We received the following listing from a reader of ours who has his E34 M5 for sale on MyE28.com. The second generation M5 needs no introduction on this site, as it straddles the gap between the limited run first generation and the legendary E39 M5 with its 400 horsepower V8. These E34s are not too common these days, but good ones do come up for sale here and there. This one, while well used, has an extensive service history and is ready to enjoy.
1991 BMW M5 on MyE28.com
The seller states:
Well, it has come time for me to move-on to another vehicle. I can hardly believe it has been less than a year since I bought this fine machine. However, I have the opportunity to purchase another well-kept vintage BMW model that I’ve always wanted but have never pursued. As it turns out, the right one has become available from a true BMW enthusiast. I would really prefer that this ///M5 go to another 5er fan. I have been favorably impressed with the e34 experience and would gladly own another. They are superb long-haul road cars with enviable build and design qualities.
Maintenance has been performed by independent shops and DIY. I purchased the car from an enthusiast in VA who bought it from his BMW technician / independent shop owner in Alexandria, VA. This car was in his small collection of ///M cars and is still shown on the splash page of his shop’s website…2nd from the left: www.martinmotorsportsinc.com .
Major work done in the past few years includes:
– Timing Chain Assembly (97k)
– Clutch and Flywheel (160k)
– Brake pads and Zimmerman cross-drilled rotors (130k)
– OE Water Pump (171k)
– Coolant reservoir (OE BMW)
– Thrust & Control Arms (177k)
– Tie-Rods (177k)
– OE Ignition Wires
– Bosch Cap & Rotor (~171k)
– S38b36 valve adjustment (~171k)
– Air Conditioning system upgraded (2009) — works very well even considering the extreme Florida temps & humidity during the summerPerformance & Cosmetic Modifications include:
-H&R lowering springs
-Bilstein Sports
-Self Leveling Suspension Delete
-850 bushings
-Turner Motorsport chip (+39hp +38tq 7500rpm rev limit)
-UUC Short Shifer (177k)
-UUC DSSR (177k)
– UUC “Rob Knob” Weighted Shift knob (177k)
– ///M-Sport Mirrors (OEM)
– e39 ///M5 low-profile rubber trunk lid spoiler (OE BMW)I have performed the following work since buying the car (April 2010):
– Radiator (Sickens) and cooling hoses
– Drive belts (Continental)
– Dog Bones (Lemforder)
– New Tires (Sumitomo HTR-Z)
– Brake Fluid change (SuperBlue)
– RF caliper rebuilt
– Spark Plugs (Bosch OE)
– Bosch O2 sensor
– Half-shafts repacked and boots replaced
– Tail lamp gaskets (OE BMW)
– Rubber Door Pull Surrounds (OE BMW)
– New leather shift boot (installed)
– New leather e-Brake boot (not yet installed)
– Leather-clad center console, glove box, and dash from Euro ///M5
– Eurospec ///M-Tech 3-spoke steering wheel (note: I reserve the right to keep this for my next BMW, however)
– Installed protective headlight film (w/ “French” yellow on high beams) by www.XPel.com
– New rubber shift “donut” (OE BMW)
– New OE BMW under tray (not yet installed)
– Door Cards replaced with nicely kept used set
– Regular oil and filter changes (5k mile intervals; Valvoline VR1; Mahle filter cartridge)
– OE BMW Plush Floor Mat set
…and MORE (will add as I remember it)Things to Consider & Points to Ponder:
My M5 has been driven by all of its previous owners. It is not a garage queen or show car. It is exactly what I wanted in an e34 M5…a “nicely preserved and maintained daily driver.” Exterior trim and paint have been well kept by me and the previous owners. At some point, the entire car was resprayed. I would consider it a good job but the prep work could have been a bit better in some places. Presently, I would rate the condition of the paint 7.5/10. The interior has been very well kept (8/10). There are no rips or tears in the leather. There is no rust or corrosion on the car. However, the heat shielding / sound proofing around the factory final silencer (muffler) is peeling off in places (see photos from PPI below). Also, the undercarriage is clean but some careless fool caused some jack damage to the forward frame rails (see link to PPI photos below). This could have been easily prevented with the judicious use of a wooden block. Finally, at the next valve adjustment (due @ ~186k miles), a source of minor oil seepage will need to be addressed at the front of the valve cover and/or at the gasket where the distributor housing attaches to the head. Again, this is minor but is annoying to me. At present, if the car is parked for 2 or 3 days, a nickel-sized oil drip is evident on the garage floor or driveway.All original VIN tags in place except RF fender, which was replaced with a OE BMW unit at some point in the car’s history. The body is in nice condition. The car tracks straight / true and exhibits no unusual handling characteristics whatsoever.
This M5 ticks all the right boxes for me. Given this model’s rarity, you will oftentimes find ones with insanely high mileage that are clapped out, or cream puff examples with under 50k miles that you would be afraid to take on a long journey. This car hits the sweet spot and has the documentation to back it up. For around $10,000, it’s a hell of a lot of car and should have plenty of enjoyment left to give.
-Paul
