Is It a Sport ?? RESULT : More Pics Added

mcpie wrote: but I was wondering if the mirrors fitted were correct for the shape of grill, i/e the narrow nosed version. ?

The later mirrors were fitted from L plate on regardless of the grill. My 93 L 525 had the later mirrors as well. Not a great picture but here it is:

 

Not really Jim...Def sports seats though...The biggest giveaway is the fact it hasnt got a limited slip diff and the log book designation.

Someone has added the IS badge and the chrome "rings" to the clocks, both look good to me.

TBH it looks fab and it wouldnt bother me anyway, the previous owner probably genuinely believed it was a sport..

From the roadtests I have of the time when the car was launched, the sport appeared to the road testers to be more of a marketing excercise by BMW rather than a completely different model to the standard car anyway...Which is hard to argue with

Face, bothered?!!

Enjoy it for what it is

 

 

mcpie wrote: Well, I’ve been lucky enough to find a 64,000 mile (one owner) G plate 525i Sport. It was garaged and fully maintained by the local BMW dealer and consequently is already very clean. The interior is “as new” and only needed some leather care cream and floor mats. The boot, spare and tool kit have never been used so I don’t need to touch them… although I did notice one of the spanners had some pitting in the chrome (I’m I taking this too far if I replace the spanner?!!). The engine bay is very clean and the only area of corrosion is the exhaust manifold. I may replace this with a stainless steel unit but I’m not sure. The M-Tech trim on the doors had seen better days and these are being replaced while the car is undergoing a full re-spray. I may get it back on Tuesday or Wednesday of next week. I’m keeping the original colour (Alpine White). While it is in the body shop the windscreen is being replaced and all of the exterior trim/rubbers too. I’m hoping my a set of 1000km Alpine original wheels will arrive from Germany next week too. All in all, I’m spending way more than it’s technically worth but I hope to gain one of the cleanest E34s on the road. I’ll be posting more than one or two pictures when it comes back and I get the wheels on it! I can’t wait…

Your car sounds very similar to mine...!

http://forum.bmw5.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=3578&hl=

 

Not many low mileage ones around now, having said that I saw a 535SE with 40,000K on the clock in one of the BMW mags at the end of last year..Theres another example with 20,000K on it on the forum here as well.

Mines done 65K now, ive not used it at all this winter to keep it looking good..I dont even really like using it in the rain TBH but thats a bit extreme..

Ive not got any corrosion/rust on the car but the paint on the block has peeled away over time and thats really what id like to put right and of course the alloy parts dull over time, i dont want them polished, just bought back to a "new" condition.

Ive also kept the metric tyres on it and the orange indies to keep it looking "proper"...I would like some "normal" tyres but i like the look of the O/E wheels

 

 

 

 

 

mcpie wrote: I forgot to say, it's a very nice example regardless. I'm restoring my sport to concourse condition too!

 

How are you intending to do this mcpie?

Id like to do the same to my car, id really like to get the engine out and get the block re-painted and give the engine a general refurb.(not re-build!) but i havent the equipment or tools to do this.

 

does any one know of a garage who can do this? Midlands/Herts/Beds/Bucks preferably

I just wanna drive the car in and pick it up after its done!

 

I forgot to say, it's a very nice example regardless. I'm restoring my sport to
concourse condition too!

I'm not an expert having only recently bought my first BMW (six weeks ago)
but I was wondering if the mirrors fitted were correct for the shape of grill,
i/e the narrow nosed version. I had my E34 525i confirmed by the original
dealer as such but it would certainly be possible to make an SE into a sport.
Do you have any interior pictures?

M5BM : Totally Agree.

 

It appears to be a 525 SE with a full sports package having been fitted.... Not sure what this would have cost when new, but like you correctly say... Why didn't he just buy a Sport....

 

No Problem, I'm still extremely happy with the car, and it's obviously been treated to anything it ever needed, and I intend to continue in that way.

Another nice car saved from the Boy Racers

I think what you have there is an SE thats had a factory fitted sport pack fitted from new, although why the initial owner didn't just buy a sport in the first place. As stated earlier, if it was an official sport I figure it would have the LSD and the computer.

However the power windows and Roof would not have been specified options. They were definately part of the standard SE spec along with rear headrests, foglights and alloys.

Similar to my e39. It's a 523se but had the ful factory sport kit specified as an option. however the "official sport" was not available when mine was built (there are a very few "W" plate sports about but very few) so the Sport pack was quite a popular option. 

 

Still as Confused As Ever......

 

Spoke with BMW Customer Services at Haliwell Jones (Southport) where the car was supplied new, and they state that......

The car is listed as a 525SE, but can't confirm if it's a sport or not ????? However it was a special order and fitted with the following prior to delivery to the 1st Owner on the 1st August 1993.

1. M-Tech Front and Rear Spoilers, Side Skirts, Boot Spoiler, M-Tech Suspension Package, M-Tech Instrument Panel, M-Tech Gear Knob, Sports Seat Option, and M-Tech Steering wheel, plus some non M-Tech related upgrades (Power Windows/sunroof etc). 

I asked them if this made it a 525 Sport, and they informed me that the Sports Pack was an option fitted to 525 SE's............. So when does a 525 become a Sport ?????

Also put the car on the ramps today, and can confirm that it dosen't have a LSD.  However, it does have alloy lower arms (As fitted to the Sport.........!!!!!!!) But once I saw the underneath of the car, I'm even more impressed, it's just the same condition as the bodywork. I feel a concourse entrant here in the making.

So.... I'm just going to enjoy it for "Whatever It Is"...... Even BMW Don't seem to know.....Lol

 

 

 

Edited by Jim Green

brybusa wrote: Sport models should have full OBC, basiclly a sport car is SE spec except for the kit ,LSD,seats as mentioned and suspension ..and i believe it should have sport on the log book,mine does Great looking car thou' Jim..and the cossie...i had one for a bit...smashed it to bits in Dunstable....was a sad day...

 

Whats LSD Seats