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eta. 
Really Senior Member II 
Joined: 21-October-2002 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 599 |
 Posted: 08-February-2006 at 05:39 |
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The 518i should not be discounted. OK it will not set the world on fire, but has the cheapest to maintain, most reliable engine (M10) of the lot.
The 520i is a slug especially in auto form.Heavy on juice too. At this age sh and body condition are very important. The 525e is just fantastic. 2K rpm = 70 mph. A late LUX one will not disappoint. Only available (in the UK) in auto form. High compression engine, so fuel Ron is more critical. The 525i (not e)/528/535 have the 'big six' M30 engine which can do starship mileages if well maintained, especially the cooling system. Last but by no means least is the M5 which was BMW's first true 'Q' car. Very highly spec'd in the UK but only available as a manual, still reckoned to be the best 'M' road car for driving feedback. When in production was the worlds fastest 4 door saloon. Edited by eta. |
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Starrchild
Newbie 
Joined: 27-January-2005 Status: Offline Points: 17 |
Posted: 08-February-2006 at 05:02 |
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wow.!!
Thanks for the response everyone. Judging by the glowing words of praise for the E28, I must be on to winner. I'll take your advise and put it to good use. BTW, my e39 was a great car to drive and it still looks the bizzo, but it did have a few gremlins...such as the electrics and the power drain on the whole system when left idle for a while. Apart from that I highly rate them. Long live the E39. Oh, thanks for the link to the 80's car emporium. that guy should be praised for his fine efforts in keeping some of the best cars ever made alive. Cheers. |
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Doive
Really Senior Member II
Joined: 09-February-2005 Location: Clinging to a turbine, Hexham Status: Offline Points: 1212 |
Posted: 07-February-2006 at 18:00 |
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Go for it whitey, even if it does turn out to be a heap you can always scrap it again! My last 525e was a scrapyard find, 150 quid for a 73k car, full history until 2003, totally spotless in every way. Only scrapped because they believed the head gasket had gone, which it hadn't. Bargain!
There is a very nice e12 on ebay at the minute, if I had a bit of space I'd be tempted, not sure why but I quite like these. There was a VERY rusty M535 e12 on a few months ago, but it really was a basket case as most e12s seem to be now. I probably like them because a friend of the family had a really nice X reg 528 in metallic gold, it was the first automatic car I'd ever seen and it fascinated me! We were looking for one up here in the scottish section a few months back to do a feature for the 5 series register, sort of a first to latest photo shoot, but had to give up when we couldn't find one anywhere. Shame really. There used to be a lime green T reg 520 in Edinburgh a couple of years ago, but it must have got scrapped. |
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1987 BMW 525e Lux Auto (sadly deceased)
Get Firefox - Ditch Hopeless Inertnet Exploder www.doive.co.uk 
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whitey
Really Senior Member I 
Joined: 15-May-2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 450 |
Posted: 07-February-2006 at 17:15 |
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Anorak or no anorak your absolutely right, the e12 was the first M badged production car readily available to the buying public. The M1 was the first M car but was not really readily available. However, as you say a lot of e28's are getting a little rusty now.......but nowhere near as bad as the e12's. Can't remember the last time I saw any e12 let alone an M535 one. on the note of e28 M535's, I spotted one the other day, tucked away. I was down at my local breakers (scouring for e30 parts) and sitting in the "awaiting clearance" yard is a diamond (?) Black M535i. From what I can see it's very original , still on it's bespoke metrics, and fairly straight. Not sure if manual or auto (a lot were autos) but I might pop down and enquire as I got really attached to the green one I used to look after and now the e30's virtually finished, I could do with another project! |
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2000 e39 523i with full factory sport kit.
1989 e30 325i Convertible 1999 Golf GTI 1.8T |
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Doive
Really Senior Member II
Joined: 09-February-2005 Location: Clinging to a turbine, Hexham Status: Offline Points: 1212 |
Posted: 07-February-2006 at 15:56 |
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I ve had a couple of e28s, both 525e Lux models, and have to say they
really are superb cars. My latest car has over 192k on the clock, but
still drives like new and is as tight as a drum. They just keep going!
Looking underneath shows no sign of any of those miles.
As has already been said, watch for the cambelt on the M20 (520i and 525e) engine, water pumps can give up occasionally. Being quite a heavy car, they tend to be hard on the suspension bushes (as are e34 and e39s I believe), but they tend to be most fond of the rear axle beam bushes, so have a look at those. Any clonking from the rear under acceleration will likely be a set that aren't there any more. Take a good look at the floorpan in front of the raer axle mounting points and the back of the sills, I've seen cars like butter here. Any e28 by now is liable to have either rust lurking in the bumper fillets, or stonking great holes in the bumpers (mine has both). It's an easy enough fix, with new sections available for not too much cash. Metal sunroofs may well be showing bubbles on the surface as well. If you find a car with a moon roof (glass sunroof), it's more desirable than the metal alternative. Avoid any rim with the size r390 - metric tyres are stupidly expensive, and handle as if the road were resurfaced with Cookeen. Personally I'm very taken with the eta models, the last of the line Lux versions are well equipped and comfortable long distance cruisers, while still managing 40mpg on a run. The smaller engined cars tend to be a little underpowered for the size, with the 518i being rather slow. Best all round would probably be the 525i, with the 528i and 535i being more powerful but very fond of the go-juice. The M535i is fast, but just not my cup of tea. [anorak on] The e28 M535i wasn't the first BMW saloon to display the M badge, that was the e12 M535i of 1980 odd. Although I suppose to be exact the first car to display it was the M1 supercar. Anyway. [anorak off] |
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1987 BMW 525e Lux Auto (sadly deceased)
Get Firefox - Ditch Hopeless Inertnet Exploder www.doive.co.uk
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whitey
Really Senior Member I
Joined: 15-May-2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 450 |
Posted: 07-February-2006 at 15:29 |
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IMO it's absolutely 100% a classic with classic BMW shark nosed looks. Yes the 528 Lux is a nice car but also keep an eye out for the M535i as these are fantastic cars. Not exactly a true e28 M5 but the forerunner, a lot cheaper, the first M badged road car AND very worthy of the badge. I used to look after a very rare Agate green 85 'B' plate one and it was a brilliant car. Often mistaken for an M5, the body kit was more aggresive on the M535i and it came with the unburstable M30 3.5 which (if my memory serves me right, correct me if I'm wrong) approx. 220bhp. Not being the M5 lump, servicing is a piece of p*** and a fraction on the cost. Pay as much as you are willing to pay for a good one. What may seem OTT to others will pay dividends in the end. They are bullit proof (unlike the e39 so I'm certian your going in the right direction) but one thing that is for sure, pay heed to Mikes advice on the cambelt and while they are in there, get them to replace the front cam oil seal which is a weak point. Keep an eye on eBay as a few really nice ones have gone through here and also see the 80's Emporium at http://www.the80semporium.co.uk/forsale/ as he's had a couple of peaches go through as well. Good luck.
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2000 e39 523i with full factory sport kit.
1989 e30 325i Convertible 1999 Golf GTI 1.8T |
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540 V8
Bavarian-Board Contributor 
Lick my badge Joined: 07-December-2005 Location: Running the asylum Status: Offline Points: 2280 |
Posted: 07-February-2006 at 14:17 |
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I had an e28 525e '84 model. Real chrome bumpers an all! A very basic car but also very simple. No electrics, but less to go wrong. She was mint and I loved her and now I'm gutted I ever got rid. She'd have made a good runabout to work and was always a pleasure to drive. I can't really tell you what to look out for because in the two years I had mine, I only put a water pump on which cost me about �35 from beemers! Mine did have a cambelt though so look out for that, best replacing it anyway just to be sure. Good luck with your pending purchase! Regards Mike |
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Current:E34 540i Touring 6 speed manual(Mpower bodykit & suspension)& Chrysler Voyager 3.3 V6 auto Previous:E34 530iSE AC Schnitzer suspension. E28 525e auto-Standard |
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Starrchild
Newbie
Joined: 27-January-2005 Status: Offline Points: 17 |
Posted: 07-February-2006 at 14:02 |
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I just sold my e39. I'm after a short term replacement .... something with a little more 'cool'.
I've been looking at a e28 lux. does anyone have any buying advise? what should i look out for? how much should I be paying for a car cirra 1985? any help would be great.  Thanks |
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e28 5 series - a classic?
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Doive wrote: