Car guys? 1996 BMW 520

My best guess it that it should be reasonable if you can do your own work, but check around the forums.

It's an E34 chassis with an M50 motor.

eg.

Parts should be available from autohausaz.com, pelican, and from online dealers such as

also see

Best regards, Spehro Pefhany

The 520i is the mid range model, at least overt here, and is quite prestigious to own (but down a notch from the Mercedes :-). I owned an older model for a bit and found it very expensive to repair due to parts costs being much higher than other makes here.

The "pecking order" can be determined by how a hotel doorman reacts when you drive in. If he ignores you then you are likely driving a Toyota. If he saunters over and opens the door you likely have a BMW, but if he runs over, opens the door and bows then it is a Mercedes :-)

Isn't a Bimmer made that isn't a money pit. If you have to ask what it costs you can't afford it. Not saying they are a bad car - but a cheap car to own they most definitely are NOT. Might fare better in the desert than they do here - but a 17 year old Bimmer here is considered a "hobby" car.

Well built car. Solid and dependable. Parts are usually $$$ though. BUT as a trade for a 3.0 POS I'd do it in a heartbeat. Worst case would be that you part it out on 'bay or similar.

Of course Id be doing my own repairs. Shrug. They cant be all that different from Toyotas. Parts..can they be found outside of dealers shelves?

My neighbors truck was made in 1937...so yah..the desert is easier on them

Gunner

Thats kinda what I was thinking. That Mazda has sat in my side yard since 2009. Ive put a bunch of for sale signs on it over the past 3 yrs..but all I get are people wanting to scrap it or illegals who want to give me frejoles and $300 and dont worry about the tags..they wont register it anyways.

I LOVe that old bitch...Ive written about her many times over the years, back in the early 2000s. Hell..I remember talking bout it just hitting 109k in one of the posts

But...unless I fix her back up..which I purely cannot do at the moment....shrug

I still have that big ass van down in So Cal..that E350 Id forgotten Id owned after I had the stroke..the one with the Commercial tags on it that expired while I was on the operating table in January 2009

California..really sucks when getting a vehicle reregistered after its sat for 4 yrs without a non-op on it. About $600 to put tags on it

And when I checked it last week..3 of the 4 tires had blown out. Course they were installed on it in 1990....shrug

Its only got less than 14,000 actual miles on it. But the gas mileage...cringe

Im picking up 4 used tires for $100 tommorow and taking them back south to install on the van, so I can have one of the roommates drive it home for me and get it out of my buddies shop side lot.

So I really need the Mazda/Ranger gone..so I can plant the van where it sits....

Gunner

I don't see too many cars upside down on the freeway, but out of the last 3 I saw in when I lived in CA, two were BMW "sports" sedans. I wouldn't _own_ a BMW, let alone pay for one.

LOL I can see it now... "I need to get to my weekly black tie dinner with world renowned economists but my BMW won't start. I used to be a master mechanic but I've forgotten a few things. What's a starter solenoid and where do I find it? Is it under the hood or under the dash? The bastards at Pep Boys want an arm and a leg for a whole starter. Cash is tight since Obama raised the cost of ammo and dog food. Could I use the solenoid off one of my other dead vehicles? I have a machine shop and an electronics shop so I could make an adapter. Please help."

You don't have a wife:

Ive had to take care of a sickly ex wife, my own expenses and Im feeding and sheltering another couple who lost their jobs and their home 18 months ago. I managed to take care of some issues she had, and get him graduated (Saturday) from the England truck driving school, so with a bit of luck, he will be paying me back and she will be finding a job.

That must be a different Gunner. This one says "Ive been married to the same woman since 1975"

But this one says "My ex"

Apparently there are many Gunners posting here. Is the one you're quoting making $75 an hour and attending black tie dinners? Or is he the one that sometimes lives on dumpster food?

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Thunderbird/17.0.5

What..you missed that she came back..and brought my son, the daugther in law and the 3 kids? The third one was born last Tuesday

You just got free on that pesky pysch hold again?

Gunner

Not sure how they are now, but those Krauts built them "different" back in the seventies. On a 2002 (model, not year) the cam came out of the back of the head - so you HAD to remove the head to do anything with the cam - and also lifters IIRC. Unlike the Torota with removeable bearing caps. Lots of other things where there is no thought to making them repairable, much less easily repairable. Doncha know those Bavarian Elves make 'em so good they never break or wear out???? Those cars are made for bald men - they can't tear their hair out.