E34 5 series

[makaio]

I had a 89 525 with an auto. Yeah it was slow and heavy, but it was comfortable, and was a great commuter. It replaced my old 87 E30 that I sold. But I never liked it like my E30 so I sold it after a couple years.

[JoeP]

Stay away from the m20 powered 525's. It's just too much car for the engine. M30 powered 535 is your best bet. It's hard to kill a M30 and the big six is just a sexy engine!

[e30s52]

i have a e34 92 525i with a m50. not alot of power but great commuter car and it looks really good alpine white is the way to go.

[SpecM]

Stay away from the m20 powered 525's. It's just too much car for the engine. M30 powered 535 is your best bet. It's hard to kill a M30 and the big six is just a sexy engine!

-m30 e34 ftw. Some guy who works down the street from me DD's a black-on-black 5-spd 535i. Love that car. Wish I had my e34 back seriously... even if was "just" an m50, which is enough engine for a 5er imho, although not too powerful. I'd stay away from a m20 e34 also btw, unless you were going to stroke or boost it or something cool.

[johnwoo]

ok need some help with the moniker. which engine is the m20? which is the m30 and which is the m50?

[JJe30]

M20 is the same as the 325i motor, M30 is a 3.3L (depending on the year) but in an e34 would be a 3.5L 6 and the m50 is a 2.5L single vanos motor (unless you have a 92)

[TopOfTheLine89]

Just get an e30, way more fun to drive in my opinion. I drove a e34 once, they look good and i would own one as a DD maybe but it is a boat compared to an e30, i wasn't fun to park either. I would guess that most e30's get better gas mileage too. I didn't think it was hard to find an e30 anywhere considering how many were made.

[johnwoo]

Just get an e30, way more fun to drive in my opinion. I drove a e34 once, they look good and i would own one as a DD maybe but it is a boat compared to an e30, i wasn't fun to park either. I would guess that most e30's get better gas mileage too. I didn't think it was hard to find an e30 anywhere considering how many were made.

yeh but the key is to find a e30 thats not ragged out. they are pretty much ragged out around here. and its a double whammy trying to find a later e30 89-91

[SchnellerVert]

E34 perfect sized highway commuter comfortable for 4. The longer wheelbase helps, granted I like the E39's but E34 are not that hard to work on and they were pre-CAD design unlike the E36 and it's malidies.

[smonkbmw]

i think a 93+ 525 would be a fun car if you added s50 cams, 3.5maf, injectors and software. tell me a extra 20-30hp wouldnt make it a decent car!

[SchnellerVert]

i think a 93+ 525 would be a fun car if you added s50 cams, 3.5maf, injectors and software. tell me a extra 20-30hp wouldnt make it a decent car!

For that matter just toss in a S5X variant. Being done more than you expect these days on BFc.

[kendogg]

E34 525 vanos w/TRM turbo???

Other than a 535, thats the only E34 I'd ever buy.

[KurtAZ]

Had an e34 535i but in Auto...that car was too comfortable...I took it on a longer trip and almost fell asleep driving it. Recommend the stick shift if you can find it or an E34 M5 :). If you have to do 4 doors.

[Coco Savage]

friend of mine has two 535's , he selling one thats MT

[euroshark]

tough to beat a big 6

You got that right, Blunt.

As far as 525is go, the M50 is a good engine and is pretty flexible... I'd totally drive a 525i 5 speed if it was my commuting car, the gas mileage would be nice. Otherwise, I'd go 535i because the M30 seriously is indestructible. Even if you have to get an automatic and do a 5 speed conversion, it would be worth it I think.