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Thread: Non m parts on m5

  1. #1
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    Non m parts on m5

    So basically if I were to buy an m5 shell/ one in rough shape what parts would have to be off of an m5 and couldn't be swapped from say a 525i.

    Obviously excluding engine/driveline, cluster, badges.

    Also is this frowned upon, if I were to do this it wouldn't be for show or anything just to have a well put together m5 without spending a fortune on interior parts and rid bits.

    Guess it would affect value as well, but would you be able to for example tell say a 525 hand brake surround with an m5 one at all?
    Last edited by Red Shirt KRT; 02-24-2018 at 05:05 PM.

  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by Red Shirt KRT View Post
    So basically if I were to buy an m5 shell/ one in rough shape what parts would have to be off of an m5 and couldn't be swapped from say a 525i.

    Obviously excluding engine/driveline, cluster, badges.

    Also is this frowned upon, if I were to do this it wouldn't be for show or anything just to have a well put together m5 without spending a fortune on interior parts and rid bits.

    Guess it would affect value as well, but would you be able to for example tell say a 525 hand brake surround with an m5 one at all?
    Lots of common parts. Hop on realoem on your computer on two different browsers, side by side with the 525i on one and M5 on the other, look at the same exploded diagram with both cars, and compare the part numbers.

    1993 BMW 540i

  3. #3
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    Ah thanks. So what is it of all the parts on the m5 percentage that are interchangeable?

    Best guess? Like 75/25 the 25 being m5 unique?

  4. #4
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    The beauty of the early M cars is the majority of the vehicle is just like any other lesser optioned version. The major differences are the drivetrain, bumpers, side skirts (- the 95s), suspension, shift surround, sport front seats, rear head rests, rear plate filler, cluster, badges, '93 mirrors and wheels. Just about everything in the engine bay is unique to an M5 over a 525i. There would be nothing cheap or easy about removing and relocating all the brackets from a 525 into an M5. You'd be better off finding a nice '95 525i manual and rolling with that as your driver and pass on the M5 shell. You could easily upgrade the suspension and brakes and have a dependable and fun driver for a fraction of the headache you're proposing. Now maybe if you found a nice 525i touring and had a wrecked M5 to swap everything into the touring that it might be worth the work.
    Last edited by Kingpin025; 02-25-2018 at 05:22 AM.
    Tommy L.

    (
    oOO \ (IIII) (IIII) / OOo)

    -o- (##########) -o-


    2001 BMW M5 LMB
    LHD Euro
    Bilstein PSS, Black Kidneys, Dinan Rear Anti-sway Bar, Matte Black Style 65, UUC SSK w/DSSR, Alpine iLX-007, Alpine MRV-F 340 Amp, Boston Acoustics Pro components, Alpine MRP-M450 Amp, Infinity Kappa 102.7W Sub x2

    Current Garage:

    1993 BMW M5
    1994 BMW 525i Touring 5spd
    2004 Ford SVT Lightning

  5. #5
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    Thank you for the replies.

    I guess a shell wouldn't be worth the hassle but I was thinking of getting even a fair or poor condition m5, as long as it had the motor, tranny, etc

    Even if the motor did need some work and the interior/exterior were rough.

    What would the rough price range be for something say motor needed a tune up rough cosmetically and rough interior but was running. Say 200k miles+?

    Would I be able to get something like that for say 4k$?

  6. #6
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    I would much rather put non-M5 bits onto an M5 than the other way around. At least that way you still have an M5.
    demet

  7. #7
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    You might get lucky and find a basket case E34 M5 for $4k. But you'll have to be the first on the phone and get there in person immediately with cash in hand if you do. There's a BMW salvage yard near me that has a sun-bleached 1991 BMW m5 that hasn't run in years with a destroyed interior and they are holding fast at $11,000.
    1989 750iL schwarz/schwarz
    1991 M5 schwarz/silbergrau
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  8. #8
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    I guess more realistic would be 5-6k then.

    As for that one, if the interior can mostly be swapped from a 525i than it should need more than a couple thousand dollars as long as it is in good mechanical condition right?

  9. #9
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    I wouldn't get your hopes up too much for that type of deal. I just can't imagine you finding a $5-6k M5 in good mechanical condition. A basket case M5 that you're describing, especially from the part of the country you live in would most likely be a money pit. You'd still be $6-8k into it replacing suspension parts, dealing with the neglected intricacies of the S38 and addressing rust issues alone. Years of neglect definitely costs money to reverse. I always look at it like this, a '91 M5 in mediocre shape can be had for between $10-12K. If you buy one for cheaper than that, it most likely needs the difference of what you buy it for up to that same $10-12k to be mediocre. Granted you could get lucky, but unless you can afford to spend that amount of money an E34 M5 may not be in the cards. Anything that is rubber is most likely bad and the cooling system would need work, the list adds up quick.

    Is your E30 in decent shape? Why not find a basket case E36 M3 and swap in the S50? Seems like a "devil you know" situation to me.
    Tommy L.

    (
    oOO \ (IIII) (IIII) / OOo)

    -o- (##########) -o-


    2001 BMW M5 LMB
    LHD Euro
    Bilstein PSS, Black Kidneys, Dinan Rear Anti-sway Bar, Matte Black Style 65, UUC SSK w/DSSR, Alpine iLX-007, Alpine MRV-F 340 Amp, Boston Acoustics Pro components, Alpine MRP-M450 Amp, Infinity Kappa 102.7W Sub x2

    Current Garage:

    1993 BMW M5
    1994 BMW 525i Touring 5spd
    2004 Ford SVT Lightning

  10. #10
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    Sorry I was replying about just a few thousand for that one the junkyard was offering for 11k.

    I think I'm looking for a 5-6k car that needs quite a bit of Mechanical, exterior, and interior work.

    I plan on keeping the car for a while and doing all the work myself over time, I just don't have the funds ATM for a 10k+ car, also like a project

    No e30 anymore, had a lot of fun in a manual 325ix and 525i, itching to get an m5 now

  11. #11
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    I sold my E34 M5 that had its roof caved and declared a total loss in from a tree trunk for $6k, was in pretty fine shape otherwise. Took awhile to get a taker too, so $5-6k is reasonable I think. Wonder what it's up to... from lower angles it looked pretty still. Some pics of it before it sold, I still miss it even though I have another M5.



    Last edited by sugaki; 02-26-2018 at 12:00 PM.

  12. #12
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    Sweet ride.

    About the only thing I would do with a caved in roof is make it a vert lol.

    I can't imaging fixing the a/b/c pillar an easy job.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Red Shirt KRT View Post
    Sweet ride.

    About the only thing I would do with a caved in roof is make it a vert lol.

    I can't imaging fixing the a/b/c pillar an easy job.
    Buying a roof, cutting existing roof and welding new one in... would've cost thousands in labor alone.

    On another note, an M5 shell just popped on ebay:

    https://www.ebay.com/itm/1991-BMW-M5...16.m2518.l4276

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