Definite Proof BMW USED To Make The Best Cars In The World - BMW E34 525i

Were 1980s BWM's REALLY The Best Cars In The World? The E34 was a class leader when it came to sporting saloons and represented a peak for BMWs in general, the design and quality of their cars was far ahead of their rivals. This E34 525i has got over half a million miles on it.. how does it drive now, what broke and how much did it cost to keep it going FOR OVER 500,000 MILES?
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[@markmcgrath9098]

This is the ultimate way for environmentally responsible driving. Buying, driving and properly maintaining an older good quality is easily the greenest way to drive. Still got my 95 525iT, has 260k km on it. Hasn’t survived the elements as well as this car or previous owner’s stupidity but it’ll keep going.

[@jo05dk]

That owner deserves a ton of praise for keeping his car in such an amazing condition! It would still look remarkable for its mileage if it had 100K on the odometer. He's done a fantastic job. ..and: Seeing such a beautiful car from back when BMW built cars i lusted after, does my heart good ❤

[@rupertorgan7749]

Looking back, I think the 1990s were the golden era for the combustion engine car. Well engineered with good build quality and an absence of complex electronics to go wrong.

[@Messergebnis-liebhaber]

Totaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaallllyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy 100%%%%%% agreeddddddddddddddddd!! 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@nutsackmania]

Back then the marketing vehicle--pardon the pun--was how the car felt and drove since the only real tech was the radio and climate control. Back then you sold premium cars by having them drive better.

[@exgtt2061]

These were 1980’s cars 😝👍

[@joejoejoejoejoejoe4391]

I watched his vid on the ISO Grifo (about 1965); a car I really wanted as a kid, but in his review, he pointed out the heavy steering, the offset gear stick, the heavy clutch, and the heavy brakes; a lovely car, but a pain to drive. He's done vids of 1980s big performance cars, and they're so much better, cars that you could actually live with today. They kept getting better until, perhaps the 2000s

[@ViperGTS737]

The E39 is alright

[@paultasker7788]

We had the 535 saloon. Straight six, over 200 horses but it liked a drink! They built the interiors really well. How well it's handled rhe mileage ia impressive. However what impresses me most is how handsome it is especially in comparison to the current BMW range. They used to be able to make handsome cars. I'd forgotten that.

[@roelfkromhout]

Yeah, it's difficult to wrap your head around just how much better these old ones look.

[@jp6975]

Was the 535i a 6 cylinder? I thought it was a V8.... I had one of these - a dark metallic blue 1994 525i SE with silver leather, wood inserts and air con. The dealer actually had a nice 1994 535i that I was there to see and, oddly for a dealer, he advised me to go to the 525i instead as the insurance on the V8 for a 27 year old would have been massive. So that's how I ended up in a 525i and not a 535i. These cars had one really bad flaw though. The air conditioning radiator was sat very low and was prone to puncturing. Regularly. Alarmingly regularly in fact. In the 8 years I had the car I had to replace that radiator 4 (yes 4, as in one more than 3!!) times. Each time my eyes watered at the cost. Even the dealer said the location of that radiator is very poor and it's a common problem. I sold the car because of that constant issue. Had it fixed before summer and sold it straight after summer was over.

[@paultasker7788]

@@jp6975 early ones were 6 cylinders before they replaced it with a v8 later on near the end of its life.

[@jp6975]

@@paultasker7788 Aha, didn't know that.👍

[@leenevin8451]

My dad had one. A manual. Computer said 13mpg

[@munkygrip1977]

My Dad owned one of these between 96 and 98 as a company car. He still speaks of it as the best car he ever had. It was a metallic green / blue with 5 spoke alloys, larger kidney grill and a grey leather interior. As a 19 year old when he took ownership, I was allowed to drive it on the company's insurance and the feeling on the occasions when Dad gave me the keys to let me drive was just awesome! He used to encourage me to accelerate hard out of dual carriageway roundabouts and burn off Shoguns / Discoveries. A cool Dad and a brilliant car 🙂

[@bumpyroad3251]

M50B25 engine is among the most reliable engines ever made - not only for BMW. I know people having this engine in their track cars who have been trying to kill them for years without success.

[@e28forever30]

True. A great engine. Vividly remember my E36 320i with 325i lump. Brilliant car!

[@tiredtrailer]

I didn't think the e34 got the 24v engine until 1993 when the e34 gained the smaller more aerodynamic door mirrors. I could be wrong.

[@Jeffrey_M]

​@@tiredtrailer 1990 was the first of the 24 valve engines I believe.

[@GoldenCroc]

​@@tiredtrailer It was 1990, you might be mixing it up with the engine gaining VANOS in an update?

[@bumpyroad3251]

@@tiredtrailer Yeah, the 80's E34 had M20 which was another indestructible engine, but had 12 valves (1 camshaft) and timing belt instead of chain (which in no way made it less reliable). And yeah, M50 had no vanos until 1992

[@KostadinDelizhanski]

A new set of valvestem seals will stop the smoking, had mine done after almost 8 years of hearing all my friends say the engine is done (only smoked on overrun and after idling for more than a minute, only on the takeoff) Lovely cars, lovely engine

[@fredsshed266]

Seal conditioner would be my first move but I agree!

[@KostadinDelizhanski]

just a waste of money , better to find a mechanic willing to do the job without pulling the head off ( not arguing, this is the best, refresh of the head, new guides, maybe porting it etc, but the expence is not for everyone ) and risk it beeng worn valve guids but given that most additives are 10-20 bucks ... might try it ... but in my experience all of them (except ZDDP and other friction modifiers ) are just pointles

[@mikev.5845]

My e30 is turning 40 this December. Trany, diff...etc have been replaced but will say this. In the 30 years with me it has started & moved with no drama even though I leave it sitting for a week to 10 days straight. During covid lockdown the battery died so it didn't start for 6 months - restrictions in our country were insane. Finally got a replacement, was expecting problems IF it even started but no. I just pressed the gas pedal while starting to pump fuel in and voilà! She just up & went as usual.

[@AaronRandolphChen]

Outstanding review! Great respect for Big David who owns this car. It's probably down to his driving style and good maintenance that this 525i Touring has done so well. During your test drive, I could not notice any wind noise or rattles - after 500,000 miles in the UK, that's actually a miracle!

[@robbwatson2088]

Damn it! Every time you do a video like this, I can count on my entire morning lost to auction websites in the search for one. Cheers mate.

[@murrieteacher]

This is one of my favourite BMW's. I have always liked the touring spec rather than the sedan. Another great video, thanks. There is the thought that if you keep the vehicle and look after it for a long time, that is the best green way of motoring.

[@lucasRem-ku6eb]

it's a family car, LOL !

[@perjanuschas8050]

I used to have a 1995 E34 540i which was very well put together. I kept it for 10 years and drove only 120 000 miles, but the guy that bought it from me, kept calling for the remainder of his ownership, updating me on what a great car it remained being. He just handed it off to his daughter, and she's planning to restore it to as new condition and keep it "forever". During my ownership I only did regular maintenance, although at a higher frequency than BIG Dave obviously, engine oil, plugs, filters, gearbox flushing, batteries, lightbulbs and other consumables. The only items I had fail, was the water pump (a piss poor plastic impeller was replaced with upgraded aluminium), and the aftermarket engine block heater (I live in Norway, and this increases longevity of the oil and engine during winter operation where we regularly see -15C. I upgraded the suspension as well to Alpina B8 spec, which is still on there to date.) The key to keeping them is to avoid rust. Tuff Kote Dinol, Tectyl, or even Sheep Grease (yes thats right, fat from sheep, the product is called Fluid Film, and doesn't harden or evaporate and might be the cheapest or sheepest product out there as well as the best to prevent rust). It's now 28 years and has been in the hands of people who care about their cars, which is also an issue. I currently have a 24 year old E39 520i, but it has only 68000 miles on it, no rust, engine runs like new, uses no oil, and has had no other faults than the steering wheel locking cylinder/mechanism. I know some people replace it with a button as an upgrade, I just changed the locking cylinder. Other than upgrading to Xenon lamps/angel eyes style, it's standard. It feels a bit dated compared to modern cars, but drives better than 95% of them. These are great cars, and that era might have been BMW's finest. The E91 touring I have is still a very fine drivers car too, but has had more niggles than the E34 and E39. And I've had the E91 (320Xd) only since new in 2009 and only 65000 miles so far, although I must admit it's holding up real well due to its high quality interior. The e34 interior didn't have the same quality interior except the seats that was the Buffalo leather which has aged better than anything I've seen. The Cloth upholstry in the e39 is still as pristine as when new. The ultimate driving machine? well if Volvo had the same wheel geometry and underpinnings, the same quality engine feel, they might have a competitor, but hardly anything comes close. Toyota's seem to live forever, but has no roadholding. Mercedes were really good up until Chrysler bought them, but are now left dead in the water, Saab no longer exist, anything British? meh. The only other manufacturer that seems to build better cars by the years are Porsche. Only time will tell if they push the Bayerische Middelklasse Wagen off the top pedestal when it comes to quality ans longevity (lol)

[@franciscoflores-nunez6767]

I owned a 94 525i sport with a Manual, during the early 90's, one of the best cars i ever owned, absolutely loved it. 192bhp from standard, however when i put mine a rolling road, it showed a very healthy 201bhp, with 125,000 miles on the clock

[@eze8970]

Looks a well made car, especially against some of it's competition. Anything that survives all those British winters has done well! Thanks Jack! 🙏🙏

[@marksphotoperry356]

Do not be a fool ! This Video lies a lot !

[@vittoriostoraro]

@@marksphotoperry356 Really? Evidence? And why aren’t you confronting Jack if you honestly believe this?

[@marksphotoperry356]

@@vittoriostoraro I am a former owner of two BMW cars ,i been driving both cars for over 7 years in total. So what i say is honest true ! Its not only my personal experience with these two cars ; both cars driven over 200000 terrible km ,both cars were professionally well maintained by BMW dealers.Both cars failed about every two weeks and needed to be repaired no matter how they were driven.I feel sorry for any one that drives a BMW ! Its endless money pit ,every BMW part will fail way sooner then you would imagine.Its important to know that BMW wants you to by the car then to by more parts very,very often ! Every part will fail all the time,all electronics,its terrible computer ,ignition coils need replacing every 2 to 3 months,steering,heads ,clutch will come appart and shutter,breaks will wear out years ahead of time,oil leaks from every gasket possible.I have a lot more to tell here but this should be enough.

[@danielscott4514]

@@marksphotoperry356 *Ouch!!* - That does sound like a miserable ownership experience. What models and series (or year) did you have? Did you buy them new, or used? Was it the same BMW dealer you were always going back to, or did you try a different dealer or private mechanic. In the world of Hi-Fi / Home Theatre, I've had a similarly awful run with Marantz gear - a brand that has a very decent reputation (and I personally know people who've had excellent reliability from their - admittedly older - Marantz stuff). The failures I had would be disappointing enough, but what really made my experience "awful" was the fact that the one and only warranty service place in my city was useless and would have my amplifier or DVD player for multiple weeks, give it back to me "fixed" and it would break again with the exact same problem a couple of weeks or months later. The importance of a good dealer/mechanic as part of the overall experience of owning a car can't be understated!

[@marksphotoperry356]

@@danielscott4514 Hi Daniel,so it was two models one 535i 1986 this was the ''better car'' Then 18 years after that 325i 2004 ,both cars new ,Two dealers ,and 3 more BMW garages did not help ! Stay away from this brand !

[@johnj3577]

Having had both an e34 and an e39, I always felt my e34 handled better, mainly because it held its line through a corner more neatly whereas the e39 always needed some mid corner corrections. Also, its true about these engines, a colleague of mine had a 525i and with no special treatment apart from normal servicing, he clocked up 375,000 miles in it before trading it for a newer e39 5 series. He put a ton of miles on that one too and his wife still uses it these days. For his use, he replaced that one with an e60 530d but it kept breaking down so now he has a Volvo... kinda tells a story about BMW from the 90's to the end of the noughties.

[@adrianmonk4440]

Nothing stays the same. Toyota seldom had recalls. When it became an imperative to dominate global production, recalls became more frequent. /// I don't know how BMW developes, builds, tests, & tear down evaluates its vehicles. Some Porsches & Nissan GTRs get Dyno-ed in the production process. Data analytics from overall dealer service & warrenty repair can be used to determine a "Good-Enough" vertical time line or # of units, especially on established product. That said variables can creep in from vendor changes, weight & cost reductions, etc. This is before another new model / version of it begins.

[@joseherrera5264]

Maybe the E39's stiffer body is to blame for the mid corner corrections. I too find myself nudging the wheel when I turn driving moderately fast. Now is the perfect time for your friend to hop back into E39s and stock up. They're a dime a dozen in the west, and plentiful at auctions/classifieds. Sure they're in a wide range of conditions but a 525i can be had for cheap and with his luck he can push it another 200k. And if he needs donors, E60s can also be had for cheap to scavenge good engines/trans off of.

[@bzilla-d4i]

I've had a E34 and a E46 with 400000km and 500000km respectively, the E46 is currently in my brother's ownership as i passed it on to him and it's still going, a 330d with the M57 engine, completely unkillable, regular maintenance done, and had the turbo replaced around 350000km.

[@Tc4ify]

330d maybe, but otherwise the E46 is where things started to go downhill as far as reliability goes, at least for the 3 series (more electronics, more plastics, etc. and they weren't notably more rustproof than the E36 beforehand)

[@bzilla-d4i]

@@Tc4ify I didn't have any problems with rust or any quality issues with the E46, it was much better built than the E90's, which I had as well before moving to the F10, and I live in Cape Town near the ocean and I've pretty much had no issues. BMW has always been my go to as we manufacture them here so build quality is very good.

[@DavidMorley]

Golden Era for BMW. 80's up to E46/E39/E38

[@franzchong5889]

good when running well,but a nightmare otherwise.I was in the market for e46 318I'S this time two years ago and If i HAD THE chance would have haggled for one plus found me a local specialist for services.problems my neighbours daughter had with one forced me into a younger Mazda 3.

[@zamaanrana1]

@franz chong in bmws you want atleast 6 pot. The 4 pot especially on the e46 were crap and unreliable apart from m47 320d engine.

[@gerrywatson261]

Hi Jack. I had an Alpine white 2002 E39 525i Msport optioned station wagon for a couple of a year's which I sold 6 months ago. I was the second owner and it 310,000km on it when sold but I can truly say it was one of best cars I have driven in 40 odd years. It was built like a brick but was so smooth and quiet yet when needed it would pickup skirts and fly! It cornered like it was on rails and is one of only 2 cars that I miss out the many I've owned (the other was a 928 S4!) Keep up the awesome reviews!

[@wearetomorrowspast.5617]

I had a 2001 1800 TE. Loved it. The 1 Series I have now is nothing in comparison. That 525i is lovely. Round head lights, wheel arches. nice. Cool vid, dude. Cheers.

[@martinclapton2724]

Although , not a fan of German cars, I love hearing reports of long ownership/ high mileages of cars . Well done to the owner keeping this car to the standard it is . The surprise of this report though, was the Austin Allegro with 300,000 miles , good on them too!. This is greener for the planet, keeping older cars going , not bringing newer cars , particularly electric ones to our roads.

[@vittoriostoraro]

You lost me at “not a fan of German cars” I’d hate to know what cars you ARE a fan of.

[@mohammadzein504]

They sure don't make them like that anymore! I've owned the 525i and a w124 300E Mercedes. Both are remarkable and if serviced properly they will eat up the miles with no issues. But if I had to pick one I would go with the beamer, it has a more exciting and balanced drive! A remarkable car indeed Jack Sir, one of BMws best!👍

[@markmcgrath9098]

W124 is the bigger, better laid car I think. It’s the one I wish I’d bought. I love my e34 touring and won’t sell it. I remember driving a 300TE a long while back. Agree that it was a bit dull.

[@foadrightnow5725]

Loved this video! Awesome car! Thirty thousand over 31 years is less than a thousand per year. Divide that by 365 days and you get £2.65 per day. I think by anyone's standard that's an exceptional deal! Keep the great content coming! Cheers!

[@MIK23458]

He spent £18k at Birds most of which was cosmetic so in actuality it cost a lot less than 30k to run and maintain.

[@johnireland1629]

I've never been a BMW fan, but you make a great case for them deserving the respect they get. Thanks for the good video.

[@saftevand]

Had two 518i's back in the day, slow as snails, but amazing comfort and great economy

[@aussiebloke609]

Volvo could be a contender. The record holder for mileage according to Guinness (and Volvo) is a '66 P1800 with a verified 3.2 _million_ miles on the odometer. That said, this is still a great example of what you can have if you just look after things as they happen instead of neglecting issues until they snowball.

[@FFM0594]

But that Volvo has had numerous engine replacements.

[@aussiebloke609]

@@FFM0594 Last I heard, it had one full rebuild, but it's still the original block and head.

[@FFM0594]

@@aussiebloke609 Nope, it's on it's 3rd engine, which is still impressive.

[@gazzafloss]

Jack, what stood out to me was how quiet it was inside the cabin while you were "giving it the beans". Too often now a car's engine, exhaust, tyre and lack of suspension isolation noises seems to be very intrusive in many, this one was so silent.

[@simonhodgetts6530]

Lovely car - my favourite iteration of the 5 series, in the very desirable estate form. I always thought the styling made a subtle nod at the Triumph 2500 estate too……best BMW interiors - much nicer than today’s screen-fest and LCD instruments!

[@neal_2002]

I had a E34 535i with well over 300kms and it was mechanically fantastic. I’m in Australia so it had zero rust but the interior was sun damaged

[@davidhayes4814]

It is a lovely elegant car. Most modern cars go through the doldrums at 10 years old when they are worth little and don’t get serviced or looked after properly. Mondeos were often reported as being capable of stellar mileages but rust and poor residual values usually took their toll.

[@derekstocker6661]

Well done on this one Jack, they are great cars, I have an E36 that next year will be thirty years old, only two owners including myself and just over 170,500 on clock. Bodywork OK but paint not in as good nick as the one you are demonstrating here, still on original clutch (it's auto) the exhaust never been touched in over twenty five years that I have owned it so possibly replaced by previous owner with stainless. I may have said before, runs like a dream and is the same engine as you have there 2.5i. No idea of parting with it and owned other cars at the same time, had pads and tyres a couple of discs and one suspension spring, would recommend these cars to anyone who wants a keeper, serviced annually and rarely driven over 60mph for last five years, but if she needs to go, it's there.

[@JamesGadbury]

I'd add 1980-95 Audis to the list of well made, long lasting cars, particularly their 5 cylinder models.

[@xmaniac99]

Yeah those engines where legendary and the 90s and 100s where built like tanks. Top cars in the day.

[@blackpassenger]

@@xmaniac99 had an 84 100 quattro that i commuted between sf and La 2x/month back in the day. that 5 cyl was indistructable

[@andicog]

Yep, I worked for Audi back in the late 80's/90's and have owned a good few type 44 quattro Avants, great cars.

[@ryanmccormick2150]

I think that's the highest mileage car ive ever seen 😮 unbelievable! I honestly didn't think that was possible with a car unless it had a engine rebuild etc, super impressive stuff Jack 👍

[@Number27]

Thanks chap.. keep well!!

[@hungrysurfer9471]

My uncle had one of these from new. He loved it. Never sold until after he passed away. 25 years of reliable and enjoyable motoring.

[@andybowie8590]

Something I've never understood about modern-ish cars that are mainly built by robots on a production line is that its still possible to get good and bad ones when they really should all be the same. I had an e34 535i sport about 20 years ago with really low miles and sold it cos I was fed up fixing the bloody thing. There was always something. From memory the issues included heating that stuck on high temp (no fun in summer) central locking that didn't work, a misfire that had to be fixed twice, starter motor failure, electric sunroof motor failure, broken exhaust manifold studs resulting in a nasty spitfire like noise, i can't remember what else off hand but I only had it about 6 months and it put me off beemers for years. Had a z4 more recently and it was more of the same, whenever you fixed one thing Something else would go wrong. I drive a mercedes now, funnily enough they have a poor reputation too but touch wood I've had a year so far of no issues but somebody somewhere will no doubt have the same model as me and a pile of repair bills. Good on him for keeping it though the period when it was worth peanuts, it will no doubt go up in value now in spite of the mileage. Another great video too mr Jack 👍

[@MuscleBandit]

It would be amazing if 90's manufacturers were to do another long line of these motors so people like myself born in 85 could have the opportunity to own a brand new one. I still remember my old 328i coupe E36 in midnight blue with the white leather interior very fondly. These cars have hit and bounced back from their depreciation curve and a good one costs a good few grand and will need more spending on it to get it tip top. Glad I got in there when they were still a grand or less.

525 i Was always a dream... It was the series 5 when I was about 20 years old...in Budapest.

[@marka.2484]

In my opinion (although biased, because I owned a 1989 E34 535i saloon from 2000 to 2007), the best-looking 5-series ever. My gosh, how I do regret selling that thing... It was just marvelous to look at and to drive.

[@Slaktrax]

I wholeheartedly agree. I owned three E30 BMW's in the '80s and '90s. A 1985 323i, a 1986 325i and a 1987 325i. Between 1985 and 2001 when I sold my '87 325i I had kept a log book on everything I'd done at what mileage. ( I was a bit of a geek). Apart from normal servicing which I did myself. the 323i had a cracked exhaust manifold which was a simple repair with a welding shop. And a leaking oil pressure switch (the oil was seeping through the sensor and slowly dripping from the electrical connector on one of the 325's, all they needed were tyres, wiper blades and a couple of headlights which were broken by road repairs where they sprayed tar and then a layer of loose stones which were often prone to be thrown up by passing cars. No exhaust systems were replaced and the total mileage was 330,000 miles. I loved them, they were cheaper to run and maintain than my wife's Ford Mondeo 1.6. The best cars I've ever owned. The average fuel consumption was 24 (I lived in the country in North East Scotland where all the roads were full of corners and were single carriageway).

[@lachlanbrown409]

My E36 325 Coupe was a 92 model. Bulletproof engine and clutch, gearbox. Can't say the same for interior quality. Wiith factory LSD and the sound it made, it was a great car to drive.

[@johnmichaelrichards]

Agreed. I had an E34 520i SE (1992 model year). Solidly built and very reliable. It was incredibly easy to self-service and work on too. Mine was running well having completed over 255k miles but was written off when parked up and hit by a bus.

[@jmbpinto73]

When a care is taken care properly, it lasts for a long time. I had a 1985 BMW323i, that i bought second hand over 20 years ago, and it pulled strong and drove nicely. It had the previous engine, without vanos and older injection. It used oil and had some body work in need, but it was oh so much fun to drive! Sometimes I wish i had kept it, but then again i would need to do a lot of work in it over all these years! In my opinion is better to keep a good old car in good working order than get a lesser quality newer model only to trade it again and again.

[@TheMrFishnDucks]

Nice car. Thank you for show casing this car. It really does fit the era and is in immaculate condition. Nice video. Keep up the good work.

[@timgosling6189]

I had an E34 525i saloon, also in archetypical 1980s white, from new in 1989. It looked so stylish, and I think they still do today. As an earlier car it had only 170 BHP but was still quick enough in period and that engine was turbine smooth. It was pretty smooth riding on the original 16" (?) alloys too. But I wasn't driving it enough so I swapped it for a 308gt4 because, well, why not. It may be picky but I'm surprised the owner has put his car up on KZbin with numberplate screws placed to make the 6s look like Gs. If the rozzers stop you for some reason and aren't feeling generous that is technically an excuse for 3 points and a fine.

[@georgebettiol8338]

I own a BMW E32 (1989 735i) - which is a larger version of the 535 (E34) and can attest to the overall quality of the car including its switchgear and plastics. From about the mid 2000s, the German brands (including BMW) began to use low quality 'breaky-breaky' plastic/rubber components that included numerous under bonnet engine components. This was made worse by the higher under bonnet temperature courtesy of the turbo - and the tightness of the engine bay which constrains 'air circulation'. The worst are the high performance all wheel drive VW-Audis which give an impression that the engine has been installed using multiple shoe horns. My experience with such vehicles when they are circa 7+ years old is the under bonnet plastics, and in particular the electrical connectors, have a tendency to simply crumble when disturbed. What a crying shame.

[@adrianmonk4440]

It's All About The Benjamins (money, profits, market share, price that gets it off the lot, production costs, part cost reductions, size, weight, & bragging rights that make the sale). In my bar fly days, I asked an aquantance mechanic what was the worse to work on. Without hesitating he said Audi & Volkswagen. Too cramped.

[@pclayton5063]

Interestingly I sold my 1992 525iT just a couple of years ago. 225k miles on it. Like your example I had modified it quite a bit with E36 M3 engine and E34 M5 body panels and M5 suspension. Also acquired a leather sport interior. It was probably the only one in the country with the S52 engine and the E34 automatic but it wasn't supposed to be a hot rod just a nice daily driver. Much like your example I kept all my receipts which totaled close to $40k. A lot went to modifications vs needed replacements. The original engine had 125k miles with no issues when swapped out. Everything, and I mean everything , else done once or twice over my 12 years of ownership. I was getting too old and the replacement parts were getting too expensive to keep it. I do miss it though.

[@stephen9869]

Sounds cool!

[@BMWDriver1992]

Sadly I had to give up my 1992 e34 525i at about 444 000 kms for lack of funds to have it fixed. I trusted that thing so much, so well balanced, so elegant and well planted, and fun to drive even for lack of some power especially at the low end on a heavy sedan frame. Yes, a true good car.

[@BMWDriver1992]

@@olifs8083 The valves were ticking which meant possibly a lot of work on the engine. It was also getting pretty rusty. Kept it for 9 years. I worked on the interior and some of the electronics like I replaced capacitors in the instrument cluster and changed the head unit and modified the audio filters while adding a small subwoofer and 90W amplifier.

[@monk3yboy69]

I remember being driven around in one of these in 1993. I felt like a king. A 525i saloon in white with cream leather and brown dash ( chocolate brown dash ) very 90s. In fact I remember the interior was 2 tone. The cream leather with the brown dash and door sills. Gorgeous car

[@trevorleggo1777]

I bought one of these that had been a BMW service Centre manager’s company car. It was a 525iM. Manual, apparently just a sports exhaust & it sat 2cms lower. Truly by any measure a superb car. Gorgeous note, I thrashed it & it never missed a beat and cost me nothing. It was in a blue/purple with 5 spoke 17’s, large for the time. Sat so well on the road.. miss it for sure..

[@quattroTorsen]

This is my dream classic daily driver 😀

[@Anirossa]

I own two 88' E34 M20 sedans. One of them had stood 10 years, did full service and fixed some rust then drove it without a issue for 2 years straight, then cam started nocking a bit and diff a bit worn from loads of stop and go daily diving. The other I found in a barn, owner had it since the 90s, mint paint and needs no body work, will get started on oem restoration when I get the time in a couple years. Safe inside untill then

[@R-Tap]

When did a beautiful cloth interior not be luxurious. Like 80's Merc's, the velour is definately the way to purchase today for that retro class look.

[@jaysloane]

We bought our E34 touring used with just over 90,000 miles. It looked and ran like a new car though and immediately impressed with its quality build. We had other quality cars but this one became the favorite and we felt supremely safe and secure inside. Unfortunately the automatic transmission failed (suddenly and utterly) at 113,000 miles while on vacation far from a BMW dealer. On the next vacation we had the engine thermostat fail, precipitating a tense return home. When the dual sunroof failed the dealer's best technician said he couldn't guaranty the factory sunroof kit would fix it, and when the hydraulic load-leveling rear suspension failed the repair estimate was astronomical. We were sad we had to replace the car but as much as we loved it the reality of relying on an "old" and complex BMW was too painful. The E34 was a car I wanted to drive to the end but more important was being able to drive home from a trip without incident. As safe as it felt the the risk of being stranded was too great.

[@nieko3038]

Love it. Best era BMW for me. Used to drive its little brother e30 touring

[@alexkistner2263]

Essence of a car. The purpose is to get from A to B with decent comfort like music or radio. Those were the essence looking great.

[@TDCIYB77]

Came to your channel from JayEmm, and it does not disappoint! Just the same problem as with JayEmm: Your tiny English roads give me the chills... Would not want to test the cornering ability of a car only to wake up in the front end of a tractor.. ;) Cheers from Germany :)

[@jonntischnabel]

I owned an alpina b10 e34 once, that thing drove so nice.

[@longtailgt]

I honestly believe the late 80s to early 00s was THE golden age of cars. Some of the most well engineered, well designed and truly remarkable cars from all around the world, and BMW was at the forefront of it all. It's incredible to see this 525i in this shape today, I'd absolutely believe it if someone told me this was a 100k mile car. Massive respect to the owner for not only keeping this alive and pristine - the wheels look amazing! - but also showing that sticking with a car like this for decades is far more sensible and efficient than changing to a new one every 3-4 years.

[@markscungio2996]

I put 200,000 miles on my 2002 525i US Spec. Touring. Had an aftermarket sealed cold-air intake box, tuned software and a spot exhaust added - took it to Germany while stationed there. Good friend had e34 Sedan...e34 and e39 were so very good. Quiet, smooth, COMFORTABLE , and yet...and YET!!! They FLEW - effortless at 125 mph, easy to have quiet conversations at those speeds they gobbled up the miles!!! Handled effortlessly and well despite their heft. And they were HANDSOME, so nice to look at. Sadly the current range looks like a cartoonish and garish joke. Happily I recently picked up a 48,000-mile 330ci Convertible built in 2003. The last, best cars (all makes and marks) were 1995-2005

[@ariliff]

I would think the doors would have been replaced since they're so prone to rust on the lower door trim.

[@DavidVlogz]

E34 is beauty I have a 535 and only thing I’ve changed is a steering hose, and clutch slave cylinder

[@DolleHengst]

My favorite BMW, the E34 M5 Touring with the 6-speed manual and 340 hp. 😍

[@LOTPOR0402]

A lot of cars will do that , what people never tell you is how often it serviced and how much money has been spent on it

[@BEGGARWOOD1]

I imagine a lot less than the depreciation and cost of buying new cars every few years

[@georgebettiol8338]

@@BEGGARWOOD1 I totally agree with your statement. On a $60k new car, the typcial depreciation is an instant $8k when you collect your new car and drive out the main dealer gate. Over the next 5 years the depreciation continues at a steady and high rate such that a typcial car is worth 60% of the original purchase price by about the 5-year mark. Once you own the car, regular maintenance is a requirement - not optional as some folk believe. Consequently, buying a new car every 3-4 years can be very expensive - more so - if you use finance to purchase it.

[@LOTPOR0402]

The trouble is people loose interest in the same car after a few years and go and buy another .The only cars with real high milage are the ones certain people keep for years.Still cheaper and better for the environment to keep the same car

[@cruiser6260]

I don't mind telling you: 08 Mitsubishi Triton, 426'000 km. Replaced steering rack and power steering pump because someone took it through deep water that got in. About 1500$.. due to abuse by kids.. otherwise only parts to fail, oil pressure sender and headlight globe. Both about 10$. parts worn out: Universal joints rear tail shaft. Parts about 100$ Thermostat, 75$. Replaced worn shocks and springs with upgrade. About 2k$. 2 rubber hangers on exhaust, about 20$. Regular service items like brake pads and belts and wiper blades. Original turbo, water pump, alternator, starter motor and clutch (adjusted). Doesn't breathe, burn or leak oil. Oil change every 10'000km, engine flush and filter every 30k, with PTFE Teflon. Fitted home made breather catch can. Grease and other fluids every 5 yrs. About 5 sets of tyres. Really all normal servicing except the oil pressure sender, and that was about 10$.

[@Messergebnis-liebhaber]

M50B25!!!! Such a dream especially in E36 chassis!!!!

[@malvessidrums]

Still looks beautiful too and would fit nicely in any posh setting.

[@johnvender]

My mother had an E30 318i for about ten years. In that time the only thing that broke was the air-con. Pity it was an automatic and unbelievably gutless. She got it new and got a very good trade in price on it when my parents replaced it with a new car.

[@whispjohn]

I worked for a BMW dealership in Chipstead, Surrey in the 1980s and drove these lovely cars and the 525i was a peach of a machine. There was a 528i and I think they even did a 523i too, I drove them all and I thought they were very good cars but the 525i and 325i had the best engine. In fact they were all good but the 528 and 523 did not last long, too many variants with little difference in performance. The estate was a favourite of mine because it was so roomy and it drove right and that straight 6 was a lovely engine, I am not surprised it has 500K miles on it. As long as they are serviced regularly and oil changes done etc.

[@berwhaletheavenger]

This was peak BMW - these and the E36, cars that would last 25 years with just regular servicing. The later E46 and E39 weren't as good.....possibly better when new but they heralded the onset of alloy blocks, multi link rear suspension, Canbus electronics, fragile cooling systems made of plastic, crap ABS pump ECU's, failing dash pixels, airbag warning lights........the E34 was the sweet spot of tech, quality and being a nice car to drive. A pity nobody bothered to look after them as there are so few left.

[@michaelpegasiou4531]

That car in distance drove to the moon and back,loved that era of bmw delicate grills and pretty looks 💕

[@Dragon300TE-24]

There is a competitor a wagon, that shares similarities but with different ways of aproach. It is Mercedes-Benz s124 300TE-24 Truly cars from that era came with a soul.

[@mrdainase]

I was deeply impressed with the 530 I had. Probably one of the company's very best efforts, and also one of their most undervalued too.

[@marksphotoperry356]

It sounds like you did not drive that 530i....If you would drive that you would not be impressed with that Overpriced Junk !

[@mrdainase]

@@marksphotoperry356 It sounds like you don't have a clue what you're prattling on about.

[@marksphotoperry356]

@@mrdainase Did you compare that 530i to Model T Ford and became so "Impressed" with it ? Or it was a poster on your wall at home ? Because if you drove it you would know that BMW is Totally not road worthy , underpowered, not reliable, made to come appart in short few months of time and above all Horrible Money pit ! BMW could make great cars if they wanted good reputation but instead they wanted more money to be made on selling us more service, more parts , again and again.I hope you fully understand what I am telling you this time.....

[@mrdainase]

@@marksphotoperry356 Dear, oh dear. Not just immature drivel but dreadful grammar too. Who taught you English - Officer Crabtree?

[@nl__1903]

Great video! Just bought a Granite Silver 525i A Touring, and its wonderful.

[@chiefrocka8604]

I had a e34 M5 in gangster black and it had a story Couldn’t believe it was only 1/524 uk original M5 E34’s and mine was 1/11 in that particular solid black

[@ceesklumper]

Your enthusiasm is inspiring

[@Number27]

Thanks for watching and for the support. Enjoy the summer!!

[@theblackhand6485]

'Is this the ultimate driving machine?' he asks. So we went for YES. But he comes up with a NO. A no!? Holy crap, what ever do you have to do to become a ultimate driving machine? ...original everything + 500.000 miles (not km but miles that is!)

[@ЕгорЧеркасов-г3р]

Amazing touring. Love it

[@valefur72]

Also the E39 was an awesome quality car. There were many problems on the E60-61, but it was an innovative car, especially for the electronic compartment. The best looking 5r remains the F10-11, for me...

[@johnmcdonnell81]

Great cars. Had two 525's, one with the M20 & one with M50. The M20 was sold with 180k miles, only major item replaced was the diff.

[@nagylevi3827]

I envy those lucky bastards who bought one of these new and had the wisdom to keep them. It's one of those rare gems that rewards loyalty.

[@mawaboutcars671]

I drive my 210k mile E34! Makes mine look barely run-in! I believe we’ve met along the Charlbury/Burford road several times! If the owner is ever willing to sell it, please let them know, I’ve been after a 525i touring for a long time!

[@Maurisje0123]

the durability is absolutely amazing

[@blackpassenger]

aggggghhhhhh! that off centered steering wheel is driving me nuts. love love love those. had a '95 sedan. that pininfarin design is still something to wank off to. Looking for one here in japan. saw a red one in perfect shape with only 150k kilos on the clock back in 2016 in ibaraki. havent seen one since.

[@jmmbos]

If you take good care of your car , this is quite common . My Opel Astra sport from the year 2000 ( a 115 hp 1.8 16v engine ) is also still running very smooth . In the first 7 years it had more issues than over the last 16 years , but no real motor problems at all. Only minor electronic flaws and breathing when waiting at the traffic lights due to bad carter ventilation , but even that has had no bad influence on it's lifespan . Not a single drop of oil is wasted . Cheers

[@madanto2394]

The alpina b10 e34 is still something to this day.

[@tcat0211]

It's true. 87 325i manual was and still is the most perfect vehicle I've ever owned.

[@johndoyle4723]

I drove one in its day, and it was very good, but would not want a newer BM these days. Yes it has done well, congrats to the owner. We had commercial HGVs and it was easy to get 500,000 miles out of the engine as long as it was well maintained.

[@torresalex]

Best BMW of all IMHO and my favourite, especially with a silky petrol and it being a Touring.

[@brianaust8897]

I have to object to the statement about BMWs now having a good reputation for steering feel. What!? That’s what I was amazed with in my relatively new E32 and almost all E34s.

[@julesviolin]

My 2003 Rover 75 Auto Tourer diesel is catching up on 210k miles 😎 Feels like it will make the half million, but I'll probably never find out as my annual mileage these days is only 4k. This car owes me nothing. It has the BMW M47 engine which is renowned for covering moon miles on original chains etc. Still on it's original dampers and wheel bearings and it's retro interior still looks well. A friend has the 335d Tourer on 250k miles still going strong. Cars these days are deliberately NOT made to last like they used to !

[@paulboyle6857]

V nice but the E39 is even better.I,m currently considering a 1999 528i Touring which has been standing for a while;hope it can be recommissioned fairly easily!

[@rhiantaylor3446]

I had an E34 V8 and while my car the steering box I understood the straight 6's had more engine bay space and so were rack and pinion and better for it. Personally I think Bosch and their fuel injection is a large part of why a lot of engines work so well after a lot of miles. My 530i was as crisp as new when I sold it at just under 200k miles.

[@Jeffrey_M]

That was only E39 that had the rack and pinion on the straight 6's.

[@m.pietro9087]

It’s still gorgeous and elegant. The ultimate daily driver.

[@joechamberlain7441]

Love the channel Jack, but I’m afraid I have to disagree with you on this one. I owned an E34 Touring about 20 years ago and it was the most disappointing car I have ever owned. I’d recently been promoted and was a looking for a car with a bit more status. I regularly carried quite a lot of stuff, so an estate was needed and I did quite high mileage, so I went for the straight-6 turbo diesel 525tds. BMWs always boasted being a drivers’ car and I like rear-wheel drive. It was automatic as I couldn’t find a good used manual at the time (these were quite rare cars). The E34 looked ideal. I loved the looks, it was reliable, smooth and comfortable. It soaked up the road-bumps and pot-holes like they weren’t there, but at the price of handling like a boat. The interior is not nearly as roomy as it looks and this was BMWs largest estate car. I’m only 6ft tall but my head rubbed against the roof. The boot space was not nearly as capacious as it looked either. You could just fit two bicycles flat in the back, my current car will easily take 3. It was expensive too. The tyres are a unique size and only one company made them, they were £150 each 20 years ago - this is the real reason why most owners change the wheels. I wanted to maintain the fsh, but the quote for a service from the main dealer was eye-watering. Even an ordinary service from a local independent cost around 10% of the value of the car. All parts were very expensive too. But maybe worst of all it was dreadfully slow and thirsty. 30mpg for a diesel is awful. Acceleration was feeble. Even gently pressing the accelerator caused it to annoyingly change gear before getting a move on. If you pressed the kick-down it ponderously dropped down two gears and got louder, but not a lot else. The final straw came one day when I got comprehensively burned-off by some disrespectful chavs in a nothing Ford Fiesta. I don’t know how BMW got it so wrong. My current daily-driver is a 1.6 diesel automatic Skoda Octavia estate. It is faster, roomier, does over 60mpg, is totally reliable, nice to drive, cheap to run, much better equipped and doesn’t even look bad either. Seems you have to pay a lot for a badge.

[@rickyanderson6984]

When he hit that pothole at 5:12 that hurt me deep inside

[@TonyMeek-w2h]

In seven or eight years when this car reaches 40 years old then it should start to become a classic.

[@stevelawrie9115]

I have a 12 year old K1300S BMW motorbike that has done nearly 140,000kms and it rides like a new one. :)

[@brettnewman5230]

Loved this! Very fair and accurate assessment. If you want to have some fun, do an e34 vs e39 comparison.

[@nova-oy4qy]

out of all the reviewers in the UK, you are my favorite!

[@akumpi]

I had an E34 and I don't understand how they managed to have so little headroom and legroom. In the W124 on the other hand I could almost lock my knees while driving.

[@umarkhatab1700]

The owner must really love that car, back in 2004 that car was worth about £3k, to spend £18k on it, wonder what he got done, For £18k I could get that thing totally rebuilt back then, engine/gearbox/all suspension components/diff & total respray & get leather upholstery fitted. It would literally be brand new, I had the E34 535i Sport that had been converted to manual, with some head modifications work carried out by Hartge, amazing machines, very solid cars.

[@ofirs5830]

Thank you for making this video.😊