1995 BMW M5

The BMW E34 M5 was in production from 1988 until 1995. Styled in house by Ercole Spada and J Mays, it is a front-engine, rear wheel drive saloon and estate range seating five adults.

The E34 was the car which really cemented the M5’s reputation as the supersaloon par excellence. Developed from the 535i, it used an evolution of the 3.5 litre straight six used in American and Japanese versions of its predecessor, meaning a unified engine range across the world for the M5 model. It came with revised camshafts, a variable inlet manifold, a mass airflow sensor and revised electronics to boost power to 311bhp, from the 255bhp of its predecessor and up even from the 282bhp of European E28 M5s. This engine was enlarged in 1991 to 3.8 litres for European spec M5s, resulting in 335bhp. In 1992 left hand drive markets gained the option of an estate body, some of which have subsequently been imported into the UK. 12,254 BMW E34 M5s were produced in total.

Compared to a modern M5 it’ll feel slow and soft, but what seems like a more tame experience is tempered by the lack of many of today’s electronics to keep you on the straight and narrow. This is an old school experience where the only thing between you and an accident is your own talent and the capable chassis underneath you. Attune yourself to this and you’ll find the E34 M5 one of the most entertaining classics you could buy – and with space for five and a big boot, it’s a practical classic to boot.

Check the underside, around the jacking points and arches, door bottoms, and sills. The fuel filler pocket is also a known trouble spot, so make sure it’s clean. Inside, make sure that all the toys work as expected – including the ventilation controls and the electric seats. M5s have their own instrument cluster and if they fail many have swapped in standard E34 items. Check for rel needles and an oil temperature gauge, these are signs of a genuine M5 instrument pack. Don’t worry about the lack of a spoiler, it was a no cost option new so may never have been specified and aftermarket examples are available. Panels are the same as any E34, so don’t worry about light corrosion. Under the bonnet valve clearances should be checked every 15000 miles, and rough running could be explained by a weak coil pack – they use one per cylinder. Viscous fan couplings can fail, while rattling could be a tired timing chain tensioner.

As with almost all prestigious German classics, dark metallics and monochrome interiors will always sell better than colours which make a statement, but that means that bright red M5s can be had at a better price in the first instance. Make your decision based upon how long you intend to keep the car. If possible, take a specialist with you to view.

The Mercedes 500E and supercharged Jaguar X300 XJR would be the closest rivals to this blistering sports saloon, though if you didn’t care about the image and just wanted something quick the Vauxhall Lotus Carlton was the idea car for you. In estate form there’s little to rival it – the Audi 100 S4 Avant might have been amusing but it had nowhere near the poke of the BMW. If the V8 Mercedes isn’t for you, what about the W124 E36 AMG? A SAAB 9000 Turbo might tick the right boxes for those seeking the same sort of package on a vastly reduced budget.