Need tips, buying 523i

[James523i]

G'day how are we all today. I'm new to this forum and i am currently in the market for a 1998 automatic 523i, who can give me some information about it to better understand the car.

 

[James523i]

Also just to add, the 523i is almost identical to the 528i. So all the information you have on the 528i will also be greatly appreciated.

 

[Kirby]

Welcome!

Can't help specifically on the 5 series, I have no experience with them. But they do share the same engine, so a few things to be aware of in that area:
- Water pump may have plastic blades that will crack, and should be replaced
- Radiators tend to fail around 100 - 150K miles, the plastic gets weak from heat and cracks develop.
- It probably has a guibo (flex disk) that connects the transmission to the drive shaft. These tend to crack and need replacing around 100 - 150K miles.