I’ve known Geoff for many years. And throughout those years, I had never seen him behind the wheel of a wagon… until recently… after he picked up this E61 Touring from a close friend of his. Prior to this touring ownership, it was always either E36 M3 or E46 M3 for Geoff (which he’s owned plenty of). When I found about Geoff’s most recent acquisition, I knew right away that I must feature it on the Avantturous blog. While E61 may be a popular choice in many parts of the world, you don’t see very many of them in the USA; yet alone modded.
A little background about Geoff’s E61 Touring is that it started its life as a 535xi (AWD) and was converted into RWD later in its life. KW V3 coilovers were added to keep the wagon planted to the ground. While the ride height is a tad higher than Geoff’s normal preference, he mentioned on how he’s been having a blast driving this wagon around. Geoff may have described his Touring as “functional,” but the “FUN-tional” seems to be more fitting. And if I told you that this Touring has over 170k miles, would you believe it? Because I couldn’t believe my eyes after seeing how clean this Touring really is!
Let’s get to it!
Introduce Yourself:
Geoff Tumang
California, United States
Aerospace Components, Supply Chain Management
WHY A WAGON?
This is our first wagon. Previously, I had an E60 5 series sedan, which was a great car. I was originally shopping for a Porsche Cayenne but when I saw this was for sale, I had to check it out.
Did you consider a different WAGON instead of this one?
I looked at Audi Allroads but their increased ride height made them less attractive to me. Although a nice set of coilovers could fix that.
What was your original objective with your car and has that objective changed?
The objective was to have a cool “dad car.” That went out the window when my wife decided she wanted it the day I brought it home.
What style would you say best describes your car?
Functional performance.
Who assisted in the planning/building/modding of your car?
I purchased this car from an old friend from back in my E39 M5 ownership days. He took great care of this wagon and I am grateful he pass this one on to me.
What do you feel makes your car unique / special in your eyes?
For some reason, this car gets many complements. More so than my other cars. Especially from non-car people. This generation 5 series, in my opinion, is underappreciated. No one pays attention to them, and they do not have a high resale value. So, it’s nice to see a wagon be appreciated.
From the driver’s seat, the KW V3s helps it change directions well. The RWD conversion and N54 with bolt-ons makes sure merging onto the highway is a little bit easier.
What is your favorite part/feature/function of the car?
My favorite thing about the car is that although it’s a wagon, it’s still a BMW. There is no compromise in the driving experience.
If you could pick one thing you aren’t satisfied with about your car, what would it be?
The ride height. I would prefer it to be lower but it’s perfect for daily driving as is.
What has been the biggest obstacle you’ve faced while building this car?
Fighting the urge to add more power. Limited available market for exterior aftermarket parts
What one word best describes your car?
Functional
What is your final goal with this car?
Add modern tech like Apple Carplay. Maybe change the wheels. Definitely do road trips.
