VIN help - Is this the last e34? - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

thxalot · 9th August 2006, 00:13

Hi Folks,

I was wondering if I could channel a bit of your BMW expertise. I hear that this car is the second to last e34 ever built. The VIN ends in SGA65557. It's a Dingolfing build, not a true M5 (we call these 540i "M-Sport" in the states).

Do any of you have access to the VIN ranges for e34 cars? Is this the last one, second to last one, something close? If it is the second to last, does any one know what happend to SGA65558?

Thanks for any info or thoughts.

-Burt

dalius · 9th August 2006, 00:22

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/select.do...&kind=P&arch=0

M540i LE · 9th August 2006, 02:14

Judging from realoem (as posted by Dalius) this car was built in Nov 95. A number of variants of the E34 were built in Dec 95 according to the same source.

So I suspect strongly it is not the second last E34 made. It may well be the 2nd last 540i M-Sport though!

Cheers

thxalot · 9th August 2006, 03:29

So as I play around with that site, it looks like there is a VIN with GA65558, but no 65559 or higher.

When I hit the 12/95 production date, I can't get anything to come up for the USA. In Europe, you can't pick a transmission unless you choose right hand drive. So, the implication is that this car is the second to last left hand drive e34 V8.

Am I reading that correctly?

-Burt

Stevie · 9th August 2006, 05:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by thxalot

So, the implication is that this car is the second to last left hand drive e34 V8.

Am I reading that correctly?

-Burt

No. e34 tourings were built to the end of 96, with V8s too. And there's also the 530i with 3.0 V8s, of which I don't have all the VIN ranges. Member Stephan735i has a register for all manual 540i, so he can probably answer your question.

M5touring reg · 9th August 2006, 14:26

Is this the ex -Niels Ballegaard- 540iM-Sport (DINAN Step III) we are talking about ?? if so, it is indeed the 2nd last 540iM-Sport but very likely not 2nd last of total production E34 M5s or even E34s. VIN of last ever E34 M5 produced is known which has to be compared with the GA-VIN-range. But
what's the point really ??? Is it not enough that it probably is the 2nd last of 200 species (E34 540iM-Sport) ever made ???

Stevie · 9th August 2006, 16:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by M5touring reg

But what's the point really ???

I was hesitant to post that question, thank you Karl!

M540i LE · 9th August 2006, 16:20

Unusually restrained Stevie

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stevie

I was hesitant to post that question, thank you Karl!

illjah · 9th August 2006, 16:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by M540i LE

Unusually restrained Stevie

he must be getting tamed in old age

thxalot · 9th August 2006, 19:41

Hi Guys,

Thanks for all the informative posts. You are right on the money, Karl. This is Niels' car. It's in transit for about a month, so I have to be patient. But as you can imagine, I can't wait!

How do you know that it's the second to last M-Sport? It looks like 65558 could be a regular 540i. Are the M-Sports numbered on the vehicle? Actually, this one that just closed yesterday http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...m=320012080193
is listed as "stamped 159th out of 200 ever made".

However, from reading Charlie Kindel's website, it looks like the Canadian M540i's were stamped, but the US M-Sports were not. Can anyone shed some light on whether the US cars are stamped?

What's the point? Well I guess it's similar thinking to why would someone spend so much money putting on a Dinan stage III system and build a car capable of going 190MPH when the top speed limit here is 80 - bragging rights. Afterall, we're all just a bunch of sheep and each of us wants to feel special in some way, right?

As long as I have this fantastic group here, are there any stories about this car? Have any of you seen it out on the Autobahn or lapping the 'Ring? All of my research indicates that Niels was a fanatical owner and all mods were done right. But I'd love to hear any about first-hand experience with the car or with Niels. In fact, I would really like to meet him some day.

Any stories out there to share?

Thanks again,

-Burt