I got my eyes set on a 1991 525i. I have never owned a bmw, just japanese vehicles, but it is time for something different.

About the car:

Imported from Japan recently.
98,000 original kilometers (60,000 miles)
black
auto
recaro interior
factory body kit, and upgraded bmw wheels
etc, etc,....looks real nice & clean.

Anyways, I am wondering about the reliability of this vehicle. I wont be able to get my hands on any service history receipts as it is an import from japan. Should there be anything to worry about, or anything that I should specifically look into when testing her out? I'm not too concerened about not having the service records, only because of the low mileage.

Any and all input is appreciated.

Thanks.

Have you inspected this car in person before??? BMW from Japan sounds very sketchy.

http://www.bmw4life.com/index.htmhttp://www.bmw4life.com/index.htm

check that site out

I'm inspecting it tomorrow and taking it for a test drive. The whole japan import thing dosn't scare me, I just want to know if there is anything in particular that I should look out for that is common with this year/model bmw.

Also, what kind of scheduled maintenance is there to do around the 100,000 km (60,000mile) mark for this car?

thanks

Why are your eyes set on a German car imported from Japan?
I know it is not a big deal, but why of all the 91 525i's, this one?
Look further. There are tons.

Not sure about this, but shouldn't all cars from Japan regardless of manufacturer be made as right hand drive?

Not sure about this, but shouldn't all cars from Japan regardless of manufacturer be made as right hand drive?
yup. imagine yourself trying to make a left hand turn with a semi directly in front of you also making a left turn. you'll never see whats coming.

Welcome to the site footy.

Just test drive it. If the tranny shifts fine and there are no weird noises coming from the engine. Negotiate.

Look underneath and check for any leakage. If you find some. Negotiate some more.

If the brakes vibrate when stopping. Negotiate again.

If you notice a pee stain and smell from the carpet. Hold your breath...and negotiate.

The price you're willing to pay is entirely up to you.

The car is left hand drive....both left and right are available from Japan. I actually like the fact that it is imported from Japan, because of their strict vehicle regulations and low mileage. I have checked out a few others, but they are all around the 200,000 kilometer range on the odometer. I really like the 98,000 on this one.

The main thing I am concerened about is, if there is anything that I should pay particular attention to in this model of bmw. I have done some research, and it seams that there may have been some overheating issues with this engine. Is that true? Anyone had any issues?

Thanks

I've test driven the car, and it is very tight. Braking, tracking, cruising speed are all excellent.

One thing I can mention however is the way the tranny shifts. It is an auto with the 'E' and 'S' modes. It seems to shift very tight....I'm not sure if this is typical of BMW's, but I would have expected a smoother shift.

When put into the 'E' economy mode, the shift is smoother, but still slightly tight. I'm used to driving manual, mabye its just me.

Any opinions.

Footy,
I have a 1991 525i that i bought new in Dec. of 1990. It has the M50 non-vanos 2,5 liter motor. I have just shy of 220,000 miles on it and still runs strong. Nothing major that I can think of has gone wrong with it so far just annoying things.
If you decide to buy this car, do yourself a favor and get a Bentleys Manual for it.

I keep hearing about the auto transmissions being a problem, so far (Knock on wood) I haven't had any serious problems with mine.

Good Luck!!

Hey footy welcome !

Well, as for me my first bmw which was imported from Japan was e30 model 89 , it was real great and new car, that was on 1999,
as my experince the cars which imported from Japan r very clean and cheap in my place and many OEM options it has

My e34 540 was imported from Japan with 60000 Km on clock and my late 525i was imported from Japan too with 90000 Km on clock too.

Not sure about this, but shouldn't all cars from Japan regardless of manufacturer be made as right hand drive?

no, a decent amount of japanese cars are LHD.

To the OP: 60k miles aint bad at all!. if it seems ok, get a PPI, and pick it up. you seem to want it, go for it.

60K, that pretty good.... I'd get it.

Thanks for the advice. I'm going to go for it....I'll probably get it into the indie on monday to have a full inspection before handing the cash over. I don't see there being any major problems with the vehicle though.