This 1992 E34 535iSE felt very flat to drive, although it could still drag itself up to a respectable speed. So we took it to Neil at N.E. Motors to find out why.

More...

It all checked-out OK on the surface - the On-Board Diagnostics system was registering no faults, no inlet air leaks, plugs, filters, etc all new and no excessive back pressure was being generated by the 'cat'. With the car running on the dyno, and a Snap-On diagnostics display attached, the problem was quickly traced to a 'lazy' exhaust oxygen sensor.

More...

So how much power does a nine year old 535i SE develop? Answer - 156bhp at the wheels, which approximates to 210 at the flywheel (even with the dodgy sensor). Incidentally, it's quite amusing to watch the speedometer needle sweep around past 160! Many thanks go to Neil at N.E. Motors for his swift and accurate diagnosis work.