Two Americans found a trashed BMW and brought it back to life faster than anyone expected
- This pair of YouTubers bought an old trashed BMW for just $600
- It was in a terrible state and couldn’t even drive
- The pair ended up fixing it much faster than anyone expected
Published on May 05, 2025 at 3:43 PM (UTC+4)
by Daisy Edwards
Last updated on May 02, 2025 at 12:15 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Emma Matthews
These two Americans found a trashed BMW that was on its last legs and worked to bring it back to life, doing it far faster than anyone expected.
They managed to get hold of it for only $600, but the BMW E34 535i didn’t run, was title-less, had over 400,000 miles, and a messed-up exhaust.
It seemed almost impossible that the YouTubers would be able to bring it back to anything remotely like the car it once was.
But the pair began working on the BMW regardless, and managed to bring it back to life much faster than anyone expected.
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What’s the damage with the trashed BMW?
Buying a BMW for $600 seems like a true bargain. But when the car is as trashed as this one, it seems more like they maybe paid $599 too much.
The BMW E34 535i was rescued by a pair of YouTubers known online as Backspeed Stories, and they started to investigate and see the extent of the damage.
The trashed BMW came with no title and multiple issues, including over 400,000 miles on the clock, missing bumpers, a janky exhaust. And, most importantly, it didn’t run.
During the inspection, they also found slotted rotors and surprisingly good brake pads, but everything was leaking and deteriorated. It also looked like the battery was missing, as well as the AC belt.
Bringing it back to life faster than anyone expected
They had a lot of issues to fix on the trashed BMW and not much money to work with.
So they decided to take on the most pressing issue of getting the car to start. They quickly diagnosed it as being down to a burnt-out main wire to the starter.
They replaced the main wire and performed a compression test, which showed immediate good compression – a fantastic start to repairs.
Shockingly, the car immediately started working and was drivable. In fact, it was a fun drive despite its age and other issues.
Aesthetically, they installed a Duraflex M-style body kit with custom brackets and mounts. They also painted the bumpers and side skirts to match the car’s metallic blue finish.
They fixed the fuel leakage and added some fancy new wheels, transforming a hunk of junk into a reliable daily driver.
Now that’s what we call a successful DIY job!
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Daisy Edwards is a Content Writer at supercarblondie.com. Daisy has more than five years’ experience as a qualified journalist, having graduated with a History and Journalism degree from Goldsmiths, University of London and a dissertation in vintage electric vehicles. Daisy specializes in writing about cars, EVs, tech and luxury lifestyle. When she's not writing, she's at a country music concert or working on one of her many unfinished craft projects.
