Quote:
Originally Posted by SickFinga
This is the first E34 M5 with these mirrors. Notice how BMW refers to them
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Actually the VIN# you provided is from the M5 20 Jahre Edition, a special edition celebrating 20 years of the M5.
It is not the first E34 M5 equipped with those mirrors.
A total of 20 were made with the following VINs and VIN ranges:
GD63473
GD63475-GD63479
GD63481
GD63483
GD63486
GD63488-GD63498
When you run the VINs of the 20 Jahre E34s, there is a separate "Individual vehicle data/Individualasstattung" section, which lists additional data.
Notice if you run the VINs of those produced just before, just after, or in between, the Jahre editions, there is no supplemental appendix listing "individual" specs. I ran the VINs of several E34 M5s HC91/HD93 from 08/92 to early '93 and none of them had this unique appendix of individual parts.
Not sure why BMW did this, but what it tells me is that the individual breakdown is only provided when running the VINs of 20 Jahre M5s.
But this certainly does not mean that the 20 Jahre M5 exclusively had those mirrors fitted, nor does it prove that it was the first. As i mentioned earlier, the first E34 M5s were fitted with these mirrors beginning with 08/1992 production, months before the first 20 Jahre M5 (Oct. 1992).
How do i know the VIN sheet doesn't list all features?
One way to test the accuracy of the VIN sheet is to run an E34 M5 that was fitted with the mirrors from the factory and see if it shows up on the VIN sheet.
I found a window sticker of a US-spec (MY1993) that was fitted with the mirrors. The window sticker lists the mirrors "AERODYNAMIC MOTORSPORT MIRRORS" as standard equipment, but it is not shown in the VIN sheet (many other features listed on the window sticker are also omitted in the VIN sheet).
Therefore, the VIN sheet is not a reliable method of determining which E34 M5 was fitted with the mirrors and when.
There may be a VIN range out there that includes 08/1992 production onward, but running a single VIN# and looking at the sheet alone does not tell the whole story.
My point still stands. The E31 850CSi (Euro) and the E34 M5 (from 08/1992 prod.) were equipped with aerodynamically styled mirrors commonly known as Motorsport mirrors or M-Technic mirrors (and subsequently as E36 M3 mirrors) were not exclusive to the E36 M3, nor was the E36 M3 the first car fitted with this style of mirror, however you want to call it.