Junkyard Gem: 1991 BMW 535i

The second-generation BMW 5 Series, the E28, sold very well in the United States during its reign of model years 1982 through 1988. Its successor, the E34, was bigger, heavier, more luxurious and more aerodynamic. We hadn't yet seen an E34 Junkyard Gem, and these cars are getting harder to find in the car graveyards lately, so I shot this '91 in a Colorado yard.

1991 was the last model year for the 5 Series as a sedan-only model; the 525i Touring station wagon had its debut here in 1992.

For 1991, the U.S.-market E34 was available as the 525i, 535i and M5. Price tags were $34,900, $42,900 and $57,600, respectively (that's $79,614, $97,864 and $131,398 in 2023 dollars). That means this car sold new for close to 100 grand in today's money.

This being a 535i, it has a 3.4-liter (BMW fudged displacement numbers a bit) straight-six rated at 208 horsepower and 225 pound-feet.

A five-speed manual transmission was standard equipment in the 1991 535i here, but the original buyer of this car opted for the four-speed automatic. Even the 3 Series was getting mostly slushboxified in the United States by the early 1990s.

BMW was switching from mechanical to electronic odometers about the time this car was built, and so we can't know the final odometer reading in this car.

The interior looks very good at age 32, suggesting both low miles and regular garage parking.

The original owner's manuals were still in the glovebox.

With antilock brakes tested on The Devil's Rollercoaster.

Just the car for St. James Parish, Louisiana. BMW appears to have borrowed or licensed an excerpt from the 1987 Yello song, "Call It Love" for use in this commercial.