1985 e28?
 

I need a commuting car for about 10 miles/day, in traffic, that is reliable and looks respectable, with working AC. Something I actually like would be nice.

Budget about $10K.

Here is a hare-brained idea. Buy this or a similar 1985 535i E28 for $2-3K and put $7-8K into it.

BMW 1986 535i *Clean Classic*

http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/cto/5602513192.html

Will I end up with what I need?

Tell me how sensible or how stupid this is, please.

You can't come here looking for a "no"

It seems like you have a strong background in similar vintage German cars so a lot of the systems will be similar. At least you're going into it with the mentality that $$ will need to be spent.

You could do a lot worse, but before you take the leap, find yourself a good, honest, trusty BMW indy to check it over real good looking at the suspension bits, etc., and to be there when you need an experienced hand to work on stuff you don't want to tackle. Nice looking car... I bet it drives great and those seats wouldn't bother me a bit.

HVAC problemsssssssss......Noooooooo.........

Why on earth would you have to put $7-8k into a car like that? I had one about 15 years ago, it was a phenomenal cheap car. I never had to put much into it at all and drove it x-country, up and down the coast, etc. It cruised @ 100 mph like a dream.

Man, you guys are practically lining up to hold the syringe and push the plunger . . . tell me more about the pitfalls.

I should add that I'm not incredibly interested in laying under greasy cars any more, and IIRC replacing suspension bushings etc is unpleasant work. I used the $7-8K figure because that's what would be left over from $10K, and because I'd have much of the work done by others (maybe Gibson Electric?). You think a 260K mile E28 can be made into a decent looking, 10 footer, daily driver, for that budget?

I had an E28 back in the day....awesome car and I wish I still owned it!!! I would definitely shop some and not be in a hurry. I have seen very nice low mile examples go for around your 10K budget....

Good luck!
mg

There's always something going wrong- some small, some more serious.

Budget for a replacement engine if one day it decides to become a coal roller.

If anyone has a line on a clean lower miles 535 E28 . . . Please let me know. Preferably stick shift. Thanks.

Otherwise I might buy a Honda Accord. You wouldn't do that to me, would you?

(Holding Accord to my head, threatening to turn the key.)

What about a W124?

94-95 e320

You should get an E36 M3 and be done with it. If you need good AC, that is.

I had a Euro spec 633csi It was a nice driver for sure. Euros are somewhat different.

16 inch wheels with 225/50 tires really suit the car, as do Bilstiens and Eibachs.

My DD is a 1988 e28 M5 (167k).

My previous three DDs were:

1) 1988 e28 M5
2) 1988 e28 M5
3) 1985 e28 535i

I might be biased ...

Well built, reliable, repairable ... lots of character.

do you want to sell?SmileWavy

You would not do your own suspension bushing repair, that's what shops are for. Everyone needs a good tire/alignment shop that does that stuff. I'm a huge DIY guy, (rebuild engines), and I don't do my own suspension work, generally speaking. You need a lift, specialized tools, a press for bearings, etc. and it's dangerous to do yourself.

When you look at a used BMW that's a few years old and has miles on it, that stuff has either been done already or you budget for doing it soon. NBD. People here talk like you're just going to buy some old BMW w no records and/or mechanical inspection and step into a big old pile of schit. Well, of course you would. That's not how you buy one.

The engines on the lesser e28s, (528e), have their charm wrt fuel mileage, (which is excellent for that chassis), but they have a timing belt whereas the big 6 has a chain. The chain is a pro/con thing for the first 150k miles or so because it's maintanence free to that point but eventually they need to be changed, along w rails, tensioner, etc. The big 6, (533/535), is a lot more powerful and fun, (final drive ratio was even shorter), but it burns premium where the 528 burns 87 octane and it burns quite a bit more of it. If you're not putting a ton of miles on it and your other investment in the car is cheap, who cares.

The other issue is the weird and unavailable tire size installed originally on the 533/535 cars. The rims need to be changed to regular old 16 or 17" BMW rims and tires. It would be rare to find a car still on its Michelin TRX rims/tires unless the car had been sitting for a loooong time. TRX tires are still available from Coker but they are in the $300+ range per tire plus shipping, mounting, etc.

Most e28s being driven on the road now have been converted. It's something to factor in if it hasn't. They were really outstanding cars. Yes, they're getting old but they crush later BMWs like a grape when it comes to quality. They also sold enough of them and many are in the hands of enthusiasts, so good examples are to be found and they are cheap. I'd probably pass on the 250k car in OP because you can get a better, younger one for not much more $$. NorCal and the PNW is the prime hunting grounds for good cars in general and BMWs for sure. They probably sold more '80s BMWs in CA than the rest of the country combined. :)

My kind of guy. :cool:

A well made car but an absolute qualude on wheels compared to an e28 535i w manual transmission. Both in style and performance. Zzzzzzz.

I had an 87 535is, was in our family since new. We put 200k miles on it, I did around 150K of them (from 50K to 200K).

I also did all of the work on it for my 150K miles.

It was a very good car. It wouldn't have been if I wasn't a DIY'er, though.

Plenty of little (but necessary) repairs and diagnostics over the years, most were not major and were very little work and money for me. But if I had to take it to a shop for every one of them, it would have been ridiculous.

Oddly, HVAC was never an issue. It worked perfectly with no repairs the entire 200K miles.

As much as I love the E28, I wouldn't recommend it for you at this point. It's just too old of a car. And the E28 is more complex than the earlier, smaller BMWs like E21 and E30. For example, there's a ton of soft parts in the E28 suspension, when they wear they need to be replaced or you get shimmies, etc.

Like with most 30 year old cars, they are still totally fine for enthusiasts who want to have some fun, tinker, etc.

But when the purpose is for "a commuting car for about 10 miles/day, in traffic, that is reliable and looks respectable, with working AC" I'd not recommend it.

10 miles a day, traffic or not, is not a very demanding assignment for a car. I'd respectfully disagree.

If he said that he need a DD to do 15k+ miles a year and never break or go in the shop, of course an old BMW would not be the prescription.

10 miles a day in traffic.

Sure, you could do it.

The real question is whether you'd really want to do it.

I'm as big of an 80s BMW fan as anyone (most of miles currently are put in an '83), but if I had $10K in my pocket for a 10 mile a day daily driver, a 30 year old E28, which just by age and the nature of the car is certainly going to be worn out in many areas (interior, suspension, steering, etc.) would be way down on the list.

Esp. if it's an automatic.

I know it's a bit cliche to say, but it's really true with the E28 - the automatic kills the car.

Yes, the automatic truly was a slush box in that car. A 5-speed completely changes the character of it. And what a sweet shifting 5-speed it was, w perfectly spaced gears for a 100mph blast past a line of 18-wheelers in the middle of nowhere! Man, I have great memories of that car. Chased Jack Olsen and a gaggle of other early 911 hot rods up the 101 and through the hills to Monterey for the r-gruppe gathering one year in it when my 911 was in pieces in the garage. With passengers. What a great sedan. Sigh...

I also don't know why the $10k figure is being discussed w this car. I know it's his budget. But $3-4k buys a great e28 these days. $10k would buy the best one in the world, a true concours winner. They are just too common and not that valuable.

Nice looking Euro. A/C just needs a recharge.

Good looking car though. Add some Style 5s and your done (for now).

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1464719995.jpg

There is a FABULOUS 535is currently sale in Seattle. The best I have ever seen. $10k might get close.

That is a pie-in-the-sky price, sorry. :(

EDIT: was referring to the euro car pictured, not the one in Seattle.

You need to see the car ... STUNNING!

Buy this instead....

1977 Porsche 924 Championship Edition

...at least you'd be driving a Porsche.

No need for apologies. Agree it's on the high side, but I wouldn't say pie-in-the-sky.
(Non M) E28s seem to have climbed significantly in recent years.

I think they are pretty good cars, but I cant see how a 30 yo german car is ideal for the requirments of decent ac, and not wanting to get greasy. Even if you just right a check for everything it might get a bit frustrating on small things to chase.

I divide all cars based on the year i graduated high school (1994) as modern or not. I think modern by this definition is best for DD.

how about e34 or e39?

So let's see it! :)

30 year old automatic E28 with 250K on it. :D

Have fun changing the rear subframe bushings.

The AC will be marginal even with R12. If it has auto climate control, RUN AWAY.

Take that money and get a really nice E39 528i or 540i

Seriously dude.

I know an M5 is beyond the budget but...
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YQKOsDi5HsU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

For less money you could have this instead:

Rare 1979 built BMW M535i e12 - 79xxx original km's

Laguna Seca at the Cork Screw

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1464730410.jpg

Ok, I will say it. You can get a 2010 (somewhere around those years) Corolla or Civic all day long. I drove my friend to pick one up for his little girl who's going going off the college in a couple of month. Have many years of great service left, clean paint and interior, no worn out suspensions and cold AC. What's not to like sitting in traffic, even in Portland? It may not be as fun as around corners compare to the BMW but hey, beats going to the mechanic or having to work on the thing coming Saturday, unless you find joy working on cars. I sure don't anymore. Time better spend riding the bike or hanging out.

I got this for $10k.

https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1680/2...724c68c9_c.jpgM5 by willtel, on Flickr

Nice one, Willtel. Not the most practical $10k car but I've always loved that e34 M5.