Pando's E34

[Pando]

Hello guys, it's been a while!

As some of you might remember I moved to Spain in September last year and have been working here ever since. Even though cabs here are as cheap as the booze is, the public transport system works surprisingly well and I've lived only meters from my workplace lately, I still share the passion for cars like all of us here do.

As cars here are about 50-70% of the price they are in Finland and petrol is too, obviously I've been very tempted for a longer while to find a pleasant car that I could enjoy, especially on the twisty mountain roads!

What car to buy was a tough choice, but I kept myself updated on the used car market for over six months looking for a jewel. There were many cars I considered but the two seater roadsters I had in mind in the beginning didn't get any support from my significant other, who valued practicality. So trunks and backseats were a must, apparently. So the MR-2's, MX-5's, Boxters and S2000's were out.

Had I been a little more spontaneous and listened to my little brother in stead of reason I might even have purchased a V6 Clio, just for the sheer awesomeness and coolness of it! I still stand with the opinion that as far as hot hatches go, you can't really get any cooler than that. But with the engine where you'd normally expect to find back seats, no trunk to speak of and quirky handling I had to give it a pass.

Hatchbacks are popular here and it shows in the price, rather surprisingly Audi S3's are more expensive than their bigger S-sisters because of their demand, so I also ruled all of them out because of their lack of value for money they were designed for in the first place.

I pretty soon realized the jewel I was looking for would probably be German, but finding unmolested M3's for instance was harder than I would've hoped. My hope for mankind was fading away with every Altezza light I came across.

Until I one day came across my jewel, unmolested, well kept, low mileage and with a price I couldn't say so to. A beautiful E34 M5 from the neighboring island, a few weeks of gray-hairs with Spanish bureaucracy and the car was finally mine about a month ago.

I've liked many cars before, but I'm already very attached to this one for some reason, seems like every time I drive the car I just burst out a smile... and when I do I know I've found a keeper and I've made the right choice.

I've also found that I no longer go to the closest store to get my groceries, the further away the better!

[Pando]

[a few more pictures]

[Wouter Melissen]

Let me be the first to congratulate you!

[kingofthering]

congrats! It's a genuine M5 :O

Just don't drive it off an unfinished section of highway.

[Ferrer]

Congratulations indeed. Superb choice.

A shame you live so far away...

[fisetdavid26]

I'm speechless.

Congratulations.

[Pando]

And most importantly the Egg Nog.

[Kitdy]

That is fabulous Pando and such a nice colour too. Excellent selection.

[LeonOfTheDead]

Excellent choice. of all the car you could have purchased, this was possibly one of the more difficult to imagine. Congratulations, really.

[Dantera22B]

My grandad test drove a 520 tourer in that same blue colour but opted for a green one instead. Ive always liked the E34, a properly handsome gentlemen's car.

[Pando]

Originally Posted by Wouter Melissen

Let me be the first to congratulate you!

Originally Posted by kingofthering

congrats! It's a genuine M5 :O

Just don't drive it off an unfinished section of highway.

Originally Posted by fisetdavid26

I'm speechless.

Congratulations.

Thank you for the congratulations! One of the things that I love about this car is it anonymity, probably about 90% of the people I see thinks it's just another Beemer, but when you get the occasional thumbs up and glares in traffic you know you've found an enthusiast. I could even go as far as saying these Pre-Bangle M's could even be considered cool these days for the very same reason.

The roads here are made for driving [Really?] - they are in excellent shape (apart from where I took the pictures ) and the altitude differences makes for some very enjoyable twists and turns with breathtaking scenery. I live just a few steps from the sea, but within 25km from my house the mountain tops are pushing to heights of almost 2000 meters [see picture]. So the contrast is huge!

I obviously will take my car to one of the nearby tracks if I want to test its limits instead of ending up in a ravine if I make a slightest mistake.

Originally Posted by Kitdy

That is fabulous Pando and such a nice colour too. Excellent selection.

Obviously, as I wear my reproductive organ on the outside, I wouldn't base my purchase on such a trivial thing as color, but I agree. You couldn't go wrong with black, but honestly if I would've had a choice of any color I think this blue would've been it.

Originally Posted by Ferrer

Congratulations indeed. Superb choice.

A shame you live so far away...

You should come and visit some day when you feel like you need a holiday! I will probably fly through your city sooner or later as well too!

I'm dreaming of taking this car with me to Finland for my summer holidays by taking a ferry to either Southern Spain or Portugal and driving across Europe. But as it would be around 5-10 times as expensive as flying and also very time consuming and exhausting as my girlfriend doesn't have a license so I would do all the driving. We'll just have to wait and see what our budget and schedule allows.

[Ferrer]

Originally Posted by Pando

You should come and visit some day when you feel like you need a holiday! I will probably fly through your city sooner or later as well too!

I'm dreaming of taking this car with me to Finland for my summer holidays by taking a ferry to either Southern Spain or Portugal and driving across Europe. But as it would be around 5-10 times as expensive as flying and also very time consuming and exhausting as my girlfriend doesn't have a license so I would do all the driving. We'll just have to wait and see what our budget and schedule allows.

The M5 is certainly a good incentive for a Canarian holiday.

The road trip to Finland sounds great. We can share the driving if you want...

[wwgkd]

Sweet dude, congrats.

[cmcpokey]

the E34 is my favorite 5 series, and to get an M5 is just tops. congrats, and hope you drive the shit out of it.

[Rockefella]

If I had to get a used car, it'd be the one you just purchased. Awesome car Pando, and nice to see you back.