1990 BMW 5 Series Reviews, Pricing & Specs
What owners say
"Owners of the 1990 BMW 5 Series love the driving experience and build quality, highlighting the great performance, handling, and overall enjoyment of driving. Many appreciate the powerful engines and feel that the vehicle handles well, making it fun to drive. On the downside, some drivers note that the cars can be expensive to maintain, with higher fuel consumption and costly spare parts being common concerns."
This car is just magic to drive :) Looks great, solid german workmanship, reliable, just a little heavy on fuel but perfomes beautifully. It is easy and fun to drive, has everything electric that opens and shuts right down to the first aid kit, lfull leather interior, faultless throughout
August 14, 2010Performance: I have just added a slightly tuned engine this summer, witch have boosted the horsepower from 129 to around 200 :) I havent done much regarding styling. I added 18" rims, and changed the headlights and taillights. This gave it a more modern look. Since i bought the car almost 2 years ago, it has been a costly affair. But the overall costs is relatively low if you know a thing or two about mechanics :) This is one of the best and most fun cars i have ever owned, and im really looking forward to trying an M5 :P
September 27, 2008You don't really notice the e34 5 series until you consciously take a moment to stop and look at it. The styling that was carried over from BMW's flagship model back in 1989 still looks timeless, 22 years later. In many ways it's the best modern classic BMW available; it was the last car to retain the German manufacturer's traditional quad headlight design, yet its new body shell was much more aerodynamic, stiffer, and safer than the previous generation; it represented the first incarnation of the new-age BMW. I've asked many friends how old they think the e34 5er is and the closest guess has been about 5 years off. Only minor exterior changes were made to the e34 during its lifespan, those being side-mounted turn indicators and more painted area on the lower body. All models come equipped with central locking, although a remote keyless entry system and alarm was added later. Another convenient feature is the key-activated window operation, which allows you to roll up all the windows and close the sunroof from outside of the car. With a decent coat of paint and wheels to match, the car simply defies its age. The e34's interior is exactly this: A premium sedan cabin from the early 90s. It was top of the line, and it's still far better than many compact class interiors today. Leather was standard, don't worry about that. So were power seats, power windows, driver airbag (and passenger in later years), ABS, and a powerful on-board computer with functions such as average MPG/MPH, thermometer, an estimated arrival time calculator, etc. In fact, the North American E34 came standard with so many features that the options list was sparce. One option of note is the sport package, which in addition to stiffer suspension offered more dynamic seats that do a much better job holding the occupants in place during spirited driving. Very few models were equipped with this option, so you may not come across any on your used car hunt. That said, the regular seats are extremely comfortable and fully adjustable (even the headrest is electrically adjustable!), and the armrests are more than welcome on long trips. It should be assumed that every used car ages differently. Cars that were pampered throughout their life will show it, and it's easy to find an e34 for under 5k that's been pampered. By today's standards, the car is small and light for a mid-size sedan; it's the same size and weight as a new 3 series. The car was originally set up for luxurious, comfortable cruising, although with a new set of suspension components it transforms into a midsize sports sedan that holds its own or bests everything else in its price range. Both automatic and manual gearboxes were available, the 5 speed manuals tending to outlast their 4 speed (5 in later years) automatic counterparts. Acceleration is more than adequate with any engine above the 2.5 liter, and braking is even better. Safety was a strong influence on the car's design; the body was 33% more rigid than the outgoing model and boasted a record setting 60-0 braking distance of 130ft. Lastly, I suppose I should address the reliability. Put plainly, anyone who tells you a BMW of this era is expensive to maintain either owns a lemon or doesnt own one at all. Asides from the usual maintainence such as oil changes, I think I've spent about $200 per year in items that needed replacement. The car recieved a new radiator (installed by yours truly) and a rebuilt driveshaft since mine had some play in it. It's been pretty much bulletproof other than that. See the video review for more details!
April 7, 2012What owners say
This car is just magic to drive :) Looks great, solid german workmanship, reliable, just a little heavy on fuel but perfomes beautifully. It is easy and fun to drive, has everything electric that opens and shuts right down to the first aid kit, lfull leather interior, faultless throughout
August 14, 2010Performance: I have just added a slightly tuned engine this summer, witch have boosted the horsepower from 129 to around 200 :) I havent done much regarding styling. I added 18" rims, and changed the headlights and taillights. This gave it a more modern look. Since i bought the car almost 2 years ago, it has been a costly affair. But the overall costs is relatively low if you know a thing or two about mechanics :) This is one of the best and most fun cars i have ever owned, and im really looking forward to trying an M5 :P
September 27, 2008You don't really notice the e34 5 series until you consciously take a moment to stop and look at it. The styling that was carried over from BMW's flagship model back in 1989 still looks timeless, 22 years later. In many ways it's the best modern classic BMW available; it was the last car to retain the German manufacturer's traditional quad headlight design, yet its new body shell was much more aerodynamic, stiffer, and safer than the previous generation; it represented the first incarnation of the new-age BMW. I've asked many friends how old they think the e34 5er is and the closest guess has been about 5 years off. Only minor exterior changes were made to the e34 during its lifespan, those being side-mounted turn indicators and more painted area on the lower body. All models come equipped with central locking, although a remote keyless entry system and alarm was added later. Another convenient feature is the key-activated window operation, which allows you to roll up all the windows and close the sunroof from outside of the car. With a decent coat of paint and wheels to match, the car simply defies its age. The e34's interior is exactly this: A premium sedan cabin from the early 90s. It was top of the line, and it's still far better than many compact class interiors today. Leather was standard, don't worry about that. So were power seats, power windows, driver airbag (and passenger in later years), ABS, and a powerful on-board computer with functions such as average MPG/MPH, thermometer, an estimated arrival time calculator, etc. In fact, the North American E34 came standard with so many features that the options list was sparce. One option of note is the sport package, which in addition to stiffer suspension offered more dynamic seats that do a much better job holding the occupants in place during spirited driving. Very few models were equipped with this option, so you may not come across any on your used car hunt. That said, the regular seats are extremely comfortable and fully adjustable (even the headrest is electrically adjustable!), and the armrests are more than welcome on long trips. It should be assumed that every used car ages differently. Cars that were pampered throughout their life will show it, and it's easy to find an e34 for under 5k that's been pampered. By today's standards, the car is small and light for a mid-size sedan; it's the same size and weight as a new 3 series. The car was originally set up for luxurious, comfortable cruising, although with a new set of suspension components it transforms into a midsize sports sedan that holds its own or bests everything else in its price range. Both automatic and manual gearboxes were available, the 5 speed manuals tending to outlast their 4 speed (5 in later years) automatic counterparts. Acceleration is more than adequate with any engine above the 2.5 liter, and braking is even better. Safety was a strong influence on the car's design; the body was 33% more rigid than the outgoing model and boasted a record setting 60-0 braking distance of 130ft. Lastly, I suppose I should address the reliability. Put plainly, anyone who tells you a BMW of this era is expensive to maintain either owns a lemon or doesnt own one at all. Asides from the usual maintainence such as oil changes, I think I've spent about $200 per year in items that needed replacement. The car recieved a new radiator (installed by yours truly) and a rebuilt driveshaft since mine had some play in it. It's been pretty much bulletproof other than that. See the video review for more details!
April 7, 2012Solid performance in all aspects except steering. The wheel is numb and overboosted. Comfortable freeway cruiser and fun to drive in the twisties. Decent cost of ownership, good quality, fairly reliable, and a good looker. With proper maintenance, they run forever!
October 29, 2011I love my BMW 525I. The performance is great. I can easily out handle the majority of cars on the road and the braking is amazing. This car was built with stuff that it could do without, but BMW took the initiative to make thier cars the best when american cars where only worried about cutting costs and putting only the whats required unless you want to pay extra (BMW does it standard). The gas mileage is decent for the year, about 16 city and 20 hwy. Maintenance is great, they are very reliable and not really that expensive to fix when you know where to find parts or have the best BMW Mechanic around like me. Overall this car is a blast to drive, attracts all the women you could ask for and is constantly getting attention from everyone. Would highly recommend a BMW to anyone, it is "The ultimate driving machine".
April 20, 2011This car is absolutely amazing. When buying my next car I hadn't even considered a BMW. Now having bought my 535i, I'll never go back. Perfect balance between comfort, power, and style. The engine is a tune up away from running perfectly and the body just needs to be repainted. Asfor the interior, it's perfect. For a car the same age as me, and for $2200, it's in amazing condition. The i6 engine with L/100km gauge on the dash makes it easy to save gas when you need to, but push the throttle down and it flys. I've never had so much fun driving, let alone owning a car like this. To me, this car is PERFECT!
October 27, 2009the car was very well built and very good performance from the 2.5 litre straight six ,great looking car even though interior looked a bit dated ,was very heavy on the gas if you put your foot down, very fun to drive very tail happy in the wet .
January 19, 2010. clean motor . fuel efficient . steady and heavy / it's hard to handle (it's not built for racing) the build is tough and heavy .full options . has some technological advancements that are unique ( rain sensor - everything electronic) . leather inerior that matches the colour of the car
September 5, 2009Performance: Wasn't bad, 2.0 Straight 6 may be a touch underpowered but is adequate, brakes good, handling was a good for what it is. Build Quality: Good Appearance: Not in great condition but not the worst I have seen. Cost of Ownership: Not bad on fuel for what it is, maybe 30MPG Fun Factor: Not bad, didn't really use it enough to experiance any fun really but a good drive.
October 12, 2010- performance is pretty modern for it's age, both mechanically and electronically for a 20 year old car - maintenance is a weekly deal - interior and exterior has aged - ridiculously fun car to drive, has loads of character and memories - almost 240,000 miles
February 19, 2009
