31,000 miles, 1995 BMW 525iT Sport Wagon

The 1995 BMW 525iT Sport Wagon

The nuclear family of the 1960s prominently featured on cereal boxes everywhere, but in addition to the 2.4 children and a dog was undoubtedly a station wagon in the garage. Having been relegated to the scrap heap of the old man’s choice of car, there is now a resurgence in the popularity of the design, with performance variants from Mercedes, Subaru, BMW, etc. For the sporting driver with no time for a minivan, the BMW Touring models were the only choice.

Behind the grill of the kidney-shaped grille is a 2.5-liter, DOHC in-line 6-cylinder engine with variable valve timing, producing 189 hp at 5900 rpm and 184 lbft of torque. Power gets to the wheels through a 4-speed automatic transmission with economy, sport and manual shift modes as standard. Suspension on the wagon is as performance driven as the standard sedan for great handling. A disc brake at each corner provides stopping power, and on the car offered, are shrouded by chromed alloy wheels from BBS with 225/60R-15 brand new BF Goodrich Radial T/As.

The car offered

The 1995 BMW 525iT Sport Wagon offered here is something of a unicorn: only two owners and 31,000 miles from new. Purchased originally in Maricopa, California the first owner owned the car for four and a half years before selling the car on in 2000, showing 29,383 on the odometer. The second owner drove the car only 2,000 miles before storing it in his substantial garage in the warm dry hills near San Jose. A true barn find.

Liberated from storage last summer, the car was subject to a full re-commissioning, including a new battery and an overhaul of the spark system and substantial service to the fuel injection system. The gas tank and all fuel lines were flushed, brakes and suspension inspected, fluids checked, and a new set of 5 BF Goodrich Radial T/As installed along with an oil and filter change.

The car starts easily and idles perfectly smoothly and quietly. Acceleration is brisk once you hit 3,000 rpm, and the mid-range torque makes freeway overtaking effortless, while brakes are very effective and the car handles as a BMW should. If you don’t ever look in the rear-view mirror, you simply won’t know you’re piloting a wagon and not a car. At no time, even in hard cornering does that extra weight make the Touring feel top- or tail-heavy.

The exterior condition of the car is truly excellent overall. The accident-free car’s body panels are all marked with the original VIN tags, and their fit is as-new. The all-original Alpineweiss paint is excellent with only minor blemishes, conducive with mileage. The original glass is perfect. The alloys are suffering minor chrome loss. The roof rack rails also have some loss to the black finish. The car features the industry’s first dual sliding sunroof(s). A front panel and a rear panel can be opened and closed independently or in tandem by a single control.

The interior is also in excellent condition throughout. Carpet, panels, and dash are free of wear. Seat surfaces are exceptionally good with only the minor wear of a 30,000-mile car. The walnut trim is perfectly as new. The heater and all electrical systems are fully operational, including all lighting, the stereo system, with the 6-CD Changer mounted in the trunk, 2-stage heated seats, electrically adjusted seats, mirrors and windows, while the freshly serviced AC system blows cold. The original phone, however, is just for display.

The car is accompanied by a full complement of tools, books and manuals, Montana leather care and sample, CD and cassette, plus cassette deck cleaning kit.

The 525i Touring is an excellent allrounder, offering the traditional BMW qualities of understated style, Sport Sedan handling, luxurious interior, with all the versatility of a station wagon.

Please note that the registration was suspended, so no back-fees are due for a California buyer.