About to purchase 525D Auto Advice please

Hello to all. I am new hear and would welcome advice please. Am about to purchase a 1992 525D automatique. One previous owner, ellderly gent now deceased. It has done 72000 kms which is low mileage for France. I want to know if it is a good car and will I have trouble with the auto gearbox? I also want to know what BHP it is. It has no alloys, no air conditioning either They want 6500 euros for it which is negotiable. Comments and advice if you please. Thank you

Originally Posted by Pierush

Hello to all. I am new hear and would welcome advice please. Am about to purchase a 1992 525D automatique. One previous owner, ellderly gent now deceased. It has done 72000 kms which is low mileage for France. I want to know if it is a good car and will I have trouble with the auto gearbox? I also want to know what BHP it is. It has no alloys, no air conditioning either They want 6500 euros for it which is negotiable. Comments and advice if you please. Thank you

1992 means it would be an E34. These were usually badged 525td (without intercooler, 116 ch) or 525tds (with intercooler, 143 ch). If the car is a 525td and is an automatic, it will have a four-speed autobox built in Strasbourg by GM Powertrain. It's not the quickest-shifting 'box out there, but it is reasonably robust. If it's the 525tds, its autobox will be a 5-speed made by ZF. These are a bit more fragile.

The 525tds engine tends to blow its head gasket as it gets older. The 525td, with less power, is less likely to do this. Have the transmission oil checked and changed (it should not be brown or burnt or have metal bits in it!) and have the turbo and engine compression checked. At 72,000 km, the engine should be burning little or no oil, assuming it's been used regularly. If you like the car, its condition is OK and don't mind the lack of air conditioning, have the engine mounts changed too. Makes a world of difference.