Best year of the E34 535im?

[KB535i]

Ive just sold my 91 535i auto.....to get a Manual 535i FINALLY. I did a few searches and couldnt find much on this.

Question is: Is there a big difference in the years of the 535im? And if so, what are they. Basicaly i wanna know what is the best year of that model. I have cash from selling my car and am very eager/anxious to make a move. An EDUCATED one.

Thanks Fella's

[winfred]

with the 5 speed cars about the only real difference is the factory radio system and head lights, in 91 they went to a better radio and worse lights, i guess a 93 would be the best as it has the good radio system and is the comeback year of the elipsoid head lights, other then that they are about all the same, on automatic cars the (slightly) better tranny started around 90 they got a little better computer control system, they seem to shift better

[KB535i]

with the 5 speed cars about the only real difference is the factory radio system and head lights, in 91 they went to a better radio and worse lights, i guess a 93 would be the best as it has the good radio system and is the comeback year of the elipsoid head lights, other then that they are about all the same, on automatic cars the (slightly) better tranny started around 90 they got a little better computer control system, they seem to shift better
is it true that heated seats AND LSD wernt available till 92?

[Kalevera]

They could be had in 1989 US spec cars. Just depends on how it was optioned.

My money would be on finding a '93. Best interior, the possibility of a power telescoping wheel. The one issue is that there are very few '93 5 speeds floating around. A '92 would be much easier to find, but you'd have to deal with the free form headlights.

best, whit

[bfd]

is it true that heated seats AND LSD wernt available till 92?

No. I have a 1990 E34 535i, 5 speed, 104K miles, prod. date 7/90, and it has both heated and lsd. Instead of focusing on the year, I would look for the "cleanest" car you find. After all, even a 1993 is 13 years old.

Depending on how much you have or want to spend, consider expanding your search to include 91 or 92 M5.....

[gj1968]

I have a 1993 535iM. Does the LSD come standard on this MY or it is an optional package? I don't see the LSD mentioned anywhere on the sticker window.

[Bruno]

with the 5 speed cars about the only real difference is the factory radio system and head lights, in 91 they went to a better radio and worse lights, i guess a 93 would be the best as it has the good radio system and is the comeback year of the elipsoid head lights, other then that they are about all the same, on automatic cars the (slightly) better tranny started around 90 they got a little better computer control system, they seem to shift better

You are forgetting the Throttle by wire addition in the later years along with and the removal of the rear inside individual lights after 1990.

[Qube]

Mine has heated seats. No rear interior lights? They add class to the car ;)

[Derek A.]

heated seats and lsd were part of the winter package.

[Qube]

Hmm? Heated seats not separate option? So I might have an LSD and not know it?

[winfred]

heated seats are rare around here on everything but i have never seen them on a 535 when i do see them they are usually on a 94-95 525, lsds are not that hard to find but i wouldn't base not buying a nice car on just a lsd as they can be sorced elseware


is it true that heated seats AND LSD wernt available till 92?

[winfred]

eml was just a expensive option the only purpose was traction control and due to cost on parts id avoid it (yes i know how to rebuild one), i've only seen 3 or 4 and i parted out two of those, was it even avalable with a stick all i've seen were slushboxes. i don't sit in the back so i don't care about induhhhhvidual lights :D


You are forgetting the Throttle by wire addition in the later years along with and the removal of the rear inside individual lights after 1990.

[winfred]

yea just stick ether 89-90 93-95 (same lights, guess they figured out the 91-92s sucked) us elipsoids in it or euro's


A '92 would be much easier to find, but you'd have to deal with the free form headlights.

best, whit

[Kalevera]

Canadian and US market cars were offered with different options.

For example, EML was only on '91/'92 735/535 cars in the US. I recall reading somewhere that it was gone for '93, and as with Winfred, I've never seen it on a manual tranny car from those years. Other countries have different cases.

You can buy a perfect 535/5 for $10 gees or less. I wouldn't touch an M5 around that price range. Most of the stuff in that range on eBay is reconstructed salvage title detritus.

Hold on to your money for a little while, do some shopping, don't be so hot to spend it. At the end of last spring, I saw multiple 535/5s going for around 2 or 3 grand, and I had a very good example offered to me for less than that about a month ago.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4607125575&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1

but I'd still find a '93, if it were me doing the buying.

best, whit

[Gayle]

heated seats are rare around here on everything but i have never seen them on a 535 when i do see them they are usually on a 94-95 525, lsds are not that hard to find but i wouldn't base not buying a nice car on just a lsd as they can be sorced elseware


My 90 has heated seats.

I agree with who ever said find the best speciman you can. In 90 there were only 600 manual tranny 535s brought into the US. You are not going to have an unlimited selection. I think good shape is much more important than what year given how insignificant the differences between years are.

[MSM]

I have EML and Manual transmission and LSD in my 92 535 iSport.

On top of that, it is lighter than the regular all electric interior 535i as it doesn't have to drag around all the extra motors for adjusting seats, steering column etc. :)

My car's EML unit provides Cruise Control and Idle control as well as Traction control. Traction control works very smoothly when you decide to let it, and can be turned off easily, when you want to play.

535 Sport with EML seems to be a rare combination from what I've seen, but I would certainly keep an eye out if you are looking for a decent 535 anyway.