It's bad decision time

"gmctavish needs more space" (gmctavish)
10/24/2016 at 02:03 • Filed to: E34

I know I was just thinking about buying an Audi, but this is $500

I mean really.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

ZF 5HP30s are really hard to kill, I’m assuming this is just a trans prog error that needs sorted out.

Also the interior looks mint

DISCUSSION (32)

Steve in Manhattan > gmctavish needs more space
10/24/2016 at 02:10

Those are not (methinks) BMW wheels, but that’s the least of your worries. I’d say get a PPI, or if you have 500 bucks you don’t need, buy it and take it to your mechanic and offer to make his next 5 boat payments.

gmctavish needs more space > Steve in Manhattan
10/24/2016 at 02:12

I’m not sure what they are, but I’ve never seen them on a BMW before. No time for a PPI, if I don’t snag it tomorrow, someone else will. I’ll check it out and make sure the transmission only has electronic issues. Actually, even if it has mechanical issues, my friend has a 6 speed manual from another 540i lying around that could go into this....

Steve in Manhattan > gmctavish needs more space
10/24/2016 at 02:12

Oh wait - says 6 cylinders, but 540i is a V8? Am I remembering something wrong here?

Steve in Manhattan > gmctavish needs more space
10/24/2016 at 02:14

If you have faith, you’ll have a daily (more or less) driver. It’s a fun platform, from what I recall.

LeadfootYT > Steve in Manhattan
10/24/2016 at 02:15

Or, alternatively, there’s a slight chance that maybe the guy writing the ad for the dirt-covered, $500 E34 with bizarre wheels and undefined transmission issues might not be bright enough to enter the correct information into his Craigslist ad...

gmctavish needs more space > Steve in Manhattan
10/24/2016 at 02:16

No it’s definitely a V8, I’m guessing he’s just never opened the hood himself

gmctavish needs more space > Steve in Manhattan
10/24/2016 at 02:17

It definitely is, my friend had one and I drove it lots, loved it

Steve in Manhattan > LeadfootYT
10/24/2016 at 02:17

So give me props here - 540i is a V8? Do I recall this shit correctly?

Steve in Manhattan > gmctavish needs more space
10/24/2016 at 02:20

Thank you for that - law firm I worked for in the 90s, partner would not let me take his 540 out for a romp - swore it was a V8. Glad to hear my memory isn’t completely hosed.

Steve in Manhattan > gmctavish needs more space
10/24/2016 at 02:25

My ‘97 SHO had a small displacement V8 ... 3.4 litres, Yamaha heads, and had some down low grunt (then ran out of serious power). Still, powered right up to 135MPH in western Tennessee on my way to see friends in Hot Springs Arkansas. Early in the morning, no one around, and had to see what my baby would do. I ran out of nerve at 135. Geeze - DC liberal, so I probably would have still been in jail down there.

PS9 > gmctavish needs more space
10/24/2016 at 02:26

$500 BMW? That’s a terrible idea.

DO IT.

gmctavish needs more space > PS9
10/24/2016 at 02:29

Precisely

Steve in Manhattan > gmctavish needs more space
10/24/2016 at 02:30

And, upon reflection, that BMW is probably easier to get parts for than whatever Audi shitshow you were going to sign up for ... Mercedes stocks parts for 50s cars, and BMW also tries to keep its cars repairable ... Audi? No idea ....

gmctavish needs more space > Steve in Manhattan
10/24/2016 at 02:31

I love the sound of those engines, I’ve always sort of wanted one of those SHOs, because of the 3.4 V8

gmctavish needs more space > Steve in Manhattan
10/24/2016 at 02:32

I haven’t looked into it, but my work sources from OE suppliers, so I can usually get parts for old German things. I’ll definitely have whatever I need for an E34, I’d have to check if we have lots of Audi sources

Steve in Manhattan > gmctavish needs more space
10/24/2016 at 02:36

I put 100K on the car, then sold it to CarMax - lots of comments on various forums about how many problems the engine had. I had no issues - Mobil 1 from the start, but maybe I was lucky? The engine was OK my me, and it never let me down.

Steve in Manhattan > gmctavish needs more space
10/24/2016 at 02:39

Haven’t been plugged into that world since I dated an assistant service manager (Mercedes, Volvo) in the early 90s. Audi? I got nuthin’ ....

Sam > gmctavish needs more space
10/24/2016 at 03:14

Could also be low trans fluid. Mine shifted strangely because of it. They sold it as “lifetime fluid” so people didn’t change it.

jimz > gmctavish needs more space
10/24/2016 at 07:24

Assuming it’s a transmission programming error? no time for a PPI? What could go wrong? ;)

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > gmctavish needs more space
10/24/2016 at 08:19

This is such a better idea than an Audi.

iSureWilll > gmctavish needs more space
10/24/2016 at 09:13

Great price at $500. Interior is minty. Major problems on the V8's are valve cover gaskets, valley pan gasket, transmissions, and the liquid cooled alternator.

Valve cover gaskets really aren’t hard to do yourself. Valley pans will take you roughly 10 hours (book time is 11-12 hours IIRC). Transmissions will cost around $3,000-$4,000 for a reman unit. Liquid cooled alternators are around $500 I think. Nothing too bad when the car is only $500 but just keep it in mind if you do buy.

functionoverfashion > gmctavish needs more space
10/24/2016 at 09:57

I love that the interior is basically the same as my ‘03 325.

$500 sounds like he just wants it gone. Time for a manual swap.

gmctavish needs more space > Sam
10/24/2016 at 10:59

Yeah that’s also likely. Could even be a low battery, I’ve seen that trip a trans prog error

gmctavish needs more space > jimz
10/24/2016 at 11:01

Haha fair points, but that is the most common thing that prior label as “transmission issue” when they don’t know what’s wrong with their car. Also, no one selling a $500 car wants to deal with an inspection, all they have to do is wait for the next person to come and buy it without any of that hassle

gmctavish needs more space > iSureWilll
10/24/2016 at 11:28

Timing chain guides are also a worry, and maybe the oil seperator at the back of the intake. They can definitely get pricey, but at the very least this one is worth checking out

iSureWilll > gmctavish needs more space
10/24/2016 at 11:42

Looks like you know your stuff! Definitely worth a look!

Sam > gmctavish needs more space
10/24/2016 at 12:20

Timing chains last a long time. Mine has never been serviced at 200,000 miles, only inspected.

Sam > Steve in Manhattan
10/24/2016 at 12:22

My 530i has an even smaller V8 than that, at 3.0 liters or 2998cc.

gmctavish needs more space > Sam
10/24/2016 at 12:35

Really? That’s impressive, usually the guides become a problem before then. More often on M62s, but they’re still just plastic guides on the M60. I’m assuming you’ve replaced your tensioner at least once though

Steve in Manhattan > Sam
10/24/2016 at 18:54

I think the SHO had 235 BHP - guessing BMW got more grunt out of the engine in your car.

Sam > Steve in Manhattan
10/24/2016 at 21:40

Only about 280, when it was new.

Steve in Manhattan > Sam
10/24/2016 at 22:37

Still, for a engine from that era, of that size, to put out that much HP is laudable. SHO was FWD, so there were engineering considerations in the 90s that dictated that putting that much power at the front wheels was not a good idea. But 20 years on, there’s more fun to be had ....