1995 525i - how many miles to expect?

Is that the one with steam injection?

My last E34 with the older M50 engine was still fine at 366,400 miles when I sold it last year. I maintain a friend's 525i and this one has over 420k miles on it now. Both of these are manuals though, not autos. Regular maintenance using quality synthetic oils and filters reality helps.

JB

My brothers '87 520 has over 230000 miles on the engine - and is used for towing a heavy caravan - but still uses virtually no oil. Nor has it ever had anything other than reasonable quality dino oil changed when the service indicator says to. Looks like the engine will long outlast the body.

140K. Just about run in then. :-) My '94 525i SE has 170k and it still runs perfectly, and needs no oil between oil changes. Mike.

I read and laugh at my mistake.. surely it's a 1995!!

sc

Thanks guys.. I may keep the car!!

sc

I'm almost certain you actually picked up a 1995 5 Series. I had a '94 3 Series with what I think is the same motor (the M50), and I had 225,000 on the car when an errant driver made a series of poor choices as I approached her location. Her bad choices resulted in a total loss of my car.

Sorry to hear about your car. Yes, as you guessed it's a 1995!

sc

I've seen people with 550,000 miles on that car and in perfect running order. You will probably wreck it before the engine gives out. This is assuming that you keep your engine and transmission fluids in check. The plastic parts and seals/gaskets will fail, but they don't cost anything but labor. The car is really a tank.

You should put this in your sig. Maybe it would help settle that endless argument about oil change (and type) intervals.

I agree. An observation though:

Everyone seems to agree this is a bulletproof engine in an E34 5 series, while at the same time people deride the E36 with the identical engine.

I'm of the opinion that both the E34 and E36 with the small 6 are great cars (in their own individual ways)