I have been looking into getting an E34. I love how they look and all that.

I don't want a 525i, not enough power, and a 540i/6 is way outa my price range, but I can get a 540iA for around 2500.
So that now leaves a 535i/5 and a 530i/5.
What are the pros and cons? Gas mileage/maintance/working on/ectrera.

Each has their own potential gremlins but the general consensus is that the 535i/5 is more reliable.

For the record, I bought my 530i/5 with 130,000 miles and it needed 2 head gaskets and PCV gaskets. After the headgaskets it still ran like crap so I ditched that motor in favor of a 4.0L. My 535i/5 has needed zero maintenance and it almost has 200k.

How bout performance wise?

How bout performance wise?
530i 0-60 7.7sec 215hp / 214tq
535i 0-60 7.7sec 208hp / 225tq

They are more or less the same performance wise.

Driving is another story. The 530i feels much more civilized with smoother acceleration and less engine noise. The 535i is more raw and feels like it has a little more grunt in the lower RPM's.

My 530i got an average of around 20mpg and the 535i gets about 23mpg.

A couple more things to think about...

The 530i has 2 more cylinders so it's going to cost you more for stuff like spark plugs and injectors (if you need them).

The 535i is narrow grill, the 530i is wide grill.

wat about for an eventual turbo? 535 530 540 or 525?? Always somethin to consider...

I would deffinitely go for the 535. Just the better option all around IMO.

I am thinking of doing a 535i/5 and I found a Euro 745i for sale, basicly an M30 with a turbo that pushed around 260hp on low boost. Maybe swap the engines. We shall see.

My 530i got an average of around 20mpg and the 535i gets about 23mpg.

hers the official numbers

535i
Standard Engine 3.4L 208 hp I6
Horsepower 208
Torque (lb-ft) 225
City (mpg) 15 - 16
Highway (mpg) 22 - 23

530i
Standard Engine 3.0L 215 hp V8
Horsepower 215
Torque (lb-ft) 214
City (mpg) 16
Highway (mpg) 25

hers the official numbers

535i
Standard Engine 3.4L 208 hp I6
Horsepower 208
Torque (lb-ft) 225
City (mpg) 15 - 16
Highway (mpg) 22 - 23

530i
Standard Engine 3.0L 215 hp V8
Horsepower 215
Torque (lb-ft) 214
City (mpg) 16
Highway (mpg) 25
Official numbers 15 years ago :stickoutt

Official numbers 15 years ago :stickoutt

exactly. i get 25 mpg though (530i).

Torque matters :)

Oh and another thing to consider is that the 535i tends to get much higher gains from a chip.

Not many people can offer a first hand opinion on both cars. I can honestly say that I prefer the 530i to the 535i for the reasons I already mentioned.

I really like my 530i. The engine has smooth acceleration. My 528i (M30B28) has smooth acceleration also and idles pretty good. A bit noisy but I do not care. Honestly I'd like to have both. The M60B30 could be a little harder to work on (ie head gaskets) and be more expensive to maintain but it is worth it. If I really had to choose, I'd get a 535i. I find them easier to work on.

530i 0-60 7.7sec 215hp / 214tq
535i 0-60 7.7sec 208hp / 225tq

how strange does that look... the smaller motor has more hp, and the V8 has less tq than the V6!! :rofl

What V6?

I really like my 530i. The engine has smooth acceleration. My 528i (M30B28) has smooth acceleration also and idles pretty good. A bit noisy but I do not care. Honestly I'd like to have both. The M60B30 could be a little harder to work on (ie head gaskets) and be more expensive to maintain but it is worth it. If I really had to choose, I'd get a 535i. I find them easier to work on.

I'm with you on that. I had the 3.3L m30 and it was a great engine but there were a lot of things i didnt like about it. lifter ticking noises, rough idle, poor injectors that always needed to be cleaned, 30k mile valve adjustments, and you have the potential for internal block corrosion in the cooling system. I didnt get very good gas mileage in my case it was probably around 19 or maybe less but that was in the e23 of course doesnt really apply here. Apparently theres also some banjo bolt issue which i never had. I guess the newer engine Im sure is better but if I had that I would have to swap out the afm for an maf. The m60 of course has its share of issues, but you if you get an alusil once you reseal the engine its good to go problem free.

Hmmm, I just remembered how much I HATE valve adjustments on my M20!

I'm with you on that. I had the 3.3L m30 and it was a great engine but there were a lot of things i didnt like about it. lifter ticking noises, rough idle, poor injectors that always needed to be cleaned, 30k mile valve adjustments.

Having had an e34 with an M50 and now a M30, I have to agree. The later engines are much smoother and more civilized. The M30 was clearly at the end of its lifecyle, it is at the ragged edge of running trying to balance emissions with performance and mileage, in a single came, 2v per cyl engine.

... V6!!

Uhoh...:nono

Granted that I've never driven a 530i, my impression is that aside from engine smoothness and no need to adjust valves, it's a bit pointless in the E34 lineup, and is a predecessor of iDrive in BMW's history of modernization for its own sake, at the expense of much of everything else.

I'm not bashing 530i owners or their cars, but I've gathered that they seem to get all the problems of the 540i with almost none of its benefits, and no major improvement in fuel economy, or really anything aside from smoothness (and presumably emissions). I'd rather adjust my valves every 30k than deal with leaky gaskets. Stock vs. stock, the V8 car has a touch more top-end power, but a chip on each, and it's got the same power and a good deal less torque.

The M30 sounds a lot better, IMO. It's louder, but even with a partially rotted muffler and an EAT chip, it's not what I'd call intrusive or objectionable. I'm guessing that some of the M30's extra noise is due to its lack of a cover. M60 owners who've removed theirs at one point or other - how much louder was it?

Once you learn how to adjust the valves yourself, the M30 is worry free for 200K. Given you use the recommended orange coolant and tighten the oil sprayer banjo bolts.

I own both.


The only reason I'm willing to drive the M60B30 is because I'm going to rip it out and replace it with a different V8. The M60 is slower, far harder to work on, much more expensive, and has a less flexible powerband.

A properly tuned M30 with a couple of basic mods (flywheel, injectors) is smooth and quiet. You can't fix the problems with the M60.

how strange does that look... the smaller motor has more hp, and the V8 has less tq than the V6!! :rofl

I'm not going to say anything :)

M30 ftw! What's not to love?

the M30 is so amazing.

The M30 is a dinasauros for a engine, but its so AWESOME:D

I considered buying a e32 730ia V8 at the time when i bought mine, but once i tried the e34 535i out, there was no turning back. Even though the e32 is much bigger and heavier car, you just felt the m60b30 wasn't it, even though it was sooo smooth, and the V8 sound:buttrock