Quote:
Originally posted by lendaddy
I have been told that '97 was the beginning of the "more reliable" V8's and that the '94-'95-'96 V8's had the problems, is there any truth to this?
My brother is headed down to Chicago area tomorrow to look at/buy one if it checks out. Carfax is good and it's got 109K for $8,500 which seems like a pretty good deal.
Thanks,
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Actually, it was the early e34, '89 through about 93 or so that had most of the issues. None of the e39's, 97-03, have the nikasil engine blocks. They all have Alusil blocks which was what BMW used when they replaced engine blocks under warranty on the e34's. that program ended a year or two ago, so the cars that had no engine replacement are stuck with what they have, or the owner coughs up the toll.
The e39 is a fabulous car, for what it is, a moderately large sports sedan or wagon. A friend of mine and I drove my wife's 540i Touring Sport down to LA from Fremont, near San Francisco to pick up a set of wheels amd new tires I'd won on eBay. A road trip, yeah! He's a fellow e28 enthusiat, owning a beautiful dark blue example with a healthy 3.7 liter stroker engine in it. About King City I let him take over driving for a while, so he's pulling out of the rest area and decides to punch the skinny pedal to get back on Hwy. 101. The 5-speed auto tranny downshifted from 5th to 3rd, the intake cam shifted into high power position, and it made that howling noise only a V8 can make as it passes 4000 heading north. It quickly got to about 90 before he backed out, and all he could say was,
Gawddddd.......Daaaaaammnnnn!!!
Your brother should love it, but parts won't come cheap.