Red can be a hard color to pull off well on a big sedan – they sometimes end up looking like the Fire Brigade’s car. But there are some notable exceptions; Red C4 Audis, for example, look particularly spectacular when well polished. Another car that seems to stand apart from other large red rides is the E34 BMW. Just look at this M-Sport model in Hellrot – it’s a brilliant example of how to do the lines of a car properly. I really wish BMW still made sedans in this mold; it was the first step in cleaning up the U.S. specification bumpers into a well-unified design and I’m not sure that they’ve done much better since. While last week I wrote up a E34 M5 that most people seemed to like, today’s example answers at least one of the complaints of those that didn’t with the M60 V8 packed under the hood. Otherwise, this car is as close to a M5 as one could get in 1995:
Tag: e34
The ascension of the E30 M3 and subsequent increase in value of both the E28 M5 and E24 M6 have underscored the incredible value of the lone early 1990s BMW M survivor, the E34 M5. While purists may complain that the E34 was heavier and a more dulled experience than the E28 M5, I’ve always found the E34 to be an even better representation of the M experience. M cars were all about stealthy performance, and in my mind the E34 is the most stealthy M car produced. Another reason I like the E34 versus the E28 is the introduction of more colors than just black – in this case, this E34 is the same color combination as the first M5 I ever sat in; silver with grey leather:
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1991 BMW M5 on eBay
1 CommentWhile generally I find myself looking at C4 Audi S4/S6s and thinking they’re an amazing deal right now, it’s hard to not feel the same way about the E34 M5. If the E28 was the unloved M from the 1980s for some time, more recently we’ve seen a surge in E28 prices that are starting to pick the “original” super sedan up in price. In some cases, clean versions of the E28 M5 are now trading for more than their sister in a prettier dress that has traditionally carried more value, the M6. In even more rare cases, some have surpassed the values of the market-darling E30 M3. Where’s the M deal to be had now, then? Even if the driving experience was dulled slightly by some added weight and luxury with the E28’s successor, the E34, the retention of the great drivetrain coupled with some refined looks wasn’t all bad. In my opinion, the E34 is a very worthy replacement for the E28 – and a strong alternative to the S4/S6 market which is also beginning to tick up slightly. Check out this first year Brilliant Red example:
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1991 BMW M5 on eBay
5 CommentsThe E39 M5, for all its amazing performance and quiet aggression, is fairly ubiquitous, especially here in top-of-the-line hungry Silicon Valley. The E34 M5 has its detractors, but it is still a rare, fast, and attractive sports sedan that will hide from those who don’t know and is searched for by those who do. Today’s comes from an owner who clearly knows his stuff and has enjoyed the car for 16 years while making (mostly) tasteful upgrades. The performance pieces all make sense and it’s surely a hoot, giving the singing inline-6 more juice and the chassis greater ability to hang with it. It has covered a lot of miles, but there’s always the chance that this is one of the “extra-special” S38s that can go for 300k+ miles. There’s also the chance that it’s not, meaning it’ll need a rebuild in the next 20k miles, and that’ll set you back nearly its current list price. The price is right though, and the owner is indeed being completely reasonable.
Click for details: 1991 BMW M5 on eBay
1 CommentThe 1994 BMW 530i Touring that we featured last month is still on offer at the same price. Is the seller being optimistic or will the right buyer come along this time around?