Thinkin of pickin up an e32 88' 735i tomorrow...what should I look out for?

[Sean]

So, there's an e32 for sale here in town, has a blown headgasket, and it's cheap (I can probably get it for sub $600). Not only would it be an amazing cruiser - it would be an awesome candidate for a swap someday! Maybe turbo it? Anyway, I'm hopin it's in good shape - we shall see.

I know the motor pretty well - M30B35, hard to beat it. I figure I'll do the headgasket, waterpump (just cause I can), timing chain tensionors, and a tune-up while I'm in there. Anything else I should consider doing?

In addition, already found the "mustard relay" issue, that causes headlight problems. Maybe that was the issue with my dad's e34?? Wow...who woulda thunk it?!

Major problems I should look out for? I'm not very concerned about anything more than function. If the bodies rough, I'm not too worried. I'm getting it for commuting next year, so my car doesn't have to rust to hell in the salt - and I hate starting my car for a few minutes and shutting it off (although I may find it hard to do it to this too...LOL)

Let me know what you think! :)

That is all.

[2002maniac]

there's alot of stuff to break. I'd be nervous using a beat old 7 as my daily driver.

[Sean]

there's alot of stuff to break. I'd be nervous using a beat old 7 as my daily driver.

Shhhhh, don't ruin my fun! lol

[Lucas.B]

My brother bought one this summer, 88 735, man his is bulletproof. I've heard nightmares about things breaking and whatever, the only thing not working on his is the OBC light is a little dim. Every thing else is mint. I say go for it, M30's are crazy tough.

[rThor432]

Look for a head gasket leak by cylinders 5 and 6. They tend to seep/leak there. The M30's are generally very strong if even half-ass maintenance is performed. They are tank motors.

I'd (of course) check the ball joints and bushings for play. Hydraulic rear suspension (I'm 99% sure these had it, but I get my old cars mixed up sometimes.. too many) may have failed and if so it will be sagging and ride like a buck-board.

Cheers, enjoy it. The boss man has had a few of those around the shop and they make great cruiser cars.

[bmwpower]

Expect to get around 20-22 mpg or so.
Check for thrust arm related shimmy
Oil pressure leak down from oil canister
Heater core leaky
Make sure the head is checked thoroghly for cracks, etc
There is only one chain tensioner on the M30

[Sean]

Expect to get around 20-22 mpg or so.
Check for thrust arm related shimmy
Oil pressure leak down from oil canister
Heater core leaky
Make sure the head is checked thoroghly for cracks, etc
There is only one chain tensioner on the M30

Good call on fuel economy - not expecting it to be any good, I drove a 1990 535i for about 5 months, and got roughly 15-18 mph on avg, LOL.

Good call on the tensioner. Haha.

Yes, everyone - the M30 IS bulletproof. And really, that's the only reason I'm even considering this. Mechanical wise, this car should be good. I understand there's lots of electronics, but whatevers.. :D

Thanks for all the pointers everyone! When I go test it out tomorrow, I'll be hitting the highway and checking for play in suspension, bushings, control arms, etc etc.

rThor - I'm about 95% sure that they didn't have the self leveling suspension until in the 735il, but I'll find out tomorrow. :D What's the best wauy to find out?

Thanks guys!

[SpecM]

hell yea, I might be picking up a clean '89 535i for sub-1000 soon. maybe.

we can be m30 buddies, and write to each other and stuff

[TDE30]

E32's and E34's share similar parts and, thus, similar issues.

Areas to focus on:

Heater core (let the car get to temp and then drive it, if you smell coolant it is likely a small amount that has crystalized and is usually symptomatic of a heater core ready to pack up.)
Seat cables (Use all seat functions, it's not a terribly expensive fix, but something to look out for nonetheless.)
Interior (I think most E32's had leather door panels, so delamination might not be a concern, but the headliners will still eventually fall down.)
Steering box (Another potential expensive part, any play or looseness should be carefully scrutinized.)
Cooling components (Check out the radiator, water pump, and various coolant/radiator lines for any leaks so the car doesn't grenade itself on the way home.)
M30 (Like rThor mentioned, check the head gasket, other than that they're pretty solid motors.)

Read this link, print and take with you.

In regards to the heater core, that should be a make or break for this car. It would be better that it has been replaced, because when it goes this is what you are going to face.

Best of luck.

[Sean]

hell yea, I might be picking up a clean '89 535i for sub-1000 soon. maybe.

we can be m30 buddies, and write to each other and stuff

Sounds....ummm...cool.

;)

If I had access to an e34, I'd take that over an e32 any day - but an e32 has tons of space! I might dig having a big car - and these e32's can look quite sexy!

[SpecM]

Sounds....ummm...cool.

yea I know

[bmwpower]

Heater core isn't that bad a of a job. I've done mine already last year. Just a lot of dissembly but at least it's not greasy. I wouldn't not get the car if the core was bad, but just be aware it will consume some time and some $ to replace.

One thing I forgot to mention (as TDE30's post reminded me), check the HVAC system. It's pretty complex as far as HVAC systems on older cars go, lots of flaps and actuators. Make sure you can get heat out of the right vents otherwise you may a busted actuator mount (which I did find when I did my core last year). PITA to fix that one. Not totally crucial, but if you are anal like I am about having things work inside the cabin, it will be of importance.

Along those same lines, check the fan speeds. Missing some fan speeds? Might be your "sword". Analogous to the E30 resistor pack, but a more pricey since it contains circuitry and is buried at the front of the heater box. Access from the passenger footwell.

Check the locking system - another potential issue. Actuators are pricey and used ones are often crappy.

[Motorsports]

I like how E32 looks dropped on Style 5 or M parallels.

[rThor432]

rThor - I'm about 95% sure that they didn't have the self leveling suspension until in the 735il, but I'll find out tomorrow. :D What's the best wauy to find out?

Ah I didnt notice that you just said 735i. Check under the rear end for hydraulic accumulators by the trailing arms. Pretty easy to pick out the hydraulic lines that dont run to the brakes. If the system works, it is nice. If it doesnt, it's easily bypassed (there is/was a kit back in the day) and Bilsteins make a great upgrade (of course)

Trey brought up a good point about the seat cables. Make sure to use the power adjustments to see if the seat back twists. You can fix it yourself in an hour or so, if you remove the seat from the vehicle and do the work on a bench (the easy way).

[TDE30]

I'm pretty sure all E32's had SLS. If you haven't already left to go see the car, try getting it on a lift to see if there is any seepage at the accumulators. IIRC, they are about $200 for both for E34's (so maybe around $250 for E32's) but while you are in there, it'd be best to replace some hoses and lines in the vicinity of the accumulator. My parent's E34 540i just had the rear accumulators replaced (at 200k,) so it might be something worth checking into. It's another potential nickle and dime situation.