Is this a Good Deal?

[KLappDOgg]

I am just about to purchase a 1988 BMW 535I with 140,000 miles on it. It has been sitting for over 6 months. After jump starting it and driving for a few miles it feels great. But I am going from a 1990 VW Jetta (aka tin can) to this car and dont really know what to expect. Car needs new tires, fluid change a new battery also. I am getting this car for $500. Is there anything I should be aware of or look out for?

[AllanS]

Is that a euro e34, or just an e28? 500$ sounds like a steal in any case, i'd jump on it. Even if you have to dump a few thousand into it to get it -perfect- that still sounds good.

[KLappDOgg]

Im in America, all I know is that it says 535I on the back has full leather interior with power everything and a very fas engine. how do I konw if its an e34 or an e28?

[mholbrook]

An 88 is an E28 but still the last year of the E28 and one of the the best examples of the E28 with the updated head design. The E28 is more closely related to the E30 325 than the E34 which is much more refined and solid feeling. The E28 feels much faster and more tossable. $500 is a steal if it is even remotely presentable and the mechanicals are not toast. You can find plenty of things to spritz this up and it will make a verynice driver for you.

Nice find.

[rickm]

Im in America, all I know is that it says 535I on the back has full leather interior with power everything and a very fas engine. how do I konw if its an e34 or an e28?

This is an e28:
e28 (http://www.bmwinfo.com/0174.jpg)
This is an e34:
e34 (http://www.bmwinfo.com/0399.jpg)

As far as "What will break", read this. (http://www.bmwe34.net/e34main/trouble/what_will_break.htm) It's written for an e34, but some of it should apply to the e28 as well.

[KLappDOgg]

Great news. This car has had 1 owner and he passed away so his son was going to Donate it. I swooped in. It has almost ZERO scratches or Blemishes, steering breaking and all electrical work flawlessly, Needs washing big time but I think with a new battery and new tires this car will be so Awesome. Any links to BMW parts that might help me out?

[KLappDOgg]

Its definately an e28. I dig the older body style too.

[rickm]

For parts the guys at BMA (Patrick and Ives) are pretty sharp. http://www.bmaautoparts.com/

(I think the e28s look pretty damn good when they're clean, very nice lines)

[KurtM]

Post some pics. BMA
http://www.bmaparts.com/cgi-bin/home.php

[KLappDOgg]

Ill check out the link thanks alot!! I am a total BMW newbie.

[KLappDOgg]

I am picking it up tomorrow so as soon as I wash it I will throw some pics up here interior and exterior. Its funny the last 2 cars I have purchased have been steals for $500 my other was a 1982 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supremem Brougham with only 1 owner and 116,000 miles on it and it lived in the Garage its whole life hehe. Do the e28's have a lot of upgrade possibilities, like making it faster or better handling? I am also a car novice so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[KLappDOgg]

WOW this thing is better than I ever could have imagined. Pictures soon to follow

[Craig]

An 88 is an E28 but still the last year of the E28 and one of the the best examples of the E28 with the updated head design.

Not on the 535i. It's the same old engine as the rest of them.


Upgrades include the usual stuff, springs/shocks/etc. As for getting it faster, there isn't a whole lot you can do. Chip and maybe a diff change will give you the biggest change.

Try going to mye28.com and poke around there. Do a search first before posting, as most of your questions have probably been answered at one time or another. THe search feature sucks so be patient.

[KLappDOgg]

Thanks Craig. This car is great fun. I am now faced with a dilema of tires.

[Craig]

It is a great car, I've owned 4 E28s. One diesel, one 533i, one 535i and one 535is.

[Warren N.CA]

the car has TRX rims, you could have BIG problem finding decent tires. But you could probably pick up some used rims (non-TRX) at a reasonable cost.




Thanks Craig. This car is great fun. I am now faced with a dilema of tires.

[Craig]

Yes, get rid of the metric tires. They suck. Even the cheapest tire today is better than they are.

[Unregistered]

I know this is blasphemy, BMA has great prices on E34 parts, but for E28s, they are a bit lacking. For example, if you need to replace your control arms and want to change to the 750i bushing, BMA does not sell the proper the bushing. Apparently, for E34s, the 750i bushing fits right into the arm. However, on E28s, the arms are smaller and the bushings have to be milled down. Only Dinan ($50 each) and Steve D'Gerolamo at ultimate garage ($65 each) seem to offer this modification. BMA's prices for the Bosch "silber" WR9LP plug, required for the E28 M30 engine is also higher than other places. Caveat emptor....

[KLappDOgg]

Here are the pics of my $500 deal of the century!!