Howdy.

I recently bought a 1987 Mercedes 300E for my fiance, and needless to say I now love German cars. I was about to buy another Mercedes for myself, and thought I'd check out the options from BMW. I know nothing about BMWs, which is daunting, so I was wondering if anybody could give me a few pointers.
I need room, as I am 6'3". I am pretty laid-back for a 32 year-old, but I like to drive, and I am athletic. I have $4,000 to $7,000 to spend, and just want some general guidelines as to which series I should look at. There are so many cars in my price range to choose from, and though I know how to spot the good cars in general, BMW specs are new to me. Am I better off looking at 3, 5, or 7 series? What do all the little letters mean? Is there general info on which years and models were most dependable? I chose my lady's 300E because it was the most dependable car Mercedes made back then, and it was a nice medium size, handled well, etc....

Thanks for any help,
Jimmy

First I'll explain those 'letters and numbers'. I hope none of this is too redundant.

BMW model designations usually have three numbers: the first denotes the model series, and the other two refer to the engine displacement, i.e. (3)25 = 3-Series with a 2.5L engine...(7)35 = 7-Series with a 3.5L (actually it's a 3.4) engine. I believe the little 'i' at the end means that the engine uses gasoline ('td' means turbodiesel). Sometimes you'll see a capital A after the designation (such as 325iA); this simply means the car has an automatic transmission.

There are also 'E' codes; these are followed by a number which designates a body style produced through certain model years.

Here are some possibilities for your situation and price range:

E36 ('92-'95) 3-Seriesi; 325i is sporty, reasonably quick and also reliable; good availability of parts as these cars are extremely popular; given your height, you will probably need to push the seat pretty far back; if you are at all concerned about rear seat room, this may not be such a good choice. You can probably get one in reasonable condition for $6,000-7,000.

E34 ('89-'95) 5-Series; 535i a little faster, but not as fuel efficient and not quite as reliable as 525i, which uses the same dependable and popular engine as the 325i. Quite a bit more room than the 3-Series, nearly as athletic, with a very distinct character. A 525i may be your best bet, and is quite comparable to your fiance's 300E in many respects. Get the most expensive one you can afford, as it will likely be in the best condition and have the lowest miles. The newest model year you could likely purchase for $7,000 would be something like a '92 or so. Incidentally, a more advanced 2.5L engine shared with the E36 was introduced for 1992--it makes 21 more horsepower than the '89-'91 models.

E32 ('88-'92) 735i & 735iL; the last 6-cylinder 7-Series before the 1993 introduction of the 740's. The 735's share the same 3.5L engine with the 535i--similarly higher maintenance, even lower fuel economy due to the heavier 7-Series body. Reliability may be more of a question than with a 325 or 525i. Still definitely a sportier personality than a Lexus LS400 or S-Class Mercedes, but more serene than the smaller BMW's. Interior size definitely will not be a problem with these cars. Incidentally the 'L' after the model designation stands for extra-long wheelbase 7-Series. Most of the extra length on these models goes into rear legroom. You should be able to find a reasonable E32 7-Series for under $7,000.

As far as safety is concerned, be advised that no BMW models (with the exception of the '93 740's) received passenger-side air bags until 1994.

Overall, I would look most closely at the '89+ (E34) 5-Series, especially the 525i. Athletic, reasonable size, good performance, excellent fuel economy, and perhaps the most dependable BMW ever.

I hope you will be able to get something out of all this information. There should be plenty of websites that will go into greater detail on any of these models.

Best wishes in your search for a nice German car.

Craig