car sound, look and drive wonderfully. An absolute classic and something you'll be assured of not seeing very often while you're out.
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n54 & s38
> ex313
10/07/2014 at 11:10 |
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looks great. Nice color too. Why's it parked in the middle of your lawn?
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Derick
> ex313
12/27/2014 at 00:27 |
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I was about to restore my 525 when the opportunity to buy an M5 came along. I capture it all here on my E34 M5 site.