I was offered a BMW 530i Touring ('93, E34) as a deal with my MR2; I'd seen it on eBay, and it looked useful. And automatic. And RWD. And had a towbar.
Starting from cold, lumpier than a very lumpy thing, wouldn't idle. Was nearly out of fuel; put more fuel in, idled and revved.
But the servotronic gubbins under the ABS module was leaking PAS fluid, and even when warm that idle wasn't quite right... and it felt low on power.
Methinks a compression test would have told me many stories.
FWIW, I really liked it apart from that. I could totally live with a not-Nikasil-and-shagged 530i Touring, the driving position was very good, the bootspace decent, and the opening glass bit on the tailgate very handy. I just think that "one that isn't shagged" will be Real Car money (TM) and therefore, not worth the hassle or expense. This one was £1250 asking price; I reckon £600 and I might have taken a risk on the engine lasting another couple of months and the steering just continuing to leak until the tax ran out and I scrapped it.
Only one small patch of rust, too, in the lower edge of the rear door shut, a bit of surface bubbling/staining. Not bad for a '93 car with
150K on it.Richard