1995 BMW 525i - "Olympic Games Edition"

I bought my first BMW in 1997. It was a 1995 318is. I have since owned an E39 wagon and my current car is an X3. Whenever I buy a car - no matter what brand - I do research. I research it before I buy it and after I buy it. I look at what other cars the brand offered. I look at the options. I look for special editions. I look at everything.

That's why I was surprised when I saw this; a 1995 525i Olympic Games Edition. I had never heard of such a thing.

The Olympic Games Edition is a 525i with "special" features. All were painted Oxford Green Metallic and had Parchment interior. They also had 16" 5 spoke wheels (very nice), dark green piping around the seats to match the exterior, rear seat headrests, Olympic Games badges on the glovebox and door sills, along with an M-Technic lower rocker panel body kit. BMW built 500 of them.

The E34 5 Series is a beautiful car. The newest one is now over 20 years old, but it still looks classy. They are relatively reliable, too. It's not uncommon to see 6 cylinder E34s with well over 200K miles on them. Common problems include suspension pieces and the cooling system, neither of which are incredibly expensive to repair. Parts are still available from BMW and the aftermarket.

About this car... This 525i Olympic Games Edition has just 97,000 miles on it. It looks to be in very nice condition. The seller says it two flaws; a missing side mirror cover and an inoperable left rear door. He says it has been well maintained, but does not mention any service records.

All of that is pretty cool, but is it worth the asking price of $4900.00? According to Kelley Blue Book, a 525i in similar condition, without the Olympic Games Package, is worth around $3000.00. Are the extra cosmetic features worth an extra $1900.00? That's your call.

Located in Vancouver, WA, click here to see the Craigslist ad.