E34 535i 5spd or M3 95?

[Unregistered]

Im new to the bmw community so i wanted to decide what to get a 535i 5spd e34 or a 95 M3, i love the E34 the whole look, but i also love the M car. I wanted to get a 91 M5 but its just too much for me. I can afford the car but not fixing it. So i was wondering which u think is better(overall). Im willing to spend 15k on the car. If i get the E34 then i will be able to make it look nice but if i get the M3 i would keep it stock. So what do u guys think i should do. Im looking for a car that has enough power to have fun and keep up and/or pass the 94 325is. I was looking at the 525i 95 that car also looks good, but im not shure about power. But over all what do u guys prefer? I drove my friends 89 525i its fun but its just under powered, i need something that when i step on the gas it will have some kind of kick. If u guys have any suggestions that would be great. Im also open to any E34 that fits. And it all has to be about 15k in price.

[George M]

My advice is purchase a real clean 535i 5 speed for about 8-9K or so...and keep the balance of money you were planning to spend in a slush fund for future repairs. A real nice M5 is at least in the high teens for purchase price and if thrashed with a lower selling price you do not want it as it will cost much more in the long run. All the M car's are hard to beat but you will pay handsomely for an exceptional one. There are presently a couple of enthusiasts on this board rebuilding their M-motors and they will tell you first hand that rebuilding a M//big six is very expensive. Conversely if you have to tackle a relatively bullet proof/simple M30, they are inexpensive to rebuild and relatively easy. So all depends what you want. Most of us would be driving a M car on this board if it weren't for cost of ownership...they are wonderful cars...but for value i.e. cost versus benefit....the 535i 5 speed car is very hard to beat.
HTH,
George

[Warren N.CA]

with a brand new Metric Mechanic 3.7L stroker motor, installed by Dinan, along with all new engine accessories and Dinan suspension, pristine original paint. It's in San Jose CA, and if on autotrader, should still be available. Black/Black. Probably faster than M3.

My advice is purchase a real clean 535i 5 speed for about 8-9K or so...and keep the balance of money you were planning to spend in a slush fund for future repairs. A real nice M5 is at least in the high teens for purchase price and if thrashed with a lower selling price you do not want it as it will cost much more in the long run. All the M car's are hard to beat but you will pay handsomely for an exceptional one. There are presently a couple of enthusiasts on this board rebuilding their M-motors and they will tell you first hand that rebuilding a M//big six is very expensive. Conversely if you have to tackle a relatively bullet proof/simple M30, they are inexpensive to rebuild and relatively easy. So all depends what you want. Most of us would be driving a M car on this board if it weren't for cost of ownership...they are wonderful cars...but for value i.e. cost versus benefit....the 535i 5 speed car is very hard to beat.
HTH,
George

[Unregistered]

Thanks for the info, i will be looking into the 535i 5spd, sence its good for my pocket and if i get a nice one i can almost keep it forewer. I will look into the 535i. Thanks allot.

[Unregistered]

g'day, i dont know if they are readily available in the states but here in australia you could pick up a 1993 540i for around the same sort of money as the us$17k you are thinking about for a 535im, i have owned a 525im (1990) & 535ia (1992) e34 series and now a (1993) 540i. in my opinion the 540i is a much better car in all aspects except for the body, (being the same lol)... either way you wont go wrong , best regards from downunder

[JonE]

I know this is an E34 board, and I drive one and love it, but, having driven a 95 M3 they are very thrilling, performance-wise. I like the room and comfort of the 535i (family of four) and as noted, fairly easy to work on. The M3 is sporty and comfortable and very fast, great brakes, too. No experience mechanically with the M3 and would expect higher repair/parts bills. My E30 has similar sportiness as M3 but not the performance of the M3. I guess it depends on what you're looking for. Good luck with your decision, BMW's are great!

[Jason]

with a brand new Metric Mechanic 3.7L stroker motor, installed by Dinan, along with all new engine accessories and Dinan suspension, pristine original paint. It's in San Jose CA, and if on autotrader, should still be available. Black/Black. Probably faster than M3.

[mholbrook]

As an owner of an 89 535i manual, I really love this car. I have a very good friend with an M5 and it is beautiful but he makes about 3x the money I do so he can afford it. A decent M5 will cost about what a decent 95 up M3 will cost, the mid to high teens. A decent 535 can be had for about 1/2 that in great shape. My car is no beauty queen and I have about $7500 in the car including the purchase price of $3k. That includes a lot of upgrades. Most of the stuff on my car is comparable to M5 except for the motor. The difference may not be that much since either car is way over the head of most of the owners. Get a good 535 and never look back.

Just my .02