Hey all,
Three 1985-1986 535i's, ranging in miles from 120-160k, are up for sale. All are in fantastic shape (via internet photos), & around $4-6k.
I'd be using the car as a 35,000+mile/year daily driver, and nearly all repairs would be via a repair shop due to lack of tools/repair space/knowledge.
Wise choice or not?...
Anything I should look for besides the obvious (e.g. 'hidden' rust prone areas etc?)
...or any issue with finding certain replacement parts?
Thank you!
excellent decision. you can put tons of miles on them and they're not going to really wear out nor depreciate substantially.
The e28 is an excellent, rock-solid car that can handle a lot of miles. Those prices sound a bit on the high side. You might consider the 528e -- one with the eta six cylinder. It's more efficient, you're going to be driving it a lot it sounds like. But find one with a 5 speed because they're not exactly fast.
All this said, you might consider a newer car if you're not planning to do the work yourself.
What about prices, the one I have my eye on is a '85, has 160k miles, all receipts since 1987, has led a fairly easy life, the guy's asking around $4k...(?)
Seems like a no-brainer which is worrying me a bit :)
JohnW wrote: ...All this said, you might consider a newer car if you're not planning to do the work yourself.
Yes, the car's a 5-speed.
Are repairs particularly time consuming/costly, for example, a new clutch install?
paul wrote: What about prices, the one I have my eye on is a '85, has 160k miles, all receipts since 1987, has led a fairly easy life, the guy's asking around $4k...(?) Seems like a no-brainer which is worrying me a bit :)
That doesn't sound too bad. Make sure there's no rust. If it's really nice, it's probably worth $3500. (Here's something with higher miles, but nice, for comparison: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1317475)
I don't think parts prices are too bad (I have an e30 and a 2002, so I'm not too knowledgeable about e28 prices), but older cars that see a lot of miles are always going to need to be tinkered with. Just don't let you shop nickel and dime you. Also, beware of shops charging you a premium just because it's a BMW ...
$4k may be a reasonable price, depending on condition, but it's towards the high end for an '85 535i. Any rust, and is the body straight with good paint? All suspension parts and bushings in good shape? Interior wear? Any modifications from stock? These things are built like tanks but they are 25 years old.
Some places to look for rust besides the obvious (like around the rear wheel wells) are the license plate lights just under the trunk lid, the outside corners of the floor pan right under the front driver and passenger's feet (the sunroof drains empty out in these locations), jack points, and the seams along the bottom and front edge of the front doors. If the car has been maintained well 160k miles is nothing, I know guys with 300k to 500k+ miles on cars that are still running strong (I have 195k miles on mine and I drive it every day.) Electrical issues are a common problem, but they are usually annoying things like power window switches or bad grounds on taillights. Sometimes there are issues with the ECU or other components that will affect operation but most of them have been figured out by someone else already and can be fixed without a lot of heartache.
The best place to look for advice is www.mye28.com , it's dedicated to these cars. Go through the tech FAQ section first and use the search function, some of the guys there are kind of harsh on newbies. However, chances are there's someone there who is close by the car you're looking at and can give you a good second opinion. Another good source of information is the M535i website at www.m535i.org.
I would not buy any BMW if I couldn't work on it (coming from an E30 owner).
Parts are generally very reasonable on this vintage of Bimmer, but labor is still pricey.
Z31maniac brings up a good point...older BMWs (like the e28 5 series and e30 3 series) are generally very reliable, but due to their age they will need some tinkering to keep them happy. If you have to pay someone every time something small needs fixing it can get to be an expensive proposition. For major work, it is good to have a trusted independent BMW repair shop nearby - the dealer will cost too much and chances are their mechanics aren't going to be familiar with the older cars anyway.
I can manage repairs like brakes, belts, fuel filters etc, but anything major I'd go to the shop for.
The dilemma I'm having is: do I sell my '89 accord w/ 120k miles (which soon will need a timing belt, f&r ball joints, valves adjusted etc),
...or get the e28, which would be amazing to own/drive, but the above considerations come into play.
or buy the e28, let it sit next to my 96 cobra through winter; just for the ease of the honda's fwd, then sell the accord after winter (I love, but hate this option)...
paul wrote: I can manage repairs like brakes, belts, fuel filters etc, but anything major I'd go to the shop for.
if you can manage those, a non-neglected e28 will suite you just fine.
paul wrote: I can manage repairs like brakes, belts, fuel filters etc, but anything major I'd go to the shop for.
I would recomend against a car that old if that is the case, becasue it will eventually need work, and if you can afford to pay someone to do it, you could afford a better car also. They do seem nice though, I almost bought one but i couldnt find any good ones when i was looking.
I've had the chance to flog a stock E38 535is several times, and have been impressed every time. Even though E30's are the more popular choice, there's certainly fun to be had from these cars.
I don't see how selling a car that needs some maintenance for an older car that will need similar maitenance makes any sense.
That's just me though. I don't want you to think I'm against it, I'm a huge BMW fanboi, it just doesn't seem like the right reason to ge the car.
Paul,
Your '89 Accord sounds like the perfect car to drive into the ground at the 35k miles per year you mentioned.
You may be bored with it now; but I have dumped a lot of money on commuter cars since I unloaded a Honda with 120k miles on it 3 years ago (replaced with an Impreza and then an A6), I feel like I should have kept the Honda and bought a purely fun car for weekends instead.
as dave says (not that i entirely agree, given the long-lived nature of modern cars): you are destroying the value of whatever car you drive, don't let it be a car you like, or want to keep for a long time. it should be comfortable, reliable, and cheap to run/maintain.
i'll second the "keep the honda and buy something fun for nice days" sentiment.
not that a 525 would not make a nice 'weekender" car. For what was BMW's bread and butter luxury sedan, it was surprisingly capable and fun.
If only modern BMWs were still like that
Great cars but are they really that pricey? I bought mine for less and sold it for less over 12 years ago.
Strizzo wrote: as dave says (not that i entirely agree, given the long-lived nature of modern cars): you are destroying the value of whatever car you drive, don't let it be a car you like, or want to keep for a long time. it should be comfortable, reliable, and cheap to run/maintain. i'll second the "keep the honda and buy something fun for nice days" sentiment.
Just curious, what do people consider a fun weekend car? Most of the ones i can think of would either be $10k+ classics, or cars that arent really that much more interesting than a car you would buy to drive everyday.
depends on your priorieties.. after this winter, my Ti will be mostly a weekender/nice weather car with the saab becomming the year round transport
Travis_K wrote: Just curious, what do people consider a fun weekend car? Most of the ones i can think of would either be $10k+ classics, or cars that arent really that much more interesting than a car you would buy to drive everyday.
I put our (southern) E30 in that category: sure it's only worth a few grand, but it's EXTREMELY hard to find examples that are this clean in these parts. (deep into the rust belt) Even harder to find one with under 100k miles.... That said, I'd imagine someone from California (or Arizona or...) would have different criteria. It'd be a waste to drive our E30 in the salt.
Travis_k said: Just curious, what do people consider a fun weekend car? Most of the ones i can think of would either be $10k+ classics, or cars that arent really that much more interesting than a car you would buy to drive everyday.
Really?
Hint: It starts with "Me" and ends with "oughta."
1st gen RX7 is my definition
Hmm, I live in california, but i can understand in the states with road salt keeping a nice car you dont drive in the winter. In california, to me a 535i, 318ti, miata, etc, would be an everyday car. First gen rx7s, especially the 12a ones, dont pass the emissions testing here easily, so there are very few left.
'94 Miata here
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