king bee66 Posted November 10, 2011 Report Share Posted November 10, 2011 im helping a friend of mine buy a 1990 7 series 3.5. we went and checked it out today, the motor sounds pretty solid apart from a loose ticking sound around the throttle body( it seemed external but it was too dark to look into it). it has 220k miles original, is anyone formiliar enough to know the average lifespan of these motors? it seems to have been well looked after. Quote Link to comment
I'm BLUE Posted November 10, 2011 Report Share Posted November 10, 2011 Idk ... They run strong and hard .. usually odometers break around the so who knows real mileage ... Errrrrrrr ... Fun until paying money to fix ... Idk for sure Quote Link to comment
Lozer Posted November 10, 2011 Report Share Posted November 10, 2011 most likely just needs a valve adjustment. (10mm wrench, feeler gauge, and the right size allen wrench) They can go for quite some time but 220 is pretty high. I would plan on valves and a head rebuild soon at the very least. The auto transmissions are shit expect them to last 100k on average (with good maintenance) Check the flex guibo (real name)connects the drive shaft to the trans (common failure) Quote Link to comment
king bee66 Posted November 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 10, 2011 Idk ... They run strong and hard .. usually odometers break around the so who knows real mileage ... Errrrrrrr ... Fun until paying money to fix ... Idk for sure lol thats reassuring. its had two adult owners, the one that has it now for 16 years. so i dont think its been given the business. it was a blast to take on a testdrive though. Quote Link to comment
king bee66 Posted November 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 10, 2011 most likely just needs a valve adjustment. (10mm wrench, feeler gauge, and the right size allen wrench) They can go for quite some time but 220 is pretty high. I would plan on valves and a head rebuild soon at the very least. The auto transmissions are shit expect them to last 100k on average (with good maintenance) Check the flex guibo (real name)connects the drive shaft to the trans (common failure) its the original tranny, the guy said he changed the fluid in it often to keep it fresh, like a few times a year... it has a few other problems like mooshy brakes, slight power steering leak. control arms need to probably be replaced its for a girl, she was ready to drop the asking 2k on the spot, im really glad i was there. Quote Link to comment
I'm BLUE Posted November 10, 2011 Report Share Posted November 10, 2011 lol thats reassuring. its had two adult owners, the one that has it now for 16 years. so i dont think its been given the business. it was a blast to take on a testdrive though. Nice ! Yeah they r !!! ... I drove a couple of sticks ... ;) Quote Link to comment
flatcat19 Posted November 10, 2011 Report Share Posted November 10, 2011 As a used car, I would steer clear. Now, saying that it is for a girl...this thing will either be neglected-or if she does want to fix things, it will be a money pit. I have a theory, that European cars adapt to the driver and their driving style. As soon as the next driver comes along-car is done. Vehicle has already broken in to the original driver. Any stress/change beyond that makes matters stressful. I know that is not accurate-but any time around multiple European cars and you will believe it is plausible. The 7's have had great reviews as new cars. The 7's have had horrible reviews as a used car. Quote Link to comment
Hardwyre Posted November 10, 2011 Report Share Posted November 10, 2011 As a used car, I would steer clear. Now, saying that it is for a girl...this thing will either be neglected-or if she does want to fix things, it will be a money pit. I have a theory, that European cars adapt to the driver and their driving style. As soon as the next driver comes along-car is done. Vehicle has already broken in to the original driver. Any stress/change beyond that makes matters stressful. I know that is not accurate-but any time around multiple European cars and you will believe it is plausible. The 7's have had great reviews as new cars. The 7's have had horrible reviews as a used car. Emperical data supports your theory. I've seen German cars go for 200k on an owner, then blow up in less than 1k with a new owner. Quote Link to comment
MicroMachinery Posted November 10, 2011 Report Share Posted November 10, 2011 220k original miles? :lol: BMW = Break My Wallet. I tried talking my mom out of getting one, but noooo. Now she's got a problematic, status piece of euro trash. Expensive parts, expensive repairs. I'd steer clear, especially of one with that many miles. Point her towards a 510: the poor man's BMW ;) Quote Link to comment
flatcat19 Posted November 10, 2011 Report Share Posted November 10, 2011 the poor man's BMW ;) Or a 318. :lol: Quote Link to comment
king bee66 Posted November 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 10, 2011 i really am not looking forward to telling her what i had already suspect, she really liked the car. shes not the type that would neglect a car, she keeps her things really nice and has a good head on her shoulders. just, she has a tendency to be taken advantage of. for instance she got a flat and was going to buy a new used tire from "discount" tires for 100+$, i told her to take the flat to a mexican place to have it patched and it ended up costing her 15$. and since im not dating her anymore :P i cant be there to hold her hand all the time. Quote Link to comment
Laecaon Posted November 10, 2011 Report Share Posted November 10, 2011 Im at 130k on my 01 Jetta. Onlything that has died is the water pump. But I do like your theory Flat. German cars are for people who are car enthusiasts who want that specific car, knows what it takes to keep running, and are not afraid to fix it whether that means themselves or with money. I will recommend a VW all day long, but not to everybody, but to only those who show a strong interest and actually know about cars in general. Quote Link to comment
king bee66 Posted November 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 10, 2011 id love to get her into a 510 but they are few and far between in texas, there is a one up in austin right now actually but the guy wants over 5000 for it Quote Link to comment
Hardwyre Posted November 10, 2011 Report Share Posted November 10, 2011 id love to get her into a 510 but they are few and far between in texas, there is a one up in austin right now actually but the guy wants over 5000 for it I tried googling "BMW 510" and Google just laughed at me and flipped the bird. Then I realized what you meant. :P Quote Link to comment
Lozer Posted November 10, 2011 Report Share Posted November 10, 2011 Ok if it's for a mechanically disinclined female I would completely steer clear. Every time she takes it In the indies or the dealer are gong to take her to the cleaners. Quote Link to comment
elmerfudpucker Posted November 10, 2011 Report Share Posted November 10, 2011 You know the difference between a porcupine and a BMW? on the porcupine the pricks are on the outside! ;) Quote Link to comment
The Dat-side Posted November 10, 2011 Report Share Posted November 10, 2011 You know the difference between a porcupine and a BMW? on the porcupine the pricks are on the outside! ;) So true! I got one friend that's into the older ones, E21/28 and 2002, then there's another friend with an E36 M3. You can guess which is the prick. Quote Link to comment
yello620 Posted November 10, 2011 Report Share Posted November 10, 2011 I really like my 5 series BMW, currently at 192K. I dont really find parts to be more expensive for it either, but labor would suck if i had to pay to have work done. It would then live up to the name BMW(Bavarian Money Waster). I would not recommend a 5 or 7 series to a girl that is needing to pay labor for repairs though. Quote Link to comment
dennis Posted November 10, 2011 Report Share Posted November 10, 2011 Run, BMW's and Mercedes are crap cars. I had a 328i since new and it was in the shop all the time. Right before the warranty expired I got rid of it. They do not make them like they use too back in the 80's and earlier. Quote Link to comment
flatcat19 Posted November 10, 2011 Report Share Posted November 10, 2011 I really like my 5 series BMW, currently at 192K. I dont really find parts to be more expensive for it either, but labor would suck if i had to pay to have work done. It would then live up to the name BMW(Bavarian Money Waster). I would not recommend a 5 or 7 series to a girl that is needing to pay labor for repairs though. Word. Every bit of it. Quote Link to comment
bonvo Posted November 10, 2011 Report Share Posted November 10, 2011 bmw= bring money with you is she were to get it she would have to start workin the corner the second it needs a tune up and forget any major repairs Quote Link to comment
INDY510 Posted November 10, 2011 Report Share Posted November 10, 2011 . My friend who has E30's says you need a set of 1ft to 5ft rachet extensions with wobblers just to do basic jobs .... :blink: and that's for a mid 80's somewhat simple looking inline six .. . some 80's beemers last forever ... . any 5 series or 7 series after 1988 is a POS money pit Quote Link to comment
Jennifer Posted November 10, 2011 Report Share Posted November 10, 2011 Idk ... They run strong and hard .. usually odometers break around the so who knows real mileage ... Errrrrrrr ... Fun until paying money to fix ... Idk for sure Nice ! Yeah they r !!! ... I drove a couple of sticks ... ;) hahaaha.. :lol: Quote Link to comment
king bee66 Posted November 12, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2011 so she ended up buying it anyways. even after i told her if she wanted to keep it running she'd have to baby the shit out of it, and that even then there was no guarantee it wouldnt be a money pit. then she got mad at me for making her feel guilty for wanting to buy it... oh well Quote Link to comment
bonvo Posted November 12, 2011 Report Share Posted November 12, 2011 so is she hot? what corner will she be working once it breaks Quote Link to comment
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