Whatever the case may be, I always come across some of the most interesting cars in the Netherlands. Case in point this BMW M5 Touring. Only 891 examples of this fast five-door were ever produced, making it the second rarest M car behind the M1. Appearing on the scene in 1992, this was the first wagon that was given the M treatment by BMW Motorsport. Under the hood was a 3.8 liter version of the S38B38 inline six, which was the largest capacity six cylinder of the modern era.
Even though I lust after an E39 M5, I have to admit that the E34 has been grabbing my attention for some time, mainly because of what it doesn’t do: shout about its performance. It takes a trained eye to differentiate a normal E34 from the M version. The biggest clue is the wheels, whether the car be fitted with the earlier M System wheels that gave the appearance of white wall tires, or the M System II that we see here, with the “throwing star” covers. Like many enthusiasts, I prefer the later style, and thankfully, this Daytona Violet M5 Touring is fitted with those.
Year: 1993
Model: M5 Touring
Engine: 3.8 liter inline six
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Mileage: 175,500 km (~ 109,051 miles)
Price: €11,950 (~ $15,514 USD)
1993 BMW M5 Touring on Mobile.de
Original BMW M5 E34 340hp
Â
Vehicle Information: VIN WBSHJ91070BL01008, type code HJ91 type M5 (EUR) E series E34 (2) Type 5 Type TOUREngine S38 Displacement 3.80 Power 255 Drive, Daytona Violet Metallic (283), Upholstery silver grey/silver grey light bicolor.
Other equipment numbers: (0493) -01. Description SERVOTRONIC 216 C 339 404 SHADOW LINE DOPPEL-SCH TRANSMISSION LIFTING ROOF, ELECTRIC 417 SUN PROTECTION REAR TZROLLO TUERSCH. 494 SITZHEIZUN G DRIVER / PASSENGER 528 AUTOMATIC FAN CONTROLL (AUC) 534 Klimaautom ATIK 661 BMW BAV. CASS. III 860 FRONT SIDE INDICATORS NL approval.
The description is rather cryptic, with a bunch of option codes thrown out with abbreviations. For such a neat car, I would have hoped for a bit more color in terms of the owner history and significant maintenance/repair items addressed. At $15,500, this M5 Touring isn’t priced a lot higher than some of the better E34 M5 sedans we’ve seen for sale here in the US as of late. Granted, someone who wanted to import this fast five-door into the US would undoubtedly push the purchase cost close to $20,000, if not more considering shipping, customs and federalization costs. I’ve seen a few of these stateside already, so I have hope that it is possible to make these cars legal, as there’s still about a four year wait for the first examples to become exempt under the 25 year rule. Considering this car has just over 100,000 miles, it looks quite tidy for its age. The stamped service booklet and service records will certainly add piece of mind, as well.
-Paul
Great entries for Wagon Week so far, gentlemen. Great theme for Theme Week too. Thank you!
This one looks pretty appealing, except for the not-25-years-old thing, and the other-side-of-the-ocean thing, and of course, the too-expensive-once-you-get-it-here thing. All of which sucks, because this would make an amazing daily driver!
Why is there so many autos from other countries posted on here? We know the Euro’s always got the best models and the US got crap.
Hi Jeff,
The majority of the cars we feature here on GCFSB are from US sellers, but we do have an international reach. Here and there, we like to branch out and find cars in other countries for some readers who may not be stateside. I will admit, though, when it comes to fast wagons and the cars we are featuring this week, a good amount of them won’t be in the US.
Thanks for reading,
Paul
It’s a shame wagons are a dieing breed. Ask any wagon owner about their wagon, and they will give it a very positive review.
I loved the wagons and they got some amazing wagons we never saw like the RS6. I love the site too. This will be the first place I hit when I look for a new car.
with an S38 its ALL about the maintenance….they are rock solid as long as corners aren’t cut ..though some people claim they are money pits as the mileage increases…
there was a Canadian car available for sale earlier this year….originally from Japan…same Daytona Violet color…similar miles & asking price…though it did not look as well kept as this one.