1989 BMW 735i: You Can Go Home Again

In January 2026, I was on my way to work when I spotted a familiar gold BMW sitting on the local lemon lot. It was a 1989 BMW 735i, nearly identical to the 1988 735i I had once owned and loved—and eventually regretted letting go. In fact, aside from a few details, it might as well have been my old car. And just like that, the possibility of owning my first love all over again was suddenly on the table.

I stumbled out of bed and made my way into work on that nice, unseasonably warm morning. My usual route to my office takes me by the local lot, and I usually glance over to see what is on offer in our unusual little town, and most days there is something interesting. However, on this morning, sitting there on the lot, was the gold BMW. I did not think twice about looking it over. It was, after all, my car.

As mentioned, the 1989 BMW 735i was nearly identical to my beloved 1988. Like my old one, it was a standard-length model, with the 4HP22 automatic transmission. It even had the same style wheels that my 1988 had left the factory with, and which my brother had run off with. The only meaningful difference was a shorter rear axle ratio. I did not bother looking it over before I started taking pictures. L, likewise, did not bother asking questions when she received the pictures. Her response was simply “get it.” It was, after all, my car.

I made an appointment to meet with the seller so I could look it over and test drive it. The meeting went well, and I looked the car over for every trouble area I could remember, finding only that it was just about the single best E32 I had ever seen. All the electronics that were broken in my 1988 were functioning perfectly in this example. The seller was surprised at my familiarity with the car, and we were soon exchanging questions with each other about it. The seller was unaware of the OBC IV’s various hidden functions until I started checking to see that they were working. The test drive, unsurprisingly, went well. The car ran exceptionally well. The transmission, which was original to the car, shifted well and showed no signs of its advanced age. There was no high-speed shimmy, as the seller had recently replaced the thrust arms with aluminum replacements, and the Servotronic steering worked flawlessly. Every control fell to hand as it had in my 1988, and not a single sound or sight was out of place. It was as close to perfect as an E32 gets.

I was at a loss at the end of the test drive. I had wanted to hate the car. I had wanted to find that my affection for my first car was simply sentimentality. But I had loved it. The engine sounded and ran beautifully, and the inherent competence of the E32 chassis was on full display, unburdened by years of neglect. Car and Driver, when comparing the E32 750iL to its competition, once wrote that it was the best car in the world. While the lowly 735i was not the world-beating super sedan its V12 sibling was, it still shared the same bones. And they were good bones. But I did not need it, and it would be very inconvenient for me to buy it. I did not have space for it as it stood, but within a few months my 2001 Toyota Origin would arrive, leaving me with even less space. I also had serious concerns about its reliability, given the broken mess that was my 1988. Even though I regretted scrapping it, I had scrapped it for a reason. But it was still my car. I loved it, and I wanted it, and so I made a promise to myself that if the seller would not budge on the price, I would not buy it. I offered $2,500 for it–$500 less than he was asking. He did not even attempt to haggle, and so I came to own another E32.

It did not take long for me to press this new E32 into service. One drive in the E32 revealed every shortcoming of my 1996 Mitsuoka Galue. Where the Mitsuoka’s 2.0 liter straight six felt weak, the M30B35 felt as though it punched above its weight. Where the Mitsuoka felt numb, the 735i had much feeling. Where the Mitsuoka was clunky and loud, the 735i was smooth, refined, and quiet. The seats, however, were the biggest improvement. The Mitsuoka’s seats are quite flat. There is nothing wrong with them. They are competent seats that are comfortable enough. But they do not offer much in the way of lateral support. The 735i’s seats hold you in place, despite looking flat. The 735i will also cruise at 100 miles per hour, while the Mitsuoka will struggle to maintain 80. The 735i also compares favorably to the Toyota Origin. While down about thirty horsepower and 15 ib-ft of torque on the Toyota, the 735i feels faster. This is likely due to the transmission. The 4HP22, for all its shortcomings, shifts far faster than the Origin’s slushbox automatic. The 735i’s chassis is far more responsive, too. While the E32 is considered floaty among its BMW stablemates, it is downright stiff compared to the Origin. The result is a far more engaging car to drive, even if the Origin is more comfortable.

The 735i gives up very little in practical terms. It will run on regular unleaded at this altitude, although if I ever make my way down to sea level I’ll have to fill it with 91. Mileage is not great. I manage about 19 miles to the gallon in it, if I drive conservatively, which I seldom do. It will carry a family of five and all their luggage in great comfort as far as you’ll care to drive. There is plenty of leg-room in the back seat, and the seats are well-shaped and easy to sit in for long periods of time. There is plenty of shoulder and hip room, such that it will happily carry a car seat and two passengers. Thanks to a shorter rear axle than my old 1988, it is more at home in-town without any meaningful sacrifice on the highway, and will happily keep up with modern traffic. The M30B35 provides more than adequate power for the car, although it could still use a much lower first gear to make better use of that power.

I have now driven the 735i for six months, albeit not exclusively. I prefer it to every other car I own, and I have listed the Mitsuoka for sale as a result. Somehow, in six months, it has given me no trouble and has been completely reliable mechanically speaking. The weekend after I bought it, I brought it to my father to show him. We gave it a once-over together, just as we had all those years ago when we first brought home the first 735i. They say you can’t go home again, but it sure felt like I had that day.

In my first entry on my first 735i, I said my entire life began to fall into place in 2009. I did not know it then, but I had my life figured out then and there. It just took me a decade and a half to put the pieces together. I had my wife, and I had my car. I was just too immature to see how good they were, and I let them go. I have had much good fortune in my life, but I am especially lucky to have had a second chance at my first loves. With that, my story ends. I hope you have enjoyed my eclectic collection of cars. I have been so very lucky to have had the opportunity not only to drive and live with these cars, but to have shared my experiences with all of you.

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