Raybimmer said:
BMW 540i manual e 34 number 72 of 72 is for sale in Natal so I checked the Car mag road test against the e36 328i road test .
328i 540i
7.19 0-100 km/h 7.33
27.62 1 KM sprint 27.84
14.59 40-140 3rd gear 14.76
20.82 40-140 4th gear 21.74
28.45 40-140 5th gear 28.73
E39 540i auto did 8.23 0-100 , 28.67 1 km sprint .
Performance is close , now I don't know :fencelook: .
E34 is more cruiser than e36 , but economy will be heavier and spares more expensive .
Any comments ?
The stats are a bit misleading. The E34 manual that CAR tested had an iffy limiter which cut in inconsistently - I think that coupled with the long-legged gearing produces the lazy time. Similarly, the E34 auto that CAR tested weighed considerably more than the official mass, and iirc CAR said it seemed below spec. Also, CAR tests with 2 people aboard, test equipment and a full tank of fuel, although that obviously applies to the E36 as well. But most other tests have the 540i at around 7,50, and the manual was clocked at 7,33. They are both hampered off the line by a rather tall diff ratio, 2,93 for the manual and iirc 2,81 for the auto.
The E39 has a much better step-off from a standing start, so even with the similarly low TC stall speed a steptronic E39 will be much faster off the line than an E34. But even then, weight and inertia mean that the 0-100 isn't truly reflective of the car's ability. For a true reflection, observe its acceleration from 100-200+, and you will see that the 540i is substantially stronger than the 328i. You'd certainly notice the difference in robot-robot going.
As for the E34 being a cruiser, it's a deceptive vehicle. It can waft along very creamily, or it can set your trousers on fire. A well-sorted E34 handles fantastically. I've taken mine up Hels Hoogte pass in the company of some serious machinery, and it kept up admirably. The manual on Throwing Stars and M-Technik suspension will be even better.
