91 BMW 535i - Any known defects/Common points of failure????????

It auto-tranny - when was it last replaced. They're good for about 130k miles if not abused.

Check the condition of the camshaft lobes (open the oil fill cap and LOOK) - there are bolts holding an oil-spray rail down that liked to back out and cause a loss of oil-spray. BMW replaced these on late model M30 engines with loctite'd ones.. which have a circular groove cut into the head (also visible through the oil cap..)

Other than that - suspension - check it for wobbles at 60-80MPH. If it does - it needs work (bushings primarily). If on original struts and shocks they are very tired by now. Check drivers door for cracking where the door-check (thing that keeps door from opening too wide) goes into the door - they all do it - there are repair kits for it, hopefully the repair has been done. Make sure HVAC all works - this car used R12 so if it doesn't - it's expensive to fix (requires an R134 conversion, new compressor, all that good stuff..)

That's about it. Nice comfortable powerful car. Especially nice if a

Generally - look for things that would be wrong on any 16 year old car.. not that there are that many US ones that old still running around.

Ben,

Check out this website:

My 1990 535i auto has done 180k miles, the last 20k being on LPG. The only major thing I have had to do is replace the exhaust valve guides due to wear. It was not burning oil but started suffering backfires on LPG. In its life I have changed the radiator once, the discs (rotors) once, all four shock absorbers, water pump and rear sub frame bushes. It still has the original complete exhaust system.

I have always run it on fully synthetic oil and changed it at twice the normal interval.

The best car I have owned - it doesn't owe me a penny! I now use it as a runabout as it saves putting mileage on my Landcruiser!

John