Re: 530...Keep or sell?

[Ryan Braithwaite <brahtw8@xxxxxxxxx>]

Do you still have the original (Nikasil) engine block?  If so, the car will need a new engine in the future, to the tune of approx. $6-8k.  The original cylinder liners break down as a result of the sulfur content of US gas and will result in loss of compression to the point of being undriveable.  
 
Is it an automatic?  The BMW automatics are not particularly robust, and may not last more than 120k miles.  
 
It sounds like you have had a few more problems than average.  Hard to say what the future holds, but I think you can only expect that more things will break down over time.  
 
I happen to like the E34 chassis quite a lot, so I would hesitate to trade it for something more mundane, but you would save on repairs if you went to a newer japanese car.  I think the E39 5-series are a good value and they have an excellent reputation for reliability.    
 
YMMV.  
 
Date: Sun, 15 Jun 2003 22:20:40 -0700
From: Michael Monroe 
Subject: 530...Keep or sell?

Hi All:

I've got a pretty general question about my wife's 1995 530 sedan: is this
thing going to nickel and dime us forever? She bought the car in 1997 as a
lease return; it had 50,000 miles on it and was in what appeared to be
excellent condition. In the past six years, she's only put 25,000 miles on
it. The car is great on the road and in town...no complaints.

Whenever it goes in for its 3,000 mile oil change/service, it typically
costs several hundred dollars. We've had several visits that cost over a
grand each. Stuff we've had to replace include the motor mounts, water
pump, radiator, battery, brake pads/rotors, misc. electrical switches, etc.
Now there's a leak in the cooling system where the intake manifold joins the
block...our mechanic (highly recommended/very professional independent
garage in Berkeley) says we're looking at $900 to repair.

Cars obviously need upkeep and, hey, the 530 isn't a Toyota, but compared to
my 89 911 Carrera (which has been the most trouble-free car I've ever
owned), the 530 seems hungry for service/parts. The 530 of the mid-90s
shares many components with the 540; both have lots of plastic parts that
seem to not hold up well, and I'd expect the 540 to have similar problems.

So...can we expect a future with expensive visits to the garage, or will the
parts replacement rate slow down soon?

Thanks!

Mike

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