I feel the need for a manual gearbox equipped European sport sedan...and I want it big enough for a family. And don't give me some domesticated import that has had its European mystique neutered, I need something without airbags, that only shows kilometers on the speedo, is grey market and unregister-able in California. Oh. Here. Find this 1990 BMW 535i E34 offered for $5900 in Pasadena, CA via craigslist.
This next car checks the all boxes; manual gearbox, check. Wagon, check. Inline-6, check. Rear-wheel-drive, check. Headliner...errr...that's missing....and the miles are high, so you will need to do some tidying before you let the wife drive it...but manual transmission rear-drive wagons don't grow on trees. Find this 1992 BMW 525iT offered for $6500 in Long Beach, CA via craigslist. Tip from Rock On!
In the early 1990s BMW was known for its silky smooth inline-6 engines, and it hadn't produced a V8 in 25 years (the last BMW V8 was a 3.2 liter model first used in the 501/502 and finally in the 3200 CS model in 1965). However, the folks in Dingolfing were never known for sitting on their behinds, so in 1992 BMW released the M60 V8 in their world beating 5-series sedan and it was a fantastic dual overhead cam beast. Find this 1995 BMW 540i offered for $5700 in Austin, TX via craigslist. Tip from FuelTruck.
The E34 generation BMW M5 has been a favorite around this site, mostly because it offers a level of speed and exclusivity that is hard to beat. And if you don't remember, DT's own CFlo owned an E34 M5 for a few years and loved every minute of the screaming inline-6 powered beast. Today's E34M5 comes as a seller submission from our friend Jay who offers it somewhere in the mid range of what you'd expect for this car to bring at a BaT auction. Find this 1991 BMW M5 E34 offered for $21,500 in Los Angeles, CA via craigslist.
The BMW E34 5-series was a large luxury family car from BMW, available as a sedan or wagon (estate). We don't see the wagon versions very often on the road anymore, but they offer a surprising amount of room for the kids/gear/junk while maintaining the classic BMW luxury, handling and performance. Regrettably, for the US market BMW felt it only needed an inline-6 in the wagon when equipped with a manual gearbox, or a small V8 when equipped with a slushbox, but some visionary lunatic decided the E34 needed a V12 6-speed. Find this 1993 BMW 550i V12 Wagon E34 offered for $18,000 in East Hampton, CT via craigslist. Tip from Bill.
The trick of doing a good engine swap is simple...just follow these two rules: (1) pick a sweet vehicle with plenty of street cred, but maybe down a few ponies on power & (2) juice it up with something that keeps alive the spirit of the original automobile, but turns the dial up to 11. (3...wait...3?) Bonus points if the swap involves complex alpha-numerics that nobody except real fanboys understand -- yo dawg, is that a Z15N? No quite, its a Z15N-GT...dude, straight GDM man. Hawt. I think that shoving an S62 V8 from a later M5 into a E34 5-series meets both of those rules. Find this 1995 BMW 540i E34 S52 Swap offered for $12000 in Fresno, CA via craigslist. Tip from Sean.
The simple things in life are typically the best. Like a sunset. Or a walk along the beach. Or a glass of cheap bourbon. Or a nachos bellgrande from taco bell. Or a 5-speed manual transmission equipped German touring sedan with a crisp inline-6. Yeah. I wonder if I can eat nachos without spilling my drink* while driving down to see the sunset? Find this 1989 BMW 535i offered for $4,500 in Bellingham, WA via craigslist. Tip from FuelTruck.
The E34 generation BMW 5-series was available as a sedan in 525i, 530i, 540i, and M5 versions...but if you wanted the wagon you had to settle for 525i/530i versions only in North America...and to make matters worse, you couldn't even get a manual gearbox, unless you get a modified one like this next feature. Find this 1993 BMW 525i Wagon 5-Speed offered for $5000 in Denver, CO via craigslist. Tip from Rock On!
Modifying cars is a tricky business. A similar comparison would be a chef adding just the right amount of seasoning to your dinner- too much or too little does nothing good for the food. DT often pokes fun at dinners where the chef has had a heavy hand with the seasoning. Today's E34 5 series strikes just the right balance and looks to be delicious meal. The late model M3 S52 in the engine bay makes makes 50+ horsepower more than stock 525i engine and the M5 spec alcantara euro interior is off the charts cool. Find this 1992 BMW 525i for sale in Darien, CT for $7,500 via craigslist. 
The E34 (1987-1996) was the third generation of BMW's executive class 5-series sedan and it was the first to feature V8 power. As the high mileage examples of the E34 are driven into the ground, a few nice examples float around waiting for some magical renaissance for used German luxury sedans that may or may not happen. I say driven 'em while they're new...ish. Find this 1995 BMW 540i offered for $6,900 in Lexington, OH via craigslist. Tip from FuelTruck.
The E34 generation M5 was the last of the hand-built BMW M-cars...but I probably didn't need to tell you that if you are remotely an ///M-car fanboy or fangirl. It was also the last BMW M-car to feature an engine that had even the remotest link to a BMW Motorsports racing engine....but I probably didn't need to tell you that anyway...why do I even bother to write this stuff? Find this 1991 BMW M5 E34 offered for $10,500 near Las Vegas, NV. Tip from FuelTruck.
Some astute readers may remember that we do occasionally write about our own project cars around here! We started with a neglected refrigerator-white Volvo 242 in 2012, did some refurbishment, and sold to our friend Alex who went Full Swede on the car - it now sports a Volvo inline six swap, custom made wheels, luxed-out interior, mondo brakes, and has been detailed to the hilt. Vince and I went our separate ways into various other projects; the E-i-C chose to devote his spare 15 minutes every Saturday afternoon to a Saab 99 and then a Buick Roadmaster, while yours truly has delved into other Volvos and NA Miatae and BMWs more extensively, including a 1973 2002 and this black-on-black 1993 E34 M5. You haven't heard much about the M5 lately (since my trackday writeup) but rest assured it is still rumbling around the mean streets of the South Bay Los Angeles area. For a while it was also barfing hydraulic fluid all over those same streets, forcing me to face grim reality and address some necessary repairs in the power steering / self-leveling suspension system.
The E34 generation BMW 5-series was produced from 1988 through 1996 with an unusual (for BMW) range of engines offered over its lifetime. The collection of piston pumpers included the beastly S38 inline-6 in the M5, the sweet sounding M60 V8, a few junky inline-4s for Europe (including a 103 horsepower natural gas burner), and even some diesels (probably slower than the inline-4s)....however, this next one has had the volume turned up to 11. Find this 1995 BMW E34 540 Dinan 5 Supercharged offered for $8,500 in San Jose, CA via craigslist.
I know, I know. Another E34 M5? Getting a bit predictable, huh Daily Turismo? An E34 M5, then an 1800S, then a ratty 911, soon we will win a game of tractor chicken, then eventually convince an old man to burn some books and then cancel the town's longstanding anti-dancing laws...so predictable. Find this 1991 BMW M5 offered for $5,500 in Los Angeles area, CA via craigslist. Thanks to Sean S for the tip!
The E34 generation M5 continues to be a best buy if you are shopping for a BMW with a hand built pedigree and a legitimate motorsports connection. Prices have jumped up in the past few years, but the Ulf Weidhase designed sedan is still a good deal if you are looking for something unique. Find this 1991 BMW M5 E34 bidding here on eBay for $5,600 reserve-not-met with $11,000 buy-it-now located in Redwood City, CA with 2 days to go.
The E34 M5 was a bargain a few months ago, but the prices have shot up as folks realized that BMW didn't make many of these fantastically fast muscle sedans...and all the E30 M3 & E28 M5s are monstrously priced. Find this 1991 BMW M5 offered for $5,500 in Pocatello, ID via craigslist. Tip from Chris.
