E34s are rare sight these days?

[Singing6]

There are five E34's and one E32 in my area. I make sure to check up on them after big stormsIMG_4718.jpg

[E28E34]

A green 535 was in front of me yesterday on the highway and it occurred to me that I haven't seen another one on the road for ages, the last one I recall being an ///M, on the same highway coincidentally.
Do you see other E34s in your area?
E38/9s seem to be the "beater" cars nowadays, I seldom see older.
Is anybody running "antique" license plates yet?

Been running classic plates on mine for 4 yrs. now. Very rarely see E34s on the road. I've seen 1 heavily modded one 2-3x in the last year on my commute. Otherwise, they're gone. Even at BMW shows, rare to see. In the northeast, especially the general NYC area, it's rare to see anything from the 20th century on the road anymore. Sad. For older BMWs, I see maybe an E30 3 times a year. But E32s, even E38s, gone. And unquestionably, anything south of E30s (E21, E23, E24, E28) gone. Sad. Saw a E30 318i Conv. and was like "oooh, how rare." Admiring it in traffic. I feel truly like the "Sole Survivor" (Asia reference) out there in a sea of new/newish cars.

[thursday69]

I think the classic tag in CA is 25 yrs, so almost there.

Reading this made me curious about the California DMV's classic tag rules, so i looked 'em up. From 'Reg 17 A, Special Recognition License Plate Application':

"Historical Vehicle License Plates
I certify that I understand these plates may only be placed on a motor vehicle manufactured after 1922, which is at least 25 years old and is of historic interest.
I also certify that I understand that the vehicle for which these plates are issued is primarily driven in historical exhibitions, parades, or historic club activities."

Yes and Yes to the first two criteria. But i guess i better start snapping photos of my car at/in the La Brea tar pits, parades, or driving with the Hell's Angels.
;-)

and yay, the Bay Area has some e34s, several in Berkeley area.

[bigsixe34]

Been running classic plates on mine for 4 yrs. now. Very rarely see E34s on the road. I've seen 1 heavily modded one 2-3x in the last year on my commute. Otherwise, they're gone. Even at BMW shows, rare to see. In the northeast, especially the general NYC area, it's rare to see anything from the 20th century on the road anymore. Sad. For older BMWs, I see maybe an E30 3 times a year. But E32s, even E38s, gone. And unquestionably, anything south of E30s (E21, E23, E24, E28) gone. Sad. Saw a E30 318i Conv. and was like "oooh, how rare." Admiring it in traffic. I feel truly like the "Sole Survivor" (Asia reference) out there in a sea of new/newish cars.

I see plenty of 18+ year old cars in my area (northern Manhattan). But you’re right that the number of e34s, and ‘90s German sedans in general, has indeed absolutely plummeted in recent years up north. Up until 2015 dare I say they were even common as NYC beaters.

[GregT53]

I just switched to the antique plate this January when my car hit the 25 year milestone. There is another E34 nearby that has antique plates, and there are a few others around but the sightings are fewer and farther between. Although Virginia has restrictions very similar to California regarding when declared antiques can be driven, I highly doubt such rules are enforced as there are much bigger fish to fry.

Regarding the plummeting numbers of older BMWs, I suspect it's partly due to the obscene increases in parts pricing since 2014 and the unwillingness of many owners to pay the price to make repairs.

[Red Shirt KRT]

It's nice being from the motor state. No smog regulations at all, no yearly vehicle checks, and historic plates last a long time so are much cheaper in the long run. Also don't think there are any requirements other than the amount of years.

[The Chauffeur]

Antique plates here in NC need to be 1980 or older...

[Red Shirt KRT]

Dang 38 years rough. Mi is 26 I just looked it up, best part is registration only has to be renewed every 10 years

[jimmyz66]

My modded 1995 E34 540i will be buried next to me, and that said after I just bought a Porsche Carrera S.

[bigsixe34]

Dang 38 years rough. Mi is 26 I just looked it up, best part is registration only has to be renewed every 10 years

That's nuts. No annuals, regi every 10 years and nada in between?
In NY you apply then have to fit the bill to the DMV on top of checking out on a long list. 25+ years and "not for daily transportation". Once you get them I think the renewal is yearly as opposed to 2 for standard issues.
The break comes on the insurance though for not seeming like the car you're in all day.

[Red Shirt KRT]

Michigan never has any inspections for any car, except you have to have all lights and signals working in whichever car you take your road test in.

Muffler rusts off, hell weld a straight pipe in!

Yep reg renewal only 10 years for historic, it also says it can be for car show travel only and unrestricted in august. (For the Woodward cruise).

I've driven around everywhere in another car with them and never had any issues, it's really only a problem if you get pulled over for something else.

And we can get pretty good insurance rates with a historic plate as well.

[ross1]

It's nice being from the motor state. No smog regulations at all, no yearly vehicle checks, and historic plates last a long time so are much cheaper in the long run. Also don't think there are any requirements other than the amount of years.

No checks in Illinois either, aside emissions which doesn't apply to pre OBDII cars or "antique". Emission system fitness here is judged solely by OBD port. Huge facilities built for actual testing are now manned by Wal-Mart greeters which plug into the diagnostic port and give yea or nay. Could be done on street corners or the local repair shop but Illinois requires a lot of $$ be paid to a private enterprise operating out of fabulously expensive state owned facilities.
Any pile of shit that can propel itself down the road is allowed. A bit scary when you see some of the heaps sharing the road with you and the condition of some that come into a friend's shop.
Rant over

[bigsixe34]

No checks in Illinois either, aside emissions which doesn't apply to pre OBDII cars or "antique". Emission system fitness here is judged solely by OBD port. Huge facilities built for actual testing are now manned by Wal-Mart greeters which plug into the diagnostic port and give yea or nay. Could be done on street corners or the local repair shop but Illinois requires a lot of $$ be paid to a private enterprise operating out of fabulously expensive state owned facilities.
Any pile of shit that can propel itself down the road is allowed. A bit scary when you see some of the heaps sharing the road with you and the condition of some that come into a friend's shop.
Rant over

That is how NY works now, too. As of 2010ish OBD1 gets visual only. You can drive a '95 straight in billowing un-catted exhaust no problem.
OBD2 gets diagnostic port but no sniffer, and you can also get by with one system still offline. Which is the bogus part because the Cats are no exception to the rule. So even if they are failing, as long as your other systems are online you can pass your "emissions" test no problem. Reset light, drive in circles until everything else is online, pull it right in and boom good for another year. 5 miles after you leave with a fresh sticker the CEL comes back on.
Regarding your area, my wife grew up in Darien. I've had the pleasure of not only seeing all the heaps that still travel the road over there but also the lush facilities you mention rusting away.
On the whole the Chicagoland real estate situation is unfortunate. In the 6 years I've been regularly visiting that area I can't even recall the amount of major stores/businesses/malls I've returned to find vacant. Really crazy. Same thing is beginning to happen here in NY.

[ross1]

That is how NY works now, too. As of 2010ish OBD1 gets visual only. You can drive a '95 straight in billowing un-catted exhaust no problem.
OBD2 gets diagnostic port but no sniffer, and you can also get by with one system still offline. Which is the bogus part because the Cats are no exception to the rule. So even if they are failing, as long as your other systems are online you can pass your "emissions" test no problem. Reset light, drive in circles until everything else is online, pull it right in and boom good for another year. 5 miles after you leave with a fresh sticker the CEL comes back on.
Regarding your area, my wife grew up in Darien. I've had the pleasure of not only seeing all the heaps that still travel the road over there but also the lush facilities you mention rusting away.
On the whole the Chicagoland real estate situation is unfortunate. In the 6 years I've been regularly visiting that area I can't even recall the amount of major stores/businesses/malls I've returned to find vacant. Really crazy. Same thing is beginning to happen here in NY.

Corruption is rampant here and not likely to abate any time soon. The power base is well entrenched, not even two governors in jail at the same time has woken enough people up.
Emissions testing here is a joke. The money would be much better spent on safety testing, if it were actually performed and enforced.

The real estate situation is still bad but better than a few years ago. With all the empty stores they persist in building more.
There is a vacant K-Mart in a nearby town that has sat vacant for at least 15 years. A common tactic for some big retailers is to own either a closed location of their own when moving(across the street) or buy a location nearby pay the RE taxes on it and keep the competition from moving in. The K-Mart mentioned is adjacent to a grocery chain here, Jewel, famous for doing this. Of course the cost of those extra taxes are reflected in grocery prices. The towns won't stand up to the stores and allow the abandoned properties to fall into disrepair all the while not generating any sales tax revenue.
It's disgraceful.

[biasvoltage]

I wonder how many E32s and E34s were taken off the road during the Cash For Clunkers thing back in 2008.

[Red Shirt KRT]

Would be interesting no to see, I'm sure there are numbers somewhere

[Red Shirt KRT]

A little digging and here are aparently all the BMWs traded in, I thought it would be more. A total of just under 700,000 cars were traded in they said the majority was ford explorers lol

"(3,500+) BMWs including an M3, M5, Z3, 850i and (3) 740il Protection"

The 740il protection I believe is like bulletproofed, interesting trades.

[bigsixe34]

I don't remember there being too many lost to that. Every time someone would find an article about a Bimmer being traded in there was an outcry on the boards. Certainly nothing like the amount of domestics that went to the crusher.
You could probably dig up a few threads with the keyword "C4C" which basically meant in the wake of the program.

[ross1]

I wonder how many E32s and E34s were taken off the road during the Cash For Clunkers thing back in 2008.

couldn't say how many but there was one m60 powered car that put up a mighty struggle against the poison in the crankcase. After being abused by the dealer's executioners it still lasted many minutes at full throttle before it slowed and quietly died while lesser cars withered and died in only seconds, often dramatically.

[Red Shirt KRT]

A little digging and here are aparently all the BMWs traded in

"(3,500+) BMWs including an M3, M5, Z3, 850i and (3) 740il Protection"

The 740il protection I believe is like bulletproofed, interesting trades.

If you would of read my post above here are all the clunkers

[bigsixe34]

If you would of read my post above here are all the clunkers

You would have been credited accordingly for finding a specific number of e34s, but all that says is 3500+ BMWs. Cash for Clunkers happened when these cars were at the absolute low of their desirability.
Nobody would be in a hurry to tally up the amount of e39s and e60s if it were to happen today.

[Red Shirt KRT]

Non e34 interesting ones
1 - 1991 m3
1 - 1992 850i
13 - 89' 635csi
43 - 88-91 325ix
~700 e30 3 series

E34 all

1 - 1991 M5
49 - 94' 540i
53 - 95' 540i
278 - 89-93 535i
50 - 530i touring
77 - 94 530i
40 - 95 530i
58 - 92 525iT
~500 - 525i

~ 1100 total then

I'm going to make a separate post since it deserves it as well.

[Jonylevers]

B320i I am down in Bunbury,so far i have found one E34 520i same color as mine though in need if work-bought the other E34 nearby as a parts car though it`s nice to chat to a fellow owner swap ideas,always give a toot on the horn when passing another,see alot more of the 318i !

[Cody.07/18]

The only E34 ive ever seen in person is the one I got from up in Prescott AZ. I've seen pictures of a few from people I know online, but I never see anything older than 2000's around here. I find it really odd because AZ has a pretty thriving car enthusiast community. I figured there would be more around, and in better shape than mine lol. Its got a little body damage and needs paint, but it's really well kept otherwise. I'd really like to restore it completely some day soon.

[Jonylevers]

Where i am there is just one E34IMG_20181209_170933.jpg like mine we both have the same paint though i have retro`d this one