experienced opinions sought; e34 to mint e28

[kick7ca]

I'm currently in a 92 535i 5 speed, sport pack with 250,000km. All mechanical issues addressed, but it needs a paint job and a/c work to make it a finished car, so I was going to spend around $5k this spring for paint & a/c.

Problem is, I've come accross this e28 535i 5 speed with only 38,000 miles, for $12,000 US. It would probably need tires and shocks but otherwise it appears to be flawless inside and out.

So spend $5k to finish the e34, or sell it cheap and get a showroom conidition, time machine e28, which would cost me net $8K more. I'm looking to hear the voices of experience.

[attack eagle]

finish the e34.

why? the e28 is worth far less. It is a big question mark, could be a cream puff, but it could be a POS. It For damn sure isn't worth 12 grand unless it has M5 following e28.
Especially when you can buy a running, solid bodied e28 535is 5 speed for under $2500 these days. And it is a much older car in terms of design and engineering.

THe e34 is a known quantity and is the newer more desireable car.


Eitherway you will never get your investment back out of either of them.

[yaofeng]

If there is sentimental value attached, not much argument the other way can turn you around. You probably have your mind made up already.

The e28 will be a much simpler car to maintain and repair although I have no experience in it. It will have more issues on rust too. Even the e34 has issues on rust. Check the fuel lines of your e34 under the car body and tell me how do they look. The e28 will be definitely worse.

[kick7ca]

Here's the car:

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?car_id=189670537&dealer_id=56942128&car_year=1986&model=535I&num_records=&make2=&start_year=1981&keywordsfyc=&keywordsrep=&engine=&certified=&body_code=0&fuel=&search_type=both&distance=100&make=BMW&color=&min_price=&drive=&default_sort=priceDESC&max_mileage=&style_flag=1&sort_type=priceDESC&address=48707&advanced=&end_year=2008&doors=&transmission=&max_price=&cardist=85

Pics have changed, but interior is flawless dark red leather. I think it's a creampuff; stored and driven 1800 miles per year on avg. Thing is when you combine the age and very low milage, it may need alot just from sitting and drying out you know?

[yaofeng]

It is a beauty. It is also from Michigan. The 86 325es I sold a few years ago also spent the first 10 years in Michigan before I inherited it. Rust is a problem for a car of that vintage. Go look before you commit.

[kick7ca]

finish the e34.

why? the e28 is worth far less. It is a big question mark, could be a cream puff, but it could be a POS. It For damn sure isn't worth 12 grand unless it has M5 following e28.
Especially when you can buy a running, solid bodied e28 535is 5 speed for under $2500 these days. And it is a much older car in terms of design and engineering.

THe e34 is a known quantity and is the newer more desireable car.


Eitherway you will never get your investment back out of either of them.

I hear ya, I know exactly where I stand with the e34. The e28 would be an open book.
Thing is......38,000 miles, the thing is a virgin.

[94530inh]

i'd only offer 8 or 9

[Phatty5BMW]

Why don't you put that extra 8k in what you got. Badass supercharger, turbo? That is what I would do......

Pat

[filip00]

well, the crucial thing is....do you like your e34? if not, sell it and get an e28. i know i'd never do it.

[BMWCCA1]

I have both: a '95 525i 5sp (below), and an '87 535is 5sp with Dinan Stage 3 suspension. Sure, my E34 has 119,000 miles and the E28 has 220,000 miles. But I have owned a 535is with 48k. I love the E28 for the way it drives and handles in the countryside where I live. It's a more responsive car, more fun to drive on the back roads, and more responsive because of its size and weight advantage over the E34. No question which one is more fun in a 2002/E30-M3 sense of what driving a BMW is all about. But for the last three months I've driven the E34 pretty much exclusively. Why? Well, they both have the same suspension issues and it's time for front control arms and rotors again on the E28. The E28 also needs its second replacement catalyst. The E28 also leaks when it rains, through the windshield gasket and I have yet to tackle it. The A/C on the E28 sucks even when its working, which it seldom does at this age. So I have a compressor from an E32 735i to install, along with a receiver/drier, expansion valve, etc, that I haven't done yet.

If they were both working perfectly right now I'd suggest that the E34 is a much quieter car on trips due to the shape, you have to use the wipers about half as much because the rain just runs off the more slanted windshield, and you can run the A/C with the heat to dehumidify the interior even on rainy winter days. That's an infuriating aspect of the E28 when it's cold and damp out. For long trips with the family the E34 wins out on comfort and quiet. I resolve the issue by having both. My middle daughter dearly misses the E28 as it is her favorite to ride in (she likes to go fast, and even at the same speed the M30 and the Supersprint exhaust make it sound like it's going twice as fast). The real question is more like would I, a die-hard E28 owner for the past sixteen-or-more years, pay $12,000 for an E28? Not for a plane-jane without the "S" package seats, suspension, and OE TRX tires and wheels. You'd be nutz! For maybe a similar condition (or even add 100,000 miles) M5...maybe. The value in this car is only the low miles. Drive it for a while and it will be worth a third of that. And of course it all depends on what that money means to you? How much can you insure it for? Have you even driven it yet? You have to answer all that. But you can buy a decent E28 535is for $3000 and with a little more cash have a really nice driver without needing to keep it in a bubble to preserve it. I know that didn't help but I'll bet driving it would. Plus, what's up with those photos being almost a year old? Haven't found a buyer with deep-enough pockets yet?

[kick7ca]

I have both: a '95 525i 5sp (below), and an '87 535is 5sp with Dinan Stage 3 suspension. Sure, my E34 has 119,000 miles and the E28 has 220,000 miles. But I have owned a 535is with 48k. I love the E28 for the way it drives and handles in the countryside where I live. It's a more responsive car, more fun to drive on the back roads, and more responsive because of its size and weight advantage over the E34. No question which one is more fun in a 2002/E30-M3 sense of what driving a BMW is all about. But for the last three months I've driven the E34 pretty much exclusively. Why? Well, they both have the same suspension issues and it's time for front control arms and rotors again on the E28. The E28 also needs its second replacement catalyst. The E28 also leaks when it rains, through the windshield gasket and I have yet to tackle it. The A/C on the E28 sucks even when its working, which it seldom does at this age. So I have a compressor from an E32 735i to install, along with a receiver/drier, expansion valve, etc, that I haven't done yet.

If they were both working perfectly right now I'd suggest that the E34 is a much quieter car on trips due to the shape, you have to use the wipers about half as much because the rain just runs off the more slanted windshield, and you can run the A/C with the heat to dehumidify the interior even on rainy winter days. That's an infuriating aspect of the E28 when it's cold and damp out. For long trips with the family the E34 wins out on comfort and quiet. I resolve the issue by having both. My middle daughter dearly misses the E28 as it is her favorite to ride in (she likes to go fast, and even at the same speed the M30 and the Supersprint exhaust make it sound like it's going twice as fast). The real question is more like would I, a die-hard E28 owner for the past sixteen-or-more years, pay $12,000 for an E28? Not for a plane-jane without the "S" package seats, suspension, and OE TRX tires and wheels. You'd be nutz! For maybe a similar condition (or even add 100,000 miles) M5...maybe. The value in this car is only the low miles. Drive it for a while and it will be worth a third of that. And of course it all depends on what that money means to you? How much can you insure it for? Have you even driven it yet? You have to answer all that. But you can buy a decent E28 535is for $3000 and with a little more cash have a really nice driver without needing to keep it in a bubble to preserve it. I know that didn't help but I'll bet driving it would. Plus, what's up with those photos being almost a year old? Haven't found a buyer with deep-enough pockets yet?


Thanks, very helpful. I'm tempted.......to much $$ in the end though. Ir could interfere with my master plan of getting a nice 911 3.2.