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The ’80s “eta” engine from BMW eschew top-end screaming power for low-end torque and efficiency and make for great commuters. Today’s 528e is a gem, having covered less than 40,000 miles and looking outstanding in Burgundy over the like-new Natur comfort interior. It needs a few points of attention to be perfect, but I’m not sure perfection is the way to go with this car. As the number of clean E28s still alive dwindles, this is a great candidate to be a fun and reliable DD that stands out from the rest of the bubbles rolling down the highways.
The E46 M3 is a car that truly needs no introduction which is nice because I can get right down to brass tacks. The market for this car is a very curious one to follow. On one end of the spectrum you have high mileage examples with aftermarket parts and evidence of having spent many a weekend at the track. These cars are tempting for many an enthusiast who has always dreamed of hunting apexes with a high revving inline six and doing so with a bit of style. At the other end of the spectrum you have cars like this one that are very clean and are either stock or have been modified with OEM approved parts. These examples come at a premium and I’d say that’s fair given how desirable these cars are when well taken care of.
Having covered only 48,000 miles in 11 years on the road, this particular M3 appears to be in fantastic condition. The Carbon Black over Cinnamon Leather combination is a very sharp look for this car, classier than the usual Silver or Grey over Black. I drove an Emerald Green over Cinnamon Leather model earlier this week but the leather had been poorly cared for and had cracked badly in many places. However even in that rough condition, that interior really made it stand out in a sea of other postings, so much so that I drove an hour to go see it. Makes me appreciate the fine job this owner has done maintaining these seats and the interior overall. Almost completely makes up for the bird poop damage on the roof.
If you’re a fan of the E36/8 BMW M Coupe, you’re in luck this week. Here’s a Dakar Yellow example to compliment the Estoril Blue example we featured at the beginning of the week. This example comes to us from our reader Colby who is seeking a more practical daily driver. Many would balk at the idea of giving up an M Coupe, but with these cars squarely in the crosshairs of collectors and investors alike, using one on a daily basis is a consideration one doesn’t take too lightly these days. With under 60,000 miles on the clock, this is one that would certainly benefit from some preservation, but could be enjoyed regularly, as well.
One car that seems to resonate with readers here at GCFSB is the E34 BMW 5 series. This car was a bit of a bridge between the older and newer era of BMW. With the help of famed automotive designer, J Mays, few cars really got their proportions so right. The E39 5 series to follow was indeed an evolution of this design which lasted right into the new millennium. One of our favorite E34s is this car here, the 540i Sport, offered during the final production year, 1995. With the disappearance of the M5 from the lineup in 1993, there was a void to fill. US customers got most of the M5 goodies mixed in with BMW’s new 4.0 liter V8. This example for sale in Illinois has the favored 6-speed manual gearbox and is a rather tempting piece indeed for the price.
It’s hard to find a single owner “M” car these days, even harder to find one that was assembled by a single person. This 1993 BMW M5 checks both those boxes and has the added bonus of having traveled a paltry 9,880 miles in its 22 year lifespan. Perhaps that’s why I didn’t get sticker shock when I reviewed this listing. I get it, this is an extremely rare opportunity to drive a legendary vehicle in true showroom condition. If I had $63k to spend on a car I would go out and snatch this thing up right now. I mean, you’d have to be crazy to get a comparably priced new BMW instead of this car. By the time you put any kind of major miles on it the value will have only held steady or decreased very little. Aside from just being a fun to drive, final year North American M5’s are highly sought after for their minor cosmetic upgrades like the iconic “Throwing Star” wheels and the Shadowline Exterior package. The fact that these were the last handbuilt BMW’s available in America only adds to this car’s intriguing portfolio. Seriously, there’s so much to love about this car from an investment standpoint that you almost forget that it’s also just a damn fine car to drive.
The E34 M5 was powered by the S38 inline-6, the last M5 motor to share DNA with the legendary BMW Motorsport engines. It made 310 hp and 266 lb-ft of torque; not crazy by today’s standards but it’s enough to put a big old smile on your face. Europe saw powered bumped to 335 hp in ’91 and the addition of a 6-speed manual transmission in ’95 because it’s Europe and they get all the good stuff. Speaking of which, in 1992 the folks at M Division built their first estate car and it remains, in my humble opinion, the coolest fast wagon in the history of fast wagons. I will endeavor to find a solid example to write about in the near future as we are only two years away from being able to legally import those beauties. For now we’ll just have to make due with sedan examples like this one, I suppose it could be worse.
