Wow! :eek:
Beautiful! Are those 18's or 17's?

Most everything is available... except really common stuff like window seals, some trim pieces LOL... in fact, I bought a "parts" 528e a few years ago, but ended up selling it to a friend for his daughter's daily driver (it was too nice to pick apart). She drove it to Texas, lived there for a few years, drove it back and it's still running great. Rims are Style 5 17". Had the fenders rolled while she was naked.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1635783686.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1635783811.jpg

I know this thread is about '80s BMWs - I have a 2004 E46. Parts are still fairly plentiful but I have already seen a drop in quality. Lots more stuff coming from China, too.

Nice M5.

herr_oberst, I also noticed some items that are listed as NLA, OEM flywheel for one. The e28's are quite durable and were built to last, I never had the alternator off of my 734000km, 1984 533I that I had purchased in 87, Pic of gauge cluster I kept when I finally sent it to scrap because of rust issues. The alternator brush pack is replaceable with the alt in the car takes about 10 min, starter was still original, clutch every 250,000km, the engine fan clutch would only last 100K KM, rebuilt the cylinder head at 550,000km, original bottom end, rebuilt trans at about 350k, really needed it again at around 700k. The heater valve would need rebuild every couple of years.



http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1635788375.jpg

I owned E30 M3 that I converted to Euro spec with dogleg box and diff, Evo2 flywheel and Evo 3? splitter.

Also, Euro spec M5, E34. Shadowline black over black. I burnt a lot of gas on the Autobahn in that thing.

And a 1985 635Csi w 5 speed manual.

Loved them all. Looking for photos now but may be a stretch since they aren't digital.

I'd love to hear more about this too!

Starts around 30 seconds. Bummer.

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I had an '85 535i for years. Great car, bought used, put over half million km on it. I then moved on to my 1989 e30 325i touring. At the same time, I got a '91 318is for the winter. I still have the e30 touring, over 15 years now. The 318 was replaced with an e46 325xi touring, 5 sp manual.http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1635812958.png
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http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1635812958.png
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I'm 62, and I only regret selling one car-a E28 M5 I bought with 25k on it and drove to 125. Sold it to buy my 911. It was truly the most capable car I've ever owned-as much fun to drive as the 911 (with both in stock form-the 911 with suspension mods and turbo is different) but unlike the 911, you could put another couple in and cruise quickly and comfortably to dinner. The square wheelbase x track was uncommon but made the thing track like crazy.
I can remember vividly the first time I ran 2nd to 6500 on a back road. Wow. Only 300 hp even with some Dinan bits, but so so sweet.

Ok, those mileage numbers are remarkable to me. You put 460,000 miles on your 533!

When I picked it up it had over over 200k, I drove the rest. Even when it had over 600k km I would not think twice about driving 24hrs to Florida from Toronto.

That E30 Touring is a special car! Rare as hens teeth in the US.

@strupgolf - Lovely E31! Which model? As it looks like a CSi. Sweet OZ Futuras.

Hey, sorry I overlooked your Q

It has a few things not working right: power locks (driver's door won't lock, other doors lock then immediately unlock); power mirrors (switch inop); interior lights (sometimes don't switch off when doors closed); trunk gets wet (though apparently not often, as its not rusty - yet); occasional clunk from steering.

Otherwise, everything works and it drives nicely, as far as I can tell from some short putt putts around town - haven't gotten it registered yet.

After I get those things sorted and the car legal, I want to change wheels and tires (now 15" with mismatched tires), install a stereo that doesn't require a PhD in multi-level menu navigation, and then just live with it for awhile and see what I want to do.

I have acquired a set of (ratty) E28 power sport seats and what I think is a (ratty) OEM 535is air dam, just in case.

Why did I want a 5'er - I wanted a four door, four seat, comfortable, reliable, sporty roadtrip machine with a big trunk. I always liked the E28 a lot, but couldn't afford one back in 1986 (I bought a $17K Merkur XR4Ti because the 535 was like $40-50K). As BMW has, ahem, evolved, I find the 70s-80s-and early 90s cars much more special. Also a guy took me for a ride in his E28 with race suspension stuff (coilovers, balljoints) and I was pretty darn impressed.

Hey jyi, for your door locks, carefully pull the door panel off and check the lock actuator, probably just sticking. Trunk getting wet could be the sunroof drains, I do not remember where they run to.

Thank you! I will do that.

Also check for leaks at the bottom corners of the rear window. With the actuators I think they all give a feedback signal so if one is not all the way down they will all open. While you are in the doors, clean inside and oil the seam inside there.

Something to check while the panel is off, close the door and lock it and lift the outside lever, then unlock and see if it opens, it should, on my 84 I had a spring break that returns a lever attached to the handle, if that lever does not return there is no unlocking the door, really difficult to remove the door panel with the door shut but it is possible, manually move the lever and door would unlock.

Perfect, just perfect! :cool:

I’ve a few over the years, but I really liked my 91 318is. Bought it from the original owner 10 years and drove it daily for several years.

Moved onto an 05 E46 330ci back in December and just bought an 03 E46 M3.

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Love this thread!

I was shopping for a 88 M5 in 2012 and was being too picky. Back then I had my pick of them for 12K a pop. I should have bought them all.

Example, I still have this one bookmarked in my toolbar. LOL!

12.5K M5 in 2012. Why did I not jump all over this?
https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?1803677-1988-M5-for-sale

I had 1 other bookmark. A 1988 M3 for 14K I passed on this too. WTF what I thinking?

https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?1757519-Nice-88-e30-m3-(tastefully-mods)

I used a 10 speed bicycle gear shifting cable (with the surrounding sheath) to push through these drains to clear them. It was about the right size and rigidity. Worked pretty good for mine.

That's a great idea. With many vehicles, part of the drain tube is soft material and you do not want to shove anything sharp or not flexible in the hole. You can cause a perma-leak that is basically impossible to repair. Water in interior forever. :(

Going at them from the bottom is generally advised; clear the blockage and then rinse w hot soapy water, then compressed air from the top.

You were thinking that they were always going to be that price, get one later. Same reason I did not buy one of the best 1971 911S 2.2 coupes in the country for ~$20k when I was an early member here. The problem is not only prices but the best cars are generally not available anymore, period.

I too used a bicycle shifter cable, and my sunroof drains are clear. I also found that my front driver and passenger footwell carpet is wet - but not more wet by the kick panels where water from the front sunroof drains would tend to manifest if that were the issue. Hmm. Investigation proceeds while I dry out those areas with fans, and I guess I shouldn’t hose it down again until I figure this out.

I have had mine for about 15 years, but have recently thought about selling it because I rarely drive it. But when I do, I fall in love with it all over again...



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I know exactly what you mean. My e28 is fun to drive and could easily be used everyday, but I choose to let her sit, and then every once in a while I think about selling... my first world problem are my other choices of daily transportation; an e36 m3 (a blast) or Cayman (delightful)

All you guys with M88 and S38 //M engines, where do you typically source parts? Lots of NLA from BMW due to low demand

I started sourcing OEM parts like timing chain, tensioners, crank hub nut, head gaskets etc. years before I dropped the engine off to be rebuilt. Found just about everything online, and the few missing bits were supplied by the engine builder (VSR). After this painful, expensive, multi year process, the only part I could not find were the window guide seals. Go figure.

I have had a thing for E3s (among other old BMWs, but especially those) since high school (early '90s). They've always been undervalued and really cheap. Now that I'm ready to pass on my Saab and can consider getting an E3, they're climbing in price and cars that were under $10k for ever and ever are like $15k. If you can even find a pretty nice one, which is not the easiest. SMH.

Thank you. It's a A.C. Schnitzer model, 92, 76k mikes.

Stumbled into a BMW VIN decoder and ran the E28's numbers. Only 2 things came back. Japan and LHD (beyond M10 engine and automatic trans). The original owner must have planned to return to North America (and bring it with him) from the very beginning.

Time for a bump
not an E28, but there is an E30 behind the E12
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1636662029.jpg

E12's are cool. Are those 15" wheels?

I seem to remember reading somewhere that having a euro LHD car in Japan gave you a bit of street cred, like the kids with RHD JDM cars here (Skylines, Silvias, etc)

^^^ this

Not a fan of the chevy swap and certainly not a 427 but like the look.

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/p...a2469a8389.jpg

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/articles/rapid-transit-bmw/

Today it might but in 1982?

Those are staggered 16" Weds
The car is waiting for me to finish another project - I have a 5spd and other stuff to install