1992 BMW 5 Series 520i SE 2.0 petrol
Summary:
When BMW was BMW
Faults:
Usual mechanical wear and tear for age and mileage - clutch, brakes, suspension, exhaust, etc.
Locking/alarm/immobilizer electric issues.
Pretty bad rust in its final year with me.
General Comments:
Early 1990s 5 series. E34. Best looking generation in my opinion.
In the mid 1990s when I bought this car I didn't know what to expect; I knew they were good but had heard stories even back then about reliability issues and high running costs.
As it turned out over the course of a decade the car proved reliable, and although there were some expensive repairs needed, it never caused me any major issues.
Black 520i SE, stunning looking inside and out.
Very nice to drive and super comfortable.
2.0 engine did 28 - 31 mpg and I drove it fast sometimes, good for its time. Manual transmission. The autos gave a bit less economy, but were more common and more suited to this car's relaxed style.
A fine car I miss a lot, only scrapped it in 2006 when it was 14 years old as that rust wasn't getting any better, but the car was still running strong, I looked after it. Looking back I should have kept it, fixed the rust, then garaged it; these are worth a fortune for a good one now as they are rare.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 4th January, 2025
6th Oct 2025, 17:05
Most importantly; back then these cars weren't built to a specific price point and also weren't loaded with all this extra technology that I'm a bit unsure we need. Taking a new car today, ie a 2025 model year, I don't think any of these will be around in 20 to 30 years. Keeping these on the road much past 10 years will a struggle. Component quality is poorer than on a car from the 90ies. Everything; flimsy plastic, thinner material, everything is marginal, some of the electrical connectors are as if they should be fitted to a toy, etc.
7th Oct 2025, 21:44
"...built to a specific price point." Yes! That is exactly what got Mercedes. I read in some magazine that Mercedes started developing cars to a fixed budget (instead of whatever it took to get everything perfect) and time frame (instead of holding off until the engineers were confident of the final outcome), instead of developing a vehicle with a cost-plus model. But if they didn't, with Ford Sierras employing fuel injection that matched the power of a 190E, and Renaults getting 5-star crash ratings, both for what would have been a much lower price point, they needed to find some way to mitigate what was unforseen competition. The Germans though, I feel, missed the opportunity to make the durability and dependability a strong selling and advertising point, while still keeping a reasonable margin. After all, a Casio watch will give the same time as a Longines or Rolex, but if the diamonds started falling off the numerals of the latter, you'll never get those previous buyers back into the fold.
2nd Oct 2025, 19:38
The older ones were the best, much simpler :)