Price: SOLD
Mileage: 96,000 Miles
Engine: M60B30 V8
Transmission: 5-Speed Manual
Exterior color: Jet Black (Schwarz 2) (688)
Interior: Black Buffalo Leather (L4SW)
VIN: WBAHE1328SGE55485
Additional features:
Billy Boat Tri-Flow Exhaust
Power Front Seats
Center Arm Rests
On Board Computer
17” Factory Alloy Style 5 Wheels
Sumitomo HTRZ III Tires
2-Owner / Colorado Car
Excellent Condition
1995 was the last year and most evolved variant of the E34 (3rd Generation) BMW 5 Series. It was the most advanced of the traditional BMWs, both in form and function. Its form is made up of iconic BMW 3-box design language, square kidney grills, double circular headlights, and sleek tidy lines. It was more refined than its E28 predecessor, yet still traditional compared to its E39 successor. At its release, BMW accurately described it as “Sophisticated styling that is aerodynamic while in motion, and admired when parked.” It also said, “The more cars the world makes, the more desirable the BMW 5 Series becomes.” The successive two decades have revealed those words to be true, as modern cars have become bloated, numb, infotainment-centric appliances. Simply put, the E34 is one of the best looking and best driving 5 series of all time. It was the first 5 Series to get a V8 engine. The 530i and 540i V8 models were released in 1992 and distinguished from their 6-cylinder sibling by more aggressive wider kidney grills. They were good—very good. As a result many were driven thoroughly, leaving a population where sub-100K mile examples are rare—very rare.
This 1995 530i is one of those examples. I am selling it on consignment for the second owner who has had it since 1999. It was originally purchased in March of 1996 for $46,570.00, that’s $71,000 in today’s money. It has always lived in Colorado. I have the original window sticker and comprehensive records dating back to 2000. The owner was very meticulous in his stewardship. He purchased a factory extended warranty which allowed him to fix small nagging issues that otherwise might go unaddressed. All preventative maintenance is up to date and all common issues are either not present or have been addressed. Early M60 BMW engines had a history of pre-mature failure due to nikasil cylinder linings and poor sulfur-rich gasoline. At present, the majority of engines have failed if they were going to fail (most occurred at 30-60k miles). During this mileage interval the owner had BMW monitor the engine with regular compression and leak down tests. All tests showed excellent engine health, which is documented in the maintenance records. The M60B30 pulls strong to red line and sounds glorious thanks to a Billy Boat Tri-Flo exhaust (a $1000 upgrade). Yes, the 540i’s 4-liter M60 has more power, but when coupled with the gearing of a 5-speed manual transmission the 530i’s 3-liter V8 is more than ample and has a better torque curve than the 6-cylinder M30B35 engine it replaced. The factory 17-inch alloy basket weave wheels are the perfect wheels for this black on black example. A nearly perfect interior and very nice exterior make it standout in a population of E34s that often show their age and mileage.
At Glen Shelly we strive to accurately portray the condition of our cars, both good and bad. Black is the perfect color to accentuate the E34s lines. It shows subtleties of the form that you just can’t see with other colors. The Jet Black (Schwarz 2) paint on is in great shape. The leading edges of the hood and fenders have been protected by clear bra, sparing it the rock chips that Colorado cars often get. There are no glaring deficiencies, major chips, or peeling clear coat. The owner has done two rounds of minor paintless dent repair to correct door dings and very minor hail damage. It was a minor repair, totally only a few hundred dollars. The result is a nearly dent-free 21-year old body. There is no rust, including the lower door trim strips (a common area). All Vin tags are in place and it has never been in an accident. In 2002, the right rear quarter panel was backed into in a parking lot while the car was parked. The guilty party left a note and paid for a top-notch repair by German specialist Stuttgart Auto Body. All work is documented in the records; it is a quality job that has withstood the test of time. The windshield glass has no cracks or excessive pitting. The headlight and indicator lenses are clear and crack-free, sans the driver’s side low beam and fog light lenses. I am sourcing replacements that will be included with the sale. All trim and black-work are intact and in good condition, except for one presentable scuff on the right front bumper trim. The wheels are in good shape; the center caps are present with good Roundel emblems. They do have some minor curb rash, but they are presentable. The Sumitomo HTRZ III tires are worn evenly and have 50% tread remaining.
Interiors are a weak spot of E34s and this one is in exceptional shape. Open the door and black buffalo leather with high gloss wood trim is the picture of comfort and luxury. It has that wonderful leather smell that all BMWs of this era have. There are no odors and it has never been smoked in. The carpets are clean and have been protected by factory floor mats. The seats have no scuffs, tears, or failed stitching. All power seat functions, including the power headrests work, as do the heating elements and arm rest locks (all common E34 issues). The owner had both front seat rails replaced, along with all driver’s side seat motors when the car was under warranty. The dashboard is crack-free and the passenger airbag cover is not warped (more common issues). There are no cracks in any of the wood trim on the dashboard, door cards, or shifter console. The shifter console trim piece is slightly raised on the upper right hand corner, but it is not warped like most are at this age. The instrument cluster LCD’s, on-board computer, and CM5903 radio have no blown out pixels. All interior functions work, the heat blows warm, air condition blows cold, the final stage was already replaced under warranty, and the blower motor bearings do not chirp. The window tint is in good shape, but there are a few small tears on the driver’s side door (pictured on our website). The headliner does not sag and the rear deck fabric is not wrinkled. All owners manuals are present, along with the original window sticker, and there are two keys with factory alarm and keyless entry FOBs.
When you buy a used BMW, you buy the previous owner’s stewardship—especially an E34 5 series. This owner has always been meticulous in his care. I have maintenance records dating back to his purchase in 1999. The extended warranty he purchased allowed him to repair small things that might otherwise not have been worth the cost of repair, like seat rails, the glove box, door seals, and pillar trim. It has always been driven regularly, though sparingly with annual mileage tapering off in the last ten years. It has always been serviced at Murray or Schomp BMW, then Paddock Imports. It has always had 5000-mile oil changes using Mobil 1 synthetic oil and BMW filters and regular brake fluid, gearbox oil, and coolant flushes. At 96,000 miles, in preparation for sale I replaced the motor mounts, front shock mounts, front brake pads and rotors. At 92,000 miles it received a major service including new suspension, tie rods, control arms, control arm bushings, and transmission fluid. At 79,000 miles the M60 engine got new crossover tubes, valley tray seals, valve cover gaskets, along with a coolant flush and spark plugs. Over the years the cooling system has been preventatively replaced including the water pumps, radiator, coolant hoses, and aux fan resistor. The owner was always cognizant of the nikasil cylinder lining issue and always used premium Shell gasoline and monitored the engine health regularly. The M60 leak down tests mentioned earlier were all less than 5% and consistent across all cylinders. Any E34 will require continued preventative care and regular maintenance, but this example’s maintenance pedigree is an important consideration for any E34 buyer.
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